Radiation and Physical Therapy

A sweet friend made me a "Blue Box" for tough days.

I have been attending physical therapy twice a week with a wonderful PT and Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Karie Rosenthal. She is in her 30s and is a cancer (Lymphoma) survivor herself. We meet for about an hour each time, and the time passes quickly as we swap stories about our experiences and she works to help me with my range of motion and to redirect my lymphatic fluid to prevent lymphedema. I have had some fluid buildup in my chest since the last surgical drain was removed and we are watching that closely to see if it will absorb into my body with more time. If it increases and begins to affect my radiation plan, it may need to be aspirated by the plastic surgeon.

My first week of radiation has gone smoothly. I'm in awe at the technology and machinery that are available for this kind of treatment. Typically, it only takes 10-15 minutes for the actual treatment but it takes about an hour and a half for drive time, undressing, and prepping for the radiation. I lay on a table on my back with my hands over my head, resting in arm holders, and I have to be in exactly the same position every day. I have water-proof stickers across my chest that mark where the laser beams have to line up so that the radiation hits exactly the spot they have designated in my plan. A lot of times, a metal wire is taped to my chest which monitors the dosage amount of the radiation and on days when my chest wall is being treated the technician uses something called a brass bolus, which is kind of like a chain mail vest that is taped all around my chest and which prevents the beams from penetrating too deep and hitting my organs in the area (heart & lungs). The table I lay on is automated and can be moved left and right and up and down remotely by the technicians. They step out of the room during the treatment but can monitor and move me into position using a camera and audio from another room. The radiation machine then moves up to the table. Something that looks like a solar panel comes down over the two side arms and then the whole thing rotates around my body. It is amazing! I have to keep my head turned to the right, away from the treatment area but I can see out of the corner of my eye the metal plates changing position in the machine according to my specified settings. The radiation beams are not visible to the eye but green laser lines shine from the ceiling to keep me positioned correctly.

After each treatment, I'mm supposed to cover the radiated area 6-7 times a day with a steroid cream and aloe vera gel to keep my skin hydrated and protected from burns. As a result, most of the time I feel like a slimy mess and I have alarms going off every couple of hours to remind me to lube up:) Once a week I meet with Dr. Quiet and she monitors the effects of the radiation to see if we need any other medications or are having complications. She said typically the skin does pretty well until about week 4 and then it starts to break down. I feel tired but as long as I can get a nap in during the day or go to bed early, I have been able to keep up with the kids and their schedules. I am so grateful to feel well enough to be able to drive myself to appointments and take care of our family needs for the most part. 

I am scheduled to have radiation for the next five weeks, with my last treatment on Tuesday April 13, if all goes well. After that, we will return to meeting with my medical oncologist Dr. Curley for oral chemo. Next week, the kids have spring break so we hope to sleep in and have some fun day activities following radiation. 👍

All our love and gratitude for your continued prayers!