Well...Freddy in Mesh. LOL
I know this is my first update since the end of January, but things have been very quiet for a few weeks and that's about to change.
I went in today for my first official radiation appointment. Got me a mask made. A mesh mask. This is step one in the process of radiation treatment. I won't go into the details, but essentially, a mesh cloth is placed over your face and molded to it. That is what you wear during the actual radiation. Once the mask is made (and it's a very quick process...five minutes, tops), you're wheeled up for a CT scan that will then be used by the radiation oncologist to map out the treatment areas.
And that is what we'll be doing on Thursday afternoon. We'll be shown by Dr. Mundy what will be done, set up a permanent time for our appointments and then we'll start radiation treatments every weekday for the next seven weeks...that should start on Monday, February 25. We're also going to hopefully get in to see a chemotherapy oncologist. That's been held up because of money and the clinic's inability to work with us on that. We're hoping that with Dr. Mundy's personal involvement, something will give on that front and we can at least get in long enough to see if chemo is even needed. I'm also going to have to have a fluoride tray made for my upper teeth so I can use it every day for the rest of my life for about 10 minutes or so a day. That's a direct reflection on my salivary glands being killed off pretty much permanently with the radiation.
So, on Thursday, I've got the appointment at 2 pm to do the radiation scheduling dance. Before that at 1:15, I see Dr. Lehr for a quick follow-up (it's been a month since my last one). And who knows between today and Thursday what is going to happen with the chemotherapy stuff and the oral surgeon (fluoride tray).
This week looks to be very busy. And next week, well, that's when the real trial starts. And it will be a trial. No doubt about that. I'm going to include a link to a diary that a woman in the UK kept while she was going through radiation for the same type of cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) I have, though hers wasn't oral and the radiation was further down on the neck than anything I'll go through. While there's no guarantee that I'll have every response she did, I will say that I, too, am very fair complected and haven't sun bathed in over 20 years. So, that has to be remembered. Randall and I both are prepared for my reactions to be bad. Just how bad, we don't know and can't until the time, but I'd rather be pleasantly surprised by my body's response than the other way around.
Since Thursday is going to be so busy, I may not get an update posted until Friday. And starting on Monday, I'll blog, hopefully, a bit every couple of days if I can.
Diary link: http://www.fashion-era.com/Radiotherapy_1.htm
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