This is my journey through the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from stage 3c triple negative breast cancer. 10-yr survivor and counting!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The next chapter: Radiation
It's already that time - for the final big chapter of treatment to begin. Hard to believe, really. Today I go in for what they call the "simulation". They'll take and use CT scans to help them program the tomotherapy radiation machine in a way that carefully targets the area where they found the cancer - in my case the targeted area will be my left armpit since I no longer have anymore than 1% of natural breast tissue left in my body since the bilateral mastectomy. In a very odd way I guess, I'm most excited (and nervous too) to be having the CT scans. I'm thinking that if there's any detectable cancer left in that region of my body it will show up in the scans. Of course, they're not scanning the rest of me - that will happen after radiation is over to determine if I'm "all clear" (which I fully plan on being) or not (which is simply not an option). I'll be much more excited and much more nervous and anxious about THAT scan.
I believe today I'll be scanned, posed, tattooed (yup, little dot tattoos to help them guide the machine to the right spot every day during treatment), and scheduled for my treatments which will begin next week. I'll come back and post more details later today about how the simulation went and anything else I learn while I'm there.
I'm praying for a smooth, , powerful, effective, and successful radiation treatment protocol, beginning today. :)
Let the next chapter begin!
Labels:
ct scan,
radiation,
tomotherapy
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2 comments:
Tattoos? Until your hair grows back in you could look like one tough biker babe! I bet you and your dad would make quite a pair in a picture! lol, jk. I pray that the scans today are all clear along with the full body scans you will have after radiation is all over
Julie,
Your positivity has helped me to much. I had surgery today and I thought about you and how you just have dealt with this process so well. Radiation is going to go smoothly for you. I'm thinking and praying for you.
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