Part two for me has started. On Tuesday I was fitted for my mask when I get radiation. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't comfortable. What they do is mold a mesh/plastic piece over your face that come around your head. It starts off warm and soft and then it is pulled down so it can mold to the shape of you head. I felt a bit like I was in the movie the Matrix or Tron, so sci-fi! lol When I start radiation I will wear this each time where you are locked into place so you don't move and that you always receive radiation in the same place. Fun times.
The second part of this was that I was marked with marker on my torso to my neck lines I am thinking that will help line up the machine. I feel a bit like an art project in the making. As of now I am wearing my jacket zipped all the way up so you can't see the mark on my throat area--I soon may need to invest in many turtle necks. I also bought sun tan lotion. Throughout this process I will get or can get red from the radiation. And well since I am already very pale like a ghost, I got the heaving duty block. I am also wearing my hat pretty much all the time. My hair has thinned out quite a bit. It is one of those things that will turn itself around, but in the mean time it not look so purtty! :)
Right now they are determining where to do the radiation as far as starting at the base of my skull or going up higher on the face. When you have a PET scan it shoots dye into your body and it is taken up by masses that are abnormal. In my neck area the uptake was not there which is good meaning that those masses/tumors are dead. What they are seeing right now and they saw back in September is uptake in the parotid gland. So they sent out my results to be reviewed by radiaologist at Vanderbilt Hospital to see where they will pin point the radiation. This isn't bad news just the further up will affect the salvatory glands making me have a very very dry throat. But hey, I've been through chemo and I will get through this. Just another step in getting better.
So I will find out tomorrow what they story is on my parotid glands and get my schedule of the time I will go Monday-Friday. Until then I wait.
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