Throw Me A Bone, Work With Me Here

Like I said before, my first radiation session was on the Tuesday after Labor Day. The Saturday before, Milt and I were at the State Skeet Shoot in Green Bay and I had a chance to talk to a fellow skeet shooter who had just undergone surgery for prostate cancer. He gave me a lot of information, some of which I already knew, and some that was new to me. Jack told me that I had nothing to worry about and that the sessions after the first one would be routing procedures. That helped a lot. At the state shoot, I shot one gun, the 20 gauge well (99/100) but could have stayed home for the other three. But it was good to smell gun powder and see all the other shooters. I had been away from shoot all spring and summer.

Tuesday rolled around a lot quicker than I wanted it to. My appointment was at 2PM and I was a little apprehensive about going but knew it had to be done. Jeremy and I had talked earlier before Labor Day and he insisted on going with me. That was really nice of him. He’s a good kid. He called earlier to say he was running late. I told him to just meet me there but he was worried about my having to drive afterwards. I assured him that I’d be okay based on what the doctor told me earlier. When I got to the hospital, he was already waiting for me at the entrance. I think he was more nervous than I was. He was a mess, but that’s okay. We took the elevator the basement. He gave me a big hug and a kiss and told me that he loved me before I was escorted to the treatment room.

I was introduced to my team of technicians who would be actually doing the treatment. There were three of them: Stephanie, Angie and Jesse. I assumed the position. You know, pants and underwear down to you ankles, and of course the modesty towel. I said something to the effect that “I don’t know why we bother with the towel, you guys are going to see my stuff everyday for three and half weeks and by that time you will know it well.” But I used the modesty towel anyway. Up on the table I went and they checked the alignment marks. I got an ultrasound to find out where everything was and was readjusted on the table so the machine would know where to send its beam of radiation. I still had mega problems with rectal balloon. In Fact, I commented to my team that I had a new name for it. The new name was “a--- balloon.” But they didn’t think it was as funny and I did. I said something like, “Oh come on now, throw me a bone, work with me here.”

Okay, all the small talk was dispensed with and my alignment was checked and approved by the doctor. It was now time for the machine. The machine that gives me the radiation is called a Linear Accelerator. My technicians call it “Linac 4.” It looks like some sort of clone of a machine from the Star Wars movie. Particularly, the little white ones the bad guys were buzzing through the forest on. It’s really big and white. Clean looking. Intimidating.

So I’m up on the table and Linac position itself to my right. It gave me three doses of radiation on each my left and right sides and dose just above my naval. Each one of the seven doses last for about thirty seconds. The whole session lasted about eight minutes. It took more time to get ready than it did for the treatment. It was like having an x-ray done. I didn’t feel anything, except the rectal balloon. I thought to myself, “Self, you can do this.” And in all honesty, I will, no matter how much discomfort it may cause. Pain is temporary, the other option is permanent.

When I was done Jeremy was there waiting for me. He had worried himself ragged about what was going on with me back there. He wanted to know all that had happened and if I was feeling okay. He gave me another big hug and told me he loved me again. Remember, I told you he was a good kid.

The first radiation treatment was over. Eighteen more to go.