OK, so there seems to be some questions about what radiation is. So, here's your lesson for the day (and mine, because I couldn't really answer that question before)!
Radiation is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and stop them from spreading. At low doses, radiation is used as an x-ray to see inside your body and take pictures, such as x-rays of your teeth or broken bones. Radiation used in cancer treatment works in much the same way, except that it is given at higher doses.
I am receiving external beam radiation. A machine aims radiation at cancer cells. Radiation is used to cure, stop or slow the growth of cancer.
Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away. It takes days or weeks of treatment before cancer cells start to die. Then, cancer cells keep dying for weeks or months after radiation therapy ends.
I receive radiation treatmens once a day, 5 days a week, Monday through Friday. I will receive approximately 28 treatments. Lindy did a great job showing the building and the room where the radiation occurs here.
Radiation side effects can include fatigue, skin changes (including redness like a sunburn, itching, or dry peeling skin), tenderness and swelling.
So, there you have a description of radiation. Hope that helps!
My treatments are going great so far, I truly can not wait to get on the 8:00 schedule, this all over the place stuff is quite a pain.
**On another note... Landon did make the basketball team. Turns out there weren't 70 people trying out, but more like 35. Either way, were proud of him and all the boys that either made the team or just tried out. What would we ever do with our time without a sport to watch? (His first game is Tuesday already!)
1 comment:
Lynette,
So glad to hear things are going well! Thanks for the amazing details about the radiation treatment and what it all entails. I had my second mammogram in Jan. of this year, and it was quite a scare for me, as they saw "something" and had to have me back for two more scans/tests to try and see what was different from my first mammogram 5 years previous to that one. Praise God it was determined that I had "cysts" and that I was deemed "ok" but needed to be checked again in 6 months to make sure nothing else was going on. Well, a couple of weeks ago I went for my recheck and thankfully all is "ok". My grandmother (my mom's mom) had breast cancer in her late 40's and had a double masectomy and I never really "got it" at my young age at the time. I think cancer is more "real" to me all the time. I thank you for your honesty, openness, candid feelings and how you share so we can be aware of what it can look like if we should ever have to go through it ourselves. You have definitely opened my eyes and showed me hope, faith, courage, and determination throughout your treatments and for that I am truly thankful. God bless you as you journey through your radiation treatments and may the cancer cells be completely killed and you be cancer free!! Karen
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