So far so good.  I’m feeling like a pro going in for radiation.  The receptionist was working with someone and saw me enter and said “Hi P, go ahead on in.”  I saw the woman who gave me the tatoos who asked if the speakers that were just installed in the waiting area sounded ok.  When I was called into the radiation chamber she went on and on about my scarves.  Today’s scarf, in particular, matched my duds in a way that drew comments throughout the day.  (I think people were telling me that I don’t usually coordinate this way!)

Lying beneath the radiation machine, I felt like I was in a spaceship today.  They put a gel filled pad on me yesterday, I think it was called a bolus or something like that.  It went over the entire area to be radiated.  It is going to be used on me at certain intervals to change the depth of the radiation apparently.  I swear, the radiation staff should have roller skates on.  They swarm around me when I first get there, make sure the numbers and dots match, and are out of the room before you know it.  Back in for readjustments, back out, back in again.  They are so cordial, and yet so focused.

I went to leave, smelling like sesame oil, and the person at the desk handed me a beautiful bouquet of daffodils.  10 minutes, that’s all it took.  I headed back to town to get a new vacuum (ours kicked the bucket last week), stopped at work and heard from a loving friend about another case of invasive breast cancer, a friend of hers.  I immediately felt a calling to help in whatever way I can.  I know I’m still going through stuff, but I cannot overlook the help I’ve received from sisters-in-the-know.  Maybe I can return some of what has been and still is given to me and us at some point.  I picked A up from work, and headed home.

So far I’m not noticing much as far as reactions to the radiation.  I am putting aloe on in the AM and marinating myself in the PM with the chinese salve.  My next treatment is early tomorrow.  I’m looking forward to the weekend.