Seis Cuchillos de Cyber

Fun fact: 6 is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number.

NOT CyberKnife.

6 is also the number of CyberKnife treatment sessions I have completed. To review, the first session was to target all small tumors except the one in the mid-brain. The following 5 treatments were for the mid-brain tumor, which required lower doses of radiation.

Today, I am more tired than I can recall being in quite some time. I was told there'd be some blood drawn (I had a voice mail from my oncologist's nurse) but when I walked all the way to the place where they do draws for port people... Nothing. No orders on file. So, I head toward work. I work very close to where I have treatments (this is actually a wonderful thing) but the walk might as well have been ten miles today.

We're going out to celebrate tonight, barring any serious energy meltdown - we found a barbecue place outside of town and for some reason that just sounds really good to me. The 30+ minute drive to get there? Eh. I'll have to think about it.

The Radiation Oncologist said that the effects of the radiation are cumulative, and that includes side effects. So, the fatigue and any other fun stuff that might come along because of radiation should be in full force, and I believe it! I got the good news that I will be able to start scaling back the dosage on the steroid starting on Monday. I'll reduce the dose by half for a week, reduce it by a half again, and again... Until I'm taking 2mg every other day (I think).

I cannot believe I chose to work today. Had I known that the last session would make me so tired, I would have asked for the day off and I would have chosen to do absolutely NOTHING except lay around in the one room in our apartment that is air-conditioned. I feel very grateful however, that I have been well enough to work my shifts without problems.

Three cheers for being done with CyberKnife treatments!! (and, I got to keep my mask!!)

CyberKnife #1 - A Trip Report

First CyberKnife appointment... Complete!

Truthfully, it wasn't that bad. The weirdest part is having this on your face:

Not mine, just an example!

This mask is tight and I'm not saying "Yo, this mask is TIGHT!" as in that it's cool. No, you will have little "grill marks" across your face for a while after it comes off. After an hour, it's kind of uncomfortable. The mask is screwed to the table, and you cannot move your face or head at all. They also made me a nice little cushion for the back of my head, so that helped. 

As of right now (about 1.5 hours post-radiation) I am tired. Walking up the stairs to my office afterwards was kind of tiring. I feel a little spaced out and dizzy if I stand up too much - but pretty much okay. 

I think I'll probably sleep well tonight, and not feel like doing a whole lot. I was able to eat when I got back to the office (spoiler alert: avocado was involved) and I'm not really nauseated at this point. I was told side effects can crop up in a day or so, but we'll see. 

The mixtape we made to listen to actually didn't work - it stopped playing after the second track... So I had to listen to some horrible opera - which was barely distinguishable over the buzz of the machine anyway. The CyberKnife was a little interesting, the "arm" of the machine moves around as it targets the various tumors. 

On that note, the detailed scans that they performed last week did find additional tumors. The initial scans last month found a total of four - one in the mid-brain (brain stem). The MRI/CT that they did last week takes finer slices (1mm, I think?) and they've located a total of 10. The doctor assured this does not mean the cancer has progressed further, but that the detailed scan was needed to make sure they are able to target EVERYTHING. I'm glad they're so thorough. 

More happy news, no weight gain from steroids. Avocados are the way and the light. Now though? I'm really jonesin' for strawberries. Who has strawberries? Teleport me some?

That's it for now! Go eat an avocado!