We're 1/4 done!!! It's time to meet the "Beast"

Good evening family and friends. 

Today marked the end of the second of eight weeks of treatment.  The time is going very quickly, and it is an interesting experience, to say the least.  The scientific side of me is full of curiosity, so I've been asking a lot of questions about radiation therapy and how it works.  I thought I would share some of what I've learned about the treatment. 

Radiation Control Center

The control center is shown at the left.  It is the brains behind the operation.  All three screens are programmed for only one patient at a time.  There is another full bank of screens for another patient to the left of these.  Each patient has their own treatment plan entered into the computer.  My day starts by going into the patient dressing room and donning a gown.  I then go into the patient waiting room until called into the inner sanctum by one of the technicians.  I have to verify my name and date of birth each time before heading into the treatment room. 

The "Beast"

The entire radiation unit is shown in the photo at the right.  The radiation head is at the top of the image and the computerized tomography (CT) head is to the far right.  The checkerboard panel is a pickup unit for the CT scanner.  There are two of them, but only one is visible in this image.  The platform is where the patient lies while receiving treatment.  The technicians actually took a couple of shots of me on the table, but Kathy ruled that they were unsuitable for posting.  Once the patient is on it, the platform is elevated and the entire machine rotates completely around it.  The gray ring is the mechanism it rotates on.

I lay down on the platform with my feet and legs in the mold and my head on the pillow.  A bit of the mold  (blue) is showing under the sheet.  The technicians then position me using laser beams on the three tattoos which I received during the simulation (it seems like months ago).  Once I am in position, they do a CT scan.  The CT head is extended and goes all the way around counter-clockwise.  The information from the scan is fed into the computer and minor adjustments are made to the platform to compensate for any small change in location of the prostate gland from the previous day.  Once the platform is in the proper position, I hear a distinctive buzz which signals that the radiation head has been activated.  The head then does a full turn around me in one direction, stops momentarily, and then goes completely around again in the other direction.  If you are not interested in minute details, please skip to the next paragraph.  The first rotation delivers 103 cGy of radiation, and the second rotation delivers 97 cGy of radiation for a daily total of 200 cGys of radiation.  For those of you unfamiliar with the physics of radiation, as I was, one gray (Gy) is the absorption of one joule of energy, in the form of ionizing radiation divided by one kilogram of matter.  One centigray (cGy) is equal to 1/100 Gy so I receive 2 Gy/day. 

As complicated as it sounds, if all goes as planned, the whole process only takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  Kathy has been wonderful, and even though she is not allowed in either the patient waiting area or the inner sanctum, she has accompanied me to the hospital every day and has been an unbelievable amount of support. 

I think we are doing pretty well.  I can feel the accumulated effects by the end of each five-day series.  It comes on mostly as fatigue and a general feeling of malaise, but not yet to the point where it is debilitating in any way.  In fact today, after treatment, I walked nearly two miles to Costco to have some of the baby pictures printed.  Of course, I grazed a bit while waiting for them to be done.  I'll have to admit, I felt pretty tired by the time I walked back home.  

Our visit with the oncologist last Tuesday was encouraging.  He showed us the dosage information and talked about the long-term expectations for the treatment.  He gave me a prescription which is helping to relieve one of the side effects.  We talked to him about other methods of dealing with side effects, and on Monday I have an appointment with a naturopathic doctor with the Providence Integrated Medical Program.  Hopefully we'll get advise on how to minimize or eliminate some of the other side effects without more prescription drugs.  The program also provides evidence-based advise on diet and lifestyle during treatment.  Hey, I'm open to anything.  

Our frequent visits to see Erika and Brad and to spend time holding our precious grandson, Rowan, are emotionally uplifting and incredibly therapeutic.  We are so happy that they are close by.  Rowan has been gaining about an ounce a day and has already surpassed his birth weight.  He is often alert when we visit, and it is wonderful and fun to interact.  Some of his expressions are so thoughtful and so serious, I can't help but wonder how he sees his world. 

Thank you all for all of your prayers, positive thoughts and support.   

Shalom,

    Barry and Kathy