#21 - New Tats

Angie and I made the trip to the radiation treatment center on Friday morning.  As with most everything that we have experienced at MDA the "system" was well thought out and ran like clockwork.  We pulled up to the radiation treatment entrance and promptly tossed the keys of the Mazdaratti 3 to the free valet.  I made sure that I gave him the look.  You know, the look that says, sorry you have to get in this thing. Anyhow, we picked up our valet ticket and slipped in the door.  The place was pretty full but after we checked in we only had to wait ~ 5 minutes before we got called back.  The visit with the doc was nice.  They had a sneak preview to my Thursday PET scan and were the first to tell me that it was clear and that they didn't see any activity above background levels.  A follow up CT scan still shows a mass but it is basically a dead lump of tissue (so we think).  We want to make sure that we go the extra mile and thus, I will begin a 36 Gray radiation therapy that will be dished out in 22 fractions.

The therapy consists of using a linear particle accelerator to shoot a concentrated beam of radiation right at the mass in question.  It is pretty accurate and they can basically control the beam to hit only the mass.  Tissue in front of and directly behind may take a little bit of a beating. In order to cut down on the amount of collateral damage they want to make sure that they can hit the same area every time. Unfortunately it is a bit more difficult when you are targeting something in your abdomen.  My abdomen is as hard as a rock. It is right up there on the hardness scale hovering between carbide and diamond.  I guess most other people have "a bowl full of jelly" and things move around from day to day. I decided to show some humility and opted not to make a big deal about them wanting to take some extra steps to make sure they hit the same spot.

I was taken into a CT scanner and laid on a table. After they got me into the position that wanted me at, they made a custom mold of my legs. I asked if there was something else they could do to increase my street cred and we decided on some custom ink work.  I ended up with three new tatoos. One on each hip and one several inches south of my belly button.  They may only be the size of freckles but they have already given me an ego boost.  I have also started to talk a little bit like Rocky Balboa.  After getting my new "work" done and my mold made up I was ready to go.

I made a follow up trip to MDA today.  They officially informed me that I was in Remission.  I still think it is a little early to celebrate but it is good news.

Tomorrow - Kidney Function Test  (another radio-isotope test)
Thursday - Radiation Round 1  ,  

yo Adrian