Just returned from the hospital a while ago after completing radiation treatment #18. That makes four weeks down with two weeks to go or 10 more treatments. The technicians gave me a new surprise today, the dirty rats. I was happy to be ending this week's regime of travel and treatments.
As I lay on the treatment machine table waiting for the radiation treatment to begin I was thinking about what I'd like to do this weekend. The big donut swirled around to its position above my head to begin the treatment. Everything was as usual as the port on the radiation dispenser opened and the ray gun began its job.
Hmm, something didn't feel right. I began to feel an odd tingling sensation in the area being treated. The machine stopped at the end of the first dose and then reconfigured for the second dose further up my arm. As it began to hum with the second dose I could definitely feel the prickly sensation that had started with the first dose. Both of these doses lasted about 20 seconds. The machine made two more short one second blasts in different locations on the front side of my arm. When done the machine donut began to rotate around the table and the table begins to rise to a height of six feet above the floor. The radiation dispenser then has rotated until its under the table to send radiation to my arm and shoulder to my back.
I received two blasts of radiation as usual about 20 seconds long each. Well it wasn't business as usual. This time it initially felt like an electric shock all across my arm and right shoulder. As each 20 second episode goes on I can feel the heat rising where the dose is aimed. I was glad when the port closed on the machine.
The lead technician then walks into the treatment room and says "Hey we got you this time didn't we?" She began to lower the table to help me up and she tells me sorry, but they've been waiting for me to begin to feel the radiation. They were watching me on a monitor and saw me flinch when the two last doses were being delivered. They never know when the pain from the dosages delivered will be felt by an individual patient. So they don't say anything until the pain begins to be felt. Seems if you tell someone up front they make themselves sick in anticipation of the point of change/pain.
She says cheer up, there's good news and bad news. I said tell me. She says the good news is I have only ten more treatments over the next two weeks. The bad news is that the pain will get a little worse with each treatment.
So there it is. I sit here typing with my shoulder and arm aching looking forward to this for another two weeks. This has been and will continue to be an odessy of sorts as I deal with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Changes II Sun Tan
We finished the Wednesday radiation session yesterday afternoon and I'm up late tonight, well actually Thursday morning, trying to get enough courage to go to bed and try to get some sleep. I have 12 more treatments to go through so I 'm posting these photos of my forearm as a reference point a little more than halfway through these treatments.
This is a view of the top of my right forearm. There appear to be a lot of freckles on my arm that were not there before. Under a magnifying glass inspection I discovered that each of the new brown spots were in fact burnt skin spots that were turning into small boils.
This is a side view of my right forearm showing the scar from the tumor removal site. There are patches of skin that are being destroyed a little faster than most.
This another view of the same area.
This is a top view of my right hand and wrist. The noticeable things in this photo are my swollen hand and arm. What appears as a dent in my forearm is actually the result of the removal of a large section of skin that went with the tumor. The swelling occurs because of the fluid trapped in my arm that can't get out. The removal of the lymph nodes under my arm prevents the fluid in my arm from circulating back into my torso normally. Once the radiation treatments are done I'll have some therapy to teach me how to massage some of the fluid back up my arm and then I'll wear a compression sleeve on this arm forever after that.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Changes
Started the new radiation treatments today. Number 14 to be exact. This means there are 14 more to go. I've had three full days without treatments and I sense things are beginning to change. Overall my fatigue level seems to be getting worse. I'm very tired with very little exertion. Taking a shower tires me out to the point now where I have to sit on my bed for a few minutes to gain some strength back before I get dressed. Then once I'm dressed I have to sit for ten minutes to gather the strength to go out the door and get in my car.
My arm is getting a nice tan to it now or should I say dirty brown. All of a sudden I have more freckles on that arm than ever. I looked at them just now with a lighted magnifying glass and some of the freckles actually are small blisters. That's a surprise to me; I thought it would take more radiation than what I've gotten so far to start breaking up the skin.
I told the technicians at Oschner when I arrived that I began having a stabbing pain where the lymph nodes were removed. I explained that it began Saturday with only a couple of instances of a stabbing pain during the day. Then Sunday the pain began to increase in numbers and length to about 6 episodes lasting about 5 seconds each with some residual soreness lasting about ten minutes after each episode. Then when I got up this morning the frequency of episodes increased to about one per hour, lasting about 30 seconds with the residual pain coming and going all day.
Guess what they told me. "we've been waiting to see when something would happen. The scar tissue from the surgery and the remaining muscles are fighting the radiation and beginning to tighten up. Don't worry it'll probably get worse."
Well, la-de-da...thanks for letting me know. Then they explained that the myriad reactions to radiation are so different that its pointless to scare a patient about the possible effects that may or may not occur. They told me to alert them to any effects like this and if my doctor thinks anything is unusual he'll get right on it. Thursday they took a complete battery of x-rays to see if there was any discernible damage occurring to my bones. Everything seemed okay so we continue on. Let's see what the rest of this week brings.
My arm is getting a nice tan to it now or should I say dirty brown. All of a sudden I have more freckles on that arm than ever. I looked at them just now with a lighted magnifying glass and some of the freckles actually are small blisters. That's a surprise to me; I thought it would take more radiation than what I've gotten so far to start breaking up the skin.
I told the technicians at Oschner when I arrived that I began having a stabbing pain where the lymph nodes were removed. I explained that it began Saturday with only a couple of instances of a stabbing pain during the day. Then Sunday the pain began to increase in numbers and length to about 6 episodes lasting about 5 seconds each with some residual soreness lasting about ten minutes after each episode. Then when I got up this morning the frequency of episodes increased to about one per hour, lasting about 30 seconds with the residual pain coming and going all day.
Guess what they told me. "we've been waiting to see when something would happen. The scar tissue from the surgery and the remaining muscles are fighting the radiation and beginning to tighten up. Don't worry it'll probably get worse."
Well, la-de-da...thanks for letting me know. Then they explained that the myriad reactions to radiation are so different that its pointless to scare a patient about the possible effects that may or may not occur. They told me to alert them to any effects like this and if my doctor thinks anything is unusual he'll get right on it. Thursday they took a complete battery of x-rays to see if there was any discernible damage occurring to my bones. Everything seemed okay so we continue on. Let's see what the rest of this week brings.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Third Week of Radiation Treatment Complete
The third week of radiation treatment is complete. Its been a short week however. On Monday the clinic was having computer updates loaded so no one had treatments that day. Then today being Friday, July 3rd the clinic is closed for the holiday. That means only three days of treatments this week.
One thing I have noticed is that the radiation exposure time for the treatments has been progressively getting longer. The first few treatments were done to a count of 5. Yesterday the long exposure times were done to a count of 18. I think this increase in exposure time is to allow the radiation to penetrate deeper into the skin.
My arm is only slightly darker than when the treatments began but more freckles are beginning to appear on my arm. My doctor says that's normal and what he was looking for. Every Thursday is a doctor's review of my progress. Yesterday he gave me a thumbs up for now. He inspects my arm, shoulder and armpit looking for any issues. He also checks my neck for lymph node swelling. I hope that is just precautionary and a not sign that he is looking for a problem to arise.
The radiated area hasn't bothered me yet. The only spot that is tender is where the primary tumor was removed. The doctor says that is normal because the skin in that area is touching the bone. Well, that's all for this week, we begin again on Monday.
One thing I have noticed is that the radiation exposure time for the treatments has been progressively getting longer. The first few treatments were done to a count of 5. Yesterday the long exposure times were done to a count of 18. I think this increase in exposure time is to allow the radiation to penetrate deeper into the skin.
My arm is only slightly darker than when the treatments began but more freckles are beginning to appear on my arm. My doctor says that's normal and what he was looking for. Every Thursday is a doctor's review of my progress. Yesterday he gave me a thumbs up for now. He inspects my arm, shoulder and armpit looking for any issues. He also checks my neck for lymph node swelling. I hope that is just precautionary and a not sign that he is looking for a problem to arise.
The radiated area hasn't bothered me yet. The only spot that is tender is where the primary tumor was removed. The doctor says that is normal because the skin in that area is touching the bone. Well, that's all for this week, we begin again on Monday.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Second Week of Radiation Completed
Its Sunday afternoon and the rain and cloudiness outside seem to set the mood for the day. Friday completed the tenth day of table torture for me. I don't know if my arm is getting shorter or my attitude is. The skin is turning a nice shade of pink on my arm and the location where the primary tumor was removed has begun to ache. Overall its not a bad experience. The treatment itself is painless and I couldn't ask for better treatment from the doctors and technicians at Oschners.
Its been six months since the diagnosis of MCC. The process of dealing with this cancer has completely changed my routine and after six months I have begun to wonder what I did before this. I know that after these treatments are completed that it will be a waiting game. I will receive a PET scan every three months after this radiation is completed. Other than being watchful for any unusual pain or symptom it will a future of uncertainty. I will go back to being retired if possible and enjoy my life as it comes along.
Its been six months since the diagnosis of MCC. The process of dealing with this cancer has completely changed my routine and after six months I have begun to wonder what I did before this. I know that after these treatments are completed that it will be a waiting game. I will receive a PET scan every three months after this radiation is completed. Other than being watchful for any unusual pain or symptom it will a future of uncertainty. I will go back to being retired if possible and enjoy my life as it comes along.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
First Week of Radiation Therapy Complete
Its Sunday evening and the house has quieted down. We had my two daughters, their husbands and five grandchildren over for supper tonight to celebrate Father's Day. It gets quite noisy in the house with the grand kids playing with Legos and Hot Wheels. I wouldn't change a moment of the joy of watching those children play. My wife cooked a pork butt roast in the pressure cooker and we had some terrific pulled pork sandwiches and fries for supper. Home cooking is so much better than eating out and besides, I have leftovers for lunch for the week now.
Back to business. This week was five days of radiation therapy at Oschner Hospital at 5 P.M. each day. We set this schedule up so that Terry can put in a full day's work before driving me to the hospital. We've got the trip down to about 1 hour and 10 minutes providing no unforeseen slowdowns of the traffic. Once I arrive the techs take me into the treatment room and have me lay on the table. They place a preformed cast of my head and arm under me and line me up with green lasers. Then there's about ten minutes of x-rays and adjustments to confirm that my arm is in exactly the correct position for treatment.
This is when the pain sets in. Not from the radiation but from the awkward position of my arm. Its stretched over my head as far as it will go and twisted into the correct position for optimum treatment. The treatment is done in at least five segments and I can't move for more than ten minutes. The machine swings around me with its focusing lens opening and closing at each position and dosing me with radiation until it finishes. Once the treatment is over the techs lower the table and tell me we're finished and I can go. That's easy for them to say. I have to reach over my head with my left hand, grab my right hand and pull it down until I can feel anything in it. The wife and I head out for home with a usual meal on the way and arrival at home about 8 P.M.
This picture is exactly like the machine in use at the hospital. The small x-ray machine in the upper right hand portion of the machine is the alignment x-ray used to obtain proper alignment of my arm. The large blue eye looking down is the treatment x-ray and does the necessary work.
Back to business. This week was five days of radiation therapy at Oschner Hospital at 5 P.M. each day. We set this schedule up so that Terry can put in a full day's work before driving me to the hospital. We've got the trip down to about 1 hour and 10 minutes providing no unforeseen slowdowns of the traffic. Once I arrive the techs take me into the treatment room and have me lay on the table. They place a preformed cast of my head and arm under me and line me up with green lasers. Then there's about ten minutes of x-rays and adjustments to confirm that my arm is in exactly the correct position for treatment.
This is when the pain sets in. Not from the radiation but from the awkward position of my arm. Its stretched over my head as far as it will go and twisted into the correct position for optimum treatment. The treatment is done in at least five segments and I can't move for more than ten minutes. The machine swings around me with its focusing lens opening and closing at each position and dosing me with radiation until it finishes. Once the treatment is over the techs lower the table and tell me we're finished and I can go. That's easy for them to say. I have to reach over my head with my left hand, grab my right hand and pull it down until I can feel anything in it. The wife and I head out for home with a usual meal on the way and arrival at home about 8 P.M.
This picture is exactly like the machine in use at the hospital. The small x-ray machine in the upper right hand portion of the machine is the alignment x-ray used to obtain proper alignment of my arm. The large blue eye looking down is the treatment x-ray and does the necessary work.
Second Surgery
About a month after the first surgery to remove the cancer lesion from my arm I underwent the second surgery to remove the cluster of lymph nodes under my armpit. I didn't look forward to it but I knew it was necessary. The biopsy of the nine lymph nodes removed this time showed no sign of Merkel Cell present in the nodes. However, upon reading the surgical report there was mention of random Merkel cells present in the tissue that was removed with the nodes. I assume that is the purpose of the current radiation treatments that I'm receiving. The area being radiated stretches from my wrist through my armpit almost to my neck. The objective is to kill any remaining Merkel cells that may be lurking in the tissue. I should say any "malignant" Merkel cells.
Remember the date of 27 April. That was the first appointment day I had scheduled with the VA dermatologist to look at my skin. The second surgery actually took place on April 25! If I had not been concerned enough to press for an earlier appointment it is possible I might have been too late.
I may backtrack in a future post about some things that happened between then and now. For now, I will post the current situation and any news that affects my future with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
Remember the date of 27 April. That was the first appointment day I had scheduled with the VA dermatologist to look at my skin. The second surgery actually took place on April 25! If I had not been concerned enough to press for an earlier appointment it is possible I might have been too late.
I may backtrack in a future post about some things that happened between then and now. For now, I will post the current situation and any news that affects my future with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
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