My latest PET scan results were awesome! All of the cancer is gone except for one small spot on my spine....and even that one spot has been downgraded from “moderate” to “mild and stable.”
I started Radiation treatments this week at Ephrata Cancer Center. It's closer than driving to Hershey every day and I have exactly the same treatment plan as I would have had at Hershey. The doctor's and nurses are great and I really appreciate their kindness and their sense of humor. The Center is affiliated with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and I'm thankful to have been able to add them to my medical team.
My Oncologist explained that the treatment targets any micrscopic cancer cells that may have been left behind after surgery and may cut my chances for a recurrence down from 30% to 5-10%....pretty darn good odds, if you ask me! Treatments will be every weekday until April 28. I've had four treatment so far and am starting to settle into the daily routine. I'm reminded every day of how blessed I am to be able to work from home. I don't know how I could keep up with this schedule if I had to spend my days in a cubicle.
My Radiation Oncologist at Ephrata is named Dr. Lambo. Of course, the very first image that this conjured up for me was one of Sylvester Stallone's action scenes from “Rambo.” (just for the record, Dr. Lambo looks absolutely NOTHING like Sylvester Stallone) I pushed this image to the back of my mind so that I could concentrate on Dr. Lambo's explanation of what expect during treatment.
I came home and started to mentally prepare for the upcoming treatment. I remembered a book that I had read about visualization techniques and how some techniques may help improve the effectiveness of treatments. One person visualized "An army of white blood cells coming, attacking, and overcoming the cancer." Another pictured "Cancer as small, easily squashed creatures being lanced by white knights on horses.” One of the more amusing ones was "Take a sick limp cancer cell and gently carry it in my arms. I walk through the meadow where the wildflowers are blooming. Birds are chirping and Bambi is leaping along side at the edge of the forest clearing. We come to the edge of a cliff, where...I drop it." Bambi...seriously?
As I laid there on the table for my first Radiation treatment, alone in the room, I decided that it was time to come up with my own visualization technique. (I bet you can guess where this is headed, huh?) Dr. Lambo was at the control panel in the other room, the Radiation machine started whirring like something out of a Science Fiction movie, the “Beam On” light started to flash, the warning alarm started beeping.... I closed my eyes and all I could picture was Sylvester Stallone (in all of his muscular glory) aiming his laser gun and firing at any remaining microscopic cancer cells. Yes, of all the visualization techniques, this is what I came up with.
The nurses were very amused today when they heard me making laser noises during treatment. Someday I'll explain it to them, but for now it's something that's just between me and Sly.
"Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and
my fingers for battle - my lovingkindness and my fortress,
my high tower and my deliverer,
my shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
who subdues my people under me."
(Psalm 144:1)
