Radiation Therapy Simulation
I had mentioned in a previous blog entry that Sheila had a few medical appointments yesterday and that I would write more about these appointments soon. I have a little time today so I suppose that now is the time.
Sheila's first appointment yesterday was her usual radiation treatment appointment. Physically, these are pretty easy appointments on the patient... in and out quickly and, really, not at all invasive. What is grueling about it is the everyday drive to and from the hospital as well as the emotional aspect of daily radiation treatment and constantly being reminded that you are fighting cancer... for the second time. Of course, as this daily treatment continues, more side-effects are physically affecting Sheila each day too. The radiation treatment appointment itself, however, is usually a quick in and out appointment.
At the moment, Sheila says she feels as though she has a bad sunburn. Her breast is swollen and tender enough that she can no longer lay on it nor can she do any activity that causes her breast to move because the movement hurts. She occasionally has some itching and there are some highly sensitive areas too. Fatigue is also becoming more of a factor with each additional treatment of radiation and as her body continues to heal.
After her radiation treatment yesterday, one of the radiation technicians called me in to one of the simulation rooms for Sheila's next appointment.
Sheila already went through a simulation procedure at the beginning of her current treatment. We are in this room again because Sheila's treatment will change to radiating a more focused area in the coming weeks.
The purpose of the simulation is to get Sheila perfectly aligned for a particular radiation treatment plan. She lies on the CT scanner table then they draw on her and line up the new radiation angles and the radiation spread. They align her through the use of new coordinates in three axes using a CT scanner and ultrasound scanners. They actually simulate giving her radiation to ensure the radiation is hitting only the necessary places.
Currently and since the beginning of her radiation treatment, Sheila is being radiated through her entire breast as well as the area of her underarm where the cancer had metastasized to her lymph nodes. In a couple of weeks, her radiation treatment will be a more focused boost to only the cavity where her tumor was located. The tumor was removed a couple of months ago but the area still must be treated. This simulation yesterday was to line up this radiation for this final focused boost.
When I arrived in the room, they were waiting for me. We talked a little bit about why I'm shooting photos and then they explained today's plan to me.
(NOTE: As I explained in a previous blog entry which included photos of Sheila bare-chested, I have blurred most of Sheila's breast in the photos below. I did, however, try to leave the drawn-on markings for today's simulation and scars from surgery visible in this blog entry while blurring the rest of the breasts. I fully understand that nobody cares to see their mom bare-chested and that Sheila deserves some dignity and modesty!)
Sheila's Radiation Oncologist is drawing on her...
We moved to the other side of the wall and glass as they scanned Sheila with the CT scanner...
We're back in the room with Sheila as they prepare her for some ultrasound scanning...
Sheila must remain perfectly still throughout all of these procedures so that precise coordinates can be attained. Then, in the future, when she arrives for treatment, they know exactly where and how to place Sheila for radiation treatment...
The simulation is finished and now Sheila can move again...
To the changing room...
After the simulation, we had another appointment with Sheila's Radiation Oncologist (pictured in one of the photos above) to talk about any problems and side effects Sheila is experiencing at this point. We meet with her every week for this discussion and so the doctor can take a look at Sheila's breast. These meetings have been very productive for alleviating some side effects as well as for ordering Sheila to take more time off from work so she can rest. Being exhausted does not help with treatment in the least so we're trying to keep Sheila as rested as possible.
So far, treatment is going as well as can be expected so that is a very good thing!
Sheila's first appointment yesterday was her usual radiation treatment appointment. Physically, these are pretty easy appointments on the patient... in and out quickly and, really, not at all invasive. What is grueling about it is the everyday drive to and from the hospital as well as the emotional aspect of daily radiation treatment and constantly being reminded that you are fighting cancer... for the second time. Of course, as this daily treatment continues, more side-effects are physically affecting Sheila each day too. The radiation treatment appointment itself, however, is usually a quick in and out appointment.
At the moment, Sheila says she feels as though she has a bad sunburn. Her breast is swollen and tender enough that she can no longer lay on it nor can she do any activity that causes her breast to move because the movement hurts. She occasionally has some itching and there are some highly sensitive areas too. Fatigue is also becoming more of a factor with each additional treatment of radiation and as her body continues to heal.
After her radiation treatment yesterday, one of the radiation technicians called me in to one of the simulation rooms for Sheila's next appointment.
Sheila already went through a simulation procedure at the beginning of her current treatment. We are in this room again because Sheila's treatment will change to radiating a more focused area in the coming weeks.
The purpose of the simulation is to get Sheila perfectly aligned for a particular radiation treatment plan. She lies on the CT scanner table then they draw on her and line up the new radiation angles and the radiation spread. They align her through the use of new coordinates in three axes using a CT scanner and ultrasound scanners. They actually simulate giving her radiation to ensure the radiation is hitting only the necessary places.
Currently and since the beginning of her radiation treatment, Sheila is being radiated through her entire breast as well as the area of her underarm where the cancer had metastasized to her lymph nodes. In a couple of weeks, her radiation treatment will be a more focused boost to only the cavity where her tumor was located. The tumor was removed a couple of months ago but the area still must be treated. This simulation yesterday was to line up this radiation for this final focused boost.
When I arrived in the room, they were waiting for me. We talked a little bit about why I'm shooting photos and then they explained today's plan to me.
(NOTE: As I explained in a previous blog entry which included photos of Sheila bare-chested, I have blurred most of Sheila's breast in the photos below. I did, however, try to leave the drawn-on markings for today's simulation and scars from surgery visible in this blog entry while blurring the rest of the breasts. I fully understand that nobody cares to see their mom bare-chested and that Sheila deserves some dignity and modesty!)
Sheila's Radiation Oncologist is drawing on her...
We moved to the other side of the wall and glass as they scanned Sheila with the CT scanner...
We're back in the room with Sheila as they prepare her for some ultrasound scanning...
Sheila must remain perfectly still throughout all of these procedures so that precise coordinates can be attained. Then, in the future, when she arrives for treatment, they know exactly where and how to place Sheila for radiation treatment...
The simulation is finished and now Sheila can move again...
To the changing room...
After the simulation, we had another appointment with Sheila's Radiation Oncologist (pictured in one of the photos above) to talk about any problems and side effects Sheila is experiencing at this point. We meet with her every week for this discussion and so the doctor can take a look at Sheila's breast. These meetings have been very productive for alleviating some side effects as well as for ordering Sheila to take more time off from work so she can rest. Being exhausted does not help with treatment in the least so we're trying to keep Sheila as rested as possible.
So far, treatment is going as well as can be expected so that is a very good thing!
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