Dick Foster - My 2010 Challenge

Love, hope, joy are powerful healers.

Chemo and Radiation – June 28

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Yeah, today everything was on schedule! Blood work, no problem. No waiting for appointment with Dr. Barbara, my oncologist. And my chemo appointment was ahead of schedule! A great way to start the week. I’m feeling good and my blood work was okay for treatment. Three key “directives” from Dr. Barbara – do my exercises, keep eating to maintain my weight, and call immediately if anything changes.

Also, I’m on “vacation” this week. Actually, Autodesk is “shutdown” from today through July 5 as a cost-saving move. We did the same thing last year.  Of course, we’re not going anywhere on “vacation” – just taking it easy, getting treatments, and getting accustomed to my new “radiation regimen” that seems to have something happening every hour or two throughout the day. I will give you more detail in a blog later this week.

After chemo, Mary and I ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant with home-make guacamole and fantastic tacos. Since we’re on vacation, we might as well enjoy ourselves!

My radiation appointment at 3:00 in Franklin was right on time also. I wish every day went as smoothly as today’s appointments.

I’m feeling good today and eating well.

Getting Comfortable with My Mask

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Today was my third radiation treatment, and I’m at the Vanderbilt Clinic downtown. I did take a xanax to reduce my anxiety with the mask. As I explained in a earlier post, on Monday I had an “anxiety attack” from claustrophobia when they put on the mask over my head and shoulder. Today my anxiety was much less. Because we were on a different machine, they had to take additional x-rays and measurements, so it was another 30-minute session with my mask.

Deep breathing, visualizing myself relaxing on the beach, and thinking positive affirmations (along with the xanax) helped me get through the treatment just fine. I think I will forgo the xanax medication next week, as my mask is becoming my friend 🙂

I’m grateful that I’m still feeling fine, eating regular foods, and maintaining my weight, actually I gained a couple of pounds this week. If I don’t push myself too much and get plenty of sleep, fatigue is not much of a concern.

Radiation Canceled Due to Mechanical Problem

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Unfortunately, my radiation treatment was canceled at the last minute because the radiation machine was not working. The explanation we received was that if anything is not working properly on the machine, it automatically shuts down and will not function again until the problem is fixed. Fortunately, before we left the house, I called to see if the treatments were “on schedule” since they were about an hour late the day before. That’s when we were told my treatment would be canceled today.

Oh well, that adds one more day at the end of my treatments, which will now end on August 9.

Later in the evening, we received word that my treatment on Friday would be at the Vanderbilt Clinic in downtown Nashville because the one-and-only radiation machine at the Franklin clinic would not be functioning on Friday since they were waiting on replacement parts.

Feeling good. No side effects. Still working.

2 Down, 31 to Go

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My second radiation treatment was a bit easier than the first. Again, the xanax medication helped relax me. Today’s session was also shorter than yesterday, 15 minutes at the most.

The clinic was backed up, so the wait was longer than the treatment. Oh well, another opportunity to learn “patience.”

I’m feeling good. At a full meal this evening and still gaining some weight.

Not much else to report.

Radiation Treatment #1

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If you read yesterday’s blog, you know that I had an anxiety attack when they placed the mask on me. As a result, I did not receive my radiation treatment. Today I came prepared – I took my xanax medication to keep me calm. Mary also accompanied me to the treatment room to help be get relaxed.

Although it was not with out some anxious moments, I was able to “survive” the mask bolted to the treatment table. They said today is the longest day because they take x-rays and mark the mask and other steps to ensure that the radiation is aimed at the right locations. So about 35 minutes later, they removed the mask and I was finished. Yeah, I did it.

Hopefully it will get more “comfortable” as time goes on. But I’m just glad that I make it through my first radiation treatment today!