Introduction to Zapland or My First Real Rads

I had my first treatment of 33 this morning. I thought I'd post the details here so people who haven't had Zapping yet will know what to expect and be less apprehensive. 

Of course, I got confused about the time so I was late. . . opps.  Because I was late, I raced in, changed to my very attractive hospital gown and when I turned around, my tech was already right there to take me in.

The room was the same as yesterday so no surprised there. It has a table to lie with the stupid butt cushion to help me stay in the right place.  The actual machine is overhead.  I am lined up with emerald green lights.  The ceiling has an attractive blow up of some cosmos to look at which I suppose is meant to be calming but I think will just make me equate cosmos with rads for the rest of my life which is too darned bad as they are one flower I am not half bad at growing AND I had them in my wedding bouquet.  But I digress.

I am doing rads with the breathing tube, lying on my back, arms over my head resting on stirrup thingees.  I got three zaps with the machine on one side and three zaps with the machine on the other. Because it was Day One, there was also a lot of measuring and a bit of writting on my chest with a sharpie which they--my 2 techs-- said would NOT be happening the rest of the time.  To remind me not to cross my legs or my ankles [I am such the lady--NOT], they put a rubber band around my feet.  Now yesterday, when I did my "dry" run, there were 3 techs but today is only two. 

The techs are very nice and polite and ready with the warm blanket.  In my case, one is a man and the other a woman.  That doesn't bother me but some people might want to ask in advance if that would be an issue.  I must say, my husband always wanted to visit a beach in France and have me topless and I was always such a shy person but you know, I think I'm over that now.  Something about baring my chest every other day for MONTHS    Yes, I think I am up for a little topless sunbathing next summer!

All in all, it went pretty darn quickly.  The only thing that made it last longer was a quick meeting post Zap with the Zap Nurse and a meeting with the Zap Doctor.  My Zap Nurse gave me some more instructions on what I can and can't use which I thought I would share.

The NO-NOs

Vitamin A, C & E unless its in my food so eatting an orange or carrot, FINE.  Taking a supplement NO-NO.  This is because these vitamins bind free radicals and while that is good generally, it is not good while having Zaps because it will help any cancer cells heal too.

Green Tea EXTRACT.  Green tea does the same thing as Vits ACE because it has antioxidents.  Green tea-tea in moderation is okay but EXTRACT is bad.

Multivitamins---see comment on ACE above.

Oil on the skin:  Calendula oil, coconut oil, vitamin E oil, butter, you name it, NO OIL.  Oil can intensify the rads and it is hard to get off unless you are scrubbing and we don't want scrubbing so no oil, not even at night.  And no shea butter---too heavy.  Skin needs to breathe.  As I had been giving myself a grand pat on the back for finding Calendula oil in my coop, thinking that would be even better than the creme, this news was a drag.

NO GELS including Aloe Vera.  If you read the ingrediants in gels they have alcohol as well as other additives. Avoid the alcohol. Avoid the additives.  EXCEPTION late in treatment if I develop a "hot" spot [boy that got me excited NOT], I can use Calendula gel because its very cooling.

Skin2skin contact.  As in arm rubbing side of chest without fabric in-between or boobie hang down rubbing chest.

TWO THUMBS UP

Calendula creme;

Aloe vera straight from the plant;

corn starch patted on skin including under the boobie [being a person of small boobies, this is just not really an issue but thought I'd share anyway];

Vit B & D in whatever form.

Calcium.

After Zap Nurse, I met with Zap Doctor.  Per Zap Doctor I will meet with him every Monday to make sure I don't have any questions.  One thing that Zap Doctor said that I wanted to make sure I shared was that some women feel a twinge in their chest as Zapping progresses.  This is from swelling internally --the radiated tissue tends to swell on the inside and that can cause brief sharp pains.  If I am having that problem, I can and should take an Advil.

And that was it.  The whole thing took about an hour.  As I had planned to put some VitE oil on the badboobie, I ended up not putting any lotion on at all.  At this point---roughly 4 hours later--I am not noticing any difference.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask and I will answer if I can.  I hope this helped.

Jelson,

I did pay attention but I didn't take notes in stirrups [no moving remember, not even giggling thinking about the pool of men out there who get off photos of topless middle aged women with scar boobies holding their arms up. . . .].  Actually it was all more guilt than anything else because they told me a lot of the stuff when I first met with them and a month later, I found I couldn't interpret my own damned notes.

One more thing to add:  Where I get Zapped is sort of like Happy Land.  Its a big cancer center and a breast center which means they are really designed to make you calm and happy.  Rooms are kept warm, art on the walls, complementary herb tea, puzzles while you wait and big salt water fish tanks to stare at.  Plus, I have never seen so many smiling people. . . .which tells me that they are either all taking happy pills OR that it really isn't necessary for people --especially medical people--to be snippy.

UPDATE:

I had my first regular Zapland visit today.  Thought I would share that it took MAYBE 15 minutes.  I think I spent as much time putting on the gown and doing my stomach crunches after.  But seriously, I got there at 8:20 and was leaving by 8:45am.

Hope this helps................

BossyRenee  I'm glad it was helpful.  I find the not knowing what to expect can really tie me in a knot.  Knowing something really is easier, at least for me.  Good luck with your appointment!

NatureGrrl

From my caption to my content, I think I made a point of saying that this is what I was told and what I experienced. Isn't that what everyone who posts here does-?--describes their personal experiences?  Most of us are not doctors nor can we possibily educate ourselves to know everything about about cancer, not if we want to continue our other lives.  I would expect everyone to follow their doctor's instructions.

But I'm more than happy to delete the post if people find it inappropriate.