The Tortoise Gets Tattooed

Here I am today in front of the entrance to the radiation oncology department of the local hospital.  For those of you who are familiar with the hospital, this department is located on the 400 East (Flood Street) side of the original hospital campus.

Inside they have all the latest high tech equipment that will give me my treatments.   Today I got a CT scan which Dr. Richards will use to create the 3D virtual image of me that I described in another post a few days ago.  They also created a mold where they will put my feet to help keep me as still as possible while the treatments ar going on.  I hold a round rubber donut with both hands to keep that part of my body still.  I am wearing one of those lovely blue hospital gowns with a couple ties in the back.  They will become my friends over the next several weeks.

Not only do they need me to be absolutely still during the treatments but they need to have me in precisely the same position every time.  So . . . .

I was tattooed four times today.  Yes it hurt to do it, after about ten minutes that passed, but it did sting a good while.  More than ever I don't understand why anyone would want to be tattooed voluntarily for the sake of art or personal expression.  When I look at someone with tattoos, all I see is pain!

My tattoos are single pin pricks, filled with ink.  There are two on my upper legs and two on my pelvis.  Then they drew big "X"s through each of them.  These points will be used to line my body up precisely every time.

So the actual treatments start a week from today.  They will take about 15 minutes, so I will spend much more time driving, changing clothes, etc. than I will in the actual treatments.  I lay flat on my back and close my eyes, so while it is going on it is kind of, sort of, like a nap.  If you have ever been scanned then you know about how the treatments are going to be.  I just try to stay really relaxed and the best way to do that for me is to close my eyes and zone out.

I am supposed to be able to drive myself to and from these appointments, but I'll admit it, I like the support of having Willyne come with me!  I'm optimistic and think I'll do fine, but I do plan to take this one day at a time.

In the meantime, yes, I did have small healthy meals today.  I'm about a week in to that part of it now, I'm hoping in three it will be a habit.  So far I am enjoying it!  No walk though, my allergies were going absolutely nuts today, so I passed on that.

Read a few more chapters of Leviticus today, that was good too.

I feel your love and prayers and appreciate them very much!