Sunny Sunday Morning's Make Me Smile :D
Good Morning World!!
I don't know why I am acting like I am up soo early... it is 10am! I actually woke up to a message from Shan this morning telling me she got a $200 speeding ticket on her way to school in Edmonton. That sucks - but was bound to happen eventually - Sorry Shan I'm truly shocked it hadn't happened sooner. You see on Hwy 16 there are so few cars you can drive between 140 and 170 without slowing down for a good hour or so... so you do. Well I am sure my folks don't but it is a lot of open straight road!
Okay moving along. I was going to write about the horrible ending to mine and Sarah's move but now it is over with so I don't really want to get back to that topic. I will say this... we got out and our landlord still likes us and would have us live there again in a heartbeat. She was very sad to see us go.
Now for the juicy stuff! Let me first say I went with Sarah to HER doctors appointment on Thursday and since he is also my doctor I stole a bit of her appointment to ask him a few questions of my own. I was unclear and confused as to whether there was one person who over saw all areas of my tumor case and who exactly that would be. My family physician Dr. Smith told me it generally is the Medical Oncologist who over sees everything. I have yet to meet this doctor but I hope I like him/her. My appointment on Wednesday is with the Medical Oncologist in Surrey and he/she is the one who will be administering my chemo treatment. Also my Radiation Oncologist told me they probably would not do surgery on me again however my doctor believed this to be untrue. Which is good. I don't love surgery or the lasting effect it has on me during the long recovery period however I would rather having surgery every year to be on this earth another 10 years.
Friday I had an appointment at the Abbotsford Cancer Center to have my mask made.
The mask (or shell as they call it) is a mesh (looks like squash racket) material that they form to your face and upper chest which hardens soo tightly to the skin so you can not move a millimeter during treatment. The making of the mask wasn't too bad... in fact it was kind of cool. If you were in the least claustrophobic this would be a life sucking procedure. I liked to think of it as a facial of some sort.
While lying on the treatment table my 3 radiation specialists explained what they were about to do. The soak a solid plastic in warm water and when it is ready they put it on my face and the 3 of them stretched it down past my shoulders to where it must be bolted to the table. This mask will be put on me everyday when I have treatment - again Thank God I am not claustrophobic! Then I could feel all 6 hands all over my face molding the mask to all the grooves and lines my face has. (that was the cool facial feeling part) My eyes were closed so it was easy to imagine it as a mud bath of some sort. They told me to keep breathing and that I was doing great... but I already knew this as I was enjoying it instead of fearing it. Then the part I didn't like started. Once they formed the mask to their liking they put cold fans at my face so it would dry faster. They were only there for approx 5 mins but it was soo cold! oh yes the other down side to this mask making was that I couldn't talk because the mask seals your lips shut! 10 minutes with no talking - TORTURE!!! LoL!
The mask hardened and they took it off and that was that. I go back on Monday at 2 so they can give me a CT and I go into a simulator of the treatment machine to make sure the lasers are lined up and will zap what they are supposed to zap.
I don't know why I am acting like I am up soo early... it is 10am! I actually woke up to a message from Shan this morning telling me she got a $200 speeding ticket on her way to school in Edmonton. That sucks - but was bound to happen eventually - Sorry Shan I'm truly shocked it hadn't happened sooner. You see on Hwy 16 there are so few cars you can drive between 140 and 170 without slowing down for a good hour or so... so you do. Well I am sure my folks don't but it is a lot of open straight road!
Okay moving along. I was going to write about the horrible ending to mine and Sarah's move but now it is over with so I don't really want to get back to that topic. I will say this... we got out and our landlord still likes us and would have us live there again in a heartbeat. She was very sad to see us go.Now for the juicy stuff! Let me first say I went with Sarah to HER doctors appointment on Thursday and since he is also my doctor I stole a bit of her appointment to ask him a few questions of my own. I was unclear and confused as to whether there was one person who over saw all areas of my tumor case and who exactly that would be. My family physician Dr. Smith told me it generally is the Medical Oncologist who over sees everything. I have yet to meet this doctor but I hope I like him/her. My appointment on Wednesday is with the Medical Oncologist in Surrey and he/she is the one who will be administering my chemo treatment. Also my Radiation Oncologist told me they probably would not do surgery on me again however my doctor believed this to be untrue. Which is good. I don't love surgery or the lasting effect it has on me during the long recovery period however I would rather having surgery every year to be on this earth another 10 years.
Friday I had an appointment at the Abbotsford Cancer Center to have my mask made.
The mask (or shell as they call it) is a mesh (looks like squash racket) material that they form to your face and upper chest which hardens soo tightly to the skin so you can not move a millimeter during treatment. The making of the mask wasn't too bad... in fact it was kind of cool. If you were in the least claustrophobic this would be a life sucking procedure. I liked to think of it as a facial of some sort. 
While lying on the treatment table my 3 radiation specialists explained what they were about to do. The soak a solid plastic in warm water and when it is ready they put it on my face and the 3 of them stretched it down past my shoulders to where it must be bolted to the table. This mask will be put on me everyday when I have treatment - again Thank God I am not claustrophobic! Then I could feel all 6 hands all over my face molding the mask to all the grooves and lines my face has. (that was the cool facial feeling part) My eyes were closed so it was easy to imagine it as a mud bath of some sort. They told me to keep breathing and that I was doing great... but I already knew this as I was enjoying it instead of fearing it. Then the part I didn't like started. Once they formed the mask to their liking they put cold fans at my face so it would dry faster. They were only there for approx 5 mins but it was soo cold! oh yes the other down side to this mask making was that I couldn't talk because the mask seals your lips shut! 10 minutes with no talking - TORTURE!!! LoL!
The mask hardened and they took it off and that was that. I go back on Monday at 2 so they can give me a CT and I go into a simulator of the treatment machine to make sure the lasers are lined up and will zap what they are supposed to zap. 
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