Treatment takes only a brief time, around 3-5 minutes, but the pre-amble makes it take a little longer. Basically I have to remove my clothes from the waist upwards, and lie on a plinth with my arms resting in armrests above my head. They use the tattoo dots on my body to line me up with some green lasers, according to the precise measurements they took at my planning appointment. They usually move me around a bit (I've been instructed to not help them, they need to move me sometimes by very small amounts) and they talk over the top of me, using numbers and codes and things that I don't understand, and they draw all over me with pen. It's very lovely though, at my first appointment they explained that they would need to talk over me while they were getting me in position, and that I shouldn't worry. They then leave the room and the robot-like machine blasts my boob with radiation, moves a bit, blasts it again from a different angle, and then I'm done. While it's doing its thing, I gaze at the ceiling, where there is a lovely artwork in the ceiling tiles, to distract me. On Saturn it's a Japanese cherry blossom tree and on Venus it's a fern-lined pool of water.
I can't feel the radiation, or see it, so it basically feels as though nothing is happening. Afterwards I have to apply thick cream to my whole breast, which I have to apply again at night. This is because one of the side effects can be something similar to sunburn on the skin where the radiation is targeting. I have aloe vera, which I'm keeping in the fridge so it's extra soothing, cetraben, and a cream called 'moo goo udder cream' which started out as a cream to treat sore udders on cows! Well, let's face it, this is basically the same thing! So far, it's felt a little sore but nothing too dramatic. The other main side effect is fatigue, but I'm feeling that already, so nothing new there. I'm resting in the evenings, making very few arrangements, and preserving as much energy as possible. Apparently the fatigue will be cumulative, so I'm expecting it to kick in properly in the next week or so. And it will last for a couple of months post-radiotherapy, so I'm keeping a low profile until the spring.
Generally though, I'm feeling much better than when I last posted. I've regained lots of my movement in my arm, I think the infection in my wound has pretty much cleared up, and I'm regaining strength each day. I'm enjoying being busy at work and getting back into things, and having more strength to do things around the home. This past weekend we had two of Tanai's friends over for dinner, visiting from Zurich and Milan. I was very pleased that my right arm was strong enough for me to bake a cake (folding in the egg whites took quite a bit of work, and I have not had the strength to do this since surgery). It was a flourless chocolate cake from the new Ottolenghi 'Sweet' book, layered with rosewater cream and caramelised walnuts. Delicious! We also went out with them for brunch near King's Cross the following morning, before they set off to the airport, which was really lovely. The autumn days here in London are blue-skied and sunny, but there's a chill in the air, and the temperature has not ventured above 10 degrees for some time.
Delicious cake!
A stroll near St Paul's Cathedral in the autumn sun
Brunch with the Italians
This coming weekend, we are planning to put up the Christmas decorations and make the flat all festive. I'm really looking forward to a very quiet, relaxed Christmas in our little flat, as I recover from my year of treatment.
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