Conveyor belt

I arrived at the hospital today in a more relaxed state of mind. No rush hour and I'd found a new route that took me straight to the street I park in.

Today, there was a slight change of routine. Instead of being called through to the waiting area individually, we were called in batches! What excitement!

When I went in for my treatment, the previous person was just being ushered out. It really is like being on a conveyor belt - but I'm not complaining (much)! How the staff can stay so calm and cheerful is a miracle, really, given the speed at which they have to work.

Today, I learned two things; one from the medical staff and one from a fellow patient. Thing number one was that the treatment is delivered in a specific dose (which I was aware of, but it wasn't at the front of my mind). The length of time it may take to deliver the same sized dose depends on a number of factors, so there is no point in timing the treatment. For the record, though, it was 50 seconds in total today.

The second thing I found out, by talking to another woman waiting for her treatment, was that the standard number of treatments for breast cancer that doesn't require chemotherapy, seems to be fifteen. Breast cancer patients gasp in horror when I say that I have to have twenty-two sessions - but that is the standard for pelvic radiation, I'm told. I wonder why the lengths of treatments are always one day longer than a number divisible by seven? I must ask.

Apart from the treatment itself, today I had another x-ray. And, of course, having had no problem in 'assuming the position' on my previous three visits, today was the day that it took ages to get me arranged correctly - and, as soon as I was beautifully displayed, my nose began to itch... Five minutes is a very long time not to move in such circumstances.

So far, no real side effects, though I notice that my left hip is quite painful, as though I'd developed arthritis in the last few hours. Another question to ask tomorrow - when I will also be presenting my birthdate in a different format.

Twenty more sessions... and counting...