Patient Joel, one of my new tech team members, came back for the second time to get me for part two, the CAT scan, so Carol N and I said good bye for now. How great to finally put a face with the name and delightful emails I have recieved over the past few years.
Now my Carol and I were following Joel through the double doors in the back and over to the right hand side of the center and the Radiation labs. I could see the darkened room ahead of me, the table covered with a white drape lying before "the doughnut hole" of a large cream colored machine. Never having had a CAT scan before, this totally had my attention and my monkey mind was running rampant. All I needed was a few people to play with and I knew I could make light of the whole thing.
How lucky was I to discover Marcie and Grant, two more of my new regular tech team, waiting for me with smiles and chuckles right inside the door. "Well, looks like you have the laboratory ready and waiting for me. I do hope the bed is comfy." We all laughed, the ice was broken and it was all crazy snips, silly comments, quick wits and bright smiles from here on.
Carol was lead down the hall to the waiting area, the door was closed, and I saw Joel and two others seated in the outer room in front of individual computer screens. Definitely no video games in this room! Seriously dark corridor lit only by the brightly lit screens. I walked a bit further into the larger room where the doughnut machine was waiting. I put my clothes and purse down on the counter and they explained where and how they wanted me to put my body.
"Ok. We need you to put your head right here where we have, well, sort of a pillow. You'll see what we mean when you put your head in it," Grant said. He is a little taller than me, bright blue eyes, blond crew cut and a brilliant smile. "Hmmm, your back is about here and we'll put this pillow under your legs when you are lying down."
"Hmm, you really feel my long torso is going to fit in that small space?" To which we all chuckled but darn if they hadn't judged it perfectly. The pillow was just a neck rest with some side support. Once I was lying down on the table, it became apparent that the room and the table were both a little chilly. Before I could say a word Marcie said, "How about a warm blanket?" and I couldn't say yes please fast enough! I love those things when it's cold.
Next they needed to get my body placed straight on the table, so Grant asked, "Are you going to let us pull and push you around a little?"
"If you think you can do that, go right ahead," and they actually did. A little pull on the sheet under my chest to the right, then a little tug on the sheet jerking my hips gently to the left, until they felt everything was lined up just right.
"Hmm, nice way to practice some dance moves, I guess."
Marcie moved nearer to the left side of my head. "Now we have to get your arms up above your head and secure them so we can take pictures," she said, also with a smile. Her brown hair trimmed neatly, her brown eyes shining and here too, another wide and happy smile.
It was like having greater than and less than signs up above my head with the way they placed my arms. With the support of the bright red stirrups, it wasn't too uncomfortable.
Next,armed with little black vis-a-vis markers, they opened up the top of my robe exposing my chest and the writing began. "Hey wait a minute! If you get to draw and play with markers, where's mine?" I asked. "If you two are going to make dots, can I play too?" We took turns with silly comments and giggling away.
At one point, it felt as if Grant was doing a more intricate drawing on my right hand side so I encouraged him to "make a nice daisy there and then you can put the tattoo right in the center." It was sweet when they both told me they were going to enjoy the next six weeks with me in their morning.
Dr. Tate came in next and indicated some specific areas he wanted to be marked. Then they selected the marker "points", placed a wire on my chest to line up the dots to be made there, taped it down, former memories with wires and surgery immediately crowded into my mind and I couldn't resist.
"You know, when Dr. Lieberman put that wire in my breast and it was standing upright, I wanted to put some beads on it so it atleast had some color. If you are planning to leave this on here, I really think we should decorate it first." I could tell by there reaction, they hadn't expected that one and even Dr. Tate had to chuckle. "Only there for a minute to help us line things up, sorry." When he finished his marks, he wished me well, said he'd see me next Friday and off he went. I was again solely in the very capable hands of Marcie and Grant.
They put some alcohol on the areas they marked and told me they would be using a needle to tattoo 5 little dots or freckles on my skin. It would be a bit like a bee sting, not uncomfortable, to which I replied, "Yeah, I've heard that before. You all have this thing with breasts and needles and they don't make such a good combination. If you have to do this to me Grant, at least decorate it a little bit, at least a music note."
"Hey, it's a nice idea but I'm only qualified to make these little dots but I'll try to put my best copies on you, ok?" He chuckled and started in on the dots. One below my neck about 4 inches, then down two more inches to the left, and the third centered just below my sternum. Certainly not as painful as the circle before my surgery. Next he put a freckle on my lower right side about 3 inches down from my armpit and the same on the left side, which didn't like the freckle as much and let me know it with a little stronger sting. There always has to be one non-conformist!
Afterwards, Marcie told me she had to put a sticker on each of my side dots to protect them during a shower and anything that might rub against them. I asked her which kinds I got to choose from. "If you have Snoopy stickers, I'll take two of those." She laughed. "Ok, that's a new request. Sorry just clear ordinary ones will have to do this time."
It was now time for the peaceful ride in and out of the doughnut hole, which only took about 5 minutes. There was a soft hum at first, nothing at all frightening or unsettling. The sound that came out of the machine the last time sounded a little like a jet's engine revving up. Hmmm...where would I like it to take me right now?
We had a few more quips, a bit of teasing and I knew I would enjoy these trips and visits every day. How wonderful to be fortunate enough to have people care for you who actually enjoy what they do, work together very well, and take delight in chatting and joking with their patients. It's also a blessing to know they are some of the ones who are helping you extend your life!
What an interesting day this has been! Because I thought I would be taking part in chemotherapy first, I hadn't done as much reading on radiation therapy, but I have information from here and Mayo Clinic to help with that. I know there are some things that won't necessarily be so pleasant, but at least the people who will help and care for me, will try their best to make it as comfortable as possible. Who could ask for anything more?
PS: To me, the tattoos look like five little blackheads. They really could use a graphic designer to add a little character to those dots! LOL
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