Radiotherapy Simulation

30 Dec 2008

I went alone this time. Told friends that since it's a simulation, I'd be alright. HH wanted to come but she forgot (It's ok, HH, no worries, please spend more time with your mum :-) I digress a bit to mention a bit more about HH. Her mum was hospitalised in SGH too and she went there daily. During those visits, she'd pop by and keep me company too. Even in her worried-about-mum state, HH continuously encouraged me to think positive and take 1 step at a time. Thank God for such friends!)

Anyway, the simulation was at Block 2 B1. Interesting place in that you can walk from block 4 to block 3 and completely miss this block. Try it :-)

I packed a new knitting project (Toby chose the falling water pattern) and knitted while I waited. The nurse called and said the doc wanted to see me... I'd forgotten to sign the consent form. This form was given to me during the first consultation at NCC on 12 Dec and I forgot to bring it. Consent is required for awareness of the procedure and side effects, alternatives and agreement for tattooing. Yup, tattooing. 3 pinheads, needed for positioning of the linear accelearator rays. I signed it. God made doctors and medicine too.

Another lady (I'm not sure what she's called - radiologist?) then led me to another room and told me I'd have to lie still for 45mins. Oops, empty bladder time. She was very patient, helping me to find an empty toilet (the one reserverd for the disabled; rest were occupied or being cleaned) then leading me back to the room. She took a digital pic of my face first ... and I thought, is this the before? No, they laughed. 4 of them. 3 ladies, 1 guy, all young.

So I changed and lay on this platform which closely resembles what I had for the sentinel scan. They took turns to position me and talking in some medical language that I soon tuned out to. If not for the freezingly cold temperature, I might have fallen asleep. With each position, they drew lines and more lines. Water soluble markers, they assured me. They needed to get the positions for the 3 tattoos and thus the lines would guide them. It kinda went like this: position me, all go in room, take x-ray (?), then come out, position the scanner / me, draw lines and all over again. Think more than 10 times. I'm not trial and error, they assured me :-)

I thank God that this group wasn't so uptight that they could laugh and joke with me, and reassure me while they went about their business. I thank God for the time passing so quickly. I wished they had warm fingers like the senior consultant though. (One of the ladies said that 'cos the senior didn't feed them enough and that's why they're so cold).

All in, it seemed much lesser than 45 mins. I understood why the nurse told me to wear a blouse with a high neckline when I changed back again... I had green, blue and magenta lines with the green one almost peeking through the top of my blouse. There were also 9 pieces of medical tape (1cm wide, different lengths) with some of the marker lines too. The 3 tattoos didn't hurt much, just like ant bites. LA hurts more. The pulling of the tapes off me hurt too. Hahaha!

Appointment at 10.30am, done by 11.45am including waiting and payment.

ps: PT asked me where the tattoo are. One's below my cross pendant, one further down and one on my right side. Varies from person to person and the senior consultant said they had to spend more time on me 'cos I was thin. I didn't ask him what he meant... I'm small? *blush*