Radiation #1,2,3

It has only been 3 days since I started radiation treatment for my brain tumours, but already it has been a bit of an experience. It started on Wednesday with my first visit to the radiation chamber where I was going to be coming each weekday for the next 2 weeks. I began my first treatment with some ideas about possible side effects but nothing I could definitely say was going to happen.

Wednesday’s treatment involved a planning scan to make sure everything was lined up correctly and my mask was fitted which kept my head in one place while the radiation was taking place.

The big machine in the above picture moves around my head so it can administer the radiation without requiring me to change position at all. The whole radiation process takes less than 5 minutes! After the radiation, we popped in to see my 84-year old grandma who was also in Auckland hospital awaiting news of whether she was going to get surgery for a narrowed heart valve.

I felt ok after Wednesday’s radiation for a couple of hours until around 11am when my head started getting sore which gradually intensified. I took some paracetamol and this helped to alleviate the headaches but later in the day I also started feeling nauseous.

Thursday morning I woke up around 6am with the feeling like I needed to throw up – which I did. That begin a day of puking my guts out at various times throughout the day which made for not a very happy day unfortunately. I managed to keep it down while in the radiation chamber to avoid christening the equipment but not long after leaving radiation oncology I was at it again. Fortunately, they have empty containers available at radiation oncology for such events.

I also got a prescription for some drugs – Dexamethasone for the brain swelling, Omeprazole to counteract the acid reflux induced by Dexamethasone and an anti-nausea drug Domperidone as well as some Codeine Phosphate for pain relief. After taking the drugs, things started to settle down a bit but I ended up sleeping for around 15 hours yesterday due to the tiredness and lack of energy from not eating all day.

This morning I woke up a new man! I ate breakfast and haven’t puked all day (as at midday). I had my radiation dose this morning but am still feeling pretty good. Let’s hope this continues through the weekend so I can go to a friend’s wedding tomorrow 🙂

Anyway, just wanted to update you all on my progress thus far – I will post again next week after a few more treatments.

Talk soon!
David