Part II: CANCER

Things were really starting to cook now! And the thing that was cooking was me! I was scheduled for 40 sessions of radiation to specific areas of my neck and jaw: and that was to happen 5 days a week for 8 solid weeks!

The radiology technician made a mask for me. The mask was made from a mesh that was in a square wood frame. The technician asked if I was claustrophobic because the making of the mask was very intense! The mesh frame was soaked in warm water until it reached the desired softness, and then the meshed frame was jammed over my face and smoothed out until it was the exact shape of my face. The mask had to be exactly perfect for the radiation treatments. After about 10 minutes the mesh mask was removed from my face, and set to the side to harden. This would be what I would be under for the next 40 sessions

Maps of my face were generated weekly to instruct the radiologist as to where to zap me, and for how long. I remember hearing the buzzing of the X-ray machine; lasting for minutes at a time. Music was playing in the background to try and soothe the patient. But it didn't help much. I sometimes felt like I was a piece of bacon, and the buzzing from the X-ray machine made me think of the spattering and spitting of grease in an old cast iron skillet. I just wanted it to hurry up and stop! I was now taking large amounts of pain medicine in order to tolerate the radiation, the healing from my surgeries and my chronic painful M.S..