First radiation “shit show” . . .

So, I have to post twice today because it wouldn’t be fair to bitch about Kevin’s first radiation appointment “shit show” in the same post as our chemo treatment. Would be unfair to our chemo Nurse Kaljit.

So, the schedule was to start at 8:30am with a 6 hour chemo treatment, then go across town to 21st Century Radiation.  Mentally, I had been questioning starting radiation right after a 6 hour chemo appointment but I thought, “Heck, it sounds like that’s the norm. Why question it.” (Note: That period is on purpose.)

So, the chemo went a little longer, so they called and scheduled us for 4pm at 21st Century Rad. Already a long day but we left the hospital in good spirits. Kevin started showing signs of fatigue on our way out. Mind you, he just took a “full” chemotherapy treatment.

Kevin gets into the radiation room and they set everything up. Mask goes into place, bolted to the table. It’s extremly tight, putting pressure on his forehead and neck. So much so, he can hear and feel his heart beat from his carotid arteries on the mask as he anxiously awaits the  treatment to begin. The treatment should he 10-15 minutes. He is there for about 8 minutes, while nothing is happening. Bolted to the table by a mask that covers his head & upper shoulders, extremely uncomfortable, a stick in his mouth to hold his tongue back, unable to blink because the pressure the mask puts on his eyebrows, and heart rate racing!

Staff comes back and he thought they were going to unhook him and let him up, when suddenly the machine is working. They say, “We got it running and we are going to start the treatment now!”

I’m sure they were frantically trying to figure out the issue but it seems he has a “Kick Me” note taped to his medical file lately! Poor guy just fought through it and accepted the staffs apologies afterwards. Thats because my husband is a great guy. He waited till he was in the car to say, “Well that was a shit show!”