D - 22 - Xmas round the corner

D - 22 - Xmas round the corner

Renene has manufactured a wonderful Christmas tree from a branch of Totara we found on one of our walks , butterflies we have kept from Marjel’s collection and  fairy lights we were spoiled with by Renene”s  old nursing days colleague Viv. Isn’t she just the artist. Brings further cheer and happiness to our home away from home .
We went up to local hospital lab for our postponed blood test and the lab had gone to amazing effort creating various Xmas decorations out of everyday lab items . Further evidence of artists thinking outside the square.

Radiotherapy late today . Still machine 6 but a different team but managed to get a bit of laugh out of them when came out dressing room as a “unicorn”.

Renene managed to persuade them to allow her into the machine room after my treatment so here goes some photos of the “Beast that burns”

The green laser lines me up with the tattooed on anterior chest and each lateral chest

This big circular dome rotates around stopping a six specific points and the the computer provides a template of different shapes in the diaphragm within which allows the radiation through a pre determined planned set of “windows” targeting the tumour mass and the lymph nodes 

Sometimes radiation has in expected results on me !!!
My hair grows  back “ funny”

We did a bit of exploring of the back blocks of Mt. Roskill taking Lewis to a car yard that had a Lexus he was interested in . He and Courtney took it for a drive . Loved the ride but this particular vehicle probably not well looked after so was a “Naah” for now 

Example but not “the one”

Everyday a different experience . Lewis and Courtney introduces us to Japanese Ramon Bowel meal tonight. Gastronomic delight and we go to bed with full tummies and feeling replete. I would not have imagined that 3 weeks into this experience that I would still be “eating like a horse”. Certainly not based on some of my reading about side effects of radiation on swallowing. Renene made such an effort to pre cook bowls and bowels of chicken broth and other soups which we froze and transported here but have yet to need to keep me nourished . There is still time though for the adverse effects to come so sure will not be wasted!!!

Christmas Eve tomorrow and who knows what the day will hold for us .” One foot in front of the other “ as Edmund Hilary said.