I plan to try to lease a lap top so that I'll have it during the week during my treatments (radiation - maybe only upper chest for 4-5 weeks!!!!). It'll be easier to stay in touch with you and my friends and family. In a couple of weeks, things will settle down and we'll get into a routine. But, for now, it is still chaos!! Still doing well and staying positive though!

July 15
We (Kim's Husband) just returned from Mayo where Kim had another surgery performed to check out her abdomen. She has lots to tell, but is also under the weather after the surgery.

In touch real soon.....

July 21
Diana asked if I'd like to tell my story in a Webumentary. The idea was to help others who have been recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease. I said "yes" right away. Those first several weeks when I was being diagnosed were tough. Being able to read (on the Internet) what others had been through taught me a bunch. It eased my anxiety tremendously. I hope I can do the same for someone else. The plan was to provide regular updates. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time or energy during the past month to keep up with it until now.

The updates I've provided so far are brief. A lot has happened that I think is worth sharing. For that reason, I decided to step back, start from the beginning, and tell the whole story. Here it is.

Week 1 of Radiation Treatment - July 28 - August 1
Simulation
A couple of technicians, my radiologist, and his resident prepared me for my treatments by taking a bunch of x-rays and measurements. A technician asked if I was nervous. I said, "No, not nervous - anxious. I am ready to get rid of this stuff. Diagnosis took much longer than I had expected." They marked my skin with seven blue plus marks. One on my chin, and three each on my upper and lower chest. Before each treatment, the plus marks are used to line me up with the field of radiation. They measure to the nearest millimeter at Mayo! (Wow, that's the kind of precision I like to hear about.) Since treatment will probably last longer than the blue ink, they usually replace each mark with a small blue dot - a permanent tattoo. They are about the size of the tip of a ball point pen. The tattoos cannot be washed or worn off. This gives us all confidence that they are lining me up to the same exact locations at the beginning of treatment as at the end - five weeks later. At the end of the simulation, they replaced the plus on my chin with one of these tattoos. I was finally able to brag to my husband that I went out and got myself a tattoo. (He was still in Texas packing up the house.) I told him that it was on my chin and that if he looked real close he'd see that is said "Mike"! The whole simulation took about 45 minutes.

First Radiation Treatment
It certainly didn't hurt - but it was a little strange. I laid on the table. I was told not to move or talk. The technicians lined me up just so. They took some x-rays to be sure they agreed with the field the plus marks and tattoos created. They had explained every step so far. I was told, "OK, we're going to leave the room now and do the treatment from the top. You'll hear a buzzing during the treatment." They left. I heard some clicking machine noises, then the buzzing. I lost my breath for a second and had to concentrate on my breathing. Nothing was wrong. I was just freaking out a little thinking that "radiation is bad for you....what am I doing basking in it?"

I remembered to think about visualization. The only thing I could come up with so far was this: Visualize a Thanksgiving turkey in the oven with several patties of cold butter on top to add flavor. The butter was the cancer. And I was...well..., I was the turkey! In the oven, the butter (or tumors) will easily melt away. The turkey (me) will change color a little bit but will remain essentially unchanged. I didn't like thinking of myself as a turkey, but so far I haven't thought of anything better.

The buzzing lasted less than 30 seconds. The first treatment on the top (or front) of my upper chest and neck was complete. The techs returned and rotated the radiation source so that it was now below me. They left the room. As I heard the buzzing, I visualized the melting butter on the turkey.

That afternoon mom and I ran errands and shopped. We did too much. I was tired. I had a very bad headache all afternoon and evening. I don't think I was physically feeling the effects of the radiation yet. But, emotionally, the first day of treatment was a hard day.

After the second day of treatment, I could tell that the two pea size lumps I had on the side of my neck were beginning to shrink. I was so excited. I hadn't anticipated results so quickly. I rested too much that second day. By the evening, I was pretty squirmy.

I found a balance on the third day. Mom and I went for a 2 mile walk after breakfast. I rested for an hour or so, then went for treatment. We ate lunch. I rested for another hour. But that wasn't near enough for what was ahead of me! Mom and I had heard that there was a new shipment of "Beanie Babies" arriving at the mall at 6:00 pm. (If you don't know what Beanies Babies are, you have been working too hard!) I wanted to pick up a few for my niece, nephew, and friend's kids. We arrived 20 minutes early. There was a line of about 200 people. Some had arrived 2 hours prior! Ridiculous! It seemed life and death for some of them. We decided to stay and see how quickly the line might move. After overhearing some of the conversations of the people around us, I wanted to pull up my shirt and show them my scar and blue plus marks and scream, "Get a grip people. THIS is life and death!" I restrained myself. Although it was amusing, I was tired. We decided to leave empty handed after about 30 minutes. (Sorry, kids. I'll try again when the competition isn't so fierce.)

Mike left Texas that day with a fifteen foot moving truck and his car on a trailer behind. He drove alone after spending the previous two weeks chasing Air Force paperwork, and packing up and cleaning the house. (The majority of our stuff was taken away by movers and placed in storage.) I was worried about him.

The next day was Friday. I had my last treatment of the week. We drove back to Upper Michigan. I was tired. I slept some during the 6 hour trip.

The side effects after 4 treatments were minimal. By day three and four, my mouth was a little dry and my appetite had decreased. Over the weekend, I began to feel better. I wasn't as tired (only had to lay down once each day) and my appetite improved. I walked about one mile Saturday morning. Overall, I felt pretty good. Sunday, our realtor called. We sold the house!!!

©1997 Diana L.E.G. Hinnrichs