My First Tattoo

My planning session for radiation went well. The only difficult part was keeping my arms up for an extended time. I told the tech that I had just had surgery. I guess he didn't really believe me until he saw the dressings on the incisions. He said, "You really did just have surgery." Now, do you think that is something I would have made up? He said we could wait until I recovered more, but I told him that I was there so we might as well see if I could do it.
The technician wanted me to put my arms straight out above my head which he learned was impossible for me to do due to the surgery. It probably took the longest trying to get my arms up by bending them and seeing if I could still get through the CAT Scan machine. Once we figured that out I had to stay that way for 35 minutes. The first 2o minutes was no big deal, the next 15 was a little more difficult. It would have been a piece of cake if it wasn't for the stress on the incisions.

To align my body in the correct position each time they make a body mold. Nothing what I expected. All it was, was a thick form that laid under my head and arms. As I laid down it molded to me. I was expecting something that went over my body, so I was very relieved that I wouldn't feel trapped.

The last thing the tech did was give me three tattoos. I couldn't see what he was doing. Two of the tattoos I couldn't feel because it's in the area that is still numb. The third was a needle pinch. I'm almost betting that these will be my last tattoos. Why, would anyone want to have needles sticking in you? It's just not for me, but I couldn't wait to tell the kids I got a tattoo (they just can't wait for theirs). I came home and asked them if they wanted to see my tattoo? I showed them the marks on me, and said, "One is a marker line and the other is the tattoo, but I don't know which is which." Well, silly me, they both were marker lines. My tattoos are just little small dots. I scrubbed off what I thought were the tattoos. Too funny!!

I see my plastic surgeon on September 8th. If he says the incisions have healed, I will start radiation on September 9th. I'm hoping my plastic surgeon will release me to return to work. I'm hoping to be back no later than September 14th.

Please pray that I would have NO complications with the radiation. I know they've told me I'll get really tired, so I'm expecting fatigue. It's possible that I could get a "burnt hole" from the radiation. Normally, I wouldn't be too concerned but with my former complications it's something I want them to watch very closely. They've told me all the negative possibilities, so I'm praying for positive results.