Radiate

This tune's lodged in my brainpan now—probably will be for the next few months too.

What's the deal on this? I met with the folks at the Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center at MGH yesterday. Later this month I’ll be starting proton therapy there.

Proton therapy, also known as proton beam therapy, is a form of radiation treatment used to destroy tumor cells. Instead of using x-rays like regular radiation treatment, it uses protons to sends beams of high energy that can target tumors more precisely than X-ray radiation. (source)
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Proton therapy uses a special machine called a cyclotron or synchrotron to accelerate protons. Protons are extracted from the particle accelerator and directed with magnetic fields to the tumor. The depth of penetration of the protons is related to their energy and can be precisely controlled to match the location of the tumor. (source)

How deeply sci-fi and nifty, no?

My sessions will be one hour long (most of that is set up time), every day (Monday through Friday) for seven weeks. Joy. Common side effects include fatigue, swelling, reddened skin around the target site also my recovery (from 2021’s two mega surgeries) will slow down. Plus, I may (knowing me…probably will) experience back pain. More joy.

I’ll see my neurologist, Doc Plotkin, next Tuesday. We’ll schmooze, he’ll advise and then Doctor Helen Shih , my radiation oncologist, the director of Central Nervous System & Eye Services AND the program director of the proton therapy center (yeah, wicked impressive) will set me up for the business of being proton-ed.

My last go ‘round with radiation was a complete and utter bust. Having said that, it was a different type of radiation, a different variety of tumor (an acoustic schwannoma versus a massive meningioma) AND it was a different part of my beleaguered bod (thoracic spine this time versus my bean) getting shot up.

Fuck yeah, I’m scared but…new radiation, etc. new hope.