2011-12-01: CyberKnife planning started

I did the CT scans to initiate planning for CyberKnife today.

My poor dad. He had to wait through 1.5 hrs of them trying to get me hooked up to an IV through my port. They apparently needed a high pressure port connector and the planning dept. wasn't prepared for a port. They usually use I.V. through veins.

Then there was another 1.5 hrs of scans. They scanned me with and without contrast dye. With and without me breathing. The CT scans with me breathing were "slow motion" meaning they wanted many pictures of how I breathed and I moved through the scanner at a very slow table speed (table moves me through the scanner, scanner itself is very heavy and doesn't move).

So, now they have images and a profile of how I breath. So the next step is to set up the planning for (a) what tissue in the CT images to target and (b) when to have the radiation beams "on" and when to have them "off" based on my breathing position and the tracked x-ray position of the gold trackers in my liver.

Once they are nearing completion of the planning then I will receive notification of a date / time for the CyberKnife treatment to finally relieve me of this liver pain and pressure. I hope anyway... there is a good chance the pressure/pain will get worse before it gets better. There is often swelling from radiation before shrinkage of the tumor tissue. Sigh...

On a lighter note, I may have a cancer friend over for a social meet tomorrow. Should be fun. Otherwise I'd be stuck in a hydration chair for 3-4 hours with little to do.

Regards,
Shane