My radiation therapy, which started on December 28, continues fairly uneventfully. I’m really impressed by the staff there, they have the process down. The whole thing is very streamlined and efficient. Even the building is efficient: it’s sleek and new, with plenty of easy, accessible parking.

I pretty much described the process in my posting on my first treatment: upon entering the building, I beep in with my ID bracelet; no need to check in or speak with anyone beyond a quick “good morning!” to the receptionist. I then enter the changing room area and don a gown (open in the back) and a robe (open in the front). I have a favorite changing room by now: #4, with a table and a cushioned bench. I put my stuff in a locker (my favorite is #9, for no reason other than consistency) and wait in the “gowned” waiting area where I get to watch Fox News (yay).

They have cameras in the waiting room, so the A-Team can see when I’m all ready. They nearly always call me back immediately, unless I’m very early, but even then they call me back pretty quickly. I am often early, but so far have only been late once (when it took me an hour and a half to get there due to a traffic accident) and even then they called me back pretty quickly. I love them.

The procedure as described in my earlier posting is very quick – I timed it today and it took six minutes from when I took off the robe to when I put it back on! One day a week they do x-rays and that takes a couple more minutes.

On Wednesdays, Dr. Zap sees his patients right after treatment. This is also very quick, unless I have a question or an issue. I’ve seen him twice so far: the first time I told him about my ankle swelling and he referred me to vascular medicine; the second time I had him sign a prescription for my lymphedema treatment. No sweat. I love him.

After my first visit I assembled a little radiation therapy bag: lotion and deodorant (I cannot put on any lotions or creams before treatment), a hand towel to clean the lotion off my hand, my ID bracelet, and, of course, my awesome new radiation therapy hat that my mom crocheted for me! Everyone in the clinic loves my hat and thinks it’s hilarious! It all goes in a zippered tote bag that I can use to store my clothes in the locker.

Eleven sessions down and seventeen more to go … but who’s counting??