So today it all started. Radiotherapy on my tumour behind my breastbone. I'm in so much pain now with it I can't wait to get on with it.
Got to the QE hospital in Birmigham early and changed into my breast gown that I will be wearing for my next 15 sessions. Got called to a little room to go through the paperwork, make sure I wasn't pregnant, go through the side affects. Told me I couldn't wear deodorant for the course of the treatment, and I couldn't shave my armpits!!!!! What!!! That was a bit of a shock!! Anyway, then got taken into the radiotherapy room.
Got on the machine and they lined me up. Now I have had surgery under my armpit on my lymph nodes and I have real problems lifting my arm above my head. But for this treatment It has to be up for quite a long period of time. It's agony. They told me they would be doing the radiotherapy first and then scanning with another machine to get some pictures of the tumour at the start of treatment. I was ok during the radiotherapy. Yes the machine moved round my, buzzed and whirred but it was ok. Except for the pain in my armpit and across my breast.
Then someone came in and changed machines. This is when it all started to go wrong for me. I have had loads of different types of scans so they shouldn't really bother me. But as they start scanning I start panicking. Whether it was the pain in my arm, or the nervous or the overwelling feeling of dread, but I have a panick attack. I'm shouting for them to get me out. I'm hot and sweaty. They come in and help me up. I sit up and almost faint then tell them I'm going to be sick. Luckily bucket arrives in time.
So scan ruined (they will have to try again tomorrow), I'm white as a sheet and feeling like a right prat. They get me a drink and I recover, get changed and leave.
Will talk to them tomorrow about the pain in my arm and what can be done to help (if anything) and what to do if I have another attack. Hope they are understanding tomorrow... Hope I get through it without another attack. Fingers crossed
