Radiation 8.0 & 9.0

Radiation has gone fine the last two days. Yesterday I had a chance to meet with the radiologist who planned my treatment. I was a bit apprehensive because I heard he was Swedish. I don't know why, but there are quite a few Swedes in the radiology department. I have nothing against Swedes, I just don't understand what the heck they are saying.

Now, I have always thought that Danes and Swedes were actually just pretending they understood each other. I assumed it was just another strange quirk of Scandinavian pride that forced them into this elaborate charade, with enthusiastic head nodding, that makes it totally obvious to the casual observer that OF COURSE they understand what the other is saying. But being in radiation the last week and half, I have changed my opinion - I think they really DO understand each other.

I guess I assumed they were pretending, because thats what I do. There is this Swedish nurse, and we have delightful conversations and I answer all of her questions. But I really don't understand what the hell we are talking about. I can tell by the tone that we are just chit-chatting, so I figure it's okay if I play make believe. For example, the other day she asked me what type of cancer I had, and I told her I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She smiled, asked the same question in a different way, and I realized that she had actually asked me what my occupation was. I told her I worked with computers, and we moved on. No harm done. And besides, if you look at the last 7 months, my first answer wasn't even that far off.

So, as you might imagine, when I heard the radiologist was Swedish, I figured it was time for me to drop the charade - this wasn't just idle chit-chat. I decided that I was just going to ask him if we could speak English. But as it turned out, the radiologist actually spoke full-blown Danish, so my communication problem was solved.

Our meeting was very reassuring. He was about my age - which I think is an okay age for a doctor who works with high tech stuff. He was very sharp and seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. But what really struck me about him was that he was an immaculate dresser and very well groomed. And that pleased me, because if I could pick any doctor to figure out exactly where I am supposed to be radiated, with complex angles and millimeter precision, I'd definitely take the one with the shiny shoes, crisp, white lab coat, and the razor sharp crease in the pants.

He showed me my scans and the fields where I get radiation. A chunk of my left lung is hit as well as a small slice along the top part of the heart. My right lung isn't really affected at all. What he did say is that I shouldn't be too concerned about side-effects. I am getting a pretty low dosage of radiation, because, as the nurse said in the first meeting, Hodgkin's is pretty sensitive to radiation. All in all, I felt very good after I chatted with him.

Today, the girls had the day off, so they came out with me to see what this radiation business is all about. Anna just thought it was a regular party, but I guess Emily got a bit concerned when they aligned me on the bed under the crisscross of lasers. When Mathilde took the girls out to the control room, Emily clutched Mathilde worriedly and said, "Does it hurt it Daddy?" Mathilde assured Emily that I couldn't even feel it, and then Emily cheered up. The nurses let the girls help out in the control room (only with the non-critical stuff) so when it was all over I heard Emily's sweet, happy voice over the intercom say, "Now you are all done". A few seconds later the girls came running back into the room with big smiles. Emily was saying, "Could you hear me? Could you hear me?" And Anna was yelling, "Emily talked and I pushed the button!"

Once again, the girls charmed the nurses, so I should get extra nice treatment from now on.

In the waiting room, the girls had a contest to see which one could find the "most exciting magazine". They both went for the ones with loads of Royal gossip.


Here is a picture of Anna mingling with the nurses.


Her are the girls In the control room. Had I known, I may have been a bit nervous that they let Anna get so close to the buttons. But I think they actually control it all a few desks over.