I was reading an article in the 'Daily Mail' about male breast cancer. The man involved had some of his lymph nodes sent to the USA for a technique called Oncotype DX. This helps to determine the chances of the disease returning and therefore helps to determine how the disease should be treated
The man concerned had a low chance of it coming back so did not have to have chemotherapy. The 'Mail' described chemotherapy has gruelling and while I don't think it is a walk in the park I think it is irresponsible to describe it as gruelling. My grasp of English grammar is not good enough to use another adjective but I would have liked the paper to have a better grasp of the situation. There again this was the 'Mail'.
I am now into the second week of radiotherapy. The morning sessions have been easier than the afternoon ones, as I seem to get wound up if they are later in the day.
The procedure is very simple. It involves lying on a 'table' while the radiologist pushes and pulls you to get you accurately lined up with the X-Ray beam. They draw further lines and marks on you. For me the Linac (linear accelerator) machine has two positions and gives two doses. Once the calibrations have been fed into the machinery the radiologists leave the room and control it from the next room, although you can communicate with them. The administration of the radiation takes just a few minutes. The unit is dealing with 80 patients a day so sometimes there is a delay when they get backed up but like the staff at the main Christie in Withington the staff at Oldham are caring and professional.
I am starting to feel the fatigue and am wanting to stay in bed in the morning. I have been given different exercises to keep the arm mobile and I am trying to do them-honest.
The man concerned had a low chance of it coming back so did not have to have chemotherapy. The 'Mail' described chemotherapy has gruelling and while I don't think it is a walk in the park I think it is irresponsible to describe it as gruelling. My grasp of English grammar is not good enough to use another adjective but I would have liked the paper to have a better grasp of the situation. There again this was the 'Mail'.
I am now into the second week of radiotherapy. The morning sessions have been easier than the afternoon ones, as I seem to get wound up if they are later in the day.
The procedure is very simple. It involves lying on a 'table' while the radiologist pushes and pulls you to get you accurately lined up with the X-Ray beam. They draw further lines and marks on you. For me the Linac (linear accelerator) machine has two positions and gives two doses. Once the calibrations have been fed into the machinery the radiologists leave the room and control it from the next room, although you can communicate with them. The administration of the radiation takes just a few minutes. The unit is dealing with 80 patients a day so sometimes there is a delay when they get backed up but like the staff at the main Christie in Withington the staff at Oldham are caring and professional.
I am starting to feel the fatigue and am wanting to stay in bed in the morning. I have been given different exercises to keep the arm mobile and I am trying to do them-honest.
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