Each day brings a little something different. Today being a Friday, traffic was a lighter on our trek from D.C. to Baltimore and, since my treatment schedule is Monday through Friday, this was my last treatment of the week. TGIF! My headache dissipated sometime during my workout last night and, with a solid nights rest, I was feeling pretty good.
Eddie’s father and I had our routine and we were getting into the rhythm of this. Upon arrival I stop off at the water fountain and make myself an Isagenix shake before heading into our chosen waiting room. One of the radiation machines was down, so the waiting room was much fuller then normal.
To avoid the unpredictability of rush-hour traffic, we leave the house around 6:15am, swing through Starbucks and continue on up Georgia avenue to the beltway. I am scheduled for 8:40am so we had time to chill without the stresses of running late. I much prefer it that way and use the time to catch up on emails a little work.
I was called back around 8:50am. I handed Lisa my patient treatment card and got situated on the table. Although I was getting used to the head mask, it felt particularly tight this morning. With the last clamp tightened one of the techs patted my shin and said we were ready. I listened as the door closed and the tight seal engaged before the table moved into place. Normally it moved back then to the right, but the sequence was different this morning. Today it jerked to the left and clicked its way higher reminding me of a barber’s chair. Moments later the whoosh of the machine moved behind and over my head as it started to hum.
This being Mother’s Day weekend I was thinking about my own mom, my grandparents and how very fortunate I am for Eddie’s parents. Without them I am not sure how we would maintain this or twins’ schedule. I know I am truly blessed.
While I vowed to be as healthy as possible during this period, I know the Palmieri’s love for Italian pastries, and thought a a surprise stop at Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry Shop was in order. Just because I was abstaining didn’t mean others needed too.
As the table shifted from left to right, the machine moved back into place and I heard the studio door open. Treatment four was complete. I had a headache and 21 treatments to go.