Rx - Beep Beep

I have been impressed today.  By a machine.

I am rarely wowed by things.  By nature, yes. By people, yes.  By feelings, yes.  But things? Very rarely.

Yet, as I laid on my back, chest completely bared to 2 male and 2 female nurses in the radiotherapy marking room, I was impressed by the machine measuring the volume of my breast!

It was precision work with lots of beeping, measurements, straight red lines across the ceiling and finally, marking on my skin of the area that will receive radiation. 

I initially thought radiotherapy would be on part of my left breast.  Turns out, it will be on the entire breast with even generous margins all around.  The area marked extends right to my collar bone and under my left arm.  A large surface, according to me.

But really, I am pleased.  Too many people have been telling me that I should have just had a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy, that with Ca, it is best to remove the whole thing rather than bits of it.  So I am hoping radiation to the entire breast will take care of that issue. 

On a related note, I must say I felt a bit awkward being so exposed to male nurses.  It is okay to be barechested under anaesthesia or within the confines of a medical treatment room with ONE doctor (I am well at ease with the surgeon and now quite chummy with the onco).  But to be there in a room with male nurses discussing mundane stuff was....awkward. 

Nevermind.  Torture kept me clothed but stripped me of my feminity in so many ways.  Rx can see my breasts daily, just as long as it leaves the rest of me on the highway to ticking right!