Pics.

No, you won’t find any pictures of me here.  Instead, I will try to add some images to help you visualize the tools of the trade.

Chemo bottle/pump – My 5 weeks of chemo in January and February was delivered by an infusor pump.  The clear medicine is contained within a “balloon” which magically deflated at a consistent rate and pushed the medicine into my PICC line.  Note the stunning, hot pink top (chemo bottles are colored coded to indicate the flow rate).  The iPod is shown for size reference only…it was not a “gift with purchase”.

Cancer Center – This is a shot from outside Dickson Building (yes, that’s snow you see).  The cement structure is the radiation “bunker” where I received my treatments in January and February (note the bright yellow radioactivity warning sign at the left…lest we forget this is serious business!).  As you may be able to see, there is construction underway to expand the facility which should help reduce wait times.

Radiation Machine – This is where I received my rads.  I lay on the table (face down, ass up) and the machine moved around me to “shoot” the beams at Voldemort (my tumor) from three different angles.  I was told that my machine (affectionately and appropriately known as “C”) was acquired in 1996 making it the oldest of the six units in Halifax.  Despite its age, it is apparently favored by the technicians because it’s the easiest to operate.

Ostomy supplies – Here’s what I need to execute my “appliance” change, which occurs every 4 or 5 days (along with a damp cloth but you know what that looks like).  Let’s go counterclockwise starting with the blue thingy which is used to measure the circumference of my stoma (FYI, 4-weeks post surgery mine is a tidy 22 millimeters or so).  Next is the super sticky ring that snugly fits around the stoma and helps protect my skin.   Then comes the wafer which, after being cut to the appropriate size using my tiny pair of scissors, is placed over the ring.  The underside of the wafer is also very sticky thereby ensuring good adhesion to my skin.  Last but not least, the pouch is attached to the wafer by lining up the two white rings and then locking it place.  Kapeesh?

Chemo chair – Here’s the spot where I got my chemo injections. during the spring/summer.  There are four of these chairs in each of the five or six small rooms at the Cancer Center.  There is also a much larger room which has about twelve chairs and a couple beds. Even though they are not much to look at, they are pretty comfortable.  The injection process is pretty straightforward, although there is some variety in the pre-game warm up as each nurse seems to have a preferred method.  Sometimes I soak my hand in a bucket of warm water, other times it gets wrapped in a warm towel, sometimes they just rub my hand and some skip all this stuff and just blast away.  Most of the nurses don’t bother using the IV machine with me since my treatment is so short.