Hand treatment next week

[watervole]

Waited an hour to see the radiotherapist as he was at a meeting.  I've now got lines inked all over my hands and two tiny tattoo spots on each so they can line the mask up the same for each radiotherapy session.

I've got a session each day next week, but only know the time for the first session so far.  Then there will be five follow-up sessions sometime in late August.  There's a reason I didn't book any summer holiday this year - I knew I'd need to leave space for treatment if I got it.

It's a bit scary.  I've fought hard to get this treatment (I don't know any other cases of someone in the UK getting radiation therapy for Dupuytren's), but now, it's in the lap of the Gods.  There's a good chance that it will halt the onset of the disease, or at least delay it by five to ten years, but it's not guaranteed.  Nothing that I do now will make any difference to the outcome.  (apart from the obvious one of turning up for my appointments)

Comments

[ang-grrr.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

I will be thinking of you and sending you good thoughts for a good outcome.

[micavity.livejournal.com]

best of luck and hope it succeeds.

[dougs.livejournal.com]

So does this mean that you won't know the time of your Tuesday session untill your Monday session?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Got it in one. Basically, give me a ring Monday evening and we'll evaluate plans for Hengistbury Head on that basis. I'm hoping they'll put me down for the same time every day as 10am would work out nicely.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

And are you forbidden to wash your hands for a week?

I hope it goes well.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

The two tiny tattoo spots are permanent. THey mark the corners of the mask.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Good luck, Judith. You're put a lot of time, effort and research into this; I hope it will help.

[megamole.livejournal.com]

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I hope it goes well.

[merrymaia.livejournal.com]

I hope it goes well.

[jthijsen.livejournal.com]

Best wishes for you. Try to think happy thoughts as often as possible. It won't affect the outcome, but it'll make you feel better.

[kerravonsen]

{hugs}

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Hope all works out for you.

HUGS

[fifitrix.livejournal.com]

With no sense of irony whatsoever - I have my fingers crossed for you sweetie!

:)

Knowing what you went through to get it I truly hope the treatment fulfills it's potential.

Fi
;)

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

Hi, Alex Holden pointed me to your posts

I also have flexor tendinitis (trigger finger, and while I was blaming my pain at Eastercon on dupuytrens, by Confounding Tales, the pain in the left hand had resolved itself into being flexor tendinitis - and I just hope my screams didn't disturb anyone too much.

The Dupuytrens is early, so I shall ask my surgeon about radiation!

Cheers, and good luck,

Pat

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Visit http://www.dupuytren-online.info/radiation_therapy.html for more details.

It's a good site all round for Dupuytren's.

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

Thanks, muchly! I see the surgeon next Monday, and hope to be done and out the other side (as far as trigger finger is concerned) before we go to Worldcon. On the otherhand, sling might get me through airport with a little more ease....

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

An update. Did not get surgery before Worldcon. Left hand ring finger was operated on nearly 3 weeks ago, and right hand index and little fingers were operated on on Thursday. As left hand progresses, I realise I can straighten it out fine ... I think I may not have Dupuytren's after all, just untreated trigger finger and a secondary inflammation of some kind (the surgeon said that the index finger had ....itis 'which you sometimes see in association with trigger finger' (she said this to surgeon in training, not me, and I did try to memorise what she said, but have forgotten).

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Did they ever do an ultrasound scan? Dupuytren's is very distincive in a scan (or so the guy who scanned my hand told me).