LifeNow

As of yesterday I have completed 20% of the required therapies. So far, I've experienced none of the common side effects, but of course those are more likely to show up in the last half of the 40 therapy sessions.

The sessions themselves are now very routine and short. I have to check in 45 minutes early, just to drink a cup of water when asked. I spend the waiting time reading either a book on my Kindle or emails and news on my iPhone. When notified to go to the men's dressing room, it takes me 3-5 minutes to take off pants and underwear, put on the robe, and stash everything in the bag I take with me. There's usually a 5-10 minute wait before a technician calls me into the radiation room. It takes the technicians several minutes to position me and lock down the cast of my pelvis that keeps me in place. When they leave the room, the therapy machine starts moving around me for about five minutes, and then the technicians return, unlock the cast and say goodbye.

Yesterday I saw something I hadn't seen before. It looked like a daughter asking her mom to wait a minute until she was ready to do an iPhone video of her mother. When I heard the bell I realized her mom was standing just below a small bell on the hallway corner next to the check-in desk – and the video was her mother pulling to bell to announce she had finished her therapy. When folks in the waiting room heard the bell, they all clapped loudly for her as she waved goodbye and headed to the elevator for her (hopefully) final departure.

As a result, I now realize that Kate should come with me to my last session so that she can do the same for me! That will be about seven weeks from now.

Yesterday was another nice day to get exercise by walking back from MSK. On the way back, Kate and I texted each other, both unsure about whether we wanted to eat out again. After a while Kate called, and by the time we decided we'd both like to eat out I was at Central Park West and 69th street. We agreed to meet at French Roast and both managed to show up at the same time. After looking at the outdoor options, we decided to eat inside, where there was less noise and fewer people. I had a Steak Frite, of which half I brought home to finish. The delicious fries were finished by Kate and me.

Despite the daily therapy sessions, life goes on fairly well these days....