Ouch?

So last Friday the 4th I made my first pretreatment visit to Emory. This is there they place the carbon markers in my prostate (the crosshairs to make sure the proton gun is lined up correctly). These will be my little momentos I keep for the rest of my life, and they also the SpaceOAR gel with protects my rectum from getting hit with radiation. So it was a long day for a shortish procedure. Up at 3:00, well because why not sleep, flight at 6:04, then return flight at 9:45, but that late everything is late, so closed my eyes at 1:00, so a good 22 hour day trip to Atlanta.

My procedure was at 1:00, so I had some free time in Atlanta, in other words jump on Marta, head to facility and find ways to keep me occupied for several hours. So basically work a 5 to six block area around the center, throw in some 90 degree weather and some blue jeans, and well, not the excitement I was looking for.

After wasting enough time, I went in for the procedure. You get the quick run down that it will take about 20 minutes, the doctor is guided my ultrasound (not the baby watching kind, they want a closer look). Lidocaine is put on topically to help numb the area before the needles with more lidocaine is put in (think going to the dentist) you know, slight prick then heat, and this is done all the way to the prostate to numb the whole area. During the explanation I put together a play list of old school Dave Matthews, they said 20 minutes so I put about 40 minutes together. So as I got strapped in I put on the music, the topical gel takes about 15 minutes to work before the needles. I decided to start playing gin on my phone to further take my mind off of everything. The doctor comes in an here we go, ouch... okay that wasn't nice, ouch again... the best way to describe each needle (I lost count, maybe 5 or 6) was imagine someone putting a chisel right on your pelvic bone, then tapping it with a hammer, quick, but thank goodness no lingering pain at that spot, be he always found the next spot that wasn't number. So about 12 minutes in he puts the three carbon markers in, then the gel, then the thumbs up from his assistant. 15 minutes. Since I'm in the stirrups slightly inverted I have to wait another 15 minutes as they slowing get me vertical. In an effort to make me feel better the doctor wanted to know how I handled the procedure so well, he said he's done about 100 this year and this could have been the best. I like how they make me feel special. I will say if you go through this procedure spend time learning to meditate, or go floating a couple of times to learn how to get away.

They told me my blood pressure and heart rate went down as the procedure started, apparently that is the opposite of what happens (or so they made me think that). Either way, it sounds like I'm not other the poster boy for every treatment, but also for putting markers and SpaceOAR in my body.

So I head back on Monday to go through my simulation. This will take a few hours where I get to hang out with the physicists, get positioned on the table, and find out my schedule for my treatments.