Day -3 to Day -1

So on day -3 my radiotherapy began. The type of radiotherapy that I am going through is called TBI (Total Body Irradiation), this is different from other forms of radiotherapy as it is affecting my entire body, rather than targeting any one specific area. From day -3 to Day 0 I have been undergoing two lots of TBI a day, one at 9am and then again at 4pm. Each session does not last particularly long, but it is a rather weird experience.

When it was first explained to me the position I had to lie in, for some reason I was reminded of the scene in Titanic when Rose asks Jack to "draw her like one of his French girls". You are only allowed to wear knickers, and then your top half is covered in a thin layer of tissue paper to go some way to protect your modesty. So, just imagine Rose lying there - but now imagine Rose is in a glass box, with her elbow tied up behind her with a bandage having to lie there awkwardly for 5 minutes whilst being blasted with rays and then spun around to do the same to her back. So, really, it's not much like that scene at all - it's much more clinical and much less sexy - but I think that it makes me feel slightly better to imagine myself as Kate Winslet for a few minutes. Everyone likes to feel like Kate Winslet, right?

Despite the fact I may have felt a tiny bit like a Hollywood movie star for 5 minutes, TBI does seem to have the unfortunate side effects of making me feel nauseous and extremely tired. Day -3 was extremely difficult because of this, but with slight adjustments to my drugs, the nausea does seem to be subsiding.

I have also been having regular visits from the beauty therapists across at the Friends of the Beatson over the last couple of days and I got my nails done and had Reiki for the first time, which is a healing treatment. It was very relaxing and enjoyable, so I'm definitely going to make the most of the treatments during my time here! I've also had visits from the physio, dietitian and a lady from the Teenage Cancer Trust. The physio has been a great help as, even though I am feeling weak at the moment, I know that it's important to try and keep my energy up - so she has given me a number of exercises that I can complete on the bed as well as a set of exercise pedals. The dietitian seemed a little concerned about my nausea, but happy that I was still eating as best I could. As the effects of the TBI really start to settle in, it will become harder to eat because of reactions such as mouth ulcers. I have already started developing a bit of a coating on my tongue, but I'm trying my hardest to keep the oral hygiene at top level. Finally, the lady from the Teenage Cancer Trust was just checking in to provide us with any information that we needed - it really is a great charity; they have so many facilities for teenagers and different meal options as well if you don't like the usual menu. Although it is the Teenage Cancer Trust, they cater for 16 to 24 years so I am lucky there.

Anyway, enough about me - today is a much more important day for someone very special out there - my donor! Today is donor harvest day, so my lovely donor will be going through his operation today and I wish him all the luck in the world. I hope you will all keep him in your thoughts, as he is a truly amazing person. I know that I have a long way to go yet, but if it were not for him, I would not be going anywhere at all. I am so grateful - so good luck out there whoever you are! My thoughts are with you all the time.

Laura xo