What's it like?

Sylvia asked me what I think about during the radiation therapy. I think about how tight the mask is. But mostly I pray in the Holy Spirit and praise God.

It is God who gives men the intelligence to invent the kind of machinery we are using.

It is God who put this kind of work in the hearts of my doctor, his nurse and the technicians.

It is God who is guiding the hands of those who treat me.

It is God who is consoling those I love.

The technicians -- all are female -- are very considerate. My appointment is for 4:45 p.m. Monday thorough Friday but they tipped me that if I get there a little early they can probably get me in early. Once they had to come out to advise me they were running behind but usually the system works pretty good. The receptionist reads a bar code on my hospital card, which tells the computer I am there. Within few minutes I am called into the treatment room.

Some days are faster than others. Yesterday I was in and out of the place in less than 15 minutes!

The treatment leaves me kinda groggy and a little disoriented but so far that has passed in a short time. I think I feel that way because of the mask, not because of the radiation. My skin feels warm where the radiation enters but that is not uncomfortable. The doctor says that as the treatment progresses I might develop what looks like a sunburn on my neck at about the level of my Adams apple. Some patients also develop severe fatigue. I reject that.

My days have settled into a routine of sorts, built of course around the afternoon appointment. Sylvia and I have our prayer time together first thing in the morning. I want to walk but the heat has been so severe these past few days that we only walked on two mornings. After breakfast I try to get in some writing. I am working on a novel about Barrabas.

I may run an errand or two or just relax and read o watch a movie in the afternoon. About 4:15 I head for the hospital.

So far I have felt only minor fatigue but I still have a persistent cough -- one of the symptoms. Some times it feels like I am coughing up my toes.

I have a calendar with the treatments number, starting with 28 and going down to 1. Each evening I cross off another treatment.