Day 146 of 365

Medicine and Science

I'm a writer and an author. I've penned a half dozen books and I've published two. It's safe to say that I'm always writing something and my computer is never very far away.

My mother has always been my biggest fan. I am spending a lot of time with her these days and in the early morning moments, as she wakes, she's had some stories to tell.

During one of those sunrise conversations I asked her if she wanted me to write any of them down. She gave me a little half grin and said she had four stories to tell. I asked her what they were. Without missing a beat she said let's start with this...

Knock Knock?

Who's there?

Brain Cancer...

It's not a joke. This is really where the story begins.

On day 146 I did something I never ever wanted to do. I watched radiation therapy. This is a big part of the story. The process looked like some kind of science fiction but there's nothing fictitious about what I was seeing.

There’s so much going on in the huge room. The technology would be outrageously cool if it wasn’t about to destroy the parts of the body it’s aimed at.

There's a rotating platform that looks like a bed. Before every dose this equipment takes a CT scan of the target zone and it’s displayed on one of a half dozen monitors in the lead lined room behind it.

What does it feel like? I was told it’s most like the imaging done when you look for a broken bone. I never intend to experience the power of this equipment first hand. As a witness it's all about being on the support team.

Truth be told, I hate leaving mom alone. The treatment doesn’t take very long and the waiting and watching continues. The focus is all on wellness and healing.

Day 146 was a struggle. I’ve always known my mother is a strong woman. Today, with my own eyes, I witnessed it.

Love & Light