Radiation Begins

My first day of treatment felt stressful.  We woke up to snow and ice and the schools being closed for the day due to unsafe roads.  I had just found out that I was getting yet another new boss and he and my current boss were both arriving on the 10:30 am flight so we could transition the team and prepare for a meeting with my buyer. 

Billy and I left at 8:15 to drop the kid's off at our nanny's house so we could slowly drive to our 9:45 am appointment. We made it with not a minute to spare, but the drive was an emotional one for me.  I began it in a rush; the kind of rush that makes you tackle the next thing with no time to think about it.  Jumping in the car with my purple fuzzy socks hidden under my warm black boots my husband grabbed my hand and started down the slippy road.  My phone began to alert me over and over that I had a text.  There were texts from friends and family and co-workers.  I visited my facebook app where I found many comments and messages with encouragement and promises to wear my color of hope and victory...purple.  I began to ponder what was to come for this one particular treatment, but also the many more to come.  It felt overwhelming to fit this into my life, but also scary because it was uncharted territory.

Once inside the office, I signed my name on the registry and made my way to the restroom.  I looked at my face in the mirror wondering at the uneasiness that I felt.  I'm the kind of person that doesn't get overly anxious over things so I was surprised I couldn't make myself relax.  As I began to give myself a pep talk I just began to smile as an old song from childhood clearly came to mind. 

"Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself and-a you can look at others differently
By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee"

My name was called and I alone walked through the door to find a cubby with my last name written neatly underneath.  In the cubby is a thin cotton robe, which will be my dress code for treatment. 

Wearing my now exposed purple fuzzy socks I met my techs, Melissa and Amy, and as they worked to get my positioning just right and the marks on my body re-done I remembered so many that were praying my verse and I put my hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea.

One hour later treatment #1 was complete.