Wednesday 1.10.25
Left home at 14:45. It's a half hour drive to Woden. Got parking no problems in the outdoor car park. Sat on my phone for a few minutes. It's a five minute walk from the car park to the Oncology building. Checked in, and in the waiting room at 15:30 for a 15:45 appointment. Got called in at 15:37 and they went through a few things with me, like where to get changed, what my pigeon hole number would be for the duration, and where to wait. They have a jigsaw table setup (with a Wasgij currently on it). Not sure what time I got called into the room (Brindabella today). You go through a radiation proof blast door and into a big room with a big machine. Got setup in that and off we went. Had to hold my breath a number of times. They say hold as long as you can and then relax because the machine will stop automatically, but I didn't want to test that. Afterwards they said that I really can do that.. but that they could also coach me, and I said I'd prefer that. Was done by 16:17, then back to get dressed. Had a chat with one of the nurses about *stuff* (they do this every week). Mainly about what side effects I'm likely to get and how to manage them. Then they gave me some moisturiser and an attendance certificate and was out the door at about 16:36. Five minute walk back to the car, then home in peak hour traffic, arriving home at 17:15. So two and a half hours. The fatigue they predict is more likely to be from the commute than the actual treatment. hrmm.
Thursday 2.10.25
My eye is still getting better slowly.
Nuking day 2. Had a bit later appointment today. Got there a bit early as always. Went to the loo and got changed, but before I had a chance to do any jigsaw they called me in because they were running early! Burley Griffin room today. And it was a slightly shorter session too, so I was actually dressed and ready to go at 16:25 by the time I was due for my appointment. And actually home earlier than yesterday. So that was nice. I did forget to ask for an attendance certificate though. Whoops.
Friday 3.10.25
Same appointment time as yesterday. Got there and got changed, but only had a couple of minutes to work on the jigsaw before they called me in :) Jervis Bay room this time. This was a rare occasion when I had male workers (both of them were male). The only previous times were during the biopsy at BreastScreen they had a student nurse there, when they injected radioactive dye to test mark the lymph nodes before surgery, and the doctor that put the wire in for the surgery. Other than that all the technicians and doctors and nurses have all been female which has been nice. Out early again. But not before I asked if I could take a photo of the machine and the dude offered to take a photo with me in it!
Saturday 4.10.25
Unrelated to any of the C-word nonsense, my hot flushes are getting more frequent again. Last night woke up sweaty a few times.
Tuesday 7.10.25
Burley Griffin room today, with two ladies and a guy. Had my first nurse review. Nothing to report though - so far no redness, no nausea, no trouble eating or lack of appetite.
Wednesday 8.10.25
I took some photos of my fingernails today to show how there's redness under the nailbed, mainly on thumb and first two fingers.
Nuking session #5. They were ready for me as soon as I got there again so no time to work on the jigsaw. Was closing off browser tabs for the Europe trip I never went on and got a bit depressed.
Thursday 9.10.26
Nuking session #6. They're too efficient, I never get time to do any jigsaw while I wait - pretty much every time I've been (except for one) they grab me as soon as I've changed!
Friday 10.10.25
Possibly getting some slight pinkness on my breast from the nuking.
My eye is mostly better - still a little watery sometimes.
Wednesday 15.10.25
Nuking session #10. Saw Dr LS today. She was happy with my progress. She says I should see her again in December and Dr RW in May. She reckons my symptoms will peak about two weeks after the end of treatment. My areola a little darker and breast a little swolen but not too crazy.
Thursday 16.10.25
They were running late today so had 3/4 hour on jigsaw, didn't make much progress on it though. Had another nurse review. Because they were late I was later leaving, so it was a slow trip home in Canberra peak hour.
Friday 17.10.25
The skin under my left armpit is starting to get quite tender, and there's a red line under my breast. I hadn't actually been moisturising either of those places properly because noone actually gave me any instructions on where to moisturise, they just said "moisturise". Lame.
Of possible note, have noticed a bit of crustiness on both nipples (worse on the left), which possibly started before the nuking treatment. Dr Sullivan saw them the other week and wasn't too concerned, she just said keep moisturising. Just a bid odd.
Tuesday 21.10.25
Penultimate nuking session! I stayed later after treatment so I could finish the jigsaw!
Wednesday 22.10.25
Last nuking session!!! Took the sweetie this time and he got to see the room.
Had my final nurse review. Got conflicting advice re the red line under my breast - moisturise but keep it dry. Like what?? She said not to use talcum powder though no no no. She said to do saline soaks a couple of times a day (soak a washer in salty water then apply it to the skin for a while). Niether of the two nurses had any idea about the scaly nipples.
Rang the bell on the way out (again, I reckon it's a little premature, as the worst is yet to come!).
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