Since my last post here I had various appointments for radiotherapy marking, tattooing etc. They have decided that it would be better for me to do it in a state of breath holding technique. It all looks and feels like snorkelling – actually called ‘gating’. I went and trained for this respiration technique a week ago. You are laying on the scanner table, arms above your head, head turned on the side. You hold a big plastic mouth guard (in your mouth funnily enough) which is connected to a tube. Your nose is pinched by a foamy device (useful to keep afterwards for snoring husbands). And of course the goggles. You are wearing goggles and inside you see the same thing they see on the monitor, which is your breath going up and down. I won’t bore you anymore with how it should be between the lines etc. It is a cool technique at the end of the day that allows them to radiate your breast without touching the heart. I asked, and having films or video games in these goggles isn’t an option. By the way, I can hold my breath for 1 minute. I am told the whole procedure will have me holding it for 30-40 seconds at a time so it seems doable. It looks a bit like this…(this is not me, this woman has hair)
Tomorrow I am going for another scan so they can tattoo me. The cool part is that the marks can be either black, either invisible. Which can only be seen with a purple uv light. I will of course go for the transparent version. Again, having cat ears on the dots or flowers tattooed around them, not an option.
I was informed that I will not be allowed in the sun for 2 years, have to cover up from neck to waist. Any cream that you put on after radiotherapy has to be removed before the next session. I will update the post as and when I will remember more. It all starts on the 16th of January and ends ont he 22nd of February. I am lucky to have a lovely team, from my oncologist who is the loveliest person ever, to the radiotherapist which again is such a nice girl and to Nicolas and Sabrina the radio nurses. If I have learnt something through all this, it was that it is so important to have faith in your team and to fully trust them. And so far, everybody was so nice. In the meantime I am continuing with the Herceptin every three weeks. Except from now on it will go in my thigh. Why are we keeping the port then?
Oh, and Happy New Year to everybody! I wish you all what I wish myself.
Always on a journey 
I suggest you try to find a magnetiseur or Charmeur de feu (I think) – basically faith healers. Bizarrely, these are seen as almost “mainstream” here in France. I had my radiologist suggesting that I saw one, as well as several other chemo patients, and various medical staff. I am not a believer in this sort of stuff, but actually Yvette helped me. I waited until I was very sore, & burned, upon which she tutted and chided me, saying I should go to see her every week. I still didn’t, but rather wish I had now. The best ones apparently don’t charge – the first guy I saw wanted 40€ a time, but Yvette wanted nothing. Otherwise, I found BiaFine (I think that’s what it’s called) was soothing – but I was told to wait until the end of my radiotherapy before applying anything – including deodorant (during that very hot summer!)
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Unfortunately I don’t believe in them either. Someone else has suggested this route but I am afraid it isn’t an option for me at the moment as it would be an extra expense I cannot have.
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