Hi Barb, I’ll tell you how it worked for me. With the Orbital Irradiation there is no pain or needles to worry about which for me was great. My treatments were at the Cancer Clinic as I think yours are. On the day of the first treatment, before the first treatment I was taken into the Mold Room. I just had to lie down and a piece of cheesecloth like material was put over my face. Then they put warm water over it molding it to my face. It dried very quickly. When it dries and they take it off they attach pieces of clear heavy plastic down the sides of the mold. These pieces of plastic have holes in them which when you are lying on the table for the radiation treatments they attach a screw through the holes attaching your mask to the table. This is so you can’t move during treatment. They marked any measurments on my mold. Each of the next nine times I went there was my mold sitting waiting for me so I would feel at home! The staff were all so nice. Each time they took a few minutes to set up the measurments and and then they would leave as they did the actual treatment. Very quick, measure, zap one side, measure, zap the other side. Then you go home. Where I went half way through the treatments they set up an appointment to have an interview with the radiologist just to discuss how I was feeling, which was just fine. At the end of the ten treatments they presented me with my mask to bring home. I really didn’t need the reminder but I do often laugh and say I will use it as a halloween mask one year.
I could have e-mailed you Barb but I thought others who might go through these treatments might like to know the procedure too. At least, that was the way it went for me in April ’97 – quick and painless.
Take care, SAS
Anonymous
Post count: 93172