Chemo and Gamma Knife

I had two new experiences this week: my first chemo treatment and a Gamma Knife procedure.

The chemo treatment Monday was a piece of cake. Before starting the chemo drugs, they infused me with three anti-nausea drugs. And to minimize the chance of developing peripheral neuropathy, they wrapped my feet in ice packs and had me keep my hands in a tub of ice water during the chemo. So the nausea that so many people dread with chemo never happened. I am, however, having some issues with my lower legs. No numbness or tingling, but a bit like shin splints.

Friday was Gamma Knife day, and that was a fascinating experience. It began with an MRI that they compared with the MRI I got on 12/18/2020. The comparison showed that the lesion in my right parietal lobe had grown 20% in those 35 days. Then they moved me from the MRI machine to the Gamma Knife machine, put on some relaxing classical music, and I just laid there for probably 20 minutes. Then it was over.

Today my right eyelid is very swollen, it feels like there is a tight band around my head, and my brain acts fuzzy. I assume all those things will go away gradually over the next few days.

The really interesting thing about the MRI and Gamma Knife was that they had to secure my head in a frame so that the measurements they collected during the MRI would exactly match my positioning in the Gamma Knife. The frame weighed 2.5 pounds and was secured to my head with four thumb bolts and some pressure devices. Here are some pictures Joanie took.