I will start with my "block out" day, which took place yesterday at 11:30.  My Mom and Brandy went with me, and it was helpful to have them there!  Thank yall for coming!  We get there and ask to see Dr. Gargus as I wanted Brandy to hear what he had to say.  We met with him and everything went fine.  I did tell him about what happened last Wednesday with my hair, so hopefully that won't happen to anyone else in the future.  I wasn't right for days after that!  Of course he didn't know, why would anyone tell their boss when they mess up?  I feel better now that he knows.  So, on to "block outs".  They take me to change from the waist up, and I go lay down on the table.  Now the block outs are little pieces of metal in the machine they position perfectly over my lungs and heart to block the radiation.  I am thinking this isn't going to take a long time, I mean, how could it?  Think again!  After I lay down, they put that dreaded mask on me (dang it!) and the positioning begins.  They begin to x-ray me to see if I'm in the right position.  Well, an HOUR LATER, this is beginning to really bother me.  My neck hurts like someone karate chopped it, my elbows are killing me, and I am starting to feel myself getting really mad.  Keep in mind I have been laying with that mask on me that is bolted to the table, and its so tight I can barely blink an eyelash or swallow.  Ouch!  Well, they FINALLY get me into the correct position, and yes I am glad they are so picky but I am telling you that was NOT fun.  Ok now on to TATOOS!  While I am laying there basically naked from the waist up, they put 4 spots of blue ink on me, and insert needles in there so I am permanently tattooed.  I feel like a human pin cushion.  Fun stuff!  So, that was yesterday in a nutshell.  I wasn't in a very good mood the rest of the day.

On to today.  Here is a picture of the machine that I will be face to face with until Feb. 25th.