Today’s treatment was the second of five more-focused radiation doses aimed at the tumor site. They’ve added an attachment to the machine that brings the field much closer to me and put in a nifty square of metal with a round hole cut out (where the radiation will pass through). I’m told it’s my daily BLT with cheese, being made of Bismuth, Lead, Tin, and Cadmium. These metals have a low boiling point and can be melted and reused for another poor radiation-receiving soul. Only one shot of this type instead of the four I’ve been getting until now.
Oh, and the elevators at Lemmen Holton are now both working. I cannot over-emphasize what wondrous news is this! Seems a small thing. It isn’t.
–Book of Cancer Radiation 24:30 JABV
Rocking Chair Theologian 
Oh my! Are the side effects worse than, better than or the same as BLT-free, less-focused radiation? Or is the jury put on that yet?
So the plan from the beginning was 25 treatments of radiation to the entire breast with another 5 directly bombarding the most recent tumor bed. Because the the severity of the burns, the doc is doing the localized 5 now to give some rest to the crispiest bits. I have almost no feeling in the localized area, nerve damage from all the surgery. Plus, that location is not prone to so much friction as the under arm and right under the bra line. If I were a steak, I’d be ready to flip!
Oh, Julie! I’m so sorry. It sounds so incredibly miserable.