and then (hopefully), superpowers

Radiation starts for me this Friday. First, let me explain the radiation. Then I will explain my feelings.

The radiation treatment is called PRRT (Peptide Receptor Radionucleotide Therapy). It's a targeted form of radiation that gets flushed through my body via IV, and attaches to receptors on the outside of neuroendocrine cells. Once it binds, it, theoretically, stops the growth and might even result in some shrinkage. Here is a pretty good explanation.

I will be getting 1 treatment every 8 weeks, 4 treatments in total (32 weeks for you math majors). After the 6 months or so, they give it 3 months to work and then I get scanned again. So I won't be scanned for 9 months. A little nerve wracking but the scans can be misleading when given during the time I am getting treatment.

Now, how am I feeling. I am nervous. You would think at this point that it's just another treatment and I have had lots of them. But, one of my fears with cancer was sitting in an infusion chair for hours. Guess what I am doing on friday? Yup, sitting in an infusion chair for hours.

It's also a fear of the unknown. I have never had radiation like this before. My body has never experienced it. So I have no baseline expectations. Sure I hear from others that it's mild, not that tough, just fatigue and nausea, but we are all different. Hopefully it's even easier for me.

So, to sum up, I start radiation on friday, I am nervous, I don't like being a patient, but hopefully this will kick the can down the road for a few more years.

And, of course, I had to add in an AI angle. I asked ChatGPT to explain PRRT in the simplest way possible for me to share. So here is some Q&A for those who are interested.

Q: What is PRRT?A: PRRT stands for Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy. It’s a treatment for certain types of slow-growing cancers like neuroendocrine tumors.

Q: How does it work?A: It uses a special medicine that finds the cancer cells and delivers radiation directly to them, without harming too much of the healthy stuff around it.

Q: What is the treatment like?A: It’s done through an IV, usually at a hospital or clinic. Each treatment takes a few hours, and most people get 4 sessions over several months.

Q: What are the side effects?A: Most people feel tired for a few days. Some have mild nausea or changes in blood counts, but serious side effects are rare.

Q: What are the expected results?A: It doesn’t cure the cancer, but it can help shrink it or stop it from growing, which often helps people feel better and live longer.