Hi, Alison here reporting from the other side post treatment. I had SRS on Thursday 27th DEC. I feel pretty whacked. Spent yesterday in bed but wanted to get online today to report back!
In this paragraph I'll give a bit more detail for those of you anticipating treatment or wanting to compare notes post radiosurgery. If youre squeamish look away now x.
I found the fitting of the headframe OK. The docs said I was taking it remarkably well as a lot of people faint or turn the air blue! I have had lignocain type injections before so knew they could sting but these weren't too bad, just sounded oddly crunchy? The screwing in of the frame was noisy but tolerable. It seemed the oncology doc was doing her first headrame fit under guidance of the neurosurgeon from their conversation. My frame was lopsided but they said it was Ok ( I hope!). Then the CT scan where they added a huge perpex bowl to the frame and pushed a stick through different points to take measurements. This felt very heavy and my neck felt it had the strength of spaghetti at that point. Then an 8 hour wait for treatment. The wait is because the linac machine is used for other patients during the day and the machine is adapted for the SRS brain zap as last treatment of the day. By the time of the treatment I was a bit tired and emotional as the injections were wearing off and the pin sites starting to hurt. The actual zap was very quick about ten mins followed by two further bursts of a few mins. I kept my eyes shut through it all. The worst part of the whole day was taking off the frame. It was painful and felt like a spike was being pulled through your head four times. I was shaking afterwards. Then I was wheeled back to the ward to be observed. About an hour after this I felt blood pouring into my eye and realised the pinsites were all bleeding. (they still are on and off, especially the front ones so I have replaced the plasters on these, the back have no plasters because of my hair). My blood pressure kept falling and my pupil size was a bit uneven but the on call doc seemed satisfied and I was released at 9.30pm. The nurses were all great and the attention with cups of tea etc and cleaning of the ward made the NHS shine. (Please may it continue to be allowed to do so).
So apart from the odd hearing thing when I put my finger in my good ear, and listened to what my hearing was like in my AN ear, the music I was listening to sounded warped, George Harrison sounded like he was playing under water, (maybe in a Yellow sumarine, lovely George). Mild headache otherwise and sore pinsites, so taking paracetamol if I have to. Bit concerned about when I may be able to wash my hair, which is an interesting shade of blue at the back from the running ink from the pen used to mark the pin sites before fitting the frame. Be good to to wash my hair but don't want to aggravate the sites. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Feeling weak, I'm now hoping nothing dramatic will occur. I have been warned if sudden hearing loss or palsy happen I must contact the hospital within 12 hours.
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful New Year
Alisonx
