Resting

I want to get back to work, get back to it, take care of business...but I need a couple days to recover from the Gamma Knife radiation treatment.

I have to pull myself aside, and have a little talk with myself each morning. "Now Jim, just take it easy on yourself. You've just had very high doses of radiation targeted into five areas of your brain."

The Gamma Knife has been marketed heavily by hospitals, competing for the very expensive treatment. Part of the marketing promotes how minimally invasive the treatment is. The pitch proclaims that most people can return to normal activities the next day.

Well it is a minimally invasive treatment, especially compared to the alternative of traditional brain surgery. But I'm not so sure how many people are returning to normal activities the next day.

First of all, the treatment poisons the tumors. It does not just magically, instantly, remove them. Any tumors in the brain, no matter how small, can cause some craziness and a general sense of feeling "off." And my five tumors are now agitated by the radiation...so...I have a general sense of feeling off.

Secondly, radiation is poison. The Gamma Knife may be able to pin-point the areas to release radiation to. But, it is still very high doses of radiation. And it is still exposing the body to radiation in general, a nasty poison for the body to try to digest.

Last, but not least, are the four large knots on my head from where the metal frame was screwed to my skull. I still can't shampoo my hair without grimacing. Drying the hair with a towel hasn't been easy either. So I stole Barb's hair dryer the other day, but I ended up looking like a troll doll. So I haven't gone back to the hair dryer.

So I just remind myself to rest, relax, take it easy. I try to do some light physical stuff to keep the blood pumping. I try to eat healthy and in good proportions.

Sleep patterns have not been great with these bumps on my head. But when my body asks for eat or sleep, I try to comply, and just roll with it, at least through this weekend. By Monday I hope to get back to a more normal schedule and start exercising again.