Just a Quickie

Went to radiotherapy unit today to have the simulation. Luckily there was not so many patients so we were there for about an hour only.

Before my turn, there was this Chinese man seated on a wheelchair. I don't know what type of cancer he has but from the looks of him I guess it has something to do with his mouth and neck. I noticed there is a swelling on his right handside neck, maybe about 1 or 2 inches above the collarbone. The swelling was reddish in color and looks like its badly burnt. Actually when we arrived he was in the midst of being questioned by the radiographer as to what he did to make the swelling be like that.

It took sometime for the radiographer to comprehend what he was talking about as his speech was slurry. Futhermore he was there all alone. He was brought down from the oncologiy ward to the radiology unit by a nurse. It seems that during Chinese New Year he was granted leave from the ward so he went home to celebrate the occassion with his family. It was during that time he did something to his neck. Using hand gesture he illustrated that he rubbed "something" to it. With slurred speech, he mentioned a name but the radiographer did not understand him. Neither did we.

The radiographer then jokingly said, "Apalah yang uncle dah letak ni? Pencuci lantai ke atau pencuci pinggan?" But sheesh... talk about some joke...

My turn came and I was attended by 2 male radiographers. Hemm... last time my session was done by 2 females. Talk about coincidence, they both were heavily pregnant. I guess both are on maternity leave now and that's why they are replaced by this two male radiographers. Whateverlah, all in the name of medication, tak dosa tunjuk aurat, I said to myself. But in actual lebih kepada malu terutama nanti bila nak kena tunjuk perut berbatik aku ...

As I entered the simulation room the radiographer told me that they are going to map my neck. Huh?? I thought its suppose to be the para aortic lymph nodes, did I miss anything during the meeting with the oncologist 2 weeks ago? I asked the radiographer, "Dik, bukan buat kat para aortic ke?" He replied, "Situ pun buat. Doktor kata buat dua tempat leher dan para aortic sekali". Oh OK... Now instead of one, I'll be zapped at two places. Good God, I just hope that my "twiggy" body takes well to this double zapping.

For the neck I had to take off my tudung, but the inner anak tudung tak payah. I was made to lie down still with my head slightly lowered, so that the neck area is well exposed. Terasa mcm orng nak kena pancungpun ada ... Ntah apa-apa tah aku ni kan? Perghh...

As I was wearing a shirt, they have to unbuttoned me to do the mapping. "Minta maaf kak, saya buka butang baju sikit" the radiographer said. I was like, "Suka hati kau lah..." and so the procedure starts, measure sana, measure sini. Lukis line ... teringat aku time aku buat lukisan kejuruteraan di sekolah dulu, mcm gitulah jugak. Fifteen minutes later my neck was done. Now you can see intersecting lines and dots drawn from my neck right down to the chest, which makes me really look like a "saudara of Frankestein".

Then come the stomach area. Again I was asked not to move. This time he said, "Minta maaf kak, saya tarik turun seluar sikit...." Hee.. lantak kaulah dik, in my heart only one thing, "Cepat... cepat..., malunya". You see being single, its not that easy for me to expose my wellkept secret - my bodylah...not that it looked like Jennifer Lopez's but hey..its still my body.., you know.

I'd also never in my entire life imagine that I'll get an illness that needs me to show my "secret bodily" parts to people - male or female. Kalau tunjuk telinga ke, atau tunjuk gigi ke, even tunjuk lubang hidungpun kira orait lagi. But this ... haiya... and having a tummy that has batik design "printed" on it is no consolation either. (Oh lupa, thanks E-Ya for this batik design, Urgghh!) Lagilah embarassed and thinking that I have to live with it my whole life doesn't make it any easier.. Sighhh...

Anyway, everything was settled in about 30 minutes and I was schedule to return to the radiotherapy unit next week, 4th February. If everything is alright, I'll have my session the same day. Wish me luck guys. Till then, Ta ta Ti ti Tu tu ...