I was sitting in the lobby today burping baby Tom after he had finished his bottle, when Margaret, a medical clerk, came out and asked if I would like to go in and witness the radiation. She said that she would hold Tom.

I had been as far as Dr. Chen’s office before, but had no idea of what was down a hall to the left. First, I found Erin waiting with 3 other ladies in the ladies’ dressing area. Erin had already found out that one of them had a mother from Co. Sligo, Ireland. Erin said that Steve had waited in the Men’s dressing area when he visited.

Then we got called in shortly. The 2 technicians (Ben and Denise) explained that they were going to irradiate with 2 different photon energy beams. Ben said one was a 6X and the other 16X. (Sounds like children’s or fat sizes.)  The machine is enormous and just swivels around.

I guess I was so busy listening to Ben, that I didn’t even notice his clamping the mask on. Erin says when he does it, it is most comfortable.
I now appreciate Steve’s photos more.

This is Erin: What mom is not saying is that when the head technician, Terri, found out Babs was a retired physics professor. Terri was all excited to show her the area and tracked down Margaret (apparently, they loooove the baby) to watch over Tom so Mom could have some scientific minutes. I think they are unaccustomed for a patient to have such a cool-headed mom present, smiling the entire process of her daughter’s radiation!