July 30, 2025

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A nice sleep in the hotel room.  Appointment for first TBI (total body irradiation) was at 820.  Good thing we were close by. Straight to room 15.  Over an hour by the time he was marked up, properly positioned, and zapped. 

He lies on his back with head to the side and almost one third of his body is done at a time, top (including head again), middle, lower and then a little patch for his feet.  He flips over onto his front, and same thing again.

Walking across the street to sick kids afterwards, Marlon said it's a different level of feeling sick all over.  He felt bad but was ok.  To the hospital where they pumped liquids (saline water) into him to make sure he stays well hydrated.  

By the middle of it, the radiation caught up with him (or was it the large quantity of liquids), and he felt really bad.  Nauseous, uncomfortable, and sick.

While there though, we did get news that we now have a spot at the RMH.  Somewhere to sleep tomorrow night.  The hospital would never just leave us and are willing to admit him early.  Either way, Marlon is seriously considering being admitted tomorrow if he feels as bad.  He may well feel quite a bit worse. 

But with a room at RMH, I have a choice of where to sleep, access to laundry, showers, and a place to put clothes and food so I am not constantly back and forth to the car.

He relaxed in the hotel room before we returned for his second TBI of the day at 330.  Not as much marking up ahead of time, and off they went.  He flipped onto his front, the top third was done and then issues arose.  The two radiation technicians were adjusting this and that, trying to fix the problem, but the machine wasn't working.  Finally they called in for help from the technical support and told Marlon to hang tight.  The support person came along but he couldn't find the problem.  After a while, we were told treatment would continue in room 8 so off we went.  Sat around waiting for them to get him in.  Nope, missing the sliding bed or some part.  Off to room 12 (the room where he had his three cranial appointments). Again we sat around waiting there, and were told to go back to room 8.  Finally, Marlon went in and less than 15 minutes later, he was done.  That took over two hours.

He was able to walk back to the hotel, have some supper, and is ok.  Hoping he sleeps well again.  Felt like a long day 


Lying still and straight in preparation for radiation to begin, an interesting computer view of his upper half, and the view last night from the top lookout of the hotel. 

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