Thursday, March 3, 2016

Haikus and radiation

Because of earlier radiation, the 25 nukings were not an option.  Instead they proposed the following.

Go to Bern, about two hours from Geneva. I was a bit worried. My German is bad and my Swiss German worse, but the charming doctor spoke seven languages with English and French being two of them. He was anything but stuffy.

He heats my skin with lamps for 45 mins. Then I get nuked for 28, 35 and 3 seconds. The concept is that if there is a microscopic cancer cell it will move to the heat and a lesser radiation will zap it. In place of the five times a week for five weeks it is one time a week for five weeks.

A piece of cake.

What do I do when I spend 45 mins with my eyes covered and heat lamps aimed at my chest warming my chest for the radiation?

I write haikus in my head. I don't claim they are poetic but they fit the form.

Rain batters the roof
Creating a melody
During my treatment

he machine clicks on
The machine clicks off
Warming my bare chest

The doctor and I
Talk of typewriters and more
It passes the time

Crayon colors my chest
In swirls and other designs
Target radio.

Miro and Calder
That is how my chest looks now
Radiation marks

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