And today I got a tattoo

I always liked tattoos but never had the courage to actually get one. The beach is the best place to spot nice tattoos, or the gym, where especially guys like to show off their tattoos (and muscles!). And of course I have no problems looking at nice tattoos, or muscled bodies!

My tattoo is a special one and one that I will not be able to show off.

This morning I went to the clinic for the radiotherapy planning appointment. The radiographer started by giving me a brief explanation of what was going to happen and handing me my treatment schedule and some leaflets with useful information about the treatment and about the complementary therapies that I am entitled to. More information to put in the already full bookshelf where I keep all leaflets and books on breast cancer and treatments! She talked about the side effects and how to care for my skin, she also gave some advice like not to shave or wax under my arms. Well, that's easy, there's no signs of hair anywhere yet. I then signed the consent form and took an MRSA swab screen. After undressing from waist up (except the scarf, I didn’t feel like walking around with my head naked!) and putting on one of the hospital gowns, the radiographer took me to the CT scan machine where I had to lie with my arms up for quite some time while the radiographer and a colleague adjusted the machine, made some pen marks and put some wires on my skin. I lie there looking at a picture of a blue sky with fluffy white clouds that hangs from the ceiling while some green laser beams divide my chest into parts. I guess the picture is there to help patients relax. And I definitely need to relax. Even for a simple appointment like today's I get super anxious and stressed. They all leave the room for the scanning. Once the scan is done, one of the radiographers comes in to make two permanent tattoos on my chest, two small blue dots that will help them position the machine for each treatment. The radiotherapy needs to be given to the exact same part of my torso every time and these two dots will help ensure that. I have now two new blue freckles.