Your First Day of Treatment

Your treatment plan will be designed based on the information gathered from your "simulation" and the first day you come in for treatment will contain some extra verification steps to make sure everything is lining up perfectly.

Why is my first treatment different?

Your first day of treatment will be the longest. This is because extra verification will take place to ensure that your radiation treatments from this day forward will be accurate and comfortable for you.

What can I expect?

You will be shown to the waiting room on your first day and, depending on your clinics policy, may be asked to change into a hospital gown or scrub pants.

When your appointment time arrives, a radiation therapist will come escort you to the treatment room. Radiation therapists always work in pairs, so you will meet another therapist once you arrive at the room. The therapists will ask you to verify your identity, usually this means asking your name and birthday, they will match this to the information in your chart. They might also ask you to verify the area of your body to which you will receive the radiation. This is not because they don't know, it is simply to verify that everyone (yourself included) is on the same page, and to ensure that you are aware of what's going on.

Once in the treatment room, the therapists will work to position you in the exact same way that you were during your simulation. This is accomplished by using any devices (vac locs or plastic face masks) as well as your tattoos. The therapists use a laser system projected from the walls and ceiling to line up your tattoos, this will ensure that your body is lining up correctly and is not twisting or crooked.

Your job during this time is to breathe normally, and to lie still. Let the therapists move you around, try not to tighten your muscles when you feel them moving you. Just stay relaxed and let them do the work. Some tattoos may move with your breath, don't worry, your therapists are trained for this, but it's important that you breathe as normal, and limit talking during this portion. Once you are in position, your therapists will ask you to hold as still as possible from this point on.

Why is it so important to hold still?

The treatment process will begin with some imaging, usually a few x-rays or a "mini" CT scan. Once the imaging is matched up to the plan generated from your simulation, the treatment can begin. If you move your body after the imaging is complete, your treatment plan will not line up to your anatomy, and your therapists may need to start from the beginning.

This is the reason that it's so important for you to feel comfortable during your simulation day. If your therapists cannot recreate the position that you were in, your treatment will not be accurate. Therefore, during your simulation, please speak up if something does not feel good.

Next: Caring for Yourself During Treatment

Once you start going to radiation treatments daily, it's important to follow the instructions given to you at your clinic. This will help to reduce the occurrence and severity of side effects.