Honeycomb Hell

This is a picture of the kind of radiation mask that Nick has to lie in for hours at a time. Only Nick has to lie on his belly with his face down in the mask. Obviously, this is not Nick, but, a picture of some other unfortunate soul who has had to go through radiation treatments. Nick has the marks on the back of his neck, head, and spine.

Today was Nick's second of twelve radiation treatments. The treatments are hard on him right now due to his breathing being compromised. He is powering through as best he can and he has been such a trooper for all this.
Nick really did not want to delay the treatments any longer than necessary due to the fact that his last IT chemo was on February 26th. That seems like eons ago right now! The longer Nick goes without treatment, the more chances of the critters coming back. Nick has to have the oxygen mask taped to the "radiation mask" so the oxygen blows up into his mouth and nose. After he lies down, they basically clamp his head in place with another piece of mask so he cannot move even a little. If he has to get out of it, the treatment stops and must be started all over from the beginning. Nick has managed to get through the first two (two hours and ninety minutes respectively) without having to stop. Nick says it is very hard to lay still for that long and he has to keep himself from freaking out. He has been taking music down there each day to listen to while he gets the treatment. Yesterday, he took Pearl Jam's "Ten" and today he took the Avett Brothers, "Four Thieves Gone." We are going to make some kind of paper chain or representation of the days and count them down...anything to help us all get through this...then maybe we can have a post-radiation party! I will have more posts later on the radiation. Nick is sleeping right now. He is just plain tuckered out. I will try to post again with other information.
Suffice to say, Nick is stable and making slow progress against the fungal pneumonia.

Thank you to all of you who have signed the STOP LOSS petition. If you haven't yet signed, why not?? Please would you ask your friends and family to sign the petition too! This is important. Just go to the side of my blog and click on the area where I have END STOP LOSS! Thank you.