First Radiation Treatment (submitted by John Ivey)

I had my first radiation treatment in Japan December 2013, it went something like this.

As I entered the radiation department, I was greeted by a young Japanese man who spoke English quite well. He was excited to let his colleagues observe his mastery of a second language.

He opened his mouth and said, "Mr. John Ivey, I speak English and today, I will take very good care of you."

By Japanese standards he was a big man. He stood 5'10” and weighed 175 pounds. I guess his age to be around 25. His smile was infectious and his enthusiasm was refreshing.

As we walked toward the treatment room, in an attempt to make me feel comfortable, he explained how much he liked American baseball. He quickly shared his love for the New York Giants. With each step my anxiety level rose. I was glad we could communicate in English, because I wasn't certain what to expect once we entered 'THE ROOM'.

As I walked in, I saw a very large machine. It appeared as if it weighed 20 tons. Now, I'm not certain why I say 20 tons. I don't know how big a 20 ton machine looks. I'm just trying to draw a picture with these words. This machine certainly appeared to have the capacity to provide more than enough radiation for me.

The young man instructed me to lie on my back on the table. The table was similar to the surface on which you lie while getting an MRI or CT SCAN. He explained he was going to place me in a certain position and that I was NOT TO MOVE during the whole treatment.

This machine was going to be emitting radiation in the bladder area of my body. This left me with 3 concerns: I didn't want the wrong spot exposed to the radiation; I didn't want to lose something down there; and I certainly didn’t want to have anything shrink, as if it was plastic exposed to an open flame. I assured him he didn't have to worry. I was not going to move!

40 minutes into this first session, my left shoulder began to ache. The young man had arranged my arms on my chest and had the tips of my fingers slightly touching. My shoulders had nothing to support them. I was wondering if I could move my fingers together and interlock them to relieve some of the stress from my left shoulder. But no matter how badly it hurt, I wasn't moving until he said I could.

About that time the young man asked me if everything was OK. I wasn't certain if I should reply. After all, I would have to move my mouth to speak and he had not yet said I could move.

I lay there for a moment and then moved my mouth like a bad ventriloquist. I asked, "Can I move my left shoulder?"

I was staring straight up at the ceiling and I could see him just to my side. He replied, "Your shoulder?" "I am not familiar with this word." "What is a shoulder?"

Again moving my mouth as little as possible, I responded, "My left shoulder has a little pain, can I move it?"

He repeated his previous statement and said, "I'm not familiar with this word shoulder."

By this time, I was trying my best to use my eyes to point to my left shoulder. I would slowly roll my eyes to the left and look at my shoulder. Then I would look straight up at the ceiling and then repeat the process thinking he would be able to see where I was focusing my eyes.

I began moving them in sequence with my voice. I would look straight up at the ceiling and then move my eyes rapidly toward my left shoulder. As I said, "Right there!" "My shoulder!" "It's hurting a little".

He asked, "YOU are hurting?"

I said, "No ...... well yes ........ there is a little pain in my shoulder." The whole time I found myself with this stupid rhythm going on where each time I said shoulder my eyes would move to the left corner as far as they could. I guess to him it looked as if I were having a seizure.

He immediately asked, "Mr. John are you OK?"

I then got the idea, I could somehow point with my tongue. So now not only were my eyes moving in unison with the word shoulder, but now my tongue was in on the action. I can only imagine what he was thinking as I said "My shoulder, My shoulder" and each time my eyes and tongue would move as far to the left as I could make them. I was really trying to stick my tongue out so he could see where it was pointing.

Again he responding, "Shoulder, I am not familiar with this word."

Now all of a sudden the young man who had great confidence in his English speaking abilities seemed to become confused.

I still was not moving and I tried to explain, "My shoulder is where my arm meets my body."

He repeated, "Where your arm meets your body?"

"What does that mean?” he asked.

I could tell he was beginning to shut down. His ability to speak English was quickly leaving.

He questioned, "When does your arm MEET your body?"

I exclaimed, "No! Where my arm and body touch, that is my shoulder, can I move it?"

He looked even more puzzled and said, "Your arm touches your body?"

I said, "Yes there is pain where my arm touches my body!"

He said, "Do not touch your body with your arm." "Do not move."

I said, "OK I won't move."

After about 10 more minutes of lying perfectly still, he said the radiation treatment was over and I could move.

I grabbed my shoulder and said, "shoulder, shoulder, this is my shoulder."

He asked, "You have pain in your shoulder?"

I told him not now. I explained I just needed to move it a little. Now everything is OK.

He said, "Now I understand, you wanted to move your shoulder" "Right?"

I replied yes.

He said, "It is OK to move your shoulder now!"

I said, "Thanks, but now the pain is gone!"

He continued by saying next time, "I know this word shoulder."

I love Japan and the Japanese people. They are more kind, sweet and innocent than you can ever imagine.
Writer's note: I'm not certain I have the ability to write this story in such a way as to give it justice. If you are not laughing then I didn't do a very good job. I think I could tell it in person and have someone laughing very hard. Maybe it's one of those, "You had to be there stories".


johnivey
GOD AND I KILLED cANCER !

Thank you, Mr. Ivey.  You have a wonderful way of making people smile even while facing such difficult circumstances in your life.  You are the epitome of inspiration! 

God Bless,
Chaplain Elizabeth