What my radiation therapy will be like

This is a photo of a radiation machine like the one that will be used on me. They lay me on the board and the machine moves around the table depending on where they are radiating. thats why it is at an angle.

To me it looks like a gigantic water faucet. If you can imagine that it will help me explain a few things....

Where the water would come out (provided of course it were a faucet...) is where the radiation will come out. There are lead plates that are lined up like slices of bread inside that part of the machine. The computer program has a diagram of the shape that needs to be radiated. this was done by overlaying my first and my most recent cat scans. The plates slide backwards to take that shape. The plates looks something like this when they are in position. I did this on paint so its not accurate, just close to what I remember.Michelle and I think it looks something like New Jersey. LOL the north part of the "map" would be where the tumor was at my collarbone whereas the south part would be behind my sternum.

This will keep the radiation pinpointed to just the area where the tumors were. I will have to lay on the table for 15 mins after they get me positioned. I have 4 tattooed "points of reference" I would say they are about this ( . ) big. They look like tiny black freckles. There are Lasers that make a + across my chest. my 4 tattoo dots have to be positioned at the four ends of the +. That is how they know the above diagram will coincide with where my tumors were. AIN'T THAT COOL??