It has begun...

Today was the first day of Ben's radiation treatment. Something wasn't quite ready so he wasn't able to go in until noon. That meant he was very hungry because he hadn't eaten since dinner the night before! When we arrive each day we check in at the front desk before going downstairs to the recovery room. His nurse meets us there to take his vital signs. After that we are taken to the radiation room. The machine looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. I sit on the bench holding him and they hook up an iv to his hickman catheter. The nurses and radiology doctors sing to him as the white milky fluid enters his bloodstream. It doesn't seem to take long, seconds really before he falls asleep. Then they take him from my arms and I leave the room. The next time I see him is in the recovery room where I wait for him to wake up. He was HUNGRY today. He ate a fig newton and then drank a bottle of Boost as we walked back to the Ronald McDonald House. His personality seemed fine. He wanted to play but wanted me to carry him while he played. I'm not sure if he was tired from sedation or radiation or if he had a headache... by evening he was running around on his own again though. I think we'll be okay, but I'm still a little bit anxious. We won't know the long term effects (loss of IQ, behavioral problems, etc...) for a long time. AND....did I mention how badly I miss my other babies!!!!!!