Last week Sarah went for a planning session where they map exactly in her chest and clavicle they are going to zap. To ensure they line up the machines correctly each time they've put a tiny tattoo spot on her chest and under her arm. Mini target's to aim at. Sarah's first tat, perhaps she'll get a taste for them and it'll be Chinese symbols next?

Yesterday she had a trial run where they practised lining her up in this beast of a machine which rotates round her taking pictures, x-ray's and irradiating her. Very high tech with green lasers criss crossing the room to calibrate her position. Weird leopard like red mottled spots projected on to her all with the aim of ensuring the right areas are treated and minimising exposure elsewhere.

They expect the first three real sessions, the first of them today, to take about 20 minutes as Sarah learns where to lay. Her body supported by moulded red rests, knee's raised, left arm above her head. When it comes to the time to deliver the dose the room is cleared and a 2 foot door separates her from the world. The staff watch her via CCTV from a control room that is rammed with monitors and high-end PC's. As she gets better at getting into position the sessions should speed up.

They've set expectations that her skin may become sensitive and she tired starting near the middle of the 5 weeks. Every week Sarah will meet the radiologist overseeing her to check progress. For the remainder of this year she will have to be extra careful to cover up when out in the sun, clothing and high factor sun cream.

Ironic that radiotherapy is much more powerful and effective than chemo but it seems as if it will be considerably less dramatic during the process.

Given it's daily for 5 weeks I'll probably post one short blog each week on her progress.

Rob.