You're welcome Don. I think that was the first Proton Treatment Center? Funny, I always skipped reading about Proton Treatment, figuring I would never have it, few locations in the U.S., not even MSKCC, and NJ just opened in 2012, but now I'm going to have it, not this its an award or something I'm getting lol. There seems to be several types too, Gantry, incline fixed beam, fixed beam Proton treatment, which I'm not all familiar with, and as David mentioned IMPT too, which is supposed to to the latest precise delivery. I'll find out soon enough, and maybe I'll finally meet the elusive Wizard

I had my consultation at ProCure today in NJ, and then onto Manhattan to see the oncologist. I met an angel on-line in the head and neck cancer website(s) who drove me, so thank you for that, and really do appreciate it.

ProCure is huge, but quiet compared to manhattan hospitals, and looks like a club, which I don't wan't to join for too long. Anyway, the radiation oncologist, who is from my hospital, wants to do 5 weeks Proton Treatment, so I was surprised it was longer, but not really knowing it takes 50Gy gentlly to kill HNSCC. CT simulation took an hour, and must have been scanned, re-aligned a dozen times or so. A mask was made, my 4th, and is a little further down the shoulder than my others, which I never kept, and will use the rubber band type straps in my hands, around feet, to pull my shoulders down. The Dr. wants to start as soon as possible, maybe two weeks, depending on the chemo. We went over the usual radiation effects, but one thing with Proton therapy is the entry burn, my word, is worse than IMRT, but there is no exit burn out the back, and more radiation is concentrated in the tumor, less elsewhere. Asked about carotid blow out, and he lowered my risk to a little over 5%, being my carotid was removed, which is still high, but sounds better than 20%.

Onto the medical oncologist who has been treating me since last year. He wants to do carboplatin being it's less toxic than Cisplatin, and I never had it yet, unlike Erbitux, Taxotere, last year, and Cisplatin, Taxotete, and 5-FU before that, and knows my concerns for an adverse reaction, and kidneys, so it's a once a week hour infusion with low dose carboplatin, probably with ant-nausea meds. Went over the possible, less common side effects, which to me, is more likely. One is the effects on blood counts, which Hemaglobin is always below normal, but not that bad lately after two transfusions in May.

Seeing my local oncologist, who treats my anemia, and is like my primary care doctr, and other doctors as well to get their blessings since they would be treating me if hospitalized locally. Already saw my Opthomologist last week, and all is fine or as good as it's gonna get.

All planning going well then Paul.
Great news about your driver. There are indeed some special people around.
So, I guess treatment will be over the Christmas period and into the New Year.
You can do this.
Tammy

Thanks Tammy. There are 3 type of Proton treatment delivery machines there, using the same principle or protons, and one is the big round machine called a Gantry, then smaller fixed beam, and an incline fixed beam. My RO thinks he may use the Gantry.

It sounds like they are being very careful about the positioning with the hand and foot strapping - all to the good, and I know you will be careful about managing the 'entry burn'. I am glad that it sounds like you will be able to get started before the year-end holidays.
Maria

Thank you Maria. Yes, seems they were being very careful, and Proton treatment is very precise, more so than IMRT, maybe even Cyber knife, I'll find out. I sort of suggested, "Maybe we'll start after the new year?" Doctor says, asap, probably in a week or two. Now I have to figure how I'm getting there daily, which will be just as hard as the treatments.

Good luck with it all, my dear... and kick it in the butt.

Thanks. I'll probably kick the butts of all these so called social workers first who do crap, other than not help patients, and some don't know their jobs or give correct information either, showing they are not on top of their game, from all my experiences recently, and in several hospitals, nursing homes in the past, who btw, can be evil as far as long term adult care settings. Everyone just refers you to someone else, including many of these cancer organizations getting millions of dollars.

Funny that no one tells you about anything until you ask specifically about it. Now I'm getting a grant application for reimbursement from $50-$4,000 max because I asked, doesn't mean I'm getting it. I also asked about staying at hope lodge in NYC take NJ transit to treatment. Was told you have to have daily treatment in NYC, not chemo once a week there. I called hope lodge NYC, and they said I can stay there even if going to NJ, btw, there are no Hope Lodges, and I'm a little too big for Ronald McDonald's House.

It all sounds great Paul! Of all the things related to radiation, all the machines, the bling, the facilities, etc., it never seemed right to have me hold on to a rope around my feet to pull my shoulders down. Not very scientific. My shoulders were very square back then and both ac joints were burned up. I had one taken out in 2004 and they insisted no sign of ORN, just osteoarthritis. Funny it was red, bloody and brown later on the skin above them both.

This is the second jump rope radiation treatment I'm getting, but I've been tied up many times before that lol. Actually the hospital I was in once, for several months, tied my hands on the bed railing after being bad. I couldn't move my legs anyway, so they didn't bother with them. I don't know how you do it, but keep it up. I'm only 2.5 years out from my first radiation.