Door Made of Lead

And for today's selfie, I would like to show you the amazingly thick door that stands between the radiation room (is there a proper name for this room, girls?) and the rest of the world.  Here it is...

Kacia and Courtney got out some measuring tape - it is two feet thick!

Here is my selfie in front of this protective door.

So here are my thoughts about this door...I am glad it is there.  I mean, it keeps everyone protected from the dangerous (cancer-causing!) radiation.  The radiation that no one, in their right mind, wants to be exposed to.  It keeps the people outside safe.  For those of us inside, it represents just what we are willing to do to get rid of this awful disease called cancer.  We are willing to lie on hard tables for a half-hour (20 minutes?), while they turn on that disgusting radiation (which is actually only on for 30 seconds at a time, but still...) and close that giant door, thereby trapping us inside with the stuff that no one else wants to be near.  In my worst moments (luckily only lasted for like 20 seconds) on that table in that room I wondered if they have ever had one of the machines malfunction and someone was stuck inside with the radiation and the door closed tightly.  I am fairly certain the answer is "No" but I am still too afraid to ask.  I don't want to know the answer to that question.  I am trusting the powers-that-be that when I get on that table and have my chin strapped down that all will be well and all will work properly.  I am trusting my L1 Girls to hit the right buttons and line everything up proper (though I do my best to distract them) and make certain it is all okay before they shut that door.  I am trusting that door to do its job and to keep everyone outside safe, but I am also trusting that if something went wrong and I ripped that damn (sorry!) strap off my chin and ran to that door that I would, indeed, be able to slide it open and escape that terrible-wonderful room.  And yes, I have envisioned doing that.  And, no, I have never come close to trying.  My arm may have twitched once in response to the thought, but I closed my eyes or looked at the pretty tulips or listened to the fun music and thought about something else.  Because even though the radiation in harmful, for some reason it is supposed to be helpful to me and that means that as I am lying there wondering where my help comes from I can also think about the miracle of radiation and the added percentages it gives me towards a recurrence-free life.  

So, thank you radiation for your ridiculousness.  And, thank you, Froedtert and L1 Girls for keeping everyone safe.  But, watch out people - if that machine buzzes for more than 33-ish seconds, we are gonna find out just how strong I am!

P.S.  Yes, I like to be dramatic.  In all honesty, I don't think that door even locks when the girls leave the room.  And, even though it is massive, I believe it slides fairly easily - I never hear anyone grunt while opening it as they come into the room...  Huh!  Unless it is automatic and locks super-quiet while the buzzing is happening and then slides open automatically so the girls don't even have to do it?!?!  Oh no!!!  Is it automatic?!  No.  No, it's not.  I know it isn't.  It isn't...right?