Radiation-08_02.wav

In 2016 I treated for cancer. Radiation treatments involve lying on a table while a machine whirrs around you. On some of these recordings you can hear the radiation techs instructing me to move or measuring numbers by some system that was opaque to me (the body is tattooed prior to the first treatment; techs align the body to the radiation machine using lasers in the room). "Perfect". Thirty-three short treatments. Sometimes this machine also took x-rays as the body changes over the seven week dosing period.

The cancer is no longer in my body. For this I am incredibly grateful. On some level I am astonished at human ingenuity, coming up with this method and delivering the treatments with incredible care. Documenting treatments assisted my endurance of them.

I recorded 33 treatments and the setup visit using the voice memos app in my iPhone, equipment permitted in the treating hospital. Recordings get mis-numbered along the journey. Edited in Logic to remove some of the room noise, compensate for mic hiss, clarify speaking voices, and spread the sound.