Ox Fall Down

What did I do yesterday?

I went to MGH and was fitted for a hip mold. That's fine. The mold and a corset (their language) should keep me from moving too much during treatment.

I was scanned. Normal. 23rd CT scan since February of 2000.

I signed the consent form excusing MGH from liability for any serious side effect. As expected.

I was tattooed. Hmmmm......

They use the tattoos and mold to align your body each day. The combination helps with accuracy. To get started they shut off the lights in the middle of the scan. Thin red lasers cross the room and bisect your body. How would Tom Cruise escape from this? Using the lasers, the height monitor of the scan tray, a pair of calipers and a ruler for reference they mark off four points with a magic marker and stickers. After the scan the nurse keeps you on the tray. "This will pinch a little." Then, with a syringe of black ink she places four dots on your torso. Done. You're tattooed.

On the ride from the train station Beth suggested turning the dots into the four umlauts in Motley Crue. I saw Tupac, The Resurrection on Sunday so I'm leaning towards "Thugs Life". For now I just had her finish up with four simpler tattoos:

1. "Rock and Roll Never Forgets"
2. An old school anchor. Very retro, very Popeye.
3. "Born to Lose" with a pair of dice rolled to snake eyes.
4. "Gina"

She also started an Iwo Jima scene using the scar on my stomach as the flagpole. That's patriotic.

I must have passed out on the tray because this morning I noticed the nurse also gave me a teardrop exiting my right eye. That signifies I killed a man in prison. But I didn't. Haystick did and he'll say so if you just ask him.

December 1st is not set in stone. I should begin close to that date, though. One more meeting beforehand.