APRIL Rads Anyone?

eadsla

Yay Juli and Brandonmom!!!!!!  How has your skin held up?

Bethaib--I love the long posts.  You and I have the same schedule, I think...or at least we'll be finishing at the same time.  Today was 23 of 33.  Next week will be the last five of the general tx, and then the week after that will be the 5 boosts.  How is your skin holding up?  I'm sorry to hear about your reaction to your dinner out with your husband.  That does not sound like a good night.  Hopefully tonight you can get some rest tonight and this weekend.  Your kids sound great.  Considerate, respectful...they were obviously raised well.  No kids here, just a cat, but I'm so amazed at the level of worry most parents have. 

Can you tell, I'm a little preoccupied with the skin issue?  LOL  Yesterday I noticed a bit of that suntanned look, so I was really glad that the weekend was here to try to recover from that a bit.

 Lainey--Fingers crossed that the arm problem is just something minor related to rads and not lymphedema.

 Here's to a great rads-free healing weekend.  And a special shout out to all the Mom's!

Catherine

Juli50

Thanks for all the well wishes! I didn't have any fatigue or skin issues, just pink. I know I'm not out of the woods, as it can keep burning for up to 2 weeks. They said to keep up with the creams/oils.

I deserved a break with rads since I'm still dealing with heart problems from the Herceptin and neuropathy from Taxol.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms!

anamary1

Must be the chemo brain, why did I join April rads, I'll be treated at the end of May or beginning of June! I need some serious help, lol, lmao...

See you later 

Debbi5108

Juli, I understand the neuropathy issue as I have that, Thanks to Taxol.  Skin issues I have had only 12 treatments and so far so good I have peeled a thin layer a couple of times but, have been using Natures Inventory oil that someone on the boards recommended and my rads doc okayed and said he is impressed with how it is doing for me and may recommend it to future patients if it keeps doing good for me I have 18nto go befor he decides is what I figure ( I am not pink or red tanned a little).  anamary No big deal I am sure this is giving you knowledge for what you are about to begin.

Hugs,

Deb

shan1171

What a weekend.  My youngin' has a horrific cold.........first illness he's ever had.  I don't know how he got one, he's not been around anybody who has been sick.  Living with me is like living in quarantine.  HA!  Kinda freakin' me out.  Bless his heart, he's in bed next to me snoring like a 70 year old man that has smoked his whole life.  The worst part is there are no cold medications approved by the FDA for children under the age of two.  That means squirting saline up the ole nose, sucking it out with an aspirator, vicks vapor rub on the chest and sleeping in a fog induced by a cool mist humidifier.  FUN, FUN.  Lotsa of rest and relaxation going on here!  HA!  Oh, and my grandmother went home for the weekend, so I also have my aunt to tend to. 

I'm telling you, girls, if I make it through the rest of treatment and my house guests, I am so gonna plan a MAJOR getaway to a unpopulated beach somewhere (anywhere I can't scare the general public)!  I may have to swaddle myself in clothes and sunscreen and sit under an umbrella, but it would be well worth it!  Cam is just starting to walk.  I can just see him carefully making his way through the sand with his chubby little feet. Ahhhh

Skin is still holding up okay.......a little on the pink side, a tad itchy.  Nothing like the nasty rash I got during chemo........ick!  Those days seem like a distant memory (THANK GOD)!  Soon this will, too.

Night girls.......happy Mother's Day!

kjbell

Shan1171-hope your little guy gets over his cold. Poor thing.

Hope everybody is enjoying their 2 day break. I have 2 more zaps, then no more! I am really sore in the whole radiated area. Skin is intact, but ouch!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mothers Day!

Lainey64

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms!  I hope you have a fantastic day

Shan:  You WILL make it through all this and will be sititng on that beach before you know it! I will say a special prayer for your little man today hoping he feels better soon!

Hugs, Elaine

Lainey64

Good morning gals!  This is the beginning of the end for me....  my 1/2 week is finally here.  My birthday is tomorrow and my last rads is on Wednesday.  What a wonderful bday present!  My boyfriend keeps asking me what I want and you know, just being healthy and finished with this @#$% is all I want!  I am now 100% wigless/hatless and it feels so good.  I don't have a lot of hair but enough to cover the bald so it's time to move on.  I just have to spend extra time on my makeup in the morning since there is no hair to hide anything... lol

I hope you all have a great day with minimal SE's.

Shan, is your baby feeling any better today?

Hugs, Elaine

Anonymous

Lainey64, so happy for you.   It's great that your BF stayed to support you throughout. 

BrandonMom

Today is the last rads for me.  My skin is definitely prickly and tan.  In just a couple hours, I'm going to be done! 

Lainey64

BrandonMom - Congratulations! 

Just a question - are any of you planning to do anything special for your rads team?  The ladies at my center have been so awesome the entire time.  I wanted to get a card or candies or something for them.

Anonymous

I had thought about getting a fruit basket or something.  Chocolate sounds great though.

susan13

Happy Monday Ladies!

16 down, 9 to do. Feels good to be in the single digits!

Elaine-I think it's time you shared your hair growth pic with us!   I decided in 4 weeks will be my wigless time.  Whatever it looks like on top of my head!

My nausea was so horrible friday nite, I thought I was going to be sick.  Took zofran and it went away. The weekend is a good recovery period.   I'm pretty pink and my underarm is very dark! Started to get alot of little red dots/bumps and some things that look like tiny scabs. Gross.  My tan line sure will be interesting this summer.

Britt

Just when it's safe to go back into the water (or the zapping, in this case . . .) -

I was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Friday (after my rads appt) - dr prescribed Bactrim for seven days - I read after I received the prescription that this antibiotic renders one to be very sun-sensitive - so I called my rads onco office this morning and they told me the rads onco will speak to me upon my arrival at 2:15 today - I HOPE they will not postpone my rads for another week!  Has anyone else received radiation treatment while taking such an antibiotic?

marlenet

BrandonMom and Lainey64 - Congratulations! 

I have 6 left.  1 to the entire breast and 5 boost..... I CAN'T WAIT! 

eadsla

Congrats to everyone finishing up this week!  And so many with their skin holding up as well.  You're giving those of us behind you on the train a good feeling.

Catherine

Britt

Those of you who have had an especially nice and caring rads team are most fortunate!!!!  Mine is more akin to an assembly line . . . . you can't even joke around with them . . . and they talk amongst themselves as if I am not even there . . . about going to the beach! (very insensitive since I can't do that for a LONG time!) - I have been very friendly to them always but have now resumed a business-like manner.  They will receive nothing from me when this ordeal has ended. I am also still very miffed about the bad advice about wearing lotion BEFORE treatment.  They still don't agree with me that this is a BAD thing.  But I am not wearing anything on the afffected area prior to treatment - I bring my aloe with me and slather it on immediately afterwards.

Well, thanks for allowing me to rant!

BonnieK

Happy Monday -- here we go again...

Lainey -- Have a great birthday on Wednesday and congrats on finishing rads this week!!  What a great birthday present to be done with rads!!  My birthday is today, but this is only #9 rad for me with 19 more to go.  Oh well, it's the last leg of treatment so I can be patient for 19 more treatments.

Britt -- sorry your rads team isn't more caring -- it makes such a difference.  My chemo team was very much like an assembly line and I never got comfortable with them, but the rads team has been very supportive and caring so far.  Please let us know what the rad onc says about taking antibiotics while on radiation. 

Susan -- How's the nausea so far today?  I had a very short bout of nausea this morning, but it went away as soon as I ate something.  Last week the nurse told me the most important things to do as you go through rads is to think RED -- Rest, Exercise and Diet.  Apparently the proper rest, daily exercise (20-30 minutes of walking) and a good, nutritious diet that includes at least 2 quarts of water a day is supposed to minimize side effects.

Have a wonderful day.

Bonnie

susan13

Hi Bonnie - I had no nausea until about 2 hours ago and it was really bad.  Right now it's subsiding.   I don't think I'm drinking enough water. I think my diet is ok, and I'm definitely not exercising as much as I should be.

busymomof5

Hi to Everyone. I have not been posting, just reading. I was sorry to hear that so many of you were having nausea. I was never told that that could be a side effect....yuk! The fatigue seems to be a common side effect. I can't imagine working or taking care of young children never mind doing both while having radiation. I am even more tired reading your posts! My teenagers are not much help but my oldest was home for one week from college. She did everything that I have been meaning to do but have been too tired to do. She did everyone's laundry, cleaned out the family room of months worth of clutter, shopped for me and helped with meal prep and clean up. She is now headed back to school for summer session. I already miss her sooo much. She lectured my other 4 teenagers but I do not have high expectations. Mother's Day was great. We went to brunch which was easy for me!

So far radiaition has been fine. I am slightly pink on the right side of my fake boob, no pain or itch. I only use aloe gel after treatment. I have completed 16 treatments, Sue and I are on the same schedule. I also get Avastin every 3 weeks via my port. Today was a long day because there was some problem getting the Avastin from the pharmacy. I had rads at 8 am followed by the infusion but they did not start my infusion until 11:30....oh well. I am glad to be getting the Avastin.

Lainey, so glad that you are almost done, along with several others. It did seem daunting when my entire treatment plan was given to me. It is hard to believe that I only have 2 1/2 weeks left of radiation. I am not getting a boost because I have an expander. Was anyone else told that? 

Anyways, I have been too tired/lazy to post but I am so glad to be able to read about everyone. I would also like to shed my wig. I have started to throw it around the house, against the wall, kicked across the floor....I think I am having some anger issues. I am also f@##@ sick of this!

Lainey64

Bonnie, happy birthday!!

Susan, ok I took this pic with my camera phone.  It's the best I could do while at work!  This is 8 weeks of growth.  I have so much silver!!!

Britt

Ok - just finished #24 of rads - rads onco said rads ok with Bactrim (antibiotic) and my pharmacist agreed (I trust my pharmacist more!) -11 more to go - boosts begin Wednesday.

OH HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!!!!!!

Debbi5108

13 down 17 to go!!!!!!

Lainey Congrats and Happy Birthday!!!! Brandonmom Congrats as well. won't be long and the rest of us will be where you two are YEAH !!!!!!!  

Hugs, Deb

susan13

Elaine! Wow.. you have alot of hair for only 8 weeks out!  My hair fell out twice, cause I had a break between chemo's during surgery, and it took 3 months my first time to get what you have now! wohooooo!    GREAT!!!!!!!!!

Busymomof5 - I'm not getting any boosts either cause of my expander and well they just can't pinpoint one specific area to concentrate on seeing that I had a mast., so I am only having 25 tx's. I shouldn't say "only", that's enough!

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.http://suesbadboobs.blogspot.com/me.
Dx 9/4/2008, ILC, 1cm, Stage IIb, Grade 1, 4/4 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-

Jane_M

When I finished my rads, I brought the department a nice fruit basket and they were very appreciative.

Lainey64

Thank you, Susan!  It does seem to grow so agonizingly slow though!  

Jane, thanks for the fruit basket recommendation.  That is a good idea. 

bethaib

Catherine I have gotten a little pink/red, looks like a sunburn...in a rectangle lol  I have had a little bit of itching but nothing too bad and I haven't needed to use anything for it. Also have some small bumps that have appeared in one small area above my breast. But nothing is painful, nothing is peeling. So I seem to be doing pretty good. If you are doing well so far, that certainly is encouraging and hopefully you will have no major problems either.

Shan Sure hope your little one is feeling better. I had to laugh, well maybe laugh is not the appropriate word, but when I read about your little one being sick and all that you had to do to care for him,,,while dealing with your "company"...and all I could think about were the numerous times that "Dad" got sick and how men seem to all lay around and complain/moan when they are sick...and then to when I was ever sick....hmmm laundry, take care of the kids, cook, take care of school stuff, run the millions of errands there always seem to be, take care of my mom (before she went in the nursing home) and run her around for her errands, etc etc and all while I was sick. Life does not stop for us when we are sick...how the heck does that happen to us??  lol   I think we should all mutiny and let the men deal with things while they are sick, just disappear for the day and see how they do lol

Hang in there, your "day at the beach" is coming...

Lainey  There is a company called Edible Arrangements. Not sure how widespread they are. They make baskets with fresh seasonal fruit. Some of the folks at my husband's job sent one to me when they heard about my dx. There are different sizes, and you can add chocolate...choc covered apples mmmm....it was great...pineapple, melons, grapes, oranges, strawberries...  

 I think the hair looks great!  Grey is not a bad thing you know. Again a double standard where it is ok for men to have grey, while the women are expected to dye it....I say the heck with it...celebrate hair....what difference does the color make??

Happy Birthday...I agree the best present ever...the last day of rads.

Britt  Glad you didn't have to postpone rads...sorry to hear you've had such an unresponsive team. The folks where I go are pretty nice. They have loosened up a bit with me as time has gone on. I think in part because I started harrassing them lol  I do miss the woman I had my first week, she is great...funny...not sure where she's been lately. But everyone is pretty kind and considerate. I already know my last day I am going to tell my team that I hope I never see them again! lol  But they have made the whole process as enjoyable as it can be.

Beth hands Busymom a stress squeeze ball for for her anger issues!     Save the wig, you can burn it later!   lol  or maybe donate it???

I found out today I get my measuring done on Thursday for the boosts, but the tech said it should only take 5-10 minutes more than my normal appt. I'm not counting on it lol

Hope everyone has a good night....I'm off for dinner...cereal tonight, the kids are at their Dad's.

BrandonMom

busymomof5- you are probably not getting boosts because you had a mastectomy.  Boost are usually given to the "tumor bed" of women that get a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy).  For folks that had a mastectomy, you already had kind of a "surgical" boost (removal of the tumor bed). 

kjbell

Lainey-Love your pic-we look like hair twins. I hear the style is popular lol! I have a Herceptin appt on Wed. so I am bringing Italian Cookies to the rads team and the oncology nurses as a little thank you.

Britt-Sorry your rads "experience" has been so bad. I don't blame you for being angry over the lack of compassion that these people show you. Some people are in health care to make a difference. While the others are the group who are in it for the money, unfortunately I think you got that group. I hope you have better days ahead.

Today was my last tx! I thought it was tomorrow, but low and behold...a nice surprise. I asked the tech when will my skin get back to a "normal" color. She said in a few years!  She said I could tan my "real" boob to have a matching set! 

Congrats to everyone finishing up this week and good luck to everyone with more tx ahead of them.

eadsla

kjbell--Don't you just love a great surprise ending?  Way to go!!!!!!!

Britt--Have to second everyone else's thought on your rads team.  At least now you don't have to wrestle with the question of getting them anything when your tx's are over...?

Bethaib--I had the measurings for my boosts done today.  They sort of sprung it on me thinking that they had told me about this last week.  I was also early for my appointment and it didn't take long on top of the tx.  It was about 10-15 minutes tops.  Really, no big deal. 

I'm getting hit with that "in the fog" fatigue.  I try to get some walking in at one of the larger malls right after rads...only now I keep thinking of things that I "might want to check the price" on.  If you guys know of a good place to find crockpot recipes, I think that's going to be the purchase for tomorrow.  I sense that my fatigue is going to make the food prep thing an issues for me again, and the crockpot seems like an easy way to make a substantial amount of food for a couple of days.

Lainey...yeah, my hair is about your length.  Funny though, my natural hail color is a chestnut brown with auburn highlights...but now it's growing in almost jet black.  Oh, and of course there are the obligatory silvers...but I noticed them coming before bc.  Crazy.

Catherine