November Rads 2009

Anonymous

Well I am into my 8th day of radiation.  I go every day for the next 5 weeks.  It's much less stressful than going up to the John Thuerer cancer ctr in Hackensack.  I;m now 10 minutes away from Jersey Shore Univ Med Ctr and I am in and out of there in a half hour.  Everyone is nice and I marked with blue marker at various spots around my incision under my arm on my chest and clavicle area.  So far no SE.  I've been slowly trying to change my diet also Lauren3.  Your right, I feel like I have no control at all. 

Chern  I missed ya honey,  I have a thread posted in your name on the stage III forum.  I pm'd you too.

Sunone

Lauren - so glad you sims went ok today, the treatments themselves should be quicker so hopefully your arm won't be too uncomfortable for that.

Deb(nyc) hope you didn't get put on a case for Jury duty. Do something fun for your birthday on Friday!!

Christine - 60lbs! that is great you should be very proud of yourself.

Deb(NJ) I didn't really leave NJ thinking is was permanent, but almost 30 yrs later and I am still in San Diego. Still have family and good friends there - you can take the girl out of Jersey but you can't take Jersey out the the girl - I'll always be a Jersey girl at heart!

cherneski

I dont wanna go!  I am sitting here looking at the time, I need to leave in 15 min. and I really dont want to go!  I am sick of cancer!  I dont want to do it anymore!  I am just starting to feel a little better and the last fusking thing I want to do is go be reminded of it and go for more txs.  Let alone have to go every freaking day of the week for IDK how many weeks!  I will/ should find out today how many weeks I will be going.  YUCK

Ok thanks for letting me rant away.  I guess I will put my big girl panties on and go.  Do I really need to wear panties today?  Maybe I can go commando.

I will update you all later.  YUCK did I say that already?

gillyone

Hi everyone

This looks like the next thread for me to join. I recognize some names from other threads I read or post on. I finished chemo this week 4x DD AC followed by 4x DD taxol and go to see the rad onc next Tuesday, November 3. So I expect to be starting rads soon after that.

Look forward to sharing stories with you all.

Christine2000

hey chemeski--

I'm with you-- I don't want to go to Cancerville every damn day! I am doing 28 sessions starting Nov 4

Christine 

39mom2babies

I will be joining this club.  On to more treatment.  I am having my simulation next week.  I think?  I have an appointment but not sure how this all goes.  I just finished my TE fills.  

Chemeski- I am feeling your pain (or resistance).  Im hoping this becomes a routine that passes by quickly. 

LRM216

I am doing day 12 today - so far a little discomfort inside breast, no pinkness/redness yet.  I hate this too - and it feels as though I have been doing rads for a year!!!  God, this is slooooooow!  But then again, I'm triple negative, after this there is nothing for me, so I guess I should appreciate the next 4 weeks of it!  Good luck to all.

Linda

Lauren3

Deb - how did it go?  Did you go commando?  LOL

shelleyr25

Hi everyone!

I met with the rads onc today and as long as my BRACA comes back neg I am set to go. I have my 2 set up appts for the week of the 9th and should start rads on the 16th. No mention as to how many yet...what is the deciding factor as to how many sessions you need to go for???

As for diet and wine....switched to decaf but cant give up the coffee...cant seem to give up the wine either...one glass a few times a week is where I am at. As for food...eating much healthier these days...havent necessarily given up anything but I am eating more veggies and less junk food for sure. I probably could stand to loose 7 or 8 lbs but thats about it. Thank goodness weight was never a big problem for me. 

DebNJ- how did your appt. go?

shelleyr25

wondering why some have molds made and some dont?????? anyone know why??? I am having mine made on the 9th..

cherneski

I put my big girl panties on and went.  I puked on the way there because my nerves were just so shot out.  I have never puked from nerves before and I have been in some crappy situations in life (like we all have).  I forgot my xanex~ not good.  I pretty much started crying from the minute I walked in the door ( I was never a crier before this).  Dr. asked me if I needed more xanex, I guess I looked that bad.  I went back to change and she talked to hubby for a while.  He explained to her the he!! I went through with chemo.  I let her know just how sick of this God forsaken DISease I am! 

Ok here is the good news, I am only getting 25 tx, so only 5 weeks!  Yipeeee!

And here is the bad news, they are radiating my arm pit along with my chest wall.  I already have mild lymphedema, and she warned me how much more at risk I am for it getting worse.  I will have to be very careful for the rest of my life as to not make it worse.  And she strongly recommends I do not ever go back to my job.  

Needless to say I had a total melt down.  I have known for sometime I may not be able to return to my job, but today I heard it for sure.  I went to talk to the social worker (I know pretty much everyone at the cancer center) and I just lost it!  What am I supposed to do?  I am only 38!  SSDI will only approve you if your unable to do any job.  And only after my Drs say I am unable to work.  Then they make you see the SSDI Drs. who try to deny you.  I was assured I am not able to work for some time, and not able to return to my job unless I want to put my health in jeopardy.  I am not willing to do that.  As for any other job, we have to wait and see if the neuropathy gets better, or worse.  Wait and see if my pain goes away.  And wait and see if I will stop being a head case.  

I go for my simulation on Monday the 2nd, and start on Monday the 9th.  

I was told I am grieving.  Yeah I guess I am.

Hugs to everyone.  Sorry to be such a bummer.

Sunone

Hi Deb(nj) Sorry you had such a bad time today. I know I almost made myself sick the day I went to the med onc becuase I knew he was going to tell to get radiation. I'm doing 25 tx too. The first 5 days went ok, then today I was laying on the table thinking 4 more weeks...but so far the rads themselves are ok.

Will your insurance cover a physical therapist to help with lymphedema?

What kind of job did you have?

Your not a bummer, this is the place to rant and rave, scream, shout, and cry,  whatever helps get through the day.

Sending you (((((((hugs)))))))

Sunone

Swampy - good luck with your first treatment tomorrow, let us know how you are.

jeffrine

Hi all!  I had my 3nd radiation today.  Three different areas and I also have a molded pillow to keep me in place.  I had 7 positive nodes under the arm, but they're radiating up on my super clavicle.  Does anyone know why?  I haven't seen my Dr since my consultation.  Also, for all those who have started, does your center lay a skin simulator over the area every other day to change the depth of the radiaion?  The neatest thing about my radiology center is the ceiling is made out of 2' x 2' celing tiles and the Drs and staff encourage those who want to take a spare one home and paint or draw on it, that way when you're laying on the table, you have something to look at!

cheneski- why do you have to quit work?  It looks like we have similar stats, I'm 43 fixin to be 44 next month.  I took time off during chemo after tx 4, 5, and 6 (TCH) and other than still being a little tired now, I'm doing OK.  Just in time to get tired once again.  33 tx then I'll be back to normal, or whatever is normal now.

cherneski

Kim, I am required to walk all day outside in all weather.  Stand on the running board (step) of a big truck (tractor trailer) then live the unit that weighs 40lbs above my head into a window template.  So the walking is not something I cant do.  And I wont do the lifting.  I have seen what full blown lymphedema can look like.  No thank you, it is bad enough I have to worry, I am not intentionaly putting myself at risk.

I am not getting a mold as far as I know.

Swapy, good luck!

Lauren3

Deb - big hugs to you, I am so sorry you had such a hard time today.  But glad to hear about the 25 treatments!!!! 

Jeffrine - I'm wondering the same thing.  I had 4 positive nodes and have no idea why they aren't radiating to the arm pit.  Let me know if you get any answers about that.  When I asked they didn't really answer they just kind of said they don't do that b/c of lymphedema.  Also, that's very cool about the ceiling tiles. 

At my place they have satellite radio and let me pick the channel which was really cool.  I have one station that I listen to ALL the time so that's what I chose.  It just so happened that my favorite song of all time was on while I was getting my tattoos.  I might never listen to it the same way again! 

Sunone

Hey Jeffrine, welcome - I had my 6th treatment today and see my rad. onc every 5th treatment for him to check on me. I was told that if I feel like I need to see him sooner to just let them know. I like that about the ceiling tiles.

Deb(nj)I can see why you can't keep working that job, that would be too risky. I hope the SSDI docs don't give you a hard time, just what you need, more to stress about. You're allowed to be a head case, you have been through a lot, don't be hard on yourself.

cherneski

Hi Jeffeine, welcome!  Yes our stats are a lot alike wow! 

I am gonna now got to bed and feel sorry for myself.  I think most of the anger has left me.  It has been a long 6 months of feeling angry, now I am just sad. 

But the anger fueled me, so it cant stay away too long.

Hugs and good nite all.

jeffrine

cheneski - make sense now, all I do is work in an office all day.  I couldn't do what you did either!

Lauren3 - love the satellite radio, my chemo was an hour away from home, I used the same one my mom did, she had bc 15 years and  years ago.  It's all her fault (lol).  She took me for chemo and we listened to Blue Collar Comedy all the time!

BShoemaker

ShellyR25 - can you tell me why it will make a difference whether you are BRCA negative or not before you start Radiation?  the reason I'm asking is that has never come up in my appointments and I am BRCA2 positive, but the Rad's doc is leaning towards Radiation...just waiting for a final discussion with my Oncologist.

Thanks for any info....

arnie2two

Hey ladies...I just had my 5th boost out of 6. (They started me with the boosts first) Anyway, I have one more boost on Monday and then will start regular rads on Tuesday.  My drive is 40 minutes and thankfully I have a very good friend/neighbor that has gone with me the last 4 days.  Makes the drive go faster!  Mine are at 8 a.m. soooooooooo have the rest of the day.  I'll have 27 rads and then be done!   I'm soooo looking forward to the day I will hear, we don't have to see you for 6 months or even a year!!!  Will be music to my ears!!!  

Hope to get to know you all better during this time, hope everyone has a good night...

How I feel most days....

cookiegal

hey y'all....my rads consult is 11/17, so I may not start before December. Still I admit I am freakin' thrilled to be here since it looks like I might not have to have chemo. Going to Sloan. I guess rads is not in the pretty breast building?

jeffrine

For those of you that have had a few treatments, do you notice that if you have more than one spot to radiate, they radiate different lengths of time on each spot each day?  I had my 3rd today and it radiated longer on my super clavicle, but yesterday it radiated longer on my under arm.  Just want to see if it me only or everyone else before I ask the techs a "stupid" question.

Sunone

hmm, I haven't paid attention to the time on each spot, I have two areas radiated.

shelleyr25

BShoemaker- The radiology onc told me that if my BRCA comes back positive it changes my whole treatment, I am assuming that means chemo now instead of rads. I didnt ask too many questions since I am anticipating it coming out negative since I have no family history.

DebNJ~ So sorry you had such a rotten day. That does suck about work. Is there anything else you can do for the same company that is not so physical??

Arnie- That picture is freaking me out!! LOL!! Looks like a face lift gone bad!!

My aunt is a physical therapist and recommends that anyone with any risk of lymphodema to do therapy. She swears it can make the world of difference!

Lauren3

I have had physical therapy since the surgery because I had the lymph nodes taken out (lost my range of motion and strength in that arm) and it has been one of my best desicions through this whole process.  I would highly recommend it.

cherneski

Thanks all, I am looking into pt for the lymphadema.  There is nothing else I can do at the company.  I love my job and that is what really stinks.  I love working with people.  I always had my fall back of waitressing, quick easy cash and had lots of fun doing it, but cant do that either as it requires me to be on my feet all day.  I am a bit better now.  It was a shock to hear it from the DR.  I have always known that there was a question about it.

So Monday I get my sim, then Nov. 9th I start.  I will be glad to put this all behind me.

Hugs to all

Love Deb

BShoemaker

Hi Shellyr25 - can you maybe ask the question again if you get a chance?  I am BRCA2 positive and am just curious.  I've already had Chemo and will now have Rads, but just curious.  I don't have my next appt. for a while, so I'm unable to ask the question at the moment.  Appreciate any info....thanks!  Bettina

shelleyr25

BShoemaker~ I am assuming that if my test was positive I would have to have chemo first as you have. I have not had chemo, going straight from lumpectomy to rads. I will ask when I go next but I am thinking that is the change that would be made in the treatment.

DebNJ~ Hang in there!!!!

amlg1

Hi all..Well I'll be back home Monday after a little vacation in Fla. visiting my daughter,and grandson for his BD.I start my practice run Tuesday,visit my med onco.and have my herceptin.

Then it all starts Tuesday,for 6 weeks.I thought I had 5 tatoos,but I have 6, 2 of them are behind my armpit,I guess thats for axillary nodes.

Deb Cherneski...Hang in there,
we have been together since June Chemo.We will all get through this.

((Hugs))