March 2011 Rads

msjag

wow, had my first day of fatigue, actually fell asleep for 40 minutes after work, I never nap!!

22/35, doing ok, a bit sore under the arm, no rashes yet or broken down skin, hoping I make it through the next 6 reg, so I can recover while having boosts!! Driving there everyday is getting old, and the seatbelt across my left side is no fun!

Congrats to all on the countdown, yahoo!!! 

GirlFriday

msjag...try a little pillow, or rollup a towel to protect you from the seatbelt!

marjie

COUNTDOWN = 7!!

Feeling pretty burnt, especially under my arm but still totally bearable.  I went paddling tonight with my team and did just fine. YAY me , lol.

pumela115

Marjie, YAY FOR YOU!!!!

Today was the last  zap to my clavicle area, yay!!! 7 more to go, i won't start my boosts till Tues.   Burn baby burn!!!

                                                               Pam

GrandmaBubba

I want to thank everyone for all the encouragement. I talked to RO today and we came to an agreement. I'm on break until Monday and if I have to take anymore breaks I'm done. I still have blisters and peeling and today I noticed some scabs on my scar area. I only have 9 left. I thought it was 10 so that was welcome news. If it goes smoothly I'll finish the day before good Friday. A good time to start a period of renewal.

ElizabethAnne

Hi Friends,

I love reading your posts---makes me smile everytime.   Wish we could all get together somewhere and have a fun congratulatory weekend (somewhere nice and shady--no sun allowed )

I have 11 more to go...cannot wait!   So far I have only had a mild rash and mild sunburn feeling.  It's a bit worse under my arm than anywhere else.   I work a full day and then some, but then my fuel runs out.  Sometimes on the 45 minute drive home I feel like pulling over to take a nap.  When I get home I crawl into bed with my laptop or a book, so that part has actually been kind of nice.  

Congratulations to all of you who are finishing up!

gingerstx

8 more to go after today, plus 3 boosts!   I'm supposed to finish up on Easter Monday. 

Had my simulation for boosts yesterday.  After my normal rads, they had me move to a different room for my sim (because that room also has a cat scan machine... Yay, the walk gave my arms a break!).  My cradle was moved too, so I took up my position and the tech marked me with a different colored marker before beginning my scan.  Went through the scan machine a few times and then it was done.  Though the scan itself was shorter, if you count the mark-up time,  it probably took about the same amount of time as my weekly xrays.  It was definitely a lot easier than the original simulation. 

Stay up ladies!  Every day is a step closer to the end of this journey! 

GirlFriday

Machine was down today...nothing to add to my count...one day set back = one more day to heal before the last 4 boosts!

LovemyLife12

2  boosts left...

So ready to be done..It has only been 7 days(including weekends) since the whole breast treatments have stopped and under my breast is still peeling, but the pain iss gone!!! Now my undrearm  area is starting to heal, but my boosts extend into a little part of that so that is extra crispy.

Love the fact that Easter is right around the corner.  Such a wonderful remindeer that we all are alive!!!

Happy Friday Everyone... Hope your weekend is great

cmbear

I'm done!!! Woo-hoooo!!! This day seemed so far off last June. And do you want to know what I'm most excited about -- besides not driving to the hospital 5 days a week--- not having marker lines and tape on my chest!!! No more road maps!!!

Keep up the good fight ladies, we will all get thru this!!

Gentle hugs!!!!

LovemyLife12

Oh by the way, I cannot remember who asked about hormonal therapy, but I am finishing my nd month on Tamoxifen.  Iam also taking Pristiq(the anti depressant to help with hot flashes).  Not a single side effect.  Except my period was lighter and my nails are growing without breaking.  I thought the nail thing waas great (like when you are preggos your nails and hair grow, as well as your but and other areas).  After talking to my phamacist (also my cousin), she said sometimes nail growth means calcium is being redirected away from your bones and can be a serious problem.  She was going to look it up if Tamoxifen does this. I'll also ask my MO next Friday.

And if you guys are worried about taking Effexor XR or Pristiq.  Please don't be.  That same phamacist cousin said she had taken Effexor for 7 years with no problems.  She had to do Lupron for fertility issues and suffered only minor hot flashes.  I have a mild cas of Cerebal Palsy on my left side (of course my cancer was on my right side ARRGH!!).  But the Pristiq has helped  the tiny spasms that occur.

Anyway that is my two cents.  I hate that I will never have the choice to be pregnant again, but I always thought I just wanted one child until the choice was gone... But as GrandmaBuuba's tag line reads " For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord"..

Teal3Pink1

Hi everyone! 

cmblastic:  Congratulations on finishing!!!!

GrandmaBubba:  That sounds like a great plan!

ElizabethAnne:  I can't imagine working a full day after rads and then having to drive home 45 minutes, too! I have trouble staying awake on the train!

Had a little excitement yesterday.  As I was crawling into position (prone rads, bad boob hangs down through a hole), the top part of the bed slid forward and they had to call in a guy with a screwdriver to fix the knob that holds it in place. It was a little unnerving to have someone fix the table while actually sitting on it, but I figure that's a lot better than watchng someone fix the machine itself right before getting zapped!

Have a great weekend everyone! Enjoy the break!

11/21--exactly halfway through now!

Teal3Pink1

Lovemylife12:  Thanks for the info on Pristiq and Effexor.  It is tough when choices are taken away from us, even if we've already made a decision one way or the other.

pumela115

27/33 only SIX more to go!!! Woot Woot!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone and a healing two days off!

                                                                 Pam

sandymess

17/33 and it's Friday!! Whoo-hoo!



Congrats on finishing, cmblastic.



Everyone, have a great weekend. Hope it's sunny where you are.

marjie

COUNTDOWN = 6!!   Only 5 more to go.

Today my RO checked my skin - problem area seems to be about a quarter size spot right under my arm.  If I put my arm down it wants to stick and it's painful.  Ofcourse, I 'm allergic to the drugs that he was going to prescribe but I think I will get through it just fine.  You guys can chuckle in a week when I'm whining!!

They have warned me more than once that the worst of the skin reactions will occur about 2 weeks after completion of radiation.  The fact that my RO and the tech keep bringing it up has me a little worried

GrandmaBubba - Good luck!!  Just hang on as long as you can, maybe all you needed was a break to let yourself heal a bit and get back on track.  I think looking at your finish as a point of renewal is perfect - no matter when you are done   (((HUGS)))

shooshoo23

20/33 down!

3teacher

Cmblastic:  CONGRATS to you! We are all very jealous, but will be joining in your party pretty soon. Enjoy your weekend- takes on a special meaning nowthat you are finished, finished!

GirlFriday: bummer but Monday will be here before you know it and you can resume your countdown. Boy, you are even closer than me (okay, by one day ha).

Marjie: Now I understand why the nurse got a RX from the RO on Friday for Silvadine. She said to have it just in case things got worse over the weekend. And I was thinking it is all healing/getting better now that I'm on to boosts. ugh ugh ugh

libraylil

Marjie the techs asked me today about my skin. I immediately went into paranoid cancer mode. They thought it looked red. Ya think? Of course it does. Just getting pretty red u der the arm and the scar looks fierce. I'm 20/33 so hopefully skin will hold out. I thought redness was expected. The RO only asks about whether or not I had peeling during the exam Tues.



Elizabeth, I have rads on the way home from work and go directly to the couch with laptop. Nap time comes directly after the radium spa visit.



CT for boosts was done Thursday. Uneventful. Libraylil

gingerstx

I was told yesterday that I won't be getting any more xrays!  yay... no more extended painful positions!  Also told that I only have 3 more regulars and then will begin 8 boosts!  This was such great news because I'd thought my poor body had to get 8 more regular zaps with only 3 boosts at the end.  I can do this! 

ElizabethAnne

This last week just FLEW by!   So I'm hoping the next two weeks fly just as fast.  

Ginger--I bought a nice aloe plant and tried it out this morning.   I was pretty tender when I put it on, but tonight it feels much better.  Thanks for telling us about it.

Hope everyone has a nice rest-of-the-weekend!

heavenschild

cmblastic - congrats! 

Margie - thanks for the warning about 2 weeks post radiation!

 22/30 - boosts start next Wednesday.  I guess I am sooo looking forward to it was being the beginning of the end.  Red under the arm, rash, it plain 'ole hurts, the nurses at the radiation center keep pushing drugs, a drugged patient is a happy patient, LOL!

Gingerbrew

Hi I finished rads a few weeks ago. I just wanted to add that the boosts Heavenschild will probably not hit under your arm at all, just directly on your scar. So your underarm will not have any additional rads to make it worse. A small piece of good news a week before you are done is always a good thing.

Gingerbrew 

msjag

Gingerstx -    I have been using the aloe plant since I read you post, and I think it prevented two small blisters from forming under my breast, and the redness/rash is fading too.  Thanks for the info!!

5 whole breast left, 7 boosts...yahoo!!!

GirlFriday, thanks for the info for the seatbelt...I wish you continued sun and warm temps..they have arrived finally in MA!!!

Have a great Sunday all!!

GrandmaBubba

I went to a Wings luncheon today. Wings is an organization in Illinois to help women with bc and no insurance. There were a lot of survivors there and most of the models in the fashion show were survivors. It was really encouraging.

Which is what I needed, because I start rads again tomorrow. Probably more nervous than I was before the first treatment. My chest is a canvas of many colors. I still have 9 tx left and I'm afraid of what the new skin under the peeling is going to do. Anyone been there?

BTW, I found the most wonderful cami at WM. No bra shelf to aggravate my skin. Soft and comfortable and tummy control, which I need since I put on 20 pounds in the past year. It's high enough to hide my marker and I like it so much I'm going back next weekend and buy one of every color.

Hope every one has a good week.

LovemyLife12

1 more and DONE!!!! HAPPY MONDAY!!!

GrandmaBubba- Good for you! Going to that meeting and finding the camis!!!  Wanted to let you know that I too was worried about the new skin.  To me it healed much quickier.  Mine was under my breast.  It started out almsost undetectable but expanded the entire length of my breast.  The week of boosts hurt because my upper chest/ underarm area was red and the underneath was peeling.  But within that week the underneath aea healed completely and the chest /underarm area statred to peel.  Some of that is being treated in the boost process, but it actually feels better.  Hope that helps ((((HUGS)))) 

heavenschild

A lady on the February thread was going with a "Sesame Street" theme, so she was going to name her machines "Hurt" and "Burnie" - I think that is great!  Also, they gave me the idea to give Krispy Kreme donuts to the techs for a going away present. 

There was also a mention of Benadryl creme - I am going to ask one of the nurses today.  Major pain under armpit and clothes and just breathing and living aggravate it. 

 23/30 today (YES, I am counting).

pumela115

27/33  today, I start my boost tomorrow, can' wait! Under my breast looks like i'm getting little blisters and under my arm is hurting bad Oh well almost done.Happy Monday everyone!!!

                                                  Pam

marjie

So today will be the beginning of my LAST week!!  My appt is not until 5:40 this afternoon which is odd.

Question for everyone - This weekend my skin opened ....will they still continue the treatments or stop until it heals a bit??  It seems to have dried up and isn't so bad now but Saturday overnight and Sunday were not so nice.  I ended up taking an Ativan just to ease some of my distress, and a sleeping pill last night.  I hate taking pills and usually just try to tough it out, but this time I'm glad I used the meds.

3teacher

Marjie: Just got back from rad/boost. I'm exactly like you- this is my last week. I, too, have raw skin. It's under my arms, well so far just one side. The other side might hold on. The PA told me last week that that area would peel, but I sure wouldn't call this peeling. It's like the skin just came off and raw skin about size of 2 quarters.

Anyway, when the techs saw it, they said OH, MY. Said if I were having regular rads I would have to delay treatment, but since it's not in the boost field at all, no issue. Using silvadine (sp?) on it, but not much better after 2 days of using it. I started using it as soon as I saw the raw area.

Is your raw area in the boost field? Hoping it's not!!! What are you using on it? Wish there were a magic creme! I really thought I had dodged any raw skin since I made it through regular rads. The RN was really bragging on me last week- ha- wait until she sees it tomorrow at clinic.  bummer