Sept 2011 Rads

katehudson25

Congratulations, Steph N

MostlySew

Steph......CONGRATS, YOU'RE DONE! You made it! How exciting, good for you.



I've got two more days. My underarm is pretty bad, but the newest steroid cream keeps the pain at bay and helps keep the inflammation/rash down. The way I look at it, it's 75% skin against 25% machine, and my skin is winning.....GO SKIN!

kll22

Congratulations, StephN!  Wishing you quick and pain-free healing!  I'm 10 days post rads and wearing a bra already.  One step closer to "normal!"

stephN

Thanks, girls!  I'm so, so glad to be done.  Most of my skin already looks better, but the boost area is very red.  I'm hoping it heals quickly.  I never thought I'd be glad to wear a bra, but kll22, I'm a little jealous!

MostlySew, you're so close!  You can make it.  Sending happy healing thoughts to your skin!    

Hugs,

Steph 

tamcathtech

Congrats on finishing Gail and Steph!!!! Two more Mostly Sew, hang in there!!

ksmatthews

stephN congrats!  

tamcathtech

Ok, so 1 week post radiation!!! Doing well, skin healing wonderfully...Went back to work for first time in a month, work went well, even got out early...was looking forward to an afternoon nap..........Then I was in a car accident, REALLY???? I was not injured, sore neck, hit my "good" boob and my knee. I stopped at a stop sign, no traffic, then a truck pulled up on my right to turn right, blocking my view, I started to cross intersection and was smashed into by a car coming from the right... I did not see that car until it hit me!!! I wonder if it came from a parking lot across the road and the truck had blocked my view...uugh...so of course i got a ticket because I was at the stop sign....Both cars were towed away, All 4 people in other car signed refusal for treatment forms, then when the driver got out of her car  and started walking around she said her back hurt. The ambulance came back and took her in, hope she is okay.There were no skid marks I don't think, she had to have been accelerating when she hit me. Bad intersection, has needed a 4 way stop for years, but it is a state highway and not happening...UUgh!! It could have been much worse but this SUCKS....REALLY GOD??? Haven't I proved I am strong already this summer (separated from husband, 3 weeks later BC diagnosis) now THIS???

MostlySew

Tamcathtech,

Man, you surely are being tested this year, no question about it! Take some aspirin or ibuprofen befor bed to stave off any stiffness. I'm sure sorry this happened.



I saw the "cancer survivorship" program doc today and had a great initial visit. She's a real character and truly cares about healing the whole body including addressing the whole vaginal dryness/arimidex side effect issue. I feel now that someone else beside me is going to be watching out and coordinating any "after care" I might need. Good.....now I don't need to worry, she can! I like that feeling.

dogeyed

STEPH (and SEW?) CONGRATS on making it thru! 

TAM, gee whiz, just when you get your license to drive as a cancer-free woman, they take the keys to the T-bird away.  Oh, my, and I hope you are not too sore, wrecks can hurt for a few days after.  I still do not know how I got home from the hospital every day for rads.  Oh, what shall you do for a car?  I suppose you have a second one.  Our second one needs a brake job.

Hmmmm.  Well, I've been healing up from my last rad burn, I've stayed right here in my house to regroup.  The prednisone they gave me for inflammation pain, I cut back each week for total three weeks.  So, with less drug in me, last two days I noticed skin came off in another place, in my sorest spot on the smooth skin below the incision, so it's double sore, no infection tho.  I have been doing NOTHING so my left arm and shoulder are sore from not keeping up with range of motion exercise.  GG

stephN

Tamcath,

You have really been through it!  Hugs!!!

Dogeyed, hope the skin heals up quickly.  When my underarm was the sorest, I held my arm over my head for days for the area to get air.  It was so sore!  My RO told me it's the worst a week after and then it heals very fast.  I plan to stay home as much as possible too.  Unfortunately, everyone in my family is ready for me to be back to "normal" right now. ;o)

MostlySew...one more day!  Go, go, go! 

ksmatthews

I have almost pulled out in front of several cars and a TRAIN!  Too many close encounters.  I think my problem is chemo brain! 

So glad you are ok!   

neecee

Congrats to all those who have finished in the past few days!

SAB

Congrats to those crossing the finish line this past week!  I guess I'm about 12 days out and continuing to heal.  As they say...moisturize, moisturize and moisturize!

jackifp

Mostlysew - What and where is a survivorship program?

MostlySew

Hi Jackifp,

The survivorship program is new at Redwood Regional Medical Group and the head is Dr. Amy Shaw. Her job is to oversee your whole body health, but doesn't replace your med. onc nor your primary physician. She has a coordinator working for her and would be the one you call with any questions about health issues. They then let you know what to do/whom to call etc. My visit was an hour and I got numerous handouts (health tips, etc. etc) she addressed arimidex/tomoxifen side effects, how to deal with them etc. etc. She also summarizes your treatment plan for you, not only going forward but also what you've had, like how much and what kind of radiation. Etc.

I see her again in Dec after seeing my new med onc as mine left the practice. Then I think I check in with her every 3 months and shortly after that move to once yearly.

I know it's a long drive for you, maybe she'll be up your way a few days a month since Redwood Regional covers your area too. I think it's worth at least one visit to her. After all, where else do you hear about dealing with the whole aging/hormonal/going forward issues of breast cancer? I just wish they'd change the name to the Cancer Moving On program or the Cancer Wellness program. Think I'll suggest it to her.

Let me know if you go see her.

justmejanis

Hi again, I posted in the recovery thread but just wanted to update here.  I so appreciate all your support and good thoughts.  Surgery postponed AGAIN, now scheduled for a week from tomorrow, the 10th.  I have this awful cold and it has just flattened me.  I just can't keep up here and so sorry if I missed other milestones.  Congratulations to anyone who has finished rads.  I'll try to catch up later when I feel better.

Thinking of you all my friends.  Take care, hugs to all!!!

tamcathtech

Thanks for all the kind words about my accident, I appreciate each and every one of you. Life continues and its hard to control, whether you have cancer or not. Congrats on those finishing this week, I am 9 days post and my bc breast is doing great!! Now the other one is purple from the seatbelt, oh well!!!!

dogeyed

TAM, wow, a bruise from the wreck!  Oh, I know it's sore, and your "good one" too!  I was in a serious wreck years ago, so I sort of know how you feel.  Yeah, life is already kinda hard to survive, which it still IS about survival a lot, despite caveman's best efforts to give us the TV set. 

ALL, my sleep was goofed up for a couple days after last rads boosts, but it is now normal again, thank goodness.  Pain has lessened significantly.  Very tired, tho, still.  So glad I planned my two weeks at home, did all chores ahead of time, turned grocery trips over to husband.  I'm in a protective bubble, loving it.  If I ever wind up in a nursing home in old age, maybe I'll think of it as a vacation.  GG 

Elizabeth1889

Janis, I am sorry that your surgery had to be postponed again.  I hope your cold will improve soon.  My prayers for you continue.

justmejanis

Elizabeth...thanks hon.  I am resigned to this new delay and hope nothing prevents ths surgery from taking place next Thursday.  I have a colonoscopy scheduled for the following Thursday, the 17th.  That was orignally scheduled for last week and I rescheduled it to accomodate the thyroid surgery.  Third time has to be the charm.  I do feel better today and most of my voice is back!

Ceeztheday

Janis-So glad that you're feeling better today. Hooray!!!

tamcathtech

Well, on to the hormonal therapy side of BC. I was originally going to go on Tamoxifen, however, discussed with MO today, due to my history of depression/anxiety and being on Lexapro and Wellbutrin I cannot take Tamoxifen because thes other drugs would make it ineffective. So, I am trying Zoladex injections once a month with Femara generic pill every day. I have had a history of endometriosis and have been on Depo Provera in the past so "maybe" side effects will be "a little" similar or not at all. Time will tell!! Since I am only 39 looking at having to do this for 5-10 years!!! I see a possible surgical option in my future!!

dogeyed

RADS LADIES,  Just a quick drop-by.  I completed my two weeks "off" where I sat home and vegetated.  It was a very good idea.  Now I am actually not afraid to go to my doc appointment this week or any of the other things I need to do coming up.  I was so spent even well before rads that I was in no humor to be around people. 

TAM,  My cancer doc on Wednesday I'm sure will finally give me "the pill" to counteract my ER+ finding, which bothers me to take it, but I shall take it.  I worry all my feminity will go and, as old as I am, I fear I will become older.  On the other hand, I have read it only stops estrogen from hooking up in the breast.  We shall see. 

PORT TALK,  Also, I don't know about you others, but I still have my port in from chemo back last spring.  It went right thru rads with me, altho the beam missed it.  It's been cleaned out, maybe two months ago, and I meant to ask to have it removed before rads and forgot.  So, I am going to ask cancer doc this week to PLEZ take that thing outta there.  It has actually become the sorest part of my body, other than my already strained back.  I think there is a bit of infection just below it, so good thing I see cancer surgeon in just two days.

That's all.  If I have any trouble this week with the five things I have to do (one is my birthday, but just eating out up the street with my folks and husband), I'll report back, since this will be my first outing post-rads.  GG

katehudson25

I went to my cosmetic surgeon today, and discovered that I have red bumps near my incision. Does anyone else have this? I hope this is not an infection, as I am due to have my surgery in 3 weeks. I go to see my medical oncologist tomorrow, and can find out then.

dogeyed

KATE, I did notice a sort of bump, but determined it was what was left of a fatty place that had gotten smaller after the incision began to heal.  I saw my cancer doc yesterday, and pointed to another bump, or hard place I guess, I didn't know if it was a mole or what (I have plenty small ones in the vicinity).  He said he thought it was just part of the scar process (I think that's what he said).  If your bumps are tiny, then my guess it's wear and tear on the still-sensitive scar area has caused a rash, perhaps.  If they are directly adjacent to or on the scar, then must be the lumpiness that happens with scars.  I surely do not know.  We will compare notes after you see your doc, I'll be interested in what he says.  Oh, I still put my prescription lotion Radiaplex on my whole rads area, I finished rads end of October, they said keep putting it until all that skin completely heals. 

PORT TALK update:  Told my cancer doc yesterday that my port was bothering me.  Fortunately he said it was not infected, but it indeed should come out, so second week in December they'll take it out, small office procedure downstairs.  Hooooray!   GG

ksmatthews

I want to get my port out too!  Sometimes I have pain around the port area, but not sure if that is normal or not.  I would think having a foreign object in your body would cause discomfort.

I see my MO on Tuesday will see what she says.  Hoping yes!  I dont plan on ever needing it again. 

dogeyed

KS, yes, I have that same pain!  What a relief, sounds like this is a normal thing, then.  GG

dogeyed

KATE, it's been a week or so, what's the story on those bumps?

KS, what did your oncologist say about the pain in the port area?  Mine had said he did not think it was infected, which I said I thought it was, but he agreed it needed to come out of there, so in a couple weeks, a doc assist will finally take the port out for me.  I'll be busy telling them to look for signs of infection whilst they do the removal. 

As for rads progress, I'm a day shy of being a month out, the burn is totally gone, but I still have some grayish skin that hasn't quite peeled yet.  I honestly think the rads killed off anything that could have possibly been left in there, partly becuz I got to feeling so much better in general, aside from being very tired.  The rads doc gave me prednisone to help with inflammation the week before I left their department, and I'm in my last week of getting off that stuff... every time I reduced dosage, the usual protocol, I could not sleep as long as I wanted to, so that has been problematic for a couple days each week.  But in general it made me feel better, and I got all into researching online and found that prednisone is used to treat some forms of cancer (I think like leukemia), but it's just not a drug to be used long-term unless it's used to treat a serious disease (I think like MS).  But I AM glad I wound up being given that, every little bit helps I think to stop this cancer.

TAM, my doc prescribed Arimidex, haven't picked it up yet, just didn't quite have the cash last time I went in to get my regular pills.  So, how are you feeling on the Femara stuff and injections?  I think my Arimidex is in the same category as your Femara, if memory serves, which are Aromatose inhibitors, altho I should look that up to be sure.  So, that's why I want to know if you have noticed anything diff about yourself whilst now doing the hormone drug you had mentioned, or maybe it hasn't been long enuff to notice.  I think I'll be able to get mine either end of December or early January, just depends on how much cash we have left at end of year.  GG

katehudson25

Hi Dogeyed, My bumps have subsided, but my scar area still looks red. I tried on some clothes in the mall that had kind of a itchy material, and I think that caused the bumps. I had the mri for my back last weekend, and this week I am seeing my medical oncologist, and will find out the results. Tuesday I am going for pre-op, and Dec 7 I am having my suregery for implants and lifts.

ksmatthews

Dogeyed, really she didn't say much other than if it is bothering me they will take it out.  So Dec. 13th it is coming out.  I honestly think the thing just moves around, and that is why it hurts sometimes.