May 2012 radiation

Goodie

Silvia - you rock the headcovers!  I know what you mean about going baldy too.  I've been going "topless" around the house for a few weeks.  I have about 1/2 inch of very wavy hair.  Ugh.  But I'm going to buy some more fun earrings to distract my looks!  LOL

mckenna - I woud normally want to start on the first of a month too but I just want to get started.  It's been awhile since my chemo (3/6) and surgery (3/28)  and I want to be proactive with anything that may have escaped. 

 Neeners - I hope you are having a fabulous walk!  What a gorgeous day on the east coast! 

Neeners815

Thanks, Goodie.  We start tonight at 7 PM.  Of course last night I started having my first SE - burning about in the middle of my chest (sort of between the cleavage where a seatbelt would cross).  Oddly, it's not red. I'm going to lube up good.

jittersmom

McKenna.... I started tamoxifen 2 days ago...yippee..hopefully that will treat me well

and i still like my wine..didn't during chemo because i was so sick but am liking it now

Jan24

I am just starting Aromasin, anyone else?  For lumpectomy gals: I saw my oncologist on Thursday & she mentioned right after rads is the best time to massage the breast tissue to improve the appearance.  I've been massaging away and it hurts, I hope this means it is working.  I had a section of my pectoral muscle removed to get the clean margin and I have a dent that is visible with certain outfits I wear (it used to be a ravine I guess the swelling filled it in).    My girlfriends thought the dent was my scar, but the scar looks great and is below the dent

On another note, my neighbor friend just had a biopsy yesterday.  I felt her lump and it's in the same exact place mine was high up on the left.  I am so worried for her, she has been trying to have a baby... I so hope it is not cancer.  She had an MRI, ultrasound & mammo a month or so ago because of my BC and all were clear, now a lump.  Let's all pray she won't be joining us on breastcancer.org

BLinthedesert

Oh Jan, I am sending positive thoughts out for your neighbor.  I had heard that about massage too, I think it is important to reduce "shrinkage" of the breast due to fibrosis.  Also, I have heard that liposomal vitamin C cream might be helpful too -- I think you can go to any pharmacy that does "formulations" and they can mix it up for you ... my scar and dent are noticible to me, but not to anyone else, I feel very lucky (mine was on the side and went down to the chest muscle too). 

Have fun tonight Neeners!!   

jittersmom

Jan24....sorry about your neighbor will say a prayer for her

etherize

Jan24, positive thoughts sent for your neighbor!

silvia, you are so pretty, you could easily go bald and still look great.  I will be starting Arimidex soon ... maybe next week?!  I've got the pills, and my last day of rads is Monday.  Just have to take them, I guess. ;-)  I hope neither of us has SEs.

Can't wait to get my "sun" on Monday!

I'm another anti-pink gal -- hate the cutesiness of it.  I don't think anything about cancer is cute or pretty.  I'm also no fan of Komen anymore ...

As for alcohol ... I live in wine country and my husband works at a winery.  It would be hard to give alcohol up completely, and I don't plan to, but I've cut back a LOT since the bc dx.

BLinthedesert

etherize, I think I want to be your new best friend, you had me at: "no fan of Komen", "live in wine country", and "husband works at winery"

I think we could get along splendedly, really  

mckenna

Jan your friend is in my prayers. I am so fearful a friend or God forbid sister is going to have to go through this. Since I know what they are in for I think it would be worse than my diagnosis.

Dx 3/23/2012, DCIS, 1cm, Stage 0, Grade 1, ER+/PR+

Infobabe

 etherize 

You know, about Komen, I used to think they raise money for research for the cure?  

They sure get involved in things that are in no way related to finding a cure.  I know they sponsor camps for BC survivors (another word I can do without).  A lot is desirable but should this be their mission?   I think this debacle over PP has turned the spotlight on them. I want to know, what do they do, anyway, besides giving execs big salaries.

I shrink from those pink ribbons. 

mckenna

Bl I was thinking the same thing



Etherize I think we will both be rushing to get to rads for the first and only time

I dropped my tamoxifin script off with my kids script to make sure I would actually go pick it up

schatzi14

I am glad I am not the only one that detests the "pinkness" When I was going thru treatments. a co-worker of my DDs and a long time BC survivor, regularly sent me Pink BC stuff...bookmark...keychain etc. I really appreciated her thoughts but it was a constant reminder of what I was trying to forget. Eventually she sent me a pic of her new tat "survivor" and encouraged me to get one too. Just what I need to remind me...I have scars for that.

I appreciate the need for funding and celebrating survivors but SHEESH it's constant. Every week...every month etc. I am just crabby or ???? I have a great support system with you gals, that's all I need!

sbelizabeth

schatzi14...when I was first diagnosed I got so many "breast cancer tchotchkes" --  you know, the pink ribbon keychains, bookmarks, picture frames, dishcloths, scarfs, etc., etc., etc., that I put a big laundry basket in the guest room (where I seldom go) to pile up all the stuff.  After a while I just threw it all out.  I know people are kind and thinking of me, but I do not need pink junk to raise my breast cancer awareness.  I'm pretty aware, thanks.

I loved your "I have scars for that" philosophy.  Me, too.  Between my axillary dissection, mastectomy, port placement, drain scar, and now uber-sunburn from radiation, I believe I'll turn down the survivor tattoo.  

Great bike ride this morning.  Not too hot.  But just one little garter snake! I was robbed! 

etherize

BLinthedesert, I'll drink to that! ;-)

infobabe, don't get me started! lol  If all the $$ supposedly raised for cancer research actually went to finding a cure, we might have one by now!

It's hard for me to believe anybody ISN'T aware of breast cancer at this point.  What we need are real solutions.  Grumble, grumble.

jdwench

bizarre week of treatments this week, my 4th week. tuesday and wednesday I had a fever, that finally stopped thursday morning. the doc says i must have been fighting a bug, but my gut tells me i'm reacting to the radiation (the previous week i had about a half a day of serious chills and slight fever, on tuesday treasment day). Then on friday I didn't get a treatment becuase my treatment area no longer lined up and I had to re-do my simulation. after the redo they said it came out identical to the first simulation, so they don't know why i wasn't lined up on friday. it freaked me out a little, made me think i was getting dosed improperly the entire week. they assured me I was not.

 now monday I won't be getting a treatment either. because they have to redo the planning and then verify it on monday. this is going to bump my treatments to after the 4th of july, and i had planned to go out of town for the fourth. boy i sure didn't see this one coming. on top of that my nipple is extremely painful, I can't stand to have anything touching, and the itching of the rest of the area has just kicked in big time, I have no idea what to use for that. it itches so bad i'm afraid i'll scratch it with my nails in my sleep without knowing it. not at all looking forward to the next two weeks. i can't wait to get this $#@& over with. I know life could be worse but this has been a loooooong 4 weeks.

thanks for letting me vent 

Infobabe

jdwench

Judy, see if you can't get some days off so you can go on your trip.   I haven't had rads myself but I think it is a matter of cumlative rads, not necessarily how fast you get them.   I hope you hadn't planned on being away a long time.

BLinthedesert

Oh Judy, what a mess ... I am sorry about the scheduling.



Regarding the itch/rash, I am using hydrocortizone (over the counter stuff and some prescription that I had in the medicine cabinet). My RO said I could try benedryl at night to keep from scratching.

mckenna

Judy sorry about the bumps. I totally get the wanting to just get this over with. I would be frustrated too.



When I was first diagnosed I made it clear I wanted no pink crap and last nidht when I was out with friends one of them knows someone that was just diagnosed less than a week ago and is already going pink crazy. My friends husband told her it was the best line when mckenna said.no pink crap. I think the general public is getting sick of it too and that cant be good for raising dollars eventually.



Very tired today but it was well worth it to spend the whole night laughing and hang out with friends.

Goodie

Etherize - can I be your friend too? 

Jan - I'm sorry about your neighbor too.  I hope she gets good news.

Judy - ugh I'm so sorry about all your delays.  It must be so frustrating.

I'm not into the pink crap either.  Luckily I haven't gotten too much.    One neighbor did bring me a breast cancer angel stain glass thing which I do have over my kitchen sink.  She also had breast cancer and it means a lot to me that she thought of me though.  I think you like it or you don't.  I just don't want to be defined by it.

mckenna & etherize - good luck tomorrow!  Wow, just one more!

etherize

jdwench, what a mess!  I would be nervous and quite annoyed if I'd had to go through all that.  

Goodie, of course you can be my friend!  lol  I'm looking forward to celebrating with all of you guys tomorrow.

mckenna, I think you're right that the general public is probably getting a little sick of the pink crap, too.  I'm already starting to dread "Pinktober."

Neeners815

OK, that was rough.  Rewarding, but rough.  The survivor lap was uncomfortable, but awesome at the same time - if that makes any sense.  It's hard to have everyone staring at you, but it's awesome to be cheered on and to celebrate that we are, in fact, alive.  There were some really inspirational speeches, too.

We did a LOT of walking, because two of our walkers slept most of the time so everyone else had to try to make up for them.  Also, I think we were the only team that honestly had someone walking the track all the time...which is a little strange since this was our first year doing it.  I slept about an hour at 4 am ish.  I walked a lot more than I thought I would; my back and hips were pretty sore - but the old boob didn't hurt much at all.  Hurray! It was an experience, and we'll probably do it again next year with some changes.  I finally sort of 'came out' to my friends that didn't know when I had the purple shirt on!

BLinthedesert

Congratulations on your walk Neeners, I am glad that your boob didn't hurt ;-) - and I am glad that the weather co-operated!

I am not into the pink event, never have been -- I work in colon cancer research (it is my way of "giving" I suppose) and when I go to conferences  I do wear the blue ribbon (http://www.choosehope.com/category/by-cancer-color-cancer-type) ... but, in general, I don't sport any ribbons.  My Mom died of lung cancer last year, and I have a lot of colleagues who worked in lung cancer who sported buttons that said, "no one deserves lung cancer".  I do understand the desire to be of a community that supports people that are associated (by being a patient, caregiver, or family member) with cancer - but, the mass production does get a little tiresome.  

I am so happy for mckenna and etherize who are finished tomorrow (and get to ring a bell, won't that be fun?? ;-) ). 

Neeners815

This wasn't a pink event - it was for all cancers.  The only color was purple - for the people who had battled cancer and were still around and kicking.  And it really wasn't as purple as I would have thought/hoped.  It was pretty tiring.  I came home and slept 6 hours.  I'm too old for all-nighters, apparently!

We don't have a bell at our place, which is NOT surprising at all.  It's all very matter-of-fact there.  Woo hoo to mckenna and etherize, though! 

BLinthedesert

Neeners, I like the idea of "all cancers" - and I like purple

My radiation place doesn't have a bell either, but they do give you a "diploma" thing ... I am not sure what I will do with mine - certainly not frame it ;-). 

Cindyl

Yeah, my center gives a diploma too.  I'm still wondering what I'm to do with it as well.

BLinthedesert

A lot of things come to mind, none of them very "adult" -- but then again, I have 3 diplomas from college ... somewhere ... I have often threatened to make coasters out of them - a place where all my friends can set their wine glasses.  I guess I am not a big "diploma" fan ;-)

maybe I can print my newest diploma on a cushion, that I can sit on in the car?   

Neeners815

Yeah, I'm slightly afraid of my reaction if they try to give me a diploma.  My chest is a big enough reminder.  If they give me one, maybe I'll burn it in celebration.

jittersmom

Neeners815...congrats on the walk

Judy..sorry about the problems with your treatment I had one day the couldn't do it because the machine was not working! They did let me take a day off because we had a preplanned long weekend at a cottage

I got a certificate when i was done with Rads..awkward! I am not big into all the hoop de do!

my boob is now peeling ..I use hydrocortizone cream for the itching

mckenna

No diploma and did not ring the bell and no one tried to make me

They loved the cupcakes with the kids picture. I am now tapless!

Under my arm is now purple and it feels like I am stretching skin when I try to extend my arm up over my head

Congrats ether!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone else you are one day closer to being done and I will toast you all today at the winery.



Ps Neeners great job of "coming out" and on the walk.

mckenna

Also cañt add our smilies until tomorrow when I am at a better computer