July 2012 Radiation

Mini1

There are some drugs I curse, but Xanax is not one of them. :-)  I hope all goes well for you. We may not be able to be there for syou in person but we can be in spirit. Good luck!

graced

ButterflyLady that sounds great!  Let us know how you do today!  I have been telling the machine that I love it and I imagine that it is sending out love when it make that noise.  I don't say it out loud - just in my head - because I don't need a psychiatric referral from the techs! 

Mini1

Graced - I picture it as the old Atari game Space Invaders and it blasting those those little cancer buggers right out of me. :-) Maybe tomorrow I will show the machine a little love too. lol

graced

Mini that's a great image!  I used to play that game!

Butterflylady2012

First rad treatment over and done with!  I was pleased with how it all went.  The xanax actually didn't have much of an affect I felt, small dosage, but I didn't really seem to need it too much.  I did forget to bring my music but that didn't matter.  My radiaologist (who plays the sax and clarinet) I found is a big music buff and has music piped into the treatment room.  He asked what I like and I asked if he had any James Taylor.  He did!  So JT serenaded me as I got my treatment! The rad part actually went very quickly.  My hand and part of my arm went to sleep a little but that was the worst of it.  I've also been a bit congested with allergies, the Benadrly didn't do much either, but I got through it.  And Mini1, I really like the Space Invaders idea...I'm a teeager of the 80s and loved that game!  So, tomorrow's mantra will be...zap those aliens, ZAP, ZAP, ZAP!!! Graced, Maybe my love for the machine will grow overtime, but right now we are still in the like stage, it's kinda like puppy love, or infatuation...Real Love takes time!

onvacation

Butterfly- glad the first treatment went without a hitch!

babette54

#7/34 done

butterfly - The first tx is the most difficult.  You are now one tx closer to being done!!!

I witnessed a lady complete her treatments today.  She rang the bell.  I can hardly wait until I am there.  I plan to include a happy dance along with the ringing of the bell.

graced

Yay Butterfly!

kjiberty

butterfly:  Congrats on completing your first treatment!  

Teacup2012

Butterfly- glad to hear your treatment went well and you had JT to serenade you! Keep us posted on the development of the love affair with your rads machine.



Julz - wondering how you are feeling-



Babette - I haven't seen a bell in my center - I don't know what they do when you finish. I was very underwhelmed when I finished chemo. There was really no acknowledgement at all.



So I have an appt with MO on Friday and I know he will give me my tamoxifen rx. Have any of you started tam? I'd really like to wait until after rads. Just wondering what others are doing.



Everyone take care-

kjiberty

Teacup:  My MO appt. is not until next Friday.  I think sometimes they wait until after rads.  Not sure.

Belinda977

...Update on me...Rads delayed another week.  Trying to get his incision to heal.  UGH.  Just want to start!   My MO won't start tamoxifen until after rads are over.

Isabelle2

Had my rad appointment yesterday.   My cute young doctor (he looks like a teenager) informed me that burning is almost a certainty & fatigue...how I would love to prove him wrong.  He also cautioned me to stay out of the sun & no swimming (which I do everyday) in a chlorinated pool.

 Tatoo is July 18th and I start soon after that....25 sessions instead of the 20 I thought and a larger area....each bit of news seems to be worse.  

 I think my dear man just figured out why I am so teary this week...could it be those little Femara pills as this is day 18 for me..didn't even think of it.   I just came back from the grocery store & I was picking up strawberries & fighting back tears as I am now.   I hope this doesn't last forever...I feel like such a baby.

Julz, where are you?  I hope you are feeling better.   Kjiberty, did you have your appointment today?

babette54

#8/34 done = 23.5% done

My skin feels like I was out in the sun a little too long today--slightly "tingly" and just a little pink in a couple of places.  It doesn't hurt but this is the first time that I have felt anything.  Is this a sign of things to come?

teacup2012 - My chemo place also did nothing to celebrate being done.  Two of the nurses gave me a hug and I broke down and cried.  I wasn't expecting to get emotional but it just sort of happened.  I've read on other forums about radiation centers having bells or certificates.  Radiation is the end of the road for most bc patients so maybe that is why they make a big deal out of being done.  Done--except for the 5 years of hormone therapy for we ER+ gals.

My MO wants to start me on one of the AI drugs after I get done with rads.  I'm not totally convinced that it will benefit me greatly as I am only weakly ER+.  My MO says its been proven to benefit women like me but I need more proof before I subject my body to more assault.

kjiberty

Went to the RO today.  Mapping done!  The first of 33 rads start next Thursday--exactly 3 weeks PFC  28 regular and 5 boosts. Should put me exactly 10 days before my son's wedding.  I don't go to the MO until next Friday.  He said he did't need to have the bloodwork before he could start rads.  

kjiberty

Here's a tip:  My sister is a radiation therapist and she said to mix olive oil with aquafor and slather that on the area radiated area.  More olive oil just to get the consistancy to be smearable.

julz4

Hi ALL sorry I haven't been on but I'm still feeling really icky!  The nurse gave me a prescrip for 30 Zofran with a refill.  When I was in getting my treatment today the one nurse or tech told my DH that she has only ever had 2 women have a reaction like me with the nausea on the first day & I was #2 !  It's rare to get it this early but it can happen after a few weeks, but is uncommon.  Yesterday I had a really bad headache too, as RADS can cause dehydration.   I wasn't getting enough fluids because it's all I can to even want to drink.  I started taking a full Zofran & am just putting up with the sleepyness. The nausea is some better tonight & was finally able to eat my first full meal since Monday night.  So far OK!  As for LEFTY the nips a little pink & so are the 2 scars from surgery.  Feeling a few twinges of pain in the scars & tiny bits of itching in different areas over LEFTY!  But the nausea far out weighs those tingles! 

Isabelle yes I do remember.  I'm glad your getting everything started & closer to home.  I guess I am spoiled as the RADS place is really close to home for me.  6 miles about.  I saw a social worker on Wednesday as it's provided for all the cancer patients at Center for free.  She said that it's very normal as time goes on for the weepyness to start.  As things start to calm down & especially after the treatments end.  You have more time to think & the Dr. appts. slow down & some sense of normalcy creeps back in....the mind gets a chance to catch up to reflect, dissect all that has happened over the last months.  It really hits you.  Added to that is the deletion of those hormones because of your meds.  I am not taking any meds for the hormones but still I get teary eyed at the drop of a hat. It's all hard sending gentle hugs.

Kjiberty I hope I feel better soon too as this is gonna be worse than being pregnant the way it's going.  

Babette thanks this one has thrown me for a loop....as I didn't expect this from RADS!  I've been passing this older gentleman everyday on the way out at the door into the treatment rooms.  Today I said to him "We have to stop meeting this way"!  He's the only one I see every day.  A woman just 2 days ago had one day to go....but I don't think there is any bells, beeps, or whistles here at the finish line.  The Harley Dealership is in front of the place I get my RADS.....might be nice to go for a Ride on a HOG as a special way to finish my RADS! 

Teacup I didn't realize it was one either.  I googled it after I started feeling sick.  Some say it is & some don't!  For all those that say not....tell that to my tummy!  Have a wonderful time with your sister!

Graced sometimes the older Dr's have wisdom that the young pups haven't had the time to let sink in yet. 

Mini space invaders! LOL!  How about Dr. Spock & Beam me up Scottie!  That thought crossed my mind! 

Butterflylady the wonderful JT!  I'm glad your first went well for you!  

Belinda I'm sorry they had to postpone your RADS another week.  But I'm sure it's best for you to be healed first.  But I understand as It would have been better for me to have my RADS started before I went back to work.  But that didn't happen as the Dr's were waiting for my BRCA testing first before starting.  It sure is a let down.

I hope I didn't miss anyone....if I did I'm sorry as I tried not to!  I'm fading & need to get some sleep!  Night ALL! 

kjiberty

Julz:  Thinking of you and hoping you feel better soon!  

Mini1

Butterflylady - So glad your treatment went well. I love the ladies that do mine. I think I"m actually going to miss them when I'm done. It gets easier as you go along. I generally see the same people coming and going for treatment. It's nice to see familiar friendly faces. And to congratulate those that have finished up. Although it does feel weird telling someone I hope I never to see them there again. :-)

Be sure to use your cream liberally and often. The skin effect is cumulative, so use it even if it feels like you don't need it. You'll do great and it will go faster than you think.

babette54

9/34 done = 26.5% done

It's Sunday night and I'm gearing up for another week of rads.  Good luck to those of you starting this week.

kjiberty - Thanks for the suggestion of mixing olive oil with aquafor.  I plan to try it this week as I progress through tx.

Butterflylady2012

Julz4, I'm sorry you have been feeling icky. Keep up your spirits, you will make it through this! Glad the Zofran is helping you with the nausea so that you can at least eat. I LOVED your idea of how to end your Rads with a ride on a HOG.  I say go for it! One thing I want to do at the end of my Rads is make cookies or something tasty for my team at the PAMF clinic.  They are wonderful!  Then after that I will do something for myself, just haven't figured out what yet.  3 treatments down, 22 to go! 

Mini1, it makes it so much easier to have a team for radiation that we really like, doesn't it? I have been using the term blessed more lately and I feel truly blessed for the men and women on my rads team.  Great people!  I think it takes special people to go into Oncology and all the treatment teams.  

Babette, I think I'll do a happy dance too after Rads, maybe that Stayin Alive dance John Travolta did in 70s.Well, maybe not...lol...I'll keep thinking. 

Treatment #4 is at 4:45 tomorrow, so when I am done I will be driving in the height of bay area traffic.  Yuck!  I'll just sing some tunes and enjoy the time alone.  But I still hate traffic.  Luckily after Wednesday, the rest of the month is in early afternoon, which is perfect.  No commuting traffic!  

Mini1

julyz - I have found that a probiotic helped my nausea a lot without any sleepiiness. I get mine in a Kefir drink. One, because of the add'l nutrition the frink gives me and 2, because it has more kinds of probiotics than yogurt or supplements. The Kefir can be found in the yogurt section of the store. It comes in a variety of flavors. I don't know if it would work for you but it's worth a shot.

Only 6 more treatments to go! 

HealingDreams

16 done and 9 to go!

The first treatment is definitely the hardest. The first few until it becomes routine, I would say. I thought it would be easier after the half way mark (12-13), the downhill slope, so to speak,  but all of last week felt like it dragged. Now that I can count down in the single digits I think it will go much faster! I also plan a celebration--brownies for the techs and the RO! I don't think my center celebrates at all.

I had a dream that gave me useful imagery for the twinges of pain or general sense of being inflamed. In my dream I returned to help a man who was caring for lobsters (yes, lobsters!). He taught me to put herbs under their shells and to use ice near their shoulders to calm them. So that's what I imagine doing for myself, putting herbs under my "shell" and using ice or cool water or cool wind to calm the inflamed cells. I also imagine doing it for all of you and all patients undergoing radiation or with inflammation elsewhere in their bodies.

My RO had told me that nausea was a possibility in my case. Part of the stomach is in the radiation field. She also said that it is likely to happen right away. I didn't have any until last Thursday. And, I agree, julz24, it is truly the pits. I was quite sick through Saturday.

My problem was that I had also taken a new medication that my rheumatologist prescribed, got new lenses for my glasses, and couldn't tell whether the glasses, radiation, or the meds were causing the nausea. So far I know that it's not the glasses. I'm waiting to see if I have a reaction to radiation today.  

kjiberty

Healingdream:  Congrats on having only 9 to go!  I will just be starting my rads journey on Thursday.  Just trying to keep focused on the end of this part of my treatment.  

babette54

#10/34 done = 29.4% done

I went to see my LE therapist today after my zap.  I am going to him as a proactive action--so far I have no signs of LE.  He is treating me to increase the mobility of my arm after my ANLD.  He also has given me exercises to help prevent LE.  The massage he does is wonderful and to think my insurance company is paying for it!!!  He told me that the pain that appeared over the weekend behind my arm is swelling due to rads, not LE.  I have piece of mind knowing that someone who knows about LE is seeing me weekly.

HealingDreams - I'm sorry to hear that rads nausea is getting you but I see that you have reached the halfway mark.  Hang in there.  This will soon be a bad dream.

ButterflyLady2012 - I can't get the "Staying Alive" song out of my mind now.  That would be a great song to do a happy dance to at the end of rads--such an appropriate theme song in our situation.

HealingDreams

Fatigue hit me hard today. But a long nap was a great help.

I've also noticed a smell after radiation, kind of like the smell of ironing. Has anyone else noticed that?

graced

Healing Dreams, yes I noticed the smell and asked them about it and they didn't know.  Of course they're not in the room when the smell happens so I googled it.  It is the smell of ozone produced by the accelerator and about 50% of people can smell it.  Ironing smell is a good descrption.  Guess we have sharp noses!

Isabelle2

Tatoo tomorrow!

Mini1

28 rads down, 5 to go. So close to the end. Sore and itchy, but close!

Mini1

28 rads down, 5 to go. So close to the end. Sore and itchy, but close!