Fall 2013 Rads

vwbordelon

Graceforme,



I can't imagine being like this forever also. It is sooooo not my personality. I just don't want to answer questions or get that "pity" look from others. People who need to know what is going on with me (my family and a few close friends) are the only ones I care to be with. I think that once I have hair and look "normal" I wont be as self conscious. I have had fun with hats and scarves-trying to work it! Right now I am just going to concentrate on myself and my family.



Have a great weekend!

Fephna

Hi ladies,



I can relate to those with anxiety. I think it really stems from getting diagnosed. I have family who say I should be greatful the cancer was caught early, early stage and believe me I am! For me it's also being a single mom. I worry about my boys, worry about the bills. Things I've always worried about but seems greater now. I'm getting used to my new breasts. After rads I will have an oophorectomy so instant menopause. I'm only 41! Then 10 years of meds. But always greatful in the end I will be well!! This was a road I never thought I would have to take but will be strong the whole way.



It felt good to get that off my chest. Lol



I hope everyone has a great weekend. My dry run is Monday and Tuesday my official countdown will begin.

Jo6202

Hi ladies,

I start with a simulation on Oct 9th and then rads the following week. Scheduled for 33 treatments. The last five will be boosts to where the tumors were removed.

karibari

Oh Amen on the social anxiety - I too have been hanging out in my cocoon here at home - if I'm not expecting somebody, I don't answer the door, but I think that's okay.  This is the time to do everything you can to take good care of yourself first.  I know that's so hard for some, when you are the caregiver for kids or loved ones.  This is the first time in my adult life that I have made myself priority 1.  My mom & cousin & my close friends have been wonderful.  I couldn't imagine going through this without them.  I'm just glad they understand that I can't be my usual amazing self while I go through this.  Ha, ha, ha!!!

MsPharoah

Hello ladies. When I had chemo, I wondered why I was getting 6 TC when most ladies with my diagnosis were getting 4. I was told that i was pr- and that on a spectrum, was a more aggressive cancer, even with low grade. Now I find out that I am getting an extra boost of radiation. 6 boosts instead of 5. WTH!!!



I guess I shouldn't have told my doctors to make sure they didn't just "pi$$ my cancer off". Anyone else getting 28 treatments and 6 boosts?



Sandra

VAL1966

Hi ladies.. So glad I found this board to join.. Rads begin for me on oct 15th... 30 tx.. A little anxious as I will be 4 1/2 hrs away from my family.. But I'm sure I'm not the only one that has to travel that distance...

Wishing everyone a great weekend

4sewwhat

MsPharoah



I am getting 33 total not sure but I think he said 6 were boosts also my dose is going to be higher because of all those darn nodes. They also made a custom bolus I will wear every other day for 3 1/2-4 weeks to give the skin an extra dose. Yeah :0(



The bolus is like a cast made with some polymer (?) type material. It is supposed to trick machine into thinking the plastic shield your skin so your actual skin gets a more intense dose. Yeah again :0( Hope the skin holds up to that

MsPharoah

4sewwhat...yikes! I should stop complaining. Good luck with the bolus. I see my ro on Mon. I am going to ask because I am pretty sure he wants to give me an extra boost.



Had my 12th yesterday and have a little discomfort in my shoulder and underarm area. No skin color change yet.

Sandra

vwbordelon

4sewwhat



I am getting 28, no boost, and a bolus is used every other day. So far so good after 9.



Karibari-I know what you mean about making yourself first for the first time. I tell my family it's all about me right now. I have been blessed that i have been but it is not natural. I am a very involved and in charge kind of person. It's nice to take a step back and let others do it for awhile.



Have a great weekend everyone!

4sewwhat

Thanks ladies! I love to hear so far so good! I know they are going after my arm pit hard and I have to wear that damn compression sleeve and glove all day everyday straight on thru. I hate that thing. They did decide they didn't have to rad my neck for supraclavicular (?) nodes though. Thankful for that.

cider8

I think cocooning is perfectly fine. I cocoon most if the time when I'm in treatment and the immediate recovery time. I do feel guilty sometimes because that means I'm not running my girls around having fun. And my husband is a homebody so the girls are missing out on the public/community stuff. But they do enjoy playing at home with each other! I think of it as temporary (but for me it's been a lot of temporary!).



I leave for Houston on Tuesday. 14 hours away for me! My dad and I will be driving my van and then he will fly back home. In a few weeks my daughters and parents will drive down to visit me. Hubs will stay home the while time. He's not much of a caregiver to me but has taken on a lot with the kids and the house. I think he's pretty emotionally fatigued from it all going on so long, so I hope it's a good break for him. I'm also looking forward to not having as much responsibility. Even though I take it pretty easy, there is still caring for the kids, the house, groceries, lunches, laundry, pets, errands, phone. And guilt about not keeping up with it all. Rads twice per day plus PT and whatever else is in store for me...



So I still have the packing to do! I've got much of my to-do list done. Laundry almost done, house is clean, so the stage is set to start packing tomorrow.

TwoHobbies

I am totally cocooning as well. I just have little desire to talk to anyone except my immediate family. And well my energy level for actual activities is not high. I go back to work in a week so I wonder how my cocooning mode will work with that. I kind of dread it.



Good luck to Val and Cider on being so far from home.

LanaM

Hi all! I'll b starting rads sometime this fall. My last chemo is 10/25 - do they make u wait awhile between chemo & rads? I haven't been told too much about rads yet. Asked about how many rads i might have & My onco said it will b up to the rad onco, but he thinks maybe every day for 6 wks with weekends off. That seems like so much radiation. I'll be working throughout trtmt - wondering which would be better as far as early morning before work, or late day after work? Looking forward to the support of others going thru rad this fall too! Lana

LanaM

Hi all! I'll b starting rads sometime this fall. My last chemo is 10/25 - do they make u wait awhile between chemo & rads? I haven't been told too much about rads yet. Asked about how many rads i might have & My onco said it will b up to the rad onco, but he thinks maybe every day for 6 wks with weekends off. That seems like so much radiation. I'll be working throughout trtmt - wondering which would be better as far as early morning before work, or late day after work? Looking forward to the support of others going thru rad this fall too! Lana

TwoHobbies

Hi Lana. My RO said he likes to start about three weeks after chemo. I think I was almost at four weeks though. I'm doing 28 treatments total. Yes it's Monday thru Friday. I think it's very common to do 33 also. I decided to do early morning and then I'll go onto work.

L2girl

Hi all,

I have only had my first 4 treatments last week, but even after the first couple, I have been feeling soreness and tenderness inside the breast. I guess it is also on the outside. I hope this is normal. I will be meeting with the RO this week, so guess I'll ask him. Has anyone else experienced such? Maybe I am just extra sensitive...



Hope everyone else is doing well.

SophiaMarie

I have my set up appt tomorrow and am supposed to start rads on Oct 10th. I am very depressed about it. From surgery my breast is already smaller and deformed, and I'm dreading what rads will do. I really don't want a reduction on the other side either! I think it might all be a little easier if it would guarantee being cancer free, but it doesn't. Somebody help me!

ItIsWhatItIs2013

Hi everyone...



I got my first zap on Friday. It took Thursday and Friday to get me lined up right. A couple hours each apt. I originally thought I was getting 33, with the last 5 as boosts, but when they printed out my schedule, I'm doing 28 (last 5 are boosts). They place a bolus (sp?) over my scar to trick the rads to think its skin, to bring the actual radiation to MY skin... My tumor was in my upper chest and the surgeon had to remove tissue from the skin down to as close as he could go to my chest bone so they want to concentrate on that area.



I'm not sure if its in my head or not, but I felt twinges all weekend in my boob... Not painful really... Just noticing that its there. I was told not to expect any discomfort for a couple weeks..... I hope this isn't a sign that I'll have a tough time...



Anyhow... Good luck to everyone starting & let's hope we all sail through it with ease! It can't be worse than chemo right? Ugh! I don't think anything can be worse than chemo!



Lorrie

PegC01

Hello Ladies,

I start my Rad's Monday, I was told I will have 33 treatments with 3 boost.  Now I'm not sure it that would be 30 regular with 3 boost equaling 33 treatments or not, but it is what it is.   I'm just thinking of it as a star wars game, for every zap, it's killing the enemy.   All of my Physicians stated they got all the Cancer with surgery, and I'm doing all this for preventive measures....My OC told me with everything I'm doing, Chemo, (TC x 4) and my Rad's, along with my Armatose (Sp),  it will put me down to 10 percent recurrance.....so I'm good with those results.  

Lets stick together Ladies, Thank and Praise God each and everyday that we are strong enough to fight this and be healed. 

Rainyday13

Hello ladies,I

I have been hanging around since my diagnosis on July 5.  I have learned so much about breast cancer, more than I ever thought I would or needed too. It has given me a whole new appreciation of what one has to go through with this dreadful disease.  I dodged the chemo bullet.  

I am seeing the RO on October 4. I understand that I will have 7 weeks worth of rads. There is nothing better than being surrounded by women in the same situation. I am looking forward to comparing notes and gathering advice.

Regina

karibari

Hi Lana - I think everybody waits in between chemo & rad to give your body a little break.  I start 1 October, and I'm trying to decide what time of day to ask for (if I get a choice).  I think it depends on if you're a morning person or not - my neighbor went through all this 3 years ago, and she said she did well the first 2 weeks, but then got so sore she couldn't drive herself to treatment, so she was glad that she had afternoon appointments so that her friends & family could drive for her.  I'm praying none of us have that problem.  And I totally agree with PegC01 about thanking God that we are strong enough to fight.  Every time I start feeling sorry for myself, I count my blessings that I was in such good health before this happened, that I found my lump when I did & I live so close to some of the finest care in America.  Have a restful, relaxing evening everybody!

McKatherine

Mermaidia - my PS will re expand the TE on my right side (had to drain it for rads) two weeks after rads, then she likes to wait at least 6 months before doing the exchange. She said she gets better results if everything has had time to settle.

McKatherine

4sewwhat - I had the same thoughts about the Aquaphor! Thought it was odd that a petroleum based product was recommended.

My RO gives out samples of it, though - and also Miaderm. She had a list of recommended creams - but basically said anything was okay as long as it was paraben, fragrance, and antioxidant -free. That last one is hard - most natural /organic companies use Vit E as a preservative.

She did say that aloe, shea butter, and calendula were great for our skin.

It took me and one of the really helpful ladies at the organic market near us quite a while to find one I could use. I ended up with a cream that I'm adding calendula oil to as I rub it on my skin.

McKatherine

L2 girl & Lorrie - the nurses at my ROs office warned me about the twinges - but then said, "but if you're still numb from your surgery you probably won't notice". so I'm guessing that means the twinges are normal.



Sorry for all the posts - but I'm jut getting time read through after a crazy couple of weeks. I was supposed to start last Monday (9/16) but it got bumped to Thursday because the RO wanted to tweak my program (again). So I had my sim on Wed. and have now had 2/28.



They're using a bolus (very high tech - it's a wet washcloth!) for two of my four zaps.

D4619awn

have appt tomorrow to see what my lumpectomy showed and I may be starting radiation in a few weeks

D4619awn

i will probably be starting the same time as you.  I will find out my diagnois tomorrow alomg with what treatment is recommended.  Hoping it is just radiation

Jo6202

D4619awn,

Good luck with your lumpectomy report. I will be starting rads soon too. My simulation is scheduled for Oct. 9 th.

Jo6202

McKatherine,

I went for my consultation with RO and he gave me a big bottle of Aloe Plus cream. When I got home I read the label and was shocked to see propyl paraben and methyl paraben. I had gone through my makeup and creams etc. after my diagnosis and threw out anything that had paraben in it because I had read an article in the newspaper that parabens are a know cause of cancer. Will be asking dr if there are different types or if he is just not up on this.

Imamom

Hi everyone! Just found this site and I wish I had found it sooner. I had my simulation last week and am starting rads sometime next week. I have 28 treatments. My RO said no boost since I had a mx. Did anyone else not have one of those molds made? I got tats but no mold.

I'm wondering what everyone is doing about work? I live an hour away from the hospital and have three little kids and a full time job. Not sure how to juggle eveything and how tired I'll be. If I need to I'll cut down to part time or take medical leave for six weeks. Just wondering what others were planning.

Jo6202

Imamom,

Welcome to the group. I start my rads around Oct. 13 th. I have to drive an hour each way but luckily I'm retired. So much for enjoying my retirement....never planned to make a life of going to doctors, tests and surgery. Hope to put this behind me as soon as possible and get back to a fun retirement.