Fall Rads 2014

HomeMom

Hindsfeet we are all in your pockets and praying for you. So sorry you have to deal with the swollen esophagus, it will get better,  but I feel you are a strong woman and your faith will get you through this!

ncollett

Psalm lol you are right maybe we would want a memento lol. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZitK6_IMQ This is a link to my favorite song right now. I listen to it over and over and it gives me peace. 

Just Be Held 

Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on

And when youre tired of fighting
Chained by your control
Theres freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go

So when youre on your knees and answers seem so far away
Youre not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
Im on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

If your eyes are on the storm
Youll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
Youll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, youll understand
Im painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where youll find Me
And where you are, Ill hold your heart
Ill hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who wont let go

PontiacPeggy

Hindsfeet, I want you to take heart.  My dad's cousin had breast cancer that had spread.  This was back in the 70s (or maybe starting in the 60s) so treatments were vastly different than now.  She did extremely well.  She'd have chemo for awhile, then go off it.  She preferred self-medicating with whiskey  She lived many, many years and truly enjoyed life.  I found her inspirational then and more so now.  So do what's necessary with determination and have a whiskey as needed

Psalm34-4

hindfeet.. Every day is a gift from God and we fool ourselves into thinking we are in control of our life. I could die tomorrow from car accident, heart attack, freak accident... who knows? God knows.. it is just something about the words cancer that put our mortality into check. God has appointed us all a time to be born, a time to die... and guess what, nothing can change that... not even cancer! You keep your positive attitude and faith in Him, and He is faithful and just to keep His promises to us... (Including to never leave nor forsake us). I worked with Hospice for a while, and learned from many what it is to live!  If we only could cherish every day as the gift that it truly is. Don't let others get you down, but I know as a nurse, it is hard when you feel like you can't help someone, or to see one suffer from what you have to do to try to help them. We are supposed to be able to fix everything. What other, if any, treatments are you doing?  

ncollett...LOVE the words to that song, thank you for sharing.

ncollett

Hindsfeet I hope you are doing ok today. I am so sorry your not feeling very well. Just be held. Just close your eyes and imagine Jesus holding you in his arms rocking you in his big rocking chair telling you its ok he has this and to just be held. Im praying for you and hope you have peace and healing. 

Fionascottie

I expect to begin rads in the late fall, so I'll be interested in how things are going for all of you! I finish chemo (TCHP) on Sept 18, but my lumpectomy will take place (Oct) before rads start. I had chemo first and will be SO glad to finish it!  So, late fall, early winter start for me.

I am interested in knowing if any of you girls with left breast involvement are getting your treatments  in a prone ( face down) position to help in the avoidance of damaging the heart or left lung. I have met my OR once when this process began. He shared a great deal of information and I felt I was going to be in good hands..I see him again in Oct to get things lined up

PontiacPeggy

Fionascottie, I am getting left breast radiation.  I did not need chemo, had my lumpie July 23 and started my rads Sept 2.  So I'm still new at them.  I am not having them prone.  I, too, have a lot of confidence in my RO.  So glad you are finishing chemo soon - that will be a huge relief for you.  HUGS!

ncollett

I have not started yet but will have rad on my left side as well and my RO had gone into great deal explaining things and has made me feel very comfortable. I have all the confidence in them and know they will do their best to avoid what they can and make my SE as less as possible.

HomeMom

I had a mx and since I won't have a breast to be radiated, just the arm pit, I'm not sure how and if it would affect my heart/ lungs. I just finished Taxol and have a follow up with blood work with my MO in three weeks. No RO visit scheduled yet.

maryland

I had a BMX, cancer in the left breast, right breast LCIS. They only got a 1mm clean margin and my neoadjuvant therapy had no effect on my cancer so I will be having rads to my left chest. I also had 10/11 nodes all with still active cancer so I'm counting on the rads to get whatever is left. I will be having my in supine (up) position and also have great confidence in my RO. I'll be starting week of Sept 15.

MommyQ

Fionascottie: I am getting my left breast (what's left of it after the mastectomy) and armpit radiated, and will be lying facing up. My RO said that a part of my lung will be clipped by the radiation, but the only side effect that might occur is short term asthma, which can be treated. He also said that although they direct the beams to minimize contact with the heart, the heart would get some of the radiation, and although there is the potential for some damage, it's nothing that would "make me die any younger."  So, I'm hopeful that it all goes well.

I had my simulation last Wednesday (9/3) so I should be starting treatment sometime this week. If you're super concerned about heart and lung damage, you might look into proton therapy, which is a newer type of radiation treatment. They can control the beams better in proton therapy to stop the radiation beam before it reaches the heart & lungs. The problem is that it's available only in a few hospitals and is not covered by all insurance plans. I wanted to do proton therapy but my insurance doesn't cover it.

ncollett

MommyQ my RO had told me the same thing. He just said that they will help me with the SE if I have any and that they shouldnt be too bad. 

jhodro

Finished number 13 this morning. I am definitely beginning the fatigue phase of things - I'm great in the morning but by about 2pm, I'm ready for a nap. If I set an alarm, I'm good after about 45 minutes. If I don't, I ended up sleeping 2 1/2 hours on Saturday. My skin is pretty pink, but other than that and the sensitivity to something brushing against it...I'm in decent shape.

Happy Monday all!!

Blownaway

I have not started rads yet because my onco decided that I'm doing well enough (according to bloodwork) to take in 2 more TCH treatments. He originally said 4 would do the trick. I just had my 4th chemo on Sept 2 and am tired beyond belief all the time. I cant imagine what I will feel like after 2 more chemos.  Are you saying tbat radiation is even worse than the chemo for fatigue?

Psalm34-4

blown.. I don't know because I have had neither.. but from what I have heard and read, I think the chemo fatigue is the worst. I think once you finish that, the rads will be much easier on you. Keep up whatever you are doing that has impressed your onco and stay well hydrated.

OneLump

Thinking of you Hindsfeet.  My heart goes out to you.  Don't lose your enthusiam or encouragement.  This disease throws lots of curve balls, but it can't steal all of your joy and hope.

Puffin2014

for anyone looking for a soft cotton bra to wear during rads, check out www.boscovs.com, Bestform Cotton Double Lined Sports Bra 6014. It's only $8.99, hooks in the front. Mine arrived today and it's very comfy

Psalm34-4

Thank you Puffin.. think that will definitely come in handy.

lilyrose53

Puffin,

Thanks for the info!  That sounds like a great deal.  I will check out Boscovs.

I see my RO next week to get set up and get my tattoos.  I think I'm starting on the 22nd.  Not looking forward to rads but I am eager to move on.

HomeMom

I just set up a consult with another RO who has an office close to me. I'm starting to get full of appt's again - PT - Nutritionist - RO and one more with the MO for blood work. 

PontiacPeggy

It does get crazy, doesn't it, HomeMom?  The practice I use for my rads also has an office about 25 minutes away.  My sister-in-law knows one of the ROs there and really likes her.  But I opted for their office 10 minutes from me since I have to drag DH along (can't leave him alone) and the extra half hour or more would be challenging.  He sits in the car while I have my appt.  

Good luck!

HomeMom

Peggy I wanted to keep it consistent, but to go 30-35 min every morning pay tolls and fight most likely rush hour traffic led me to look around. A poster on here who also lives in Orlando went to this doc and loved it. I cleared it with my MO first but what she wants me to ask is which office (he has one down town as well) has the best machine. If he tells me down town, I might as well stick with the RO I have. If he says the office near me, then I will go there. I had to jump through hoops to get the consult, lots of phone tag and confusion, but I have it now for next week.

I guess this will all start next month! 

PontiacPeggy

Oh my, HomeMom.  What a lot of mess associated with your choices.  Ugh.  I'm very lucky.  Everything is on the campus of the hospital near us that we use for DH.  The cancer surgery center is in a separate building and my MO is there.  The radiology is in a separate building.  My BS is in a separate building on the campus, too.  Very convenient and excellent physicians and facilities.  I wish you were able to have everything in one place.  And isn't it nice that someone else on this site lives near enough to give you a recommendation?  Good luck!

ncollett

Good morning everyone. Had a very rough day yesterday. After my re-excision while in recovery I had some really bad seizures. They had to give me 5mg Versed twice, Ativan and Topamax to get it under control according to my DH. I was surprised they didnt keep me after that. Then on the way home I had to have my DH pull over because I got sick.. not fun period but even worse in the rain. This am I am pretty sore still. My nurse told me that I should ask my PCP about getting a port put in to make it easier to get blood draws on me. Has anyone done that who is just getting Radiation and not chemo?

Blownaway

Ncollet - I have a power port for chemo and will continue to have Herceptin infusions for a full year but I also use the port for blood draws. My onco doesn't like for me to use it for blood draws but TOUGH!

Before you leave the house, you put lidocaine cream on the skin covering the port and place Saranwrap over it so that the area is numb by the time you "get it accessed".  If your center is like mine, you go to the infusion therapy office first, sign in and eventually they call you back and stick a needle through the skin and into the port which will have a tube hanging from it (now it's accessed). After that, you can go to the lab to have your blood drawn (they take it from the tube).  The lab will probably not remove the needle so you would have to return to the infusion therapy office, sign in again, to have the needle removed.  This seems like a lot of trouble for just a blood draw.

Puffin2014

Nancy: using the port for blood draws increases the chance of it getting plugged with clots. They have anticlotting stuff they can inject which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Unless they really really have trouble getting blood from your veins, I'd skip the port.

OneLump

I'm so sorry to hear about your bad day.  Rain, sick, seizures...you poor dear.  I hope you are feeling better today.  

OneLump

Two weeks in: My "girl" is sore, not bad, but definitely feels like a slight sun burn.  It is also swollen two inches larger than the other one.  I am just beginning to have fatigue, but not unbearable.  I have been making sure I apply lotion twice a day.  Still get zinger pains from time to time.  Armpit still numb.  Anyone else on week 2?  How are you feeling?  Be healthy ladies.

PontiacPeggy

OneLump, I just completed rad #8.  No SEs so far.  My girl is still somewhat swollen.  Armpit is numb.  I gather it can take a very long time before the feeling comes back (if ever - according to my BS).  Nipple is still extra sensitive.  No zingers, thank heavens!  However, I am sore from caring from my DH.  He has Parkinson's, weighs 200 lbs and I have to an awful lot of lifting of him and that's hard on my "bad" side.  He was exceptionally bad yesterday and I pulled something and my armpit was sore.  Better today.  Hope the fatigue stays manageable.

OneLump

Thanks Peggy.  I am again sad to hear that your hubby is so sick.  Do you have anyone at all who comes and gives you a break?  I hope my armpit is not numb permanently, but I am beginning to think it might be.  Time will tell.  Glad you are not really having any SEs either.  Sounds like we are very similar in treatment plans.  Sometimes I get scared that my cancer will return, but then I remember that we are starving it food wise (medications) and I've had surgery and doing treatment and to live life and be happy.  I guess cancer will always be a part of me now.