Winter rads 2014-2015

chrissie29

I am a lefty.  I drive to treatment every morning and then go to work where I drive more doing home health PT in the morning and finish my work day doing PT in the hospital.  I then drive home, stopping at the gym to run 30 minutes.  So far no fatigue.

 

farmerma

One week down, 5-1/2 to go! So far so good. Got REALLY tired yesterday and today, but that could just be from the new routine. Treatments have been quick and the redness I had on day 2 has subsided (I was concerned about having any cream on my body when I went for treatment that I was using an "all natural" baby wipe to clean off prior to going. They suspect that was just too harsh on my skin. Now that I stopped using the wipes, things are looking better. Aloe gel is my new best friend!

I have to say, I'm quite jealous of those of you who are all done. I'll get there eventually! Enjoy a treatment free weekend ladies!

magdalene51

not to gross y'all out, but... Rotting flesh stinks.

CoyoteNV

Welcome Cherice.  Spring is sort of relative.  There's plenty of snow out there for most of you.  For me, winter was finished the first week in February.  It's been at least 70 degrees prettymuch every day since then.  The new beginnings of Spring will really be here for all of us when every name on our list has a or . 

Someone posted somewhere about tucking a cute stuffed animal under the seat belt - might have been for rads or for port protection - don't remember - I claim chemo brain here.  I thought that was pretty cute.

Enjoy the week end all.  We're feeling pretty good around here. The house is getting back together after the upstairs shower leaked and we had to have a portion of the ceiling replaced, which required everything to be removed and replaced from the family room. The garage door opener works again. DH is a genius and replaced the broken parts himself!  The water heater works again and the pool pump motor has been replaced.  The upstairs furnace dehumidifier drain that was blocked and leaking into the downstairs computer room through the heat vent is fixed and the intake valve that cracked on the master bath toilet was replaced.  I stepped in more misplaced water puddles than I could believe. I feel guilty, but my initial reaction was to accuse the cat every time. He was totally innocent.  All that since Christmas.  I long for the uneventful! 

Beachbum1023

Hi Coyote, are you thinking it was the cute little puppy? I used that under my seatbelt strap to keep the pressure off my port. But it works nicely for rads too. I'm thinking I will keep him after treatment just to ride shotgun!

I finished rads #24, I should be done on Thursday with #28, but I will let you know so you can light the fireworks!

Have a magical weekend!

WndrWoman

Yeah, Mags, I had that smell in my underarm peely and scarlet area. The Silvadene really helped.

Beachbum102. You and the shotgun puppy pal rule the world.

Farmerma. Your day will come ... and sooner than it feels. Somehow when you are on the downhill side the days go faster.

Coyote. So with all that water are we invited to a pool party?! 70s sound terrific. Glad all has been repaired.

windgirl

Jean, i am a lefty too and was able to drive and back without problems, 23 done and 2 full 8 boost left for me. The seat belt did not hurt me but i thought about that too, and initially put my arm over it. I realized by the second one that it does not put pressure. I have not had any severe reactions though. Skin is darker and around the nipple especially is tender but thats about it. I did put aloe on after treatment before getting dressed as I went back to work.

quiggy

I'm a lefty, sort of short so sometimes the seatbelt rubbed but not a big issue. I started back to work two and a half weeks after surgery and except for 3 days, I've driven to work (1 hr each way). As others mentioned, fatigue is the biggest issue for driving.

WheelyGirl

beachbum1023 - where did you find the puppy for the seatbelt as it always bothered my port too.  I am a little worried about rads because I have super sensitive skin and am allergic to a lot of lotions and soaps and things and can only use certain brands of make up and such.  I am so jealous of all of those who are done and almost done with rads but so happy for you too!  I keep telling myself it is only six weeks and I can do it. 

Does anyone know If the markings and stickers will become tattoos at the first treatment or will I have to keep these for the 6 weeks?  The stickers are kind of itchy and I can't imagine not be able to let the shower water hit my back for 6 weeks.  That is what I use to wake me up in the morning ugh sigh...

Coyotenv - sounds like your hubby has been very busy at your house, really glad all repairs are done and hopefully no hidden water damage.  I too would like to thank you for hanging around and keeping the list up to date for the Winter Rads board, can't wait until I get my symbol to indicate finished.

quiggy

confession time;

I started boosts on Thursday and immediately had lots of swelling, red/purple and pain.Thursday night hard to sleep but went to work Friday. Driving to tx, takes a little over an hour, I started crying and couldn't collect myself. I'd decided to confront the RO and discuss pain relief and possibly stopping the tx.

My RO was out but I spk to another, disinterested RO. I passed tx for the day, got pain meds and went home. Hated myself for having a meltdown and for not doing tx.

I feel better today but panic at the thought of 6 more tx. The area includes my nipple and it's brutal!

I don't want to miss killing cancer cells but I'm freaking out about causing more pain. I can't stay home, gotta work.

I'm thankful for the weekend to decide what to do. Need a shot of courage and my big girl panties!!

kayfry

I found out yesterday that I won't be doing the breath-holding, as my RO doesn't use it. She feels that holding breaths can change the position in an inconsistent way, whereas she will have figured normal breathing into the plan and accounted for it. I understand that different ROs have different takes on this, but mine is at Johns Hopkins and I have to trust that she's got this thing. I also found out that the one tattoo is the only one I'm getting, and the purple marker/sticker arrangement is supposed to stay in place for the whole duration of my treatment, which is basically until the end of March. Well, good to know.

kayfry

WheelyGirl, as I said above, apparently my markers and stickers are staying for the duration, which is 4 weeks of treatment, basically all of March. Only 1 tattoo, and no more to come (I called to ask all these questions yesterday). My marks and stickers are on my front and sides, though. The stickers are a little bit itchy, not terrible. I was told that if they're really bothering me, they would figure out an alternative, but they're not that bad so far.

kayfry

quiggy, so sorry the boosts are giving you so much trouble! I think I'm in line for 4 of them after the 15 whole-breast tx. Ugh. I hope the weekend gives you a chance to recover! Maybe they could modify your plan for fewer boosts?

WheelyGirl

Ugh, I have six weeks and the markers and stickers are on my back and top of both arms and the side of my left breast I will be on my stomach for treatment.  I guess I will understand more after my first treatment will just have to be patient and wait.

CassieCat

I never had any stickers, and they used marker on me one day but I was able to wash it off that evening. I do have 5 tattoos, however. So interesting how procedures can vary.

kayfry

WheelyGirl, your experience might be different from mine, too. Possibly some or all of your stickers and marks will be replaced with tattoos at your first treatment? Looks like everyone has their own way of doing this. And I'm on my back for treatments, which may be less good for my heart but will definitely be better for my neck with the iffy C 4-5 joint that really hurts when I have to crank my head to the side to lie on my stomach. Seems like this whole thing is a series of trade-offs, as in, we'd rather not be doing it at all, but on the other hand, rather go through rads and feel assured we've done everything we can to prevent a recurrence of BC.

WndrWoman

quiggy. Put on Beachbum102's cancer kicking boots with the big girl panties. You can do it. Two weeks and you will be healing. Two weeks to help add years of good living. But they need to give you lidocaine or Silvadene or Medihoney or something so those two weeks are not a nightmare. Can someone drive with you and hold the Kleenex and help you get through it and maybe talk to he doctor on your behalf? I know my boost area went scarlet and peeled so I told myself that it must be working on the inside. And don't kick yourself. We all fall apart with bad days. We have a pretty scary disease with beastly treatments. Only shows we are sane when we go berserk.

WheelyGirl

Kayfry - the way my board (or whatever you call the thing I lay on) is set up, there is a hole for my left breast and just a groove for my right then at the top is a pillow type thing with a hole in it that my forehead and chin rest on (so I am looking at nothing).  I have to get my right breast as far away from my left and into the groove as I can with my left breast just hanging in the hole.  I have bad sciatica so was really worried about laying on my stomach like that but I was actually fairly comfortable for the 20-30 minutes they took to set it all up.  It was difficult to stand up after they were done, I don't think my back liked that position but it did not hurt while I was laying there.  I will definitely need to ask them about music on Thursday, I just kept my eyes closed since I did not have anything to see anyway.  My husband is excited about the opportunity to draw on me with a marker since they told him to make sure the markings did not fade.  He has a blue one all ready for me with his doctor evil laugh.

WndrWoman

Oh, and quiggy, if you talk with your regular RO and decide to stop, we are behind you. Make the best decision for you.

quiggy

Thanks WndrWoman. I do need a little beachbum102 attitude!

Its been 4 1/2 months of hell and I need to hold it together for the next 6 txs. 😁

zjrosenthal

Quiggy, you can do this. The end is almost here. You made it through the worst and will be done before you know it. Hang in there girl we are rooting for you. Cheers. Love, Jean

quiggy

Thanks zjrosenthal. I need the weekend to recoup and adjust my attitude.

Beachbum1023

Hi Quiggy, 6 more to go? I have 4 more. We are almost done! I'm pretty tired today, but getting those cancer killing butt kicking boots all ready to go for Monday. We are so close. We just have to suck it up a little longer

Beachbum1023

Hi WheelyGirl, I found my shotgun puppy in the baby department at Stein Mart. But any place that sells stuffed animals should work. I was looking at the evil lizard, but I thought it would be too skinny to work well.

quiggy

Beachbum1023 😊

Beachbum1023

Quiggy, a smiley face! We got this, even if it does suck, just because we are so worth it! I just put some more Aloe on, and I'm going to push through it. Kicking and screaming, but still doing it.

quiggy

Yep, gonna smile and pull my cry-baby self together and get this done.

LARock

You go Quiggy! You've got this

kayfry

WheelyGirl, that sounds a little rough, but not as bad as I thought with the special table for lying on your stomach. Since the actual treatments are short, I'm betting you'll not have much trouble with it. But definitely need music! At my simulation, there were cherry blossoms on the ceiling to look at, which isn't that original for a hospital located in Baltimore Since my actual treatments are at a different location closer to my home, I don't know yet what, if anything, will be the view. It is odd to be all marked up, isn't it?

CassieCat

I have my head turned to the side, so even if there was something directly above on the ceiling, I wouldn't see it. Luckily, the treatments are pretty fast.