SEPTEMBER 2008 rads group

I have one more regular and 5 boosts to go - I guess I'll be wrapping it up for the September group.  So far I have only gotten red and itchy - but I think things are starting to happen.  My lumpectomy scar is not in a place I can see too well - under my boob, almost to my bra line.  I am beginning to feel something - not really sure if it is a blister or peeling, but it's something.  It's also starting to sting under my arm - near the scar there.  I thought I was getting away too easy, guess I'm not afterall. 

Yesterday at rads - I got a "treat" back from the girls for halloween - I didn't expect it.  As we were on our way to go trick or treating, my son tried to steal it from me.  I didn't let him have my chocolate when he was on his way to go out and get his own!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Congrats to all who have finished this week!

Hey Chris & vhqh!  Won't be long now, just another week.  Pretty soon, we will ALL BE DONE WITH RADS!!  YAY!

Kathi

AAAAHHHH!!!  Thanks, NancyD!   You just made my weekend complete!  I can't wait to get home, and weather permitting, once we land in Bethel.

I'm glad ALL this is ALL but over!  It sure has been SOME kind of roller coaster ride, huh?  And I have to say, I certainly didn't get to do the things I wanted to, while I was here...  AND, I'm really glad my brother came with me, even though we had it rough in the beginning!  Now, he's gotten sick, YET AGAIN!  Which means I'll probably be getting it too...YEESH!

Well, I hope y'all had a great weekend!  AND THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH for y'alls support!

Congrats Sharon!!

The surgery site is no where near the rads which is the reason the rads onc said he didnt have a restriction on the waiting time- the surgery will be a hysterectomy and the rads site was the axilla, mastectomy site etc.

I see the gynecologist tomorrow and will discuss with him- Im leaning toward Nev 20 just so I can be healed enough to at least participate in some Christmas events even if I cant drive to them. Thanksgiving might be scaled down but I might be near normal by Christmas this way..........

I want it before year end due to insurance stuff- everything starts over Jan 1 and also because of my mind- I just think it will be a big relief to go into next year without that looming over my head- still will have herceptin and hormone treatment but at least not another surgery. I AM SO SICK OF THIS!!!!

Kristy

Yeah Sharon on being done.  So glad you get to go home!!!  

Kristy - sorry you have more to go through but I totally understand wanting to get it over and done with.  I just finished my rads on Friday so not much help on the healing process as I'm just in the thick of it.  I took until Thursday off from work and I'm hoping for big changes in the next couple of days because I am really, really sore.  It's just all the movement under my arm that is irritating the situation. I had 28 rads and the rad techs said it would peak at 9 days and the doctor said it would get worse about 4 days after and then get better.  It's confusing when they don't agree on what to expect.  What has been other people's experience.  I had the boulus everyday except the last week and you can sure tell where it was used.  Where it wasn't used isn't so bad.

Hi Ladies,

I wanted to let you all know that I attended a "Look Good Feel Better" seminar at a local hospital.  If one is coming near you, I would suggest you go.  It was an informal meeting and I got to bring a friend.  They gave us sandwiches and spoke to us about wigs, turbins, makeup, just how to feel better.  They had a makup consultant there to show us how to use all the "freebee's" that they gave us.  I would have to guess that I walked out with over $500.00 worth of makeup and skin creams - chanel, Lancome, avon, marykay etc.  You can go too lookgoodfeelbetter.com to see if they will be in your area.  Check it out, it was fun and free.

Glad to hear the tkone will be finished soon too!  You're almost there!

Kristy - Hang in there.  I would want to get it done asap too.  I think it would be nice to start the new year off by leaving all your bc bs behind you!

Hi Kristy - meant to reply to you here and somehow ended up on the May board??  Oh well.  I'm with you about the discomfort.

Yesterday was my last regular - today I will have my first boost.  I cannot believe that my skin was doing so well until this weekend - with just one treatment left, I thought I was home free.  I couldn't sleep through the discomfort last night.  I finally pulled my pjs up and let it get fresh air.  It felt better, but I don't think I can do that today here at work .  There are two areas that are really uncomfortable - under my arm and under my boob.  I don't think it is blistering or peeling, just sore - it looks really weird too - like nothing I have ever seen, but looking in the mirror, it is hard to tell - so last night I kept flashing my husband and girls and asking them what it looks like - they all just replied "gross".  Today, for the first time ever at work - I don't have a bra on, but it was tough to decide which is worse, the bra rubbing on it or skin rubbing on skin.  I have a whole medicine cabinet with me, I have hydrocortizone cream for the itching up top - aquaphor, neosporine, and corn starch, but am not sure which is the best for the underneath - the doctor said to use neosporine, but I feel like that is not helping, and the drier the better, so this morning I just went with the corn starch.

Yep NancyD - I should be done 11/10.  Hmmm - my favorite drinks are margaritas or mudslides and I think we've seen both here.  I'm up for something different - I'll try anything so you can introduce me to something new if you want.

I have an appointment with the med onc the day after my last boost - we set the appointment before we knew when I would be starting rads (or even what type I was having) so it's interesting that it is one day later.  My tamoxifen arrived yesterday, but I am not supposed to take it until after rads, so I guess I won't take it at all until after my appointment Tuesday.

Today it still hurts, but not nearly as much as it did over the weekend, but I have stopped wearing a bra - I hope my coworkers are enjoying my new "free" look, but I guess they understand.

For the regular treatments, no sharpie markings - they just worked off the tattoos.  For the boosts they are marking me every day.  I guess that's better than more tattoos, and at least it is not ruining the bras that I am not wearing.  I have requested purple markings since I wear purple almost every day.

Tracy & vhqh - we are nearing the end of treatments together, hope all goes well for the last few.  Thanks to the others for not abandoning us. 

Just quickly popping in to say I'm right there with Tracy, vhqh & Dancemom until they are finished.  I've been pretty sore the last week but that seems to be easing up now.  Really kept up the skin care and wore what was comfortable and that has helped.  Plan on keeping the skin care up until it has all healed.  

 Hope everyone else is making out okay.  Won't find out about starting tamox until next weeks appointment with the oncologist.  After reading all the new studies on the side effects I'm almost looking forward to more hot flashes??? 

Hi Everyone,

I hope some of you are still reading this thread as well as the new one.  I have a question. 

 I finished rads Oct 27th.  I never had chemo.  Lumpectomy on left breast, no node involvment.  I have mild constant pain (for lack of a better word) in my shoulder.  It's really not painful, but I am aware of something there.  I have full range of motion and can do anything I want.  Yesterday I played tackle football with my 13 year old sons and his friends.  I am very active.  I keep hearing about mets and am wondering if the mild pain I am having could be mets or something caused by radiation? Has anyone had mets and if so, cold you describe the pain?  My shoulder was NOT radiated.  Any thoughts?

Hope everyone else is doing great!  Just a few more to go and the whole Sept group will be done!  YEAH!!!

Thank you!

Lisa,

I went to the gynecologist for my exam- pre-surgical and they are now going to do a colonoscopy before surgery. It is scheduled for Nov 20. I have really bad hemorrhoids- 5 pregnancies all big babies is probably the cause of some rectal bleeding but onc wanted to verify before surgery. I had a lot of problems with bleeding roids during chemo also.

I am going to see my Onc tomorrow and am going to ask about having my surgery in January- I am leaning toward taking the extra time for more healing, work on the blood counts and also to do some abdominal strenghning in prep for the hysterectomy. I have 5 kids- 4 still live at home but the college girl will be home a month during the holidays- and I am thinking I will recover better if it is NOT during the time that everyone is home fulltime. Additionally my job is very year end intensive- I do IT for Human Resources and Payroll at my company and year end is the whole month of December and absolutely crazy. I have been out so much this year- if it is not a big risk factor, I think it would help my boss to delay until January.

 This is all subject to change (again) LOL- what ar eyou thinking?

Kristy