MAY 2009 Rads
Comments
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BTW, Congrats Margo!!!!!!! Stoli and cranberry. I stocking up for my trip to PA!!!! But for now a toast--One cyber sip!
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Oh Jess, that had me cracking up! I think there must be something called radiation brain because the other day I undressed in the changing room before realising I hadn't picked up my gown. Then, I only just stopped myself wandering out half naked to the cubby holes where the gowns are stored (the cubby holes are in full view of the waiting area).
It's funny how you get relaxed about being half naked in front of the radiotherapy staff. I was laughing inwardly to myself the other day after talking away to the radiotherapist about something random while he unbuttoned my gown .... I thought if anyone had told me this time last year a younger man would be unbuttoning my top while I chatted nonchalantly to him I wouldn't have believed them.
Funnily enough, I can related to what you say about hiding your bra from them....I've stopped wearing one for now because the skin is so tender but when I first started treatment and did wear one I would always wrap it up in my top so they couldn't see it in my bag (they give us clear plastic bags to carry our clothes in). I didn't even think that was odd until reading your post -- why was I worried about them seeing my bra when I flash my chest at them every day?!
I'm sure we can come up with a better name for radiation brain.. Rads Brain? Zapped Brain? Burnt Brain??
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oh Jess! you crack me up LOL! thanks for the chuckle!
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I wanted to post a cute conversation I had at DD's basketball game.
I saw a little boy that I've known forever and said "hi" to him. He looked at me like he was trying to figure out who I was.
So, I said, "Gavin, it's me, Mrs. M** (I hate being called Mrs. M**; it makes me feel old!) Gavin said, "Oh, hi, you cut your hair just like mine!"
I laughed and said, "Yes, I loved your cut so much that I copied you".
He said, "Well, I liked your old hair better!"His mom was SO embarrassed. I thought it was cute. I have forgotten that I look so different when I'm out with my "short" cut. Gavin, never even noticed that I lost my hair even though I saw him frequently throughout treatment; I always had a wig or hat on to appease DD.
Kids are SO honest! -
All May Radiators -Thank you SOOO much for the CONGRATS. My husband and I celebrated tonite YEAH!! To all of you ladies who willbe done soon-HANG IN THERE!!! It's almost over!
Jess-Poor you with the bathrobe and the bra. Yup it's FRIED RAD BRAIN syndrome!!
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All May Radiators -Thank you SOOO much for the CONGRATS. My husband and I celebrated tonite YEAH!! To all of you ladies who willbe done soon-HANG IN THERE!!! It's almost over!
Jess-Poor you with the bathrobe and the bra. Yup it's FRIED RAD BRAIN syndrome!!
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Congrats to Amer,Ivory and Princess! Cosmic champagne toasts to you all! Now don't drive to treatment by accident tomorrow!
JR too funny!
Isn't it odd how we lose all modesty at a certain point. Do you know how many doctors and nurses and techs have looked at my breast in the last 9 months? Too bad for them they aren't perky and cute.
Cruise I hope your skin is feeling better. Just a few more days and you can go back to being a mermaid. I started Tamoxifen May 5th
Ivory I am pre-menopausal and was having periods about every 6 months. I had one in May right after chemo and then again in June. I have a feeling this will make my Onc unhappy. He was telling me I was done and to just accept menopause. He doesn't like to be wrong, you should have seen the look I got when my hair hung on past the 15 days he had declared it would be out! I think he's a control freak, ha ha.
I had a nice walk this morning with my little dog, and then had time to play in the garden for a few minutes. Now it's into the shower, into the car and off for the radiant spa experience. I'm really sick of this, but used to it too. I don't know it's just too weird to think I"ll be done I've been doing so much cheer leading for the past 9 months.
Happy day raddettes! Every day we are closer to the end!
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Jess and Lisa, thanks for the laughs this morning!
I think the chemo brain doesn't entirely go away just because we have finished with infusions. I put a salt container on the breakfast table the other day instead of vitamins. Didn't notice it for the longest time.
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Whew! I'm glad to hear it's not just me having continuing brain problems. I thought that would be over with once I finished chemo. My DH and kids just humor me and roll their eyes...
I start my boosts today. I am so ready to be done with this! I joke that whenever anyone comes into any room I'm sitting in, I start unbuttoning my top. It seems that half of Charlotte, NC, has seen my breasts! I think after all this I'm going to treat what is left of my breasts to some pretty bras that I don't have to be ashamed of.
Since I'm also triple negative, I won't have any further drugs. Hopefully the chemo and radiation has done the trick. Congrats again to all of you who have finished!!! The rest of us are following closely behind!
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Americanpinay, PrincessKauai, and Ivorymom: Welcome to the other side of rads!!!! A toast -- Mojitos for each of you!!
Lisa: That d@mn machine better be working today!!!!! Sorry for your disappointing delay.
Cruise: Thanks for orginizing the roll call. I'm on Arimidex.
Radettes: Please keep voting for Holtbolt's son. You can cast a vote everytime you log in to the internet. What and awesome thing for a 13 yr old.....
http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1177058/pid/1175576
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You guys make me laugh. But, I did something very similar. I was given the choice to just come in bra less with a button up top on. That way my routine was just to unbutton my top and flop on the table. That sounded good to me being an old hippie and all. Well the other day I walked in and flopped down on the table with my blouse still fully buttoned. Yep, I guess it's fried brain all right. Remember that fried egg commercial. This is your brain this is your brain on drugs. I think about that one a lot. Some of you may be too young to remember that one.
I was allergic to the Taxotere so chemo was definitely more difficult for me. I hated it so much that I didn't care if my boob was raw and I had to go back on major pain meds. Chemo was not fun for me.
Three Graduate today. Yeah! It is so fun to watch the count down. Cheers
Lisa may the machine do it's thing today.
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Sad news about Farrah Fawcett today. She's with the real angels now. Even though she didn't have breast cancer, it still stinks that this horrible disease took one more person.
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LOL...I had to laugh at the radiation brain.....because of what I did yesterday. I had gotten finished with my tx and walked into the changing room and stripped off my gown without realizing I hadn't gotten my shirt out of the locker. So there I stood.....getting ready to open the door to go get them!!! I grabbed my gown and just wrapped it around me like a towel and went out to get my shirt. I was so embarrassed......but the only person that saw me was a young teen aged girl who looked at me with one of those "looks"........I just looked back at her and told she would be "old" someday!!!! lolol
Good to hear so many are finished with the tx's. Cruise.....gentle hugs sweetie!!! Not much longer. We only have 3 more to go........we can do it g/f!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Congratulations Meg!!!
Just came back from my medical oncologist's office with a prescription for Femara. We've agreed to do a split treatment: half of the 5 years on AI and have on tamoxifen.
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Debonthelake--Your description cracked me up. Yes, I do remember the fried egg commericials.
Ivorymom/Meg--Congratulations and I think I know what you are thinking and feeling about what to do next now that tx is over. I felt sort of weepy today when I met with the oncologist and radiologist today. I've been wanting to get my port out and when the oncologist signed the paper for it, I felt suddenly alone and thought about getting my real breast checked again. It is strange to me, here we are all from different locations around the world, yet we seem to be going through the same /similar cycle of emotions. I suppose it's all part of the cycle of our tx.
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Meg, woohoo!!! You are finished!!
I can't wait - last one tomorrow!!! I have my followup with the medical onc next week to discuss where we go from here. By 2 pm tomorrow, I will be finished - and on to the next stage!
Texas, is Femara similar to Arimidex?
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I am so sad about Farrah. Now Micheal Jackson has died. What a world. Like I always say nobody gets out of here alive!!!
I got a call from City of Hope today that the machine is down and not to come in. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Now I will not be done till the 15th. Which is what cruise has me anyway. Who knew she was psychic?
Congrats to ivory, princess and american!!!! Looks like I going to have to have three glasses of champagne. HIC!
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Good Afternoon Radettes...
I have only 3 more boosts to deal with and then I will be celebrating too!!!...On the way in to my treatment I saw some "roadkill" and commented to the techs that my boob looked just like it. They said it doesn't look that bad...but close...and then we laughed. We have a very good relationship.... The sores are getting better thanks to SILVADINE....
Congrats.....YOU ARE DONE!!! Americanpinay, Ivorymom and Princesskaui59...CELEBRATE TONIGHT!!!!!
Here is our updated RAD DONE countdown list....I also added HORMONE therapy - let me know what you will be taking when the Rads are done.....
- kt57 - June 18th ....FINISHED...ARIMIDEX
- Seagan - June 22nd ...FINISHED
- Puppers - June 22nd....FINISHED
- Texas357 - June 23rd....FINISHED...FEMARA/TAMOXIFEN (50/50)
- margo1 - June 24th...FINISHED
- americanpinay - June 25th...FINISHED..TAMOXIFEN
- Ivorymom - June 25th...FINISHED
- Princesskaui59 - June 25th...FINISHED..TAMOXIFEN
- chelev - June 26th
- Cruise4Life - June 30th.......FEMARA
- lisalisa - June 30th...ZOMETA/TAMOXIFEN?
- Genia - June 30th
- KM47 - June 30th
- barbiedahl - July 2nd...TAMOXIFEN
- Facecrafter - July 3rd
- LynnVA - July 3rd
- ddlatt - July 6th
- carolinachick - July 6th
- ajlive - July 7th.............FEMARA
- Pringles - July 9th
- debonthelake - July 10th
- jrgolomb - July 13th
- Bold - July 15th
- Deb-Ohio - July 20th
- Snappygoddess - July 30th
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Tamoxifen for me Cruise and I'm dreading it!!!
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Hi ladies...
I am done with rads!!! I just want to thank each and every one of you for all the help and support through this barbecue/frying phase of the treatment...
Cruise...thanks so much for keeping tabs of graduations and hormone therapy...LOL on road kill...
Bold...nobody gets out of here alive is CLASSIC!!!....sorry about your delay...
KT57...mojito is my drink of choice...regular, mango-flavored, watermelon-flavored...you name it...cheers!!!
Jess...bra story is soooo funny...
Barbie...how's tamox treating you?
Ivorymom...yes, we are all survivors...I remember the very nice (and very good) nurse practitioner telling me before I started chemo that I am already a survivor because the cancer is caught and I am fighting it with treatments...BTW, I salute you...you baked them cookies...I was only able to do store-bought treats and gift cards for my rad peeps...I did exert some effort there...I drove to the store, didn't I?
Princess...are you done?
On my way to TX this morning, I kept my fingers crossed that the machine does not break down...it was extra wonderful to hear that machine buzz for the last time this morning...I am reading this book, Taking Charge of Your Breast Cancer, can't remember the author's name (breast cancer doctor from Long Beach, CA, I think...sorry, chemo/rad fry brains) and he says that you have got to believe that you are cured after active treatment...I say yeah!!!
Did we all agree to keep this thread going for diet/exercise/hormone theraphy?
Be well ladies...
P.S. I celebrated today by booking a 4th of July weekend trip to...Vegas, baby...but I am not waiting on that mojito...or mojitoS
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meg, i'm so happy for you! congrats!! I thought i'd be happy to finish rads, but i feel really emotional now that i only have 5 more treatments to go. i imagine the last day of rads and it always makes me cry. i think it's because i've felt so well taken care of and i felt like every day since january, either chemo or rads were killing the cancer cells in my body. and after i finish rads, then what?? then it's totally up to me and to fate. it's scary. my mother and grandmother both had recurrence after their chemo - their breast cancer spread to the bone within two years. so i'm pretty nervous about that. i know we have to exercise and eat a healthy diet every day to try to prevent recurrence. i felt safe during my tomotherapy radiation, and it's going to be a loss for me when i finish.
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Yeah! It's over! It did pass! Thanks for the virtual toast Barbie
will plan to have a real one tonight with DH & sister too. I brought in a card, assorted cookies and an assortment of antioxidant teas for my Rad - Rad Onc Crew, the Valets, and the Receptionists. Someone else brought in baked goods too and I overheard one fella saying that he'd gained 10 lbs since becoming a RT (whoops! You might want to think about a veggie tray for your crew when the time comes...) I got teary-eyed thanking one of my most steadfast RTs, and had my two favorites take care of me today which was nice.
The RN gave me flowers and a certificate of completion and we all wished never to see one another again and had a round of hugs. It was a nice touch.
Congrats Ivory and Americanpinay!!
My underarm area seems to have turned the corner and is hurting less, my clavicle burn is still pretty bad, but IT's OVER!!!
Everyone else, it WILL be over soon
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Americanpinay, Ivorymom and Princesskaui59: congratulations on finishing today!
Speaking of rad brain. I have told several of my coworker's this week I have rad brain. I'm glad I'm not the only one having this experience.
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ddlat, I missed your post as I was writing. Remember that you found your CA at an early stage and have received wonderfully aggressive therapy. You're also fit and motivated to eat supper healthy. So those are gifts of "therapy/treatment" that you're giving yourself, ongoing.
Here are some resources that you might like:
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Also this book, which I really like:
http://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Life-David-Servan-Schreiber/dp/0670020346
p.s., CRUISE, Thanks so much, I love seeing my name with the BOLD FINISHED!
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Wow, it's a trifecta of those who finished today. Yippee!!! On to the next phase - survivor!!!
Cindy, you can put me down for Arimidex / AI - I don't know yet which one I'll be taking, but it will be an AI. How are you today? Is it any better?
Rad brain is real - it's not as bad as chemo brain, but there are those moments when you go . . what the heck was I doing again?
I would love to keep this thread going through hormone therapy and health and weight loss!
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Congrats to all those who finished !! YAY !! Put me down for Arimidex.. It's almost over. I love watching the boldface type get closer to my name... Yes you are cured after rads...
It's like heart medication, you may take it for life but you don't think of yourself as a "heart patient" anymore, even though you may have had a heart attack... We HAD a terrible disease, and we conquered it. I am a victor.. (or soon to be one) Only 6 more Tx to go!! JUDY
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LONG DAY....I was cancelled AGAIN. went to UCLA anyway, since I had to see my oncologist. They managed to squeeze me in at 3:30pm after I threw a baby fit! Yes, I did.
Anyway, I had lunch in the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital around 2:30, went to rads. Was evacuated b/c of a FIRE in the hospital! omg! but, got my treatment! Went outside there were helicopters everywhere....and lots of ambulances, crowd of people. CRAZINESS! That's when I found about that Michael Jackson died.....at UCLA or before!?!?
I guess I'll remember my rads session when people say where were you when you heard about Michael?!?
Congrats to everyone who finished today!!!!
My rads machine is STILL down. Went on another one today. I hope I get treated tomorrow! I said I'd go in at ANY hour....even midnight!
Running out to see my BF from college who is in town. Can't cancel as she leaves tomorrow. I think I'll sleep 15 hours when I get home.
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Cruise, blame my Rad Brain but I gave you the wrong finishing date for my rads. It's June 29, not June 30! Just one more to go! When I finish, I will continue taking Herceptin until March 2010, and I will start Tamoxifen (starting July 7 and going for five years although they may switch me after two years depending on what my hormones are doing - I'm 38 and premenopausal...or at least I was until I had chemo).
Lisa - what an action-packed day for you. I hope you get your treatment tomorrow and that you don't have to turn up at midnight for it!
Congrats to all those who finished and are officially radiant!
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Cruise bump me up to July 13th. The office is closed on the third. That puts me off until Monday. But, the skin is good so far.
Cheers to Ivory Mom, Americanpinay, and Princess. It's over now.
I understand the mixed feelings about this being over. It's a small consolation ddlatt. But, I read that triple negative rarely goes to the bones. Don't read any further though. Just stop there. But, Triple negs also respond better to diet and exercise. We have that to cling to. Jock girl here I come.
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