January 2010 Rads Start

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Probably safe to take it with you and ask the radiation techs if it is ok to use right after.

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009

    Hello! I haven't been on BCO the last couple weeks: my home has been a revolving door of company: I'm seriously considering opening "a diner with bed", or a bed and breakfast. Ok, not really, but if I charged a nightly rate for all the family and friends that have been here (and still more to come for New Year's), I could have paid for a nice boob job. A tummy tuck. And a new, cute nose!

    Today I will be contributing to the recovery of the economy by purchasing all the lotions and potions for radiation. Since I don't know what combination will work, I'm getting it all: aloe vera, calendula cream, sweet cream, eucerin lotion, aquaphor, zeasorb powder, dove soap. Tom's of Maine deodorant. All recommended by my rads doc. Oh and can't forget inexpensive bras, and men's soft t-shirts, and extra sets of sheets. When you see consumer spending numbers come back positive for this month, you'll know it was because of me! KA-CHING.

    Still waiting for rads to begin, Jan 5. sigh. Anything to report from those who got their first rad treatment in the last week or so? What creams and lotions are you using?

    I didn't have chemo, so can't comment on the questions about time between chemo and rads.

    I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. One more to go. Hello 2010! Goodbye and good riddance 2009.

    Happy New Year to all!

    Debbie

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Debbie,

    Good to hear. I laughed at the humorous way you portrayed the visits from relatives and the upcoming consumer spending numbers!

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009

    Hey unklezwifeonty! How's it going with you? Thanks for starting this thread, and keeping up the postings! It's like the calm before the storm, but once we all start our tx, this thread should be busyyyy..

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    I am officially radiated!

    It was a little odd, one of those oh my gosh I really have cancer moments.

    Since I am prone, it is really akward, the board is tiny and you have to almost hang over the corner of it while holding on to a handle.

    It's also odd seeing the red lights on the wall.I did put my own Ipod in the player, and it made me feel better, I have a little loop of songs I liked to play when I did radio.

    I will put on some Aquaphor tonite. 1 down, 29 to go!

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    I figured out what felt so odd about today. Every other step of this there have been surgeons and oncologists, and nurses, and it's been very personal in a way. Especially the parts at MSK.

    Rads is just man vs. machine, to the techs you are a spot to hit with a beam, it's the most detached least emotional part of this.

    I'm not sure why, it left me feeling a bit spooked!

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009

    Cookiegal: Congrats on completing the first rad.....one step closer to being done! Does going through the first one, make the remaining 29 less intimidating? I totally know what you mean when you had a "I really have cancer" moments. I was in DeNile during my two lumpectomies, but during the rads sim is when I had the same "moment"; it hit me then, that this is real. Surreal feeling.

    Interesting about your prone position on the tiny table. Your breast was hanging over the edge, or is it through a hole in the table? How long did the tx take...meaning how many songs did you get through on your ipod?  :)

    Debbie

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Dear CookieGal,

    Thanks for the update. What you say about rads being detached and least emotional makes perfect sense. I will also be going to Sloan (in NJ) and will be in prone position so will probably have a very similar experience.

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    it is a narrow board with a chunk missing for your cancer brest, then there is a triangle of foam used to push the healthy breast way way to the side.

    It gets pinched in your armpit.

    Getting up is easy, but getting down it a little tricky.

    I think I got through 2 and a half songs on the pod..

    I used kinda odd old school r and b songs so it was interesting to see if the techs would react to "Patches"

    I suspect it will feel pretty routine soon.

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  • kmf
    kmf Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2009

    I am radioactive  now!  My friend says my husband will be able to find me in the dark by my glowing boobs!  It was a breeze - I had nice techs -- both male but very careful to keep me as covered as possible w/warm blankets ( that room is cold!) and they told me everything they were doing before and as they did it.  I'm not uncomfortable at all, although I do feel the stretch in my incisions ( lumpectomy and SN) as my arms are laying in rests positioned above my head. ( I'm on my back). About 20-30 secs of zap from both sides and I'm done.  They put a "bollus" ?  on my left (radiated) breast to do something w/the angle of the rays on the skin.  Today was the first I'd heard of that.  I will see my rad/onco dr. every Wed. so I will get details from her tomorrow.

     I was given Aquaphor -- dr. told me to shower only w/Dove unscented soap and to use Aquaphor up to 3 hrs. before my radiation.  The Dove is not cutting it on the underarm odor -- I've always had  healthy sweat glands  so I'm going to have to use something a bit stronger just under the arm.  I think they just want a gentle soap on the breast to not irritate the skin.  The dr. said after radiation I wouldn't need deodorant and I wouldn't have to shave.  If she kills off the underarm odor it will be a positive out of this mess!

     I wasn't nervous at all about it, but it did strike me as they were moving the machine into position that I had &#%^@ Cancer -- Me!!  I've always been healthy as a horse so it is still a bit unreal to me that I have any kind of a health problem, much less one that could kill me!  Oh well...I guess I'll get used to it.  It's barely over a month since my diagnosis.  

     Good luck to all of you gals!!   Karenanne

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited December 2009

    Sometimes, do you just wonder what happened to your post.  It just disappeared, so I will just do it again.

    I will be  really radioactive after I start rads, I also work at  a nuclear power plant and it will be interesting if I will be able to get in and out of the plant without setting off the alarms.

    Juannelle 

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    Juannelle, that is really interesting!

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited December 2009

    It is an interesting place to work.  I have been there 23 years.  I have to tell them when I have nuclear tests, so they will know that if I do set off the alarm, I am OK.  Gets me a "get out of jail free card".

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    That's too funny. But do you get radioactive to have to avoid being near kids?



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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited December 2009

    If you are asking me, do I get radioactive at work and the answer is no, never, you would never get out of the plant if you  were radioactive.  They have laws against that.  I don't know about the  other, but I wouldn't think so.  There are probably laws against that also.

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  • Sido
    Sido Member Posts: 234
    edited December 2009

    Hi All,

    Well, I got the dates all set.  Tomorrow morning I go in for a dry run and films and I start treatments next Tuesday and will finish on or about February 19.  They will make the final adjustments and marks on me tomorrow.  

    I must admit that I'm a wee bit apprehensive about all this.  I'll let you know how tomorrow goes.

    Sido

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited December 2009

    Sido, you will  do fine,  I am sure.  Thanks for forging the way for all of us that will not start until later in January.  We are waiting to see how  it goes  for you.

    Juannelle

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  • sophie305
    sophie305 Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2009

    Hello, I'm new to this site...new to this BC thing as well.  I've been pretty successful at pretending none of this is real, even through the lumpectomy on 15Dec09.  But today I met with the radiation oncologist to discuss next steps and it all became so REAL.  Even though I can say the BC words, and have researched until I'm on info overload, I still continued in some form of DeNile mode until today.  After that appointment at the cancer center, it really hit me and almost brought me to tears for the very first time.  This is REAL.  I may have a "good" cancer, if there is such a thing, because it's DCIS, but !#$%@, this is really happening to me!  And I don't think I like this all that much. :)

    Planning and simulation not scheduled yet until rad oncologist speaks with my surgeon and the pathologist, but these sessions should start next week and treatment start around 15Jan or so.  So here we go.....

    Sophie

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  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Member Posts: 23
    edited December 2009

    I started on Monday 12/28, so most of my rads will be in January.  I will be having 35 sessions in total, with 7 of those as boosts.  Cremes I am currently using include: an Aloe plant (we have two, and my DH was happy to trim them)  and Aquaphor.  I am going to get a perscription creme that includes a pain killer after the new year when the new perscription plan kicks in, but I don't remember the name of it off the top of my head.

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Welcome Sophie and Catwrangler.



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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    I must admit, I know a lot less about rads than other parts of BC. Canadian fractions aside, I am curious why the number differs. Is it the machine, or the DX, or both.

    Getting ready to head to the hospital for number 2!

    Over and out!

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Good luck dear Cookie. I do not why either. Guessing it is to do with the fraction size, location of tumor, areas covered (axilla, clavicle, mediastinal, ...), etc and the number of boosts required (depending on margin width, length of tumor etc.).

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009

    Nice to meet you, catwrangler, sophie305, kmf.

    Catwrangler--if you think of the name of the prescription creme, let us know.

    Hi unklezwifeonty! I see you started Feb and Mar 2010 rads threads. Also noticed you said you now won't be starting rads until March? Or maybe I misread that...

    One-L--Your comment about the "get out of jail free" card was funny! Forget jail, use that card for getting out of bc!!

    Sido--How did your dry run go? Hopefully smoothly, and you feel less apprehensive. I was very nervous going in, but felt alot better once the mystery of the procedure was gone.

    Cookiegal--It is curious why the radiation amounts vary widely, even if the dx is similiar. I don't have the answer, but my rads dr told me I was to have Canadian Fraction because of big clean, wide margins after the reexcision. And because I'm a "one" across the board, S1, G1, 1.2 cm tumor, node negative.  He felt that hitting me with more daily exposure but less days of tx was sufficient for my tumor type, otherwise it would be overkill (no pun intended).  As for  numbers/amounts of rad tx (such as 25 or 28 or 33, etc), no idea, but I assume it's because of dx....or the rads dr's discretion....? 

    Today I'm getting ready for house guests, Round 5, arriving tomorrow afternoon. Washing, cleaning, some yardwork, arranging guest room (I like to have interesting books on the nightstand, fresh water, flowers), and bathroom (pretty towels and soaps laid out). After this I'm converting that guest room into closet storage and the bathroom into a mudroom, to discourage the family from using my house as THE place to go. Nah. Seriously, I don't mind the visits, just so many all at once is wearing me out. After the last family leaves on Sunday, I have one day to get the house back to normal, then rads finally, FINALLY, start on Tuesday.

    Everyone have a Happy New Year! Be safe.

    Debbie

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Dear Debbie,

    When I started chemo, the plan was to give me 12 weekly Taxols which would have continued till Feb and I'd have statred radiation sometime in late Feb/early Mar.

    Unfortunately, I had a severe reaction to the first Taxol and was switched to 4 biweekly Abraxane. So now my chemo ends next week and I should be starting rads in late Jan/early Feb.

    I should probably go close the March rads group!

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009
    Onty....may I call you that? Ah, now I understand. I thought maybe the dr had rescheduled your rad tx and you had to wait that much longer to get started. I'm sorry you had a severe reaction to  Taxol. Are you tolerating Abraxane better? (my apologizes: I know nothing about different chemos, so do feel free to educate me if need be!)
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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Debbie,

    Yes you can call me Onty. My nick name Onty is based on my hubby's nick name "Unkle"! Yes I am tolerating Abraxane fine other than the usual side effects. You don't want to hear of those side effects! I share them with my chemo sisters on Sep/Oct chemo starter threads.

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2009

    I might drop by the Sep/Oct chemo starter threads, to read what you've been up against, if you don't mind. It'll help me get to know you better...

    And now I understand your screen name! Thanks for the explanation! :)

    Chat later, I'd better get back to chores.

    Debbie

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Stalk away, no worries!

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited December 2009

    2 down, 28 to go.

    Strange experience in the elevator, a man said to me you must be here for the start of your shift, and I said no I don't work here--

    he said oh good

    I said it would be better if I did (vs having cancer)

    he then said...oh so you are visiting someone.

    then we all got out at radiation.

    Does it seem so odd that somebody at MSK has cancer???

    Oh well, people just don't want to see a young person with cancer I guess.

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Maybe he was hoping you were his tech? Lol



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