January 2010 Rads Start

12 down and 21 to go.  I am over 1/3 through.

I am not  feeling any SEs yet.  I have a pain run through my breast once or twice a day and it feels warm to the touch, but doesn't really bother me.

Good luck to all who have finished or are about to finish. 

SoCalDawn, I have not been on the edge of tears since finishing chemo.  Did you do chemo? Hope you get over it, I just hate that feeling.

RedheadPam, we haven't had any snow, but it has rained here since last week and had rained several days before that.  I live in Texas the sunny state and this cloud cover is just about to depress me.  I am right behind you in treatments.  It is a long 33 though isn't it?

Debbie, you shouldn't  stop the wine, it is the best part of all of this.

cookie, sorry Big Red is red and blistered.   Maybe it will be all over soon, since you are through with tx.

Karen, if I can do it you can do it.  It will just seem like a really long time.

catwrangler, you are about to cross the finish line, what a good feeling it must be to be so close.

mom2acat, hope everything works out for you.  At least you are at the end of rads and maybe the heartburn will clear up after that.

daylilly,  I am 60 and the SEs have not set in yet, just waiting for that day.  I am glad you are doing so well.  That is encouraging for me.

Good evening to all you other "dawgs" and hope you are having a good evening.

Juannelle

23 down, 10 to go! Still feels like a piece of cake compared to chemo. A little pink, and so far no fatigue and no other SEs.Lucky me.  Hope this will continue! Did I hear somewhere that girls with big breast have worse side effects from radiation? I am rather small. Or it may be the calendula ointment that I'm using. It seems very good stuff. Debbie, I hope your fatigue will not last long. To all of you - hugs and good luck.

SoCalDawn:  You bet!   I can be waltzing along when all of a sudden something sad will come to mind and I will tear up for a minute.  I am definitely more emotional than usual, tho not to the point of impersonating bi-polar!   I think being forced to acknowledge mortality in such a personal way makes one more sensitive to the blessings and banes of ordinary life.

Also, rads to my mind is more nerve-wracking than surgery was because you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop with unpredictable, delayed-reaction side effects.  This afternoon a co-worker told me about her sister-in-law who had a radical bi-lat but could not get rads because of her pacemaker.

This is crazy, I can not believe how much worse this has gotten in just the past few hours.

I have spot under arm and spot under breast. really hurts a lot

Well, Veggy, I went back and reread your posts because it seems like you're not alone in developing a seroma.  I started noticing last night that the area where my seroma was after surgery was feeling a little "pudgy" so I asked the rad techs about it and they sent me to see the doctor.  He agreed that there was a little fluid buildup, but not enough to be concerned yet.  He said to continue on with the radiation and if the fluid got worse, I would have to see my surgeon to get it drained, but he seemed to think it would just resolve itself on its own.  Did yours start out small and then get worse?  The doctor didn't think  it was a normal radiation side effect. What did your docs say?  I'm just on treatment 9/27 so I still have a long way to go! 

Awww dang it, I'm sorry about the SE's kmf and cookiegal.  Sounds really painful. Glad the silvedine is working for you kmf, and hopefully it's now helping you cookie. OUCHIE.

And weety, a seroma. Rats!!! Keep a watchful eye on it. Hopefully it will resolve itself and you won't need to have it drained. And that it won't postpone rads.

Sophie--glad to hear your aunt is home, and although bruised, is still pretty feisty and will be okay. She'll heal faster at home than in hospital.

A big wave Hi to the rest of the dawgs....

Still going strong.....24 down and 9 to go! I see the light at the end of the tunnel!  My rad/nutritionist Dr said that Bag Balm (udder balm) is the way to go.  Picked some up yesterday.  He said it has healing herbs and works remarkably well on rads and just regular burns.  Biggest problem is that it's gooey.... My nipple stings a little at times...so tried it last nite. An put a cotton sports bra on to keep it in place and today, so far no more sting.  

SoCalDawn, I'm not weepy, I'm more grumpy....usually at night when I'm tired.  I was more weepy during chemo and the 2 months after.  Most of that has passed, but I doubt it will entirely....this has been an emotional journey!  I just let it come and go....It's not unusual, it's just how we deal with all this.  If you feel you are too weepy, talk to your Dr...they will help you balance it out! 

Have a nice snowy night....storm is heading our way here in PA!

Melinda  

thanks for the good wishes....

it's messing with my head, I was all done, and fine, the techs said my skin held up beautifully and then 2 days later--

boom--

tired and blistered and its' the weekend.

At least I may have snow to watch.

kmf and cookie, I am so sorry that you are having such painful times....I hope each of you are getting plenty of gentle caring and support from family/friends.  Get well soon!

Onty, being in supine is a whole different world...I watch those machines move back and forth, can see the lights, picture on the ceiling and it's so much easier on my back...wow.  Only one more boost on Monday and I'm done....although I know those SEs are still a-comin'

With all the markings and adhesive covers on my boob, I have to be extra careful with the RadiaPlex.  And I feel like I've gotten so quiet the past few days...in kind of a tired funk, talking only when necessary.  And if I sit still for too long, I can fall asleep!  No energy for much of anything.

Med onc today was pretty non-eventful....didn't learn anything I didn't already know about the risks vs benefits of tamoxifen and its SEs.  Given the strong history of BC in my family, I really had to agree with proceeding with the drug and see how it goes.  Between follow-up visits with surgeon, med onc and primary care, there will be plenty of monitoring so that will help.  Tamoxifen is really the only med option for post-menopausal DCISers and the most common SEs are the hot flashes and muscle aches.  We agreed it is best to wait until I've recovered from rads before starting the tamoxifen so I'll wait probably a couple of weeks. 

I hope everyone has a restful weekend off with good healing...sophie 

Snow everywhere tonight!  I wonder what it will look like in the morning....very glad my techs let me come in early this morning and very glad to get home in one piece.  I hope you all are safe and sound.

Two boosts down, three to go.  I'm taking everyone's warnings about delayed SE to heart and slathering the goop everywhere.  I don't really feel fatigue in the "exhausted and worn out" sense, but I have been yawning like crazy since this morning.  Probably allergy related....

Happy Friday all...Just started yesterday...2nd of 25, then 8 boots.  No bolus for me?  Just the Tomo machine and the clicketly clack that I try to imagine are cute horses running around me. Crazy, huh?

Sophie ~ when did you begin to need the Mepilex pads? I just looked them up and those guys are pricey! Like $20+ for 5?  Is your clinic providing them to you, or did they suggest them?  How many days can you wear them, or do you change them daily?  Sounds like an expensive adjunct!

mom2acat ~ I hope you are feeling better with the tummy.  Is Nexium is not an option for you?

kmf ~ sorry to hear about your burns; you have such a great attitude with your exercise.  I believe keeping as active as possible is always helpful for your body and mind...keeps the blood moving to help move that healing / life giving oxygen around.

melinda ~ thanks for suggesting the soft form bras...I have been wearing underwires since I was 14 and I cannot imagine not wearing one.  I will check out these two options.  When did you transition away from the underwires? Was it around week two of your rads?

jojo ~ working is purely subjective based on what you can manage.  While I did not really have the option to stay home and not work (I am now divorced and only rely on myself for $$ support), I am not sure I would have stayed home, anyway.  I managed to sched both surgeries on a Thurs and RTW the following Monday...went back into work after all 6 chemo treatments (each treatment lasted close to 7 hours to infuse three medications), managed to not get a flu/sick (thank goodness, plus kindness from my employer buying me a 99.97% air filter) during the process and just started rads yesterday.  I am running to the rads during my lunch break.  I think working full time has allowed me to focus on taking care of my employees, instead of being 100% aware of how I was feeling through treatment.  I did miss a total of 3 days during the whole treatment due to bad SE days, but for the most part, continue to manage it.  Maybe you might want to try to RTW during rads, starting part time and progressing back to full time.  My employees tell me that seeing me go through all of this makes them less frightened of a cancer diagnosis...seeing that someone could do chemo, etc., while working gives them a sense of awareness that having treatment does not mean that one's life is completely on hold.  It is nice to hear some of this from my employees.  Now if my hair would just grow a little faster...

Onty~ I hope your simulation went okay.  I am sure we will be hearing from you soon...you are such an advocate for us.

Cookie ~ I am just plain 'ole green that you have this "over your belt" as Deb was so sweet to share!

Deb ~ thx for your words of positive wisdom...and keeping us on the sight that there is light at the end of the Tomo! I love the photo of you and your equine companion. I used to have two before my divorce...I miss their soft great nibbling nuzzles and warm necked hugs so much!

I know that there are many more of you on here...I have read all your posts and you are a source of comfort and guidance.

Have a great weekend, all!

Loretta and Jakhope-  We started on same date and 33 tx, good luck to all of us! 

Karen

Sanaisa - I stopped the underwires about a week into it...I worried about the rubbing...and the wire bothered me.  So far so good.  How are you? Hope you're back to feeling good and can put the chemo blahs behind you!  Such a wonderful thing to do! 

Melinda