January 2010 Rads Start

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited March 2010

    Cookie, I love the book too although I'm not usually one for cartoons. I found it on clearance at Bath & Body Works, maybe they had a vixen line to go with the book or it was just part of their breast awareness publicity. Anyway, glad I found it and wish I bought a few more of them. 

    Onty, so glad to hear you've finished. How do you feel?

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited March 2010

    Ooooh, I like that symbolism of ringing the bell!  I wish I had gotten to do that!  I got a "diploma"  which my husband and kids got a big kick out of.

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited March 2010

    Congrats on ringing that bell onty!!

    In your honor!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtJSLZnKCv0

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  • c2will
    c2will Member Posts: 91
    edited March 2010

    Onty - congratulations on completion!  I'm sure you're glad that another phase is completed.  Enjoy the spring-like weather this weekend.

    I have 5 down, 16 to go.

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  • AsiaYM
    AsiaYM Member Posts: 2,216
    edited March 2010

    Weety911 and Onty- congrats, you are done, done done.!  Imaging all that free time and spring is around the corner.

    25 down, 8 to go.  I love weekends.

    Karen

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  • jmb5
    jmb5 Member Posts: 532
    edited March 2010

    I've had 18 rads with 10 to go. So far so good. Just a little pink skin and itching. One week after my last one, we will be vacationing on the beach in Florida. I can't wait, but am a little concerned about my skin since my bathing suit won't cover the full treatment area. I will probably need to wear a shirt to cover it, but maybe sunscreen will be enough. I plan to ask my rad. oncologist on Tuesday when I have clinics. What do you guys think?

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Oh yeah finishing feels good. The removal of the port was quick and easy. It was done in local without sedation. The doc glued the skin and put a transparent plastic sticker over it. I brought the port home!!! The chest looks so much better without the port.







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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited March 2010

    Onty: what are you going to do with the port? I was thinking of putting all my chemo related stuff in a box and eventually making a collage of them.

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Mary

    Don't know yet but for now keeping it in the jar.

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  • Scoobydoo
    Scoobydoo Member Posts: 499
    edited March 2010

    Congratulations Onty!!!  That is so wonderful that you finished rads and got the port out.  You should feel really good.

    Anita

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  • Scoobydoo
    Scoobydoo Member Posts: 499
    edited March 2010

    My breast is becoming very red and I am not even half way done with rads.  Ugh. I have completed 14 of 35. I sure hope things are not going to get too bad.  I have some tenderness in the breast but nothing I can not handle.

    Anita

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Dear all,

    Thanks for your wishes. It does feel good this morning.

    Anita,

    The redness and tenderness will continue for some time. I am told that the breast will slowly return towards "normal" over 1-2 months.

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  • chinablue
    chinablue Member Posts: 545
    edited March 2010

    Do you think it is ok to jog while in radiation treatments?  I am just wondering about sensitive skin and chaffing.  Right now, I am sticking to long walks, but maybe I am being a wimp about this.  I have finished 10 and have 18 to go.  My skin is slightly pink and I have a slight burning feeling.  I use biafine twice a day.  What do you think ladies?

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Absolutely ok to jog while undergoing rads.



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  • snuziq
    snuziq Member Posts: 107
    edited March 2010
    Hey ladies, looking thorough I see a lot of great advice, but I haven't seen much for my issue -- I ITCH it's almost constant.  Especially under the breast.  The onc has me using RadiaPlexRx and Regenecare several times daily with Aquaphor at night.  Any ideas how to ease the itching?
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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Yeah the itch I almost forgot. Air the area as much as you van, don't wear underwire bras, don't scratch, use aquaphor.





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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited March 2010

    On the advice of my onc, I now use just aloe vera gel and cornstarch. Where would I get Aquaphor if I need it later? Is it a cream or a lotion? I'm guessing from its name that it acts as a water barrier. I'm going for treatment #9 today and so far no issues. Hoping the weather doesn't get too warm before I finish treatment as I usually sweat profusely below my breasts.

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2010

    Mary

    Aquaphor is a petrolatum jelly based cream. Available OTC in CVS Walgreens etc.



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  • SoCalDawn
    SoCalDawn Member Posts: 51
    edited March 2010

    My rad onc allows 1% Cortizone for the itch UNDER the aloe and calendula. (He also gave me an RX if it gets worse and said to watch out for a yeast infection in the area under the breast. I soft fabric piece under the breast is used to minimize skin to skin contact there) Airing out is definitely advised. I don't personally care for the consistency of Aquaphor as it is sticky and I am not a fan of petroleum based products if I can use something else. That said Calendula cream is much, much more expensive than Aquaphor. You can get Aquaphor at Target, WalMart, almost anywhere. I finished #16 of 34 today...almost half-way there. I have an itchy, bumpy rash on my chest that is now moving to the top of my breast. The rad onc and techs said that will happen in the areas where I have had the most sun exposure previously.  Cheers, ladies!

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited March 2010

    My doc also said to use the OTC hydrocortisone for the itch.  I think that it's 1% OTC, but he said if I needed it, he could write out a precription for 2%.

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  • AsiaYM
    AsiaYM Member Posts: 2,216
    edited March 2010

    26 down, 7 to go.  Had my first boost today, only 1 zap, piece of cake.

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2010

    Hey gals; Been gone for awhile: my elderly mom suffered a mild heart attack, so I flew to Southern California to help my aunt (mom's sis) take care of her. Mom's doing fine now, so I was able to come home after a week.

    Onty!  I am sooooo glad to hear you're done with rads and got that danged port removed!

    Weety--Congrats on finishing radiation!

    OneL--You should be done tomorrow? YIPPEE!

    Doin' some celebrating here for all of you!

    Free AnimationsFree AnimationsFree Animations

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited March 2010

    Debbie, thanks  for the early celebration,  but the machine was broken 2 days last week, so I will not finish until Wednesday.  What a bummer.  I am very close.  Glad to know that your mom is doing better.  I can't imagine how hard it is to take care of parents long distance.

    Sounds like everyone is getting along, plodding through  the treatments.  I am still doing fine.  I can now see that my skin is darker  on the right side and red, but no bumps or rashes.  The nurse checked me today and she can't believe that I am doing so well, since I am very light skinned.  But next week when it is all over I may be singing the blues.

    One thing that I have done or have not done, is wear a bra through this.  I just wear the men's t-shirts, I don't know if that is why my skin has held up so well or not.  Probably will never  know for sure.  Someone also gave me a small pillow right after surgery to place under my breast while sleeping.  I am using it now and it keeps me from putting so much pressure on my breast.  I think that has helped also.

    Juannelle

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  • DebbieSawyer
    DebbieSawyer Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2010

    Hey OneL! Well drat, still two more tx's to go?! Those delays are so frustrating. But you can count on one hand how few are left to do, and that's a good thing! Start the celebration now, why wait two days! I think everything you did contributed to how well your skin is holding up. As you know, the worse SE's seem to occur once tx is over, but because you've been doing great so far, hopefully you'll not see many SE's later. Did you ever get the fatigue? I'm almost six weeks post rads, and my skin is near normal, just a slight tan line. No peeling or itching. I could tell the difference between rads fatigue and normal tiredness, and I only occasionally now get rad fatigue anymore. I'm not back 100% to full energy, but definitely not dragging like weeks ago.

    off topic....looks like I'm at the beginning phase of taking care of my mom. She's 90 years old, but luckily my (83 y/o) aunt lives with her, so I don't have to be there constantly.....yet. But it is difficult being a nine hour drive away, in case of emergency.

    So what's the next step for everyone? Hormone therapy? More treatment, or surgery? Wondering where the 1/10's are headed. I'm considering jumping on the Arimidex bandwagon.

    Have a good evening!

    Debbie

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  • Kim09
    Kim09 Member Posts: 100
    edited March 2010

    Debbie - I have moved on to the hormone therapy stage.  I am on Aromasin.  So far no major SE's other than wanting to snack a lot.  I am going to go back to WW to lose the stomach I now see since there are no boobs to block my view when I look down. 

    Had my one month follow-up with the Rad onc.  Everything went fine and my next follow-up with him will be November since I will be having follow-ups with both my surgean and med onc this summer. 

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  • yogamommy
    yogamommy Member Posts: 115
    edited March 2010

    Hello everyone.......thank you for your kind messages ......well, I am so grateful for my amazing family and friends.......and good riddance to my husband, really........my heart just feels sad for our 3 year old daughter.........he left in Jan and hasn't been back.

    So......my RADS update.........15 down, 18 to go.  Machine was broken today.  Ugh, that sucked, especially after trekking to the hospital after working all day. I am gettin very tired.  My skin is getting very "tanned" and my underarm is stiff.

    well, big update......

    Michelle, Steeny 107, who I met through the June 2009 chemo group passed away today.  There is a post about her in the Stage IV board.  I'm sick to my stomach.  My heart aches for her baby boy and for all who love/loved her.

    Hope you are all ok......

    xo

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  • AsiaYM
    AsiaYM Member Posts: 2,216
    edited March 2010

     Hi, Ladies,

    Debbie-  sounds like you have very good gene - long life span in your family!

    Kim09-I will be getting tamoxifen next, not looking forward to it at all!

    Vickie614- as to your stiff underarm, you are doing stretching, right!

    27 down, 6 to go.so far so good, no itching, blistering, just tanned and little pink on the edges.

    Hugs,

    Karen

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2010

    It's been a while, wanted to check in to say hello.  I just finished reg tx, start boost tx tomorrow (5).  Whew...so glad to be almost finished.  I saw y'all talking about itching - I too use the 1% hydrocortizone cream and it feels great - use it once a day, along with Lubriderm, Miaderm and 1 aloe leaf each night, sometimes in the morning after the Lubriderm sinks in.   

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited March 2010

    this really worked for me...I had a bad rash after #2

    I would put on cortizone right after tx, then do the aquaphor 20 minutes after that.

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited March 2010

    debbie, I am celebrating.  Went to all the doctors today and Rad Onc, said everything was still looking good, check up in 4 months, unless something comes up in the next couple of weeks.  Med Onc, got the prescription for Arimidex and Actonel.  I have osteopenia, go back to her in 6 weeks to see how I am doing on the AI.  Went to Surgeon and he took the stitch out and said every thing looked great and he wants to see me in 3 months.    I am over the fatigue from chemo and I haven't really noticed any fatigue from rads.  Still able to get up each morning at 4:30 am to go to work and make it to rads every day and get home about 6:00 pm.  I am hoping I have dodged that bullet.

    vickie, sorry to hear about your marriage, but sometimes it is better.  To bad that your little one has to do without a dad and I just don't understand how someone can just walk away from their children.  Sorry to hear about your friend also, it is so sad to hear that some one didn't make  it.

    Good evening to all you wonderful ladies, you are all amazing.

    32 down and 1 to go.  I am so excited.

    Juannelle

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