MARCH 2010 Rads Group

MzJ: I have nine treatments to go too, last full breast treatment tomorrow and then eight boosts. We can countdown together.

I didn't realize the markup for the boost would be so "in-your-face." The tattoos for the other treatments were the discreet little tattoos. Last week they put a huge X just above my nipple. I thought that was only temporary, but they refreshed that today and added a large box around it, all in bright orange marker. 

Fatigue is finally setting in for me. I went to lie down for half an hour after treatment and fell asleep for almost two hours. The overcast rainy weather doesn't help. In my case I like to walk and if necessary, I break my daily walk into two shorter walks.

3monstmama: I agree with you about the exercise. It does seem to help.

Raili, I'm so glad it went quickly for you.     I think once everyone knows what they are supposed to do, it does go quicker.  One thing to be prepared for, if it hasn't already happened, is the days where they take xrays to see how you are doing.  I had that today and the appointment with the nurse which made it last longer.

I manage the relax thing pretty well but I did have trouble in the begining keeping myself from trying to help them move me into position.  Also today I was jumping the gun on breathing---before the tech told me to do it.

Hello Marie,

I am commenting in reference to you asking if anybody gets headaches with their radiation treatments?  Yes I do and I feel it nearly immediately afterwards and it remains with me until the weekend starts...  Charmaine

Well ladies tomorrow being Tuesday March 30th is the last day of my BOOST RAD and I am completely finished with radiation therapy.   I actually started burning after the end of one week, and have pretty bad SE from radiation therapy now.  The doctor into the beginning second week prescribed me a cortisone cream but it was only irritating me, so I saw him this morning after my treatment and he gave me a prescription for another cream to start after tomorrow treatment called "Silver Sulfadiazine Topical Antibacterial" .  Have any of you ladies heard of this cream?  I am to use this cream for 2 weeks.  I so hope it takes the burn away, as it is really burning at sometimes and itching badly at other times and I feel a pain sometimes and a pulling of the breast skin too...

So cannot wait to get on the road to wellness again, as have been feeling really tired for the longest time.  I am nearly 8 weeks post chemo as of April 2nd.  Will post pictures maybe this coming week (am tempted to get this bit of hair shaved off). Seem to be getting some dark hair under the white hair the past week and half to two weeks...

Charmaine

Hi All,

Just came home last night from our  family vacation.It was really nice getting away and not thinking (well - tried not to too much) of rads coming up. Boy, the thread has been really busy.

A BIG congrats to everyone that has finished their treatments!  YEAH!  Can't wait till I am there too!

Sherri - glad to hear that your rads are going so smoothly. . It's such a relief to get started - soon you'll be finished and it will all be a memory.  Is your hair coming back much?  Mine is starting to come in, but I can't tell what color it will be yet.  Do you think the Bioten is helping?

I started my treatment today and other than having a last minute appointment time change(which really irritated me) everything went smoothly.  As it was my first appt. it took a lot longer than normal appts The techs took quite a few x-rays and had a conference with my onc and then took more x-rays before the actual treatment.  I'm so glad to finally started my rads, I have just been dreading it so much.  Hopefully, it will be a smooth six weeks with no problems.

I did a mini slam dunk with my gown - a little to self-conscience for a full out slam dunk....maybe tomorrow.

A big thanks to who posted about the Fruit of the Earth aloe (can't remember

Mary - I had my last treatment today.  I have a follow up visit in six weeks, there will be another in six months, then one year.

anybody having radiation done to an implant? I'm starting on wednesday and am quite nervous about how this is gonna effect my boob and am also worried about getting lymphedema because i had 22 nodes removed. 

Charmaine - I think that I have resolved the headache problem.  I have increased my fluids throughout the day and am wearing my OTC reading glasses whenever I need to read anything.  This has cut down on the eye strain/focus headaches and the fluids have helped with the dehydration headaches.

Also, I'm taking the Ativan every night and sleeping much better.

Today I had #21 (of 28).  I've got a "spotty" kind of rash along my collar bone and under my arm.  It looks like the pores are getting sunburned.  It looks more painful than it is.

 Tonight I applied the saline compress and it really helped.  I'm also using the cortisone cream on the most imflamed areas.

The rad tech told me to use the cortisone first, let it dry, wash my hands and then apply the lubriderm everywhere else.

She also told me that up to 2 weeks after treatment I will continue to see redness and imflamation worsening so I should continue with the skin care treatment even after I finish rads.

I've developed a bit of a cough - of course I thought I had radiation neumonitis - but I really believe now that it is just a cold since my DD and DH have come down with colds!

It's amazing how our minds jump to "worst case scenario" when we're already going through all this!

Hugs to all!
Marie

MariannaHB

BIG HUGS!!!!!  That stinks about work.  I had something similiar-- I got diagnoised in the middle of a big project but was able to defer surgery until after the project was in.  From Nov until about late January, pretty much no one except my immediate supervisors knew I had breast cancer.  I told my partner on my project because my schedule was erratic and I was <big surprise!> sort of distracted at times.  So the project goes off and Everyone is thrilled, thrilled, thrilled.  Time for midyear:  reviewing goes fine [though honestly at that point I didn't really care] until lower level supervisor makes some comment about my knitting in meetings and how some people are bothered though he and supervisor know that I am not ignoring the meetings because I am always making on point valuable comments.  The knitting is nothing complicated, no looking at patterns or counting-- just kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.  It is my stress release, has been for a number of years.  I sat there for a minute and thought about it and got more and more ticked.  I looked him in the eye and said "I knit because I am stressed.  I am stressed BECAUSE I HAVE BREAST CANCER and yet I am still here at work.  You tell whoever made the comment that I am more than happy to stop knitting in meetings if they will take over having breast cancer for me, okay?"

He backed off FAST.  Point being, while it is hard to share our circumstances, sometimes when we are working with people, we have to---the guy I had to talk to about my breast cancer was someone I had met ONCE in another office on the other side of the country.  But telling him helped my stress because he understood that I was not simply a flake, that there was a lot going on.  And reminding my boss was also good because 1] he's been great but 2] had he not been great, I'd be protected because he was aware I was undergoing a particularly stressful time.  So say he gave me a crappy review, it would also be in the record that I had breast cancer and that would distinguish this review from a general bad performance, if that makes sense.

MARIE K and others with headaches  I think increasing fluids REALLY helps.  I think also many of us have probably decreased our caffine consumption ---at least I know I have--and boy can that whack you with a headache!  I've tried to limit myself to 1-2 cups in the morning and then lots and lots of non-caffinated stuff all day long.  Where I get rads they have tea and the like.  I make a cup of herbal no caffine tea before I get treated and by the time I'm out its just the right temp for gulping down.  12 oz in!  I think its really helping with the rads AND for those with germy monsters at home, its helping my body fight off all the cold germs my kids have been bringing home.  Between that and the extra sleep [about 9 hours a night] I am the only family member out of five [knock wood!] NOT to get the miserable hacking respiratory thing going around our area.

Day six over and done...........

Sugar77, don't get me wrong---in general, my prim ary boss has been awesome!!!  But sometimes people just don't think.  The person who made the comment was the underboss, for lack of a better term, and he's new at the job and trying to prove himself.  I don't think he was heartless, I don't think most people are heartless.  But I do think that everyone is capable of opening their mouth without engaging their brain.  Most people, if you tell them you are dealing with breast cancer, are going to take that into consideration in their dealings with you.  The exceptions are the cancer-phobes who can't even deal with the thought of cancer and so become more difficult instead of empathetic.  Unfortunately, in my experience, you can't predict who will be a cancer phobe.  Sometimes its even someone who has dealt with breast cancer themselves.

Hugs to all!

MariannaHB - I would love a massage too but the thought of laying on my front side for a deep back massage is just too painful.  I'll wait a little longer until I can fully enjoy a massage again!

I wonder if a shoulder massage sitting up would do the trick?  Just have to be careful of my burnt collar bone!

Well I just finished my last radiation (BOOST) today... so that is it for me now.  It is now time for healing and recovery (particularly of this bad burn).  Not going to put all of the 'Silver Salfa' creame doctor prescribed all over my breast tonight, Nurse suggested putting it on a small part of my breast overnight and seeing if I take a reaction from it first.  (bit nervous of using this 'silver cream').  So looking forward to being on the road to wellness again, and not feeling so tired...

When I went in for my last treatment today, it was a bit of emotional experience.  The radiation therapists all came out and said to me ' your graduating today ' . I got up on the table, lied down and started to cry - it really hit me in a big way...  and cried thru my whole treatment.  Once done with the treatment the radiation therapists all gave me a big hug.

For the compassion I got from the ladies in radiation unit, and excellent care I got them a basket that consisted of allot of fruit, cheese and crackers and a tin can of danish cookies and they were so surprised and appreciative of it   and a nice card.

Charmaine

Marie-  Thanks for the suggestion- I will try Vitamin D before bed and see what happens!

Marianna-  My Vitamin D score was in the mid 20's(not necessarily abnormal for the normal  non ca population) but my Onc. wants it  in the 50's. Despite my age and  heavy activity level I meet all of the qualifications to be an osteoporosis candidate.  I think the Onc is being a little proactive since I have also started Femara.  I don't mind the added protection- my horse(not intentionally) head butted me in the ribs over the weekend- fortunately no fractures.   

So far - no other se's

tic that too bad about your tats--mine are so small I can hardly find them.  And my techs have used kid markers that wash off when they do have to right on me.  That said, to deal with all the creme an the like, I am wearing Hanes mens t-shirts under everything.  It limits me to higher necklines but at this time of year, where I am, its not a problem.  And it would give added coverage if they ever have to hit me with a sharpie.

Raili,  sorry to hear about the stress but nice to hear they tried to help you with candy.  And I think you get a sugar dispensation given all you have gone through today.

Our waiting room had sugar cookies today--someone was graduating, its spring, its easter, its passover, whatever.  I told myself NO Cookie! while I waited my turn for zapping, I told myself NO Cookie! while I laid on the table, I told myself NO Cookie! while I got dressed after and even while I did my stomach crunches in the dressing room, I told myself NO Cookie. 

And then  I walked out the door of the dressing room, stuffed my gown in the bin and said "oooo, cookie!!!!"  At least I took one shaped and decorated just like a carrot. . . thats virtually healthier, right ladies?