MARCH 2010 Rads Group

Congrats to Irish and Kathy......what a feeling huh?

I agree with Sheri about FB it seems to be the place to stay in touch and get more familiar with each other, PM me as well and we can all stay connected!

Only a few more ladies left and we are all done.  I too also healed up pretty fast and I am feeling great.  I started Tamoxifen on the last day of my rads and my only SE are insomnia and a constant headache and my Dr. thinks I shouldn't have insomnia as a SE and asked me.......weren't you suffering from this for a while now??????Yes in the beginning of being diagnosed I did freak out some, and anticipating the rads I did suffer from insomnia but now that I am onto the little white pill I really think the anxiety of the unknown is gone.......I hate how Dr's can make you feel like such a hypochondriac......I called and just asked what I could do for it and he told me to take a benedryl pill and believe it or not, it really worked I have slept wonderfully that last 2 nights.......but I sometimes get angry with how they make you feel.........

raili, I like your tao te ching quote--thank you for sharing it.  I think I must add that to my reading list for summer.

2 zaps left.  Hard to believe it.  No significant increase in side effects.  Biggest problem remains sensitive nipple and tightness under arm.  Am begining to wonder if tightness is related to using deodorant after zaps.  I used what they told me but I put it all over the under part of my arm which I now realize was dopey since the Zaps are supposed to kill off the sweat glands.  Anyrate I am wondering if the reason I have problems in that spot is that the deodorant countered the effect of the lotion.  Day late dollar short for that line of thought but still, might help someone.

I know that there are not many of us left to finish up--me, mommaof2, jojo and who else?  How many were we when we started?  Did we ever do a roll call?

I am happy to share facebook stuff if you pm me but I am dreadful at facebook. I suspect I will be popping in here for time to come, if for nothing else than to pay forward for all the people who were so helpful to me.

okay enough with the dillydallying--time for bed!

Just checking in a few weeks post-rads to say CONGRATULATIONS to the remaining in our group who are completing their final zaps! It is a wonderful feeling when you SLAM DUNK (literally or figuratively) that last gown and don't turn back around!

 Thank you everyone for making this awful process not feel nearly as scary and alone. Am pleased to say that breast has nearly fully recovered, just a very light tan and a little wrinkly along the boost/scar line, but I truly cannot complain about that.

I'm passing on tamoxifen, which is a truly personal decision and am thankful to have been given the option, and am now off to let onc. know my decision.

Live long and prosper everyone!

Congratulations Kathy, Irish and jojo......I'm so happy to hear that you're all through.  I''d also like to stay connected through FB if anyone is interested, please PM me as well.  There are so many wonderful people on this thread....thanks to each of you for all the encouragement through this journey......

WOOOOHOOOO

IM DONE

Sam took the day of work to be with me, first we had breaky at our favorite cafe then a teary drive to rads were everyone there was so good ,cause the last week of me going i have been crying and worrying about the big no more treatment , so they new they had to pull me of the bed , peel my arms of from around the zappy machine and said NO to an extra zap for my piece of mind  i think they were really happy to see the back of me to be honest then after the goodbys and more tears  we went to our granddaughters b/day party then home and when the sun went down we took two bottles of Bourbon and coke went to the bridge drank it and had a good talk about our journey with cancer and how we got through it all then i put the letter to cancer in the bottle and Sam threw it so hard over the bridge im sure it will be in Canada now , so for me its gone ,away ,finished , over ,that door is now shut  and i can slowly start back up where i left of of cause with a few changes physically and mentally.

ANDREAS

Wow when i read your" back to the crime scene" i could just imagine how you must have felt but i guess you got  a lot of closure from being able to do that ,good on you , i was going to do the cookie thing but just never got around to doing it so maybe it might help me as well to go back in there and to be able to walk out again without having any treatment ,must feel good  well lovely ladies thanks again and well done to everyone else who is gone and who is nearly done

JOJO

YAH, Andrea and JoJo! That is great news. Glad you were able to get through it all, and can now walk through the door into a new place in  life.  That was hard for me, too.

 Again, congrats to those of you finishing up today.

Congrats for all that finished this week, I'm not sure how many more are left after this week.  Wishing everyone a wonderful Mother's Day and hoping everyone is healing fast.  My breast is really healing well I did shave and started using the deodrant again - so far no problem.  I will officially be discharged 5/12 from the radiation center - 5/12will be the 2 week check up.  I plan on bringing breakfast from Panera for the team, they were all so good to me and I didn't bring anything when I finished.  I'm having my bone density scan on Monday,and  I must start the Tamomifen - I follow up with the regular oncologist June 24 so I need to just swallow that pill.  Is anyone else having trouble starting, I just look at the bottle every day and say okay tomorrow I will start and I haven't yet.This thread has been a wonderful place to come andvent and just write whats on our minds - Sherri - a big shout out to you for starting it - thanks it really helped me.  Love to all with big hugs.  Kathy

Mommaof2 CONGRATS!!!!!  I remember feeling the very same way and not knowing what to expect but when I got there for my last  appointment and to my surprise I couldn't get the smile off my face.  Earlier that day I had sent a edible fruit basket delivered to the whole rad team along with the nurses and Dr with whom I saw on a regular basis and they all thanked me and hugged me goodbye.......I never ever thought I would feel that way but I did and I was soooooo glad it was over.  Again I think as you are at a higher grade and you still have to wait to see what the scan shows up it might be different for you.  I will be thinking of you and am praying for positive results.  Please do enjoy your last day even if it does end up at Chuck E Cheese.......lol

June

I am so very DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had last session in the "frying pan" almost 2 hours ago.  Did bring in two kinds of cookies--got husband to make them--to thank all the staff.  Got a zillion hugs starting with the receiptionist at the very front down to random zap techs who heard it was my last day.  Didn't cry but my husband noticed I had one hell of a grin on my face.

I find that I am feeling a bit drained.  I realize now that this last week when I thought that I wasn't that tired, I was really speeding along on adrenaline.  And yesterday morning, it all fell apart.  I ended up skipping work, staying home, doing a puzzle with my mother in law [note to universe:  1000 piece puzzle in shades of gray, black, brown and golds STINK!]  before going to zaps, having lunch with my mil and then to the knitting support group. I also got a haircut.  Still at the end of the evening, despite having done SQUAT, I was totally exhausted.

The receptionist at Zapland pointed out to me that getting well from radiation should be considered a full time job---I guess I have been trying to forget that part but I will be trying not to overdo it these next two weeks.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend---its Very Sunny here with lovely blus  skies......Here's to everyone and making it through Zaps!

hey?  Am I the last to finish?

Sugar: congrats on going topless!

ve1787: I second what 3monstmama said about going braless. I think that's the main thing that helped me get through rads with no major SEs.

3monstmama: congrats on finishing rads and having a well-trained husband! I noticed that earlier you mentioned having a bone scan. I was wondering what was the reason for that? or did you maybe mean a bone density check. 

Between all the cookies, fruit basets and Panera breakfast they're getting, it must have been a good week for some of those rad techs. And they do deserve it.

Congrats to everyone who finished this week!  Raili, I love your description of all the fun things that we can do now that our zapping is over!

Im 2 1/2 weeks post-zapping and my skin is completely back to normal.  Except for the 3 tiny tatoos, you would never know I underwent Radiation. 

I started the tamoxifen a few weeks back and as Yram-Al described, I get a few 'warm' flushes at night, but no other side effects to speak of.  I love taking that tablet every day, I see it as my 'insurance policy' that this BC will stay away....

Have a great weekend everyone, enjoy the sunshine!

Congratulations to all who have finished and to the rest who soon will!