April 2010 Rads Group

SUEPEN....You sound like me, a hoarder of books LOL.  My daughter borrows from me instead of the library.  I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far.  We had a nice boat ride late afternoon yesterday, after the Nascar Nationwide race, and daughter is coming out to join us today for another one.  It's been a very nice weekend so far.  JARLWIN, I am so sorry you are having a hard time, I didn't have blisters, but had red dots, like some kind of rash, and I was very tired by the end of the day, and that has gotten better each day since I have finished rads. The boosts aren't as bad, as they don't penetrate as deep, and for me it was the easy week.  I was about done, with two boosts to go, and they called me on the Thursday and said the machine was broken down, oh man, sooooo instead of being finished on Friday, I had to go back on Monday for my last one.....I was so happy to be done.  My diagnosis was the same as yours Jarlwin, it's been a shocker since day one.....All I used was something they called burn cream that the center gave me, and it worked to take the heat and burning out.  I am trying to stay covered in the sun, I think I've had enough radiation.  I didn't feel too good the last two weeks either, but I still went to work each night, and made it through, as they wouldn't let me have a night off .  I hope everyone is having a great weekend, and hope you begin to feel better Jarlwin.

I have three regular treatments and five boosts left.

I had a couple of blisters earlier in the week, but after the rad onc gave me some dimethicone cream, they flattened out without breaking open.  Still red and sore.

My last treatment is scheduled for June 10th.  The word is that there will be a nurses' strike that day.  I'm hoping it doesn't mess up the schedule too much - they are supposed to have replacement nurses, and the radiation therapists will work as usual.

I haven't started tamoxifen yet either, because I have to get off zoloft and onto effexor first. But I too am nervous.  Probably more nervous than I was about radiation. 

Skin is healing pretty well.  The under-crease will be the last to heal, I think - which I guess makes sense b/c it was the last to get nasty.  Most of the red has faded, but the area under my armpit/down my side and the area under the breast are really tan. Weird.

The worst parts are still the area under the breast crease and the area near the top of my cleavage, but they're getting getter day by day.

Tamoxifen side effects - yes, I had the talk about the side effects.  Maybe nothing, maybe hot flashes, maybe increased insomia (common SEs), maybe a stroke or cervical cancer (uncommon SEs) or a whole host of things in between.  Nothing horrible happened yesterday, except that last night I dreamt that somehow the initial path was wrong and I needed a mastectomy.  I woke up in a panic.

Next week I have a my first follow up with the BS.  I guess I'm going to freak out at the as-yet unscheduled mammo. 

I'd describe the way my skin felt (and parts still feel) more like "crepe paper" than "tough and leathery."  But who knows, maybe we're using different words to describe the same thing.  It seems like the weird texture thing is going away as it heals, but it's not all gone yet.

I think you are right about the side effects of Tamoxifen.  My doctors wondered if depression and uterine changes were caused by the drug.  I am due to go on Arimidex and am very frightened of  its SE. 

I have 3 whole breast treatments and 5 boosts to go. I have been on hold for a week because of the burns around my side incision.  I also have blisters on my chest.  I am due to finish on the 15th.  The skin under my arm is like crepe paper but the entire breast is leathery.

Like someone said, "THIS WHOLE THING STINKS!'.

Here it is, the morning or the 14th and I have 7 treatments to go.  My skin is in much better shape and for the first time in a long time I have not had any pain meds  Yes, I hate finishing up but I will.  Thank you for the good wishes,Suepen.   I hope you all are doing well.

After this AM I will have only 5 zaps to go!  I started getting pink and Friday it was the worst.  Today i'm itchy, but still just pink with no skin problems.  I'm using Miaderm a zillion times a day and emu oil at night.

This week I get 3 bolus's...I'm really hoping I just stay pink and nothing more.  I'm ready to be done and stop thinking about BC everyday!

I'm 10 weeks from chemo and my hair is about 1 inch long and seems like it's getting thicker but not longer.  It's so hot that I've had to go without my wig to my TKD classes, so I'm getting LOTS of stares.  I'm proud of myself that I tested and received my blue belt this weekend.

Counting down the zaps!

DONE!!  Actually, I finsihed last week.  I'm not sure why I didn't run here and post immediately.  I escaped without any major problems.  My skin looks like heck, but I never got any open sores.  Overall, I'm glad I did it.

Congrats!! to the other finishers.

For those still going: I felt a huge wave of relief starting once the boosts began.  I hope you do too.

Soon, I will have to decide about tamox.  Phooey, and blech!

Hi All.....Haven't posted for a while. I finished Rads last Thursday..YAY!!! My DH took last week off from work and our grandsons (2 1/2 yrs & 2 month old) spent the week with us. It was a wonderful week but exhausting. I was supposed to go back to work yesterday, but my Onc gave me another week off to regain my strength, and heal.  My boob is so swollen, burnt, rare and raw, peeling under the fold and very sore where my incisions are... unable to wear a bra.  HEY, BUT ANOTHER MILE STONE COMPLETED!!!!!  Now, all I will have to deal with is the Herceptin Infusions and it's SE's. I CAN DO THIS!!!

CONGRATS to all who have finished, who are about to finish and the ones who are just starting....hang in there it does go by quickly! 

Thank you Sweaty Spice and Sue - Good news...the bone scan showed no mets, but the hip and thigh pain hasn't gotten any better.  The Muga Scan went down 5 more from 62 to 57.  I see the Chemo Onc on Friday when I go in for my Herceptin Tx, so I'll see what he has to say about all this.

YES Sue, you definitely deserve a wonderful holiday...ENJOY!!! 

Finished the last boost today.  The nurses were striking, but the radiation oncology unit seemed to be functioning normally.  They were even twenty minutes or so ahead of schedule.

The radiation therapists gave me a diploma welcoming me into the "Favorite Patients Club" - although I know I was not one of their favorite patients, really.  Most days I've been speaking only when spoken to, and then mostly in monosyllables.  I probably should have apologized to them for being unable to put on a happy face for treatment.  I know they try to make it as pleasant as possible, but it still feels a lot like some kind of punishment.

I'm off to bed after I slather on some goop.