June 2010 Rads

I finished radiation today.   Yeah.   Thanks God.    My skin is like a dark pink (no real pain yet).  I had 7 boosts directly on my nipple, but so far that' didn't react (not saying it wont soon).  My nipple is numb from the surgery, so maybe it would be sore if I could actually feel something there. 

So, does it take about 2 or 3 weeks to get you skin back to normal (on average)?  hopefully.

I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders.  I don't need any more new experiences in my life for awhile.

Hi, ei.

Congratulations!  Good luck as you get back to yourself after rads.  I've been done since Wednesday, the 4th.  On Saturday, the 7th, my tender nipple skin eroded and the area was soooo tender.  I did some research and learned that this radiation-related condition is known as wet or moist desquamtion.   Revisited rads area and the MD said, "Yes, that's what it is.  How about Aquafor."  And I said, for the (swear to God) 7th time, "I'm allergic to the lanolin in Aquafor."  Anyway, on the ride home, I had a vision of my now grown up babies' bums when they'd get the really bad diaper rash--and how well zinc oxide worked.  So, put the z.o. on my nipple) and put an non-stick pad between my nipple and the bra.  Each day, shower, getly clean, repeat.  Nipple healed but incredibly dry.  Very responsive to the old emu routine. Honestly, almost okay now and can't believe the scar is hardly visible. Overall, so much to be grateful for--in the way you can be grateful for things with this diagnosis.  

Are you on the way to the Tamoxifen board?

Again, congratulations and good luck.

YAY!! Everyone is done! Hope everyone is on the road to the new 'us'.

Hey, faithfulc.  All healed.  Let's hear it for zinc oxide (w/a little shea butter).  Nipple a little tender, swollen.  Breast still hotter than the right one.  Still feels a little "leathery" but less and less....So one month post last rads, things are moving in the right direction.  Thank you for caring.

A wee bit stressed here.  My mother needed a rotator cuff repair and Wednesday will be the third of five or six weeks she'll have been with my husband and me.  Need I say more.  Funny thing:  my husband and she are great friends and have a really easy relationship.  Even though she's hard of hearing, sometimes even without the hearing aids, she hears everything....Anyway, after careful deliberation, they've come up with a plan where he brings her to the library, sets her up with magazines, snack in purse, and promises to come back in two hours or less.  Then he comes home for some adult married time with me....She is completely ok with this and they think it's hilarious.  (Funny, it didn't bother me to have sex in my mother's house...and that's another story....)

The T thing.  One month in and worst SE's:  hot flashes and puffiness in feet.  Best if I take it in the late afternoon so feet are way better in the morning.  Had to up the fluids to keep things moving, if you know what I mean.

BarbaraA:  Love your beautiful photo.  Can you send me the latitude and longitude or something I can program into my gps to find the new "us"?  Lots of folks have posted here about the problems/uneasiness after treatment is over.  Feel like I'm in limbo.  Don't want tx.  Just want to not have this in the back of my mind...Sox leading TB 12-5.  (Sox need miracle.  TB needs to hang in and GO for it.)

Barbara,

I've got two bottles of A sitting on my dresser. Figured I'd go ahead and fill the RX while my insurance could pay most of the cost. I've gone way over the deduction for this year! Then, when I was ready take the meds. I saw the a new intern and he prescribed DIM too. Was trying really hard to find someone that could give me an alternative. The tests showed more estrogen than I wanted but hadn't started the dim as yet so next test should give me some indication if it's working.

Besides the hot flashes with DIM are you also having the pain in the hands? I feel this must be similar to the A's without the chemical effect.

Sorry for not to posting for so long.... Oh, the underarm is still rather like leather but I've been using coconut oil on it and it's been helping. Found on another thread about it and some of the great results. Buy it at walmart in the food isle...HEHE. Guess it's not prescription, right? BTW it works wonderful on the face too.

Yo gals, I have conquered the PTSD. The diarrhea was a process but I went to a shrink who taught me self-hypnosis. I am now on my pre-problem schedule. (BTW, the problem started 2months before BC).  How freeing to be able to go where I want without worrying. WAAHOO!

A question for all my June rads sisters:

Is your treated breast still warm?  Does anyone have a timeline for how long the heat remains? 

Hope you're all feeling fine.  Overall, I am and I'm so grateful.

God bless us all.