September 2010 Rads

Bubbalou,  Sorry I did not post the number for the Mayo Clinic but I see someone got it for you.  Hope they can give you some answers.   Good luck with everything.

I had my 2nd Rad tx today and they did it differently than yesterday.  They laid a bolus on my chest and moved it around during treatment and the whole experience was different today so I wonder what tomorrow will bring.  I forgot to take the Motrin IB today before treatment and my neck was stiff and a little sore from holding the head turned position.  I will make sure to take it tomorrow.  My Rad Onc said it helps with all of the Rad SE's so I figure I will take it.  My skin already feels a little achy and is pulling and tightening where they are directing treatments.  Hope that does not get too bad.

hi..i went for xrays today and start radiation on Monday afternoon.  I wanted to go away for a day over the weekend and wanted to swim but we got word that my sister is in liver failure so they are only giving her weeks to live.  It is so scary being at the beginning stages of cancer seeing the end result of a 5 year battle for my sister.  I just don't know how much more I can take.  My sister fought this battle so bravely but my brother in law has the horrible task of telling the kids.  The youngest is only 6 so I don't know how we are going to survive without her and how can I fight this battle feeling so doomed?  I just want to give up now and have a quality of life and just think, that is this worth in the end.  Cancer didn't kill my sister..the treatment did.

I get to use an iPod! I've been very anxious this week with challenges every day. My therapist suggested talking to each of my health care providers about my concerns. I spoke to the tech today. I mentioned that there was music Tuesday but not Wednesday and I missed it; my therapist said to ask about it and to ask if I could use an iPod. I thought, fat chance - but the tech said yes to the iPod, as long as I don't move once I'm in position. I didn't have an iPod but wanted one, so I treated myself to a Nano tonight.

I also spoke to her about respecting my schedule. Yesterday, the tech told me I'd be seeing the nurse after treatment. I had made my treatment appt. earlier because I had a meeting at work, so I told her I couldn't stay but I could see the nurse on Friday when I don't work. She said the nurse has a busy schedule. I left after treatment to get to my meeting. Today, I told the tech that I have a busy schedule too and need them to make appointments with me as I do with them; and she was okay with it.

Tomorrow, I'm seeing the Dr. and the nurse (not sure why I need to see both). I'll be having talks with both of them. Wish me luck.

Hi! DiamondGirl,

I know a nurse that gets her treatment whenever they can fit her into her schedule.   Talk to your nurse or doctor.

I just finished 7 out of 28 radiation treatments (plus I'll have 5 boosts); I have started feeling a little tired each day around 2:30 pm, but I'm getting up an hour early each day for treatments also, so that may contribute.  It's sort of a different kind of tired, more like my head wants to drop and my eyes want to close.  I snap out of it with a short nap, and some exercise. I actually feel pretty alert most of the other time.  My skin is doing fine; I had a rash which they think was from all the products which contain lanolin, so I've just switched to Miaderm and rash is going away, plus it smells pretty good.  I can't wait until the month of October is over.

I have nipple tenderness too but I am almost done ( 3 more boosts to go)    So far nothing to complain about except the sore nipple.

I have now had 8 rads as well.  I went into this thinking that there was no way laying on the table having this invisible and quick zap could possible make me feel tired, etc.  But I will say that I am a little fatigued.  Kind of like it's a little harder to walk up a flight of stairs.  And falling asleep on the couch really early in the evenings some nights.  No pinkness or redness yet, so I'm hopeful that maybe I'll skate through without that, but my rad onc said it could take 2-3 weeks or more for that.  We'll see.

Take care everyone and have a good weekend.  Two rad-free days.  Hooray!

Sara 

I will also start rads on 27th - 25 + 3 boosts.  Guess I will belong to both Sept. & Oct. groups.  Thanks to all in Sept. group for info about their experience with rads.

MelBell07,

Thanks for the update.  I was lucky enough not to have chemo...  I was over expanded as well, the tissue expander rides up right under my arm and is uncomfortable...  but your right what can we do.  My Plastic Surgeon did tell me it's more like a year to 14 moths to complete reconstruction.  Sometimes they get it done faster if everything goes perfect.   

Just wondering if they are using bolus on you and if so how often.  I have so many questions, but I am anxiuos to just get going.

No, they aren't using a bolus on me. I know a couple ladies here have experience with that. If you have questions, ASK!! I always ask questions, it makes me feel more in control I guess. How many treatments will you be getting? It is nerve wracking at the beginning, when you just want to get started. I'm halfway done and it's gone by pretty quick

Melbell07,

I have a new Rad Oncologist on Monday, so will ask lots of questions.  It helps to have some control over our treatments. Will  have 25 treatments.  I'll do some searching for treatments with bolus...  Thanks again.

My rads start Monday.  I was never given a "dry run" - I have no idea what a radiation room even looks like - hence the probable reason for my anxiety.  I had a scan and tattoos done, but that's about it.  I feel a whole lot more unprepared for this than I did for chemo.

I've heard you ladies mention the "Canadian protocol".  I live just outside of Toronto, and anyone I've talked to here has had the full 25-28 tx.  I mentioned this to my rad onc, and he said the dosage is higher in the 16 tx, and isn't used as often as you'd think.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Flippy, I can relate to being away from home for rad treatment.  I live in Vegas but am now "living" in Houston for 6-7 weeks while having my rads at MD Anderson.  We have an RV that lives in Louisiana where my husband works so we pulled it over to Houston so I have a mini home to stay in while I am here.  I have been very concerned about the boredom factor as well so I brought a ton of books.  If you like mystery/crime sort of things I've gotten hooked on Lisa Gardner who has about 10 books I am working my way through.  I have also started going for a brisk walk first thing every morning which uses up sometime and will hopefully will help me drop some of my chemo pounds, they say it should also help with the fatigue issues.  And of course we have the forum to keep us occupied as well.

I've now had 2 treatments on my breast and lymph nodes and have my knee simulation Monday so hopefully they will start that soon along with my spine for which they are still working on the plan.

It is nice to have a break this weekend since all of last week was spent driving back and forth for tests, simulations and finally treatment.

Hope everybody has a great, side effect free weekend.

Lorraine

I started on Monday and just finished 5 days. Today, my breast is noticeably pink. I have fair skin and sunburn easily. I met with the Dr. yesterday; he told me the first skin irritation will appear on my chest in the area that normally gets sun, like when wearing a v-necked top. He was wrong; I'm pink in the center of my breast. I've been using aloe 4x daily from the start. I also saw the nurse yesterday. They have a scale in a public area and want patients to weigh themselves on Monday and have the weight recorded in their charts. I'm a bit overweight and hate getting weighed, so I declined. The nurse explained that they don't want patients to change weight because the delineated area for radiation is so precise, a weight gain or loss would make it inaccurate. But she is okay with my decision; she said that I'm in control of my treatment. We'll get along just fine.

My Mother died of breast cancer. I find myself thinking of her a lot and missing her more than usual during this time.I've been crying every day.

Yesterday was #21 of 25, so I'm in the home stretch. Yay!

I asked the rad onc this week about the lower back pain I've been having. He said that some people with arthritis notice a flare-up during rads but it goes away after they're done. The lower back can be one of those areas. I don't know that I have arthritis there, other than what you'd typically have at the age of 50, but maybe that's it, or maybe it's just that I'm tired.

It made me think, though, about this foot pain I've been having lately. I've always had bad feet, but the toes have been bothering me a lot recently. I saw my primary care doc the other day, and she said she thinks it's probably arthritis. Maybe the rads have been making that worse lately. I wouldn't have thought to blame the rads on my chest for the pain in my foot, although if I can, I will ;-) I can only hope it goes away, but at least I do have an appointment with a podiatrist in a couple of weeks.

My skin is getting pretty red, although it's still not too bad. The rad onc said that fair-skinned people like me often heal faster. I don't know why that would be except maybe we have less skin damage and thus can heal better than someone who has had a lot of sun exposure.

The doc said it could take 4-6 weeks for my skin to get back to normal. I guess I'll have to keep slathering the cream on for a long time.

Karen