January 2011 Rads

pennythoughts, hello hope u r doing ok. The reconstruction that i will be having is taking out my tissue expander (t/e) then putting the nice soft implant in( because the t/e is so uncomfortable like a brick on your chest) i am also having surgery on my other breast that did not have cancer to have it match the new implant breast . But all this will take along time in the mean time i have the t/e breast up and painful and the other sagging about 2 inches lower . i cannot wear a bra cause the t/e is so painful especially with rads tightening it up even more... if i could where a bra i could lift the droopy one but no way ouch!!!! so i stay in the house probably will till im reconstructed about a year i guess. i use to be very social,and worked out regulary,i even was a jazzercise instructed up till about 1 year ago.. But life is on hold now unless anyone know how to lift just one breast temporarily ha ha i hope all goes quick and painless for you god bless

localgirl woohoo can't wait for you to finish tomorrow.

I am 2 1/2 hours west of localgirl and it is 30 degrees now will get down to 18 tonight that is just very wrong for Texas

Well due to bad weather my 5th week of rads has been extended.  I got in Monday and will be missing three days this week.  Hopefully Friday I will get in.  They were suppose to do scans for my boost treatments next week and give me more markers.  I guess I do not get my Valentines gift of no more rads.  Well at least my skin will have a break.  Saw a big change from the fourth week to the fifth week.

About husbands and doing stuff - my neighbors daughter came over yesterday after the ice storm and said her garage door would not go down and did not understand why, I guess her mom was not home (dad past away a few years ago very said).  My DH went over to check it out, she asked if he was a handy man. He was not for sure how to take that but just smiled and said he just knew how to do stuff.  We the problem was snow had piled up against the sensors and he just cleared the path.  But he really is a handy man and handy to have around.  He did take me to all but two chemo treatments, drove me to appts post surgery.  He does not take me to rads since they are short and I do them on my lunch hour, but was going to drive me Tuesday when the roads were bad but they had closed anyway.  I will say in his own way has had a hard time dealing with my BC and my mood swings, but only complains when he is tired of doing stuff.

Sorry for the long explanation

I am 30 north of Dallas and it is 21 right now, the wind chill makes it 17, and it my snow again Friday. Yikes, this is no fun.  Did get into work today though (had a project due), roads were very icy but I live 5 miles from the office so went very very slow. 

My onc also told me about the chance of cracked ribs and also that I may develop a bronchial like cough because the radiation may hit a part of the lung.  But he also said it was rare. I got the impression he was covering all possible SE's including the more common skin reactions and fatigue, oh and hair loss in the one armpit (big deal LOL).

msjag - yes I had to stay away from raw fruits and veggies when I knew my blood counts were low during chemo.  My taste buds are all screwed up too so I have found that raw veggies are very bitter to me so I have changed from a salad girl to steaming all my veggies....for now!  Fruits havent been too bad because they are sweeter - depends on the day though.

Good luck with your last chemo - it is SUCH a relief!  I have no nodes too but my tumour was to the side of my breast so I think the armpit area will get hit a little bit - enough to affect the hair growth I guess lol.

My area around my SNB is purple, I have been wearing a cold pack under my arm all night to give me some relief.

My rad techs told me to try to sit with a fan on my irritated skin as much as possible.  It really does work, it helps keep the skin dry.  I had a small fan I just put by my bed and set without a top on and watched TV.

I think I am glad I will have my rads done before the heat of the summer.

3 boosts left for me.yay.im like fried chicked.well done.BUT as the dr.said if i didnt burn it means that the tx.didnt work.I joined the Feb. rads group.Please sistas lets help the newbes who are soooo scared.REMEMBER WHEN?????huggggggggggggs K

Monday ill be partying...everyone is invited.come one and all.ha.

God bless us all.huggggggggggggs K

Tomorrow will be # 11.  I am trying to get back on schedule but am having a horrid time of it. Maybe I do need to go back up on anti-depressant dosage. I feel like a idiot, like I am acting like a high schooler, okay, not thaaat bad. My friend has a very mouthy 17 year old and I am so glad she is not mine. There now I feel all better. Hah  

Still I need to get back on this horse and am not doing it too well. 

Ginger

Victoria-do what your RO tells you to do.  The rule of thumb my RO gave me was as long as my blisters were bursting and immediatly drying up that was what they wanted.  If they stayed wet and oozy then they would treat differently with wet dressing etc.  It does all depend on how your skin in reacting.  In my case dry was better and it did make it feel better.  The last week was my worst and I did end up keeping my skin (areola) moist with neosporin and took pain pills.  Once I was done I have healed pretty quickly, not completely yet but I will be two weeks out on Monday.

Suepen,

I came across your thread here and had to say hello and say the same thing has happened to me!.  I had DCIS last year with lump/rads.  Now facing 2nd diagnosis IDC this time in the other breast.  Can you believe it?????  My surgery is 2/18.  I'm sure rads will soon follow.  I don't know if I'm out of the chemo woods yet until i find out about my lymph nodes.  Just thought I would say hi and commiserate!  Darn this club we're in....

Trish

kick2it so sorry you have to deal with this again