January 2011 Rads

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  • walker2222
    walker2222 Member Posts: 558
    edited February 2011

    My last rad was Wed and I am already seeing changes to my skin. It is patchy but the worst part is under my arm. I have been using the silver cream the RO prescribed twice a day. Just two weeks ago it was redish/purple. Now it is starting to look a healthy pink.

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    Thanks - glad to know it turns the corner back to normal fairly soon.
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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited February 2011

    At least the rest of the boob isn't really red just a very slight pink, so that's something - I'm sure using MooGoo has really made a difference. I must have kept cooking over the weekend :)

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  • michcon
    michcon Member Posts: 145
    edited February 2011

    Suepen - I hope your skin holds up!

    Omaz - The rest of my breast has returned almost to normal looking where it was dark pink just a week ago. Hoping that's how it will go for the rest once this is over on Wednesday. 

    I'm feeling like an idiot that I don't know my percentages. I ask a zillion questions of all my doctors and am realizing now that I don't know much about how estrogen positive I was. They focused so much on HER2, saying it trumped everything as far as treatment that they glossed over everything else in the pathology report. I think I need to call my Oncologist and discuss. I'm sure he will tell me to not question taking Tamoxifen, but I just don't want any more drugs in me that give me side effects. I'm planning to at least put off starting on it until after my Kid Rock Cruise in April. No hot flashes needed there, he gives them to me without any drugs. lol 

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited February 2011

    First boost done - took ages lining me up etc. Very difficult to do as the scar is right under the boob. The guy who did my planning was on duty today - he's not usually at my treatment centre - he said he thought at the time of planning he wouldn't like to be doing my boosts because of how hard it looked. Well, tough, now he has to do it :) I hope he's there for all of them as he was really thorough.

    Got the nurse to dress the skin after - it is only a tiny area, although I've noticed a raw patch on my nipple.. She put some pure PawPaw ointment on it. I bought some on the way home.

    Sue

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011

    I'm done!

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  • Eloise
    Eloise Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2011

    Omaz, woot woot!  

    My clinic is closed today, I'm grateful for the three-day break just when my skin problems are at their worst.  With my free time today, I decided to take the cat to her new vet which I'd been putting off for months.  The cat freaked out in the exam room and bit and scratched me....so now I've got a big bandage on my hand, and the kitty'll never be seen in that vet clinic again except by people wearing gloves!  

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited February 2011

    mjbmiller glad your skin is healing up.

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011

    Thanks Eloise!!  I am glad to be done.  They gave me a little certificate and sent me on my way.  Very low key techs.

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  • rachel5738
    rachel5738 Member Posts: 920
    edited February 2011

    Congrats Omaz!!!!

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    Thanks rachel!  Nurse said my skin might get worse for a few days, she said it is at it's 'peak' now.  Glad to be done!
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  • Marl5900
    Marl5900 Member Posts: 32
    edited February 2011

    I am also SO grateful for the extra day "off".  I have two more booster sessions.  I now have so many open blisters I have to put a layer of neosporin, then Silver cream, then wet dressing...and I take pain killers and try not to move too much.  I am wondering how many days before my skin is not raw?  But I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Still wondering why people told me that TX was going to be a walk in the park! ;)  I mean seriously, this is a tough hike. 

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  • rachel5738
    rachel5738 Member Posts: 920
    edited February 2011

    Omaz--I finished on Friday and skin seems OK--pretty red under my armpit beside boob--but so far it isn't getting any worse---fingers crossed. Hope the same for you.

    Marl--sorry to hear that you have blisters. I have peeled skin under my armpit and it is that new, red, raw skin--luckily it is dry so isn't blistering. You are almost there, then my RO said that there is about 2 weeks post-rads that skin can still change but then it starts getting better! Sending you gentle hugs.

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  • lrr4993
    lrr4993 Member Posts: 937
    edited February 2011

    Mari - I finished my whole breast radiation 10 days ago.  My blistering started the next day.  I started used silvadene on that monday, so exactly one week ago. The blistered, slimy area is smaller but still there.  My rad onco said by this week it should be healed over.  It takes some time I guess. 

    Mine does not hurt at all, so yours may be worse than mine. 

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited February 2011

    Congratulations Omaz!!!!!

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  • walker2222
    walker2222 Member Posts: 558
    edited February 2011

    Omaz Congrats it feel so good when you are done.

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011

    Thanks so much suepen and mjb!  I read my little certificate and it says that I have successfully completed radiation therapy treatment and am now certified to share my knowledge with anyone who will listen.  Rad tech humor!!

    Thanks for all the support and for listening to me whine about things.  I appreciate it!!

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  • saturn
    saturn Member Posts: 139
    edited February 2011

    congrats Omaz!!  Yay for you!!  I hope your skin continues to hold up!

    I have 7 more to go, picked up my Tamoxifen today, my MO said I could wait a week after rads before starting, or I could start right away.  I don't see the point in waiting.  Going into scary territory soon!  I guess you just have to live knowing the risk, and I'm sure it gets easier.

    Lynda (yes I changed my "name")

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    Thanks saturn! I don't have my script yet for tam but I think that is what the onc is going to give me.
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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited February 2011

    CONGRATS OMAZ, DOING THE HAPPY DANCE FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Eloise
    Eloise Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2011

    By the way, if any of you ever are bitten by a cat -- even your own cat who's definitely not rabid or anything -- call your doctor sooner rather than later.  I had stuff to do today, so I ignored my swelling hand until after dinner, when I had a moment to sit down and check my health plan's interactive advice program.  It said "Please seek immediate medical attention".  Then I called the advice nurse line, hoping they would say "just take some Advil and use an ice bag".  The nurse said "Well, it looks like the urgent care clinic just closed 15 minutes ago...so I'm sorry, but you need to go to the ER".  (It wasn't that bad -- only two hours' wait.  But if I'd done it earlier in the day, it might have been half an hour at the less hectic urgent care.)  Now I have two weeks' worth of antibiotics, maybe they'll even help my peeling skin!

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited February 2011

    I was just going to post that very advice to you Eloise. I am reallly glad you checked the on-line thingy because cat bites can be a really serious problem. I suppose with our messed up immune systems even more of a problem. 

     I had a friend whose thumb was bitten and she waited to go because she had company. She got a bad infection that need some surgical intervention. 

    Ginger

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited February 2011

    Omaz, hurrah you are done. I am happy for you and hope everything heals quickly for you.

    Hugs GInger

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited February 2011

    MichCon You can find your numbers in your copy of the pathology report, which if you don't have you can request a copy. 

    Ginger

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    Thanks Ginger!  You are getting close too, keep up the good work.
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  • michcon
    michcon Member Posts: 145
    edited February 2011

    Thanks Ginger, I'll check my report.

    Yay Omaz!!! I'll be joining you in celebrating tomorrow. Whoo hoo!!! 

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    michcon - Alright!!!  How's the underarm doing?
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  • michcon
    michcon Member Posts: 145
    edited February 2011

    It peeled, very gross! It doesn't seem to hurt as bad now. I think the area where the boosts hit is getting ready to peel. Thanks for asking. I can't wait for this to be over!

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited February 2011

    Michcon - nearly there!!!

    I can't believe it - the nurse yesterday asked if I was using Solosite on the nasty skin, after the one the day before said to use PawPaw - I give up. I've just spent 20 bucks on the pawpaw, like I'm going out to buy yet another thing. Can't find the solosite from last time unfortunately. Only 4 boosts to go after today. I'm seeing the rad onc today and will finally make her earn her money and get a couple of doctor's certificates for work. I can't be bothered undressing to show her the breakdown. Last time I insisted on taking everything off so she could look, but it's the same as last time so what's the point. I must say the pawpaw ointment is nice and I'm not in any pain.

    Got the same guy yesterday (the one who did the planning). I told him he shouldn't have wished he didn't have to do my boosts, cos now I seem to be getting him every day. They had a machine  breakdown yesterday and I was there for over an hour. It just came back on line as they did my boost in the other treatment room.

    Hope you are all ok and not burning up too much.

    Sue

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  • Eloise
    Eloise Member Posts: 137
    edited February 2011

    #21 today.  The skin that's affected, basically a strip from just above the nipple across to the underarm, and under the breast, is still red, itchy, peeling in places.  The rest of the treatment field is absolutely normal, not even a bit of tan. 

    In the shower this morning, I was looking at my radiated armpit and thought "Hey, I thought the hair was supposed to fall out...".  Since I'm not allowed to shave, it's practically long enough to braid, as my mother used to say. 

    It turns out my cat was freaking out and bit me yesterday because she's hyperthyroid, so now I have medication to give her, for the rest of her life, or unless I want to have her treated with radioactive iodine.  I wanted to ask the vet if I could just give her some regular iodine and take her along to my last few treatments, but I didn't.

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