April 2011 Rads

Hi Hdangelbaby~ I got TAPE - and I'm wondering if my skin is going to break down then pulling this tape off every so often is gonna hurt.....I agree with thegood5, radiate your RO before he can tell you how you will feel.  I'm exhausted already, not sure from what, from everything etc. and I haven't even been on the insomniac thread!!! i've been sleeping about 6 hours a nite.  Anyway, glad it went well for you, and do what you need to do for yourself!

Letlet - I am so sorry that it has gotten so terrible of you.  One more til Friday ... maybe you can find a spot to be topless this weekend ... 

Sagina - I still have the tape ... I shower daily, I run/exercise a couple times a week with no problems.... the only thing I can't do is swim.  No soap on the tape & pat dry.... if it starts to lift, I just pat back.  I have 3 original tape spots at 3 weeks old and the rest were changed once. I don't cover / plastic wrap, etc.  They told me they can tattoo at any time and they only have do the spots that bother me. 

and this is why i don't want to work on rads if i don't have too.....

no bra, no deodorant (on one side) , uncomfortable, and i have to wear an apron too, that rubs on the boobs, and the string hits the armpit...

letlet, you should just go comfy!!! i went to christmas dinner in sweats, and a ratty braid in my hair (cause i had just had chemo 3 days before, and the ratty braid was cause my hair was falling out, shaved it next day, wanted hair for christmas though) and no one in the family cared that i was in my sweats and slept most of the day!!!!

Hi ladies!  So sorry I haven't posted in such a long time, life seems to have been super busy lately!  Just had 19/33 today!  I'm very fair skinned and so far my skin has ben holding up beautifully.  Unlike most of you, though, I had a BMX so I don't have to worry about bras or skin breakdown under the breast.  My skin is getting a bit more pink, but no skin sloughing or flakiness.  Some minor itching but it doesn't seem to be a constant thing and if I'm having a day where it's bothering me the lidocain gel they gave me works well.  So far all I've been using is Eucerin lotion in the morning after my shower, Aloe in the afternoon after tx and the Aquaphor at night before bed.  This seems to be working well for me.  I've just started to begin feeling fatigued, but it's still nothing in comparison to the chemo fatigue and so far has been managable.  Wishing all you ladies continued luck for minimal side effects in your treatments!!

Hello to all...Getting my last dose of Chemo right now and starting radiation in 2 weeks. I suppose that makes me a May gal, but so many of my chemo thread girls are here it just feels right to be here.

I had my appt where they did my cat scan and put my tattoos on...3 is all.  I questioned them for the 100th time I am sure about the organs.  They told me that yes the heart, lungs and ribs will get hit slightly however the lungs are the ones that they are the most concerned about as the portion of the heart that they are hitting is so small and the heart is extremely tough and can take it (but I only have one of them I explained).  The ribs or any bones can take a lot of radiation without any damage....ok, I guess we will see.  They keep a close look on the lungs even though they get hit very slightly.

As far as what cream to use they told me that they will give me anything that I need.  Of course I had already read all the March posts and was all ready to order what I thought seemed best...guess I will hold off.

Very glad to be through one more phase of this journey but really ready for hair and new boobs (that will be my husbands Christmas gift if I have the timing right).  Anyone know when you should go see the plastic surgeon for the first time. We called before surgery even and they said they wanted to wait til I was through treatment.  I am thinking once I start radiation we can make a game plan.

Thanks for reading my ramblings

Leigh

Hi - I actually started Rads in March, but thought you guys may have ideas too. Hope you don't mind me jumping in here:

Does anyone know if you can use a cold pack ?  I have one that is smooth that I can put on the outside of my teeshirt, but not sure if that is allowed ? I thought I read someplace that we weren't supposed to use anything cold .  I know it would help it feel better, so I am tempted.  I have 7 boosts to go and then I am done.  It is very burned ( peeled a lot ) under my arm so it's not very comfy. I am using blue emu and aloe on it. Also cover it with aquaphor to help keep the skin flexible.   THANKS!

hdangelbaby, ah easter sunday in sweats sounds so divine, I was just thinking I can't even remember where I put those heels to go with a dress! A white shirt to mask the aquaphor stains too

sammolisa - hooray that they are definitely cysts, yay, yay, yay!

Ginger ~ kuddos to you! when my 20 year old was little and I was a single mom, I used to leave the porch light on all day on purpose.  When we pulled up to the house, she would exclaim with glee - Look mommy the lights are on! So I totally get what you are saying.

Susanhg~ I thought I was going nuts today, I couldn't drink enough water....only on my second rad could this be dry mouth already? maybe coupled with chemopause at 41 and hot all the time, and it was 93 degrees today....

catlover6 ~ my RO's office gave me a book yesterday that said not to apply heat or cold to radiated site - it doesn't explain why though....

For the underarm stickyness - yep already feel that one - I found a new purpose for my bandanna, scarves etc.  I put it under my arm then tied it around my shoulder.  Working pretty good so far. 

As for the topless, braless, anxiety - count me in - I have to go to work in an office - the techs told me to stop wearing a bra as much as possible now....still scratching my head about how to pull that off.

Lawleigh -- Excellent, last chemo!  Hooray!  I, too, am on the May rads bandwagon... but many of us went through chemo today, so I'm probably going to hang out here with you all! 

I am headed off to a water park tomorrow for the weeked with my four kids.  I wish I was more confident about walking around bald, but I'm not, so I'm likely to be sitting on the sidelines watching the kids have fun, which is the whole point of a trip like this.  Fortunately, this water park is across the street from the entrance of Starved Rock State Park, with gorgeous hiking trails, so that's where I hope to spend half of our time, if the weather cooperates. 

Happy Easter to all! 

Good morning all.  Going for Tatoo today.  They said I start Rads on the 28th.  Hopefully, it will be smooth sailing.  I am in PT for knee surgery on March 3, and I am working with a personal trainer to keep me motivated through all of this.  Love reading this board.  Gives me such encouragement.  I am making my own creams out of shea butter and aloe base , so lets see if that works.  Good thing is my radiation center has free Reiki on Thursdays, so I think I will take advantage.  I don't even know what Reiki is, but why not?

Hugs to all. 

lesleye........Reiki is great, but you have to believe in it....It is a "hands on" type of therapy. Similar to massage, but not as intense as massage.........I had it done, and it was great..........I also had accupuncture, and I love that.............I am going to do accupuncture while I am having my Rads which starts on Monday.........I'm sure you will like Reiki, and if it "free" that would be even better, cause its not cheap to have done.. It can be as high as $100.00 for a 1 hour session...My person is not that high.

I got my final tatoo's yesterday. and will start 9am on Monday moring.  The people at the Breast Cancer Center where I go are wonderful........I have not found a person yet that I can say I didn't like......the compassion, and care at this place are wonderful, and I don't have to leave the building to do anything..........it is all there, from the 1st mammogram to the BS, biopsy, pathology, R/O, M/O/ radiation dept., and the oncology suite............They are fantastic, and a Regional Cancer Center of Fox Chase in Philadelphia...........Maybe that is why everything has gone so fast........I even got to pick my own radiation time, and everyone told me "your gonna get whatever is left over during the day".....not true, they said "what time would you like to come in...........so I hope this radiation thing goes as smooth as everything else has.......

Keep posting ladies, I need your encouragment, and good advice............However, a footnote..........when I mentioned "creams" for any problems.........they told me nothing now, and if I do need something they will tell me what to get, kind of like "don't do anything unless we tell you"............so I will keep all the suggestions of the ladies past in my "ditty bag", and let the experts know, at the time, what the "ladies of radiation" that I know says works for them......

Wish me luck girlfriends........nice Easter dinner, celebrate my bitthday (which is Easter Day), and then into the "oven" on MOnday...............just being funny...........

Woot! 10 down, 20 to go. Meeting w/the PS in about 10 days at my halfway point. My daily routine involves getting up early & driving 45 min each way for rads, then coming home to crash for a few hours, then up to get ready for work. Hope all the rest of the April group continues to fare well!

Duckyb1~they only have female staff except for the RO, they have a back lit ceiling tile too, but I have to keep my neck turned to the left quite a bit so the tile is wasted on me.  How bout those reflections in the machines?  Forget the techs, I'm having nightmares from that visual!!