March 2011 Rads

30/30 today!  I actually got a diploma from the rads center - LOL!

 RO said not to peel the black skin off (yuck).  Also if you take 1/2 Benadryl it takes the itch away, who knew?  

KCMomx3 - they had me on *Udderly Smooth* (not joke) cream at first, it can't hurt, but your R/O will tell you what to use.   I have been going through a tube of Hydrocortisone cream every 3 to 4 days, but everyone's skin is different.  I went to lunch with two ladies whose skin did not break down at all!  

Thank you ladies, it is a crummy club to belong to, but the members are great.  Dang, now I'm crying...

Gentle hugs to all!

Hi all !  I have 1 more full Rad left and 7 boosts, so will finish up May 2nd.  My skin is breaking down and under my arm and boob are very sore ( the skin has peeled off and it's soooo red ).  Using aloe from a plant and Blue Imu cream...helps, but today it's making me a bit grumpy.  It hurts - so good I can whine whine whine here. 

KCMomx3 :  Whatever cream you are told to use, make sure you start spreading it on from day 1!  Also have the techs show you the entire area you need to lubricate.  I hadn't realized until halfway through my treatments, that part of my back (up and around from my armpit) was also in the radiation area and I hadn't been treating it.   That's the only area that has hurt and given me stress.    Because my skin reacted in a rash rather than a sunburn, I switched to using an application of the sap from the slit leaves of an aloe plant followed by a layer of hydrocortisone cream.    It seems to have worked really well.  Not only does it feel good going on but it also helps with the healing and any itch that might occur. 

My RO also suggested taking a Benedryl at night to help me sleep and control the itch.  

HI all,

I AM DONE! YIPPEE!  and on Holy Thursday no less.

My skin is getting redder now than it was but still very managable.  

I gave the staff $5 Mc Donalds cards.  There is a resturant nearly across the street from the office.  They seemed very appreciative.    

Hope everyone is well!

thrmine 

Hi again,

I am in a kinda celebratory mood.  So I thought I'd share my Caringbridge post.  Sorry to be so self promoting, but it is helpful to read others stories from time to time.  

Any other bloggers out there willing to share?

Thanks,

Alice 

Congratulations to everyone who has crossed the finish line recently! Woohoo!

Tomorrow was supposed to be my last day, but there was an issue during boost set up and things got delayed, so last boost will be next Tuesday.

The fatigue comes and goes and I've been able to continue working (desk job) but haven't had the energy for much else. The nipple area has been sore, but the rest of the skin has held up really well until yesterday. After getting the henna/sharpie marks for the boosts, paper tape was used to hold gauze in place, which later took some skin with it when removed. Owie! Most of the spots aren't too bad, but one little area is deep and especially painful. This morning, my wonderful nurse applied Aquaphor and these amazing refrigerated RadiaDres gel sheets which are incredibly soothing! The person who invented these is an angel!

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!

Countdown= 1!!!!!   One of my techs remarked that Monday will be my last day.   When I asked her if I should come with my bells and whistles, she laughed and she said I could even do handsprings.  I told her not to be surprised if I do!

Hey all,

Hope you had a good Sunday!

Hang in there if you are still underway.  I am mending quickly.   So glad to have my mornings back!

Thanks heavenschild.  We are all on a jouney.  

gingerstx:  I think you summed it up very well.  I've been fretting about all of the above!  Like to soy or not to soy?  What supps should I take?  Why can't I find any face lotion without parabens??? I'm cutting out as much wheat as possible and limiting dairy too.   In regards to family:   Easter almost killed me.  And I delegated more than usual.  But no one would leave last night!  Since the end of rads I've been struggling with fatigue. At about 7 every night I just can't function. I make it to 730 and then head to bead with a book,and read until 8, and then I am down for the count.  Hopefully I only wake up once during the night, until the alarm goes off at 5.  I'm grateful for my family, but I think it's funny how they expect me to be weakend by my treatment, but not respectful of my healing.  Does that make sense? Since my dx it's like everyone was waiting for me to crash, and I've hidden most of it because I can't stand the sympathy, but last night when I was absolutely beat, it was taken like a joke.  This morning, I slept in til 545 and I'm still foggy.  My get up and go, totally got up and left!

I'm trying to research recurrence, and understand the stats and the drugs...Tamoxifen is going to be my maintenance drug.  And I was thinking about turning it down, but my tumor is 100% ER+.  So I'm trying to come up with a list of questions to ask my MO...who I don't really like. 

On the lighter side my TVUS showed that the complex cyst on my ovary finally dispersed! Yahoo!  But the submucosal fibroid in my uterus grew  But my rads boob is doing really well.  It's peeled several times, but it's notnearly as sore as it used to be. The tumor bed is still realy itchy and red, but all in all, I think I've tolerated it well.

 Congratulations to all that finished! 

ElizabethAnn: I think "Ton of Bricks"  is an excellent descriptor for what if feels like to be hit by rads...each treatment is like a brick until the end when they all fall off!

4 to go!!!

Still working full time, fatigue hits about 4 but I stay busy, and go to bed at 10, sleep for 8 hours and I'm good to go!!  Hope that keeps up this week and after...I don't have pain, but I am also in the nipple/aeola peeling club...I wonder if I will have to color it in with markers when this is done!!! haha!

I would love to continue on this thread with all of you.  The info we share is so helpful to each other and the support can't be found anywhere else!

Someday the sun will shine in MA again!!

shooshoo  2 more?? That's about done in my book. Start the party...

I so envy all of you that sleep so well. I have had terrible insomnia since chemo started. I used to could hit the pillow and be out. Now I just lay there praying for sleep to come. Have done the sleeping pill thing, melatonin, etc. for months and months, trying 3 different ones. Decided I needed to get off that vicious cycle but just can not fall asleep. I think I'll have to take something tonight. So even though you gals have fatigue, sleep, sleep, sleep.  It's so helpful for your bodies/healing. That's why it worries me so- this true lack of sleep for days.

girlfriday: Great news about your cyst!! I'm headed for preventative hyster/ovaries out in 2 weeks. oh, joy..more fun.

Would love to hear about vitamins/supplement advice. Heard in BC support group that Turmeric is supposed to be of great benefit. Not sure if just for ER+ or all BC. I've started taking it. Figured it can't hurt.

Went for skin check today. Wants me back next week for final look. All badly burned areas have healed except along BMX scars. Those areas are still pretty nasty, but will make the turn soon. Never thought under the arms would heal, but they sure did. Miracle considering my white cell count is so low  2.9. Hoping that goes back up to normal.