March 2011 Rads

thegood5 -

I got tiny blisters that looked more like a little rash. My RO advised me to put a tiny bit of Cortaid (1% Hydrocortisone cream) on them before bed. 

They said they are common on the chest. 

OTC Cortizone works great. I would put that on and then Aquafor on top of that. Made the itch more bearable.

the good 5 - i was dumb and messed with one it was so tiny, but my skin was so sensitive now there is almost a dine sized scab from where my skin ripped off! it was weird (i still have no feeling in my chest since surgery so i had no clue my skin was ripping)

ewww texasrose36!  At times I wish I was numb there...it's such an unbearable painful itch.  Oh well!  Thanks everyone for your input!

I've heard some doctor's so NO cold packs what so ever...And I find that ridiculous!  I guess their afraid of skin damage from direct contact, but who among us just puts ice on our skin for a long duration?   I have one of those handy dandy ice pack things...it looks like it's from the 1950's with a screw on cap.  It's the best five bucks I ever spent!  They still sell them at the drug stores too.  I think the docs get all regimented about stuff, but in the long run, it's about treating your skin well, managing the side effects. 

I saw my onc yesterday...I had to wait for 1.5 hours!  She's the only one that make me wait.  At least this time she wasn't ill, and she actually responded to my questions...I had an awful time with her before.  I start Tamoxifen today, as soon as I get to the pharma.  I'm anxious about the SE, but only time will tell! 

marjie:  I love the dragon boats!  I wish we had something like that around here!  I used to lead wilderness trips for people with disabilities and there were summers I spent more time in a canoe than out of one.  The team aspect of the dragon boat must be inspiring and comforting!  I'm glad you have something like that in your life...I think it's important!

I would put a wet washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes and then lay it over my chest. It felt so good and the amount of time of cold on the skin was just right--for me at least.

I see my onc tomorrow for my 4 month post BMX and one month post rads appointment. Having a mental block as to what I should ask at this point. She won't even talk to me about recon for another 6 months to a year. Kind of at that--what do I do now stage. . . 

I was so exhausted after that onc appt!  As soon as we walked out of the office I say to Chris, I don't know why these appointments drain me so much.  And he replied "Because you let yourself get so worked up over them."  He's totally right.  I asked all kinds of questions about recurrence, and it's not like she can answer them.  She said "I've been here 23 years, some women I've only seen once...some women I've seen back a couple of times"  A COUPLE OF TIMES!  There are no absolutes in this BC world.   I learned they take blood every time I go to see the MO...every three months for a year, every 6 months after that for 4 years, then once a year for the mammo at the end of the 5 year follow up.  She went into great detail about self exams, which was helpful and scary, since I only accidentally found my lump the first time.  They did a tumor marker...and I have to wait for those results...it's an odd feeling...In some ways I just feel to exhausted to worry about it, in other ways I want to drive to the office now and demand the results!  I think I'm just in limbo...that's the only way to summarize this "end of treatment" feeling.  I have five years of being in limbo!  Ack!

Scans....anyone get them prior to TX or after chemo and rads? My new onco wants them....SCARED!

KC, maybe he wants scans since you are new to him and is just checing to make sure rads did it's job?  I am having scans done when I am thru with rads, but that is because I have a met on my liver and they are checking to make sure nothing with it has changed. 

You really do look great, marjie. Check out my avatar. You talked me into it! I look so much older than I did last July!!