Sept 2011 Rads

Yeah, I will be done with RT next week Tuesday.  I am finishing up with boosts and no issues to report.  I will be bringing a cake with me next week to celebrate with the staff. 

 Two questions:

(1) How long after RT do you get next mammogram?  I was told my next one to make sure all is ok won't be done until January 2012. 

(2) If tamoxifen is your next step how long after RT did you start?  I haven't heard back from my oncologist as to when my start date is - might not be until November when I see her. 

Thanks!  And blessings to all. 

Wow I am pages behind.  Sometimes it is so hard to keep up.

Kate, I am truly sorry for your pain.  You certainly came to the right place to vent.  It is not all about cancer here, it is about friends supporting friends.  Glad you were able to come here for some much needed cheering.  Sending my gently hugs you way.

I just came back from my pre-op regristation at the hospital.  I don't have a surgical time yet, but probably early.  If I get the 8:00 OR time I have to be there at 6:30.  Fine with my.  The nurse drew blood and went over a ton of paperwork.  She explained I am having the right lobe removed...and that it will go straight to pathology and takes about 20 minutes to get the results.  The pathologist will deliever the news to my surgeon in the OR.  If the cells are good, they close me up and I go straight to recovery.  If they are bad cells, well, then they will take the remaining lobe.  If that happens I will likely be admitted overnight.  So hoping for good cells, early slot, and home by afternoon!

MostlySew...thanks for all the support.  Your knowledge on what to expect was very helpful.  Thanks so much.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Janis, hoping for a really good report and easy recovery!

Wishing you all the best Janis!



Congrats on everyone that's finished.



The Livestrong program is great and I highly recommend it! It is a small group of cancer survivors of all ages and abilities. I've been chatting a lot with an older gentleman that had colon cancer-he's actually the dad of someone I went to high school. It's amazing how many lives have been touched by cancer.



"I am a cancer survivor and am proud of it. It changed my life forever, and I am going to tell that story as long as I have to...the story of cancer survival and fighting for your life." ~ Lance Armstrong

Well, a bit of a delay for me today. My burn isn't looking too good, but is also not yet an open mess. My RO suggested I take a long weekend and not start boosts today or Monday but wait till Tuesday to begin again. He did prescribe silvadeen but I gather that's not so much for pain but to avoid infection. He told me I could power thru it if I wanted but he recommended a break. With what happened to Janice and a few others with healing issues, I decided to take the 4 day weekend. I was already going to finish on a Monday, so now it will be a Wednesday instead! Depressing, sort of though!



Question: how many zaps did everyone get for the boost? I assumed it would just be from one angle and be a small area allowing the rest of the breast to start healing. In my set up today, I find they're doing the zaps from 3, count them 3 angles and with all the sharpie marks all over me, it leaves barely any part of the breast out of the radiation zone. And I've got DD breasts! And it definitely includes the whole SNB site which is the worst burn area right now. Ouch!

MostlySew, definitely enjoy the break you will have, I was given 6 days off between fulll and boosts.

My boost zaps were from two different angles, each one lasted like 15 sec. However, my tumor was very deep, (DD) breasts and the lumpectomy scar practically in my armpit so the techs did an AP film every day during my boosts to get me lined up properly, really made things take longer, but at least they were exact. I was on the table for 40 minutes today!!!!

Tamcathtech I am so sorry that your husband is such a loser, to have left you alone with cancer. Congratulations on finishing Monday. Where in Illinois are you. My family lives in Northern Chicago suburbs.

Mostlysew, I only had one area for boosts and it was quicker than normal treatment. I also only had to have 5 boosts.

Tamcathtech,  Sorry to hear that you have had to go this alone. I'm glad you found this board. And I love the idea with the rock and the river. I just might do that myself. I have taken yesterday and today off work just to rest before life goes back to normal on Monday (work wise). I can't stop thinking about all of this, I'm not sure how to turn it off and just live normal like the day before I was diagnosed. Its really weird! I don't know how to handle being done with Rads. Why on earth is this such a problem for me? The whole time driving to rads every day I would think to myself how great its going to be when I'm done. It is GREAT not to have to go and knowing that my body will continue to heal. Maybe its the fact that I'm still hurting, still burnt, still peeling.     Sorry, I kind of went off there, lol  But, its good therapy. Oh yeah, I also wanted to tell you I'm in IL too, northern area.

JANIS, glad you got your op set up, I'm just glad they found the problem! 

I get five boosts, starting Monday, so done Friday.  But that almost didn't happen... as part of my awful meeting with rads doc, where she wouldn't give pain pills, she suggested I should take a couple days off from rads.  Well, when I was in chemo, this IS what happened, but since rads are the last treatment for me, like many others here I've been reaching so hard for that last day, so I stood up, sobbing and raised my voice and said, "NO, NO, do not stop my rads, I would CRAWL to the hospital to get my rads!  I want this OVER with!"  Haha.  By the by, I left out how doc DID give me a prescription for prednisone, I left it out becuz it was a looong story with the pharmacy in the hospital, otherwise I'd tell it, but folks, I can testify the drug has helped the inflammation and I feel much better!  So, at least one of my rad doc's suggestions worked.  But I think some of the purple type red skin under my arm is scabbing, it's a harder texture and pulling my regular skin to it, but I assume this is normal?  Shoulder still bothers me, the scapula, and top muscle, aches, cannot get it unstuck.

STORMY, oh dear, my dear one, I SO hear you, every time you write, I understand so well.  One item you could consider is take a multivitamin & mineral w/iron in it, take it today and tomorrow, that's it, and it just might do for you what it did for me after my surgery, I couldn't get my energy up until I took iron pills for two days.  Sleeping is also key, and your discomfort is disrupting this, and it's impossible to fully relax in the day, too.  I cannot recall if you take pain pills, but sometimes they'll rev up a person and so an over-the-counter sleeping pill you like might help, Tylenol PM used to be what I used, and I've also used Melatonin from the health food store, the latter works like a charm and is natural.  As for relaxing when in pain, a brisk walk does wonders to un-kink a person and helps sleep too.  During my two WEEKS off (smile), I plan to do only things I like.  So, for your Sat & Sun, you could do your favorite hobby, treat yourself to a new blouse or a pretty little glass figurine to gaze at by candlelight, go ahead and get a movie for TV you're dying to see.  All those things will take your mind off stuff, it will "reward" you for what you've been thru. 

Hey, I STOLE a rose from the Hardees landscaping, I knew they wouldn't mind if I had one (I'm the kinda person who leans over a fence, on a ladder, scissors in hand, to get a branch of blossoms).  So, this is what I mean by treating yourself.  I DO think it's funny I grabbed that rose, right after and same way I grabbed my hotdogs from the food window.  GG 

Yay for neecee!

Tamtech-it's great that you found a way to mark the end.

Mostly Sew, I did have 3 positions, with 2 boosts at each stop.

I don't think a day or two to rest matters--someone's RO on here said that the effects last for 2 weeks after rads stop.

Have a great weekend everyone. 

Dogeyed, Thank you for all the tips. I will try the vit. and iron. I do have some pain pills but I stopped taking them because they were giving me such bad headaches. Just taking motrin now, its doable.

Neecee....for you on finsihing.  Congratulations!!!!!

Neecee, Congrats girl! There is plenty of room in the "After Rads" thread, come on over!  Now, I check on both threads, lol.

Although I am more of an "Oct Rad" person, started 9/27, I am posting here for your experiences.  I just had #20 out of 34, 7 full to go and 7 boosts.  I sam the RO today.  My skin is getting pretty red.  She wants to see me again on Wed after my treatment.  Said treatment might have to be interrupted.  I am so upset.  I just want this over.  I do not have any blistering, peeling or pain and the skin does not feel hot.  If I did not look in the mirror, I wouldn't even know it was red.  I asked if they could do some boosts while they let the rest of the skin rest and she said that is a possiblity, will see on Wed.

Just wondering if any of you had this experience and if treatment had to be interrupted.  Thanks!

pam53-I have seen some women who went on 3 day weekends or every other day boosts to help their skin rest and this is an option you can at least discuss with your RO. Hopefully you are putting cream on the skin 3 or 4 times per day.  Everyone has their favorites.  Mine was Calendula, then 99% Aloe, and when it got worse Miaderm.  The techs gave me a sample of XClair...seemed to work very well. Good luck!