October 2011 Rads

kay1963--  I had similar skin issues.  Very red, no blisters, no peeling.  I heard one woman who had been prescribed hydrocortisine cream.  I asked for it.  The RO was reluctant, didn't think it would help much but he still prescribed it--2.5%.  It worked wonders--went from red to light pink over night.  I am still using it.  They had given me two days off before and I am not getting stopped again!  I want this over!!!

Little fatigued tonight--I am hoping it is the time change and not radiation.  FIrst boost tomorrow.  Electron type.  They put a device on the radiation machine and put it within an inch of the breast.  It is a little eriee but not too bad.  Don't know how long the zap takes will find out tomorrow.

Here's to Madame Curie!

Dancetrainer--I work in outpatients so not as strenuous.  I try to favor my left side--am right dominant.  I only had a lumpectomy and it was at the 11:00 position.  SNB--only one superfical one. So, I was lucky--was only out of work five days. 

Natters-I lost almost all my armpit hair, except a little at the top edge. I also had a pretty bad armpit burn, so hopefully they are not getting your armpit so much. Fingers crossed.

Havent been here in a while and I feel like I can't even catch up!!  My skin is really suffering these days.  Who was asking about the bolus--I'm still having it, every treatment!  I have a big red square on my chest and most of it isn't bad.  There is an area on my MX scar that is open, but fortunately for me, in the "numb zone" after surgery   I have a really sore place in my armpit though, and a whole pharmacy of creams they have given me.  It hurts just to put on the creams, and so far, none are really helping.  It looks like the skin will crack and separate, right at the crease in the armpit--yikes!!  Nurse looked at it yesterday, gave me a new cream that doesn't seem to do much but sting.  The doc looked at it and said my "current regimine" would change in 2 days and they'd give me new skincare at that time.  My mind was spinning, and he was in a hurry.  Don't have any idea what they mean unless I'm to start boosts in 2 days.  That would stink, since I'm supposed to have 12 more days of treatment.  Not sure I could do 10 boosts, if that will be more painful. At this point, can't lift my arm above shoulder level, and just positioning for rads is really painful. 

Will ask tomorrow, so tired tonight!!  Feel like a crybaby but I'm just SO DONE!  Apparently I must be faking it well. . . . lots of my friends don't seem to realize I'm still in treatment.  My first chemo was 2/25 of this year and I can't tell you how tired I am of cancer!  At the same time I'm so scared of it coming back, I'm just a mess.  Hubby was all set for us to go out of town mid Dec, after a few weeks of recovery from rads.  Not sure I really want to go   Been having lots of anxiety, every night as I fix dinner for the family.  Very weird.  Haven't mentioned it to the docs, cause I feel like they'll just offer another pill, and I'm really done with that. 

ugh.  So now I've unloaded, how is every one else doing?  So glad for this cheap therapy!!  After a year of cancer treatment, who can afford real therapy?!

abatellik, I haven't decided yet.  I am getting a 3rd opinion at another large university hospital.  If I do get radiation, it would be bilateral, because they found an unexpected cancer on my R supposedly prophy side, too, and it also had < 2 mm margins.  Rads after BMX for DCIS is uncommon (let alone bilat rads), the research is limited, and the recommendations I've found are for the decision to be made on a case by case basis.  The two recommendations I've received thus far are opposing.  Uggh!  It will be a few weeks before I have to decide b/c I have to have another surgery to remove the areola on the L b/c DCIS was found behind it.  Thank you for sharing your experience - that does sound rough and so glad you won't have her again! 

BTW all, what have you heard in terms of how long you can wait to have rads?  My BMX was 9/20, so I'm quite a ways out, but one doc told me I could wait 4 months if I needed to...thinking about it...as my plastic surgeon said if he can get one more fat graft in before rads, I might not need another graft (multiple surgeries would be needed if done after rads).   

5kidsmom - do you have an expensive deductible and/or copay for therapy? I just had a tiny little spot of DCIS and I am not raising any kids but I started to just basically fall apart as rads approached. So I started going to therapy once a week. In therapy, you don't have to act strong and calm and like you are all over everything. It's perfectly ok to bawl your eyes out and voice all your worries and concerns. I highly recommend it if you can afford it - maybe you can double-check to see if it's as expensive as you think? 

Thinking of you today and hoping you feel less anxious tonight.

Nat 

5kidsMom, glad you have such great people at your cancer center.  That really does make a big difference.  Sorry you're having the rollercoaster of feelings.  I go up and down with it too.  So looking forward to being done with rads, but wonder if I will feel the anxiety I hear about when you're done active treatment.  Since Herceptin will still be on-going through May, maybe it won't hit me until then. 

Wishing everyone short waiting times and better skin reactions too.

Good morning everyone - I just finished 7 of 35 ... slowly it gets done.

I'm having unbelieveable success in finding radiation-themed songs.  Sorry Natters, but very few are ballads.  I'm trying to get a variety of genres of music - a sampling (and I found all of these on YouTube if you're interested to hear any of them):

Gavin DeGraw "Radiation"; Lady Sovereign "Drunk on Radiation"; Fountains of Wayne "Radiation Vibe"; The Black Seeds "Love is a Radiation"; Goldfrapp "We Radiate"; REM "Electron Blue"; Strontium 90 "Electron Romance"; Kings of Leon "Radioactive"; Kraftwerk "Radioactivity"; Army of Lovers "The Ballad of Marie Curie"

so the last one is a ballad, the others are uptempo and a mix of rock, reggae, electronica and rap.  I also found some "Norwegian experimental black metal" (Code - "Radium") but even I couldn't take that. And, random factoid of the day - Strontium 90 is what the Police (w/ Sting etc.) called themselves before they became the Police.

I'm totally making a CD soundtrack to give to my techs on my last visit

5kidsmom, I have an HMO too, I think - but there were a lot of therapists in my network that I could choose. Not sure if you would have that many options, but maybe. One of my friends has a BS who is a survivor and one of my coworkers is a therapist herself (LCSW) who is a survivor, so maybe you could find a therapist who has gone through breast cancer herself. My copays are only $15, and they are well worth it. I'm sorry your husband had such a crappy experience but I think therapists are like DRs in that you might have to try 1-2 different ones until you find the right fit for your situation.

lovetosail - thanks for the song suggestions! Some of those titles crack me up. And are you still getting out on the water? I bet it's nice and warm where you live. We had unseasonably warm weather here this past weekend so I paddled on Saturday and Sunday in short sleeves. But I did wear a Farmer Jane (neoprene wetsuit that looks like overalls) when I went out by myself because the water is already < 50F.

Besides the skin reaction, I am also getting swelling. My cancer boob is my smaller one, and after the lumpectomy it got even smaller, but now it's all swollen and my bra feels too tight. I am about to close my office door and undress so I can apply the Miaderm (my life has changed so much, sheesh) and I plan to change my bra before I put it back on, so that it's on the very last hooks. Dunno when I am going to find the time to go shopping for larger bras and/or camis.

Nat 

Discussed the rest of my tx plan with the nurse today. . . . now more questions!  I have one more "regular treatment" then 7-10 boosts. . . . that was one thing I didn't get clarified.  She mentioned that while I have the boosts, at least some of the other areas can heal.  My scarline (except for the ugly open area) is in good condition, so I'm hoping we can just motor through the last bit.  Any tips on the boosts?

5kids,

The boosts for lots of women are actually much easier than the regular tx. I, however had them from 3 locations instead of the usual two though, so didnt find them any easier. Apparently they target the tumor bed itself rather than the whole breast and the rads aren't as intense, although I thought the machine was on as Long as usual. They did miss some of the previous areas though, so that skin definitely did start healing immediately. It's possible I started feeling less tired, but know at the very end I was more emotional (if that's even possible)!



I also went thru terrible depression and a severe low time just before my boosts. The Dr made me take a few days off, and I was just devastated. I wasnt sure how I was going to make it thru the rest of the tx. However.......I did and the end is so worth it! I love not having any dr appts on my calendar. The fatigue is definitely lessening and I'm feeling like a normal person. All this after just 6 days finished. The mental relief is amazing.



Pam53

I so glad the hydrocortisone is working for you. That's what got me thru also. I did actually have a "super hydrocortisone" which is Clobetasol Opionate" which you can only use for a max of 2 weeks. I ended up needing it for 10 days, 4 of which were after completing rads. My burn is looking great. It's amazing how fast our bodies can heal. You can keep that name in your bag of tricks, but it sounds as though you'll make it with the regime you've got going.



Keep on looking up ladies. You're hitting the hard part of the hill, but you'll soon make it and feel so elated to be All Done! Good luck to all of you......

Mostly sew thanks for the info on the boosts.  One of the therapists today did suggest that I could have a few days off.  I told them I'd rather blast right through and get it done!  They agreed that if I could stand it, that would be best.  So happy for you being done--sounds great

Painting, I've heard that about depression and anxiety too when you are done.  Hubby and I were planning a little getaway that I thought might help with that.  Not sure what the timing will be though. . . . I'd hate to go away and still have my skin be painful!  I read that it's nice to mark the end of your intensive therapy, get away, make a kind of "new start" with your marriage. . . . I KNOW we could use all of that. 

They just have me on my back with with my head in a support, but not fixed or anything. Sometimes my head is turned away to the side, but not always. Atmy center, they don't want you to shave that armpit, not even with an electric razor, just in case you nick yourself. Although my armpit is apparently hardly getting any rads. And I have to wear natural deodorant, no anti-persperant. Joan, maybe they will give you more instructions at your next visit. One of the most anxiety-provoking things about this whole business for me is not being told what to expect, hardly ever. I'm amazed at some of the info other women on here seem to have about their tx. I was doing better but yesterday I shed a few tears on the way home because it was "picture day" and I had to hold still. Lot longer so they could take films. I never knew when it was going to be over. And just the thought that I'm going to have 2/5 weekdays with longer visits like that was frustrating. Today is "Dr" day where I'll have to wait around to be weighed (ugh) then see the nurse then the Dr,

Natters, was this the first time they did the x-rays? My first ones took quite awhile too, but after that it only lengthened my treatment by about 30 seconds, if that. The first time they had to do the, from lots of angles, verify all their settings and get the Dr to look at them right then. Hope this helps

marthah - ha, that pic reminds me of my RO just a little, although to be fair his hair and mustache are not THAT unruly...but yeah, he is that sexy, ladies. I have been applying my Miaderm faithfully 4 times a day since Day 1. And my whole left underarm is getting hairy, it's super attractive. And I'm so anal that I keep shaving my other one so I'm all lopsided. But hey, I figure I can at least be less sweaty on that one side. hey, congrats on getting so many done already and being in the single digits, Martha! You can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

5kidsmom, thank you for the good advice! I just may do that  Most of the rad techs/nurses are sweethearts and they are really patient with my questions. I get that a lot of people don't want to know, but I do research for a living because I have a burning desire to know everything. I have a much better relationship with my BS and MO, and I have decided to try and be more patient with my RO. I hope he takes my skin seriously today, because even the MO was concerned when he examined me this morning. As he put it, I still have a long ways to go! He said to make sure I saw the RO and worked with him to minimize SEs.

MostlySew, I think this was the 2nd time they did Xrays. But they have moved my center dot 3 times in the past week so maybe they needed more views to figure out if I was getting zaps in the right places? I dunno. I am hoping it will just be 30 seconds longer next Tue. At least next Tue, I will be mentally prepared to spend more time there. It was just hectic for me to get home in rush hour traffic and then try to clean my house and prep for a birthday dinner we were hosting.