November 2011 Rads

Mrs. Mot - I agree - these days off really help to feel better.  You are getting close to the end of rads.
flautalee - I'm with you - six more to go!  Good luck with your plans...it is a stressful but wonderful time to finish up that degree.  I need more sleep than usual for the last 2 weeks...am up late, but no alarm tomorrow.  I've been getting from 7 to 10 hours plus some unexpected naps.
LuvRVing - I start boosts on Wednesday.  Will flip from prone to back for 5 days.  Not too bad....just one zap.  I had my planning session last week.  I now understand about not washing off the markings....I have tattoos for my regular alignment; but for the boosts I have a big marker circle around my scar area. 
My skin looks bad to me; but it is not opened so I'm told I'm doing fine.  (itch itch, scratch scratch)
Is anyone going back on hormone suppressors after rads?

I just got the first of the bills today for the Rads. The Ins co paid $913 for each tx and they paid $450 for the 5 min RO appts. I have my last appt with him today and if I have to wrestle him or block the door he is staying in that room for at least 15 minutes!! Worst care or least concern of any doc I have seen since this started-yet they are paying him more per visit than the fancy liver and lung docs charged.

  I loved my techs and the reception staff there but the whole weekly doc visit is just a total ripoff.

  I have not had any out of pocket for any of this-or at least I haven't gotten any bills for it. I just wondered if any of you had seen what your tx cost.

  Out of all the little places I still have cancer the part in my trachea worries me the most. I would have said before I wish we  could have zapped it while we were doing the rest of it-but that was before my chest and armpit looked like ground chuck. I can;t even imagine what the inside of your throat would be like if you had that many tx.

((((Lilylady))))
Hugs for you

My treatment at Dana Farber is $1972 per treatment except on the day I see the RO, then it's $2772.  The insurance pays about 1/3 of the billed amount, DF writes off the remainder. 

I was wondering how they would bill as it's now a new calendar year and my out of pocket max starts over.  I now see that they bill every day.  I'll have a 10% co-pay of the negotiated amount (the lower amount) until I reach $1500 again.  At this rate, it won't take long. 

And I did a quick estimation of my total claims for 2011 - $348,000 of which the insurance probably paid about 1/3.  The billed amount vs what the insurance company negotiates and pays is just freaking unbelievable!  I paid $1500 out of pocket except for doctor visit co-pays which were about $300.  I cannot begin to imagine how anyone without decent insurance makes it through treatment without a financial meltdown!  I still have reconstruction later this year.  I'll reach $1 million yet!

Our healthcare system is so very broken!

I am so fortunate.  I have my ins and my husbands military ins (22 years Air Force - very proud) so that covers even my deductible.  Its amazing how much the insurance pays and the dr's write off.  Yet if you didn't have insurance you would have to pay the entire amount.  Pile of BS. No woman should die from this because she doesn't have insurance.

Glad to hear your hair in coming in Missey.  I am 10 weeks post chemo and am finally going topless (no hat or scarf). 

Only 10 more....

Hi ladies! I haven't been here in awhile -- I hope everyone is doing well!

I finished rads on Dec. 14th and had horrible, horrible 2nd degree burns on my neck, under my arm and under my breast. They were huge, open pink flesh wounds and all the skin had come off. As of now, the dark skin is starting to cover the pink fleshy areas. I'm african-american and really shocked that I burned so badly -- but it was only towards the end (last 5 days).

I'm worried about my neck because the skin loss there was huge and I have a huge scar that's the size of an orange. (  I'm using Vitamin E and Cocoa Butter and I pray it becomes less noticable over time. Scarves are my friend right now.

It's weird to be done with treatment; I didn't start the Arimidex right away; I wanted a break as I had such bad burns from RADS, but I will start it on Monday. I just can't deal with more side effects at this point.  I'm also doing genetic BRCA testing on Monday. My left ovary has "something" on it and I have a 2nd ultrasound on Feb. 7th. I pray it isn't cancer. :O(

Natters - how are you?  I hope recovery is going OK for you. 

Thanks for asking about me, Joan and Chrys. My energy levels have improved and I can stay up later, but I am still seeing the effects of radiation on my performance in sports. I have only been working out regularly for about a week now, though. I am hoping if I plug away at it almost every day, things will improve. I want my old body back! I'm sure you all feel that way, too. 

I had an oval drawn on me for my boosts, but luckily the most badly burned parts were NOT in the oval. Those parts got a head start on healing, which they really needed! My skin continued to get worse for about a week to 10 days, then it just started healing up like magic. OK maybe not like magic but a little better every day. I would say my breast feels pretty normal but it's still swollen and it still has that nasty peau d'orange look. When I take my bra off, my breast is kinda misshapen and dented from it, ugh.

I am still slathering on the Aquaphor twice a day and wearing a surgical pad between my skin and my bra - but at least I can wear a bra again! I am hoping by next week that I will be able to forego the pads and just wear the bra, but I am trying to give my new tender skin a chance to heal thoroughly before I let a bra irritate it. I feel human again, though, being able to wear a bra and have the support and looking normal in my clothes. It's the little things, eh?

Joan, you are so close to finishing this out, lady  you are going to enjoy the rest of your year.

Chrys, I have olive skin that tends to scar easily and I am wondering what I will be left with after my skin is healed, although I obviously had a much smaller field of rads than you (whole breast and under arm but not much into armpit). I read on another thread that someone's RO actually said that darker skinned people burned more during rads than fairer skin, but that's just a rumor. Anyway, my chest and breasts are all different colors right now and this is certainly going to make dating interesting...

Chrys, good luck with your BRCA testing. I had mine done before surgery, so that I could get a BMX and maybe an ooph if I was positive, but I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. I hope you get the same result as me (negative) and that you find out pretty fast. I have been on Tamoxifen since Sept and throughout rads -  maybe the rads intensified my hot flashes for awhile, but I am happy to report that they are all gone. And I got my period this week, too! Normally I wouldn't be cheering that I need tampons, etc, but this was the first time in my life that I missed one and having it makes me feel normal again. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that your body may need a little time to adjust to the Arimidex, but after awhile you may not have any SEs at all.

Nat

PS GO NANCY!!!  I do know that song and I could hear you singing it

Woohoo Ptdreamers!  Congrats on being finished!

The skin in the area of my mammary nodes has completely broken down.  I am now the proud owner of a complete wound care kit including Cuticerin wound pads impregnated with Aquaphor, UltraKlenz wound cleanser, and a few other goodies.  The RO changed the zap for that area so hopefully no further damage will be done.  He wasn't happy with what he saw, and I suspect if I had see him on schedule yesterday, he would have made the changes then.  He was held up in a meeting, the rads tech called in his nurse because they were concerned, and she told them to proceed.  I'll be on pain meds for a few nights until things improve.  I have one more full treatment then five boosts. 

Nanawtd - so sorry you are dealing with this again.  I pray that you will get through this successfully. This board is here for you. My big fear is this coming back. 

Congrats PTdreamers - You did it!  May it never come back!

Speedy recovery LuvRving...sorry to hear of your skin issues.  Sucks big time! Hang in there, we are almost done!

Had #24 today and so far I am ok.  It is red, sore and itchy but it seems to be staying same and not getting worse.  Knocking on wood.  Nine left.  I will have some boosts but they haven't told me when or how many.  Its included in the 33 sessions.

They must have had some glitch. I was frustrated when I couldn't access the site yesterday..

Joan811 be sure to keep moisturizing after you finish rads. My skin looks okay five days out. It is quite red at night so I am assuming that I must have some lymphedema going on because in the morning it is pretty good looking. You are right that this site is great for sharing allthe thoughts that no one who is not going through it wants to hear.

Nat, you said it better than I did -- women do keep pushing through life during treatment.  I agree that it is so time consuming.  I am hoping to turn my 2.5 hour rads experience into outdoor time.
My soreness is getting better, and I have had no damage from boosts (last one tomorrow).
I gave up on the pads and switched to a clean, thin white cotton sock.  It contours easily and is long enough to tuck in all along the edge of whatever I'm wearing, from under my arm to my middle chest. It works for me.
pt, I noticed the same thing - very red at night and much lighter in the AM. I am glad to hear you are doing OK post rads.  I am really red but I don't feel pain -- the RO called it "bright".  I will keep using the products for awhile.  I assume since my skin damage is on top that I will have to be careful of sun exposure.  I guess it's time to read the booklet they gave me 2 months ago
Have a good night....I'll be back tomorrow for a brief party  
Joan

Joan811 I think you are suppose to avoid direct sun on the site for  up to a year. I know for sure you should be putting suncreen on it if you are out in the sun. Not a problem here. We aren't seeing the sun much. LuvRving I have had insomnia for years and I don't want to take Ambien or other sleep meds per se. Tried 2 mg of Melatonin and am surprised at how well I sleep when I take it. I take it about a helf hour before going to bed. I used a sock too because it contoured under and provided some cushioning. Wearing a sports bra for the first time today since this all started. I have my soft cami tucked in my purse in case the bra becomes too uncomfortable.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Time has flown!  I start my boosts tomorrow.  Only 5 left.  I am so tired too.  Man this wipes me out.  I hope the boosts are easier. 

LuvRVing - I  whimped out and take Ambien.  My Oncologist gave me the rx.  It takes a while for me to sleep...but I am sleeping with it.  I need to wheen myself off it.  I never had a sleeping issue before all the cancer treatments.  I may never sleep that good again. 

So today at tx, the darn tech didn't give me my form to lay in.  I complained that I am not comfortable...They would not admit it, but I know they forgot to switch it. After 28 treatments, I know which is my form. I like my techs, but I wish they would have listened to me.