January 2012 rads

Hello ladies.  Enjoyed reading your posts tonight.  I am so sorry for those of you that are having some problems.  I am so happy to welcome more to the "Finished" club.  I am so glad this part is over.

Maggie:  "Slathering"!  I love it!  I used that word the other day at the office and my boss told me he had never heard that word before.  I told him he couldn't be from the south then!  LOL!  I loved seeing you use it too.  At least I know I'm not the only one that knows what it means!   Hang it there!

Surprisingly, my skin is healing very quickly and I really am feeling good.  The area under my arm and around the nipple is peeling pretty badly but still seems to be healing.  My breast is no longer that deep, dark reddish purple, but looks more like a tan now.  The RO told me in about 10 days I should be in really good shape.  I finished last Thursday so it's been almost 7 days for me and so far, he seems to be correct.

Starting to feel a little funny because I'm not constantly running somewhere to a doctor.  Feels a little weird.  I guess I am just trying to find my new normal.  Little scarey too.  I mean, you know, what's keeping the cancer at bay now?  Well, I am supposed to start tamoxifen on March 5.  I really hope I don't have any bad SE's from that.

Here's wishing everyone well and quick healing.  Hang in there.  There is a light at the end of this tunnel.  You are all in my thoughts!

HUGS!

3 days after my last rad -  Under my arm and my torso, where the skin is gone, I have some kind of "sticky/mocus" substance. The skin that is peeling is "black" and I am not... Well, my "foob" is red but it has not peel, but is really tight and it feels so heavy. Going out its a luxury, I am at home taking care of my skin.

chef127 - The sensation of having supplement stuck on your throat could be acid reflux.

Well, they did tell me that the rads would peak in a week and then begin to get better, skin is peeling under my arm, this is where I find it most tight and uncomfortable. The actual chest wall feels like somebody stomped on it very tight and achey. Hoping that this all normal...

So i saw my MO yesterday, gave me the prescription for Tamoxifin (sp?).  oh joy!  didn't work for me 6 years ago, terrible SE's.  But going to give it another shot.  Don't really have a choice, since this time there was an invasive cancer.  Anyway i digress, when they did my vitals i am running a slight temp 99.5.  So had to tell RO and she said we need to make sure you don't get an infection.  Looked at my skin and said "boy that looks hmm, we need to watch that."  !  No shit really?  I said how doing you think i feel!!  so they gave me this spray to get rid of all the dead skin.  OMG! It was toture in the shower!  But when i went in today RO said that it looked better.  I said you have no idea the toture i just went thru!  I still have a temp today.  I have to do that spray in the shower again tomorrow, oh joy!.  BTW did i ever tell you how much i hate this?  Thanks for listening ladies!  BTW they gave me percocets and was better than the vicodain.  2more 2 more 2 more

Happy dance for youu msmouse..

Only two left woohoo

Tomorrow's my last day!!  I can't wait.  This is going to be a VERY good weekend!

The pain has gone down with my boosts and the bad area under my arm is actually beginning to heal. It still hurts to lift my arm and place it in the arm rest during treatment, but as I said, only one more!!

Then one more week of work until I have a week of vacation - spring break here I come!!  The thought of this trip is what helped me get through surgery, chemo, radiation... 

I hope everyone else gets through quickly and painlessly.  And congratulations to those who are done!!

And J-Bug, I'm afraid I have no idea as to your question above. I hope you are able to find an answer!

Thank you NWArtLady. I know it is not a common question, but I am getting some responses that helped. 

My rads finished Monday the 20th. This week has been pretty good on the muscles loosening up. I have pushed some stretching on days that I had a lot of really tight pain around my ribs, but I have had no problems going without the Oxycodone now. I started to go without the Aquaphor for the last couple of days and checked out my skin last night in the mirror and found a new area had opened up and was oozing a week and a half after treatment ending. It doesn't hurt at all. I didn't know it had happened. But other than that, it is healing extremely fast! 

Congrats to all who are finishing! I am extremely busy job hunting and doing contract work, but I still check in and read and am happy for all who are getting through this. 

msmouse

CONGRATS.................Happy healing................

I am done Herceptin July 16 2012

Yes I agree we live in abeautiful part o the world.. I go to Seattle ( the outlet mall and Northgate plus a quick trip to a Norwegian deli in Ballard ) once a year on a girl trip.. \love it.. Just move here to Chilliwack four years ago  from Abbotsford half an hor west.. Still work in Abbotsford.. Love living here (Chilliwack Mountain.. gorgeous view ot the Fraser River )

Congratulations AnnAlive, NWartlady, and others who finished this week.  I finished a week ago and my skin is better, but the boost area is flaming red.  It continues to get redder everyday, but it is not painful.  My clavicle area finally calmed down and healed and my armpit (now black) is starting to peel.  The little black dots I had all over my breast are slowly dissappearing.

Chef, sorry about the taste thing.  I ended up losing 6 lbs during rads, but I did not notice taste changes.  Maybe after having it so bad with chemo, nothing seemed as bad with radiation. 

Ossa, you and I are neck and neck.  I finish with herceptin in June.  I started the first week of July last year.  On the one hand I am so ready to be finished, and on the other the idea of not having constant contact with drs is a bit scary.  It is a wierd feeling because I was so healthy before all this came up. Now I am a little paranoid.

I had a torrid time from the last week as the underarm area quickly progressed from red, sore and weeping. My underarm and torso completely peel, my skin had burst open and it is bleeding now. Over the next 5 days after rads it worsened (my RO did warn me). I have TEs and it feels as if the radiated muscled has shrink wrapped around the TE- just when I thought TEs couldn't be any more uncomfortable!! I am not sure if I should soak up the ooze from raw areas. Aloe Vera dries it, making my skin so tight that it breaks and bleeds, creams and oils make it so soft that it doesn't heal and keeps peeling and domeboro hurts!!! Believe it is worst than it sounds!

NWArt.. I go to the scandinavian Specialties  6719 - 15 ave NW, They carry a lot of yummy food from my home country ( Norway)..

Ossa, I thought that must be were you were going!  They do have lots of yummy items!!

Norway is on my list of places to visit - it looks so beautiful. My husband takes wood carving classes from a Norwegian carver and they make amazing pieces!

 I hope you are able to heal soon Ralston!  It sounds terrible. I hope you are able to get some relief.

Ralston - I am so sorry to hear about the SE from the rads. Have you looked into Medical honey? 

Momine - glad to her you sounding better.

Ossa, it sounds like you have a lttle bit of Norway where you are. You able to get fresh stuff to?I imagine salmon is easy enough to come by but Lutfisk?

NWArt and AnneAlive - Congratulation

Ana - Hmmm...interesting that you keep on ...eh cooking...? But not painful you said.

I went to NIA-class the other night. It ended with us taking two big steps into the future. Which I did, and I am not looking back. 2 more boosts to go and then I am OUT!