Any February 2012 radiation gals out there?

Hi all!!!!! Been trying to catch up on posts.......was going to ask if anyone had noticed shortness of breath and then I noticed you have dancetrancer!!!! I too feel like I cannot take full deep breaths at times!!! Nice to hear that someone else is experiencing this!

Hugs to all! I have 11 left!! 6 regular and 5 boost! Nipple starting to feel chafed and sore they gave me Aquafor........it works WELL!

Druanne!  So glad to hear I am not alone on this - misery loves company.   It's pretty miserable, isn't it?   I find I'm yawning a lot, too - but it's not because I'm tired, it feels like it's b/c my body wants more air.  It's really hard to explain - a strange sensation. 

I have 8 left - 3 regular and 5 boost.  Pushing forward, can't wait for it to be OVER! 

OMG, Druanne, so glad neither of us is alone in having these strange feelings!!!  Obviously something biological related to the rads is causing it.  Really glad we are almost done! 

Oh Dancetrancer, so sorry for your news.  Sometimes, things just suck.  Hugs to you and your husband.

  Caroline

Thanks guys, so much.  

Sherrybaby, that's a great idea, but I am already doing 2x wk this coming week M, W, F b/c someone forgot to update my schedule when boosts were added...and I planned a 2nd opinion consult w/MD Anderson next Monday which I have to fly out for on Sunday. So they doubled up all those tx's so I'd still be done Friday.  I'm waiting for my husband to find out when services will be.  Perhaps the service will end up being on T or R, and the RO will say it's ok to skip one of those days and double up on the other as well.  I don't know, it doesn't sound very feasible, but I'm going to see if I can work something out.  I told my husband I wanted to find a way to be there for him, and he said no, he doesn't want me to screw up my rads b/c he doesn't want me to end up like my FIL. (My FIL didn't die of cancer, but of course his death is making my DH freak about me even more.)  OMG, the stress my DH is under w/dealing with work, me, and now this is unreal.  I need to be as strong as possible to not put any more undue stress on him.  

dance--that is chemo brain for you. I knew I had seen someone post about doubling up, but couldn't remember who. So sorry that this may not be an option since you are already doing it. I just hope that things work out for you and your family! 

Sherry 

Hang in there Dancetracer!!!!! 

geegster...thanks for the bra link... just purchased

Thanks everyone, we are doing ok!  I had my last regular tx today (with the whole breathing thing), and start my 5 boosts tomorrow (no breath holding needed with that -yay!).  

My skin is getting pretty red in places, and I've had a few twinges, but nothing too bad.  I suspect that is b/c I had a mastectomy and my sensation is limited.  It's strange to be thankful for being numb!  El-jaye, sorry you are hurting and hope the new steroid cream helps!!!  

Caroline, I think you should start a new thread and post your solution so that people will notice it... ingenious is right!

Sherry, I'm wondering if the three-day break helped you heal a little?

Dancetrancer, so sorry to hear your news. I hope you can stock up on easy meals and rest a lot while you're home alone.

El-Jaye and Geegster, words like "crispy" and "purple" should never be associated with breasts--so sorry. I'm red/brown, but not so bad. The Prutect cream I have (generic for Biafine) wasn't covered by my insurance at the pharmacy, but I called my insurance customer support and was told I can file a claim--technically it's a surgical/wound care product rather than a standard prescription, they said. (even though it was filled at Walgreen's? oh well.)

I'm fuzzy-headed enough that I was off-count and today turned out to be #24 of 28; they did a CT scan to get ready for the five boosts. So a week from Monday will be it! My mother-in-law is going with me tomorrow, husband on Friday, husband's aunt on Monday, sister-in-law next Wednesday--there's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.

And my son is home for a little while on spring break, like macatacmv's--hurray!

To everyone else whose stories I read and thought about but now forget to mention--best wishes to all of you as we see this through!

I forgot to mention the one thing that has brought me lots of relief today - My husband bought me a child's boo-boo gel pack.  It is shaped like a heart and has a picture of one of the Bratz on it.  I freeze it and then stick it in my bra on the hottest or itchiest spot.  Instant relief!  My co-workers think I should get another one so I can have one in the freezer and one in the bra and then have a ..... wait for it..... it's pretty bad....... Change of heart!

 My RO thought it was a great idea too.   Might help some of you others who are getting crispy!

This afternoon I am in much better spirits than I was this morning.  Having a co-worker with a great sense of humor, who really cares has helped!

Gold star for me today! I had #19 today and the nurse told me she has never seen skin that looks as good as mine after 19 treatments! Thank you Emu Oil! That's all I use twice a day. I am able to wear my bra with the prosthetics without any discomfort. I feel bad for all of you suffering. However I think the fatigue is starting to catch up to me. It's only 6pm here and I just had to lie down. I started a new job last week after not working for 6 months so maybe that has something to do with it too. What was I thinking!

I don't post to often, but do read all of your posts

Wishing you all the best as you move through this phase of the 'journey'.

Chicago, My three day break was extended until today and it might go further if the RO doesn't like what he sees this afternoon. I had gotten up to the max dose of lortab last week so when I saw him Monday he put me on morphine....MORPHINE. I just couldn't believe it when he said the word and it still sounds weird. The good part is I slept for 5 hours straight the first night I took it, the bad part is that I have to take it during the day and it is all I can do to keep from sleeping then.  

I am trying really hard to keep a good face on this, but I am so close to being finished and it is extremely frustrating that it had to be delayed. I had been putting all sorts of plans off and had finally decided to take a trip to visit my daughter at the end of the month. (she switched colleges to one in a city we had lived in when she was much younger so I have alot of old friends, fave restaurants, etc there along with seeing her) Now I don't know if I will be healed enough to go even if we can get tx started up again soon. Sorry, the morphine must be making me maudlin. 

I am super excited for everyone who is finishing up this week or early next.  El-jaye--one of my techs suggested taking a washcloth, get it barely wet, and put it in the freezer. I loved using it. The cold really does relieve the pain/itchies. 

Sherry 

Poll question? Have any of you ever had your techs tell you that you will be done with whole breast radiation, and start boosts, and then tell you at your next treatment that, surprise!, you still have one whole breast treatment to go? We must have made a mistake last week? AAARRRGGHH! I was so upset! I still am.....Help.