Any April/May 2012 rad girls out there?

I had a choice between first thing in the AM and 4 in the afternoon.  I decided the afternoon appt would be better.  I can lotion up after treatment and just wear a ratty coverup home. Hopefully I can pull together a work wardrobe out of sports bras and poncho type tops.  I'm very fair skinned and big busted, so I'm as risk of burns too.  I'm supposed to meet with the rads nurse before I get started for a skin care lesson... 

Hello ladies!

I recognize a few of you from the December 2011 TC Sisters board (hellow MomOf3Boys and Gayle!) - I had my consult with the RO last week and I'll be getting a whopping 36 treatments in all.  28 regular and 8 boosters at the end.  I go for my sim on April 10th and then I think I'll start tx the following week (probably the 16th).  

Really glad to see all the information regarding ointments/creams.  The RO's office told me pure aloe vera is the best but to get the 'sterilized' kind (aka not directly from the plant).  The concern with getting directly from the plant was the added potential for bacteria but otherwise would be ok.

I was hoping I'd be done with tx by my birthday (5/31) but no dice.  Oh well, will hopefully be shortly thereafter assuming machines don't break down or I don't go sideways with SE's.  

Just want to get it all behind me, ya know?  

Chickenpants and She_Is_Virgo - love your senses of humor!  Is THE best medicine hands down!!

Heather  

Hey Heather, welcome aboard! I just finished 5 of 25 today. It goes by quick. I'm in and out of there in 10-12 minutes. They did have to replace my middle sticker today (no tattoos), but that only took a minutes.

I experienced fatigue and a tension headache over the weekend after only undergoing 4 rads tx, so, I'm not sure I can blame it completely on that. I don't usually get headaches, but, had a stressful day at work on Friday and my youngest son (7) has that congested cough back again, and it poured rain all weekend...

Hope everyone has a good, uneventful week!

Joyce

Sandyland:

Where do you get the Emu Oil?  I've heard good things about that as well and would like to try it.

lovesdogs

I haveno idea why mine said just 25 zaps, maybe its cause they done beat me down with almost 6 months of chemo and the mastectomy. mine was easier yest. been doing lots of stretching of the arm/boob. 22 more and I am outa there!

hello again everyone,  just checking in.  I had my 2nd rad treatment today.  If I didn't know any better, I would think nothing was being done to me - don't feel a thing (practically falling asleep on the table) - I didn't expect to feel anything though.  But from all I have been told, I should expect to start seeing a burn in about 2 weeks and possibly fatigue setting in at about 3 weeks which is a bummer because I return to work right around that time! 

Quick, funny story: On Saturday, I went out for a night for the first time since I was diagnosed to hang out with my brother and meet up with some friends at some local pubs - I'm not a big drinker, just needed to get out of my isolation and see some new faces, and in particular there was a fundraiser going on for St. Baldrick's - if you are not familiar with what happens at a St. Baldrick's event, the participants sign up to have their heads shaved at the event. So myself and my brother were hanging out for about two hours, and then started to get ready to leave.  As we were saying our goodbyes, we heard the DJ announce that one of the bartenders was willing to donate $500 on behalf of the 1st woman to step up and shave her head.  Jokingly I said to my brother, "if they up it to $1,000, I will do it!" (really didn't think I would actually do it).  Well, the next announcement said the amount went up to $1,000!  And I actually raised my hand and said I would do it.  Sat down in front of everyone and had my head shaved - not bald, just a crew cut.  Now, mind you, I was there hanging out with a head scarf on, so everyone there knew I was a cancer patient (I must tell you, it was quite interesting to walk into a bar in a head scarf on a Saturday night - the looks I got really made me laugh - mostly surprised looks, some smiled at me that gave me the impression they were saying "it is very cool to see you here with all that you are going through", some looks were like "wow, I am grateful and have nothing to complain about".  And now that I think about it, it would have been REALLY funny if I had my wig on, and then sat down to get it cut and ripped it off!  Of course, it wasn't that hard for me to do it as my hair has only recently begun to come back, so I would say they cut off 1/2 an inch maybe.  But I must say that the response from the crowd was an overwhelming great feeling and I was actually shaking while the barber was shaving my head.  The looks on the faces from the people in front of me made me feel both proud of myself as well as very loved (even though I barely knew anyone there).  I think I had a big impact on the crowd for having done that. It was a great night for my first time out socially since getting diagnosed with BC (which was in August 2011).

Lovesdogs: I don't remember why he said 25 tx...I've seen women getting 20, 25, 30 and 35. I have no idea why... I was node negative and negative for LVI and had a BMX, but the tumor was a little larger than 4 cm, and he (along with 3 other RO opinions) wanted me to o the excisional scar.

I had my sixth tx today and saw him afterwards. All good so far, no redness yet. I am definitely feeling tired though, but I'm going to work everyday right after tx. For chemo, I mostly stayed home and worked from there because I was afraid of catching something, but was able to get rest whenever I felt like it (I own a real estate company). He said the best thing for fatigue is forging right through it and not giving in to it??? Ha! But, starting tomorrow and each week thereafter, I will be getting bloodwork. He said it's standard, as radiation can cause anemia, so they check the levels each weeks.

Cigi56: good for you!!!! I'm impressed that you'd get your head shaved in front of everyone! I'm waiting for hair growth... Over the weekend I was complaining of a headache. My 7 yr old son heard me and said "Mommy, maybe it's your hair trying to push out" lol

Hi  Sorry that we are all her but at least we have support. I am on day 2 of rads, was told today no deodorant on that side. Talk to a nurse who told me at get Crystal body deodorant stick. It is a made of salt. Got it at CVS and it  is endorsed by the cancer treatment centers and it also has the pink ribbon on it. Just wanted to pass that on, hope it helps.

I will start rads at the end of April, beginning ot May for a second primary BC diagnosis. I just finished rads on December 14th for the first diagnosis of DCIS and am now being treated for multifocal IDC, ILC.  I didn't experience the fatigue but did get burned very badly and had to take a week off work. The treatments themselves weren't bad at all but it was a pain trying to get out of work to get there on time. I hope things go a little better this time!

Still waiting to find out when rads will start.  Tatoos up front stickers on the back. Come on guys.  Let's get rolling  I want to be done before it gets too hot and before a new insuramce year starts!  I also have stuff I need to schedule here at work...

Hi Rads Sisters ~ I am 5 treatments in and I already have slight reddness and some pain under my arm in the "high friction area" as they called it.  Also, I am already feeling the fatigue.  I thought SE's didn't really get ramped up until a couple of weeks in??  I am REALLY hoping I'm not one of the blisters/open sores people   I'm using my Emu Oil and Aloe religiously and have just ordered Mia Derm (per Linda's suggetion) too.  Chemo was such a nightmare....I'm ready to fall on the "easier" side of the SE scale for once!

Hope it is going smoothly for the rest of you!

SAN

I'm 8 down, and so far, so good.  I'm taking care to lube up really well morning and night with the vitamin E and aloe cream that was recommended.  I was a bit disappointed to learn that it won't actually prevent skin SEs, but keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized will ease the discomfort.  I haven't felt particularly fatigued - just the usual tiredness at the end of the day.

My RO gave me a sample of Miaderm yesterday, with instructions to apply to my nipple (which is now retracted since surgery).  She emphasized that I really need to keep the area clean and dry, as I am more likely to have a reaction there.  She also gave me a small tube of Aquaphor to try. 

When I fouund my BC last summer. I've been so worried he would die. And I know he's not out of woods yet, but at least he has chance now. Surgery was 12 hrs long and he got 12 units blood.



Does anyone have this nagging pain its like under my left chin/my left port was removed few weeks ago. I kind of felt it before that. But now I think I feel it more. I can feel it hurting some when I swallow. But its up near my jaw. I've felt all around the bones and there is no pain there. Kind of like muscle pain. Sucks having every little thing freak us out now.

fredntan- I am so happy for you family! My husband had a kidney transplant over 22 years ago and is doing great. My brother in law just went on the kidney transplant list so I know what you went through.  I am on my 4th treatment and see my RO today. Hopefully will get some cream since it looks like my breast is already turning alittle red. Doesn't hurt but makes me nervous because I have so many treatments left

Cindy - good to here they finally figured something out for you.  Very nice that you were able to bag that treatment time.  I have to wait for someone else to finish and then they will move me to a later slot.

I have a sample of Aquaphor - it's way too greasy for my liking.  I'm sticking with Colonial Dames vitamin E/aloe cream and miaderm for my nipple.