Any April/May 2012 rad girls out there?

SAN: never heard of a bolis. I wonder if it is something your rad place does normally or for specific patients (like for a specific cancer location maybe). Just curious about it.



Kristio: Welcome! Does your rad place do molds for everyone? Just curious because I don't have a mold and don't think I have heard of them (maybe I did?). And darn it, I was thinking of wearing the navel bearing green dress that JLo wore, but with these markings and tattoos on my chest it will just be too tacky looking!! But when I do get the chance, I don't think I will need double sided tape to adhere it to my breasts - my breasts are so far from each other and the space between them is so wide, I don't think they would pop out. And with these implants I won't have to worry about a bra!! Score! Geez I just crack myself up these days with jokes about my boobs!!

Cigi= Yeah they make molds for everyone. It is like laying on a raft in the pool. It is only from shoulders up though! It really helps you stay in place and comfortable. I thought every place does it! I was going to ask to take it home when im done but want no reminder of this procesure...I havent even started!!lol

Jlo dress cracked me up! I have large breasts also and with recent lumpectomy the left one is a lot bigger and harder. I am having trouble with hematoma right now. I may have to get it drained but dont want the pucker that would cause....I like your spirit!!!

Nice meeting ya all!!

Kristi

Forgot to say I hope everyone got thru the week in good shape.  When I get up at that awful hour of the morning I let dog out, put coffee on and sign on here to see who's on.

Let's kick this BC!!!

I knew it was on here. Boost is on the BCO site under External Radiation.

Janet M - I use Xclair prescription cream right after tx.  ROs favorite.  Also recommend UGH Aquaphor.  They want me to use the Xclair 3x/day.  I go to places in my job I won't even use the BR much less strip and put cream on my breast.  So 2x/day is just going to have to do during the week.

Hi wiskris! Nice to see you over here on the rads side -- well, not really NICE, but you know what I mean! I'm starting rads on April 25th. And my rads place did make this blue mold of my upper body so that when I lay on the table I am always in the same position. It is styrofoam pellets that are molded to your shape when the air is taken out of the form. Actually pretty comfy since it is MY shape.

Is work getting any easier for you?

We have little dressing rooms with 2 lockers and a key. You take your key with you after you lock up your stuff. A bathrobe sounds nice, but don't think I will get one of those.....darn.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Joanne_53 and mamglam, I had #4 of 16 today so we're pretty close to the same schedule (I'm Canadian too).

Has anyone else suffered from diarrhea since starting rads, or is it just me?

Wow ~ Now I'm really freaked out!  Why is my RO giving me all of my treatments with a bolus??  If that is equivelant to a "boost" then I don't want 33 of them!!  So do you guys all just have the radiation hitting your skin, with nothing over it?  I am getting to the bottom of this before I have even one more treatment.

Also, I forget now who said it earlier, but if your rads techs told you that 4 treatments in was too soon for fatigue...they are WRONG!  I was feeling much better (about 4 weeks PFC) when I started rads.  The fatigue hit me like a meteor on tx #3. 

SAN

Hi MOT- Wow we have been through this all together.I wish we lived closer and we could be cancer buds and go to RADS together.lol I think WA and WI are too far!! We also share a very strenuous jobs together. Onb our feet all day run,run,run!! I'm scared how I will feel Rads. I am changing my schedule to accommodate Rads. I will work 730-330 and then Rads at 4. It is only 15 minutes from office and on way home so Im lucky!!! 60 miles round trip for you I see. Drink coffee and leave windows open and Blair radio! That is my suggestion!! I am hoping we dont even get fatigued. That would be nice!!

Cigi- You may want to ask about the molds. They do help tremendously!! Im sure my insurance pays a pretty penny for them..lol. I am usually a C cup but lx boob is still a D..I have yet to wear a normal bra since surgery! I see you had a MX and reconstruction. I feel like I had a paper cut compared to what you had! I could not imagine. But Im glad you like your new boobs...

Stay strong and I cant wait to start this and get rolling on 6.5 weeks. I told hubby he is taking me out for a expensive dinner when I am all done. I also have a friend willing to take me anywhere I want to go as a girls trip!! Whoohoo!!

have a great day!

Kristi

Chickenpants reporting in to say hello to everyone and let you know that all went well for the first week.



Cancer lodge was a little hard to take at first as similar feel as a nursing home with the average age of patients being about 70 plus. There's only one younger gal (about early 30's) with BC and I'm 52 - I'm the second youngest person there. Anyhow, it all worked out and I made some terrific new friends. There's a hiking group and this gets us out of the lodge during the day. We did 8 km the other day and I know I should pace myself just in case the going gets a bit tougher. I'm surprised that none of the BC ladies I met knew about this website for support and info, so I let them know about it.



Since I have to have both breasts radiated with my two primaries, it means double the time that I have to lie still. About 15 minutes total. Does anyone have some coping strategies for the panicky feeling of being told not to move while the techs go out of the room to zap you? This is likely a carry over from all of the CT scans and angiograms during my recent subarachnoid hemorrhage recovery. I'm settling down a bit, but still, I could use some help there. Thanks girls.



Also, the answer to the different number of txs for rads, especially between Canada and the US is in this website. Sorry, can't copy and paste link with iPad, but basically its a type of fractioned dose. Canadians get higher dose of rads over a shorter course of time. Interesting read. I get 16 tx each side, then they switch to a different type of beam for the 5 boosts. Boosts are the same both countries.



Glaxol based cream recommended 3 or 4 times a day. Can't see any skin changes yet, but likely too soon.



Apparently there is a benefit to having small breasts. The tech told me much smaller volume of tissue being radiated should result in less fatigue. We will see... Four days down, 17 to go...

Think I have a little cording problem from the lymph node removal so I'm getting the specialized massage treatment on Tuesday morning. I will do better on the treatment table for that alone if I'm not in discomfort.



Chickenpants over and out ladies!

wiskris -- You are so funny! But it has been nice knowing you on the board...

fredntan -- I think chickenpant has the answer: massage therapy! For the scar and relaxation. I'm going to make an appointment.

chickenpant - Thanks for info about Canada and US radiation. I would much rather have only 15 treatments, but, oh well. I'm hoping you are right about small breasts! You do live in a beautiful area --- Nanaimo. Haven't been specifically there, but love BC and hope to visit again soon. I live about an hour northwest of Olympia in that blank area on the map (very rural).

luvmygoats -- when you are done with treatment, you need to visit the Pacific NW! Our summers are wonderful and everything is green until fall. But the best time is in the spring. I grew up in SoCal and love that area and AZ, but the PNW is just so beautiful (but it can be rainy....this morning we were down to freezing --no rain-- but it should be about 60 and sunny today...LOL)

My MO and RO offices are in the same building -- different businesses but share the space. Both big practices. Very convenient to have them together.

Oh yeah.  I understand from several people at the treatment center that as a rule, the B cup sisters have it easier than the C cups who have it easier than the D's et cet..

Such GOOD, good info on this thread! I am sooo happy to find you all. I started rads last week. Monday I had my first absolute, no doubt about it, panic attack 10 mins before I was to leave work to go. Dry heaving, fast breathing, weakness, you name it. I get there and the sobbing and shaking start, only to find that we are "Only doing a dry run w/tats..." Like that was supposed to somehow make me feel better... but it did. I was "agreeable" and "amicable" a smile perhaps on my teary eyed & still crying face rather than screaming and running the hell outta there which is what I really wanted to do. Got threw "tats" which btw include tape and permanent marker! LOL Imagine! And I used to tell my kids to stop writing on themselves w/markers all the time. (I'm still not real sure what the heck they actually put in us when they call it "tats." It's not like indian ink or anything which is what i swear, thought it was).

Someone said their mold made things comfy... mine makes me think someone took a torch to a blue, plastic bean bag and thought "hey, that might be comfortable" LOL. 

So Tuesday 4/10 was my first rad. The drive there went a bit better (I currently do not drive myself to these daily intrusions) but the minute I entered the door I busted out crying and sobbing. I was so scared! (I don't even stand in front of the microwave when it's on!) The techs were and are wonderful; a woman who is very sweet, 2 young male techs who are respectful, upbeat and easy on the eyes  They lined me up on the table, banterd numbers back and fourth and made sure i was lined up perfect. So how 'bout that HUGE door that slowly, heavily, closes shut huh? I had to chuckle when some of you were talking about what is on the ceiling in there. I have not opened my eyes once. Don't know if I could do that and wondered if anyone did look. While it's being done?

Not sure why, but the techs leave my gown on and put an empty pillowcase on my chest to be left there while the radiation is administered. I asked on day 4 to wear my cotton sports bra while having it done (since they leave stuff on me) but they said no (?)

And what's up w/having a lead apron on while having an xray but i don't even have an aluminum helmet on my head!! I say it half joking. I felt a "whosh" in my brain yesterday and was convinced I just got brain cancer... Well, not convinced, I mean I am pretty normal, just having a real hard time with this dx and the tx and all the different drs who dont want to and absolutely refuse, to talk to one another. I need a modality approach. I have no medical training. I faint at the sight of blood. I'm not good at this! But this forum does offer a place to learn, to educate, and in the end, be your own advocate. 

On day 2 of rads (wednesday) I got into my gown and told the tech I had some questions; that obviously I would experience redness,hotness and fatigue... He interrupted me to say that I wouldn't see any of those types of SEs until more like week 4, maybe week 2. I opened my gown and said, "yes i will" After just the 1 tx the day before, I was red and hot. He said we'd have my RO's partner take a look after tx. The RO felt my breast and said it's pretty warm but continued with the "timeline" for SEs. He said it's probably residual from my surgery. My surgery was August 9th! I said, He says, "Oh, that long ago... well it's not hot or anything"  I was literally going to scream but just wanted to get out of there. I learned after chemo that I'm not the "norm" and I know my body. I don't need an RO or anyone else to validate my feelings. But it did make me kinda mad. It's like they are in denial. They want to tell me how it's gonna make me feel instead of asking me how I feel and actually putting value to my response. Frustrating. 

 I am grateful that the week went by rather quickly. I am grateful to have found you and God Bless ya if this post even held your interest long enough to read all of

Cancerwarrior. I am sorry you are having such a hard time with this.  I suspect they won't let you wear your sports bra because it changes the shape of your breast,  They did all that mapping to get things perfect, can't have you smooooshed into a different shape you know.

Have you tried using visualiztion?  relaxation techniques?  Xanax?  

I hate that you feel so stressed by rads, because for me it's the easiest part of all this. I'm lucky in that my doctors are all part of the same practice and deal with each other well.  I does make things easier (better? idk but easier)

One word Xanax. But then you'd need driver



Shit feeling so tired I need people to take care of me. Mom visiting but she stopped cooking long time ago.dd wanted to go to old navy but I think I'm too tired and achy.