Any April/May 2012 rad girls out there?

I tried to post earlier but it kicked me out...so here I am again! I am new to this thread, but recognize a name or 2! My rads start tomorrow morning, and I will have 30 tx. Should be done June 8. I can already tell this is a great group of ladies, as are the other discussions I've been on. I've been done chemo for 4+ weeks and feel fairly good. Some lingering SEs, but getting some energy back. It seems like I get stronger and then something happens to knock me back a bit and I realize how fragile I seem. 2 steps forward, 1 step back. My tissue expanders have caused a lot of inflammation in my ribcage cartilage and it HURTS! Today is better, thanks to meds, but it has been very limiting for days. Hurts to cough, sneeze, drive, take a deep breath. And pain always wears me out. I'm glad it is feeling better and hope it continues. It will be a long summer if it doesn't ease up more! No more fills til radiation is done and I am past that...if I even need more. 

My RO has me starting calendula lotion, am and pm, tomorrow. I've also been told to try emu oil and she was okay with that too. I'm not too worried about rads, but just weary of the whole thing. Every day further from chemo is a good day, and now it is another leg of the journey.

Hang in there everyone! Glad to be 'meeting' you!

Andi 

First of all, my warmest welcome to all the newbies.  You will find the women on this board very warm and willing to share.  My thanks to all of them!

Michbunny ~ So glad the flannel is working.  I am going to be stopping at Target and buying a receiving blanket and the washcloths Lory mentioned and get them ready.  I can tell that after 9 treatments, my breast is getting sore.  My shoulder (like where the shoulder blade is in the back) is very sore now.  The rad tech showed me the grate I am laying on during treatment and I am hoping he is correct in saying that is probably what is causing the discomfort. 

Lory ~ Admire your endurance to go on that ride.  I am really starting to feel the fatigue after 9 treatments.  In a way it's kind of discouraging since i was starting to feel much better with the chemo 6 weeks behind me.  Oh well, guess I will get through this and be better soon.  But honestly, I think we are entitled to be tired after all we have been through!

Fredntan ~ So feel the same way about being waited on, but since my DH was so supportive during chemo I have a sinking feeling it just ain't gonna happen!  LOL!

San ~ I have the weird throat thing, too.  Gonna ask George about it tomorrow to see if that area is being radiated.  Hope your back is better!

To everyone who mentioned it...  ~  I am with you on feeling like you don't want to go back on Monday for more rads.  Hoping the week goes well for all without many issues cropping up for all of us.  Sweet dreams!

Welcome newbies, jubbi,angel &andimom



I got up today and did some kitchen work. Made some chicjen salad and some vegetarian tempeh salad that my vegetarian dd didnt really like, oh well. Usually she will eat anything that i serve up to her.

Then did some gardening. My mom bought these big green mason jars. I turned them into teraniums.think they turned out very well.

My mom has been staying with the "kids" while we travel up each week for rads. Im so glad she came up to keep thwm company. There spirits seem much better this week. And my sister found them both a great therapist. The older one i know has been strugling all year.



Almost over. Three more, little rest and can be a nurse again

I'm a little concerned as I start my 5 boosts tomorrow.  Glad to be getting done but concerned about the continued wear and tear on my body.  I just started peeling last week and am pretty sore from the radiation.  Are these last 5 boosts going to make my skin and burns 5X worse?  I know it's different with everyone but I just want to mentally be prepared.  The only thing my RO will let me use is aloe.

Went today for my pre-tx xrays.  I start tomorrow with 28 rounds and 7 boosts.  How long before the skin starts feeling burned?  And can you swim during rads?  My DH and I are going on a weekend trip to celebrate our 1st anniversary on May 19th and I'd like to have an idea what kind of shape I may be in by then and whether I can take advantage of the hotel pool or not! 

Kelly - each person is different with your skin and reaction -- as for swimming, I would ask.  I was told that I could swim and my skin is fine so I have been.  Someone told me to put vasoline on my breast as a barrier but I have not had to do this -- I have had 15 treatments and my skin is fine -- only slightly tanned and no burn.  Good luck and happy anniversary early.

Kelly: My RO said absolutly NO on the swimming.    But do ask as some RO seem fine with it.

My skin was pink and ouchy after one treatment. Every treatment leaves me pink/red. But by the next morning it's not bad at all.   I have no sign of tanning or of blistering and peeling (knock on wood)

I am on treatment 6 today and starting to feel a tad tired. I guess the 3 mile walk I did yesterday for a benefit/fundraiser for a friend that died from colon cancer did not help. But boy it sure felt good to be part of it!!! I walk 8-10 miles per day at my job but at a much slower pace...I can rest every block as a mailman!lol

I met with RO today and he is concerned about the size of my seroma. They are going to do a whole other CT scan and simulation before my boosts start. I meet with BS next week to do 1.5 month follow up and  RO thinks he may drain some fluid out! My seroma is about the girth of a tennis ball. My incision from Lumpectomey is 4.5 inches and it is right behind whole thing. It makes that breast very perky!! It does not help that I bump it with mail 20x per day. I have tried to carry mail in other hand but dont work. I dont want to miss any more work if I dont have too. This seroma is driving me crazy!!

I  have also read that many of you had started tamox already. My OC told me to get an appt to see him after rads are done to start. I wonder why? I would rather start sooner so Im off it sooner. I just thought that was weird.

I hope we are all healing well...

Kristi

Momof3boys are you drinking enough fluids? Your must be just exhausted. I know i am. My body is saying enough allready.

@Fredntan, yes, I know I'm drinking enough. I have a 24 oz water bottle that I'm filling at least 4 times a day. Maybe I'm drinking too much!

My appt. with the MO is the last day of rads.  I expect that he will get me started on Tamox then.  I get xrayd once a week.

I'm starting to flake.  Boooo.  And the nurse thinks I should visit with the ro tomorrow about lymphadema.  She thinks my hand looks swollen (and I can't say she's wrong)  Double booooo. If he agrees with her he'll send me to see a pt.  

 Congrats on finishing up Mam!

 I hope the headaches ease up momof3boys!

Cindyl,

I had noticed a little bit of swelling in my arm and my trunk when I was starting rads.  I asked to see a lymphedema PT just to get a handle on things and get a home txt program.  When I saw her she said it was a really good thing I came in b/c LE will often get worse during rads.  I've been seeing her twice a week during rads and she started me on a home manual lymph drainage program.  With what I'm doing it's better than it was and I'll hopefully be able to keep a handle on things so it won't progress.  I got fitted for a sleeve today to use for flying and during exercise. etc.   

Congratulations, mamglam!

wiskris-  I had RADS tx #8 today & I too have an issue with a seroma.  My seroma (circumferance about 1.5")is under my arm where the lymph nodes were removed.  I had my 6 month F/U with my breast surgeon & he thougt that the seroma was suddenly a lymph node!!!! He wanted to remove it asap.  Needless to say my RO does not want me to have any surgery in the middle of my RADS, since all of the ,easurements would change.  To satisfy the standoff I had a sonogram last week that confirmed it as a seroma.  I am unsure if I will have it removed after RADS are complete.  I think I might because I do not like having a lump under my arm.  It makes me nervous.

Any of you ladies getting RADS withour boosts?  My RO does not recommend them for me.  He asid that the toxicity outweighs and potential benefit.  FYI- I had my TE exchange for implants after chemo & before RADS.   Whether or not there is a befefit is apparently questionable.  He is however using a boules for 15 of my 25 tx.