Any April/May 2012 rad girls out there?

Options
1…2324262829…47

Comments

  • momof3boys
    momof3boys Member Posts: 896
    edited May 2012

    Just want to share some information the nurse went over with me as part of my discharge from radiation: she said that women that have had nodes removed should wear gloves while doing the dishes and gardening. (this is actually in bold print on my discharge papers). I asked her why and she said if you have the smallest cut on your finger, arm, and it gets infected, you don't have those lymph nodes to protect your body from infection...I asked her "for how long?" and she said "forever"...

    She did tell me that since I had one removed, she wouldn't worry too much, but that women that have had a few or more...this is really important. And I know it's gardening season.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2012

    Hi momof3boys--

    I'm going to see a lymphedema specialist this morning to ask some questions (i've had 11 nodes removed--no sign of anything yet, though). I've been told throughout my tx that I'm marginal for swelling--right on the cusp. With one node removed I'd think your risk would be so minimal.  

    I spend a lot of time out doors, in the backcountry, and wouldn't be able to get to a doctor right away if anything happened. So I need to ask some questions.

    My RO, FWIW, told me that if I was really worried about infection and swelling when I'm out rowing boats or backpacking, I should have some antibiotics on hand, and to carry a sleeve if needed. He didn't tell me, though, that I'd have to cover my hand for the rest of my life! In my line of work it'd be impossible anyway.  I'll share what the specialist tells me today, if I trust him. I've never met him before, so we'll see.

    Thanks to all for the cortizone tip. I sprayed some benedryl on it this weekend and it stung, but I have cortizone cream, so I'll give it a try instead. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sandyland
    Sandyland Member Posts: 262
    edited May 2012

    Momof3 ~ I had sentinol lymph node dissection at the time of my MX.  I'm wondering if that is the same thing and if I should be extra careful about infections as well.  Does anyone know??

    Corona lotion ~ You ladies who were discussing the Corona...is that similar to bag balm?  Your conversation made me think about Bag Balm and remember how great it works.  I'm going to go scour my bathroom cabinets to see if I have any!  

    The skin under my arm is deteriorating quickly.  I have a constant ache with random shooting pains under my arm.  I feel like the skin is gonna peel away any moment.  Ack.  I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to get my arm up over my head for my tx today.  The fun never ends!  Hahaha!

    SAN

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • akmom
    akmom Member Posts: 272
    edited May 2012

    Hi Beth, just want to say 'hang in there'! It does feel like the treament goes on forever but you will get there. I hope the sore doesn't get too bad.

    Take care.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • momof3boys
    momof3boys Member Posts: 896
    edited May 2012

    Sandyland- yes, SNB is the same thing. Looking at your profil tag line, you had 6 lymph nodes removed? I would think that you'd need to be on the lookout for issues.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    Had my 20th treatment today and have some skin breakdown under my arm -- the RO (and nurse) told me to use polysporin -- I have 5 treatments left so there is a good chance it will breakdown a bit more ... it is sore -- raw -- so hopefully the polysporin works fast.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • akmom
    akmom Member Posts: 272
    edited May 2012

    Ouch, Joanne, hope it doesn't get any worse.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Califgirl12
    Califgirl12 Member Posts: 92
    edited May 2012

    Regarding gloves to avoid infection; I read the same exact thing. Gloves need to be worn basically during any activity that could potentially injure the skin, ie, scrapes/scratches, or pokes. I have to say the plus side of it is my nails are growing nicely and no hang nails or split cuticles!



    14 Rads down, 21 left to go. Skin getting darker and pink, shooting mild pain at incision area and under arm area but not bad at all. No fatigue in fact started back walking at gym and did great walked 1.5 miles. DH has taken to reading all of these comments on the boards and felt sorry for me so cleaned up the house this weekend.....nice guy, I think he is a keeper!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sandyland
    Sandyland Member Posts: 262
    edited May 2012

    Thanks Momof3 ~ I think you are right and I'll be bringing this up with my MO next time I see her.

    Califgirl12 ~ Brilliant!  I will be having my DH read these posts immediately after he gets home from work tonight :)  A few of us in the SoCal area are talking about planning a get together.  Any interest in joining us since you're right up in RC?  

    Joanne ~ It sounds like you are following the exact same schedule as me...I started having some real pain right around my 18-20th tx.  Today I went in for #28, my final tx before beginning my 8 boosts.  I can barely lift my arm and it is excrutiating to "assume the position" on the rads table now.  My techs and RO think my skin will actually break down to the point of open wounds :(  I'm hoping not, but it doesn't look good.  I'm glad you only have to go to 25!! :)

    SAN

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ang7894
    ang7894 Member Posts: 540
    edited May 2012

    Hi everyone my first treatment starts tomorrow and I am scared as heck just reading all your comments on here makes me wounder if I have enough strength to get threw 33 treatments worry if skin is going to be alright to being to tired etc. Also my house is not exactly perfect around here me and hubby fight a Lot now days it's just not a real happy place to be at times. But need to try to keep going on for myself.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2012

    21 down- 13 more to go, including 8 boosts. I had a minor meltdown this evening- I am just tired and sore. I have 2 more to 1 site and 4 more to another- then it's 8 boosts to the tumor site. I am so sore, my skin is really starting to show signs on my chest and under my arm. I just broke out in tears- I am almost done- chemo/surgery/ now rads. 7 months since diagnosis and I am truly wiped

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    San - I am going to physio 2 x per week for my arm/shoulder -- she does acupuncture for me too and it is wonderful -- I do know what you mean though - the main is terrible - want to cry -- have to use my other arm to bring my arm down.

    Lory - you have been through a lot and you are entitled --

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2012

    I know we have all been through soo much- with this horrible disease. I try so hard to hold it together, but it's getting harder to do so. I am counting down the days till I do not have to drive 100 miles a day for treatment.. till I can just enjoy MY life once again.. cancer does not define me.. so done with this

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    Lory, I cannot even imagine what you are going through -- I am so fortunate to have a cancer centre in my city and it is a 10 minute drive -- for you to have to drive 100 miles a day for treatment is reason alone to be tired --- count down the days and have a big celebration !!! I have 5 days left and I have had enough !!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • momof3boys
    momof3boys Member Posts: 896
    edited May 2012

    Lory- I can't believe you have to drive 100 miles per day! No wonder you're exhausted! Probably broke too from buying all that gas. How many more to go?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2012

    12 more to go ( I lost count).. 21 DONE..

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mamglam
    mamglam Member Posts: 178
    edited May 2012

    Lory48,

    I completely agree with you!  I too, am so done with all this.  

    Joanne_53,

    Sorry to hear that you have been having trouble with your arm and issues with your skin.

    My wounds are painful and need to be dressed daily.  Some of the scrapes are raw and bloody (sorry TM!!).  I have a different nurse daily and can't seem to have consistency in the treatment of my wounds.  Yesterday, the nurse did not remove the backing from the silicone sheet they place on the broken skin so I ended up with more scrapes from that.  Previously, a nurse put a fabric tape to hold the dressings and the tape literally pulled my skin off on to the tape!  Ouch!!  I will be seeing the RO in June or earlier if need to.  Hope all is going well of all of you going through your treatment.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • momof3boys
    momof3boys Member Posts: 896
    edited May 2012

    Ang- stay strong! You can do it. I just finished up on Friday. The hardest day is the first...for some reason it was very emotional for a lot of us here. It seems so counter intuitive to lay on a table and allow radiation into your body. Get a good mental picture of the beams zapping any stray cells. I hope your techs are as kind as mine were. They definitely made it bearable. Good luck

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mamglam
    mamglam Member Posts: 178
    edited May 2012

    ang7894,

    Good luck with your first treatment!  Take up your RO and techs recommendations for your skin care and you will be fine.  Hope your situation at home improves.  

    Lory48,

    Be sure to have lots of rest and drink lots of fluids.  I finished my treatment a week ago and I am still extremely tired and seem to need to nap in the afternoons. 

    momof3boys,

    How are you coping with skin?  Are feeling fatigued like I am?  My techs where extremely kind too, and made it bearable to go through the treatment.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • linnyhopp
    linnyhopp Member Posts: 567
    edited May 2012

    So sorry to hear that many of you are having bad skin issues.  I had my 14th of 33 treatments today and I have to say the underarm is getting very sore...much more than it has been, that's for sure.  My breast is very red underneath and in reading your posts I hope my skin won't open up.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised if it does since I have been forewarned.   Can't imagine how much pain some of you are in and I am praying for fast healing for all of you.  Up until now I have been pretty positive about getting this over with, but I can see where the wear and tear on the emotions starts to take over.  I am glad you are all here for me to share with and support each other.

    On a brighter note...hoping the So Cal group can get together.  It would be fun to have a positive meeting and actually get to know each other on a personal level.  Wish we could ALL meet and enjoy each other's company.  San ~ if you want help in getting a plan in place, just let me know.  I know that Tipnas mentioned meeting.  I would love to put your lovely faces together with your names. 

    Take care and sorry for whining...some days venting just makes it easier! 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Maghery721
    Maghery721 Member Posts: 68
    edited May 2012

    Joanne, sounds like you like acupuncture. I'm considering doing it but wanted some feedback on it. Can you tell me a little bit about it?



    Lory, wow, that's a tough ride everyday. I'm really sorry to hear that. :-(



    Mamglam: so sorry about your skin and what you are going thru. I sincerely hope it gets better real soon.



    Two more tx left before I say goodbye to all this cancer bullshit!! No more chemo, surgery is done and healing well and no more radiation! Yahoo!!



    I ordered two edible arrangements to give to the radiation ladies and to the doctor and nurses to thank them for taking such good care of me. Anyone else doing anything? I think I read momof3 say she was doing something - was it an angels related idea?



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MOT
    MOT Member Posts: 130
    edited May 2012

    SoCal girls -- I will be going down hopefully in the next few months, if you have your get together while I'm down there, I'd love to come too! But have to finish and recover from rads first.....

    I feel for all of you that are having skin issues. As I have only had 9 of 30, not having any skin problems yet....though a little pinker than the other side. I hope I can hold my skin together. Just worked an 11 hour day, also worked 10 hours on Saturday. so not sure if I am tired from that or rads.... Undecided or both....Lory, I too have to drive 50 miles each way to rads. I'm trying to think of it as a commute. At least the weather is good (no snow and ice!). It is my bum luck to live out rural so to even go grocery shopping, I have to drive at least 20 miles.....LOL

    I don't think we are whiners. We are facing and overcoming something very difficult, and if we get overwhelmed and want to have a pity party somedays, I think we certainly deserve to do what we want. I know the rest of the time we have on our strong faces, even as we have disfiguring breast surgery, and face all manner of uncomfortable SEs of chemo and rads. Yes, laying under radiation rays and letting it deteriorate our skin to ultimately save our lives.....this has certainly been a journey.

    Well, this is a good place to vent as we all know what we're all going through. Thank you everyone.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    Maghery -- the acupuncture works on pain -- the physio uses about 7 or needles and she puts "taps" into my skin -- not deep -- and they stay for about 12 minutes -- they "prick" a bit when she puts them in but it is not painful.  It certainly does help with the pain.  My upper arm/shoulder caused me problems after surgery and I went for treatment and I was in good shape until I started rads .. now back again.  I have 5 treatments left so will keep going for a couple weeks after treatments end to strengthen again and work on pain.  Speak to someone about it -- really it does work. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cindyl
    Cindyl Member Posts: 1,194
    edited May 2012

    I too am tired of all of this.  I'm lucky in some ways, didn't need chemo, don't have a long drive to do rads, have an understanding work place, and plenty of sick leave if I need it.  In some ways rads has been great, I'm in the dr's office everyday!  If I have a concern, I grab "my" nurse, or one of the techs, or the cancer navigator, and have an immediate answer (or at least reassurance, that this is all perfectly normal)  Yesterday, Mary asked me if I had my appt. at the lymph. clinic yet. "Yeah, the 21st" Really? So far out?  Let me call.  And bingo.  I have an appt for tomorrow.  So Yeah.  It's not all bad.

     But yeah counting down 12 more tx.  And then, maybe a little break, and a chance to heal.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MizMarie
    MizMarie Member Posts: 332
    edited May 2012

    The day has finally arrived for me - #33 is today!  So happy for all who have or will soon cross the finish line, and hugs to those just starting out.  I am a little sorry that it's ending - the techs have treated me like a queen.  I bought three apothecary jars, and filled them with Reese's mini pb cups to give to my techs.  I will surely miss them.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited May 2012

    Congrats on being done MizMarie!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jubby46
    Jubby46 Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2012

    Hi all,

    Have not been here since I joined. End of radiation is Thursday. Tired and sore especially under my arm.

    Tech said looks angry but will start healing. I have my 3 week follow up appt and oncology appt in 2 weeks and gyn appt in June. Not looking forward to mammo. I am so tender.

    No chemo just radiation.

    Glad to be done. Will save money on gas. Driving everyday for 7 weeks 1/2 hour away is a killer.

    take care all

    I am going to rest a bit.

    Happy Mother's Day to all moms.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Michbunny
    Michbunny Member Posts: 91
    edited May 2012

    Congratulations, MizMarie!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wiskris
    wiskris Member Posts: 93
    edited May 2012

    Congrats to all have finished or end this week! Whoohooo!

    I am on #12 today and just got back from BS regarding seroma. He did an ultrasound and it is a huge blood clot. The dr said it is about the size of a tennis ball. I have to let it soak up in body or reopen incision and remove. I am pretty bummed about this. I am hoping rads will make it go down as it has since I noticed it! It hurts pretty bad especially now that he tried to aspirate some fluid and it was jello like so clogged up fast. He poked needle right into incision owwwie!! I am waiting till after radiation to decide...Man this has been nothing but a pain!! Hope everyone else is healing well!!!

    Kristi

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    Congrats to all those that have finished -- I have 4 left !!! yeah.  I asked today if I got a party or something and the one tech said "sadly no" -- I might take one of the whistle type things ---

       and blow it myself on my last day ....

    Kristi -- take care of yourself and do not overdo it .... I cannot even imagine how painful that must be ...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories