May 2012 radiation

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    i'm back :)  new surgeon is wonderful.  she took time and answered my questions, did brac testing even though the first surgeon said no.  she said i can start rads on monday which i am going to do.  she thinks due to the two surgeries and biopsy i had on that breast, the regular fluid is just having a hard time finding a path to get out that isn't alterted from surgeries. she said it will eventually work it's way out and that it could happen again.  she also said something my other surgeon never said, she said that for the next several years  i will think my headaches or aches couod be cancer and she wants me to call her right away so she can decide if i should be seen or not and that no issue is too small.  i feel like 60 lbs have been lifted from my shoulders.

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  • Dizzy215
    Dizzy215 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    Yay Mckenna!! Glad your new BS is nice - it's so important that you like and trust your team.  I am starting rads on Tues, should be all done by end June and I have just booked a vacay for mid July - something to look forward to!

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    Mckenna -- So very happy for you!!  It is so important to be able to trust your medical team.  

    Funny, I talked to a long time survivor yesterday (mother of one of my students, she said it was non-invasive but they never said DCIS -- it was well over 10 years ago) and she said the same thing about the worry of every little pain being signs of cancer for a long time after treatment.  She said it is very common and not to be surprised.  

    Good luck on Monday!  You will be a week ahead of me.

    You should see the pile of lotions and potions I have:

    1) aloe vera

    2) Aquaphor

    3) emu oil 

    Basis soap, and Tom's deodrant ... ok, let's do this Undecided 

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  • Spokanellie
    Spokanellie Member Posts: 46
    edited May 2012

    mckenna and dizzy215 - here we are back where we were 2 weeks ago. With mckenna starting Monday, and dizzy215 and I both starting Tuesday, we're back in alignment! mckenna - you sound wonderful! I'm so glad your new BS has given you a new outlook.

    My appointment on Tuesday is at 2:12pm - WTH?!? I asked about the time; the therapist, Phil (remember, the one who listens to his Mom's instructions?) said that sadly there are so many women here who have to be treated on any given day, they've optimized the appointment intervals Goldilocks style: 15 minutes was too long; 10 minutes was too short. They learned that 12 minutes was just about right, as long as everyone was on time. I promised to be there by 2:11pm Laughing

    Happy Mother's Day - to all of you who are moms, know a mom, or have/had a mom - celebrate your day tomorrow.

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  • 3girls
    3girls Member Posts: 94
    edited May 2012

    I waswondering how many of you arehaving rads to the armpit.  I had a pos sentinel node but did not have an axillary node dissection.  I assumed they radiated under the arm to get those nodes but my RO says they only do if 50% of your nodes are positive.I only had one out so I wouldn't know.

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  • Jan24
    Jan24 Member Posts: 64
    edited May 2012

    Hello,

    I started on April 26, the goal is 33 zaps for 6 1/2 weeks.

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  • Jan24
    Jan24 Member Posts: 64
    edited May 2012

    I had 2 nodes removed and both were clean; however the rad tech drew an orange

    circle around the area treated (so I know where to apply lotions) which included the armpit and the entire left breast.

    The orange marker was easily wiped off :-)

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    Thanks everyone it is amazing how the correct info can set your mind at ease. I suddenly have very few worries and am ready to take on rads. The np said they would send me home with lotions tomorrow so I haven't bought anyhing yet. Happy Mother's Day to all

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  • mianed
    mianed Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2012

    Thanks, Schatzie14, Glad to hear things were good for you!  My Costco doesn't have the glaxal base and when I searched online, I could only find small tubes (1.75 oz) and they weren't cheap.  I got some aquaphor from my rad clinic and they said that's the only one they recommend, so hope it works as well as yours did.  I have my first real zap on Tuesday evening!

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  • mianed
    mianed Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2012

    Etherize and Spokanellie, thanks for reassuring me about the exercise.  I start on Tuesday so I can now think of many more things to worry about, of course!  Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!

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  • Spokanellie
    Spokanellie Member Posts: 46
    edited May 2012

    That's at least 3 of us starting Tuesday: dizzy, mianed and me. Who else?



    mckenna, be sure to check in tomorrow and let us know how it went.

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  • schatzi14
    schatzi14 Member Posts: 1,647
    edited May 2012

    dizzy...spokanellie and mianed...good luck...it will be over before you know it!

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    this is the week for many of us.  we have somthing extra curricular the first 3 days of my radiation so we will be very busy but i will be so tired, i think i will sleep well.  my appt today is at 3pm and then i need to take my son for hair cut, pick up my daughter, get them fed and then my son to scouts so i may not be able to post until after my am rads tomorrow.  but i will certainly try. 

    hope everyone has a stressfree week Wink

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    Good luck ladies!  

    Mckenna, are you starting today or is today your simulation?  

    Keeping busy is probably good, especially the first week.  I hope you are able to lower your stress and responsibilities over the next couple of weeks, when you will be feeling more fatigued?

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    my first rads are today.  my kids evening activities will be slowing down, 2 of the 3 things we have this week are not typical, just happened that they both fell this week.  my son's 5th grade class made it to ball room dance finals and that is tomorrow night.  5th graders ball room dancing has to be the cutest thing i have ever seen :)  so i am actually excited to be able to watch them again.

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    I can imagine!  5th graders ball room dancing!!  how fun!

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  • Dizzy215
    Dizzy215 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    I had clear nodes but mt RO said I might be tender there and may permanently loose the hair from the lower half of the armpit, so I guess the rays do extend to that area. 

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  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited May 2012

    the radiation will go under your arm even if you had clear nodes --- my armpit is sore and very dark --- remember to put lotion there too !!!

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  • FLislander
    FLislander Member Posts: 243
    edited May 2012

    3 down, 30 to go.

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  • Mopsy
    Mopsy Member Posts: 49
    edited May 2012

    Today was my first  one.  4 locations.

    30+ left sessions to go.

    Already hurts. 

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  • Spokanellie
    Spokanellie Member Posts: 46
    edited May 2012

    Wow, Mopsy! 4 locations? That does NOT sound fun.



    I'm starting to worry about a weekend trip I'm planning this Friday. I'm driving 300 miles for a late Mothers Day celebration with my kids. They all live near each other, so it makes a lot more sense for me to go there than the other way around. But some of you are already mentioning being tired after only a few treatments and I will have had 4 by Friday. Hmmm...

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    first two treatments down.  i feel fine right now.  the first treatment seemed to last for every with the xrays and measuring but today i counted till 109 and the treatment was done.  they were backed up and i have to see my ro every tuesday, he was also back up so the amount of time i was there was forever but the actual treatment was nothing.  they have me putting corn starch on the field a couple times during the day and at night i have topicort/desoximetas(generic) and vanicream on.  they said i can still wear my own deoderant and if at any time i see redness or blisters to ask to see the dr that day after treatment and they will start me on new meds. 

    if you know your last rad day, post it and i will try to add it to the initial post so we can all celebrate each time some one finishes!

    good luck to everyone this week.

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  • Dizzy215
    Dizzy215 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    Mckenna, glad to hear it's going well!  My first treatment is today (yikes) and my last will be June 29.

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  • Dizzy215
    Dizzy215 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    Also, forgot to ask - did you get tattoos? I am all marked up with a sharpie but they did mention tats to me when i had my simulation.  I don't want any that will be visible, so I'm going to tell them they'll just have to mark me up in visible areas! 

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited May 2012

    i do not have tats (really they are small freckle like things) only because i thought i had an infection and did not want anyting going into my skin.  i may asK tomorrow if i can get them though.  i have tape all over the marks and if i can get rid of that i want to. 

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    Glad things are going well for you so far mckenna.

    I had my simulation yesterday, and set up my time starting next week -- the first 3 days I have to get there at 7AM (the only time they had available), and then after that I get the 10AM slot.   Think my last day is the 29th too!

    I have tattoos, but yesterday they magic markered them all up again!  And, what was with all the pictures??  Smile 

    Funniest thing was that they took a bunch of x-rays during the simulation, I mean a bunch, and without really thinking I thought "it is really necessary to get all that radiation?"  -- funny because it is nothing compared to what is to come!

    Good luck ladies, I am off to running camp for the weekend! 

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    Dizzy - I have the tattoos (as I mentioned before) -- but they are super super tiny and you can't see them unless you really look.  They are not much more noticable that my deformed breast (which my friends say they can't tell -- even in my running bra's -- even though when I look down I can tell).

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  • Elaine2Tervs
    Elaine2Tervs Member Posts: 11
    edited May 2012

    Me! 30 with 5 boosts. Started Monday. Done June 25.

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  • Dizzy215
    Dizzy215 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    Ok, so the first treatment went ok. Took 20mins as they did more xrays (??!!) but tomorrow's session will be about 10mins they said. I got the tattoos but was adamant about not wanting the one in the middle. I have very fair skin, so I'm just sure it will be visible on me and I don't really want a permanent visible reminder of this (other than what I have, which I can cover up), so I have sharpie marks in my cleavage covered with clear tape.

    One thing that is bothering me - and I feel a rant coming on.....I am fed up with people telling me that I am going to feel really tired and 6 weeks is a really long time.....I wish I could say to them 'be positive for me and if you can't, please shut up'. I believe in the power of positive thinking.....6 weeks of rads is getting off lightly I say, and I WILL BE FINE. Sorry!!    

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited May 2012

    That is too bad Dizzy, everyone from my RO to my PCP keeps saying, "you will do fine".  

    My favorite, which I sometimes say to myself when I am feeling down, was the RO saying, "we are doing this to keep you healthy, not to make you sick".

    Chin-up, and congrats on getting through the first day!  

    PS  I know -- what is with the freaking x-rays?  don't they know how much radiation is in those things Smile 

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