May 2012 radiation

Jan - how exciting for you!  I hope you're going out and celebrating!!

Thank you all.  I'll be having a glass of champagne at 6pm pst.  We are grilling steaks tonight, neighbors and friends are coming over to celebrate.  I was so tired, I took a nap so I'm rested for the evening.  Like all of you, they have been great supporters!  I received a cute certificate today for completing my Radiation Therapy, funny it has a cute pic of a sun  with sunglasses on it.  The personalized M&Ms were a big hit with the radiation staff. The M&Ms have a picture of me on them, the breast cancer ribbon, words of Thx and of course 'No More Rads Yea'.  I'll see if I can upload a picture.    Lynne 

Katy - Hi.  I'm from the April/May rads group.  My RO insisted only thing to use was Xclair with Aquaphor over.  That there was "something else" if that was not covered by my insurance but never had to ask.  I used it, still got some blistering underneath but don't know it that was destined to be anyway.  Nothing else to compare to so I used it.  I did buy some cheap camis from Dollar General to wear under my scrubs to keep the Aquaphor off.  And some cheap nightgowns from Goodwill to trash from being greased down.  Seems to have worked.  And I detested the feel of the Aquaphor, quite vocal on group,  but grew to love it and still do.  Xclair website says for radiaton burns and other burns.

It is quite expensive.  If you were just starting there is a buy one/get one offer from a mail order pharmacy.  Needs dr. prescription.  Bought one tube locally and then ordered that.

Hope this helps.

So happy for you jitters and Lynne!!

 
I hear you strong and brave!  

So, last Sunday we came home from picking someone up from the airport (it was about 9PM) and there was a diamondback laying across our stone fence in the backyard!  Then, today, I was late to my radiation appointment because my cat was playing "catch" with a scorpion in the kitchen.  I don't think I did anyone any good by running around the kitchen screaming, "no Zula, leave it alone!!"  - the dog came in, Zula ignored me and continued to slam it up in the air 'at' me, and I ran screaming around the kitchen -- good times! 

I can picture the exact scenario .. go Zula

mckenna - now that is a great way to celebrate --- enjoy the winery and the pedicure .....

Lynne - Congrats on finishing!  You must be so happy and relieved!

mckenna - that sounds like a great way to celebrate!

BL - oh my, I couldn't live there either.  Snakes would freak me out!  I'd have to go somewhere else for the summer.

#14 for me today.  Half way done.  I'm starting to feel some tightness and I'm now using the Miaderm twice a day and I may up it to more often.

It seems many people think rads are "a walk in the park."  Ugh.  I'm right with you on the tirade SB.  It's so much packed into 5 - 6 weeks compared to my chemo 16 infusions over 20 weeks.  It makes sense why we get so tired from it.  There's really no recovery time.  I think rads are as hard as chemo but in a different way.

BL - oh my goodness.  Snakes and scorpions.  ICK!  I would have been screaming my head off, I'm sure!

I'm gearing up to go to #7; the tech who I've been dealing with so far has not been warm and fuzzy lately - matter of fact it's been the opposite and it makes thinking about going even more difficult to know that when you get there you're going to be treated like an 'it' rather than a person.  I'm probably being too sensitive, but it's how I've been feeling this week there.  As silly as it sounds, I'm *really* tired of being drawn on.  It's funny how I can purposefully ignore the radiation procedure itself and trick my brain into thinking I'm just getting more xrays, but when they start to write on me again it feels almost humiliating.  I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does.

neeners, I had tattoos and one "floater" tech drew on me -- I only had her one day and I was disgusted and felt degraded -- I was not happy.  It is also the way she did it.  She is the only tech that seemed the need to mark me up .... I guess she needed glasses.

hope it gets better .....

Thanks Mckenna!

That's funny Joanne! The guys have been very professional and today's was super nice so it definitely made it easier.

I just posted on the June thread that I was given a prescription cream for radiation dermatitis. It's Biafine. Anyone have any experience with it? I like that my team is proactive! Can't wait til I get home and see what it's like. Has to be better than Aquaphor!!

Like sterile gauze pads Mckenna?

I had more males than females, I thought the guys were actually a little more thoughtful than the girls... less likely to leave you laying there bare naked with the lights on high.  And a couple of the guys were great about grabbing my robe and helping me on with it when we finished.