June 2012 Radiation Rads

Update on the finishing early:  I talked to the PA and RO today they said "if" my skin holds up and its looking good so far at 4 days... they will do 2 boosts in one day the day before I want to leave.  SO I will have like and 8am and then 5:30 boost for 1 day.  That will finish me in 29 days instead of 30 but with 30 treatments!  Got to see all the cool cat scans today of what they are shooting at me.  Its nice to see the fields and plains and how they are keeping everything away from my lungs and heart!  It definatley makes me feel better about all this.

Mom of 2:  I cried too, not full blown tears, but I was teary eyed the whole x-ray simulation and the whole first treatment.  I had a clean pathology after chemo.  I din't even question doing chemo, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the rads

Love..... your just the person I want to talk to.  I have been offered this but am concerned about a higher dose DAILY messing with my heart.  So this is your second go round.  I am interested how the next week will go for you.  I have to decide by the end of next week.  Because my criteria will be out of date for the trial.  I am sorry your having to join us & going through this again so soon.  I'm sure more will chime in.  Summer time tends to be lighter on the postings.  Let us know how you are doing!

Hi Julz,

I have a heart murmur (have had forever) so my docs were concerned about my heart - had a MUGA scan before chemo started and my heart was strong. No problems with my heart after 6 rounds of A/C chemo (I had a toxic reaction to Taxol and had to stop after one round - ended up hospitalized for 6 days) and left side radiation. I ran the local Komen race a few weeks ago (2.5 weeks post surgery) and was doing fine.

Are you left or right side? More concern for left side rads with the heart.

I'll keep you updated on how next week goes!

Stay strong!

Jenn I'm glad the lungs are ok. I will be thinking of you Tuesday! Let us know how your doing!

Julz - I am in a research study being done at the University of Penn. 1/2 the participants will get traditional US protocol (33 tx) and 1/2 will get the Canadian protocol (16). The researchers believe we are over-radiating with the strength of todays radiation there is a push to do fewer tx and get the same result. I could have ended up in either group but I was happy to be in the shorter course. It's my left breast so I had 2 set-up days, they are very careful about the angles of radiation to avoid heart/lung involvement. Looking forward to being done, done, done!

Momof2 - I was very emotional on the table during my last set up on Wednesday! It was all I could do to make it to the changing room before I completely fell apart. I thought about what might have triggered it and I think, for ME, it was an overwhelming feeling of vulnerability. I felt very exposed laying on the table, even with the "modesty" cloth they put on my right breast which kept falling off and they insisted I not try to keep it on if it was falling. I have to say that there was just a small, but important, difference in the level of professionalism between my care in chemoland with the nurses/docs who were very professional and capable of giving me a level of comfort with all the nakedness and vulnerabilities vs the rads techs that were just a little too relaxed and chatty with each other and talking over my naked body that left me feeling really yucky. Hoping for a better experience when tx actually begins next week.

Hope everyone is feeling well, staying cool and almost finished!

Hi everyone! For me the rads experience is way easier than the chemo. I started rads on May 31st, and I'm getting 25. Was going to do the standard Canadian 16, but because I have a TE, they are spreading it out over 25. Yesterday I had no. 17 of the 25. Since I had a left MX, I am also worried about the effect on my healthy heart and lungs, but hopefully they know what they are doing. Everything is fine, but I now have a red, sore spot higher on my chest above the breast that I keep slathering with aloe vera and Lubriderm. Don't know what 8 more radiations will do to it. Fortunately there are no other sore spots so far which I am grateful for. My daughter is getting married the week after next, and I just don't want to look like a cooked lobster in my weddng outfit. It is bad enough that I don't have any hair yet! Has anybody here heard of 'saline soaks' that one can do for the soreness and redness?

 Janie, I know exactly what you mean about lying there all naked while they matter-of-factly go about their daily business. Twice this week I encountered MALE techs in there! Oh my goodness. I even had a casual discussion about different kinds of wedding cake with one of them (he's also getting married soon)lying on my back with my boobs sticking up into the air. I had the time of my life holding it together, and not bursting into an hysteric fit of laughter at the ridiculousness of the whole situation . . . what we have to go through is just crazy. A good sense of humour definitely helps a lot. Dignity is something you should just forget about while doing these treatments. LOL.

Hi, ladies.  I popped over from the May Rads board to see how everyone's doing over here.  I have a male tech almost 100% of the time, and he's wonderful.  I started a blog at the beginning of this whole breast cancer tornado, and I wanted to share my latest entry with you, my glowing sisters.

Male or female, we are all human beings and are aware of one another's challenges and pain.  

http://pinkribbonandwheels.wordpress.com 

It's Sunday here and I know there's a few of us June "stragglers" starting our rads this week. Group {{{{{hug}}}}} from me!



Jenn

Me too Lagata! Over 9 years now on night shift! I wonder if supplementing with Melatonin would help with recurrence. I'm still gonna work nights as day shift is too nuts & I carry the health insurance for the whole family. Thanks for sharing.

MiniMacsMom--Congrats on your doubled up last day.  It is wondeful when they recognize that you are a human being with other needs than treatment.

 For all of you who are worried about 16 treatments:

I am in Canada and getting 16 treatments. I have had 13.  I would go crazy if I had to go for another 12 rather than 3.

If you are offered the 16 day treatment, don't sweat it. It isn't necessarily a disaster. I like it.

I have mottled patches, and I am a bit achey in the breast, but Advil takes care of that. I am slathering myself 3x daily with Vitamin E, Calendula, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Epidermal Recovery Accelerator, and Aveeno night time moisturizer. I just make sure I have showered and not reapplied before my treatment.

 I have had a slightly different set of 3 rad techs every day for 13 days. One person might be there for only one day, others for 10 of the days. But it's not all the same folks more than once. Two or three have been men. The techs speak to me briefly as I enter the suite, but they are really concentrating on my body position and my geometry. That's OK with me, actually. I want them to get it right. We're never going to get to be close.

I've had 9 of my 20 treatments so far, 16 Canadia and 4 boosts sine my margin was only .5 centimeters. Left breast, stage 1. I'm 62.

My breast is red but my RO said that is common when taking Arimidex. Love having the week end off.

I feel fine, I'm happy to report. A little tired.

I share all of your concerns about lungs and heart but like it was stated earlier, hopefully they know what they are doing.

I mainly have a rotation of 4 techs, new young men and two women. They are all extremely nice and get me in and out quickly. I don't have any trouble keeping still and at this point I just close my eyes and pray.

I'm using Aloe Vera 99% and Aguaphor.

I didn't have chemo.

My heart goes out to all of you beautiful women. My heart breaks for those of you who are so young.

We can do this!

Thank you All for responding on the Canadian protocol! Much is in the air as to whether this is a go or not for me. It really helps to have a personal view!

As a CNA who works with males....sometimes it's uncomfortable for me as a female to do care on other females as well as males with a MALE CNA as apposed to with a FEMALE CNA. I find them to be blasé about the whole thing. In reality as a whole medical workers have seen em ALL! Please don't take that wrong, but they are there to take care of our Cancer, illnesses. I as well of others I have worked with are much more concerned with the visual to see if something that might be amiss, potentially wrong. We are extra eyes & ears for the Drs & in my case the RNs as well. Many times we pick up on things that even we as patients might miss. I hope in some small way eases your minds! With that said I too get a little uncomfortable at times! ; )

Tomorrow will be tx 10 of 30 - this is just flying by, so much quicker and easier than chemo! 

I have a male tech every day, and I just love him.  I highly suspect that he's gay, but frankly I've shown my boobies to enough doctors and nurses and techs in the last 8 months that I figure, what's one more guy?  

All of you talk about covering your non-radiated breast.  My tech slips my arms out of the gown and lines up my tattoos - then gently lays the gown back over my entire chest so nothing is showing, then radiates me.  Is anyone else doing "covered" radiation?

I will be thinking about everyone starting this week - good luck to you all!!!  xoxo

I was covered as well. Just a quick flip of the robe to line up tattoos between treatments to each area. BUT they have to do it uncovered during my final 8 to the tumor bed. Has to do with intensity of beam and distance from the machine. They have a cutout on the end of a tube that was cut to outline my tumor bed area. This is lowered to just above my breast and the treatments are administed. You even get a pillow and a comfy pad to lay on. And I only have to raise the one arm with no poles to grab onto lol. Much more relaxing and very quick.

Denielle 

Good Sunday evening to all,

I had a lot to catch up on I have been away for several days.  I have primarily male techs and I like them much better than the female tech that joins them some days.  The guys just seem to go about their business , but she just seems way to something, not quite consecending or arrogant, but that is how it seems to me.  We have sort of snarled at each other about a couple of issues.  I took 3 days off last week, they will be added to the end.  I had to travel for some family business, I wish I had those 3 days done, but I will get there.  11  down and not sure how many to go. Originally my RO said 30, but this week was kind of non committal about 25 or 30.  The extra 5 would be a boost to the scar tissue (MX no reconstruction) I am having alot of itching but am told it is becasue of sun damage over the years  UGH.  Otherwise no SE's.  Hydrocortizone and sween creem are helping. 

Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy but so much going on other than my BC.  So a combination of all

Wishing everyone an SE free week.

Nel