July 2012 Radiation

Belinda - I am nearing the end of my rads but I got a late start due to slow healing of some of my surgical sites. My onco's said it would not increase any risks and to wait and use the time to  rest and heal. It was frustrating to me becuase I just wanted to get it over and done with, but I finally got started and now am almost done.

 HealingDreams - I'm taking a month to let my chest heal up and then I'm swimming with the dolphins! Whoo Hoo!

Healing - I couldn't do it if my sister didn't live in Florida. :-) I was going to take my folks some flowers from my garden but this crazy weather has made them all bloom way early. Even my fall flowers are gone. Between the heat and the drought I don't think we'll get a second bloom, :-( so mine will be getting brownies as well. I actually think I'm going to miss the ladies that are there at the same time and the techs. But not the rads!

How did everyone who started today do?  I think kjiberty was starting.  Not sure who else.

Kara, typically they will give 25 treatments to the breast and then 5 boosts targeted just to the tumor area.  The number of sessions can vary but that's the standard.  I don't know anything about old school or electrons.

#9 down, 21 to go.  A little red, a little sore but doc said it looked great, so I guess it's all par for the course.  He suggested advil which I keep forgetting to take.  getting up now to take some . . .

graced:  Good for you!  I was supposed to start today but they are not done with my planning.  Now I have to call tomorrow to maybe start on Monday.  I just want to get the show on the road.

#13/34 done = 38% done 

Lucky #13 is now history.  The only side effect is that my boob is a very slight shade of pink and that the inside of my boob feels a little "tingly."  The daily 45-minute trips are becoming almost routine.  I have family and friends who go with me 2-3 times per week.  On Wednesday, my sister (who lives 1.5 hours from me) and I went to my tx and then we went north to a suburb of Chicago to shop, dine, and wine.  We spent the night in a nice hotel and then returned in time for my tx on Thursday.  Having some sister time was exactly what I needed.

Kara - My RO said there are two ways to do boosts.  One involves using electrons that go straight into the tumor cavity from above and the other uses the standard radiation technique which is directed at the cavity using angles.  Which one is used depends on various factors such as the depth of the tumor and location.  Maybe density, too?  I don't know which kind I will be getting.  I didn't ask as the planning session for my boost is in a couple of weeks.  I can wait until then to find out--one thing at a time.

Belinda and Isabelle - Waiting is the hardest.   Anticipation of the unknown is scary.  So far, the process has been uneventful for me.

Karen - It's diappointing to have to wait one more day for tx to start. I totally understand your comment about wanting to "get this show on the road."  It seems that throughout my treatment, I have spent too much time waiting for the next step to start.  I disliked waiting a month between chemo, surgery, and rads.  I can see the finish line now although I still have a few laps yet to go.

Mini1 - Only 3 to go!!!  You go girl.

 

Hi Healing Dreams, Mini, Kara, Belinda, Isabelle, Kj, Graced, Babette, & any I missed! Yeah to those of you that have started as it is one step closer to the finish line!  Those that are doing ok & hoping it stays that way!  Thinking of those who have yet to begin as I know it weighs heavily on your minds!  May your SE's be very super minimal!  I think about you ALL every day, your always on my mind!  This Journey is hard, but I am thankful we have each other to lean on!  

Sorry I haven't been on but with work, having trouble sleeping, & the nausea.  I just have time to read sometimes.  I saw my RO on Tuesday! !!!!!  He says that RADS do NOT cause nausea!!!!  He thinks it's my GERD....acid reflux.  He said I am drinking juices, eating a bad diet, high fat, drinking milk, & not following protocol for GERD!  Basically being bad to my body!  To say I was P-Oed is an understatement!  The RO & I NEVER have discussed my diet or any lack there of!  So he was presuming WAY too much!  Yes I am over weight.  But I might have 5 glasses of juice in a year....I don't buy it or keep it in the house!  There was no telling him differently....my DH was with me & was looking at him like the RO had grown 2 heads!  I just let him waste his own HOT AIR!  Because DH & I know more that he did!  Now I will be the first to admit that there are certain foods that I might partake too much of at times.  But because I have known I have high cholesterol since I was 26 & I weighed 105 pounds then.  Family inherited.  I have watched how I eat since then.  Especially since my GERD dx 6 years ago.  If I don't watch it I pay with pain....never nausea!  With that said & vented.  I understand he is concerned for my health as I now have a cancer DX.  Last year at this time I had an esophageal stricture narrowing & had problems swallowing.  Very scary as food would not go down at times.  I had to have it ballooned open.  If this scaring continues it very well could lead to esophageal cancer.  So he doesn't want to take any chances.  So next Wednesday I go to see a Gastro Dr. & probably will have to have yet another Endo scope done.  He has my health in the best intentions ..... but his bed side manor is that of a Horses Patooty!  Ok so that's my vent!  Or better yet what's been going on in my neck of the woods!  

I have 9 RADS in & Lefty is holding up really well!  The rest of me is falling apart maybe!  On a good note I think the RADS are visibly working if that can be.  My scar from my Core Needle biopsy which ended up having a micro invasion inside because of the biopsy.  It's been sore since May since I had it done.  It always rubs, hurts & the scar is also bumped out as well as along my incision scar that were bumpy underneath.  More annoying than anything.  It has subsided & gone down.  Doesn't hurt & the bumps of the scars have gone down!  Coincidence who knows, but I will take it as a positive! I know I don't always sound positive but the nausea is waring on me.

Only One more Day then we have the weekend off!!!!  1/3  of the way Done for a few of us!  Cheering Us ALL On no matter where we are in this!  

Karen - My MO said that I should see her 2 weeks after I finish radiation.  She wants to start me on an AI drug after radiation--only do one thing at a time.  I live in a small, rural town.  The closest rads center is 45 minutes away but at least it is Interstate driving.  I see you are from Peoria.  My sister that I referred to in my previous post lives in Peoria (actually she lives in Dunlap).

julz4 - I will try your suggestion.  Thanks.

Julz4 - My doc says the nausea can happen when the area they are zapping is close to the stomach. Also, it affected the way my food tasted. Or didn't taste, as it is in my case. You know what they say - You know the difference between God and a doctor? God doesn't think He's a doctor. :-) I am down to my last 2 treatments (33 total). I have a lovely red square on my chest. Glad the end is near as I am getting sore and going braless just isn't attractive anymore. lol 

Babette - Good luck with your AI. I started with Anastrazole but it soon became apparent that I couldn't take the SE's. My new one is MUCH better. There are several to choose from, so if one doesn't work for you, ask for another. I think it's pretty safe to say that no matter which drug we are taking, most of us have had to experiment with what is the best time of day to take it, with or without food etc. I tried taking mine at bed time because I have a sensitive stomach and I have read it best to take medication with gastric side effects at bed time. Big mistake. Caused insomnia big time. Now I set my phone alarm and take it in the late morning and insomnia isn't an issue any more. 

Kjiberty - I was on my AI during radiation. I think it varies between docs what they prefer. The only thing that it really affected for me is that is a little harder for me to say if my fatigue is medication related or radiation driven. I'm inclined to believe it's the rads because it varies from day to day. I guess I'll find out soon. I'm done with radson Tuesday!

I hear julz4. If you ever want to read an eye opeing book, read The Harm We Do by Dr. Otis Webb Brawley. He is the Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society and the VP of something there. For those members of this site that poo poo learning all you can about this disease and call it being obsessive it will be a particular eye opener. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone with cancer or not.

Always better to be safe than sorry, Julz4. I'd rather have things checked out and find out I'm wrong and/or ok than not and pay for it later. Hope you get the answers you need and the outcome you want. Enjoy the weekend. It's finally cool enough here to open the windows. Haven't done that in weeks! It's not supposed to last but I'm enjoying it while it's here. :-)

Karen - I am with you!  I didn't hear today either!  I will be call first of the week to see what the dealio is!  Hope you hear on Monday!

Hi all, I'm scheduled for my simulation and my first treatment on Tuesday.  My RO, who I think is fantastic, agreed to move my first treatment up a day, so I could take a super long Labor Day vacation before the final five "boost" treatments.  I'm looking forward to getting through this phase of my treatment.  Thanks to all who posted.  I now have a good idea of what to expect.  I've been applying aloe to my breast twice daily in preparation for the radiation.  I hope it helps, and I know it can't hurt.  Wishing all minimal SEs and lots of TLC from your loved ones.

#14/34 done = 41% done

I will hit the halfway mark on Wednesday!!!

TAB55 - Welcome.  I don't believe that you have been here, although I could be mistaken.  That seems to happen quite often these days.  I don't see chemo mentioned in your list of medical treatments.  Did you escape that torture?

Karen, Kim, and TAB55 - Good luck as you begin your rads this week.  My time doing rads is going by quickly.  Soon, we all will be done.  Then, we go on to discover the new normal.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

I am looking forward to my new normal!

Have a great day ladies! 

Mini1:  yeah!  Yeah!  Yeah!!!!!!!!!!