Fall 2012 Rads girls......come on in!

Welcome loveofcritters!  Your RO should tell you (and mine showed me on films) exactly what areas were being targeted from the base rads to the boosts at the end.  As for the machines, since they playing with mere millimeters when adjusting each day, I had thoughts that I hope they were right too.  I am sure they have thorough tests to make sure he machines are doing their job on a daily basis.  Where are  you getting your treatments?  I am from Cleveland as well.  Hang in there, the going to treatments gets much like groundhog day..but the end does come...and keep up with lube the boob!

Congrats to all those ending soon too!! Tazzy...it's coming fast!

New to this discussion board. Having lump surgery on nov. 29th asked to wait till end of month so radiation could be scheduled after xmas. Early stage cancer disappointed when told they plan to take 1-3 lymph nodes. Rad will be 16 days they say. Plan to live in rochester mayo 6 hrs. from home until done. what do I need to expect they aren't telling me. They say tenderness, sunburn skin, sliver of lung damage.

Hi Aruba,

I have been reading the posts all day (4) hours! I saw that your treatments are at the hospital I volunteer at with our therapy dogs! UH Downtown Seidman Cancer Center? I had my chemo and surgery there, but am having radiation closer to home across the street from Fairview Hospital. I wonder if you ever got a visit from us? We have pomeranians. Three of them!

It feels so nice to have a neighbor on the board!!! ;-) These posts have helped me so much already. I have been having some of the SE others mentioned and thought I was just imagining that it was from the radiation: headaches and nausea. I also have a stiff neck and upper back on the opposite side of rads...go figure. Thank you and the others so much for the advice given freely to the others behind you that need a helping hand!

Frostbite cindy--

Don't worry about the symptoms that are reported here as they reflect the full range of possibilities, but probably not the normal difstribution of symptoms. When folks have new or unusual or particularly troubling symptoms, there are likely to post to find out if anyone knows anything about them. Everyone who is floating along with merely mildly irritating symptoms like swelling or warmth, or a bit of skin irritation don't need to talk about it very much, as we knoow it is normal and not a big problem.

It is probably most useful to assume your symptoms will be mild. And even if it turns out that you are the one with more troubling skin issues or other symptoms, your treatment team will be able to take good care of you.

I think that those of us who had chemo are a little calmer going into radiation because we have already had some personal experience of the g00d monitoring and care we will receive. So keep breathing. You will get through this okay, whether or not there are some bumps in the road as you drive along.

I suspect that your biggest issue us going to be keeping yourself amused while you are in Rochester....

This thread has been pretty quiet lately!  I suspect it's because many of us are near done or completely done.  I finished on Friday and found that Sunday night was peaceful as I wasn't filled with the dread of starting on Monday.  For those of you just starting, I wish you the best.  You will find a great deal of solace here.  Collectively we are the only people who will read your justified rants and shake our heads 'YES!" and you will find that on days you are so down and frustrated, just reading one of your fellow sister's experience will give you some peace. This is the place for raw emotions.  This is the place where no one judges and everyone understands. Your fears, feelings and frustations are REAL, despite what some Drs., nurses and techs may tell you.  You will find some incredible advice on what to use and techniques to alleviate the discomfort on your road to becoming a crispy critter!  It is here that you will find kindred spirits.  As those of you just starting share your questions and frustrations will develop a core of friends here.  Ultimately there will always be those who have gone before you checking in to see if they can be of help.  Some of us are graduating to the Arimidex thread..another path, another set of fears and frustrations but ultimately another set of sisters helping us out.  Namaste.

Yay... day off for me today (Remembrance Day yesterday).   Only 2 to go... I am so excited and must've been very excited on Friday as on my way out of rads I forgot to pick up these 2 appt. times.  Will call them first thing tomorrow morning.

Hope you all had a good weekend with minimal SE's.

Junif: great post for anyone just joining... you really summed it up

I haven't started rads yet and will find out tomorrow when, but Nanka, that is one thing I will make sure I check!  

I just started reading the threads here and thanks!  Great info and some laughs:)

Jackie

loveofcritters--Who's the Boss??  Wasn't it Tony Danza??

Tony Danza! Eh Oh - Oh Eh! Loved that show.



Tazzy, from one Canadian sister to another... Congrats on almost being done. Celebrate - you deserve it.

Hi ladies!  I haven't posted in a while. I was thinking about you and wanted to check in and see how you were all doing, it's graduation time for so many!  Just catching up on all of the posts. Congratulations to all! I'm so glad that everyone seems to have held in there pretty well for the most part - I'm sending good vibes for skin healing out!

Welcome to everyone just starting as well! 

I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I don't know about everyone else, but at this point all I want to do is to spend time with the people that love me and those that I love.  Nothing more. I wish all of you happiness and love this Holiday season.

Two weeks out here, boob is just tan now.  So one is tan, and one is pale - looks a little goofy but that's about it. No apparent changes in size or anything, it was swollen at first but its returned to its former size.  I know that "they" say that changes can occur for several months though. 

Welcome cowpower: as you have seen you will get as much support, love, comfort, laughs you need here.   You will soon be where I am

guineamom: yay for being nearly done - isn't it a great feeling knowing it's soon over.

gentle hugs to all xxxx

Is anyone else finding rads more difficult to get thru than you thought it would be?  

32/36 and I feel like my boob is ready to explode.

love of critters-  You finish before Christmas?  That will be nice.  I have to go back on the 26th because my start was delayed. It seems I needed a "complicated" plan, lol.  You can pull me across the finish line. You are right-  here's to hoping for a smooth and healthy New Year for all of us!

Thanks for the update Nanka.  It's always great to hear from those that are further down the road than me.  Keeps me motivated!
I am dealing with an area on the underboob that blistered and just refuses to stop weeping no matter what I do.  Thank goodness it is out of the boost area.  On Saturday I laid on the bed with the fan pointed right at it and 2 1/2 hours later I woke up from my "nap" and decided it was time for bed lol.  Chemo wasn't NEARLY this tiring.  Maybe I babied myself more while I was going thru that than I am now.  I remember thinking on day 2... "How hard can this be?  All I do is lay here for a few minutes!"
And Tazzy, YES!  I had wonderful ROM after surgery.  Now I have a lot of tightening and sore muscles in the underarm.

  Hi gang,

TAZZY...that podium is ready for you and big hugs awaiting!!

Xtina..so good to hear from you! 

PAEagles- I too am 2 weeks out..the underboob has peeled and healed...the boost area if about done peeling..that comes last since it had the extra days of zaps.  Keep airing away..that helped me he most.  I still am loobin and that is helping out too. 

So this phase is ending and I went to my MO today for only 2nd time.  She did a quick check and said I am good to go for exercise (IE no more excuses???).  I'll go visit my dad in Fla soon and swimming is ok for skin now too.  Also, Arimidex script has been written and she also tells me take a baby aspirin daily as it helps lessen recurrence..that was new to me.  I asked if flu shot was ok....she said yes and gave it to me right then.  So on to a new chapter of different side effects...or hopefully none.  For those still in rads..it does end and so does the SE!  Hang in there!