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

Andrea: Well that timing for fatigue is what I was told to expect, and we started on the same day. And you've also had major surgery in the recent past, so give in to it and be glad you are able to! I'm still plugging along, I'm alone this weekend while hubby and son are away and loving the quiet break. Helped with bush trimming at church early and sorta working on Christmas, getting organized with lists and gathering what I've already bought. It's my favorite season and I don't want to be too tired as we get closer and cause myself stress. Have to be ready a couple weeks early since we are taking a ski trip and we ship some gifts and ski clothing ahead. Finish boosts on 12/21 and we leave 12/22! Trip was booked the week before the @#%! hit the fan on my health....drs know my plans and were great about moving things along without delay. RO mentioned the possibility of skipping the boosts but they are included in my schedule, we'll see. Don't care if I'm up to skiing or not, it'll be fantastic to be done with daily rads and get away. Ok now I'm sleepy now that I've sat down for a break!

Andrea,

My family has started a new Christmas tradition, a ski trip, now that our children are 20 and 17 and we live away from family.  We spent last Christmas at Deer Valley, it was perfection.  My brother lives in Park City.  Utah is gorgeous, you're very fortunate.

This year we're trying Whistler.  Non-refundable at this point, so I'm nervous about having any issues to jeapordize this.  Sanitizing like crazy and browbeating my husband to be a better germaphobe.   Taking care of my skin.   My RO said not to indulge in the hot tub after skiing.  I'm sure I wouldn't go near it with a ten foot pole!  Even keeping my showers cooler now to prevent irritation.

Thanksgiving will be at my home, and my mother will be here to help.   I'm not a great cook (neither is Mom truthfully), so we have no problem taking shortcuts.  We have Trader Joe's and they have everything I need.    I'd rather watch football and take a walk than be in the kitchen.

I have radiation at 10 am tomorrow, so weird!  They tried to get me to take one of the appointments in the 7:00 hour that nobody wanted, but I didn't take the bait.  What else do you have per chance?  OH, 10:00, thank you!   I don't know how they'll get everyone in and out by noon, and same thing on Wed.   They'll be hustling us.  Worth it for everyone to have 4 days off though.  Heavenly.

I haven't had the fatigue set in yet in any major way. Just finished 7/31 but I have this kind of joylessness and lack of motivation that may be what it is. I just don't care a bit about Thanksgiving, Christmas, shopping or cooking. That is not like me in the past at least. This year changed so many relationships that I thought were good and turned out not-so-good, so this may be because of the whole cancer episode. Anyone else feeling this way?

aliyahgirl: I have some swelling too that I read is lymphedema and I am going to talk to the doctor tomorrow. The doctor said last Monday he would get me in touch with the lymphedema nurse who would tell me what to do, but I waited all week and no one called. Since I go on my lunch break I would be so put out if that happened at my center like you experienced with the late appts. I did have one that was really late so I know how you feel. Are you trying to fit it around a job too?

heidsmom and aliyahgirl: Did I hear the nurse right and have off only Thanksgiving and not the day after? I am going to ask again about that...but I am sure she told me I have to come in on Friday.

Anyone else get the insurance bill and find out the center charged them for a radiation treatment at over $25,000 on a day 2 weeks before you even started rads? Yep, I will have to go to battle tomorrow right when I need some TLC.

Loveofcritters, I only have Thanksgiving day off too. I go back in Friday morning for a treatment, but that's okay with me. I don't want to drag this out any longer, even by a single day!



I'm feeling quite tired, that same feeling as when you know you're coming down with something. Sure hope it's the rads SE, and that I'm not catching a bug!

sonson, I'm glad you mentioned your thread because my chemo brain was *not* seeing it this AM. I was just about to create a new one and probably cause confusion.

xtina, what's the name of the bamboo bra? I've heard nice things about bamboo fabrics' breathability and stuff so I'd be interested. I start rads sometime in December.

Deoderant?  I found Lafe's - https://www.lafes.com/all_products.php?osCsid=6s6t9hhmhgprp7iqn02pminkk4 - If I recall my research, they got the safest or one of the safest ratings in Environmental Working Groups beauty products database. No parabens, no aluminum, etc... I got the solid stick and it works well, not great but well, and seems almost unscented to my nose. 1% of their profits go to support breast cancer prevention. I get mine at vitacost.com

Hi All and congrats to Tazzy for finishing.  I finished treatment three weeks ago, pretty much signed off and stepped forward in life.  I consider breast cancer in my past, however, I did want to provide an update.

The fatigue never hit during my four weeks of radiation, it did hit at the very end.  The good news was that I was done and I knew it would get better.  Post raditation three weeks, I went high energy Jitterbug dancing Friday and Saturday night, but I spent all day Saturday and Sunday (today) lounging around tired.   So the good news is that I definitely have some good energy, but when I expend it all, it takes a day to re-energize.   I was hoping the tired would be gone by now, but I'll allow myself a little longer.  

The skin is completely healed.  My scar is about three inches long, but it's really not noticeable from a distance.  I did start going to an acupuncturist 10 ten days after I was done with radiation and wow, I had great results (he is very good, some aren't).  He did say the surgeon did a perfect job on the suture.  The first morning after the first treatment, all swelling in my breast was gone, and I mean gone.  I am continuing the treatments to reduce any scar tissue so that I can have my implant replaced (so that's it's the same size as my other breast).  I know many women have a problem with scar tissue and replaced implants, so I am doing what I can to prevent the scar tissue.  The acupuncturist is giving me great results and when I saw my RO last week, she thought I shouldn't have problems (this may be part of the benefit of the four week radiation protocol).  However, the acupuncturist did say, that he usually doesn't see such dramatic results so quickly; he commented it's my positive attitude (really) that is helping.  Hey, that made me feel even better! 

So, on that note, I am signing off the boards again.  I am happiest when I put this behind me and focus on my good life.  I don't think about cancer much anymore (thank goodness), but I will get the semi-annual mammograms, so I guess I'll have to think about this twice a year.  That is two times too many for me.

DX 6/11/12 “Stage 0-1” 3.2 cm PLCIS(90%) + DCIS (10%) Grade 3 Comedo with Mircroinvasion (Right Breast)

Surgery 7/20/12 Segmental Masectomy , 3.2cm, sentinal node biopsy, clear margins, clear nodes

Radiation (European/Canadian protocol 20 treatments)

Hormone Therapy I will forego any Tamoxifen/Hormone Therapy

Just started my 3 week Canadian protocol yesterday (Sunday) due to Thanksgiving holiday. After the treatment they went over a great book they gave me with all the info I would ever need and a journal and lots of other great stuff.  It will be very useful. Everyone is so nice and helpful at the Rads center and they take really good care of their patients and that is a blessing.

I was originally supposed to get the full 6 weeks but when I finished the simulation and they gave me my calendar of appts I was pleasantly surprised to see the shortened rads schedule. I had asked my RO if I would qualify but I never really got an answer so this was great news

They talked to me about the  swelling, fatigue and irritation  and I wonder how much less of this I will have due to the shortened treatment. One thing was the underwire issue. I have always been DD and am now DDD and  I always wear very good industrial strength underwire bras to keep the girls UP.  With the shortened schedule  I just wonder if I really need to go to another kind of bra unless I really get irritated.  I really cannot afford a new wardrobe of bras for short time use and looking for advice.  Underwires have come a long way and have a lot more padding around them. Most of mine do not press under the breast. I already use corn starch and/or Zeasorb  AF under my breasts to keep from getting a rash especially in the warmer months. Its always 'wet' under there. She said to keep using that daily but still said I should not wear underwires. ADVICE???

Thanks

Terri

Allurbadday  - The bamboo sports bras were made by Bally's (like the fitness place Bally's) and I just found them at our Meijer - it's a regional Target type of store.  They were seriously like my best purchase thus far through this whole thing!

@ terrikoala - Terri, def keep in touch with progress....seems like we have alot in common... see you are retired from telecom biz... thats the industry Im in for 35 years.    FYI a Winter 2012 rads thread has started... we can start posting there... Diane

Fall rad grads...starting on Arimidex?  Come join in the Newbie to Arimidex thread http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/796582

Good luck to those finishing up rads...keep mositurizing!!

Finally, got my simulation appoijntment...Thursday.  Can't wait to get this going.  Will have 16 (Canadian Protocol) treatments.  Apparently my RO was involved with that study, so feel reassured that 16 will be enough to nuke 'em good.

lifeonitsside:  You are so right when you said you've hit the "I'm ready for this to be over" stage.  I was exactly the same.   You  can see the end but it seems such a long way away.   But before you know it, it will be over and you can start healing and looking forward to getting on with life. 

Well I am off tomorrow to fly to England and see my family - I need their hugs.

Wishing all of you minimal SE's and some happy and sunshine in your days.

Love & hugs xxx

I also had a sunburn but my breast tissue was also very sensitive. Did anyone have this, please, anyone?

Nanka--I finished radiation a little over a week ago and my breast is very sensitive.  I am peeling what looks more like brown sludge (toxic waste perhaps!) and what remains underneath we are now referring to as BC Pink (it would make a good crayola color!). 

Naddine--I so admire you're stamina for making that commute..you are amazing!!

Tazzy--you so deserve a very special trip to your family--have a great flight and revel in all the love coming your way!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Outdamnedspot,

So happy to hear you have joined those of us fortunate enough to qualify for the shortened therapy but I still am not really sure why I qualified and will ask RO next time I see her. She sees patients once a week after a Rads session but this is a short week so may not see her until next week. Last time I saw her was at second simulation session and I was still scheduled for 6 weeks so was quite surprised when my schedule showed 3 weeks.

I wish more could have the Canadian. I think more and more  USA RO's are getting on the Canadian bus thankfully.

I was surprised  that you are taking Tamox before you have your Rads. I was told by RO and MO that it is done after Rads. I am 66 and very post menopausal so not sure I can handle the effects of the Tamox and may not do it. I can't take any more sweating/flashing. Can you tell me why they have you on it now?

Terri