Radiation recovery

Kate,

I am appalled at the callousness of your physicians! It seems that you have made yourself aboundantly clear about phone calls. I agree to the Ativan!

Hi Sew,

You are right I do need something for anxiety, but I don't want to take anything before my urology appointment at 2:30. I am calmer now. Thanks so much for your advice and support.

Hi Vickie,

I am shocked that my dr's office would do this after I explained to him that I don't want frightening phone calls. I sent him an email, and I should hear back from him by tomorrow with an explanation. As I mentioned to Sew I am afraid to take Ativan before my 2:30 urology appointment. When I come home I am going to have a nice big glass of chardonnay. Thanks so much for your support

Kate - Breathe! Slow calm breaths....so sorry that the Drs I sensitive nurse called you at home...lobotomy time for her. Sending calming thoughts were here in your pockets give us a squeeze ... (((Hugs)))

Cindy

Kate, I am in that pocket too sweetie. Sorry your doctor's office is being so dense on this! They really need someone to explain what "I don't want any news on the phone" means! Hugs and praying that your appt goes well today.

Hi everyone!

Met with the RO today for the first time and have decided to enter a clinical trial for Partial Breast Irradiation, 2 x a day for 5 days. I met all the criteria, the study is in year 9 and showing excellent results for early stage BC with no nodal involvement and margins >2mm all of which is ME! I will not be having bracytherapy but rather a newer arm of the study called " Four Dimensional Conformal Image Guided APBI. It is only for stage 0 and 1 BC.

I am thrilled. The se's are similar to whole breast radiation - sunburn like skin issues, exhaustion etc. The difference is that my heart won't be in the field nor will my lungs which is very good news for me. I signed the paperwork today and will have my CT scan in a few days to map it out and begin within 10 days to 2 weeks.

It is very concentrated in the area of the lumpectomy. I will have a CT scan all 5 days to measure where it needs to go. They will measure exactly where the area is, even when I breathe (which is why they do this CT scan "lite" daily) It is not a full CT scan but a scaled down version of one with a lot less radiation.

They will be implanting "gold seeds" inside the cavity within a day or so. They have to coordinate this with the BS cause she will do that with a needle in her office. The use a local like they did for the needle biopsy (lidocaine) and then "seed" me with them.

This is different from the mammostie and bracyhterapy type. It is similar to what you all had but in a concentrated and extremely targeted area.

Five days! FIVE! I am so very happy. They had me sign papers that I know it is a trial and not "standard of care" yet, but my odds of recurrence from the 9 years they have been doing this trial (this is phase 3) is 'statiscally insignificant in terms of differnce from whole breast rads.

They hope that this will become the norm moving forward for early stage, node negative, small (under 3cm's) cancers for those who chose lumpectomy, so people don't have to go through all of those weeks of rads.

Cosmetically, they have had a few issues ( 2-4% more report shrinking breast etc) that are a little more significant that whole breast rads, but other than that, reports are excellent! I am happy I was offered this option!

Wish me luck as I traverse the unknown!

RMlulu, I will be having "all boosts" for all 10 rad sessions so it could get a little rough I suppose as I heard the boosts are the hardest part. But, I am pretty happy that I could get in on this. Since my BC is DCIS and 5mm's in size, it is a good gamble for me personally. I did not want the traditional brachytherapy (lots of skin issues etc with that) so when she offered me this, I thought it was perfect for me. Here is the link to the trial. It is being done at Yale which is where I am being treated.

Hoping the rest of your tx's go easy peasy!

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01646346?term=four+dimensional+conformal+image+guided+accelerated+partial+breast+irradiation&rank=1

Hi Bc Sisters,

I was supposed to go to a passover seder tonight, but I canceled because I am stressed. I saw the urologist today, and I like him. He has a very nice bedside manner. He did an exam and said my kidneys felt good, and maybe its an intestine problem. That was before my doctor faxed him a copy of the pet scan. He did a cystoscopy, and told me I will need a biopsy under general anesthesia as an outpatient at the hospital. The procedure takes about 4 hours. He called my medical oncologist and told him that. He said that both him and my medical oncologist want me to have the lung biopsy first. Then after they get the pathology report they will schedule the bladder biopsy. He said that my lung nodules are small. I have 4 altogether and they are in both lungs. One nodule I thought was largeis 17mm by 10mm. I thought it was big because my breast tumor was only 4mm, but this dr. said that its small. I felt you all in my pocket today. I thought about all my wonderful bc sister when I was there and on the way home. Thanks so much for your support. Hugs, Kate

Hi Bunkie,

I am feeling calm with my glass of chardonnay. I am worried, but feeling more serene with the wine. I don't have a medical procedure tomorrow, thank God. I am going back to my hairdresser tomorrow just to get my hair styled and feel good. My next step is a lung biopsy, and I have to wait for the hospital to call to see what day I will have it. What day is your thyroid biopsy? I will have you in my prayers. Hugs, kate

April, I am glad you get to do the partial breast rad tx. I know 2 women that have had it here in MA. We have just started to hear about it. It's amazing what strides they are making. The two women that had it are part of my bc support group. They came through it fine. I don't know if they were seeded, they did not mention it.  wow, done in a week. Keep us posted. 

kate, thinking of you. 

all others, keep breathing and slather on that cream.

Hi Macatacmv,

Thank you so much for your support

April, congratulations on being in the trial! I pray all goes well! The thought of being done in 5 days is incredible!

Kate, I am so glad your doctor cleared that up and hopefully the office communication lines will be much better now.

Thank you April and Annette 47. I am calling the hospital this morning to see if I can find out when they will schedule the lung biopsy

Hi, I've been reading the posts here but fell asleep before I could reply.

April, best of luck with the clinical trial.  It sounds like it will really work for you.  I think you should be confident. 

Bunkie, will join the pocket party when you have your procedure.  Hmmm I always took the xanax before the procedure...docs never minded.  It really helped me.

Kate, I am glad you got the first appointment out of the way.  And now you have a plan...as unpleasant as all this is, having a plan to deal with it seems to take some of the uncertainty away.  I am sure it doesn't help with the anxiety...I'm slipping in your pocket, Kate, and I hope to sneak a breath of that warm CA air...I am glad you have a beautiful place to go by the water. 

No snow yesterday...storm gone...come on in, Spring!! 
(I am one of those who likes winter...I just don't like when there is ice)

I was headed to CT today to visit my grandson's class and teach about rocks...but before I got out of my house, the teacher canceled.  Glad I didn't get on the ferry...Will have to reschedule once again.  So, that means I will go to work for a few hours.  No classes this week, so I have no night work and lots of flexibility.

I hope the day brings good things your way....
Joan

Joan greetings!  I meant to say hello earlier but forgot.  Not that you are forgettable!  It is brain damage I swear.  I love winter too and prefer cooler temperatures.  It is dry here but summers are hot.  Last summer we hit 108 twice and 106 several times.  Not good at all!  I was hoping you would take this opportunity to get some much needed rest and a break from school.  You are so very dedicated. 

April I think it is fantastic that you are getting into the trial.  I hope you breeze through it with very few SE's.  Being done that quickly is amazing.  Make sure to keep us posted.

Bunkie I will be following your biopsy.  Since I had one, and then surgery, I am very familiar with the procedure.  If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Kate, I hope that they can schedule your lung biopsy very soon.  I am sure you are anxious to get going on any treatment that may be required.  Oh, I am making two flavors of cake balls this week for a few friends.  I love the pharmacy I use, and they are all so sweet there.  I always take them some.  This time I decided to limit them to two flavors, it is so much less work than doing 4-5.  All but one requested lemon, one pharmacist asked for one of my chocolate varieties.  I hope you like lemon Kate.  Will set some aside for your pocket party. 

Thinking of all of you......this group is so close to my heart.

Hugs and cheer to everyone!

Hi y'all



Kate - glad you have a game plan & know you need update your wardrobe for more pockets...it's crowed but yummy snacks:)

Joan - your gs must have been so disappointed...yeah for spring break:). It's sunny and bright here in Rancho Mirage.

Bunkie - thinking of you and upcoming biopsy...pocket party:)

Janis - cake balls sound delicious ...

Deyla - sorry that your skin is so raw & respiratory infection not fun. Sending a healing box full of pocket buddies.



Yeah, it's Tuesday...sunshine flowers blooming a good day (((hugs)))

Cindy