Radiation only, no chemo

Jen, when you read through the posts there are some people who swear that their radiation was way worse than their chemo. Everyone reacts differently. So right that it is the diagnosis that makes us sisters not the treatment. Forget guilt. Life is too precious for wasting time on that. Go and have a great time. You are a survivor in every sense of the word. Let the party begin!

Jenn, You will forever have to report you had cancer, just like a cardiac patient you can't escape it.  Once you have cancer the best news is you are a survivor, a warrior! As research has advanced and treatment protocols change you are part of those success stories, shout it, share it! It is because of us no matter threatment plan we have contributed to the cause and a cure - you need to share the good news! Let others celebrate with you and honor you.  Patty

Stcharleschick - best wishes for rads! Come join us on Spring 2013 Rads! Have you met with your RO and had mapping and simulation. Do you know which protocol and how many grays.

Deep breathe and calm your body and mind. Your rad techs will take good care of you. Hydrate, moisturize, eat well, walk, rest, and laugh. It is serious laser tag, but take a sense of humor in with you. We'll be sending calming thoughts your way:) brave warrior!

Cindy

Welcome Magnolia



Congrats on 1st day of rads. I think the first few days were the hardest...overwhelming...the long daily grind. Each day an acknowledgment that we are a war...

Stand strong warrior...serious laser tag, but know that we are there with you standing strong!

(((Hugs)))

Cindy

Yeah Kuziel! Your a brave warrior and to be admired! So glad tomorrow it is DONE!

Luv the pink support shorts you are very blessed.

Today was my final boost...yippee my girl took 33 for the team. Took some liberties with the Black Eye Pea song I Gotta Feelin and made it my farewell zappin tune...it was a good good day jumped off the table cause there's no more zappin! Ha

Tomorrow you will be radiant knowing it is finished! But what a blessing you've discovered along the path... Just waiting to dance with you:))

(((Hugs)))

Cindy

Hello all! I am sorry I have been MIA for a bit there! Congratulations to everone who just finished up RADS! You are warrior strong!!! Be patient with yourself and give yourself plenty of time to heal and recover, that was some serious laser tag as RMlulu says

My last session was on April 17 hurray!! and it has been a bit of a whirlwind since then with other life events. I think things are finally starting to settle down. I took my comprehensive exam and passed! So I will be graduating this Friday, hurray! Thank you so much to all of you for your comments and encouragement, I can't even begin to tell you how every little bit helped to get me through those rough couple of weeks. 

Now I have the big decision of whether to proceed with Tamoxifen, or just monitor from here forward. My MO is pushing the Tamoxifen, but I am 95% sure I am not going to do it. I am only 30, and my husband and I hopefully plan to have children, once I get the green light from my MO. I know Tamoxifen would postpone that to 5 years and could cause fertility issues. I guess I will be playing the odds game, but I so want to have children! Before my diagnosis, we were planning to start earlier this year, I couldn't imagine waiting 5 years! My biological clock my implode, lol. 

I hope everyone is doing well and staying positive. To those just starting radiation, keep your chin up, and go in strong and fighting. Let us be your resource, your support and your outlet. This forum has an amazing group of people and I feel so fortunate to have found you all. Thank you thank you thank you!

Fritoz, Congratulations!!! We are all so very proud of you. I have a niece who finished a program in that area so I know how tough it is. How you ever accomplished all that including the clinicals while doing treatment leaves me in absolute awe of your courage and determination.  Walk proud at your graduation, you are quite the woman!

Thank you Thank you! You are all wonderful! ((((hugs)))  How is everyone doing? Hope all is well with you and that you are getting a chance to enjoy the beautiful springtime. 

Magnolia--thanks for posting your story.  My onco score is similar and MO really wanted to do chemo.  I also said no and feel very calm and that it was the right choice.   I went for a 2nd opinion and that MO (who I really liked) agreed that chemo would be of minimal benefit.    Seeing others make the same decision to pass on chemo  helps to affirm my choice.  All the best in this phase. 

@ RMlulu and all-thanks for the great suggestions.  These visits will be a challenge, non-medically.  Haven't told anyone locally about dnx just because it won't help me work-wise.  So trying to have daily rads covertly.  3 of 3 days I've  run into someone I know in the parking lot or the building itself.  Thank goodness its a big place  with lots of different offices & hoping these folks thought I might be going to dentist or gyn. Today, someone I know casually walked into RO office before me.  I hid out in the bathroom for a few minutes to "lose him".  More worried I'd run into him at the x-ray room than why I was there in the first place.  Good old subterfuge.   I'm going to catch up on my Private Eye Kinsey Milhone novels for more tricks to employ.

@Magnolia57--you got it. My boss is irrationally freaked out by anyone who's less than perfect. Small employer so no federal law protections.  Far less anxiety for me to be covert than deal with his issues.  I've done great so far squeezing appointments in at lunch or before/after work.  Lot of liquid protein shake "lunches" in my car on the way to a biopsy or whatever.   Did take a 1/2 day off for surgery and fibbed a bit but that's it.  So, very glad to have been excused from chemo as I don't think I could pull this off in a wig.    And all this sneaking around--as it really is--has become an adventure and a good distraction from the core medical situation.   Glad to hear I've probably got 2 more weeks before pinking up.           

Hi all. I can't believe I'm writing up this, but it looks like after all of this I will likely have to do chemo as well. I'm so freaked out I can hardly stand it. When I started radiation I was told I wouldn't have to do chemo, but after sending my tumor out for another test my oncologist is now recommending chemo. I wasn't home when he called and he wouldn't tell my husband much, so I have to call tomorrow. I had thought my life was back on track, but it looks like cancer is just going to screw with me forever.

kkuziel, sorry to hear that your onco is now suggesting chemo. When you know what the results were and why he's recommending it, you can process the info and decide. If you haven't had the oncotype dx done, that may provide some meaningful data to help with your decision. I was a step away from chemo and re-evaluated based on the genomic testing. Question and consider the risks and benefits of the treatment and Impact on the recurrence percentage. Take care and let us support you in this. Sending out Positive thoughts and hopes magnolia57@

magnolia57 - if I could wind the clock back I wouldn't have been open at work about my cancer. I say this because in the 12 years I have been here I have never once been disappointed about anything.  I have a very demanding job during serval difference months of the year where I will work 14-16 hours a day for 6-7 days a week.  March is one of those months and I was getting my rads every morning at 7:00 AM. My preference is to start at 5:30 AM when it is quiet, my day ends when I have managed all the crisis for the day. Because it was a change in behavior, and when I had a complete treatment plan I was fine sharing my dx. I didn't need nor want to fill out FMLA paperwork because there wasn't a need at the time. Then HR heard about it from someone and they wanted a note from the RO that I wasn't placing any other staff at risk and that was a fair request and they had it the next morning.  They then have a discussion with an outside labor attorney and now they send me an email with my job description and about 15 questions for the RO. I was so angry I ignored the request why should I have to prove I am capable and able to work when outside of the shift in my morning routine (self-imposed) I am still doing the same job with the same results. It happened that the social worker called me about the same time as a follow-up and I asked her the question if she had heard of such a thing and she gave me to referrals to attorneys that specialize in cancer and workplace issues. That put me over the edge.  At my next weekly appointment with the RO she said she would do whatever I needed but I said no! I wasn't asking for an accommodation and I was stressed out enough about it all. After I finished my last treatment I waited 2 more weeks and made an appointment to see them.  They agreed they had acted a little aggressively but with such a "serious diagnosis" they felt they needed more facts. I explained that my treatment plan was centered about keeping life normal and not becoming victim and their actions were counter productive to a successful treatment protocol.  So in hindsight I would keep my health issues to myself. Hope you feel better that you aren't alone.

Patty

Navymominohio, I have the exact diagnoses as you, size, grade and hormone status, even down to the number of lymph nodes taken. I talked to my MO this morning and we have an appointment on May 31.



Before he called yesterday I was certain that I would just go with hormone therapy, as was his first diagnoses. I had a 14% chance of reoccurance on the oncotype test and that was before hormone therapy. I was very comfortable with that. My problem is I have an authority issue, even at 57 years of age I tend to bend to authority. This is such a huge decision I don't know what to do. I had an appointment with my family doctor for another unrelated issue and she and I talked. She said I should ask many questions as she believes from the information she has from him this is not an active cancer. This is just a proactive way to increase my chances of it not reoccurring. Because I have negative nodes and a second surgery which showed no cancer, plus 33 radiation treatments, she's confident this is preventative. She said I should see how much hormone therapy would help and weigh it out. She said there is no right or wrong answer, just what I can live with.



You are right also, no one can predict who will have a reoccurance, and who will not. One of the ladies at work said she would just let it go and watch and be diligent about mammograms, and if it does come back then deal with chemo. I also know several woman that have had the tumor removed and did nothing more. Both are 6+ year survivors. This is such scary crap.



I'm taking my husband with me to keep me from agreeing to anything too drastic. He's so concerned about my mental well being. I was hysterical last night and not a lot better today. When this whole thing started in December that's how I was. Lost 25 pounds in six weeks. Once I knew I would be in line for just hormone therapy and had no lymph node involvement I felt much better, now I feel like I've gone backwards three months.



Also appreciate your info on the oncotype test. I figure it's been around the longest and has the most data to support it. I also found a presentation online that showed the benefit of hormone therapy for my score greatly improved my odds, but that chemo changed things very little.



You're right, I have to be happy with the decision. And I'm not a good decision maker. I hate to disappoint people, and I feel like I will disappoint my doctor if I don't agree with him. And then I'm afraid I will disappoint my husband if this darn thing comes back because I did nothing more. I'm going to have to put on my big girl pants and belly up to the bar. As my MO said it's your life, it's ultimately your decision.



Thanks again kris