Fall 2013 Rads

4seewwhat, that's a great idea. I plan to make my own aloe vera gel and put it in the fridge. I'll use the t-shirt/flannel idea.Thanks!

I haven't even started rads yet and I'm, nervous and having emotional breakdowns. After 5 months of chemo and three surgeries, I'm just not ready for rads!

Virtual Starbucks lattes all around!

Hi BlueBird144

How do you make aloe vera gel - chop off a leaf and peel it and squeeze out the mushy bit?

Are all aloe plants OK to use or only certain species?

How long can it last out the plant?

A new BC buddy of mine is about to start rads tomorrow and we were talking today and I realized how nervous I am about it all too.

I don't think its possible to start rads calmly - unless maybe with some chemical help. :-)

My plan is to cry a lot the week before and the week after I finish and to let all the fear out! Someone had better warn my family. During rads I intend doing what some other ladies here have done - be incredibly interested in the machine and the technicalities of it all. I hope my booby doesn't mind being zapped too much.

I think its normal to be all over the place emotionally at this point! Hang in there. Do something nice for yourself - whatever helps to get you feeling a little calmer.

We just have to believe that everything is going to be alright.

Hi Bounce. I have a regular old aloe vera house plant. (Aloe barbadensis) To make the aloe gel, cut a leaf off at the bottom. Leave it tilted in an upright position in a cup with the cut end up for a few minutes until some sap drains off. (some people say the sap can be irritating so don't put it in your gel) After a few minutes, strip off the green skin along one side of the leaf. Then scoop out the aloe. Put it in a blender (or use it raw) and place it into a clean sterile jar. Add some Vitamin E oil and a pinch of Vitamin C (you can crush a tablet) to help preserve the gel. It should keep in your fridge for several weeks. You can find some videos or pictures if you google "make your own aloe vera gel".

I'll be making some soon!

hi ladies,

"Found" you all last night, and read every post. I am humbled by your courage, honesty, and humor! I have my CT planning for RAD next week assuming oncotype results say no chemo....anxiously awaiting that news.

Honeybair,

Sorry you have to go through this again! It would be interesting to hear if things have changed a lot in those 12 years. I hope you get way more than 12 years this time. Blessings.

Thanks for the encouragement ladies...Had my appt with my MO today, ended up seeing a really nice PA. Hubby came along with me and wouldn't let me breeze past the "how are you doing emotionally" questions. She was very insightful and said that sometimes this part can be more difficult than chemo- I am still recovering from the side effects of chemo, plus exhaustion and physical side effects from rads. She encouraged me to talk to fellow survivors or get in a support group. My RO told me I shouldn't be having nausea, but this PA said, ok let's see where your rad fields are- clearly my esophagus is in the field and she said that while we can see the skin changes on the outside, the damage inside our bodies is much worse, and that it is a very real side effect that if your esophagus is radiated, nausea is a real side effect. I'm a little POd that my RO said I would absolutely not have nausea.. I feel like my RO has downplayed any symptoms I might have and I don't want to feel like a weenie...so, thankful for the MO PA for validating some stuff for me.

Another symptom I've had is vertigo/dizziness, and apparently that is due to my naturally low blood pressure. She explained that its still the chemo in my system causing issues, and just to make sure I'm super hydrated, and prescribed Zofran. When I brought up concerns about tamoxifen, which I will start in 4 weeks, she said "we aren't there yet, so let's not think about it..". When I brought up concerns that I want to lose the weight chemo made me gain, she said, "right now is not the time to try to lose weight". At the same time I understand, it's so frustrating to try to get back to normal while I feel like a fatty. I've always been very physically active and in great shape, so having her tell me it isn't important right now makes me feel vain and silly. Ugh.

I noticed a visible change in my breast today when I was changing, some strange line across my breast. It was strikingly similar to the breast change that started this whole thing, but she dismissed it as a scar tissue related change, but she did not do a breast exam (maybe because I'm in the middle of rads?) So now I'm gonna be worried that I've got another tumor until someone tells me otherwise.

So that's my day in a nutshell..I'm slowly learning that my life is going to be a new normal. I've heard people say it but thought since my cancer was supposed to be such a simple fix I would be exempt from any life-altering effects. How naive I've been...

Lori, I just noticed that you and I have almost the exact history- dx dates, treatment start dates so close- and plus you are from OR! My family is still in Corvallis/Monroe. You are so right, it would be amazing to have a dr who had actually been through the treatment instead of just prescribing it for years on end. There is such a difference between talking to someone who has been through it vs talking to the prescribing doc. Not to say they are not trying their best to prepare us, but you only really know once you've been through it...

Hope your RO appt goes well tomorrow. Don't be afraid to mention your symptoms even if they said you shouldn't have them!!!

Had my first session yesterday afternoon and beforehand took a tranquilizer as advised by the RO. If you have any sense of modesty which most of us do, you can check that out at the door. When I entered the tomography treatment room, two males were there, one older, one very young. As advised previously by the nurse, I had on two gowns, one put on from the front and one put on from the back to keep me warm. George, the older tech, seemed surprised by this so I had to remove both gowns and put on one from the front open to the back...all with the audience of both men. Then I lay down and no surprise, the gown had to come down in front. I know they have seen it all in this profession. Still, I just felt vulnerable. Also have to place both arms above my head for the duration and am so uncomfortable. Both visits for this treatment have made me cry afterward. What is there about this that stimulates such powerful emotions? Thank God for the tranquilizers I intend to take before each visit.

Bluebird, No wonder you are anxious with all you have been through. Make sure you tell the radiation techs about your concerns so that they will be extra helpful.while you have your daily treatments. You'll get through this! Enjoy your puppy.

Hugs,

Sandra

OK Ladies,

I talked to my RO today about the number of boosts I'm getting. I thought it was 5 but then told there would be 8. Yikes! I asked her why so many and was it due to my tumor in any way (type, location etc) She said no, it was just the protocol that she used. As she explained - typically, breast cancer patients have 33 rads which are broken up into whole breast radiation and then boosts to the tumor bed/area. Some doctors do 28/5, some 27/6, some 25/8 and so on. My RO does 25/8 because that is what she was taught when going through school and she says it works well. She also likes it for me as I have larger breasts... so have more skin to burn and have trouble with - giving more boosts and less whole breast rads is less irritating to the breast skin. She said the whole breast radiation is to take care of any cells that may be "thinking" about becoming cancerous and the boosts are for the tumor area where most re-occurrences will happen if they do. Because of this, she likes to blast the tumor bed with 8 versus 5. Fine by me! Just glad to get an explanation as to why women get different number of boosts - seems to be the personal preference of the doctor.

I'm only doing #4 today, so I can't say yet how much it helps with the burning, but I started weekly acupuncture last night and noticed that today I haven't felt any of those needle zings!

Bounce - you crack me up! Especially the part about getting to go to California (but not your best part)....gotta laugh at all this - it helps a lot.

Annie

Bounce, what I find intriguing is the eye-rolling I get when I mention any information/fact I have read about and want to validate with my doctor. And the insistence that I "stay off the internet". What? Really? Dr. Google has great office hours and he doesn't rush me. I can access the NCCN Treatment Guidelines, NCI research papers, statistics out the wahzoo! My doctors gave me handouts with each treatment, but the internet resources (including BCO) filled in the blanks for me and were very helpful. The internet age is here and thank goodness. My mother died of breast cancer 35 years ago, and I know that she got very little information about her disease. I feel so very sad when I think about her struggle to work and care for still young children and an ailing husband. I also know that her surgeon told her he "got it all" and she had no reason to not believe him.

I know that this discussion is off topic, but I just had to get it out.

Sandra

Was supposed to start Monday 10/7 but delayed two to four weeks due to one of my surgical incisions from 8/28 lumpectomy and reduction getting infected and waiting for it to heal. But I should be starting by 10/21 or the next Monday. So technically I will be Fall Rads! Had my CAT scans , tattoos and my verifications already. Ready to go, if healing would just hurry up!!!

Lorrie so glad to hear it's not lymphedema. I'm sure you're breathing easier now. You're almost half way done.

Tomorrow is my first zap. they gave me a calendar of days and times. It ends up to be 5 1/2 weeks. I was told it was going to be 6 1/2 weeks. No complaints from me.I'll take 5 1/2

Carla