Fall 2013 Rads

wow ok lindacam

Finished my full breast rads yesterday. One of the ROs looked my skin over and said I am good to go for my boosts. So I have six of those and then I am done! 

It's nice doing this with others. (I go to the rads center on a shuttle) Five of us started around the same time and we four finish next week. We have had different SEs, and one has to have a break in treatment because of skin breakage. Another woman has no redness at all!! 

Bounce - OK I'm a guilty lurker!!  Just getting over a nasty cold which of course has left me fatigued again but I have had time to catch up on all the radiant and soon to be radiant ladies.  Seeing my BS on the 27th and am anxious to see what meds she puts me on so I can drive myself crazy checking out all the SE's!

Lisasp - I still have dark patch where boosts and SNB were.  Glad you are doing well.

Hugs to all, Marilyn

Just finished treatment #7 out of total 25. I'm starting to have some swelling/soreness. My nipple is especially very sore and swollen. I started wearing undershirts instead of a bra! The only thing that makes this all bearable are the very nice people in the radiation department where I'm going. They all try to make the experience as pleasant as possible.

Three more boosts and then done!! 

yay Tanya!

Have anyone tried the genie bra during their treatment? If so how was it? I'm still able to wear my bra in my 5th week, but reading some of y'all post I'm getting nervous my luck may run out. And I just can't see myself going to work with my ta tas hanging low. I don't even like the look of the sports bra in my clothes.

ok wyo, thanks... my incision is not under my breast actually it's across my breast, where my bras really cover it

hi, just checking in again. I've been busy with the holidays, and flew halfway across the country and back the first week of January to visit family. I never wore a sleeve or anything, so far so good.

I am still healing from the rads. My skin is mostly back to normal, but nipples ate still itchy and peeling. Still pale colored, too. I still feel tender and swollen inside the breasts. 

Also, I think some late fatigue set in a few weeks after I finished rads. I think it was somewhat delayed, since right after I finished rads end of November, we had our two busiest weeks at work, so I think I just ran on adrenaline because I had to meet tight deadlines. Then, just before Christmas I started feeling tired. Since going back to work last week, I feel so tired I don't know how I will get through the day, but I always do.

I also started tamoxifen, but the tiredness started before that. I think I just pushed myself too hard all through rads. Now my body just needs to recover. Glad to hear many of you are recovering well!

Hi All,

My wife had her bilateral mastectomy in March-2013 and
radiation was completed in June. She had tissue expanders placed at the
same time during mastectomy and her last expansion was in November.
However since beginning December she started having itchy skin. She saw
her oncologist in December and she said this is common and asked her to
apply 1% hydrocortizone. However over the past 2 weeks the rash has
increased with small bumps like mosquito bites. She has a terrible
burning, itch and occassional cramps and pain in the radiated area on
the breast. We met with the dermatologist yesterday and she presribed a
lidex cream and said if it is does improve in 2-3 days they may do a
biopsy. Now I am scared. Is this common with tissue expanders? Has
anyone experienced this before?

Thanks

Shalimar630 - rads really wore me out.  I was screaming FATIGUE from week 2. 

Its been more than a month since I finished (YAY I can hardly believe it.  Where did the time go?) rads and although I feel much better I get tired very easily and often need a nap.

I think its fine to rest up and not go full steam ahead one week after finishing rads.    I also think its a great idea to speak to a psychologist.  I decided to take advantage of counseling offered by my oncology center - but I found the psychologist a bit vague and unfocused.  She would ask questions and I would wander from topic to topic without finishing a thought or coming to any new insights.  So I asked her to help keep me focused and things have improved.

Turns out what bothers me most is dealing with doctors and the medical system!

But there are so many questions and issues to deal with after treatment!  If you feel depressed its a good idea to get help earlier rather than later.

I was considering having an identity crisis just before I was diagnosed with cancer so I put that on hold.  Now I really do have to figure out who I am and what I want to do.

I don't even know what is fun for me and have to figure it out.

That sounds really sad  in writing - but I am thinking of it in a good way - like I may have to try a whole lot of things to see what I enjoy doing - besides for napping, resting and flat out sleeping!

So far I have discovered how much I enjoy reading books.  It sounds lame but I used to read a lot as a kid but when I had kids I had less and less time to read and am always distracted by the TV or Internet.

I have started reading again and love it!

So I'd say let yourself rest as much as you need, do something you enjoy and get some counseling.

What's next on the fun list?

Bounce & Shalimar  I am feeling the same way.  Don't know what I like, don't know what I like to do.  Somewhere along the road of life I lost myself. Between 4 kids & running a business 6 days a week with hubby there was no me. I'm so use to others first that when I do for me I can't help but feel I'm being selfish. Even though I Know I'm not. And now what that I'm done active treatment?? I am a physical labor type worker, but I'm too pooped out when I do small things.  So much for working this season. So now what? It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  Chin up  .

Hi all

couple of things- itchy bumpy awful rash-  I don't have tissue expanders but I know that rash- it would wake me up at night with the intense itch. My oncologist gave me the prescription strength hydrocortisone which really did nothing except take the extreme edge off.  I tried PO benadryl with some limited success. When did the rash appear in relation to her radiation schedule? Mine appeared last day of radiation and lasted 3-4 weeks.  Hope that helps reassure you that these things do happen but keep following up with her care team to stay on top of it. 

What to be when we grow up- I have this wonderful read you may enjoy if you like this kind of thing- its called The Second Half of Life by Angeles Arrien.  Its based on finding the courage to change at mid-life and how to prepare to create your legacy.  Its beautifully written and I think even a younger person would feel like the second half of life happens after something like dealing with cancer.  

Yes Wyo, the book sounds interesting.

I've tried a couple of new dinner recipes in the last week. Nothing wow, but at least it was something different that I actually planned ahead.

Bounce, you gave me a laugh with your images of greeting your family and your husbands reaction. What can we do but keep them wondering..

Over the weekend as I was just sitting around reading, my husband asked me what I was thinking for dinner. I said I didn't know, I was just going to go to the cupboard and hopefully something would jump out and say "pick me, pick me". (He got us chinese.)

Bounce, when your husband starts putting your food in a bowl on the floor- you'll know you've gone too far.  lol...

wyo, just ordered the book from my library, thanks! I'm hoping it will be the pick-me-up I need since I'm headed into surgery again. 

Last night I dreamed I was being chased by a really fast galapogos tortoise and a grizzly. I was throwing bean bag chairs at them to slow them down. 

Remind me not to do LSD before bed!