Summer Rads 2014

LOL An Integrative Oncologist is both a Medical and Naturopathic Dr. They deal with modern medicine and traditional, holistic, basically helping to treat the whole body. One of the words best known is Dr. Weil. He has written several books and teaches out of U of A Medical. I want to address the long term se of radiation as I am an asthmatic, and am seriously worried about my lung. Also about detoxing these poisons out! What I can do to try and rebuild the good cells. My blood sugar also went up after starting Tamox and I don't want to become diabetic. And if one more Dr. tells me I "just" need to lose weight, I think I am going to smack them. Hard to do when you are on something that makes you gain. I am already taking HBP meds and asthma meds. I don't want any more meds. Dr.'s answer for everything is another pill. Many of the hospitals and cancer centers are beginning to  incorporate IO's in their staffing. Here is a link to Dr. Weil

Dr. Weil

I know what you all mean about personality change, I am usually the one that is easy going, go with the flow, but I have turned into a raging lunatic since the Rads started. Surgery's were no problem mentally.

Mripp, Wonderful news about your Mammo. 

lyzz, Your artwork and photo are Fabulous!! Just Beautiful! I got banned once too for posting the word b*tt. They retracted it. Then I got banned for to many "reports on posts". I have never reported Anyone. Contacted them and they corrected it. They said it an auto program that picks up key words and such. 

jbo, That seems kind of harsh, it's not like you were posting for ads or anything. Think they would welcome that. Not everyone reads every board.

Meet with RO today, to see how the programming is going to go for the boosts. She hates me, I'm a pain in the ass. I don't care this is being done to MY body not hers. Then should start my first boost of 5.

Curlyq, Rosieside, Sam2U, Rettemich, Amelia123, and all other ladies who posted a reply to my dreadful day of getting set up for radiation  --  I bear some good news. I went back yesterday afternoon for a repeat setup, and before starting I took a small dosage of Ativan for anxiety and Percocet for my arm pain. The technicians acted very professional, and I suppose they were told not to waste any time.  They were able to do the lining up of my body, dry run and actual radiation treatment in 45 minutes. Much more bearable than Monday.  And today was even better. It took them 20 minutes to line me up and only 5 minutes to radiate me. I was so upset after Monday's episode, I could not envision myself returning for any further torture. 
For those of you who may want to see the equipment I have to wear in order to do the breath hold, check out this link:   http://www.qfix.com/medical-professionals/brochures/M061_Brochure-SDX.pdf

Well I am now 2 down with 26 more to go.  

Sunshineink - It is definitely is quite a contraption. Almost makes me claustrophobic. But the benefit is that when they tell you to hold your breath, I see it on the screen and so do they, and if I let go, the technicians will immediately stop radiating me.  Who knows if any of this actually works, but we got to believe and try everything in order to protect ourselves.

I got deflated today to prep for my second mapping.  Poor droopy, wiggly and wrinkled breasts!   Wearing a bra for the first time in 5 months!

M, I am soo glad it went better for you today. Hopefully it will get a little quicker once the techs get a few days of practice. My, what a contraption. I could see using something too, to calm me down if I had to do that for so long. Keep us up dated.

jbo, To quote my dd Nice....LOL

I just realized I said the A word in my prior post without realizing it and wasn't banned. Yeah. 

Met with RO this morning. I think she was warned by the techs, lol, she came in with a whole different attitude. First thing she said is let me show you your plan. She did, we went through the ct scans and the cad programing. She showed me how deep it was going to go and why they are coming in from the top. No lung will get it! Might just hit a little muscle. 

Then the thing that really got me. She said because my case was so unusual, didn't know it was unusual to have a reduction before rads, they sent my case to U of T MD Anderson   for review. They helped to plan my boosts. Thought that was pretty cool, knowing I had some of the best review my case.  Only 4 boosts left.

Hello everyone.... this is my first post and I have my first Rad appt. tomorrow. My bs removed my tumor (which was high  and inside on my breast) by going in slightly above my nipple. I hear people speak of getting the boosts at the incision site but that may not make sense for me. That's not where the tumor was.  Has anyone else had a similar surgery? I guess I will learn more tomorrow at my appt. I'm also not thrilled that it's my left breast and very close to my heart.  

My oncotype was low so no chemo was needed but I'm still fatigued and need a nap everyday since my lumpectomy and I was not a napper previously. Anyone else sleepy all the time?  

Happy 4th to all!

Vicki

Hello Vicki, Welcome, Hopefully the RO will be able to explain a lot tomorrow. Mine was right outer but maybe one of the other ladies had a tumor in a similar spot. I think any surgery can make you feel tired and that your body just needs to heal. I have only had 7 rads so it cant be that but I feel more sleepy than normal during the day. People say that exercise helps if you feel up to it. I think some are taking protein shakes for energy.

m mah- thanks for sharing the breathing brochure. Not sure if I will have to do it yet, but good to know in advance!

Rett I'm getting my techs lanyards/clips with their initial because they all wear them.  

I'm also going to take a bunch of hard candies and put it into two mason jars and tie a ribbon around it to leave in the men and women's waiting room.  The lady before me left me a piece every day.  Which I thought was so sweet.  

Happy Holiday Weekend!!! Woooo hooo  3 day break then 3 more treatments and I'm done!!!! 

Thought I was just going in to consult with the RO today since I had not yet met her.  Ended up with consultation, mapping, tattoos. I have been very fortunate to have all of my treatment, chemo and rads, as well as all scans, PET, MRI, CT, in the same facility. Rads will start next Thursday, 1st of 28. I have viewed this journey as a triathlon...chemo, surgery, rads. Happy to be starting the final leg of the triathlon. Happy 4th to all. 

I scrambled to get to  Rads a bit early since a big thunderstorm was coming.  Yesterday we had one and the lightening hit so close the thunder was at the same time.  I was lucky yesterday that the power did not go out at the hospital. I was afraid today and managed to get my rads done just as the thunder started really booming.  The RO said if the power goes out even for a few seconds, it takes 45 minutes to restart and recalibrate the machine.  RO thought my skin was doing great, only one more RT to SC area, he did warm me it may continue to get redder after done for a few day. He said  the skin on my breast was great and expects I should finish up the remaing 3 reg and 5 boost with no problems. Here's hoping he is right.  

Everyone enjoy the fireworks and bar-b-ques. 

Crazywabbit, its great to hear things are going so well and you only have 8 left!!

lyzzysmom,

Just trying to post some positive comments on surviving RT.  We read about all the problems and skin breakdown but it does not happen to everyone. Trying not to scar the newbies, it really is so much easier then chemo. 

Sunshine, that's a great idea. And how sweet of her to leave candy for you. And I really like the idea of the hard candy in the waiting room. And speaking of skin. This evening I noticed I am getting a very pink borderline red tan. It doesn't hurt, except for 2 of the tapes they took off along with the skin. Thank goodness they are out of the boost field.

Rosie, Eeeks! What an ordeal. Glad you got home safe and sound. I have been craving a margarita for some reason. LOL

lyzzy, Omg good thing you are not closer. I would steal it. YUMMMM Please bring to party and one for everyone else too. 

victoria, I forgot to say Welcome. It is really overwhelming. But once you start it will become a routine. Yep they can "see" the tumor bed as the "clips" show up. Other than when you review your plan, they will show up on the ct scan you will never know they are there.

Have a Great Weekend everyone.

Rosie I used fruit of the earth Aloe until my skin broke down under my breast then I switched to silvadene.  Keep the Aloe in the fridge. I used 3 bottles lol so I used it a lot.  

One of the most healing tips I was given was to tuck a coffee filter under my breast to absorb the excess moisture.  It worked beautifully too!! I also used plain ole cornstarch from the cooking aisle under my arm to help with friction.