Winter rads 2014-2015
Comments
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this has been a very helpful site, wish I would have followed sooner, I have completed 13 of 30 treatments-last 7 boosts, started Feb. 10th. Had fatigue pretty much since 2nd week. Now have redness, itchy rash on chest area where I have not put Aquaphor, will definately start!
I asked my RO about holding my breath as one of my friends read an article and told me I should...RO said it was not necessary as long as they are not deep breaths.
Quiggy-I enjoyed your 2/25 post, I will copy and save. So many thoughts in your headand changes after this diagnosis.
I wish everyone a good week ahead and keep one tackling treatments one day at a time!
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Here's a question I haven't seen yet. When should I expect to have my next mammogram?
Was dx in August 2014 b/c of a mamo....surgery in September, Chemo October thru December and followed with Rads....34 total/8 more left.
As much as I would love (not) having a mamo to validate there is nothing hanging around in there...I really don't want anything more done to my body for a while.
Also, for all that are having "itching" as a SE....my RO told me it was ok to use hydrocortisone cream. That has made a huge difference....I kind of rotate the aloe, aquaphor and hyrdo cream and I have to admit my skin is holding up pretty well. As soon as I start to notice any "warmth" and/or "itchy" feeling I use whatever is next in the rotation. It's usually every few hours that I have to apply one of the three but it really is working. ps. I am very fair skinned and would normally burn immediately if I didn't apply sunscreen so I was pretty concerned about the radiation.
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dacre-good question. My RO and MO said 6 months after TX so I was looking at July/August 2015, but when I called my breast center to schedule, they said I should have a follow-up mammo/check-up 6 months from DX. So I have my appointment March 16. They are the ones who did the Mammo, MRI, ultrasound, and biopsies, and I trust them. I really didn't want to do this so soon. Getting nervous.
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gemmafromlo- lol I usually have cold and hot flashes mostly I am cold so have not tried that but will if it will help the healing process!
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Please, please, all of you, please keep posting your truth! I have been anxious all weekend - simulation on Tuesday - going over more questions that I have, should I, shouldnt I, all that second guessing stuff. Reading todays discussion took that pit of fear out of my gut. It is gone! I am ready to face them, ready to speak up, ready to get on with this. You all are amazingly brave, smart and funny and I am so grateful to have found you. Linda
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Oh, never fear all of you. I will not quit posting the bad stuff or what I believe to be true. I am not the type to sugar coat any situation and as this disease has progressed I find that my filter sometimes doesn't work at all and I say things that even I would not have normally said.. I prefer the truth, and I prefer that people know what might happen to them. To those of you who are more comfortable going along with whatever the docs say, well, that's ok, that's the right thing for you to do. It's just not the right thing for me to do. So y'all can just see my name and scroll on down and not read.
I've been so busy working that I haven't been able to caress any fabric recently, so Friday night when I got done with my second job at about 1am I went and cut and pressed and created a zippered pouch (no handles) for my sister, who is going to be going to CA for a few months for her job. She loves teddy bears and it felt SO GOOD to be doing something that was not cancer or work related. And she liked it when I gave it to her at lunch yesterday
It's not a great picture but I hope this cute overload makes some of you smile:
I don't know why it wouldn't let you send that PM - you don't have to be "friends" with someone to send them a PM. Odd.... but thanks
If I get time later I will send you a PM so we get connected.Now off to the store to prevent a kitty mutiny in the morning when they get me up and find out that we are totally out of canned cat food. Oh no, oh my no, that would not be pretty...
JJ
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That is so pretty Jean. A kitty mutiny -- not a good thing!!!!
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I don't know what the difference is between the areas that have shown major damage and those that haven't. My underarm area seems to have begun healing on it's own, but the area on my left clavicle and a couple of inches below the incision are really bad - raw and weeping. Been using silvadene 2x a day then covering with telfa pad. The area on my clavicle is about 2" round, the other is about 2" wide and about a foot long, from the sternum around to almost the back. I've been cleaning with just cool water on a cotton ball. Even that is teeth-gritting painful. 6 boosts left.
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Welcome to scubawoman and Mm68. I hope all goes well for you on this segment of your fight against bc. I am one of the fortunate rads patients that suffered minor side effects from the treatments. I don't think anyone gets out totally free of effects, but for many of us, it was tolerable. I hope that's how it works out for both of you.
I just finished a book about the new ice age coming. We might ALL be finished with rads before the snow melts in the east!
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This is our list of Winter Warriors as of March 1, 2015 - We are still growing! The Winter Warrior sign up will be over soon. Our Spring will be a new beginning.
October / November Start
MeneK – Oct 24
.................... MagicalBean - Oct 28
......... Mmtagirl - Nov 3 MarieBernice6234 - Nov 4
... Hope50 - Nov 5 .................. dennyvol - Nov 5 CAS4 - Nov 6
........................ Beachbaby65 - Nov 4 .......... CoyoteNV - Nov 10 Lush61 - Nov 13
.................... Rosa54 - Nov 13 ................. Beachlady28 – Nov 17 Nomatterwhat - Nov 17
......... LMVerma Nov 18 ................ katieC12 – Nov 18 Lorrilynne - Nov 18
.............. Gongshow18 - Nov 20 .........Yikes1 - Nov 20 Birdgirl11 - Nov 23
............. Perfectlyimperfect39 - Nov 23 Singsing1020 -December Start
Pita119 - Dec 1
.................. SandyLovesLucy - Dec 1......... AnasNana - Dec 1 HockeyCat - Dec 3
......... . CanuckMom Dec 4 ................ MeanMomto3 - Dec 4 JustJean - Dec 5
............... runningcello - Dec 9 ............... carynbrit - Dec 10 ForHisGlory - Dec 10
........ Davida58 - Dec 10 ....................SCMom - Dec 11 eileenpg - Dec 16
.............. Linzer – Dec 16 ....................... WndrWoman - Dec 16 sweetbanker - Dec 16
........ labelle - Dec 17 ....................... Slavrich - Dec 27InGodshands - Dec 18
....... Catie57 - Dec 18 ........................ lilactulip - Dec 18 PoppyK - Dec 29
.............. kpmacmill - Dec 29 .................... Jlynn13 - Dec 29 gretchy - Dec 29
...............Bellegirl - Dec 30 January Start
reader425 - Jan 2
................ILCMom - Jan 2 
....................... Purrrrana99 - Jan 5 Cath57 - Jan 5
.................. Professor50 - Jan 5 ....................fossf - Jan 7Lulubelle1 - Jan 8
............. lescover - Jan 8 ....................... Nancy6540 - Jan 12 .Saltygirl - Jan 12
...............aj103014 - Jan 12 .................... Fionascottie - Jan 13 Magdalene51 - Jan 15 .............. quiggy - Jan 19 ................................. Annie88 - Jan 19
chtease - Jan 19 ....................... Bippy625 - Jan 20
......................Dacre - Jan 20 feelingoverwhelmed - Jan 20 ....KYBLUEEYES - Jan 20 ....................Beachbum1023 - Jan 22
Cavalier - Jan 22
................ mqt64 - jan 26 ................................ Sjacobs146 - Jan 26 Windgirl - Jan 28 ....................... Hotdogmommy - Jan 29
February Start
JeniferE - Feb 1 ....................... LARock - Feb 2 ............................ Chrissie29 - Feb 2
gemmafromlondon - Feb 2
.keri71 - Feb 6?............................. ladyb1234 - Feb 9Mm68 - Feb 10 .......................... CassieCat - Feb 12 ..................... Texas94 - Feb 16
Leslie58 - Feb 16 ...................... farmerma - Feb 23 .................... Dotwithkitties - Feb 23
SunnySydeUp - Feb 23 ............ Allmodestyisgone - Feb 24 ............ brandyrose - Feb 26
Scubawoman - Feb 26
February Start Dates Not Known
intothewoods - Feb ?..................... MaggieCat - Feb ? ..................... ThinkingPositive - Feb ?
March Start
gtlucky - Mar 2 ............................. sybilskelton - Mar 2..................... Kayfry - Mar 4
WheelyGirl - March 5 ................... Booklady1 - Mar 9 .................... zjrosenthal Mar 16
Redhead01 - Mar ? ...................... cbooklvr - Mar ? ........................... Shelleym1 - Mar ?
Special Sister Warriors and Warriors who stopped for a visit, but for various reasons didn't stick around. No start date determined. We wish them well.
Minnielee; surrrana99; Coloradocancermom; Shuf; bjeaneg, knittingPT, Shayne36, KGotThis, ckr1956, funthing42
Mary59G
- No Rads needed !!= Reported Complete = Should be Complete by now. -
I took a good look today. The left side is definitely starting to look more tanned than the right, and I have a slightly itchy spot up near my clavicle. I wish there was a tried and true protocol to follow to minimize damage to our skin, but it seems like it's all very hit and miss.
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Mm68. I did not need to hold my breath for left side. RO said do nice steady shallow breathing. Worked with a sort of meditative approach. Also she showed me a scan with lines for the zaps. The heart was clear of that. Depends of course on the location of the tumor, etc.
WheelyGirl At first I slept in a loose t-shirt but then I got the Dale post surgical bra that I think it was Meanmomto3 recommended. I now have another and I still sleep in that. I am a 46D with lumpectomy and have felt the need for support. That bra breathes but does not support for daytime. Got a deal on Amazon for one where the box had been damaged. I wear a white t-shirt over that. Too cold here to go bare unless I spent my travel money to overheat the house. :-)
Dacre. I had biopsy and dx in September 2014, surgery October 15, rads finished February 5. Just saw surgeon and Mammogram has been scheduled for August. She said they have to allow some time after rads for good pictures, i.e. the breast needs to settle down.
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I'm reporting in that I COMPLETED 33 treatments on my left breast on February 26th! The last 7 were boosts, or a zeroing in on the tumor bed. There have been periods of discomfort, that is sure. The boosts cased me to start peeling on the nipple and adjacent area . I was given Silvadene and telfa pads, but within 30 minutes of applying I was on fire! I was switched to sample jars of Miaderm and the telfa pads. The burning started again and the burn on my breast was the exact size of the pad. The oncologist's nurse told me I couldn't be burning from the pad, but I'm pretty sure I was. So, maybe it was the pad and not the silvadene. But no looking back...I'm finishing the little Miaderm samples and returning to Aquaphor which I've been slathering on for the first 6 weeks. I was told to expect the skin to get a bit redder and tender after the last treatment , then improvement. It's still tender 3 days out, but I'm expecting resolution soon!
I was told to wear or not wear any kind of bra I wanted to. I've used a lot of Aquaphor and I've worn stretchy easy bras, sometimes with a cotton tank under it, sometimes not. I have some tops and pj tops that have a lot of oily stains that won't come out......oh, well! I'll save them for yard work or something!
Good luck to all in the midst of treatment...it ended up passing more quickly for me than I thought it would.
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Is there information anywhere about sims, tattoos etc. I am due for mine on Thursday and hate surprises. Rads due to start on March 16th. Love, Jean
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dacre, I just hada follow up with my BS, and she said mammogram 6 mos after completion of rads. She said that the Breast needs to heal, and the purpose of the mammo is to get a new baseline post surgery and rads. She also said that she didn't want to be too far off schedule for my other Breast (last mammo in August), so I am scheduled for a mammo in September.
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Cassiecat-I am done w/ my RT as of last Weds. and my RO gave me a RX for Mometasone Furoate from day 1 to put on twice a day. My skin is now a little darker, but in good shape. There was no itching or peeling. The RO says that since using his patients don't have skin SEs. Maybe ask for a RX for this cream or at least ask about it..
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WndrWoman- I also have seen the scans where the rads go, pretty amazing. None of my heart gets radiation, a small part of my lung and "scatter" on my spinal cord. They have said all with limits very, very low a very low possibility of long term SE.
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I really, really hope I get to see a scan like this on Tuesday. I would find that very reassuring.
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Got a wonderful letter from my insurance company this weekend stating the type of radiation therapy recommended will not be covered. The RO recommended inverse planned IMRT, I'm a lefty. The insurance company is saying it is not medically necessary because it provides no additional medical benefit over the usual and customary radiation therapy. The letter was dated nine days before I received it, so I am hoping everything has been resolved one way or the other. I am already three treatments into this. I am so angry, I thought I was holding it all together so well throughout this entire process. I already had one doc tell me that DCIS wasn't really cancer, so this just adds insult to injury. I'll have to deal with this in the morning. Luckily I know a little bit about medical billing so I'm sure we'll get this settled. But I do want to understand the difference between the different radiation therapies proposed.
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Jean - The best info I found on sims and tattoos was here - I read through the whole thread, took notes, "interviewed" my RO, and feel prepared to start this. Happy research! Lind
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fionascottie, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Yahoo!!! I'm truly happy for you. Sorry your SEs are troubling you. Hopefully things resolve quickly and your back to pre bc life.
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Booklady1; awesome, glad you're informed and ready to take this part of the journey. If I could have done anything differently it would have been to know more and to have been better informed.
Knowledge is power!
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sunnysydup, that's BS! I'm so sorry. BC is hard enough without the insurance crap! Hopefully this will resolve quickly.
Let us know.
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Just Jean, the bag is so cute. It is great to have something other than cancer stuff to focus on.
CoyoteNV thanks for taking the time to keep track of eceveryone. Nice to see so many have finished.
I have my simulation tomorrow morning, a little nervous, but ready to get started and get this over with.
Cherice
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You got this Cherice, SIMs will be no problem. A little longer then regular tx and more people coming and going In the room, maybe some body art but don't worry.
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Hello everyone, we made it to MARCH!! And I have 4 more rads to go. I can't wait to be done. I am sunburned, LOL, and my shoulder aches, oh I have a itchy rash on my chest, annoying to keep scratching at my rib bones, but no boob. My armpit is getting dark brown and a little red. But all the skin is still there so I hope to make it to the end without many issues.
My big whine is the fatigue. I am dragging. I went from a whirlwind of appointments the first week of June, to 4 months of AC/T chemo, then 2 weeks later surgery, and now rads. I don't ever remember being this bone tired. I will be so glad to get back to some sort of normal.
I hope everyone is doing well, and getting to finish line. I will wait for you......
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Hip hip hooray!!! for fionascottie! It's truly amazing what we can endure when we must. Hugs to you.
cbooklvr - would that be "cook" books? I'm totally in trouble with those... for someone who is a marginal cook, I have way too many! Don't be nervous about your sim; however, if they tattoo you, be ready for a bee sting. I was rather shocked that it actually hurt. My body will remain undecorated. I had considered having pretty tattoos done over my mastectomy scars, but I don't think I could stand the pain! If I were 30 years younger, I'd tough it out and do it anyway. I digress... you will glide through tomorrow because there will be few surprises. Be sure to let us know how it goes.
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cbooklvr, you got this, it will be over before you know it. It really does go fast. It takes longer to change for the treatment than the treatment takes.
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Finished 3 weeks of Rads on Friday. My armpit and clavicle areas are darking and sore. My boob is a not as dark. My RO thinks the soreness will get worse and that I need to be diligent with the skin care. My shoulders are so sore that they gave me PT weekly and pain meds. The overhead positioning is doing a number on my shoulders.
I am a lefty and no breath holding. The Radiation Clinc gave me a "tour" before my first RAD and I was able to see the scans where the rads go and why they choose non-breath holding vs. holding breath. My RO was amazed about my knowledge, prep, questions I had for her. I attributed it to the support, guidance, information, articles, etc. received from this board. So keep sharing the good, bad, and ugly.Thanks All!
Beachbum, I am with you my biggest issue is fatigue. It has been non-stop for me since the first week of June. The 12 weeks of weekly Taxol is what did me in and then to daily RADs. My RO was so nice to give me a 4 week break between last Taxol and 1st RADs due to the extreme fatigue I had with Taxol. Can't wait for a good night's sleep.
cbooklvr, you are in my neck of the woods. You will sail through sims. You got this.
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Got my tattoos, my blocking marks and ready to go... first treatment today at 10am! Only 31/2 weeks. Was nxious about shorter treatment plan but just going to go with it! Can't read anymore.... Have to let it go!
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