Spring 2015 Radiation Sisters

Aeon, JC Penney has a decent selection. I found a comfortable DD wireless at Lane Bryant. Too bad they don't work for you. I did try on 3 diff types, only 1 worked for me.

My RO just wants me to use cornstarch several time a day until my skin has irritation. I can also use Aloe Vera at night. They will give me creams as needed.

Cherice

Aeon--We have a place here called "Judy's Intimate Apparel". They specialize in hard to find styles and sizes, and they cater to women with breast cancer issues. I wonder if your area would have a local shop like that. Our store is in Lacey, Washington. Perhaps you could do a net search for stores like it in your area?

Rosy--I still get moments of tenderness/pain in key places. They said I would continue to feel radiation's effects for a time. I'm pretty sure it's all normal. Please let me know if you find out differently when you ask your RO. The day I was done, I was turned out without ceremony and I was told there would be no follow up. I plan on asking my MO if I'm supposed to be tender this late in the game.

Jean--I'm sorry to hear that you are still having lower GI problems. Glad to hear you are nearing the finish and your skin is still holding.

My healing continues to be slow, but improvement keeps coming along. Scar tissue problems are getting worse. I have ropes of it that go from my lymph removal scar, under my arm all the way to my elbow, and I can feel the pull all the way to my fingertips. I'm lined up for therapy twice a week until I leave for Hawaii. Hoping to get it under control. I was relieved the therapist ruled out any signs of lymphedema though. I'm happy for that.

rekidal,

I also had a big seroma after my lumpectomy. My RO wouldn't schedule the sim until my surgeon drained some of the fluid out of the seroma. He took out 40 cc's of fluid, and then we did the sim and began radiation. The drain session took 10 minutes. Has anyone talked to you about draining?

Elaine Therese, I didn't see my RO today, just the tech who does the Sim.  I asked her if that was an option, and she said they probably won't recommend it being done.  She said that a lot of times it fills right back up.  Did that happen to you?  I am going to insist on the boosts to try and be sure the cells are all killed off.  Hopefully, she will agree, and they will be able to do it without me going back to my surgeon to have it drained.   I was looking forward to having Monday off because of the holiday, now I just want to get back and find out what they are planning. 

Happy Patriot's Day!

Just curious, what is Patriot's Day?

Finished my 1st week of Rads, yay! Without incident other than a cornstarch mess when trying to apply in bathroom at work.

Now relaxing and watching Sister Act, planning on a bra free Saturday.

Cherice

Hi ladies,

I am officially half way done w/ rads! I am a little relieved to hear I wasn't the only one who got emotional also....it seemed so silly & odd at the time! It only happened on my first day & I was just laying there on the table & kinda heard/knew what to expect. Yet, As I lay there, I kinda just felt like "WOW, this is the next step (after doing five months of chemo) in helping me survive". No anxiety, I was happy, but I honestly thought.....damn, now the techs are gonna ask me if I'm ok...since I always think I'm so darn tough...never cried in chemo or had any side effects. They were nice & obviously understanding

...it's my body & I'll cry if I want to!

God's plan in this is part of what saved me while going through rads. You all know I almost quit. God and our gals here helped me pull through and finish.

I wrote this today. Thought I would share. Hope it makes you smile.

Behind the Pink

Dreaming,

She steps behind a pink curtain

Wearing a flowing pink gown

She hadn't been wearing before

Of this she was surely certain

Strangely,

In the room, there is a pink box

Plainly labeled "Lost and Found"

She knew that it was hers

In her hands, pink keys for the locks

Curious,

She sat down on a pink chair

To unlock the box and look upon

The mysterious contents therein

Lifting the lid, she began to stare

Surprisingly,

The box is filled with many pink things

She had thought were lost

A picture among them, of her...before,

To which her heart still clings

Excitedly,

She removed her silken pink gloves

Oh so carefully, she began to retrieve

Those precious things, yearning to

Regain all of her past loves

Sadly,

Some slip from her grasp, into the pink pile

But this simply reveals more things

She hadn't yet noticed before

Although they'd been there all the while

Wonderingly,

She pushes aside all the pink things

There, behind the pink, she finds

A new picture of herself

She is beautiful, and she has wings

Suddenly,

A mirror appears, bordered with a pink frame

With awe and wonder, she sees

All the things the pink has changed

Knowing she would never be the same

With hope,

She turns from the pink all around

Like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly

Her pink chrysalis had been

Filled with things both lost and found

With joy,

Her heart need not sink into the pink

For she has wings, and she is beautiful

And so she soars among pink clouds to find the Sun...

Behind the Pink.

By Sara L. Tveten, April 17, 2015

Radiation light my fire. Come on radiation light my fire. Set that tumor right on fire!

My tecks they are the best it's true. Their precision couldn't get much higher.

Cancer you are gonna lose. We've set you on your funeral pire!

Radiation light my fiiii...rrreeee... Teehee! Love, Jean

Cherice, cancer patients are supposed to look strange. We work hard at it! (That's a rule I just made up). Teehee. Love, Jean

Aeon,

I was pink after the first week, too. I'm still pink, but I never started peeling. So, there's that. I just use the Radiaplex three times a day.

I got pink and sore right away, but I kind of reached a plateau with it until week four. Then I looked RED and you could see the exact perimeters of my treatment field--skin still wasn't breaking much and I really never peeled much. The last 10 days was when things got harder--but only in the area of my tumor bed. Those last days, I had to only wear those camis with the loose, built-in bras and I had to make sure the fabric didn't stick to my skin where it was breaking. For me, because my skin was most troubled in the fold under the breast, I found it important to wash every morning or my irritations would get worse. Keep doing what they tell you at the clinic. Luckily, the pink/red and skin issues seem to heal pretty fast after the last treatment.

florida--your RO or nurse will likely recommend what they think you should use. There are a surprising number of different opinions and recommendations out there. I used cornstarch under my breast and a homemade cream until the fifth week. Then I needed aquaphor, silvadene and neosporin for certain spots. Whatever you use must be washed off each morning--need to show up for treatment with clean skin. I know what you mean--it's hard to wrap your brain around all of this. Hang in there. It will be over soon. Hugs

florida, I used calendula daily after treatment, aloe vera once things started feeling like they were "burning" more and aquaphor at night at some point.

I've jusy noticed little pin dot scabs around my aerola....lots of swelling going on too. They documented it and are watching it. I went and bought some comfy (sort of) sports bras in a size larger but I really just like my DH's old and soft undershirts.