Summer 2015 Rads

I'm starting tomorrow-- I think 35 total! I wonder what determines the number? I guess I should ask...

i love it. Beat on the drum all day. That was a good laugh and I do remember that song

Hey everyone. It's was 89 degrees today on Long Island. Freaking hot. I forgot who had the great formula with lavender And coconut oil, but I have lavender essential oil, can I substitute for plant? Sounds nice.

Yes I am working through out all treatment chemo and rad. My boss has let me go home early many times and still there were days when I felt I'd be better served at home resting, but we do what we have to. My coworkers are amazing all women (I'm a nurse) like 10 mother hens, and I'm no spring chicken.

I'm not feeling fatigue yet I'm only 4/25 but I get a little jumpy and impatient after , like I just want to be left alone. Any way bought more concert tix for hall and Oates 2 days after my last rad tx. Hope it wasn't a mistake, who knows how tired I'll be but I couldn't pass up an evening with both my daughters!

Trying to keep a balance during treatment is a challenge , I can't do everything I did before, but I don't want to give in totally and veg, so I lower my standards and do my best. As we all are doing. This stuff ain't for sissies. Take care.

lmoore4 -- Oh, Hall & Oates was one of the first concerts I ever went to, way back in the '70s! Love them! I hope you'll feel up to going. I can't really see why not... it's not amazingly strenuous going to a concert (not like you're going to be in a mosh pit or something!). Best of wishes!

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So I had my first rads today! I don't know why, but I was sleepy afterwards and had to take a nap! Anyway, it was fine, of course. There were no other patients there. I was running late, so didn't even sit in the waiting room. The main tech (?) who did my Sim was waiting for me and showed me the changing room. Then I went into the room with the machine... Very different from the MRI/CAT-like thing for the sim. Everything was very open. Just lay on the table on my back. After they got me in position, they (main tech guy and very cheery female assistant) covered me with the gown and then were in and out doing whatever. I also had a blanket over me from my chest down. They told me to keep my head turned away so my esophagus wasn't in the way of anything! So I kept my head turned! And eyes closed and stayed still. The arm rests were comfortable and I didn't need to worry about keeping them away from the walls of the tube-thing I was in for the Sim, since there was no tube thing. Table didn't move at all. I couldn't see if anything else moved, but I couldn't tell at all... Just lay there. No real sounds of anything moving or humming... It was quick-ish. Maybe a half-hour or less? Saw a doctor briefly afterwards. He asked if I had any questions, but I couldn't think of anything, and he left quickly. I'd see a doctor once a week, the rest of the time they said the sessions would be quick, like 10 minutes. Nurse came in to give me some pamphlets and said to buy Calendula cream and 99% Aloe Vera with no alcohol and to use it 3 to 4 times a day, but NOT for 3 hours before treatment. She said to take no anti-oxidents, selenium or beta carotene supplements.

My sister and her husband kept asking me "how was it?" I'm not sure what they thought I'd be experiencing! I've got 35 of these things and everyone kept telling me I shouldn't be feeling anything for a good week or two...! I mean, even with chemo, it's not like you go in for the first infusion and you immediately feel something! (I had a nice dinner afterwards, anyway-- no nausea until the next day.) I guess the constant "are you OK?" "how are you feeling?" questions get to me sometimes? I know it's kind of reflex to ask "how are you?" but it's different when you're getting cancer treatments... but not really! I mean... first session... not feeling anything! ...and shouldn't be feeling anything... (and they know that because my sister was with me through the RO appointment). Ah, well.

(the idea of getting 35 of these things and starting to feel the effects as time goes on does make me worry a bit... but time enough for that when it comes, I figure)

Does radiation make anyone else sad and anxious. I thought I was supossed to be tired. 5 down 20 to go. Then arimadex?? That can make you sad too. Am I gonna be sad for ever? Bad day hope the weekend is better. Hope you all have a good weekend with no rads

Discovered my skin was dry and flaky after my first treatment. Is that normal? I was told that rads can dry the skin out... so I guess it's to be expected. Ran out to get the calendula cream and the 99% Aloe Vera that they suggested I put on 3 to 4 times a day... Not sure how to fit all those times in, though! I've done it once today and it's already getting late!

essential oil should be fine as a alternative to the lavender plant, just be careful as it is more concentrated and may have alcohol in it.

10 of 33 done whoohoo. Getting a little weak and fatigued but all good as far as my skin. Just trying to keep my clothes off it. Haven't worn a bra since surgery. Skin is way to sensitive.

my RO said to only use gold bond healing for the first two weeks. Then if needed we will change it up. Not sure to what as i asked him about the colundrum cream and he said no. The stuff stinks. Said it was from the marigold family. I thought that was really interesting the different instructions.

Valentine - 7 more to go is great! It will go fast! I felt that sort of fatigue too while doing radiation. It gets better.

It is really interesting all the different creams and regimens that are recommended. The strangest thing for me is that my RO recommended Eucerin to be used on the weekend only starting Friday after my radiation treatment and ending around mid-day on Sunday. When I mentioned that to one of my techs, they seemed sort of surprised.

Once I was done, my radialogy nurse told me to use Glaxal Base cream morning and night. It is a bit thicker than the Eucerin. I did use it (more then 2x a day) and it helped a lot. I had that one spot that was pretty bad but it is improving quickly now. I would say the entire radiated area continued to get worse for 10 days after my last treatment. They tell you 2 weeks but I definitely saw improvement starting about day 10. That was a huge relief.

Wishing you all a speedy run through radiation with little to no issues!

Wendy

Sweethope - I can't think of anything other than what you are doing. I wasn't able to prevent any friction damage before the TX ended because it was a skin fold but I did use a fan on the area whenever I got hot for days afterwards. I couldn't put any bandages on the bad area either but was taping bandages to my shirt once the area started to weep ( I even used a sanitary pad a few times too!).

I sure hope you are all able to keep the friction to a minimum and avoid that problem.

Valentine99 -- Oh, yes. They did tell me to not put on lotions or anything for 3 hours before treatment. Weird how things are slightly different from place to place. I wonder if the radiation is different, too? Different machines, etc.?

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I went in for my third today... it was very quick. They'd told me it would take only 10 minutes and it really did! I still wonder how they determine how long and how many treatments...!? (I really should just ask the doctor... but I can't seem to remember to do that when I see them!)

Oh, they also gave me free little tubes of Aquaphor. They told me to use it later on since right now it's a bit too goopy to be putting on a lot.

Valentine, yes, I am halfway through as of today (big huge HOORAY), and I've noticed that my throat feels funny--thicker, and it's harder to swallow. But I could just be getting sick. Keep bothering your doctor about it so they listen to you. They are supposed to be protecting your esophagus and trachea, for god's sake.

Okay, so whoops! I had no idea we weren't allowed to swim during radiation. Who knew? It wasn't in my "welcome to radiation" information packet, and although I read a gazillion books, it didn't register. My nurse said yesterday that chlorine is too harsh, which of course is true, and that even salt water can irritate radiated skin (which I don't really believe). She said that I will be cleared to swim 6-8 weeks after my last radiation treatment. Again, this is news to me! I have been counting down the days to a beach vacation the week after radiation ... I had planned to cover up, of course, and avoid the strongest sun, but now it sounds like my night swimming plans are out the window. Trust me, I'll still have fun, but what a bummer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNoWAkHwMY (Does anyone else love the song Nightswimming?)

I've only posted once here, quite a while ago, but I had my sim today so I guess it's time to more actively join the club.

Metta, today at my sim the nurses made a point of telling me that I COULD swim. The differences in opinion are a little surprising.

At my RO, the moisturizer of choice is Aquaphor which is what my PS had recommended also.

I'm curious if any of you have TEs and how they've held up so far through treatments. My PS overfilled my radiation side by 100cc to compensate for shrinkage during rads.

I start my dailies on Monday.

My RO said no swimming but I have a swimmer friend who swam 3x/week throughout her rads (1x on weekend and 2x during the week). She put on a TON of aquaphor before getting in the water and then showered immediately after and re-applied whatever product she was typically using (I think it might have been miaderm). She was able to maintain her arm range of motion pretty well too with less tightness around the chest. Her skin held up okay. My skin is super sensitive to chlorine even without radiation so I wouldn't try it myself.

I'm currently getting some itchy red bumps that look kind of like acne on my chest and under my bra strap on one shoulder and they are super itchy. I have been using cortisone ointment (be sure to get the ointment . . . not the cream that has alcohol in it!) and it helps. I'm only 15 days in and my RO says we will probably have to take some days off pretty regularly so I don't end up with problems. Fine by me!!