Summer 2015 Rads

I just finished week 4 and have 7 treatments left. My skin has been doing great so far esp since I have a bolus every day but this week my lower armpit started getting red and tonight it is very pink and peeling in spots. Any advice? Does this actually heal up? I'm a little worried because it's right by my surgery scar / area for reconstruction.

Hopeful: LOL ya all sound like my kind of campers! Making a radiation Playlist now...

LBF- Radioactive by the Imagine Dragons. I started listening to that during chemo. It perfectly captured my post apocalyptic sensibilities at the time.

Blondie, "Atomic"

X-Ray Spex (?), "Radiation"

The Firm, "Radioactive"

Johnny Cash, "Ring of Fire"

Bruce Springstein, '"I'm on Fire"

Surely Gaga has something relevant?

Hi ladies. Back from brachytherapy in AZ on Thursday. Still waiting for holes to close up or scab over so I can take a real shower.

Besides a pretty terrifying procedure where they put the 20 tubes in, it wasn't bad. A little fatigue, a darkened underarm, and my chemical sensitivities ramped up. My face started to peel, and I had red raw patches along my nasolabial fold. The doctor said, of course, "not from radiation". Doctors do know that things that happen in one part of the body can affect other parts, right?

In catching up on this thread, thought I would share a few sleep techniques that work for me. I'm a professional insomniac, once going for two weeks with no sleep!

No. 1, and the biggest to me, is the bed. As said, I'm chemically sensitive, but once you've been through chemo and rads, you are too. Perfect combination is a natural latex bed, with a bamboo mattress pad, cotton or lyocell sheets washed in fragrance free detergent, latex or feather pillow. It's very cozy. If you are close to an Ikea, they have most of this, but the bamboo cover is online.

No. 2, quiet, cool, and dark room. I don't like sleeping with a mask, so I make sure there are no lights, especially blue ones. And no electronics close to your body! I hate to say it, but husband woke me constantly and we now have separate beds. We both sleep better.

No. 3 no blue screens an hour before lights out. iPads, computers, phones, etc. Read a book, it works great. My Kindle paperwhite seems fine. I also have a special bulb in my lamp, it's called a Good Night bulb (not cheap, but lasts a long time). I would think listening to books would work too, sure puts my husband out.

Odds and ends: try to make lights out and rising the same time every day. Try to get some exercise and natural sunshine during the day. Take melatonin an hour before you want to go to sleep. Don't eat or drink alcohol close to bedtime.

I hope that helps someone. I managed to sleep well even at the hotel, even with tubes in my breast, though I had to go buy a cotton mattress pad. Such a prima donna, kept waking up in a full body sweat from the poly mattress pad the hotel was using.

Sounds like you are doing really well LiveDeliciously. I know exercise is supposed to help with the fatigue. I am at the gym on the elliptical three to four times a week and trying to get enough water which I know I important as well. But, I am exhausted. The fatigue has really hit me hard. My RO mentioned getting a blood count and I said well let's see how I feel on the next visit. I will see her Tuesday and I think it might be good to get that count. I am much more tired than I thought I would be. My skin is holding up ok so far.

Peace and healing,

Nancy

Fastwalker, it sounds like you are doing great. How many more treatments do you have?

Welcome back to another fun-filled, exciting week at Camp Idonwannaburn, fellow campers.

I hope everyone had a good weekend, drank lots of water, stayed out of the sun and used lots of aloe!

This week we're focusing on learning new coping skills. If anyone has any, feel free to share

I'm off for my last WBI - number 28! After that it's 7 (not 8 as mentioned before) boosts, for which we'll do the simulation today. There's always something new to learn at Camp I.

I like the rowing machine because it gives me some pectoral exercise and doesn't make my arms rub against my armpits or sides.

6doggies: thank you for bringing this up...I haven't started my rads yet, but my back's still a bit drama queenish after fusion etc. surgery last year. Lying flat, prone or supine, still causes flares for me.

6doggies - they rubberband your feet? That sounds terribly uncomfortable! They but some sort of form thingie under my knees, so I had that and the body cast, and then the would position me. For the boosts, no body cast but they still put something under my knees - way more comfortable. Wondering if you can request something like that.

I graduated today! I'd jump up and down, if I could jump. Or do much else. The fatigue hit me hard, and I'm developing a few little blisters in areas that didn't not receive the boosts, but mostly my skin has held up pretty well. This is such a weird treatment and surreal experience. Now I start on the road of recovering from treatment. It didn't seem like this day would ever get here, but here it is. I hope you all reach the end treatment with the fewst possible SE., and eventually find a way to celebrate. Not sure when I'll have the energy to do that, but it will happen.

Dragonista, YAY for finishing your rads! I am with you on the fatigue. It hit me hard after treatment number 13 and I am still really tired. It is hard to work and do rads. I am trying to do everything that is supposed to help. I am drinking lots of water and going to the gym three to four times a week. In the last few days I have started paying a lot of attention to my protein intake. It is hard to get 60 grams of protein a day, even harder when you don't eat meat.

I hope you plan something wonderful to celebrate.

Peace and healing,

Nancy

Good point, LD. I do think exercise helps fend on (or work through) fatigue.

6doggies - Sorry you got lectured! Our center uses a pad (covered by a sheet) under the body, as well as the body mold. It's not at all uncomfortable, although sometimes I need 2 heated blankets rather than just one as it is SO chilly in there. At any rate, I hope the little bit of padding helps you get through this.

Costco sells a whey-based drink, low carb, 30 g protein in 11 oz.

I've also been using a rice bran protein powder in my smoothie--also high protein, low carb (and vegan).