Summer 2015 Rads

Dragonista--congratulations on finishing! I hope you feel better every day and can celebrate soon. 

6 doggies--I had a very sharp pain in my non-surgical shoulder for the first few weeks of radiation. The techs and RO seemed completely unconcerned that I was in pain. I couldn't even get them to make a referral for physical therapy. I had to call my PCP's office for the referral. It is much better now. Today was session 20/36. I am so glad to be on the downward side of this. My husband and I plan to take off on a short sailing trip the day after I finish. It would be a longer trip but I have to return for an appointment with my MO. 

No weight loss for me during radiation. I had gained 2 lb. since starting and today found out I added another, even though I have been walking 3 miles every day. 

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes!! You all understand what this is like, it's been so helpful to have someplace to read and learn and get good information, and to vent.

Darurama, hope you continue to heal well. As for the fatigue - ugh. I just plan on sleeping for the week. Can't exercise anyway, so I might as well rest up and heal that way.

pboi - you're almost at the finish line! See you there shortly. My skin didn't get pink until last week, and now I have a little bit of blistering, nothing terrrible. Hope we both don't get worse

institches, livedelic, etc etc etc... - great reminders about staying hydrated, and adequate protein. I still need reminders re: hydration.

Hopeful - strange and disconcerting is an excellent way to describe this whole thing! I think I'll have to "borrow" your words:)

Hang tight, everyone. I'll be reading here, checking up on how everyone is doing.

welcome 123. Sorry you have to camp with the rest of us this summer. But you are in good company. When do you start rads now that you had your sim?

Darumama...did you have the peeling after rads was over? Or did it happen during rads?

PB

Number of treatments and boosts -- My RO would only tell me "7 weeks" pretty much all the way through treatment. He said he wouldn't know about boosts until later and could see how my skin was holding up. Plus, things like holidays and the machine not working for a day or two messed with the dates, anyway! I am only sure about the exact number of regular treatments (28) because I finished them. And I wasn't exactly sure of the boosts (although they did estimate correctly that I would get 8) until today, when they told me that tomorrow would be my last one! YAY!!!

Aquaphor -- I was given free samples of this by the RO's office, but I barely used it. They told me that Calendula cream and Aloe Vera were good to use-- from day one, 3x a day--and that's what I've been using. I've thrown in some Vit. E cream now and then, since a friend recommended it, and some other stuff, but mostly stuck to the Calendula and Aloe. The Aquaphor was just too goopy! I DID put some one when my skin was at its worst-- around #24...

No blisters so far! Yay! (although I know some could still happen in the weeks after RT). I got super red in a rectangular area around and including my breast and my SNB incision around #20. Then it started getting darker--brown-ish. I worried if it would get worse, but it didn't. Then the boosts started and they told me I'd get red in the tumor area and skin would peel, but that the rest of the area wouldn't be getting any more treatment and should start getting better--and it IS! Pretty much over the weekend before my boosts, it seemed to settle down (look more tanned and not red/dark). After a week of boosts, the area of the boost was pink, but the rest of the skin was getting lighter. My poor nipple was very dark, but I'm thinking it's getting a bit better, too. And so far, no peeling--although I bet there will be some after. But I worried about blistering and thick peels, but so far the skin looks pretty good considering!

Boosts -- Hmm... could be the protons/electrons thing is reversed from what I heard. From my very vague recollections of chemistry and physics... I always thought electrons were much smaller than protons, so the reverse from what I was told could be true. Or the tech/assistant could have just mixed up her explanations--or I could have mixed it up!

I only get a single shot from the machine for my boost-- with the thing positioned directly over me and shooting down at a slight angle. The regular treatments were twice, one from each side of my breast...

Root beer and ice cream!!!! Yum!!!!

I've been totally putting on weight! This is not terrible, because I lost a lot during chemo, but if I keep this up I'll be rolling around instead of walking. I haven't been exercising much--had some neuropathy from chemo and it caused me to trip and hurt my ankle, but it's slowly getting better and now that rads is ending I will try and drag my lazy body to the gym (since at least it's air-conditioned there!). ... But ... Root beer Floats! I CRAVE them so bad!!!

I think that's what I'll celebrate the end of RT with-- some root beer floats!!!! (and I'll try not to fret about all the housework and repairs I've put on hold for the past 8-9 months of treatment).

Hey 6doggies! I am actually not a vegetarian because I eat fish and seafood so that helps. Also, not vegan because I do eat eggs and milk and cheese. I do not eat chicken or bee for pork or venison. Eggs are great source of protein. I had lentil soup with rice today and that provided about 18 grams. I have found a great milk, Fairlife that has 13 grams of protein. Normally I do not eat a lot of eggs or milk or cheese but right now I am because I am trying to get enough protein.

It might be helping because this evening I began to feel more like myself with my energy level better. My skin is holding up great. No problems whatsoever at this point. Today was my 17th treatment so I am now on the downward slope.

Sweet dreams ladies,

nancy

Fellow campers,

Quick rant! My skin is a mess, I was prescribed Mometasone cream today, I hope it helps. I am in tremendous pain with 6 more WBR to go before 7 boosts start up. Feeling so weary and just want to be done!

And,Some one told me I didn't look like I had cancer today. I know I'm fortunate to have my hair, but it's what you can't see that hurts, darn it!

And, I am feeling guilty because I am trying to work half days but am not productuve at all...

Thanks, rant over

Midgiemoon -- I hear you on the comments people make. I'm going around with less than an inch of hair and having to wear a wig or scarf and had lost 30lbs during chemo and had to be hospitalized twice and people are "Oh, you look fantastic! I'd never guess you have cancer!"

I can only guess that they mean it well and are trying to say that all this stuff hasn't marked me as being sick, even if I AM. But it does make me want to go into a detailed explanation of all the stuff that is going on! --I don't, though. I try and be good and smile and just say "Thanks!"

(Then I come here and talk about all this stuff, cuz you all know how it goes!)

I'm DONE!!! Last boost this afternoon. My daughter came to Seattle with me for the last over night (treatment Monday and Tuesday and then home). We walked our feet off at the Seattle Zoo after the Monday treatment, and hit Chinatown after I finished on Tuesday before hitting the road for the 100+ mile trip home. My skin is holding up quite well - the worst spot is under my breast where I have some sores - the RO prespribed an antibiotic cream to keep those from worsening, and told me to keep up with the lotions for two weeks (a prescription formula called radiagel and a callendula/aloe vera lotion she likes that I had to pick up at a whole foods) and then switch to a thick cream.

It has been almost 7 months since my diagnostic mammogram (which couldn't detect the lump even though it was easy to feel), and 6 1/2 since I was told that the lump was malignant. I still have to get Heraceptin every three weeks until early March - but I feel that the worst is over. I have been cut up, poisoned and nuked - now I can start putting my life back together.

Best of luck to all of you who still have time left in camp.

(And I, too, had my feet rubber banded together - I found it helped me hold my position, the few times the band was loose I was more uncomfortable.)

6doggies I don't normally have back problems but I have a lot of trouble getting up from the table after my short treatment. I guess the combination of feet being constrained, the hard metal thing I'm laying on and my arms being above my head.

Asked about the bolus today. The one I get is a rubbery substance "like a stress ball." It's the standard at my clinic. The brass bolus is just coming into use there; it's a brass fabric like a scaly tight chain mail. The tech said he thought the brass worked better, but had some embarrassment about explaining why. I put him out of his misery by saying, "The brass one drapes better for many women because they have breasts and I don't." That's at least part of it--the gel-like one is fine for mastectomy without recon, but leaves air gaps ("which result in greater risk of skin burns") for women with lumpectomy, TEs, or reconstruction, whereas the brass fabric drapes better.

I admit that "brass bolus" makes me want to say things like, "You really need brass bolus to do radiation."

JenH, Congratulations on finishing!

Ksusan, Love the pics. That brass bonus is so disco. I had no idea. They used the rubbery one on me.

I saw my PS today. "This is what we call an acute radiation wound," she said. She told me they won't really know how the implant area fared on the inside till they go to put in permanents in 6 months. Sometimes there is scar tissue inside. Also, sometimes there is post radiation shrinkage. Don't need to see her again till 2 weeks before my surgery in 2016 unless a problem crops up.

Also saw my MO today. Won't be seeing him again till December, but will be doing port flushes and Lupron shots monthly. I've got one more doc appointment tomorrow with GYN and after that no appointments for almost three weeks! I haven't been that long without an appointment in over 8 months. What to do with all this time? Go on vacation! We leave for Maine Friday. Can't wait.

Darumama - Ouch. You've really earned that vacation in Maine. Enjoy every day of it.

Dragonista - My breast is swollen, too. A LOT. She said today that it will take at least a month after end of tx. for it to start to 'deflate.' I hope you can take it easier for a while and get some of your energy back, although I know that, too, can take a while. Glad you had cancellation insurance...

LBF - I certainly understand your trepidation. If it helps any, they usually have a rep. from the medical equipment company on hand during adoption of new technology. You could ask if that will be the case.

As to the RO - is it another RO on staff at the center or a floater? I would be semi-ok with the former, not with the latter. (And by semi-o.k., I mean maybe. Very reluctantly.)

In your shoes I think I would call back and ask to speak with your RO and see if there is any way that they can at least do your sim. with your own RO. I do NOT think that's too much to ask. That's just me, though.