Summer 2015 Rads

>>Enjoying a quiet afternoon reading up on the life of Madame Curie?

Nah, I thought I'd re-read Hersey's Hiroshima instead.

LBF - My understanding is that the RO designs the plan then works with the dosimetrist and medical physicist to bring the plan to reality. My RO checks each time there's a change (a simulation, a change to the treatment set up, etc.), checks the port films weekly and makes any adjustments.

Why don't you call and talk to the RO or her/his assistant? You're entitled to that much at the very least.

(My RO was on vacation part of my 2nd week but had let me know in advance and told me which of the other ROs was meeting with her patients that week and I was fine with that. I'd have been uncomfortable with her NOT being there at all at the commencement of my treatment.)

Susan - "Nah, I thought I'd re-read Hersey's Hiroshima instead." That would certainly be very timely.

My RO wasn't always there, but there always was a physician floating about when RTs were going on. And if something new was being done--like the boosts--one would come in and check on what the techs/assistants were doing. I wasn't really bothered that my particular guy was there or not. I pretty much chose a guy from a short list that my BS recommended, and didn't check him out at all! I guess I trusted my BS a lot or something? Hmmm... But I rather figured it wasn't quite as important as the MO and BS, so I wasn't worried. And I am fairly confident in the clinics/hospitals they are associated with...

Anyway, I gathered the RO was the guy who determined the whole plan for the RT. I asked him once how he determined what was done and he said he plugged a lot of info into a complex program to calculate (which might have been true, but it sort of sounded like he didn't like to be questioned! He's really friendly otherwise, though, so maybe he really didn't think he could explain it, or didn't feel it necessary... I figured I'd be getting his treatment anyway, so I wasn't bothered).

My RO also met with me (pretty briefly!) every week to check how things were going. I had x-rays taken weekly and I figured he was checking that. I think that if I needed any prescriptions for anything, he'd be the guy to write those, but I didn't need anything, thankfully.

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Today was my last boost and last RT!

They gave me a card signed by everyone there--the receptionist, nurse, techs/assistants, RO, etc, with nice encouraging comments. That was really sweet. And a certificate.

I made an appointment to come back and see the RO there in two weeks for a followup checkup.

My breast in the area of my tumor and incision is all pink. The tech said I'd probably peel there, but it looked pretty good. I had the no bolus boosts--just with the rads being shot through a metal (I was told copper) block that had been custom-cut by lasers in the proper shape. That's the area that's now pink. Both the regular treatments and the boosts seem fairly precise, given that I could really tell from the redness where they were being directed.

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Last night my sister cooked a sort of Creole Shrimp dinner and got me a cute little cake for dessert. I wasn't worried about celebrating this, but I forget how tough this can be on care-givers... I think she is very happy to be celebrating the end of my rads (and before that the LX and the chemo), since I was staying at her house all this time, basically since November/December!

It's kind of weird to be heading back home and having time to think about and do non-medical-related stuff! I mean, I still have Herceptin every 3 weeks and some doctors appointments that will be continuing, but the cancer treatments have been nearly non-stop for so many months, this more regular life now seems a bit odd! --But I'm sure I'll get back to being used to it! It's amazing the things I can get used to! It took a LOT of getting used to some of it, but I did sort of just go with the flow after a while... And it was nice to have finishing dates, like the end of chemo and the end of RT to look forward to!

Yay, April!

I've done 19 of 33 (28 regular + 5 boost). My PT actually exclaimed with pleasure when she saw how good my skin still is at this point. She's also happy about my current range of motion and lack of swelling or signs of LE. Me, too!

Congratulations, April!! I know it's been a long haul for you - being away from home so much must make it even stranger. I'm so glad you and your sister were able to celebrate and that you can return to your 'real' life! I hope the remainder of your herceptin infusions go smoothly and that cancer never, ever darkens your doorway again. Please keep us posted on how you're doing skin-wise and otherwise, o.k.?

Ksusan, you gave me a much needed laugh. I think you have to have brass bonus to be at our Camp Idonwannaburn!

It's actually kind of pretty, isn't it?

Peace and healing,

Nancy

Hydrate! Hydrate!

Congratulations, April!!

I have my first of four boosts today then done with radiation. I just developed more frequent pain in my radiated breast, it must be swelling somewhat or just tender and angry. My fatigue has reached the point that I ache in the evenings...sort of an overall ache like when you have the flu, lower back and arms and legs. But it's gone by morning. I'll ask the doctor about it this morning as its my weekly check in.

Radiated boob started having sharp, stabbing like pains in it last night. Still doing it now. I think it's because of swelling. My nipple is the most tender. I could deal with the burns and itchiness, but now this is just ridiculous. 12 more sessions to go, and then I'll be home from camp.

Sweethope, That's really good information! But....after my PFC bloodwork today, my MO recommended I wait a week to start anyway. I'm still a little anemic. So, new start date, with original RO (who I just love) will be Aug. 17. I was panicking at the thought of creepy little cancer cells crawling through my lymph nodes if I waited, but he said it just doesn't happen that quickly. He's good at talking me off ledges.

I had the stabbing pains for the first time yesterday (and all night), after the first boost. The nurse today recommended ibuprofen as a change from the Aleve I've been using. We'll see. I know they are very, very common and there's no telling at what point in the process they'll show up.

I wonder if barometric pressure is a factor?

Fast Walker - my back was getting zapped, too, due to the s/clav radiation. The odd thing is that it is the OTHER side of my back that itches. At least I can safely scratch over there.

I had a bunch of minor issues my first or second week - felt like I was getting a cold sore, low-grade fever, had gastro issues, etc. but none of it persisted. I think the body's a lot more vulnerable to every little annoyance during treatment and we feel things that wouldn't have had a chance of catching up with us in normal circumstances. I hope yours vamoose before the weekend. Try to take things easy during the weekend break from tx.

I've had the rug burn feeling under my arm ever since the SNB so have gotten quite used to it. I'm not sure I'd ever get used to the stabbing aches...

April, have a safe drive home when you do head out. That was very sweet of you to give your techs a gift. I've been trying to think of something but will probably settle for a card. Maybe I'll drop by with something later on, since it's near my home.

Looks like I won't be joining summer rads after all. I just pulled off the stickers from my sim because of the additional cancer that was found on the PET scan after chemo. Now I'm scheduled for a full axillary node dissection on August 28th. I am anxious to get on to radiation and get things moving along after surgery. I've scheduled my SIM for two weeks after the dissection and I'm hoping to start radiation one week later. For those of you who did radiation after a full lymph node dissection - do you think I'll be able to raise my left arm over my head two weeks after surgery? My SIM is scheduled to take 90 minutes so I'm going to have to have my arm up for quite some time. I've already had two sentinel node biopsies on that same side and I have axillary web cording that restricts my arm a bit but my surgeon is planning on working on that for me so hopefully that will be resolved.

klanders- I had the ALND but I didn't do the rads till 5 months later. For me it's difficult to separate the the mastectomy damage from the ALND damage, but I can tell you I wasn't even driving for over two weeks after my mastectomy/ALND. I also couldn't lift my arm much past my chest. Everyone is different, of course. I would speak to your surgeon about the timing if you haven't already. Mine didn't want me exercising the arm for the first two weeks. I would definitely get a plan with your doc for doing some sort of PT. Without PT I don't know how I would have made it through rads. I have no idea what type of accommodations the RO can make in your situation, but maybe there is something they can do on their end to work with you. Good luck!