August 2015 rads

I used a home made cooling towel - a finger tip size towel wrung out in water, rolled up, stuck in a zip lock baggie and tossed in the freezer overnight. I threw it in my purse align with my aloe and applied both in the dressing room after tx. I think it made a difference in how I did and it certainly felt good.

Thanks again to SweetHope (summer radiation thread founder) for the suggestion!

I will say that it felt great last Friday after my last session to throw it in the laundry and then put it away!

I posted this over on Summer 2015 RADs. I'll post it here too.

I had my first rad of 28 yesterday. Yes I was nervous as hell. I went after work and was armed only with a list of questions and my digital voice recorder. My RO said I wasn't listening to her. How do you absorb everything when your brain is going 90 mph (160 kpm to my friends over the border 😊)? I knew I could go home right afterwards. Thus the voice recorder. I didn't bring any lotions or anything. I was going home right after and figured I wouldn't be baked like a potato on my first trip.

Anyway, I kept my head in a good place. I tried to keep my eyes closed, but my curiosity got the best of me. I'm proud to say I'm a bit Geeky. I didn't physically feel a thing. After a bit, I started thinking of the machine as ET, the extra-terrestrial. I couldn't see the whole thing cause I had my head turned to the side. But the little alien head kept popping up in my field of vision and staring at me. First it pops up on my left side. Then it disappears from my view and I'm waiting to see where it's going to pop up next. I felt like the alien was as curious about me as I was about it. I was expecting it to raise a crooked little finger, point to the sky and say, "ET Phone Home." I can't stop laughing about it when I think about it or tell someone else...like now. 😊

Bottom line, I kept my head in good place, I didn't feel a thing. I'm getting a few more twinges in my boobie. Or maybe that's in my head too. I still get occasion twinges from the surgical site. But it seems like a little more than normal.

I must say that as I was leaving the facility, my team said. "See you tomorrow". That kinda hit me and took the wind out of my sails. I hung my head and replied, "Oh yeah". This isn't just another appointment, it's my new norm. Crap!

Alibeths, I have two different creams/lotions now (Aquafor, and one that the radiation dept gave me yesterday), and I think they are all gross in their own way. I'm using some old sports bras after I apply them. I also don't apply them right after, since I pretty much go straight home afterwards. That may change in the future though...all depending on how my skin is.

Keys-Plez, I'm the same. They didn't give me anything at first, not even a list of products (except the crystal deoderant (which does nothing for me)), so I looked here and bought the Aquafor, and will get the Aloe Vera from CVS soon. I think we have to be proactive ourselves. They all keep telling me of the easy peasy side effects and never mention what could happen, like some here have experienced, so I want to be on top of things myself with the skin care. I understand they don't want to scare me, but I like being informed.

Nancdancer, I understand that. I am 43 and so far have been the youngest I've seen....even the person who did my dot tattoos was like,"Oh my gosh, you are SO young!". Everyone wants to know how I found out, whether it was through a routine mammo, or through a self breast exam.

Keys-plez: (amused at the image of ET!) Yes, Aquaphor's a name brand--it's put out by Eucerin. Sticky gooey stuff!

Alibeths, Miaderm is expensive but working well for me. Everybody remember to stay well-hydrated, keep your protein up, and if you go in the sun, use a high SPF sunblock or a sun-blocking shirt (like a rash guard or board shirt).

Keys-plez: I got the advanced healing stuff (looked at Target, but didn't see if they had a generic version. Won't do Walmart for personal reasons.) Now envisioning other ways to apply lanolin to the area getting rads; rubbing sheep on our breasts probably wouldn't be approved by the medical community, even if we did use virgin merino.

queen....sheep. Funny. Besides, it's summer. You should save that for winter. Maybe I could make a sheep-shawl.

I'm in the Keys. 132 miles to Walmart. Even further to Target. Thank God for Amazon Prime.

As one may see, I'm not really focused on work today. I gotta get busy. I have to leave in 45 minutes to meet with ET (extra-terrestrial).

Start tomorrow for CT scan and tattooing? Then for real on thursday. Hope my skin can handle. I have 25 sessions ahead of me. WANT THIS OVER. Anybody have hardening of boob? That kinda scares me. I had lumpectomy one month ago. Worried about side effects but I don't have to go to work so thats good. I live in Mexico and have to take a ferry to Cancun for my treatments and its SOOOOOOO hot right now. Doc said to stay out of the sun..near impossible living here but I guess my a/c bill will take the hit. ok back after a couple of treatments.

just did #2 of 28. Surprisingly 2 was tougher than one, mentally. I was expecting the first would be the most emotional. So I prepared. But it was no big deal. I had all my walls up. I guess I blew all my defenses yesterday and was running on empty today. Overall, once I got there, I was ok.

Physically I did quite well. I interacted with ET a lot more. I even watched him with my peripheral vision as he followed me around the table. I even stared him in the eye when he was hovering over me. I dare say we might become friends, or at least have a mutual understanding.

I didn't feel a thing. I have no pain. When I got home, I put lotion on and threw a cooling pad/towel over a T Shirt while I watched a little TV.

2 of 28 done. So far no issues, no noticeable changes.

I tried to picture the machine as E.T. Today, didn't work, it still looks like something out of Alien to me.

5/20 today, 25% done. Talking to the tech about the nausea I have and he said it's not uncommon to have some from breast radiation because they are hitting part of the esophagus. That made me feel better. lorazepam works great for the nausea, I am very glad of that. And I'm more relaxed too. No pinkness or skin issues yet but I am sore and itchy.

it seems like everyone is having a boost, what is that exactly and why do you get it

I'm glad ya'll like the alien theme. Sometimes I think of War of the Worlds🐙

CAMommy The esophagus? I didn't think they were supposed to hit anything but breast tissue. Dang! That's a bit frightening.

Zoritsa...I like your song. I'll have to think of one.

How does everyone breathe? Did they give you instructions? Today (3 of 28) found myself over thinking breathing. I kept thinking don't hit my lungs, don't hit my lungs. I was taking little bitty shallow breaths. It was starting to freak me out.