Summer 2015 Rads

15/20 done, 75% done. One more whole breast, then on to boost.

My center plays this new age, meditation type music. I rather enjoy it, it's soothing. They rescheduled me today to the late afternoon because they were behind.

I hope everyone feels free to add verses--I know I didn't get everybody in!

You are the best ksusan!!!!  

ksusan....I play the guitar and like country. We can start a band!!! Only you'd have to add something about a dog, a train, prison and Mother.

#13/28 done on Wednesday. Today I'll be half-way. So far I'm doing pretty good. I have some discoloration. My boob is looking a little splotchy. A little redness under the boob. I change up my bras. I have different sizes and styles. I work everyday, so I can't be free-swinging. I use a different type of bra everyday, so I don't get rubbed in the same place everyday. This morning I think I'm going with the uni-boob look (kinda like a uni-brow) with cheap-ass, cupless, one-size up, sports bra. Gee, getting dressed in the morning takes so much more planning and thought. When my boss asks me why I was late, I'll just tell him I couldn't decide which bra to wear. Actually, I keep an extra cheap-ass, cupless, 2 sizes up, uni-boob, tank-style sports bra in my desk at work for emergency use. For when I just can't stand it anymore.

OK boss, maybe I was late for work because I was on the dang computer. Adios ladies.

Camommy, I had the 16 + 5, too, although all consecutively. My skin did hold up pretty well, but the boob was quite uncomfortable. As per my RO, symptoms can develop for a couple of weeks after the last tx, and peak up to 21 days. I felt crappy starting about mid-way through, worst the last week and then the following weeks, but the crappiness did level out. So.. that doesn't mean the minute you finish you'll feel so much worse, everyone is different. I guess it depends on everyone's baseline, it's different for everyone. Moving is a big deal, and right after tx a bigger deal. Just do the best you can. Hang in there, and you'll get through this! Then you'll be on a plane, maybe sleeping or having a cocktail, but definitely not getting nuked. Good luck with your move!

I'm a week out and have an ache in the same spot.

thanks everyone. My fatigue is getting worse but it's hard to say, is it rads, lorazepam, moving stress, or driving to the cancer center every day. I plan to sleep the entire way on the plane. Dh can deal with kids.

I have armpit soreness and my nodes aren't even in the radiation field. I also had arm pit swelling after my lumpectomy. It could be angry/irritate nodes at all this crap we are doing to them. Advil helps all my pains. Or maybe that's the lorazepam

It's funny, when the RO told me I had to go for one extra treatment I almost started crying. It's not rational obviously, it isn't even an extra day, but I was so focused on that number and being done. This felt like a punch in the stomach. I don't remember who said they would sing "I f'ing hate rads" on the way to radiation but I'm doing that too. Doesn't matter what song is on the radio I change the words to "I effing hate rads!".

20 of 20 done! Skin is red, swollen, and tender. There's a small part of the underboob area that's blistered, raw, and oozing. My chest and shoulder also feel tight and stiff. On the bright side, the fatigue started to lessen once the switch from whole-breast radiation to boosts started.

Ouch LittleBlue!   Congrads Chicagoreader!!!!     I made it 25 days from "Woo Hoo I'm done" to my first "panic, is it back" attack.   I do have a very specific sore spot in my armpit but it sounds like that is really common!    I didn't really have a heads up on what to expect when I finished.  The MD that saw me my last radiation day was a very young MD who told me to take Benedryl for a rash on the back of my knee.   She got very flustered when I told her that Benedryl is contraindicated with Tamoxifen.   ( Thank you for the resource Breastcancer.org!    I used to be an Advil PM person so I am glad to know it interferes with Tamox, list found at http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/serms/tamoxifen).   Anyway, thank you for calming me down everyone!!  

Wrmbrownie: no idea if it's normal, but I was rather wondering the same thing. I'm four treatments in--a shorter time per appointment, but possibly higher rads--and have started noticing swelling in my breast.

33 radiation treatments done

! My granddaughter helped me ring the bell

CAmommy. That under bra cami. Was my saving grace too! I came out of this with minimal skin issues. I used calendula based "California Baby" found in baby dept. At Target 3 x per day and aquaphor twice daily on open red areas.

The bell at our cancer center is new. It was donated by the crew of a submarine in at our local shipyard so the wife of one of the crew would have a bell to ring when she finished treatment . So nice!

Finished 10 of 33 today. Starting to get the weird geometric tan, scar is a little red, skin feels a little tight...does anyone wear a lymph sleeve? Do you find it chafes your radiated bits?

Okay, I last posted a photo on this thread on 8/22 (31/33). Here's today (1.5 weeks after boosts finished). It looks a little scary, but is actually nothing unexpected.

Dark skin rubbing off (not really peeling) along the scar and in the axillary area. Anywhere deep brown (like the line at the top of my underarm) is going to rub off. The pink circle in the shape of West Virginia is where I had sticker dermatitis. It's the only part that has actually peeled. The general radiated field is rapidly shifting from pink to tan. Skin is a little tight where you can see creases to the right of my underarm, but not swollen and I still have all but about .5" of my range of motion. It does feel a little sore if I sweat and the skin of my arm rubs the pink part. There is a 2F temperature differential between my left and right pectorals.

Hi all -

15/28 yesterday and my skin is doing well - a tiny bit pink in a couple of areas and a bit of mild pain now and then in the armpit but all in all, pretty good. I use a moisturizer (I have a selection of them) 1-2 times a day and Aquaphor at night. My cancer clinic says that deodorant is fine so I use it, just not within 2 hours of rads. I had bought some Tom's but it doesn't work worth sh*t so I went back to using my usual Secret.

I'm tired but that's nothing new. I usually have an afternoon nap - or at least lie down and read for a while.

All in all, things are good. I hope that all of you with skin burning etc. heal well!

Andrea