Fall 2015 Rads

5th treatment tomorrow, bleh. My boob already has partial redness and my underarm is tight. I should have walked around with my arm up this weekend.

Can't see the eclipse it's totally cloudy.

Yes, Queen, please add me in! And thanks for the little welcome-wagon. LOL

Ok, You ladies are scaring me a bit. With all the talk of having to walk around topless. This is what I have to look forward to? Yay!

I noticed my tummy hasn't been right the last couple of days, and I even felt a little tired in the afternoon, but when I asked my RO nurse about nausea, etc, she said "No, no nausea", and poo-poo'd my being tired, saying that I shouldn't get any fatigue until wk 3. This is why having this thread is so important. We get advice and info first hand and in real freakin' time.

I did go to Target for some new soft bras, cause they advised me that I will regret it if I continue to wear underwire bras. Still feeling pretty good. I did notice the temp difference between my 2 girls. Thanks for that tidbit, whomever that was. I am feeling a little uncomfortable, but nothing to cry about.....yet. And my tummy is queasy.

Today was zap #18. I didn't spend the weekend walking around naked with my arm on my head, but only because I didn't think of it. HA I did spend it with my right hand on my hip like I had a real attitude. And when I sit I have a pillow I keep my arm propped up on. I also invested heavily in CVS aloe with lidocaine. I started wearing a cotton over-sized sports bra to stop the swaying when I walk, Every jiggle pulls on the skin.

I saw a new RO today, mine is in vacation. He lifted my gown, took one look and said "That's going to break open soon. You'd better buy some Domeboro on the way home." I asked him what I should do when it does, he said use the Domeboro and let us know. It'll probably happen by Thursday. Soooo, it's gonna be a fun week.

I've been telling myself today that I only have 7 more full treatments. The next 8 bonus ones after that will be site only and easier. Can I ring a mini bell after the next 7??

My female rads tech is a bc survivor. I used to give her a hard time until she told me. She was harsh, but gave me very good advice.

Have you ever noticed how having bc is like buying a new car. You think your new pretty car is so cool and as soon as you start driving around you realize how there's one just like it on every other corner. I hardly knew anyone that had bc, before I was diagnosed. Now it seems there's another survivor everywhere I go. I don't know if I should be happy that there are so many survivors or sad that there are so many women in this crappy club.

Pamela....funny. Hand in the air. He said you're gonna break? Where are you breaking? I started peeling under my boob, but the skin underneath is not too bad. It's not really broken. It started during week 4. That following weekend is when I was walking around boob in hand around the house and slept on my back with a fan going (with boob in hand). Anything to stop skin on skin contact and to let them cool down some. It helped a lot. I might say my girls are C/D sized.

If you put on the aloe gel and it's sticking to your clothing, just powder up with cornstarch. I put my cornstarch in a plastic cup and used a makeup blusher/foundation brush to pat it on. You cannot use talcum powder. It has things in it that affect the radiation beam.

Did I mention the cooling towel? I would drape it over my shoulder and tuck it under my boob. Leave it there for five minutes or so. When you remove it, you can feel the hot spot in the towel where it was tucked under. It doesn't have to be on your skin. It can be over a lightweight shirt or garment. It's easy to refresh the towel. You don't have to re-wet it. Just whip it around it the air or pop it like a whip a few times. It cools right back down. After my underarm starting heating up, I would tuck it under there too. Hey...It's gives you a good excuse to just crash on the couch and watch a little TV and not feel guilty.

Everything I put on stings, even the lidocaine. So it sounds like they'll be drawing on me tomorrow for my first boost? Since Friday I've been crying almost every time I put any of the gels and ointments on because of the pain and stinging. It's such a relief to get the whole breast treatments finished. This morning was the first time tears flowed while I was on the table, between the current pain and knowing I was going to get burned more was too upsetting. So glad that is over!

My suggestion, and I guarantee its the only thing that will really make you feel better- Smack your RO! Otherwise, I'm out of ideas. It do sting like a mother, though. It really do.

Treatments always take longer than expected...I'd build a few extra minutes into your schedule if I were you. I work out I the afternoon too...hasn't been a problem..

So true about your kid. Sooner or later your facility will be running late. And you can't skip. You'll just be late too. Make sure your kid is covered if you're late.

jctree...go visit your facility before you set your schedule. See if they have a place for your child before you make your decision.

I did not try to commit to my exercise schedule while on rads. My goal was to get through rads with minimum side effects. Given I'm not completely thru the experience, but so far think I've done pretty good. Come on now. When my boob is frying, it's 92 degrees out and 80% humidity, I'm not going outside to workup a good sweat. Raw, tender stressed skin and more heat and sweat, just doesn't sound logical to me. You might have to have hang up your superwoman cape for a little bit. You have to take of yourself. In the big scheme of things, it's just for a couple of weeks.

That was the geeky me. 1st week, 1-2 * difference. 2nd week, 2-3•. After that 6-7•. That's why I did the cooling towel. To give my poor boob and skin a break from the heat. All that heat can't be good. The first week or 2, I could get all the heat out. After that, it just came down a little. But still better than none. I think my boob appreciated it.