Winter 2015-16 RADS

Wall 'o' pictures: makes sense. Also a bit cheerful.

PattyMeg what a great machine!!! I am 3 boost away from being finished radiation.. it's been fairly straightforward. The hardest thing for me to adjust to is the inability to maintain a consistent body temperature. I live in Canada, in southern Ontario where the weather has been pretty dang awesome for 'winter' so I am still wearing a spring jacket and a touque and scarf. The problem is that I perspire (read I am wickedly hot) on the radiated side, yet the rest of me isn't so warm so I get chilled as soon as the sweaty side gets cold. I also have no hair so I wear the touque most everywhere (not the same one, I have about 20 different ones). I will be happy to be done. I have had a skin reaction described by the techs as (angry, very angry, looks pretty dang angry)....yeah... it's read and blistered, but it's not nearly as bad as it looks... it is what it is....

So there you have it.... hot flashes, cool chills, scorched skin, a few blisters but at the end of the day....it hasn't been that bad...there is hope for all of us... at the end of it all, there is always HOPE. Merry Christmas My Dears.

omg i love the reindeer!

12 of 31 complete today! yay!

cubbie, it's freezing in my rad room too but the nurses put warm blankets on my lower half starting at like my belly button and then warm smaller sheets on both arms while I'm holding the hand hold thingys. Definitely helps! Maybe ask if they can provide some? My arms also go numb on the longer sessions but if they're quick it's not bad at all!

Today was treatment 14 of 25 regular treatments. I will have five boosts to the tumor bed after I am done. I just started today with some itching and rash-like breakout along my collarbone and two small spots that look like pimples in the armpit. Nothing on the breast or chest yet. I have a status check with my RO tomorrow, so I will ask about what to do. In the meantime I am putting hydrocortisone cream on the itchy spots. I am fatigued and started working part time last week.

Number five of 16 was today...Monday is also check in day with RO, he is very happy with how it looks so far (though granted it is still early days). They were playing some cool Spanish guitar music today. My experience has been that each time goes a bit faster as they get the hang of exactly where to place me...but it could be that I am just used to the process so it seems to go faster. And, I've been lucky on the weather during the drive back and forth so far.

justmaximom, I had the same feelings about RO staff vs MO staff that you did. And i did feel quite anxious during the sim. However, things are improving all the way around, and really, I haven't had any complaints or problems other than organizational/administrative issues. I will keep my fingers crossed with you that you don't either...Have hope: I hope I am not jinxing everything by saying this, but as I said to hubby when I got home from my apt today: 'so far, compared to chemo, it has been a piece of cake. Knock on wood!' (Hubby's response: 'you'd better go find some wood to knock on!' :-))

Hugs!

Octogirl

Thanks Octo and Peachy! I did ask them to show me the treatment room after we did the scans and while the machine doesn't look quite as intimidating as the CT scanner, when I turned to leave I noticed that the entrance to the room looked like a bank safe door so that was a bit freaky.

I'll try to pick out some relaxing music since she said I could either bring something for them to play or listen on my own player.

Hey Ladies, how soon after you began treatments, did you notice skin changes? ( pink skin, sunburn feeling, tingling )

Patty, I just completed 13 of 31 and I think my skin is holding up pretty well. some hours it looks slightly pinker but it usually goes back to 'normal'. I actually asked the nurses yesterday when I should start seeing a reaction and they said everyone is diff (obviously) but usually around 15 or so. They also said that if you normally tan in the sun and dont burn, you have a better chance of having little reaction. Who knows

twnkltoz, I believe mine was about a week?

Hi ladies! Joining you, since my first radiation tx was yesterday! Starting last part of this #%*😡 triathlon!! Glad to have chemo and surgery behind me!! Hoping the Herceptin infusions til June get a little easier. Had it with 6 chemos, but by itself, came the lovely mouth sores and neuropathy that I thought was over😒 Can't imagine rad fatigue being any worse than chemo, but I'm prepared for whatever! Last rad tx will be Feb 3rd!!!

gooseberry: it is usually about ten minutes on the table at the most. You do get more used to the strange position. If they play music (or will let you), that may help to distract. I found myself uncomfortable for the sim as it was so long but nowhere near as uncomfortable for the treatments so far.

Lindab: if it's any comfort, I"m not feeling particularly Christmasy this year, and I finished rads in the end of September! I can well imagine that you're not at all in the spirit of your seasonal celebrations, should you have any.

gooseberry, I am also on my back (for about ten minutes all told, as others have said, or even a bit less)...but I have a sense of what you are talking about because I did a MRI in the prone position. When they first lined me up for it, I had excruciating pain. I told them I just couldn't do it, and they made some adjustments, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't nearly as bad. So even though the sim is the worst, if you are still bothered, I'd speak up. It might mean having to do the sim over but I just don't think you should need to endure that much pain. Perhaps talk to your RO?

Hugs!

Octogirl

Hi Mary and everyone!

I had my first visit with RO this morning. I am scheduled for simulation next Wed, and don't know my actual start date as yet - guessing first week of January, The RO was all business, just inputting my diagnosis and pathology to the computer and asking me a few questions. He then went out to consult with the senior RO (the one I was seeing might actually have been a resident - looked about 20 years old:) ) and came back with the plan. I didn't learn anything about what I am supposed to do and not do. All he would say about the length was about 3 weeks. I then asked if they were whole breast, and he said yes, but then boosts to the tumor area. I don't need the axillary area. He did list possible side effects. I asked if there were check-ups during treatment and he said no. That was all I was going to get from him! What a difference between him and the MO and BS!! They are so personable, caring, and careful to explain things and ask if I have any questions!

Oh well, I am not so concerned. I had heard from others that the rads center was not like my awesome breast center in the realm of interactions, but they are good at what they do and efficient. The nurse coordinator said that I should make sure at the sim to speak with the nurse and to get the run-down on everything else. It seems like the nurses are the ones that will be interacting with and checking up on patients throughout treatment. A positive is that a couple of nurses speak English (today was all in Hebrew, and I am very much at a disadvantage there! - I always feel like I am limited to conversing at a child's level).

Hi,

I'm new too! I have my first RO appointment on January 20th. I've been reading about sim?? Is that short for simulation? I am so in the dark😳. Any feedback as to what I can expect would really help relieve some of my anxiety😁.

I started radiation on Dec. 14. I'll have 16 treatments and then a boost to the tumor bed of 5 treatments. Today was my 8th treatment, so I'm half way through the whole breast part. I turned a little pink yesterday afternoon, but it was gone by evening. My doctors prescribed mometasone cream to use from the very start of treatment. They said to use it every day and I can increase to twice a day as needed. I like my RO and really love the radiation techs at the center. Everyone is very, very kind. I'm in and out in less than 15 minutes most days. Monday's I meet with the doctor. They check my weight and my breast, ask if I have any questions.

I was really having a difficult time adjusting to the cancer diagnosis. I hated all of the choices, and I am still afraid of the long lasting effects of radiation. I was to the point of crying all of the time. I even called in sick for a half day of work, I was falling apart. This was very unlike me to do so. I tried two different counsellors with no relief. I finally went to my primary care physician. He really made me feel secure. He told me that I would get through this and he would be there for me. He really said so much more and he was extremely caring and sincere. He prescribed an antidepressant (ssi) and Xanax. I'm not sure which worked, his kind and reassuring words or the drugs! I think the combination of the two. I've never been on antidepressants before, but I must say they have worked a miracle for me! If you are suffering don't hesitate to ask for help. My mind is so much clearer. I was dwelling on the most negative aspects of treatment without giving a balanced thought or consideration to its benefit.I feel like I'm at the point where I can come to terms with my diagnosis and grieve too. This is such a difficult emotional journey for me. The surgery and treatment are nothing compared to the emotional toll this disease has taken onme.