Jrowe - mine uses a wedge also and they allow me to get comfortable then they pull the sheet under me to move me left of right. If you let them know you have problems they will work with you I am sure. My techs are so nice I am sure you will do fine... Time does fly...

Helen

First day went fine. I feel so much better now that I know what to expect! And I picked my favorite dish out of the saltwater aquarium--a fast little red guy.

Remember that you might want to try cabbage leaves to deal with heat, inflammation and itching, ALL.

Fearless: congrats on finishing

Yeah, I think I know who it is too, so I make sure I tell her how much pain I'm in when I'm there and have ALOE and Ice cube pack with me.

Etnas and octo:

Boss mentioned work at home policy to me as far as going along with the rules and being proactive in case of an audit. I looked at it and there is nothing about being sick, it's one-day projects to focus. I have no 1-day projects.

He said it looks like he's showing me favorites behavior. Hello, I'm recovering from radiation burns. I'm no longer asking for more than 1-day while my skin is sore. In fact, he's letting me work at home tomorrow. I'm so grateful. As far as the other people, he's doing what's best, but I know one woman mentioned something to me, and her job is different and she's not able to work at home. She has to deliver paperwork to team members. I told her our jobs were different and why didn't she mind her own business when this first started.

But, I feel that I have no "friends" in my dept. and it's not a great feeling, but today I'm oversensitive. I wouldn't want anyone else with breast cancer to go through what I'm going through. Or without it either ... you know what I mean. So, I'm just going to do the best job I can with G-d's help and your prayers.

KateB - I wasn't for rads either, but the numbers decreasing reoccurence spoke to me. Reduces risk from 30% to 5% and that meant something to me.

I'm glad to be done, but the fatigue is huge! I'm resting and not getting house cleaning, taxes or making jewelry done. Instead, I'm snuggling with our kitties.

I'll post pics when I copy them from my phone.

Hugs to all,

Linda

JRowe I too have a back that gives me fits. How did it go? I didn't have much trouble...harder to lay still that long for the sim and the first day where they take x rays. I'm a mover and a shaker :-) I'm sure they will work with you.
What has really helped me is bringing in tunes to play with headphones. I put on my selection for the day and visualize something positive.

Thanks Mdoc524
That will be my new thing. Focus on healing and laughter.

Hi everyone! I've been lurking a lot and reading everyone's posts in anticipation of my own rads starting on February 15. I went yesterday for my CT and will have my simulation and possibly the first treatment on February 15. The techs yesterday were lovely and helpful--I'm at Duke, and so far, through surgery and chemo, every interaction with every staff person (techs, nurses, doctors, appointment schedulers, volunteers) at Duke has been positive, so I feel very grateful to have that.

I'm collecting skin care products--Eucerin, pure aloe vera, Aquaphor, Miaderm, Cicalfate (something my dermatologist highly recommends) to start using right away. My acupuncturist recommended drinking goji berry juice every morning--it's just a capful and not so tasty but not terrible. He believes it helps tissue health.

I have VERY sensitive skin and allergies to all adhesives, so I'm a bit worried about how my skin will handle 6 weeks of radiation, but here goes...

Thank you to everyone for your helpful posts. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

:-)

I did the 16 fractions with 5 boost at the end, the Canadian protocol. I'm very small breasted. Everything went very well. My skin didn't turn color until the end and then very freckled about a week after. I had no peeling or pain during the process. I had a few shooting pains last week, but started massaging and doing stretching exercises and everything has been great this week!

Enstagrl, I didn't notice any difference when I started boosts. Actually, my nipple stopped being irritated even though it was in the boost field. The boost field turned slightly more tan about a week or so after I finished. I finished everything on January 13. I'm still a little tan in some areas, but more than half of my skin looks normal color again.

I've read that the pectoral muscle gets a bit stiff and sore at three months when it begins to heal. Has anyone else heard of this?

KateB79...you're right about the goji. I was just looking at the bottle this morning and wondering if my RO would approve. I haven't actually started the radiation yet, so I have time to ask. In general, I haven't been taking any supplements and have even been avoiding green tea (my favorite!), at least in significant amounts, because of antioxidants. I sometimes feel that if I avoided everything that I hear I should avoid, I'd be subsisting on lettuce and bananas! Sigh... But thanks for the suggestion!

Hi there - oh wow - how fabulous to know we're not alone in this! Please add me to this group.

I started rads on Jan 18 and have 33 treatments planned (eek!) - good to see there are a few of you on this list in the same boat. Had trouble with the positioning (I have back issues that make laying on that hard table a real struggle), but we seem to have sorted that out (I take Ativan for the port film days). I also am struggling a bit with nerve pain in my arm (left over from my surgery), which the arm holders exacerbate - have been prescribed gabapentin to help with this if I want, but so far I am just toughing it out as I'm trying to keep the meds to a minimum. No significant skin effects as of yet, but I'm at tx 13, which is still reasonably early in the process.

MY TIP: Make sure you take whatever time you need in your mapping session to get into as comfortable a position as possible for you, before they do the CT scan (i.e., wedges under knees, towels under head, different angles / heights for the arm holders, etc.). I didn't really understand until afterwards that I would not be able to alter / adjust ANYTHING about the position during the treatments, even by a smidge, and now I'm stuck.

etnasgrl - I had my first of 8 boosts today and the rad tech told me that the skin under my arm should begin clearing up so that's a good thing.

Welcome Morelandks! We're so glad you found us! Such an incredible group for support and sharing experiences. Thanks for posting and we look forward to hearing more from you soon.

--The Mods

congrats grammy4 on being done. So exciting. Not sure how I will respond when I am done

Congrats on everyone completing the week and hope you can rest up over the weekend

I am saying 29 more to go instead of 6 weeks. It sounds much easier and 5 of them will be boosts

Have a great weekend everyon

Linda, Congratulations on being done! My skin was a mess when I finished, but began healing pretty quickly. I used prescription that RO gave me, aloe and Radiagel that a friend gave me. The week after I finished I was very sore, but not so much from the burn; more like a heaviness in my breast. Also, I was much more tired the week after I stopped. This has been my second week without rads and I feel much better this week and skin is healing nicely. My RO said to keep using aloe, creams, lotions, etc for about a month after, so I have been doing that. I hope you will feel better soon, and shame on your co-worker! Karma' said bitch! Hugs, Patty

I, too, had my x-ray positioning session today. I thought I was scheduled for my first rads ( that's what the scheduler wrote down) but it is actually going to be Monday the 8th. I am having them done at the hospital that I work at, so it will be convenient to just walk down the hall at the end of my work day! It's a no frills room...nothing on the ceiling to look at and no piped in music. The techs seem pleasant enough and that's the important part and it will all be over in 6 1/2 weeks. I hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable weekend

I made it through 32 treatments (twice a day 16 days) and am surviving. Fatigue is settling in along with red itchy skin. I am so glad it is Friday and thankful for a two day break!