Post brachytherapy radiation and surgery effects

Day 3, visit one is done. I am much more tired today, but that could totally be due to the fact that my cough kept me up all night. LOL. 5/10! Half done! HUMP DAY!

Nothing special happened today, but I am trying to think of something I didn't tell you yet. Oh, after treatment is done (which is behind a HUGE THICK door that is electronically controlled for opening and closing) the physicist comes in with this yellow sensor thing. It sort of looks like a mini-vac. It's their 3rd check for loose/rampant radiation I think. The machine checks, there's a box on the wall with a blinking light that checks, and then they wave the mini-vac around.

They also take my blood pressure and heart rate once a day. Rather uneventful.

I had them sign my form for a program called "Cleaning for a Cause" - they try to hook up a cleaning crew with a cancer patient for a cleaning (maybe more than one? A girl can dream...). I hope they can schedule something. I am totally able to clean my house, but it would be real nice to not have to and to use that energy for my family

EDIT TO ADD:

Okay, finished the 2nd treatment of today. Nothing notable, except for them being horribly behind schedule. Ahh, if that's the worst thing to happen in this whole thing.

I took a selfie of the catheter poking out for posterity. The nurse walked in (he's a man) and laughed and asked if I wanted him to take the photo. Turns out my selfie was fine. I asked him if I was the only lady taking boob selfies around here and he said it is pretty common. Anyhow, two more days.

2nd EDIT:

I just remembered my new factoid for the day - I guess my treatments are short not only due to the new "source", but also because my catheter is a mini. They told me the lady after me has a large sized catheter and her treatment is 4x as long (which is still pretty short, but nothing like my 3:45...)

love it pyrrh! Only 6 days until I get my catheter and you my dear are easing my mind so much about this whole bit. I don't know if mine will be the same type but close enough and I'm grateful for the detail of what to expext

Pyrrh and fightingirl, I was told the size of the device was based on the size of the breast and the location of the LX. I don't remember the size of the SAVI device I had but it had 7 channels and seemed big. It ran along the top of my breast from the right side of my right breast to the 2 o'clock position. I didn't have pain but just an uncomfortable feeling while it was in. Pyrrh, I'm sure others will find your day-by-day account of the treatment helpful. I wish I had known as much before my treatment but still very glad I choose brachytherapy. There are other threads on this sight that also provide helpful info about brachytherapy and beyond. I'll come back and cut and paste the links shortly when I'm on a device where I can do that.

Okay, Day 4 is officially history. I had an air bubble again (sigh) but I think the Doctor did her best to be more gentle this time and it didn't hurt AT ALL. She probably didn't like it when I jokingly said that she was no longer my friend as she reached for the gloves. LOL.

I asked about the catheters, and whether the majority of my radiation is going in that center catheter (true) with a very small amount running up and down one of the side catheters. (On my SAVI, there are 6 channels around the edge of the space, and one that goes right smack dab down the middle.)

they told me about removal tomorrow - they will put a lidocaine gel in the hole, and then about 10 minutes later reduce the size of the "whisk" part and pull it out. They will leave it open rather than stitch it closed, so the liquid and junk can drain out. Said I can shower mid-day Saturday and that every time I am in the shower I should massage that part of my breast to encourage the junk to run out while I am in the shower. Sounds gross!

8/10 in the books

almost to the finish line pyrrh! How excited you must be! Thank you again for the day to day.. it is very helpful and like I said I'm much less nervous about my treatment in a few days. The only thing I'm worried about now is the fact that they are closely wat hung ,e for the lymphedema so I cannot get an infection and I know there is a considerable risk of that. I will have to be very careful but I still think 5 days is the way to do if you can do it

Hey Annoyingboob (btw, I giggle everytime I read your screen name here. I find this whole situation on my boob to be super annoying as well)

Energy has mostly been fine. I was most tired on Wednesday, but at this point I am going to blame that on the fact that my cough kept me up a lot of the night. I felt fairly normal today. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

yay pyrrh!!! You did it!!! For sure keep your catheter. I would prolly frame mine but I wouldn't want to look at a constant reminder of tough times. In no time this will all be a faint memory! Maybe have a special box of BC memorabilia and put it there? Maybe get the techs and ro to sign it too!!!

Congratulations! Super proud of you and thank you for walking us through your days!!!

ONE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wahoo Pyrrh! Thanks for being our radiation warrior! Why not keep the device...kinda cool, I think! Enjoy your nap and next Thursday I will start accounting for how mine goes because I think mine device is different...not SAVI. Plus I think normally people don't get as lucky as you to have it done in 5 days. Mine will span 10 days so I will do my best to document for others as you did!

I am **all done**!!!!!

No air pockets, fast treatment (yay for minis and new sources) then I went in my normal "get bandaged up" room. The nurse put lidocaine gel in the hole using a syringe and a very very tiny rubber "not a needle" (it was flexible) then I waited about 10 minutes. The doctor came in, we chatted for about 30 seconds, he collapsed the catheter and just pulled it out lickity split. Didn't even sort of kind of hurt. Just a pulling sensation.

Some of that seroma fluid came out (which is normal) and when that stopped they put neosporin on it and a pile of bandages. I get to use the tube top for one more night to hold bandages (it was that or use tape). Said it would probably close up in 3-4 days, and I can shower tomorrow. Massaging it in the shower will allow the goop to run out which is a good thing.

They also gave me my SAVI SISTERS pin.

I did ask for it, and they cleaned it off real good then put it in a biohazard bag. The mini is so much smaller than the example ones they showed me! It's way tinier than I thought it would be.

Now I just get to wait for the repeat Oncotype test, and hope that it also comes back super extra low (the first one scored a 2, but the MO doesn't believe it... LOL)

Good luck with your rads next week Fightingirl - can't wait to hear about how it goes with your system. I am sure it will go great! <hugs>

yay!!! Celebrating with you!!! That shower is going to be amazing! Glad you got a couple souvenirs to remember this battle! Thank you for sharing and I will definitely document my journey as well! ❤❤

Pyrrh - What a trooper! Thank you so much for the play-by-pIay...it really helps to know what I might be looking forward to. I ended up calling my MO and asking for a referral to an RO that does brachytherapy. I should have it tomorrow and be able to make an appt. Good thoughts are greatly appreciated! I am really hoping this works out! A shorter treatment plan would be heavenly! I wouldn't have the hair washing issues that you did :-) My hair is just starting to grow though and I am tickled pink about that!

Pyrrh, glad you're doing good, but sorry for the seroma. I had a seroma after the lymph node biopsy which bothered me for 3 weeks but finally started healing within two days of starting the brachytherapy!! I didn't get a SAVI sisters pin--they look cool!!

Fightingirl, best wishes as you start the procedure this week. Keep us updated. To kroop, beachbaby, and anyone else looking at brachytherapy, good thoughts for you all. I hope you qualify and have great results. I have always been glad I choose this route. I think more would choose the brachytherapy option if it were offered in their breast centers.

Fightingirl. You rock! Good attitude. It will go a long way to make it the best it can be. I found some large cleaning wipes used for bedbound patients and used those to feel more refreshed without showers, but also cheated a little by leaving on my top and using a handheld shower very carefully on my nether regions! I've heard of someone who used a beautician's cape too and a handheld shower. Just don't get the area wet. All the best this week.

Dotter95, sounds like we are having the same...I do believe mine is the interstitial as well. You will finish before me...lucky girl! I get mine catheter tomorrow but won't begin rads until Thursday so I will go over the weekend and get it out next Wednesday afternoon after 10 rounds! Best of luck to you today...I will be anxious to hear how it goes for you!

Well, brachytherapy surgery day went well. There aren't many women who choose brachytherapy here, so I was very well treated with lots of attention - a bit of an anomaly I guess! The only glitch is that I couldn't get started on the radiation today for some reason, so treatments go until late Friday aftrnoon ( and I was wrong - only 8 treatments, not 9). Anyway, breast is feeling swollen a bit and not too happy, but the pain meds (tylenol3) are doing the trick. I think the hard part is past - I am feeling great about choosing this route. I just have a dressing held in place by a stretchy tank top as my skin does not deal well with tape.

The surgery lasted about 2 hours, then I had a CT to make sure the tubes were all in the right location. I have 11 tubes in 3 rows. The physicists were making the treatment plan this afternoon, so the RO said that if any of the tubes were not really necessary, they would be removed tomorrow.

They did a simulation of the radiation treatment. When the radiation is done, little "hoses" are connected to each of the tubes in my breast. They screw on - it's like I am a human meccano set! (This dates me btw) and it wasn't painful at all. Apparently the radioactive seeds are almost at the end of their useable life ( being replaced next week) so my treatments will be a long time comparatively - about 20 minutes (5 min or so for fresh ones). Oh well, I'll sing to myself or something!

I asked my RO why the SAVI device was not used, and he said it was not available in Canada as it has not received approval from Health Canada. Interesting