Radiation appt tomorrow help please

Hi Mquara -

I had my chemo before surgery, so the timing is going to be a bit different for me. My radiologist said I needed to wait 4 weeks post surgery to start treatment, but the planning stuff could happen ahead of time.

I had 2 consultations with the radiologist. The first was prior to surgery to introduce and let me check them out. She went over the basic processes, risks, side effects, etc, but said that until surgery and final pathology, she couldn't say for sure what the treatment plan would be.

After my surgery finished up, I set up the "let's get started" appointment which I had today. We went over the same stuff as above, I got a chance to ask about what they would be radiating (axillary nodes? supraclavicale nodes? internal mammary nodes?). She said she wasn't going to do the internal mammary nodes and she drew a picture to explain why not and how it would cause too much exposure to my heart. I also got a referral to a lymphedema therapist to get some baseline measurements and a sleeve, etc.

Then they did the planning stuff which consisted of getting a set of CT scans while lying on the table in the position I will be in for the treatments. I will be lying face up, hands raised over my head, fingers interlocking. For the planning, I had on a gown, but disrobed both sides (I kept my pants, shoes, socks on). They marked up my skin with markers and put stickers in various places. The asked me to change the position of my head a bit. Then then did the CT scans. After that, they removed the stickers, but put on some other 'long term' stickers that will last until the first treatment at which time I'll get the tattoo markings. I can shower and clean normally with the stickers, but I been told not to 'scrub' them. The also took photographs of the sticker markers in case any of them come off. This planning session took about 20 minutes?? I will be starting treatment in just over a week.

No MRIs were needed

I just had my radiation mapping yesterday; my lumpectomy was on March 31. You need to heal before starting treatments (and of course we had to wait a week for insurance authorization). The mapping was very easy. The techs explained everything they did; got me positioned the way they wanted on the table - put some wires on me to mark the radiation field. Even put a BB on my nipple because otherwise it doesn't show up in the scan. The RO came in to check the setup before they did the CT scan. Because the machine is open, it's much easier than an MRI (and only occasional whirring noises as opposed to machine gun-like clanging). When the CT scan was done, they tattooed me in three places, then put stickers over the tattoos and marked them with an "X" because they're so tiny.

One of the techs had to help me move my right arm (the surgery side) as it went numb in the overhead position. But the treatments aren't as long as the mapping so I don't expect that to happen again.

The lead tech showed me my scan and pointed out my surgery site (and the edema that's still there), the wires (which they removed after the scan), my nipple. Then she took me into the treatment room as no patient was in there. I got to see the control room (looks like something out of NASA) and the radiation machine.

In about a week, they'll call me in for a simulation to check the plan. I should start treatments (33) the next day.

Other than my arms being a little uncomfortable and the tiny prick of the tattoos, it was painless and easy.

Best of luck to you!

MJ

I did my 25 rads 7+ yrs ago. The Rad Dr insisted on a new MRI with Contrast so that was done the day of my last Taxol, just before infusion. I saw Dr the next Mon and had a CT (no contrast), tattoos and simulation. That Wed, I went in for first rad. So for me, it was 1 week after last Taxol. I did not do any boosts.

"Mold"?

For me, what I found the most 'shocking' (for lack of a better word) was how big the Rad Room was and that the entrance was a big open area (probably 8' tall x 12' wide) for a 'door' - there was nothing covering it at all. They had some very nice 'plants' (artificial of course) around the room below the ceiling. I don't know the exact width of the room but it was probably 40'ish in diameter. Yes - diameter - it was round. I was told that the round shape was why a door was not necessary.

The 4 'tats' I got were about the size of a small freckle bbut blue. (Not visible at all while 'dresses'. OR in a swimsuit.)

The Facility I went to had a lot of lockers in the changing room and WD were each assigned a personal locker and given the key for it so your personal effects were secure while you were doing rads. They also supplied very nice/comfy terry cloth robes for you to change into. Had totally enclosed showers, if you chose to use them after rads.

Oh - if you are 'uncomfortable' on the table - ask for 'padding'. Because of my osteoarthritis, when laying flat on my back on 'something' I have to have a towel rolled and put under my neck. As my LE had already developed when I did rads, they insisted on doing more padding. Don't be afraid to tell them to accommodate YOU!

Won't be long now til you get to ring the bell!

Yes, my facility used the mold. LIke Hopeful said, they have you lay in the position you'll be in every time you get rads, then they mold this bean bag like thing around you. It sets into the shape you've made in it, then they keep everyone's molds hanging on a rack in the rads room. When you come in for your rads (at least in my case), they have your mold on the table with a sheet over it and you lay in "your" mold. Makes holding your arms in position very easy because you can't move around.

Also, my facility used the sharpie and stickers. The stickers are VERY sticky and when I finished treatments, they were kind of hard to get off. I ended up using makeup remover on them, but it took some time to get all of the stickiness off.

I kept using the Mometasone cream for a couple of weeks after I finished my treatments and my skin is doing great. I can't even feel the lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy scars with the hand anymore.

I finished my rads on April 21st and definitely don't mind not having to drive to the facility everyday. I do kind of miss "my rads team" and the people I met in the waiting room while going there. I brought brownies on my last treatment day for all of the radiation techs who were always so nice. I just set up my 6 week follow up apt with my RO and hope to see some of the techs while I'm there. :-)