Starting Radiation October 2017

Congrats Dodgersgirl! So very happy for you...!!!

My last rad is Monday! It will be so nice to go home for longer than the weekend.

I, too, have had the bolus every other treatment...I haven't had any terrible issues, peeling underneath, itching, really red and tender in the armpit area now...I expect it to peel, too.

I think back to February when I was dx'd and my biggest fear was chemo, as far as treatments...I know many of us had no clue what lay in store...what a crazy ride, yet, we rode it out. Life is so precious. So fleeting. I have so much to be grateful for and this year has shined a light on the beauty of it all...even in sorrow, there is beauty.

Love to all! Hang in there and 'hustle kindness'!

rea@DodgersGirl: Sorry it's taken me so long to get back here to say CONGRATS for being done and here's to some FAST healing! Your attitude in this post particularly is the same way I feel:

I have to say the last few days have had me teetering on some kind of anxiety that hopefully will stay away. My mom suffered from depression throughout her cancer years and I am hoping to not go through what she went through because it was so difficult to watch. Like many of you here, it's definitely strange to seem somewhat done with the every day appointments right now, though I still have plenty on the horizon. This week I saw my oncologist Tuesday, RO Wednesday (who is leaving the practice and going out of state...very sad but happy for her new opportunity), and breast surgeon yesterday. I also met with another person at the hospital yesterday doing a study on people going through clinical studies and we had a nice chat, but it had some emotional moments as I told my story to her. She was very sweet though. My surgeon didn't feel a need to do too much poking around my breast since it still looks a bit "angry" but she said it was expected based on my treatment and she felt it was fine. It's weird that I have treatment from so many different doctors but so far they all seem to be good about providing reports to each other so when I see one of them, despite being associated with different hospital systems and practices, the others seem to have updates. The only downside is that I can't view all of my records online at one place because there are 3 different online medical records systems to view.

I'm going to try to find the new thread DodgersGirl so we can all keep track of each other. That sounds great!

For those still going through treatment, hang in there. It really does get better and quickly. Even though I still have a pretty extensive morning routine of many lotions and oils to keep my skin going in the right direction, it really hasn't taken that long for me to be so much better despite some severe pain at one point. I'm even planning to hit the tennis courts Sunday morning!

Congratulations Dodgers Girl!!!!!

Congrats to all of you! Now What? Your daily routine has come to a screeching halt, just like that. Now you will have time to let it all sink in. " Did I really just do all that". Some of you will start going through some ptsd. It is very common. Take the time to grieve the loss of breast. Take this time to look after yourself mentally & physically. Your swelling will not go down for about 6 months. You will also get some sharp pains (zingers), this is nerves healing. For those of you taking a trip to somewhere sunny, use high spf or sunblock, stay in shade. I took my vaca 1 yr out, stayed in shade, used high spf but ended up with very rare condition called RRD (radiation Recall dermatitis). Because of this I now have to wear 100% uv blocking clothing when I'm outside in the sun, Always long clothing. Along with sunblock. Don't be afraid to ask for help as your emotions take over. Good luck to all of you, you did a great job.

Dodgers girl - I'm doing well. Didn't have any major issues from radiation. My energy and strength from the whole ordeal gets better all the time. Not feeling normal, but getting closer. Hope you have a speedy recovery!

thanks ladies. RRD is EXTREMELY rare. It can even appear many years down the road. Most Drs know of it but have never seen it. I had to have a punch biopsy done to confirm that it was not IBC. That's a story in itself. My lumpectomy scar & all around my areola is bright red. The warmer my body the brighter it gets. On a hot day if I don't stay cool it gets to a point where sharp pain starts. Then I know I have to cool it down. It sucks as I love Mexico & being in the sun. Having to always be covered sucks in hot weather. I thought I did everything right when I was on holidays, but the luck of the cards was not with me. Take care Fran

Thanks for your message 70charger! My RO actually gave me a similar talk on my last day of rads (which was the end of my active treatment). She told me to give myself the next month or two to let what I just went through sink in. To be okay with some of the emotions I may experience, and to be easy on myself when I still have days that are hard from side effects that may still show up (like fatigue).

I have started hiking again and I slather on the high SPF sunscreen. I had major hives due to an allergic reaction to my first chemo cocktail, and am still sensitive in heat and the sun, so take serious precautions. I wear long sleeve sun shirts while hiking and long pants. I love the sun shirts, I actually stay cool, even on a warmer day, because they stop the rays from hitting my skin and are nice and breathable. I highly recommend them to anyone being active outdoors!

I'm now three weeks out from my final radiation, and the skin is looking very good, almost back to normal color, and it feels like new baby skin (seriously smooth). I went flat after my mastectomy, and the scars are healing well. The radiation side actually looks a little better than the non radiated side now (closer to skin color). I didn't expect that! I still find myself getting tired some days. Last week I had a very full week, and by Friday I crashed. I hiked yesterday and came back and promptly took a one hour nap. Took another nap today. But, besides that, I'm feeling quite good. Thankfully!

I hope all of you are doing well and that SE's are minimal.

-LoJo

this is where I get my tops from http://www.sunprecautions.com/shop

Dodgersgirl--Sorry you have to deal with skin issues☹️

Your attitude has always been so positive despite setbacks! And just think of the memories you've sharing with your DH

Dodgersgirl... very powerful words and I couldn't agree with you more. Love the idea of the angel's wings necklace. I have encountered several angels on my journey and it would belovely gesture to bestow upon them!