December 2017 Radiation Group

Cindy, so good to hear from you. I recommend adding calendula cream, any brand, which you can get from Amazon or in most drug stores that carry "natural" products. Miaderm, which has calendula and aloe, is something I've used as well. I did the accelerated course and am only now (five days from my final treatment) getting a tiny bit of an itchy rash. I'm using a cortizone cream for that.

I FINISHED TODAY!!!! I had a double treatment yesterday (that was exhausting) so I could finish up today. After today's treatment, the technicians presented me with a diploma haha and we all gave hugs. I got in my car and just started crying. I can't believe it's finally over. I also can't believe how I'm such an emotional mess right now. Crying with happiness of course. All the stress over the last few months and not knowing what's going to happen. I got this. I kicked cancer's butt and I got this now .... we all got this!!!!! We are all warriors. I pray for each and every one of you and I thank you all for sharing your stories, sharing your emotions and encouraging one another. 

I'll be visiting my MO the first week of January to find out which medication they'll be recommending for me. But I'm not going to stress about it. I'll see what happens and deal with it when/if I have to. I also signed up at the hospital's survivorship center for a 6-month long "Nutrition for Weight loss" program they are offering to cancer survivors. I'm actually really excited about that. I already told my husband he better be prepared to eat healthy!!! I feel like this has been a wake up call and I need to take better care of myself. I think I need to go and buy a superwoman shirt today I'm feeling so powerful right now haha!!!!

Thanks for listening ladies. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and holiday with no SEs or worries. Hugs to all

Ellyn- congestion!!! You got it all done .... woot woot!!!

Merry Christmas to you and everyone!

Going for my 12/30 and praying to God for my skin and Le.

Thanks ladies!!! I'm feeling pretty powerful right now haha

Georgia1, that tshirt idea was mine haha!! They told me I won't get Tamoxifin because I'm post menopausal, so we'll see what they recommend.  

Hi CindyNY, my Oncotype was 22, my Oncologist said that chemo would only give me a 4% benefit and said it wasn’t worth the SE‘s both short and long term. I’m on Tamoxifen now and she wants me on them for 10 years. I’d have been even happier with a score of 19!

Just finished my final 20th microwaving today, went with my kids and husband, got a huge celebration hug from my 10 years old when I came out 😊 love him! I too felt a little emotional, I cried to my mum when I got home...feeling a little vulnerable and ‘on my own’ (medically) apparently this is a normal feeling??

Got my first blister today too, let’s hope it’s only one and it stays small!

Huge well done to all you brave wonder women who have finished, and huge big supportive wishes to those who have a few more to go. All the best for the festive period and here’s to a healthier 2018, 2017 can clear off!!

Xxx

Ellyn congrats that is amazing, i am sure i will cry up a storm when im done as well. You are so right we are all warriors & i pray for good health for all of us.

Jellybean - thank you so much for the motivation & i could not agree with you anymore, we are definitely strong. Im glad you finished & had your loved ones around to celebrate.

Redhead - hope you get to relax this weekend & your SE are not that bad. You are almost at the finish line yay!

Paulette & Amy - i counted the zaps today & i believe it was around 18, i may be getting more zaps as i am also getting under my arm. I hope both of you ladies are doing okay & your skin is holding out & the SE are minimal. Paulette i hope your LE does not get worse, i don't have LE & to be honest so do not wish to end up getting it but one never knows but i am trying to do as much as i can to not get it.

Happy holiday ladies & not sure about you ladies that are still doing rads but i shall be getting a 4 day break here in Canada which i think will be good for my skin. Happy long weekend of non zapping ladies & wishing you all happy holidays filled with wonderful blessings & for those that have finished wishing you a wonderful start to the new year. Like one of my very good warrior friends said its like being reborn

congrats Ellyn! Woo hoo

Treatment 9 today

I am not sure how to count the zaps? I just hear a continuous sound that lasts like 20 seconds on each side.

No real visible side effects , but I don't feel good at all, just feel really strange and out of it. Does that make any sense? I am going to tell the Dr when I see her on Tues. I have 2 short weeks coming up with the holidays which stretches this out a bit longer .

cindyny, I posted on the other board but I am happy things are falling into place for you

OCDAmy that sounds similar to how my machine works

I started radiation on the 18th. Scheduled for 16 whole breast and 4 boost sessions. I've literally had four sessions and it already hurts. It hurts to move my arm and the pain kind of rolls along the shoulder and to the triceps. I'm not sure if this is from the radiation or the position of my arms while it's being administered. The nurses/therapists said it might be from swelling and my husband did say it looked swollen, but I can't tell. Does anyone else have this? Glad to have an extra day of rest this week.

Thanks for the response! I am seeing a PT once a week. She's given me some exercises, so I'm trying to do those daily, but sometimes it's hard to fit them in. Maybe I need to spread them out through the day so they provide more relief? I see her Wednesday so I will ask then.

Georgia1 - I think your friends are going to love those mugs!!!

Lifechoices - I know what you mean about using the same lockers, etc. I always used locker #5 and dressing room #1 and I'd almost be mad when they weren't available!!!! Funny how we get that way.

I agree with what someone above said about us getting "microwaved". I even mentioned it to my techs and they agreed. Microwaves cook food from the inside out, so our insides probably are getting hit first and that's why the delay in redness. Just remember it's hitting not just the bad cells, but the good cells too. So it's VERY important to eat protein rich foods to build up those good cells so they can go into battle. Eat healthy overall. This is the hardest thing right now with the holidays coming up. Thanks so much ladies for all the nice comments. Finishing up my RADs was so emotional for me and I cried for quite a while. I told my friend I need to get a superwoman shirt or one that said "I'm a badass". Not sure I'd wear them in public - maybe to bed haha!!!

Paulette, I'm sorry you're feeling tired today and hope the break will restore your strength and appetite.

Lifechoices, Hooray for hitting the home stretch! The holidays messed up me getting started on RADS, but I'm sure it is just as frustrating to be delayed in the middle or end of treatment like many out there. Stay strong and have a blessed Christmas.

Ellyn, thanks for the nutritional reminders. I have read it and read it but need to keep hearing the same message so I can stay on track and help my body heal to the best of its ability. Keep it up, ladies!

Dubbs, I'll be praying that the break decreases your SE's substantially and you are ready to go again next week! Maybe it will be easier to do your stretches throughout the day once Christmas is over and things calm down a bit! Last night the only stretches I did were reaching for the wrapping paper and tape!!

Hi everyone. I've completed 28/30, so only two more scar boosts to go. I've had notable fatigue since the second week. My skin is very itchy now. I use Miaderm with lidocaine. I used Aquaphor once but I didn't help and in fact made me more uncomfortable so I probably won't use it again. Rads has been tougher than I hoped.. but surgery and chemo were easier than I feared, so you never know. Hormone therapy has been its own journey too. But I'm really looking forward to turning the page on this year.

If anyone is interested here is a link for guided meditation for radiation from Kaiser Permanente Healthy Journeys:
https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health/care/!ut/p/a0/FchBDoMgEADAt_iAzYZEYfFmhH6hhdsGiZIIGELt99seZ9DjC33hO-3cUy18_uxCLD22md9bqnCnLVZ8okd_Nd4zoysVAocj_o9bT-GM6IzVap2MBamlBCGsgEWPBohoUkKp8UErXjnTZxmGL2IKPpI!/

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Omg...thats a cutie baby! That face alone is enough to brighten your day.

Emmy; I've only used miaderm and aquaphor and they did great on my skin. But in seeing the posts, I think it depends on the person.

Dubs22, I didn't have pain but laying in the prone position I felt my right arm/shoulder was sore the first week or so. I guess just having to stretch and hold in that position.

The buzzes...lol... I've been trying to count my boost buzz because they are diff than my whole breast. I still feel the machine rotate over my back, but I can tell that it stops in a diff position because of the area targeted.

I have 2last sessions Tues/Wed and on to Tamoxifen...let the games begin!

I'm not sure how I'll feel not having to be on a rads schedule after having done this for weeks. I will try to get more exercise in because my YMCA schedule has become nonexistent...oh, did I mention I was also working there PT... not sure when I'll go back to that...i think I just need a mind and body break.

My nephew surprised me today with my car window decal; I love it!

For those of you still in rads, stay strong and encouraged. And on those days when emotions are high; we're here! We share, we cry, and we uplift! The end of zaps is near and YOU GOT THIS!

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas!