December 2017 Radiation Group

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  • PVM
    PVM Member Posts: 136
    edited January 2018

    Happy Monday ladies hope you all had great weekend & to to those still getting rads had some rest on your skin :) Well Paulette & Rhyfelwr i have been super careful since diagnosis last year & stayed away from anyone sick & so forth but i think its finally catching up with me too. My dad was sick with a cold & i think even though i was super careful, washing my hands & anti bacterial & so forth it caught up with me. I am now drinking Cold 911 from David's tea to try & stop it before it because a cold & lots of vitamin C. This weather does not help either one day its nice the next day we are in extreme cold weather warning, darn mother nature she cannot seem to make up her mind lol At least on a positive my skin is healing & my bff is thinking we should do a girls trip this weekend somewhere warm & tropical & i am super scared about flying, esp with having lymph nodes removed but as lifechoices pointed out i should not be scared of living :) hope i don't end up sick though as this would cancel plans uggg. Have a great day & week ladies & be good to yourself.

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited January 2018

    Where could you find warm weather now? PVM, perhaps Hawaii? I am drink lemon tea with honey, it is a little cloudy but it’s around 50 so it isn’t too bad here. Could be my allergy is acting up because trees are starting to bloom, every year around this time my allergy will kick up.

    Rest up, and wear your mask ....


  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2018

    Happy Monday Ladies. I thought I had escaped the curse of the machine breaking, but noo-- right before I get ready to head out I get a call. :-/ So another day added. PMV- sorry to hear you are under the weather and you are right about the weather. Who can stay well with the back and forth. Paulette- you and I are both suffering with allergies and its not helping that a at night my body is hot, but my head is cold. Ughhh! Hope all have a better day tomorrow and healing that skin.

    image

  • DownNotOut
    DownNotOut Member Posts: 99
    edited January 2018

    Another idea if any of us have to go to the doctor's office and do not want to wait with other potentially sick people: Go inside, sign in (using your own clean pen), and give the receptionist your cell phone number to give to the nurse. Then go wait in your car. When it is your turn to go back, ask them to call or text you and you can walk right into the exam room. This only works if you don't have to park far away, but for many doctor's offices, it is useful and the staff will be understanding. I used to do it when my kids were little because I thought the waiting room and toys were so nasty!

    Of course, I work in a hospital, so I'm pretty passionate about hand washing. I'm praying a lot during this terrible flu and RSV season since I cannot avoid going to work!

  • Rhyfelwr
    Rhyfelwr Member Posts: 88
    edited January 2018

    Yes, girl! Mask up in the doctor's office! That is just plain smart. Take care of yourself!

  • lifechoices2017
    lifechoices2017 Member Posts: 242
    edited January 2018

    GOOOD MORNINGGGGGG WARRIORS!!!!!

    Image result for motivational quotes for someone who has cancer

  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2018

    Hello There! Beautiful picture Lifechoices. Machine working....16/33 RADS completed, so today was a good day. Yay Me!

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited January 2018

    Neanie ..... about half way .... 🙌🙌🙌🙌 we are waiting for you at the finish line!

    Lifechoices I love the picture! I was with my bone density CT tech today and she is another survivor. We were talking how we count our blessings each morning when we wake up. Thanks God that we can breathe without a machine, we can walk without a walker and we can taste food so we have appetite. Once you count this blessings you know life is good and God is looking after you.

    Down, I sat outside doctor office hallway yesterday I just can’t take a chance with all the sick people. I’m going to Quest lab in couple day, will wear my mask 😷.


  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 192
    edited January 2018

    well it seems I wrote a long post and it disappeared so I’ll try again.

    It’s been one week since I had a medical appt for BC, one week since my breast has been exposed or fondled by strangers , and these are small victories my friends! 😂 my skin looks great, like a light tan on the whole breast area and slight pink remains on boost area.

    I have an appt with nutritionist on 1/12 and have a list of questions I have been compiling , let me know if you have any you’d like me to add. I see my MO the sam day. Assuming I will get rx for tamox and possibly other screenings necessary before I begin taking it.

    Paulette , good news on the scan!

    Good luck all of you still receiving zaps. You are one day closer to his being a memory.


  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2018

    Paulette- I'm trying to run to that finish line. Lol. For those of you that are finished, please help me understand why I'm having anxiety over finishing. I'm mentioned to my sister today that my last treatment would be Feb 26th is all goes well.. And suddenly I had the thought of.. I'll be done.. Now what?? 😏

  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 192
    edited January 2018

    Neanie44, that is normal, from diagnosis we are thrown into next step after next step, then you get done with the last step and you're like...now what? i think I called it ptsd last week when I posted, you've been through a lot and you need to look back and process it all and figure out how to move forward.

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited January 2018

    Neanie , I still can’t get used to I’m finished with all my treatments, I feel like there is more bad news are waiting for me. I’m going to see my MO next Thursday for some strange reason I am getting kind of worry. I still have my port I worry he has me kept the port for some reason. That could tell you I’m not moving forward yet.

    Gigibee, since you’re ER+ can you ask your nutritionist should we eat soy? Such as soy milk? Also many people talked about supplement Turmeric, can we take it?

    I’m more than a week post radiation, yesterday I was full of energy , today I’m kind of tired. Woke up from an hour nap and I’m still tired. Skin is getting better, breast turned tan and the red spots peeled and couple more red spots starting to peel. Once it finished peeling new skin appears. Things are looking good.


  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 192
    edited February 2018

    Paulette , I have both of those questions down, so I’ll let you know what she says

  • DownNotOut
    DownNotOut Member Posts: 99
    edited February 2018

    Gigibee, I am wondering about soybean oil. It is in almost every bottled salad dressing and so many foods. Sometimes I read I should be eating tofu (really, now!) and drinking soy milk (like Paulette is wondering about), but soy supplements and some other things are OUT for sure according to my GYN. I agree that clarification on both the soy thing and Tumeric would be helpful. And thanks!

    Neanie, the more I read the more I learn that your feelings of "what now" are normal and nothing to fear. Just because we have been kind of traumatized with BC doesn't mean that good things are not right around the corner, but it's OK to take some time and process your stressful last 7 months, like Gigibee says. You know we're with you every step of the way!

  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Member Posts: 73
    edited February 2018

    Thank you Ladies. And I thought I was in good spirits today, but guess not. I didn't wait for MO to schedule for my port to be removed and my BS asked if I was sure before he did the procedure. I wanted to slap him, but since then I've heard that it's not that uncommon for it to stay in for a year. Some Drs think it's a just in case, but we are some strong women and will not feed into that.

    Have a restful night.

  • Rhyfelwr
    Rhyfelwr Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2018

    Neanie, I can totally relate to feeling really ambivalent about being done with active treatment. I have had more time dealing with processing the experience since rads has been done than I did when I was during the middle of treatment. For me, the holidays came on right quick after I finished rads. It wasn't really until January started that I could think about what had happened. But I also began to realize just how tired I was, so resting has become my new favorite cancer-fighting hobby. Napping and exercising both feel like good things to do. As others have said, I think the loss of concrete goals imposed by others can make you feel a little lost.

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited February 2018

    Rhyfelwr, I napped for an hour then I woke I felt I wanted more, my pattern is one day I have plenty of energy then I used it up, next day I’m tired.

    Neanie, so glad you mentioned about port might stay over a year, I am going to ask next week about my port, I have a funny feeling MO might want me to keep my port.

    Have a good restful night.



  • Rhyfelwr
    Rhyfelwr Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2018

    Paulette, I am on an every-other-day schedule, myself! I teach school on MWF, so those are the days that use me up. I end up sleeping a lot more on Tuesday, Thursday, and on the weekend afternoons. By the time I get basic household chores done, I don't feel as if I have made much progress living life. I suppose I need to close my laptop and get out there and do something.....

  • OCDAmy
    OCDAmy Member Posts: 873
    edited February 2018

    I work full time and then some. The last two nights I took a long bath at 8:00 and went to bed right after. My husband keeps asking me if I am ok. I hope so, sounds like I am not the only one.

  • CindyNY
    CindyNY Member Posts: 1,022
    edited February 2018

    Observation- those of you noting that you're tired, all had chemo. Correlation?

    I had no chemo, rads are 2 weeks behind me, not tired. Working out 4-5x a week, but retired, not working a job.


  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Member Posts: 73
    edited February 2018

    CindyNY - I don't think there is a correlation, because about 1 month after chemo, I started to get my energy back and have been doing very well until this week. Thought it may have been because I was just going to sleep later, but no, I wake up feeling like I could go back to sleep. PauletteK - you may want to ask MO why he would want to keep the port in. If it would make you feel better to have it removed, ask him if that would be okay. When I made my appointment and the day I had it removed, I felt like I was taking control over my life again. It was a small celebration, but a victory non the less, so ask and make the best decision for YOU. I figure if the cancer returns, I will cross that bridge then and have it put back in. When my BS took it out, he asked if I wanted to see it and me - usually being a whimp - would have said no, but I wanted to BYE BYE to that portion of this life event. Off to be zapped again - will check in later.

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited February 2018

    Neanie.... you didn’t take a picture of the port? Just kidding .... 🤭🤭🤭 I will ask him next week since I had ultrasound on my kidney, perhaps he wants to wait for my mammogram or breast MRI done.

    Amy and Rhyfelwr and Cindy, I got my energy back before radiation, I was able to do without nap. Radiation did give me fatigue, as I said before I had plenty of energy I’m the morning did my walk, after radiation I felt tired and passed out for a nap. Now there are days I feel fine, but nap helps. I drunk some ginseng during the last few weeks of radiation it helped also.

    I’ve been going back to the office for lunch this week and last week. I might go back to work Part time after couple weeks. Want to see what my MO is going to say plus see my report also.

    I’m so glad everyone seemed to be getting back to normal life.


  • Ellyn27
    Ellyn27 Member Posts: 147
    edited February 2018

    Hi Ladies - Thought I'd check in and see how everyone is doing. Been reading all your posts. Gigibee, I got such a kick out of your comment that it's been a week since some stranger fondled your breast LOL!!! Those kind of comments make my day. This week I had my first followup appt with my RO since completing my RADs. They gave me this packet that contained next steps, things to watch for, a chart showing what I all had done since first being diagnosed. I need to see her again in 6 months for another followup and then she said that would be it, I wouldn't have to see her any more since all the other drs. will be seeing me.

    Been taking Anastrazole for just under a month now. SEs include: warm flashes once in a while (not too bad), headache (once in a while) and not being able to fall asleep and stay asleep. The sleep is the worst thing. Some days I have all this energy and other days I have none. I meet with my MO in about 2 1/2 weeks and will discuss all this with her. Before meeting with the MO I'm to go for some bloodwork. They said they'd be checking my liver and something called "markers". I've been exercising ALOT and trying to eat healthy. I lost 5 pounds and am thrilled because I was paranoid I'd gain weight from the meds.

    Stay strong ladies. My flask bracelet will be making it's debut this Sunday for the Superbowl. Can't wait to try it out :) It's freezing cold by me and it's supposed to snow all weekend. But the sun is out right now and I'm loving it!!


  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 192
    edited February 2018

    Ellyn rock that bracelet at the party. I am glad I made you laugh, if really find it important to find humor in this situation, or any situation for that matter.

    Glad your SE's aren't too bad, the sleep part stinks. I am struggling with waking in the night and not getting back to sleep for hours. I am not on an rx yet so I am hoping it doesn't get worse. For some reason rads seemed to give me insomnia and not fatigue...

  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited February 2018

    Gigibee have you try melatonin? I take it when I can’t sleep and it works well for me. For me I can’t take any coffee caffeine keeps me awake.

    Ellyn you need to show your bracket at super bowl. Sleep is so important, I heard many ladies got sleeping problem. One of my friend told me she has to take her pill in the morning, or else she can’t sleep. Will suggested melatonin also if you haven’t tried.

  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 192
    edited February 2018

    Paulette I just purchased some melatonin, going to give it a try

  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited February 2018

    Oh Ellyn, your weekend plans sound more fun than mine! I bet everyone is going to want that bracelet.

  • Ellyn27
    Ellyn27 Member Posts: 147
    edited February 2018

    Tell me about melatonin for sleep. What exactly is it (vitamin, supplement, etc)? How does it work? How much do you take? Do you take every day? Is it OTC? I'm going to put this on my list of things to ask my MO when I see her. Thanks everyone!!

    HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. We're supposed to get ALOT of snow. 

  • lifechoices2017
    lifechoices2017 Member Posts: 242
    edited February 2018

    Happy Saturday WARRIORS!

    So im watching one of my Friday night reality shows; and one of the ladies has the 'bracelet'

    image

  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited February 2018

    HA ha ha! Love that!

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