January 2018 RADS group

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  • Chips530
    Chips530 Member Posts: 35
    edited February 2018

    Been trying to "reward" myself while going through the radiation with little things I need(or don't need but want) such as fancy box of chocolate candy,etc. Today I just got home from having a body perm & I feel 10 years younger.Good for the self-esteem.Went into the beautyshop feeling, old ,tired,& scragley.Came out with a new attitude, refreshed & ready to fight this awful disease.Tomorrow is my half-way mark of my rads. You ladies were right(as usual) the time does go by fast.

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  • Tpralph
    Tpralph Member Posts: 487
    edited February 2018

    # 14/25. Skin still holding, slightly pink. scar under arm a bit sore and tight. having to stretch it  out.  Thinking of a nice gift(s) for the five staff who work my machine. Any ideas?

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  • HersheyKiss
    HersheyKiss Member Posts: 550
    edited February 2018

    Tpralph, I've also been wondering about what to give as gifts to my techs and nurse. There is a Starbucks in the building, so I was thinking of buying some gift cards from there and tucking them into potted plants (maybe bamboo). The techs receive A LOT of cookies and brownies from patients, so I'd like to give them something other than sweets.


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2018

    Tpralph, Day 14 for me, too. Slightly pink and so far so good. Keep it up! I was just thinking of donuts for them at the end of all this or having a cake made like I did the chemo nurses.

    HersheyKiss, Great idea!!

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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited February 2018

    HersheyKiss, great idea! There's a Starbucks in our hospital lobby and that would be a great gift... better than endless food. (I think I'll do a card for the 5 techs and the assistant who does my workup each week before I see the doctor.) I also like the idea of tucking it in a plant ... or maybe a small gift bag with a chocolate assortment (kisses or similar). Hmm .... I'm halfway through as of tomorrow, so I still have lots of time to think!

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

    Smwusaf, congratulations!! Woot Woot!! How's your skin doing?

    Towards, I found it is not easy on the last week, however skin heal fast, the burning and itch will last few days, once skin starts peeling it will get better. You saw how burned my skin was last week, now it's all calm down.

    Skookum, time will goes by fast, you will be finish soon,

    Tpralph, I got them a cake on my last day. Gift card sounds good also, I didn’t do it because there was few people on the front who I always talk to so I ended up got them a good cake and they all loved it.



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  • OCDAmy
    OCDAmy Member Posts: 873
    edited February 2018

    I brought a dozen donuts my last morning and when I left everyone was eating them including the gal at the front desk who thanked me for the treats.

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  • DownNotOut
    DownNotOut Member Posts: 99
    edited February 2018

    Ta Da! I have now completed #1/20!! I was almost laughing with joy on the short drive from work to the Cancer Center this afternoon. They were very nice and respectful of my modesty as much as possible, and although I had to switch machines because the first one had a computer problem (ha! didn't even make me nervous because of your stories!), I got my first treatment behind me. My total dose is 42.56Gy in 16 treatments plus 4 boosts for the final 10Gy (52.56 total Gy, similar to the 50Gy I would have gotten had I done the traditional "long" course). I meet the criteria mentioned earlier with my age and tumor characteristics to get the shorter course. I tried to count zaps, but I think I counted 13 and that seems like a lot? They asked for a music request and I said "surprise me!" , and the song that came on was James Taylor's STEAMROLLER - it was an awesome moment and I laid there thinking "I can't wait to tell the girls about this!"

    Chips, what is a body perm? I'm kind of a low maintenance gal, but I'm wondering if I need one of these?

    Tpralph, Kim, and all you others, I'm praying for your skin and minimal SE's.

    Paulette, I'm so glad your skin is healing quickly. It looked pretty rough last week but how amazing our bodies are that we can heal after such an assault.

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  • Towardshealth17
    Towardshealth17 Member Posts: 47
    edited February 2018

    Smwusaf I loved your idea of getting an Oncology Massage to celebrate my last RADS next Tuesday. I booked it today and am glad I will be doing something special to mark the day. There is no bell ringing at my center. We will celebrate with the kids and grandkids next Saturday.

    Thank you for sharing that and inspiring me.

    Thankful Thursday to all of you and Down for starting this thread so we could all support each other. We are strong and resilient!

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  • Towardshealth17
    Towardshealth17 Member Posts: 47
    edited February 2018

    yaaaaay Down! #1 in the books ! Love me some JT. Steamroller that is perfect! Too funny!

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

    Towards ..... life isn’t that bad isn’t it! God is good to us all.

    image

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

    So proud of all of you pushing thru the rads treatments.

    Down - amazing song, love JT, so glad you've gotten your #1 rad behind you! May you have smooth sailing & smooth skin too, SE be damned.

    My last day I gave gift cards to Dunkin Doughnuts. Its right down the street from the office, and they can pick healthy or more sugar than they should eat in a day! I never thought of a plant, it was too cold in my car while I'm in the gym before rads, but that would be a great idea.

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  • Skookum
    Skookum Member Posts: 45
    edited February 2018

    Another day done and tomorrow is Friday! Last Friday I was ready to quit, now I’ve done another week. I can do this, just 1 day at a time. Our youngest son is here visiting until Sunday. Which will help the days be nicer.

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  • BellWAMissy
    BellWAMissy Member Posts: 17
    edited February 2018

    Down- YEAH for next steps- finally!!!

    I love hearing the ideas of what to get folks when this chapter is done. My infection cleared and I got the go ahead today to start on Monday. Sounds like time goes fast, so good to be thinking of these things sooner than later. Especially when your brain gets very selective in the details it remembers. Is that happening to any one else? I'm calling it colander brain.

    Hope everyone has a restful weekend.

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  • Towardshealth17
    Towardshealth17 Member Posts: 47
    edited February 2018

    Indeed Paulette!

    TGIF to all of you and especially those still getting their RADS, enjoy your two days off! ❤️💕❤️💕

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  • Tpralph
    Tpralph Member Posts: 487
    edited February 2018

    three weeks d8wn two to go!

    yeah there is a tim hortons in the hospital ( equivalent to dunkin donuts in the us) gift cards are a great idea. Gave the chemo nurses a tower of treats from costco but I do think theyget too many sweets. Thx for the ideas. No real growing plants up here

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2018

    15/33 down! We can do this! Celebrating the weekend that's here! YAHOO!

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

    It’s getting warm in California today it’s 74 degree, OMG it’s only February!

    Ladies enjoy the weekend .... no zapping for two days!


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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited February 2018

    Tpralph, we have Tim Horton’s here in the Detroit area ... yummy donut holes ;)

    Finished 15/30 today. I’m definitely pink, and a little itchy tonight. Hoping the two days off will help the skin recover a bit.

    This weekend is a tough one for me... our friends (four couples we are very close to) leave tomorrow night for a week in Punta Cana. We were supposed to be with them, but had to cancel because of rads. I was devastated, and am still incredibly weepy over it. I know there will be other vacations, but this one symbolizes everything I’ve lost or missed the past eight months. It pisses me off and makes me sad all at the same time. They’re all of sunning on the beach, and I’m here in the miserable cold, dealing with SEs. *sigh

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  • DownNotOut
    DownNotOut Member Posts: 99
    edited February 2018

    JenRuns, I'm so sorry you are missing out on a special time. After all you have been through, you deserve to be there! I hope there will be opportunities like this one again for you - it sounds so great. And when you finally do get there, it will be that much sweeter because you fought the fight and worked so hard for it! It's OK to have a good cry, curl up with a good book, and get some solace on your rads free weekend. Praying for those SE's to improve.

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  • Tpralph
    Tpralph Member Posts: 487
    edited February 2018

    Jenruns: they are called Timbits  (lol) I too missed a bike trip through the confederation trail last August with my daughter due to chemo!  we have rescheduled it for this summer.  She is my cycling buddy We do long touring.  She wont be able to do it with me this summer because she has landed a contract producer position with Second City and cant get the time off; however my DH just bought a touring bike from England (yes cheaper there than in north America, go figure) and he will ride the trail with me instead. MY DD and I still have a short tour in Montreal in June so that is something to look forward to (had to cancel that trip last year as well as had surgery) 

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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited February 2018

    Timbits! Yes! (I need to not like that stuff so much... that 20 extra pounds from chemo has to go!!) the bike tour sounds lovely, and thanks for the perspective. Things happen, and life goes on....

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  • Tpralph
    Tpralph Member Posts: 487
    edited February 2018

    Jen- it makes the next holiday you plan that much more special...

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2018

    JenRuns, I am sorry. That is unfortunate. I turned 50 last year - in the chemo chair. My DH and I had a big trip planned to Costa Rica. Literally on my big day, I was being infused. The beauty in that was my 3 best friends flew in from GA and FL and totally surprised me. You should see the ugly cry video! They stayed the weekend with me and we had a fun day in Chicago on Saturday (I had chemo on Fridays). I will never forget how special that turned out to be.

    Looking forward to our 11-night Panama Canal cruise this April. I am so ready. Making up for lost travel time last year. (We had several days in Traverse City, MI, which actually was quite fun, but we usually leave the country once a year.) I am grateful that the end of the chemo/rads grind is in sight, and I can get on with living! I also found a lady who is going to custom-make me some bathing suits, so I can protect all my scarred parts this year. Thrilled about that!

    Big hugs. I am sure you will do something fabulous to make up for this. It will make it all the more sweeter!

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

    Kim let me know your Panama Canal cruise, we have been talking about to do that. What will be the best time to go?


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  • PVM
    PVM Member Posts: 136
    edited February 2018

    Happy Sunday ladies sorry i have not logged in for a bit & commented but have read all the wonderful posts. Smwusaf, congrats on finishing rads woot woot woot, now its healing your body time. Hope you rang that bell with happiness & pride as you did it you kicked butt!!!!

    Down im glad to hear that you are finally starting rads after this long process, must have felt great getting your first rad under your belt. The countdown has begun for you.

    Jen i am sorry you had to miss your holiday due to rads, Its hard emotionally too. Stay strong & plan a vacay once you are done your treatment to celebrate life. You deserve it.

    Kim that sounds amazing please let us know how the cruise is. I have heard its amazing & beautiful & not to mention you will have a wonderful time celebrating life how it should be celebrated.

    have a great Sunday ladies.


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  • Skookum
    Skookum Member Posts: 45
    edited February 2018

    What a nice weekend. Our youngest son came out for a few days. Just knowing he was there for me in the waiting room helped me get through that Friday. Sadly I woke up this morning with a breakdown in my skin. Kind of a strange spot, above my chest at the border of the rads. Looks like a very peeling sunburn. Pretty tender. Luckily I had a mepilexpad and I covered it with lotion then plopped a pad over it. Thankful today’s a non-rads day.

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  • Towardshealth17
    Towardshealth17 Member Posts: 47
    edited February 2018

    Hugs JenRuns. I am sorry you had to cancel and I understand how that would represent everything about this challenge we have had to face. I just decided to read this by Pema Chödrön who is my go to when I am feeling all out of positivity and need to feel whatever it is that is authentic to me.

    https://journeyingbeyondbreastcancer.com/2011/06/26/the-places-that-scare/

    I also am focusing on trying to be productive on those days where positivity is just out of reach it seems to break the cycle of being down on myself for not feeling positive, which does no one good

    Today is the first day in many when I have had the freedom to feel what I feel it ain’t easy but with only 2 RADS left, the feelings are all over the place I am proud of myself for pushing through it all, tired of all of it, and apprehensive about the next steps I have a liver ultrasound and blood work scheduled for the week after this since something popped up on the pre-surgical screening Need to rule out anything before I go on the Letrozole.

    I know the busy days are easier sometimes and I am grateful for two days off so my body can take a breath. Just saying this warrior isn’t feeling it today.

    Hope everyone is enjoying their time to be.

    Hugs.

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  • Katiejane777
    Katiejane777 Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    Skookum I hope the padding helps.

    I'm so sorry Jen! Missing a holiday would be a punch in the guts. There will be other holidays but it sucks you are missing this one.

    Congrats Towardshealing for almost being done! Some days I don't feel like a warrior either. More like a scaredy cat. Lol. Big hugs. You are almost DONE!

    13/20 down! 3 more whole breast and 4 boosts to go. My skin is ok but I'm still red, dimply and swollen. Sigh. I see Rad Onc tomorrow and physio Thu. I got some hydrocortisone cream as I've been really itchy. I also got a compression bra which is ugly as it is uncomfortable lol. Not working today so I'm pottering around home. My son and his wife fly to China today for a holiday. So excited for them.

    Stay strong everyone xx


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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited February 2018

    thanks for sharing that link, towardshealth. I think I’m afraid of being in that moment of fear/darkness, fearful that I won’t come out. I don’t want to be that bitter, angry woman who asks “why me?” I’ll think about it .... how to not run away from the feelings, but acknowledge their validity and then move beyond.

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