January 2018 RADS group

A bit of a hiccup today. Was doing well then last night noticed the bottom of my alnd scar was red and sore and swollen. I put some pressure on it and pus came out! Ugh. Not a lot but no it's infected. Waiting to see to today. He may start me in antib no more cream in that area just cool saline wipes. Today is 16/25

Understood JenRuns. We each know what is best for us. I have also heard that when going through trauma that we have to feel it sooner or later and sooner is better. Like most things in life it is a question of balance, much like being up on a high wire. Hugs.

Hi! May I join you? I started my radiation at the end of January. I just did #6 of 30 today.

My skin is starting to change color already, which has me worried

Hi, Smashleywnc, and welcome to the group!

The skin over my collarbone changed color quickly, then the back of my shoulder, and now under my arm. My RO was expecting the changes because "those areas typically don't see much sun." As long as I'm not itchy, I am okay.

I finally had day #1!! Quick question- along my ribs and around my back are discolored. I was expecting the breast, collarbone, even shoulder, but not ribs/abdomen etc. Has this happened to others?? Will bring it up tomorrow, but thought I'd check with my trusty forum first!😜

Tpralph- sorry about the infection. Hope it doesn't delay things for you. And that you get antibiotics.

Keep on a zapping ladies.....

tpralph- dang that sounds like a big worry. Hope it heals quickly and you can get on with your treatment.

No treatment for me today the machine was down.

I was also given some 1% silver sulfadiazine cream to put on the open skin area.

A down machine might have worked well for me this time around...my reward on February 22, 2018 will be a big piece of cherry pie!

Have many of you experienced the machine being down so unable to treat. This is the 2-3 time at the office I go to. Kind of adds on a bit more worry.

Skookum, my machine went down twice during my rads. They said it doesn't happen often and that it's ok to miss a few days.

Bell, my rads also went on ribs, about two inches below Breast and all the way to the sternum. It was a pretty wide area.

Welcome Smashley

thanks everyone for the well wishes. the RO said to do saline cleanses and compresses and to use polysporin.

There could be a stitch in there Cindy, there has been a small lump there since the surgery in Dec. it is at the bottom of the incision line.  Oh well, wont hold up my rads anyhow. Day 17/25! Rest of skin is good, some tanning/ pinkness under the arm

i too have been wondering about the ribs if they were getting radiated. I figure there must be some as my RO said that the radiation would skim part of my lung so it would have to go through the ribs to do that!

Hello everyone. I had some pretty rough days here at the end. Physically and mentally. Just had to rest as much as possible. Happy to report that I had my last RT today and celebrated with an Oncology Massage as planned. It felt very healing and I was very grateful to the skilled hands of my therapist. You can tell she does this with much love in her heart! Just what I needed.

My RO says it will take 10 days before my skin starts to heal significantly. I never really burnt but my skin reacted the way it does to the sun by getting lots of brown spots and an itchy rash. I took Zyrtec for 8 days but it was wiping me out so I stopped it. She wants be to lotion up at least twice a day for a month and assured me it will all clear up. I am ready to feel good! Especially knowing that I will be starting the letrozole and all that may entail. I am grateful to be done with this step and I bet I will be really happy not having to wake so early and be at treatments by 8:15.

Sending encouraging words to all of you whether still receiving treatments or in the recovery phase. We are strong and resilient. We have good days and challenging ones but leaning on each other is so important.

PS I wore a thin cotton tee under my sports bra after surgery and halfway through RT but then had to ditch the bra when my skin got too iritated. Luckily I am not very large so this was doable. Even so I often was more comfortable reclining than sitting up towards end.

🌸🌷💕

Towards...Congrats on completing rads! Cheers!

Towards congrats on finishing rads woot woot woot. Rest & heal you have earned it & celebrate that you have kicked butt!!!

Tpralph oh no that sounds painful hope it heals alot sooner than later, glad you can continue with rads. You are almost at the finish line hang in there & take it easy on yourself & on your skin.

Ladies for those that are finding the rads a bit itchy on their skin i ditched my bra & used a simple comfortable cotton bralette. it was gentle on my skin & there was no digging into my shoulder or ribs or anything at all. For those ladies that are getting rads on their lymph nodes, don't forget to lotion your back as for some reason the rads hit your back as well. Continue to kick butt ladies!

Boosts ... who had them, and were they focused on one spot in particular?

Saw my RO yesterday and he said we are doing 25 on the proton machine, then the last 5 on a traditional machine, because it’ll be just my incision that is being radiated. Didn’t have the thought to as if that was a boost or not.

Thanks I confirmed with the tech this morning that yes, it's the "boosts" that are planned for that last week. She said he'll be targeting "the cavity" and around my scar, which is on the underside of my breast.

I'm sad that I'm going to be moving locations for the treatment though -- I'm in the proton center now, with the same five techs every day. Going to the other center (literally down the hall, but managed as a completely different space) for just the last week means I'll miss sharing my last treatment with the gals I've been working with. The tech today did say that they'd put a note in my file to have the tech bring me to the proton center on my last day, so I can ring "their" bell. (I think I'll take them my 'thank you' gifts the last day with them though.)