April 2018- Starting Radiation

Completed 15/33 treatments this morning. Looking forward to a warmer sunny weekend in NY. I have delayed planting early seeds in garden due to weather and range of motion in my right arm. Praying you all have a relaxing weekend.

Metoo it is nice to meet a New Yorker. I live near Watkins Glen, NY. It looks like your a few days ahead of me in your radiation treatments. I'm hoping the weather person is correct with warmer temps and sunny skies this weekend. Enjoy your weekend

Hi. I just got home from my 4th treatment.

A week or so after my lumpectomy I started getting soreness and pain under my breast, over my rib area. The face down prone position is proving to be REALLY difficult for me. Pressing down into that hole to get my breast in the right position hits at the exact most painful area of my ribs. I've been in tears from the pain every session.

We may have to do a second simulation and set me up on my back. I hope this doesn't have bad effects on my treatment. I feel like such a baby not being able to suck up the 10 minutes of pain.

I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks for listening. After getting through chemo and surgery I can't believe it's a radiology table that's bringing me to my knees!

#10/33 in the history books and no side effects yet.

idiot nurse asked me at Northside if my breasts were tender yet, to which I replied, “i had a bilateral mastectomy”... Moron.

I was advised to lotion my back. My appts are early afternoon so I can moisturize 3x/day. I use emu right after and then a coconut-based calendula oil I found on Amazon. I think coconut is a better base oil than olive. faithfully drinking a gallon of water a day and extra protein shakes.

Hey, so this is weird... One of my stickers was coming off and I told the docs about it and they said the stickers were unnecessary now and I could take them off. woohoo! makes me feel better in front of the mirror now.

I’m hoping for reconstruction in December. being flat has had its perks haha but i tire of being looked at like I’m broken. Hopefully skin will be able to handle expanders. looking for a local Atlanta surgeon who uses the cool new Aeroform air expanders. going for D’s because this allis going to end with a rainbow and pot of gold, right!?

Oh, and no robe for me. I go straight back to the table, whip off my shirt, and start the party. No feeling like a patient for me.

Crush it, ladies. We’re almost done with this chapter.

I finished #17 yesterday. I'm at my halfway point.

No SEs yet. No fatigue, no color change in the area, no itching, no pains, still cruising along just fine. I hope this trend continues. 

Congrats kaywrite for finishing your treatments!! As for the hormone therapy, my OC put me on Anastrozole (generic Arimidex) exactly 4 weeks post chemo. I was worried about taking it along with Radiation because I didn't want two different new things going on (Anastrozole + radiation) and not be able to differentiate between which one might be the culprit in the event SEs popped up. But I have not had any SEs from the Anastrozole. So good luck with your hormone therapy, hope you have great luck and no SEs.

Hello ladies I'm joining you for the radiation roller coaster. You are providing lots of encouragement. I had 3/30 yesterday after what seemed like lots of delays and missteps. I'm lucky in that I'm comfortable with my arms over my head and head turned for the treatment. It seems like it takes a long time for the techs to get me into position but then treatments are pretty quick - 5 minutes. I've tried to count the timing of the exposures (does anyone else do that?) and each exposure is slightly different but also different from day to day. It's on my list of questions for my RO.

I feel so bad for those of you who have had to wait in waiting rooms, reschedule and then are dealing with variable schedules. I'm lucky to have landed an 8 a.m. spot so the techs and I start our days together every day for the next 6 weeks.

Enjoy your weekend!

Thank you for the kind thoughts everyone.

Marleigh, mine wound up being anastrazole, too. Wicked expensive @ $900 for 3 months. I'm already out of pocket max (in January), so didn't put a dent in my wallet, but an eye opener.

Radiation after-effects: three days out the boost area is noticeably "sunburned." The nipple in particular is bright red and sensitive. I'm keeping it soft with calendula lotion several times a day. I've given up on Aquaphor as I found it too greasy. So all under my arm and the taped off soccer field on my chest, which encompasses the "whole breast" rads, have turned to tan. No pain or itching. Just the nipple sensitivity.

I'm still wearing the skinny girl smoother and shaper for a bra during the day, i.e. No wires. It prevents my breast from rubbing against anything and being jostled. Still loose white cotton tee for sleep

I'm told to start massaging the breast after a week or two. Right now it feels like a hockey puck is under my nipple, and the thought of disturbing things is a little unsettling. I'm told this is all normal. ???

I started last week, only did 3 and have 17 treatments left. I have stage 1, Grade 3. I opted not to do chemo and cannot do hormonal therapy due to my grade 3 ( aggressive cancer). Radiation was pushed off for over 2 months, had allergic reaction after surgery then that cleared after weeks then got infection. I read a lot of stories about radiation and I’m prepared ( I think) if I burn or not. I go during lunch break. I wish you the best!

Congratulations Kaywrite! So glad rads are behind you.

AgathaNYC, in my case, a bolus is just a wet warm towel they put on my chest during rads. My techs said it helps keep the radiation closer to the skin. I like it because it keeps me nicely covered. Lol.

Bummer. I wish I had a bolus

Kaywrite — congrats on being done !! And Paco for you too!

teacup7 thank you on advice re where to put lotion. I’ve only done 4 of 28 but I’ll see my RO tomorrow (see her every Tuesday I’ve been told) and I think so far so good. I don’t get a bolus But I do pretend im getting some kind of fancy spa treatment when I go in