Starting Radiation May 2018

Best wishes for a great start, Pumpkin68

I'm going for radiation # 5 of 25 this morning. I go to the radiation oncology lab before school each morning. My students are surprised that I do this BEFORE school each morning. Aaah, the things we endure to kill the cancer monster.

Here's a funny or two to make you chuckle that happened to me this week.

On day 1, the tech came in after the radiation had started & said she forgot to put the metal "wonder woman" bra thing on me. She then left. I swear I could feel 'bubbles' in my implant. I reported it to her at the end of the session & she told me it was impossible. On day 2, once the metal barrier was placed, I realized that it was the chains moving against my skin when I breathed that caused the bubble feelings!

On day 3, I wore a dress. After changing into the hospital gown, I grabbed a blanket to cover myself so my granny panties (that should have been white, but my husband does the laundry & laundered them with a pair of jeans, so they were a sickly gray) didn't show. As I was climbing on the table & getting my right arm out of my gown, a very attractive young man came in to assist the other tech. Oh, my..! After the treatment, a different lady tech came in to help him get me off the table. Instead of helping me sit up, she yanked off my blanket, and there I was ...practically naked except for the gray granny panties! I was mortified! (Needless to say, the cute male tech didn't come in yesterday). I must have scarred him for life!

Nothing exciting happened yesterday. I'm holding out hopes for another funny today. I'll let you know.

Happy weekend, everyone!

thank you JosieO!!!

Char105,

My sense is that you might need two tubes, and agree that it is better to have it on hand than to run out and have to order more. (Reading other posts gave me a sense that women used it after radiation ended, so they did likely use a second tube)

The aloe vera gel I have is 99% pure, comes in a yellow tube, but is practically clear. Bought it at a health food store. My radiation oncologist suggested I could buy it at Whole Foods, but they had a different brand, 98% pure, and he said that was also ok. Suspect you can try it, or certainly take the container in and ask. I’m going to try to remember to put mine in the refrigerator on warmer days. I think that would feel great

Hi, I need to get started with radiation. I am worried about how long it's been since my lumpectomy. I had that more than 8 weeks ago, but had to have a second surgery and have not healed as quickly as i would have liked. I tried to get my mapping scans last week and could not position myself as they needed. I am supposed to go back in two days and if scans are successful, will be starting radiation a couple days more than 9 weeks since lumpectomy. I keep reading articles that say within 6 weeks post surgery is best, anything past 8 weeks raises rates for recurrence. If anyone has any info or thoughts, I'm interested.

thank you.

Hope you're all doing well!

Summer weather has come to Sweden and it feels somewhat appropriate to have a bit of pink skin. It's ususally not my right boob that's pink, though...

I've had three sessions so far. I must have been in an awkward position during the set up sessions 'cause I don't seem to be able to lie down the same now. They keep adjusting me.

The routine in my hospital:

- I place my time card (a pamphlet they use to give me my schedule) on a shelf for them to see that I've arrived
- I sit down to wait for them to call me in
- Enter the "radiation area" and get into the treatment room where I step into the dressing room (which is really just a nook with two hangers, a stool, a mirror and no door) to undress above waistline
- Walk topless to lie down on the bed and get helped to lie in the right position
- Get treated
- Staff comes in to say that I can move and they lower the bed so I can get down
- I get back in the nook to get my bra and shirt on before saying good-bye and leave

I don't have any weird feelings about walking topless to the bed or lying there uncovered. None. But lying there with my armpits flashed out and in someone's face when they mark and adjust me? Feels soooo weird. Personal and intimate. I get very self-conscious. Anyone feel the same?

Hi Star,

Thought I would jump in and give you some words of moral support.

The mapping and the measuring take a long time, but now that investment will pay off.

You’ll come in, lie down, and the technicians will get you properly positioned. Then they leave, and I usually say something like “here we go”, or “let’s get ‘em”, and the machine turns on.

I actually close my eyes, because it helps me to lie still and not move. I feel the table move, and I can feel the equipment moving around me, but I keep my eyes closed and lie still. Sometimes I say a prayer, other times I imagine the cancer cells being blown apart.

The time actually goes pretty quickly, the technician helps me sit up, I put my gown on, and walk out. I tell the technicians thank you, and go to the dressing room.

I put on my aloe vera gel, some deodorant and a spritz of cologne, and get dressed. On the way out I say “thanks, see you tomorrow” to everyone and head to my vehicle.

Because my appointments are very early in the morning, I come dressed in leggings and a T-shirt, and head directly to my fitness center. I get my exercise accomplished and then I move on to the rest of my day.

Being very methodical about it helps to keep the fear and upset away. I know I have a good radiation oncologist, so I say to myself that he did his work, all I have to do is show up.

I also mark off each day on my calendar, and by Friday I know another week has finished. I enjoy the weekend.

I just finished my second week of treatment

Keep uppermost in your mind that you are helping yourself to life and health.

Courage, Star. It will be ok. I’ll say a prayer for you tomorrow for good luck.

Star,

Glad I could help a little bit.

This is really how I go through each treatment day. Until I started I wasn’t sure how it would be, but so far it’s been as I wrote it. I know my doctors are there for me, and if I have any issues I know I can call on them. Plus the people at mylocation are really nice-professional, but caring.

Reach out anytime. We’ll make it through together, and with the other fine ladies on this board, we’ll get both help and support.

Star,

My skin is actually quite good-no dryness, itching, nothing feels different. I did notice last week that my nipple turned a dark tan color (mine are as pale as my breast tissue), and the doctor said that happens, expect it to fade over time. My two incision scars look more red than brown, but no other changes. So i’m going to ask his opinion.

(Sure hope i’m getting enough “juice” to zap these little buggers - ha 😀)

Stay positive..

Welcome Puzzlewoman!

Yes, it does feel scary and intimidating at first, but remember all of this prework is to make sure they target the radiation to the critical areas, not healthy tissue.

Did you get little tattoos? Or did they use a type of marker, cover it with a clear material? These marks help the technicians to make sure you are in the right position for the beams. I got the permanent tattoos, which was ok because they are 4 tiny dots. One doesn’t see them unless one is really looking for them.

YEA to not having to hold one’s breath! Now you’ll be able to breathe normally and you won’t feel as tense.

Hang out here with us May ladies until/unless there is a June group. I thought I was going to start late April, so I continued to read the April postings, and learned a lot. Then, my start date was changed to May, and fortunately star2017 thought to start a group for May, so I jumped in it. Personally, I think all the groups have useful info in them.

Have courage. You’ll do fine. We’ll get through this together

Puzzlewoman,

Yes, that does seem strange, doesn’t it? Primarily because people you don’t know are so close to your body, and touching you, and it isn’t until you get up that you see all of these markings. I think lying there for the scans is a lot longer than the treatments will be for you.I actually had a couple of hours worth of scanning, measuring, marking. Not knowing what to expect caused me to stress on it (unnecessarily, as it turned out).

Now, it’s pretty quick and routine. Look up at my post to star and you’ll see I describe exactly how each day goes, and the only real stress I have is managing the traffic for the first 10 minutes of my commute there (I get on a major freeway that is jammed with vehicles, even early in the morning. But then I exit, take a local road that is more scenic, and by the time I arrive I’m pretty calm and relaxed)

I’m grateful for my doctors, the technicians, and the treatment to zap these little buggers😄. Know that I am on the road to a complete recovery.

WE CAN DO THIS !!! Courage