Anyone start rads in October?

Hello everyone.  Thank you for the birthday well wishes.  It was a splendid weekend away from responsibilities.  What great indian summer weather we had here in New England.

Layne, I guess it isn't enough to contend with work, radiation, and life in general but then you have to throw a cold in there.  I'm glad you at least opted to work from home and still enjoyed your walk.

Helen,  20 tx down and you're doing okay?  That's inspiring. 

I hope everyone is getting on well with their treatments.  

Debbie 

Brenda, you and I are right in synch.  I had #11 yesterday also.  We'll both finish the day before Thanksgiving, if nothing or no one gets in our way.  :-)

I have noticed the itchy boob.  I'll keep the cortaid in mind to help manage it.  So far not too bad.  

Is anyone doing any serious blistering yet? 

Debbie 

Good Morning everyone.

Yes, the Cortaid cream helped a lot. I do not seem to be reacting much now. Not so many new blisters. Very tender nipple, a shooting pain here and there, but certainly not anything to complain about.

10 down, 26 to go.

Is anyone able to watch the monitor during rads and exrays? I asked if I could turn my head to watch, but it is just enough change in positioning that it throws off the alignment.

Disapointed, wish I had known to ask before the mapping session, maybe that could have been done so I could see the monitor.

Hi Glow Girls and Octo-braless goddesses!!

Debbie, I'm glad you had a nice weekend! Yay!!! Yes, it seems a small miracle that I've continued to have energy through Tx 21 today! The Rad Dr. said I could feel tired later, we'll see.

Nice to see you Layne, glad the cold is going away. Ugh. I thought that I was starting to get one today, but it didn't materialize so that is cool. I'm glad I'm not the only one with a cranky nipple. I am pink, but not dark red like a bad sun burn, which is what I thought I would have. 

Today they drew on me - second time since the initial tattoos at the beginning. It seems some of you are getting written on regularly - that's a bummer. Today they set me up for my boosts next week and drew all around the area where I had the lumpectomy. So more magic marker. It feels good to be setting up for the boosts, as that mean the end is in sight. Yay!! This has gone really fast - I hope it goes fast for all of you. 

Joanne, great that you have a CD to listen to on the drive. What are you listening to? I've been listening to Joyce Meyer tapes - she is a lady preacher. She always encourages me.

Brenda/Ferretmom I may have to get some of that cream - haven't been desperate enough to make a trip to the store - seem to be managing ok with the Sween cream and the Aloe Vera so far.

Nice to see you all today and be on this journey together. 

Barb, it sounds like you have a very recoverable form of BC.  It's a very early stage and low grade.  I am stage 2, grade 2 with 1/10 nodes positive, ER/PR+.  My suggestion is we cross that bridge IF we come to it.  But is there anything in your family history to suggest otherwise?

The one thing that radiation does prevent is ever radiating that same breast again.   

Just like you can find women with metastatic cancer, you probably don't know all the women around you who are 5 - 10 - 20 year survivors of BC who are living normal lives. 

Just my two cents.  

Debbie 

Hello everyone,

I'm Kerri and I've been a member for only 2 weeks.

I'm not starting my rads. until 1st November, but that's almost Oct. just out by a day, so I hope I'm ok to add to the conversation.

My Mum also has bc and will be finishing her rads. on the same day I start mine. I've been able to see what happens by watching her have the treatment. She's in her 5th week and now starting to have skin reactions and burning on the nipple.

I had the call just a week ago telling me when I was starting rads. and til then I'd been handling things pretty well. But that call changed things for me and it's really hit me hard as to what I'm dealing with. I couldn't stop shaking after the call. I've had lots of surgeries in the past for different things, so the lumpectomy was just like another operation. Now it's really sunk it that I really do have cancer. So roll on the next chapter. I know it's going to be even rougher then the previous one.

Thanks Debbie. The support I've had from everyone here since joining has been very strengthening. Even though I'm new I feel very warmly welcomed.

As for my Mum and me starting and finishing on the same day, the people at the clinic were hoping to try and get some of our appts. together, but didn't workout that way.

But as I have already been in a few times with mum I won't feel like a stranger, even though it still feels like a strange place where I don't feel I belong, especially mentally. Does that make sense?

I'm glad you've included a photo of yourself but I've got to say you don't look very old. I'm 36. Your smile is a very warm one.

But I just hope I get my head around it all soon so I can accept what's going on better, especially when I start rads.. But then again, alot that I've spoken to who've had or still have bc have said sometime you never get your head around it. I'll have to wiat and see.

Hello everyone,

Layne, I think I had port films done on Monday.  Exactly what do port films show them?  Bad boob is definitely heavier that good boob and I don't have any cycles at all to blame it on.  And I've lost weight.  Anyone else have that problem?

My daughter told me a funny.  Her sister-in-law recently had a partial mastectomy.  My daughter saw her over the weekend-and this is not rural Ky. mind you, but in Calif. suburbs--and asked how she was doing.  The sister-in-law proceeded to whip out bad boob---while standing right in the middle of the front yard.  My daughter, rather shocked, told her, well that wasn't so bad-----and S-I-L proceeded to whip out good boob so daughter could compare.  I guess we somewhat lose our sense of modesty when we're observed by all these docs----And I couldn't help but picture the scene, especially if the neighborhood patrol had pulled up, while this woman is flashing in her front yard!  Imagine trying to talk yourself out of an indecent exposure citation! or having to go before a judge-

Off to #13!  More Cort-Aid please--I itch!

Brenda

Kerri,

Going through treatment feels like it takes forever, but it's really passing by quite quickly.  It was scariest when you didn't know what to expect and you're already ahead of that.  It requires setting your mind to it--No matter what--I will get this done 

It's like living two lives.  I go to work, and then leave to go to tx and then back to work again.  Co-workers and family can't comprehend what it feels like to switch back and forth from one life to the other.  But once you get into the swing of things, you quickly adapt.

Brenda

Wow, I think I need to come here a few times a day to keep up! This has been a busy place. Welcome Kerri and Joel.

You know I was really nervous about Radiation, just the word freaked me out. But now that I've been going - it just becomes part of the routine, like Brenda said. Just go in there put yer gown on, walk down the hall, get on the table, say hi to R2D2 lol listen to the buzz, get up, change into your clothes and you're on your way.

Debbie, good for you, listening to books. I love to read. I don't have an ipod but my dh and dd do. I do have a friend who got an ipod to listen to books, so you're not alone and I don't think you're weird.

Layne nice to see you here today. It's always fun to hear your rambles. Congrats on being half way done. Yay. Ya, some nipple soreness here still - ouch - but minor in the grand scheme of things.

For those of you just starting, it really is more of a nuisance than anything. Just an unwanted errand to do everyday for 6 weeks and you are done.

I have to say that I still am maybe in denial that I've had cancer. Cancer is such a big scary word, and with DCIS stage 0 it means remove the cells, go to radiation, maybe take some meds, yer done. I don't know. I feel super duper thankful it was caught early. I'm not worried that I'll get it again. I have a family history of it, so I'll be diligent about my mammograms, etc. But I am looking forward to putting this behind me.

Tx 22 today and counting. 

Hello Debbie, Joel and everyone else.

This is what i love about being in this club, all the words of support and understanding from all who know what I'm saying and how I'm feeling.

I can't get enough of it, it's what we all need when dealing with "The Beast".

I didn't mention it before but since my surgery the doctors and I have found another lump. This time in a node in my neck,so I'm seeing the oncologist next Wednesday. I had a biopsy done on it 2 weeks ago but the doctor who was performing it messed it up, and as I was already stressed out I had a melt down as it hurt so much.

So I'm seeing a different oncologist and hope it'll go better this time.

She's been recommended to me by my breast care nurse who does my Zoladex injection, and have been told she's very nice and very good.

So my treatment may end up including chemo after all. Just have to wait and see.

Just to let you all know too, I often join the chatroom so maybe I'll talk to some of you there sometime.

Debbie and Layne,



thank you for the settling words...I need to calm down. I see too many bad things at work, and need to realize there are those who do very well! I think I might talk with a surgeon to see what they have to offer andgo from there...

I guess my rads won't start until Nov anyway due to the fact that I had a late chemo completion date. I can't wait until this is all over and yes, feel normal again! Barb

Hi all,

I am new to this forum, and look forward to exchanging our experiences during radiation. I finished my chemo treatment yesterday (4DD AC and 12 weekly Taxol/Herceptin). I will continue the Herceptin every 3 weeks through 8/08. I have a follow-up appointment with my surgeon today, who wants to be involved in deciding the radiation treatment. On Monday I have my first visit with the radiation oncologist. I am hoping to get started in two weeks or so. The chemo was a long haul, and for now I see the radiation as the "easy part". I hope I am right!

I have a question for those of you who are ER+/PR+: Are you starting the hormone treatment during radiation or waiting till after? I am not sure yet what to do.

And a question for those of you who have had chemo: Are you being offered new scans after finishing the chemo? My oncologist advices against new scans unless I have specific symptoms that need to be checked out, and says that frequent scans just cause the patients more anxiety. I am trying to feel comfortable with his point of view.

I wish everyone a great day, and look forward to your comments.

Lise

Hello I am new to this board. I will start my rad next month. I have read through the messages posted on this topic. Several mentioning about " break and boost".  What is the "boost" means, anyone? Thanks.

Hi Rads Peeps,I only have 8 treatments of 33 to go. It wasn't til the 3rd week I got side effects. I have one killer armpit, red and peely, and a tender breast. Anyone have the same? I am on 3 advil every 4 hours.

B