anyone starting radiation in September

Welcome Txbox. Glad you joined us. I'm a believer, too and also have Fibro/CFS. Wow you are almost done with 20 under your belt. I will be at 15 after this coming Monday. Have you been feeling ok so far?

Ahh you are an artist. My daughter is as well. I am 44 and home school my 3 kids, ages 15, 14 and 11. We live in CA but grew up in the midwest, WI and my hubbie in IL.

Nice to meet you.

Welcome Txbox! Hi Helen...Terri...

Yesterday was a bad day emotionally...who would have thought?? during rads?? Give me a break!!! Started thinking about going back to work, then there was a particular song on the radio..you know what I mean...the one that makes you bawl... the kicker was at the Cross (cancer hospital here). Some gal who has been through this whole process (and has LONG HAIR) was speaking to a man about her exp. with cancer... hair loss, chemo, being BURNT by rads... Well, thank goodness the tv. was on...so I blocked one ear and was reading to try and drown out her voice. I just wanted to leap out of my chair and say LOOK AT ME...I HAVE NO HAIR...I AM GOING THROUGH RADS RIGHT NOW... SHUT THE HELL UP!!! They called me and set me up for my zapping then I cried...no one saw.. there are such insensitive people..if she is there today, I am NOT going near her!! Funny as the whole day wasn't shot but I was just really emotional...haven't been that low in a while. Oh, the other thing that didn't help is that I found out they rotate techs so even though you may get used one, she may go to another tx room. My principal one will be there until DEc. so I am safe. ok... the other thing is that I am halfway through rads... stupid, isn't that I am upset...it's the support that I will miss cause everyone there understands?? Everyone else in the world thinks that once you're done tx, you're ok... but you're not... not yet, anyway!! It's the emotional part that is so hard... 

Today will be a better day!! If I see that gal, I'll punch her

thanks for listening...like you guys have a choice!!

Cath 

Helen, thanks for the cyber hug I am better today and pulled up my big girl panties..ahem!! The gal who wouldn't shut up had had chemo quite a few yrs. back and was just sharing her expertise...la dee da! How come you got a break? Columbus day??

I just finished reading a book about BC by a Canadian doctor who went through it....brought back a lot of memories...dx, mammo, etc.. but I wanted to read it as she is coming out here on the 28th.

Have either of you read "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodie Picoult? If not, it is a tear jerker but excellent read... revolves around a family that decides to have another child as the first has cancer and needs the bone marrow.

Have a great day!!

Cath 

Terri...cyber hug....YAHOO!!! Good on you!! Where did you go on your mini vacation?? I am thinking that I need to do something but not sure what...

I know what you mean about the scary part just beginning... I try not to worry about things that I cannot control.. that said, it doesn't mean that I have been successful... even the things that I can control like M&M's, wine, exercise... I figure that I will do my best but I am not going to sweat it and become anal... sometimes I will have too many drinks or eat a bit too much... look at ALL the people who don't take care of themselves and never get this #$@% disease...it is a crapshoot at best! When I was first dx'd, I put it in His hands... and believe me, that's hard as I REALLY like to be in control This whole cancer thing has been a humbling exp. 

Monday one of the techs discovered that I was related to a hockey player and was just thrilled (my FIL played for 5 of the original 6 teams back in the late 50's)... so I brought him a photo on Tuesday and made his day. I really like my team and will miss them...crazy, eh?? It will be weird not having to go to rads in the morn...

Take care

Cath 

kim,

i hope all goes well with your son. i'm amazed at how strong you've been to come thru this, and also deal with yr son's illness.

my skin is pretty much back to normal, tho in a couple of weeks i still need to usea scrub to get some of the dead skin off. i'm still tired, tho. about 7 pm my enerby just plummets.

Hi Terri, nice to see you today. I'm glad your skin is healing nicely - sorry about the fatigue. Be good to yourself, rest. When I got CFS I learned the world didn't stop because I was tired - it kept going and I did what I HAD to do and rested as needed. Enjoy it if you can.

Debi, I suppose it is human nature to want to control things and we feel better if we are DOING something. I remind myself that is God is at work and I can just rest in Him. Sorry for the saggin' boobs! How are you doing on the hercptin? 

I just finished rads #19 today. 9 left to go!!!!  I am taking Monday off because it's my birthday and I will be at the coast having a little vacation.  I have been going in once a week to have fluid drained from my left breast (rt one is being radiated).  I had to have my left expander deflated to get it out of the way of the radiation and have had nothing but problems since.  As far as the rads themselves, I am only a little bit pink and have a slight rash on my collar bone.  It itches but compared to what the chemo was, it is a piece of cake.  The rad techs said that I was doing really well for being this far into it.  I would love so much to just be done.  Okay, November 9^th.  I am going to go as soon as I can after that and let the plastic surgeon start filling up the left expander.  I am looking forward to having two equal size boobs, even if they are expanders!!! 

Playwriter - My port scar itches quite a bit and it is on the opposite side and not getting any rads. 

Kater - My hips, knees and feet (basically everything from the hips down!) have started hurting recently, too.  I am not sure if it is a side effect of the treatments or sitting on my butt all the time.  I do know that I feel much better if I have the time and energy to walk even if for a short distance.

I had my 3-month with my onc this week and we decided (I really did get to have some input!!!) that I would take Tamoxifen for two years and then arimidex for three years after that.  Apparently one of the side effects of tamoxifen is increased bone density and one of the side effects to arimidex is decreased bone density.  Since I had ovaries removed, osteoporosis could be an issue as I get older.  Perhaps the drugs will zero themselves out and my bones will be good.  I sure hope so!!!

I feel so blessed to be able to share with all of you.  It has made my journey easier to handle knowing that there are other women who are dealing gracefully and successfully with much more than I have had to face.  You are all truly inspirational.  I hope that I am able to project at least half of the dignity and grace that I have found in all of you here.

Patti

yay, cynthia! congrats on being done!

happy birthday, patty!

I finished rads finally today.  I should have finished Friday but as luck would have it, the machine went down and I didn't get to finish.  I also went to visit the plastic surgeon today and she started pumping me back up.  I had 180cc's put in today and will go back on Friday to have more saline put in.  I will need to get up to 500cc's before all is said and done.  The plastic surgeon said that she won't consider exchange surgery until at least 3 months post rads and preferably 6 months post rads.  Wow, here we go.........back to life and the new normal.

Yay, Patti!  I finished on a Monday, too.  It was hard to have to wait the weekend, but it was nice looking forward to finishing.  I hope your skin is doing well.  

Thanks, Helen.  Congrats to you, too.  I agree that it is nice to have that block of time back.   

I see my medical onc tomorrow and get the results of my CT Scan and mammo.  I'm really anxious, but I don't why.  There's no reason to expect that the chemo didn't work, but I know it doesn't always so I guess it's hard not to worry. 

Best wishes to everyone still having rads!  

Cynthia 

Happy Dances and prayers all around

Patti