Start rads tomarrow

Hi Everyone

 

I had my final pre rads appointment today, they did a full round of x-rays. I had my tatoos last week and tomarrow will be my first round of rads.  It looks like I will have a great group of ladies to work with. They were all very friendly and couteous.

 

Im starting to feel like a new person, my energy is coming back and the body aches are almost gone. I hate the thought of the radiation making me tired again. But I will look at it this way 6 1/2 weeks.....I can make it, if I can get thru chemo I can do anything! I will keep everyone posted on this last part of my journey.

 

L&H

 

Bernadette

Bernadette: Well, you are almost finished w/ this journey. Rads aren't anything compared to the chemo. You will be surprised at how quickly the 6 1/2 weeks will pass. Just take good care of your skin and rest if you are tired. Don't feel guilty by taking a little nap.

Hugs..Deb

Thanks Bernadette for the update - please pass on any hints or advice you are given, I'm really nervous about the skin reaction, since my skin is very dry to begin with. I hope that the weeks go quickly, and, how is the hair doing??Are you still wearing a wig?

Good Luck tomorrow!!

chantry

Hi Ladies

Thanks so much for all of the encouragement. I really don't feel afraid of the rads like I did chemo. I know it is alot easier than chemo. I just have one small problem with memories of my mom having her rads. She had lung cancer in 1988 and went through rads. They burned her so bad that her chest and neck looked like a blackberry. She was unable to eat or drink because her throat was so bad. She lost a large amount of weight, and she did not have any to loose. I know rads have come a long way but everytime they put me on that table I just think about my mom and what she went through. She fought a good battle but eventually lost it. Okay enough on that.

Chantry where are you in your treatments, have you finished chemo? I hope so. I still have my wig on but my hair is growing and getting much fuller. My DH tells me to go without it but I don't feel comfortable yet. I worry about my skin too it is dry and I have fair skin, I hope I don't get too burned.

Skeeter congrats on your one year anniversary coming up. Good luck on your mamogram. Think positive thoughts, it will be just fine. I feel like I know you too there are so many ladies here that I have formed a bond with. I would love to have a get together. That way we can put faces with names.

Ellen, Judy & Deb thanks for all of your help during this time. I will probably be asking you all kinds of questions in the next few weeks. They sent home some samples of Aquaphor cream for me to use. I guess it works good. What creams worked good for you?

H&L
Bernadette

Good luck with rads.  I didn't get tired from the treatment, so I hope you don't either.  I remember what it was like to start feeling 'normal' again.  I hope it continues for you.  Glad to hear your rads team sounds great.  That is so important.

 

I am very fair skinned and was surprised at how little redness I got.  I only used aloe vera gel (not before the treatment, though) and it was fine.  I am hoping that you have an easy time of it.

 

How's DH coming along with that heel?

Hi All

My first rads went well, in fact very well. DH went with me, I took him into the room where they do the rads and he could not belive how big the machine was. The techs asked if I minded if he stayed while they got me ready and I said no. He stayed until they were ready to do the actual rads. I think it made him understand a little more about what I'm going through. They are doing rads from my neck to the bottom of my ribs. My rad DR wanted to get any lymph nodes in my neck and chest area too. I feel like they are still not telling me everything.....but I don't seem to get them to open up.

When they actually did the rads it was a piece of cake, other than the part about being all alone in there with that HUGE machine. I was a little scared when everyone left the room but it is over so quick, it was okay. One down 32 to go..... I can do it, and I will.

L&H
Bernadette

Kathy


They have not mentioned how many fields I will have to ask. They do 4 different shots if that is what fields are. I have to turn my head to the left too. I can't see the monitor so I just look into the machine when it is on that side. I think that rads will be just fine, very quick and no nausea. I do my rads at 4:00 everyday so I just leave work a little early. I have been working my full shifs for awhile now. It is so much easier when you have energy. I do feel so much better these days I hope that rads don't make me tired.

How are you feeling? I hope everything is healing well. I bet those drains were a pain in the butt. Are you able to do most of your normal activities yet?

Hubby is doing much better and has 5 more weeks with no weight on his foot. The DR said he is healing great and he has great mobility. He cant wait to be able to walk again.

L&H

Bernadette

Hi Bernadette, glad to hear that things went well, I was thinking about you. I too was a little scared alone with the big machine in the uge room when everyone left but it does go quickly and I got really good a positioning myself on the table. My techs were so sweet and I really appreciated the tenderness they showed me when I'd get upset. Kindness has come to me from so many unlikely places!

The cream that they gave you was the same that I used and it was really helpful...especially since I was not supposed to use any lotion, deodorant or deodorant soap. I did get a couple of burns but NOTHING I couldn't handle. They recommended DOVE soap for mild skin and that helped. They also recommended baking soda to help with the soreness where my clothes rubbed. That was marginal and it was very messy. The only thing that really helped was the cream.

By the way I was worried about not shaving but the radiation slowed down or maybe even stopped the hair growth under my arm?! I have a little growing back but very slight.

Good to hear so many of the others posting had little or no trouble with after affects. My skin got red during treatment but after a couple of months the redness disappeared.

Sounds like you're doing well!  I'll be thinking of you and hope that you continue to do well.

Hugs from Donna in Denver

Hey Bernadette, I'm glad that your rads went well!! I have one more chemo to go - this coming Wed. I cant wait for them to be over!
Wishing you NOOOOOO problems with your rads!!

Chantry

Bernadette,

 

Yes, by fields, I mean how many angles you get treated.  I also had my rads at 4:00 and left work early for it.  Boy, we sure have a lot in common!  Even our DH's!  LOL

 

I am healing very well, except for one spot on the abdominal incision, but the surgeon said he's not worried about it yet.  Yes, the drains were a big pain.  It's been a week since the last one came out and it actually seems like it's been forever.  I've started walking daily, a little at a time.  I'm pretty much able to do regular activity, but am still using the excuse to get out of house cleaning!  LOL  Last night was the first night I slept without my inclined wedge, so I was flat on the bed.  It was a little uncomfortable at first, but once the muscle got used to it, it was OK.

 

I'm glad your DH is doing better.  Keep me posted on how he progresses.

Hi Everyone

I had my 3rd rads today and all of you are right it is a breeze. I just wish it was not everyday. The longest part is getting situated on the table. I have 5 different techs and they are all very sweet. They made me feel comfortable right away.

Kattbird

So good to see you posting again, I have missed you. I hope you are getting all of your strength back and starting to feel normal again. Keep us posted on your life without treatments! We care.

Kathy

So glad to hear you are healing and getting back to normal. I like the fact that I have my rads at 4 that way I can leave early and get home sooner. I still get almost 7 hours in at work and I just work a little faster to get done on time. I love the fact that I have energy again, I can finally walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like I'am going to pass out. Yes Dh is doing so much better he gets around great with his scooter.

Chantry

First and most important thanks for mentioning my Seahawks. I was in a state of shock after watching the horible job the refs did. They cost us the game. I have been rooting them on for 30 years and then this happens. grrrrrrrr. I'am a HUGE sports fan and follow all of our local teams. Anyway enough whinning. Did your insurance cover the genetic testing? I would like to have that done too. I wish that I knew more when I made my decision for the lumpectomy. I call my breasts the "TIME BOMBS" I feel like it is only a matter of time before I will have to deal with this again. I would like to have the mast and be done with it. I know that sounds negative but really I feel like it would be for the best.

Donna

Thanks for your input too. It really helps to know what others have gone through. Did you get tired from the rads. The techs and my DR said I could expect to get tired by the 3rd week. I hope not I enjoy having more energy. How did you use the Aquaphor lotion without ruining your clothes. My Dr said to use it at night and wear an old t-shirt. It is very greasy. I feel a little tingly after todays treatment, not sure if it is just in my mind.

L&H To all

Bernadette

Chantry

I wish there was some way for all of to be able to finish our treatments and then relax. I keep waiting for them to find something else too. I did not know that if you were negative for ER and her2 that they would not give you Herceptin or Tamoxifen. I already know that I will be taking Tamoxifen. I would like to have the genetic testing but don't know if it will be covered by my insurance. I need to look into that.

Take care

Bernadette

Hi All

Wednesday will be 2 weeks of radiation for me. I can't believe that it is going so fast. I had some advice from one of the techs she said for me to stop wearing my underwire bra, from past experience people were more prone to burning if they wore an underwire bra. She said she wasn't sure why the connection but would recomend just a cotton bra. Did any of you have problems where the underwire hits?

I have to admit that rads are soooo easy compared to chemo. I don't mind going there or the time it takes. The women are all nice and polite. I have met a couple that the husband goes at the same time. He was diagnosed with cancer in his tonsils, and then it spread to the lymph nodes in his neck. He is in bad shape and is only in his early 30's. He has a chemo pack that he wears all of the time and has radiation on top of that. He started the same day as I did but now his throat is so sore that he can't eat, so they put a feeding tube. His name is Steve and hers is Polly please say an extra prayer for him.

L&H

Bernadette