collector

I had been taking Fenhrt for at least 8 years prior to my diagnosis.  I have always been very careful to get my annual pap smear and mammo.  My gyn thought I was very low risk for cancer since no family history for breast cancer.  He is also one to consider quality of life issues which are important to me as well.  I quit the HRT pretty much right after my confirming ultrasound.  Although I've heard all the stats, I think in my heart of hearts that it is a crapshoot. 

I am almost 6 weeks since my last T/C treatment.  I have sparse hair that is white or cellophane in color.  The long ones are maybe 3/4 inch long but those are leftovers from during chemo.  My question is if these eventually fall out, to be replaced by another new hair OR does the color of the shaft just start to change?  I colored my hair for years before cancer so I don't expect it to look like it did BUT colorless seems too strange.  I also wonder about the caps or scarves I wear being too hard on the new growth.  I go bald at home but at night my head gets chilled and the stubble is uncomfortable against the pillow.  Should I suck it up and go bareheaded whenever I can stand it?

Treatment number 7 for me today and yesterday was the first time I had pink skin and tenderness,  Saw the doctor today and mentioned it and the tired feeling I had all day and he said it was all in the realm of normal radiation experience.  I do wonder that no one except the rads techs actually view the area being radiated.  Nor have I had any blood draws since my last chemo day five weeks ago.  I get the feeling that if I have more than pink skin, including a lot of pain, that they would do more of an exam but I'm glad I don't feel like I need more attention right now.  I do hope that my tiredness today is just a one day thing.  It seems awfully early for total fatigue to set in.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

I had my first radiation session today.  I guess it went well but I went to the gym after my appointment and on the way home I could feel the treated breast was reacting to the sweat from class.  I hate to clean up at the club because none of those places are really as clean as my own shower but the 15 minutes ride home was enough discomfort and it's only the first day so I can imagine how much worse this might get.  I will ask for some advice tomorrow but I need to wear some kind of bra and I will be sweating so I need some solutions.  The therapists seem very pleasant and careful so I feel like I'm in good hands.  One thing I did not like was sitting in the waiting area with a few other patients as well as all the escorts for patients who were already in the treatment rooms.  I guess I hate feeling like a victim and to sit there in your hospital gown waiting to be called along with people in their street clothes who are just waiting - it made me feel awful.  One down and 32 to go.

Hi, August rads newbies!  I am on Day 10 from my last chemo T/C Tx and am scheduled to meet with the rads onco on Aug 13 for measuring and marking.  Over the phone they have told me to expect to begin the week of Aug 18.  I had one other meeting with the same doctor before I started chemo so some of the preliminaries have been taken care of.  Right now I just want to get my blood counts back together, to be able to sleep better and to get my sense of taste back.  I have done nothing to prepare for radiation since my instruction sheets from the first appt are pretty emphatic regarding use of any lotions.  I do have the soft cotton bras and a supply of DH's old T shirts to wear at home in case I need to use all the greasy stuff I've heard might be necessary.  My biggest fear besides pain and fatigue is that I will have trouble exercising.  Throughout chemo I continued to get to the gym almost every day and that has been good for my mental stability as well as physical well being.  I sure wish I didn't have to deal with this but since I opted for lumpectomy, radiation was a given. 

I drank a lot more just before I went to bed and then was up 4 times during the night to pee.  Each time there was a lot more and when I got up this morning I was down 3 pounds and I feel like things are back to normal, well, chemo normal.  I went in for my neulasta shot and decided not to mention it to that nurse.  My biggest challenge now is keeping track of all the meds for days 2-5.  I have to make a schedule to get them all in without making myself sick or forgetting something.  At least this is the last time around.