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Illinois ladies facing bc
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Just wanted to pop in quick here before I start my day to tell Nicki and JanClare that I"m SO GLAD your results were positive. (although a fractured rib isn't really positive...guess I could have worded that better.)
The sun is shining and I have a baby shower to go to after church today. Tomorrow is my first radiation treatment.
Hi to everyone. Enjoy this great day!
Rita0 -
Hey girls....
JanClare...great that you are empty-headed...never thought you would take that as a compliment did you????
Nicki...I was hoping it was just that and I am glad you kicked some butt and got your answers sooner. Yay for you.
Good Luck Rita with your rads tomorrow..mine a still a looong way off (5/22 for the sim) but I follow along with you and see how it goes.
Everyone have a wonderful day...this weather is soooo nice I don't even mind hearing about the rain all next week!
Wendy0 -
Its a beautiful day here. Im still pulling weeds. Trying to get the ground ready for my flower garden. I forgot what hard work this is. My muscles are so, especially my quads.
Rita: Have fun at the baby shower.
To everyone else - have a wonderful Sunday!
Nicki0 -
Hi everyone....
Rita Have fun at the Baby Shower today. Am I the only person who loves baby shower games?
Nicki
Sorry that you have a fractured rib but happy to know that's all it is.
Have fun gardening
Jan Clare
for having nothing in your brain...OOPS, I mean for having a clear scan.
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend everyone.0 -
Everyone, enjoy the beautiful day.
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Hi Girls -
Nicki - JanClare!
YAY! Good news for both of you! WOO-HOO! I'm so happy!
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Isn't the weather great!
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Nicki - Kats -
Great graphics...you two crack me up!0 -
Good morning everyone!
All of your graphics are outstanding! I'm sure this is the most colorful thread on the entire site, and all because of you creative Illinois gals!
I hope everybody enjoyed the wonderful weekend.
The sun is again peeking through the trees here but the temps are only expected to get to 68 today and rain is supposed to be coming in tomorrow. Oh well, the rain will make the flowers grow!
I'll let you know later how the first rad session goes today! I'm going to keep myself busy planning my next Museum class until it's time to get ready to go.
Have a great day!!!
Rita0 -
Rita -
Best luck to you today...the first few sessions are scary - but b/4 you know it...you'll be a "regular", walking in there like you own the place.
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Everyone have a great Monday! It's amazing how green everything had gotten - seems like overnight! Gotta start D-ZINING...and packing...I leave for MX Thursday!0 -
Hey everyone..........
Did we have a beautiful weekend or what?
Rita Good luck with your first rad appt. The first one is always the longest of the bunch. The explanation of the procedure, the postioning and repostioning......Then the rest are quick, I spent more time undressing and redressing then laying on the table for tx.
How was the baby shower?
Nicki How did was your day of gardening?
Laura How was your weekend?
Pam Hi.....Glad Laura told you about this thread
JanClare Great pic of you and Laura0 -
Okay, girls...sometimes my sense of humor can be somewhat crude...but I thought this was really funny! My dh frequents a discussion board for race car enthusiasts (we own one) and when they want to "bump" up a topic, they post this icon: LOL
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Too funny BUT Eweeeeeeee!!!!!!!!
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Hi everybody!
Laura...I love the bump icon. In this part of the state, we call that belly a "dicky-do." You know, the belly sticks out more than the dicky do.
Well, I survived the first rad. You're right, Kats, it took quite awhile to get me positioned. They took pictures and then rechecked, called in the radiologist and he rechecked, and finally agreed on how I needed to be positioned. Then the actual treatment was quick and painless. They gave me biotine cream to apply twice a day. Was that the same type they gave you, Laura?
Anyway, Wendy, so far the rads are very doable. I have ato be there tomorrow morning at 7:30 and we'll see how long it takes to do the treatments then.
Laura, you are indeed right. We ALL need to get together before the late September walk. That is too far away. Anybody have any ideas about where and when? Let's kick it around a little and see what we can come up with.
Hope you're feeling better, Ginny!
Well I need to find something to eat so I'll catch you all in the morning. Can't wait to see tomorrow's graphics!
Catch you later.......
Rita0 -
Rita -
OMG - I am LMBO...I never heard that one! Glad to hear you're first day went well. Before you know it, you'll be in and outta there in no time at all. Yes, I used Biotene too. Use it generously! I really works. I have an un-opened container, if you want it. But it does go a long way, so you may be fine with one. I agree...let's try to get together early summer maybe? We could pick a central location or you could all head up north to my neck of the woods, whatever works is fine with me. Let's throw some ideas out there.0 -
Good Morning Everyone: Just checking in to see how everyone is doing.
I have one of those busy weeks! Getting home late from work and having to go in early. Training someone from corporate - so nothing like having a trainee hanging around me all day.
Mary: My gardening went great. I pulled out all the weeds. Took me 2 days to do it. Now I feel like an old lady. My quad muscles hurt like heck! This coming week-end, I plant flowers!
Laura: That pic is too funny. I love using it to bump up the topic.
Rita: So now your in the countdown with the RADS. Good luck this morning.
A get together would be fun. Im pretty flexible, early summer sounds like a grand idea.
OK - gotta go. Time to get ready for work. Have a wonderful day.
Nicki0 -
Morning all! Count me in for a get-together...as long as I can mapquest it! My sense of directions...well, not so good but heck this college degree must be good for something!
Glad you've started the rads, Ritz...if it goes as fast as chemo has gone I will be happy. And where do you get the biotene? I'm thinking I will just wait and see what my rad onc does in his office...already have aquaphor and 100% aloe. Also envious of your start time at 7:30...knowing my luck I'll get 4:45pm or something horrendous!
Nicki...isn't it too good to chance flowers? The only things I really do are geraniums and vines in my deck boxes so maybe I can squeek by a little early too.
Well...time to get going. Came downstairs to find dried mud by the door and area rug in the kitchen...and my husband says "I didn't do it" as I show him the mud in his shoe treads and it sure wasn't there when I went up last night. We must have mud ghosts, I guess.
Happy days, ladies!
Wendy K0 -
"mud ghosts" - hey, I have those too!
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HAVE A GREAT DAY!0 -
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Laura: Thats just too funny.
Not much time today. I have a meeting with the owners of the nursing home I work for at their corporate office, then off to work, then off for a routine check with my PS, then off to a Board Meeting at 6pm tonight. So I wont see any of you til tomorrow. Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Nicki0 -
Good morning ladies!
I'm home from rad #3 and no side effects yet. How bad did you gals burn from the rads? I met a lady who was in her fifth week this morning and she showed me her chest and it looked horrid........red and oozing in places. I really wish she would have kept that info to herself (you know..the old "ignorance is bliss" theory). And when did you first notice the burning?
Wendy, I had the name of the cream wrong. I said biotene, which is the name of the mouth wash I used. The name of the cream is biafine and the onc gave it to me in his office, along with some deodorant to use that doesn't have any metals in it. I'm sure each onc has a specific cream that they like to use best. I assume they replace it automatically when you run out, too.
Hope everybody is doing well today. It's a good day to stay inside and try to get some of those "less exciting" jobs done!
Catch you all later.
Rita0 -
Rita..... I did 33 rads and never blistered. My Rad Onc told me it all depends on the individual and how their skin will react. My skin held up good and I'm fair skinned blonde hair/blue eyes.
These were my Rad Onc instructions:
Shower with warm water
Use unscented Dove soap
Pat skin dry, never rub
Keep skin clean and dry
Don't use any lotions, creams or oils
Go braless whenever possible
Keep the area under the breast dry
Only use the prescribed deodorant
Only use an electric razor when shaving underarm area
Toward the end of my tx I did develope a prickley heat type rash that I used Biafine RE on. I was told I could use Aquaphor too, I tried it once but it was too greasy for me.
About 5 days after I finished rads I did get a small red sunburn like area under my breast. Too much sweating and not enough keeping that area dry did it.
Mary0 -
Hi Girls -
I've missed you today! I am crazy busy getting ready to leave for MX tomorrow! We are being picked up at 4:00 AM! Yikes...help me! Oh and also, how about the latter part of June for a get-together? Hmmmmm...think about it while I'm gone. Love ya all!
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Rita -
I didn't get bad burns, some redness, but definately tolerable. Hang in there...3 down! Yay YOU!
JanClare -
I'll call you when I get back...we'll walk together! Have you walked Cuba Marsh? Supposed to be FAB!
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EVERYONE -
I hope you're all doing well...will check in on you from the Internet Cafe at my resort in Mexico.0 -
Hey, Laura- have a great time! Looking forward to our walking- yes, I have done Cuba Marsh, many times! Like it a lot.
Rita, glad rads are going well so far. I'm starting my rads in about 2 weeks, so I'll be gobbling up all the info you can give me.
Mary, thanks for that list- it was really helpful.
On the get together- I'm wondering if there is some place we can meet that it halfway. (Well, now, I'm thinking about halfway between Normal and Chicago, but maybe we have some sisters who are further downstate as well?? I'm kind of fuzzy on where everyone lives.) I looked on the map and also tried looking up "things to so" and the best I could come up with as being on the way was Starved Rock State Park. Not quite what I would think we had in mind! Although they did have some lovely cabins/ hiking stuff if we wanted to make this a weekend!0 -
OK! I have some ideas about a get together in the end of June. We could go to Lindy's Landing (maybe), or the Irish Mill (maybe) or just come here to my house and have a BBQ. Its not a big house, but its big enough for all of our Illinois ladies and Im sort of a central location near major highways.
Nicki0 -
Hello,
Sounds like everyone is doing okay! I got some redness in week three, but nothing bad at all. Many people do not burn or blister. Be watchful, but don't assume that you'll have bad side effects.
I'm up for a picnic, dinner in a restaurant, or bbq or something!0 -
Morning Ladies...
Rita....3 down! Yep...thought that was mouthwash but if it worked, I'd be willing to pour it on! And thanks Mary for the list..just waiting to see what they do in my office. I always thought that putting anything oily/greasy on a burn would hold the heat in and be bad for the skin so I have NO idea why they think aquaphor is a good idea...but we'll see.
Oh...and Rita...lucky you to see that lady's pretty chest. Forewarned is forearmed is one thing but....jeesh! Yes..it can happen. Doesn't mean it will happen to you. And if it does, they will try and fix it for you and it will heal. Not much comfort but this is another thing we just can't predict. 5/22 can't come soon enoough for me...want to get going on the next journey as chemo is boring (ha-ha)
BBQ sounds good, out for lunch sounds good...whatever. End of June is fine as if we go anywhere it can't be until after rads is done in early/mid July.
Wendy K0 -
For the ladies who are doing or soon to be doing radiation here's a link to radiation info right on this site:
http://www.breastcancer.org/tre_rad_idx.html
There are a lot radiation info pages 20+. After the info on each page you'll see the words Next Page: and a link to click.
It covers everything from how the simulation works, how the radiation works, skin side effects, hints on how to care for your skin etc.
Mary0 -
Nicki,
That's nice of you to suggest your house.
In March I went to MI for the MI ladies get together, it was at a restaurant and while it was great time, sitting at a long table with a large group made it impossible to spend time with & talk to everyone.
You could talk to the ladies on either side of you and the ones across the table but not the ladies who were at the far ends of the table.
So gathering at someone's house might be a good suggestion if a lot are interested in getting together, that way there's the ability to talk to everyone. If only a few are interested then a restaurant would be okay.
Mary0 -
Hi everyone! Hey you gals are coming up with some great suggestions for a get-together. Count me in regardless of where it is held. Maybe I can talk Ginny from Normal and Wendy from Champaign into driving up with me, but if not, I'll come alone regardless of where we decide to meet.
JanClare is right. Starved Rock is beautiful. It might not be the best place to go for the first meeting but it would be worth considering for a cook-out/picnic later in the summer.
Thanks gals for your encouragement. I must admit that the helpful lady's burnt chest really rattled me. I had gone in so positive and ready to get this over with and I'm having a hard time getting that picture out of my head, so your encouragement was really helpful. Thanks ago, Mary, for your list of suggestions and the helpful website. Those things are really good to know. I was wondering if you could still wear a bra or if I'd need to find something else.
Well Laura's off on another wonderful excursion. I hope she has a ball and finds plenty of time for cocktails and relaxation in the sun!!!!
Hopefully the weather will clear by this weekend and we'll all have sun and fun, too!
I have to gather my materials for my museum class this evening. I had an outdoor environmental activity planned and better get an alternate activity ready, I think.
Have a great day! Catch you all later.
Rita0 -
Hi ladies, just thought I'd share some good news for a change. Just had my 6 month mammogram yesterday and everything checked out clear. And yes it does hurt to have one on the tatered boob side but the good news made up for it.
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Just a short note to Rita...
Just got back from Kohl's...I didn't need any but they have those little cami tops with the shelf bra on sale for 4.88 in LOTS of colors/prints...usually you are told to stay away from underwires or anything that would chafe under the breast.
Thought you'd like to know
Wendy K
(PS...these were in the junior section, but come in s-xl)0
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