Radiation recovery
Comments
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Josie - don't second guess yourself. You and your BC team made the best choice for tx for you. A lx+rads+boosts has outcome = to mx. Don't look back...look forward...rads with boosts give a significant advantage to preventing recurrence...you did good. Eyes forward :-
And vent as needed...gosh we need each other for sanity!
(((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Kate - yeah your mouse is working! Can tell your trip did you good warrior. Something about family time that refills our soul and purpose:)
Let us know when tx begins we can make a chemo land game magic coat with many special pockets...(((hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Hi Bunkie,
You are so right about an expiration date being baloney. I will prove them wrong. Your dad living with bladder cancer till 94 brings me so much hope. I bought soup and crackers today, but I forgot ginger. I will buy some next Thursday. Being alone I do read, but I don't watch much TV or watch movies. I am addicted to the internet, so Iemail friends and family, post on bc, play around on facebook and twitter, and I also love to play cards. Playing cards online really makes me feel much less lonely, because you can chat with other players while you are playing cards. Of course talking to friends and family on the phone helps to ease the lonliness too. When I am feeling well I willgo out with friends, go to the promenade, and the ocean, go to my favorite donut shop etc etc.
You and my other bc sisters being in my pocket is a blessing. It brings me tears of joy, and I thank you and all my wonderful bc sisters.
Hugs,
Kate
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Josie- There is a lot to consider when you choose rads. I toyed with that myself. There is another opinion Dr that people use to see whether rads is really necessary with DCIS. If my first lumpectomy had been clear given my age of 60 I may have chosen to skip the rads. I did get a second opinion but knew nothing about this other Dr that you can consult with. I still feel good about my choice but sometimes with the aftermath of rads symptoms I wonder.
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Hi Cindy,
Thank you so much for your support. I am so appreciative. A chemo game magic coat sounds so wonderful, and I thank you for thinking of it. My first chemo treatment is Monday. I have to be there at 9 am for a blood draw, and my treatment starts at 10 pt and ends at 3. I will be having all my treatments on Monday. The first Monday is a five hour treatment. The second and third Mondays are only a one hour treatmen, and I am off the 4th Monday. I have to do this for 4-6 months at first. I may have to do it again after that, but I am hoping I won't.
t
Thanks again,
Hugs, Kate
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OMG I have such a wonderful day and evening planned for tomorrow, and I know you all will be happy for me, so I wanted to tell you about it.
At 1 I am going to my hairdresser. You know me a girlie girl, and if I look good I feel good. Then at 2:30 I am meeting with my friend doctor Tracy. All my old bc sisters know that I became personal friends with my beautiful 41 year old breast reconstruction surgeon. I had 2 lumpectomies, and one breast was a little smaller than the other. She gave me implants and corrections. I still need a finaL BREAST RECONSTRUTION TOUCH UP, BUT ITS ON HOLD UNTIL AFTER Chemo. wE GO OUT TO HAPPY HOURS TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS YOUNGER THAN i AM, AND i HAVE A BLAST. wE HAVEN'T BEEN FOR AWHILE, BUT WE ARE GOING OUT TOMORROW. wE ARE GOING TO START OUT IN mALIBU AT THE mALIBU INN. i LOVE mALIBU. tHEN WE ARE GOING TO vENICE BEACH FOR DINNER. There is a great place called the Basement Tavern with good food, and great ambience and we will go there. I am so excited I can't wait.Sorry about the caps, my laptop screwed up. I am at the donut shop about ready to go home
xoxo,
Kate
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April, my hat's way off to you! Quitting smoking right now is HUGE!!! I hope you won't put much energy into feeling guilty about having quick rads, because if you do, then I have to feel guilty for things too. No point having longer rads than you need. I had a funny thought the other night: I feel LUCKY to live so far from radiation! Generally I feel kind of sorry for myself living so far away from available cancer centers and doctors (and shopping and movies and Indian restaurants etc.). But I realized I feel lucky now because I'm having so much fun riding to rads with somebody different every day, drinking in that support and having social time which helps fight the isolation of being down to half-time at work. So you feel sheepishly lucky having one week of rads, and I feel perversely lucky having six weeks with a long drive each day, and there it is. I am definitely going to pay it forward when other people need my help, as well as try to have that party I described recently.
Kate, thanks so much for your nice words! Yes I love wine! Riesling is my favorite these days. Your fun day tomorrow sounds wonderful! You deserve to plan all kinds of fun and rewarding things for yourself.
First day of boost was easy, one beam of 25 seconds, didn't have to hold my breath. It seemed to me I could feel the radiation, which I couldn't on the full field. It felt like a tingling feeling in my nipple--sounds potentially pleasant, but not exactly!--not painful, just strange. The tech thought it might be more like static electricity, and true enough, humidity here is very low today. Anybody else feel tingly with full rads or boosts?
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Kate - I am on FB also. Under Bonnie Johnson (Bunkie). Oh boy do I miss Promenade. Do they still have a CP Shades there? I used to be addicted to wrinkled linen!!!
I do alot of Netflix movies. I just finished the first 3 seasons of Downton Abbey. Really good.
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Josie,
I think the decision about rads for DCIS has more to do with age and possibly grade. The way I understand it, if you're in your 70's they don't usually do rads if they can get clean margins because this disease is not usually the one that will kill you....as in you'll die of something else before this will grow back and become an invasive cancer. If you're quite a bit younger, like 40's I think they do rads regardless because of your age. Granted, this is DCIS and it might not ever have gotten invasive, and it might not ever have become mets, but they don't want to take the chance when you're that young. If you don't have clean margins, they do rads regardless of age.....
That said, I like Cindy's answer....don't second guess yourself. You and your team made the best choice for you.
Bunkie, I can understand the "sometimes wondering feeling" as I've had the same about having a mastectomy vs lumpectomy and rads.
April.....day four done and then there was one! And a long life without smoking is left. You go girl...
Janis, were with you tomorrow for your squeeze-a-thon...... Hoping you get results on the spot....
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April, it's so wonderful that you have conquered nicotine. I think you've passed the worst of it--for me, years ago, it was Day 4 that was a near dealbreaker. Hopefully, Day 5 it that for you. Do watch out for temptation once rads are over (practically any minute now), you're back to your normal routine and your guard relaxes just a bit.
Kate, it sounds as though you had a wonderful meeting with your MO. In just a couple of days, you will start shrinky dinking that nasty tumor away from your veins and lymphatics. I hope that chemo cocktail knocks it right on its butt.
RunFree, I felt the first whole breast treatment, and also the first boosts, but non of the in-betweens. It was kind of a prickly, creepy feeling. I thought they would tell me I was imagining it, but both the techs and the RO indicated it's not unusual.
For me, I'm trying to get back to work, a month after rads, but finding it really difficult to concentrate. Anybody else having this problem?
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Janis,I'm not questioning my decision to do Rads as much as the fact that God forbid I ever got anymore BC or say they thought they got everything but Something invasive was lurking they didn't see on the mammogram.Is it really true they could do radiation in the same breast again?
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Josie, I was told by my team if there was ever a recurrence in my radiated breast that mastectomy would be my only option since rads can't be done to the same area twice. Not sure if this practice is standard across the board -- I've learned from this website that some protocols vary with providers and regions.
Let's hope we don't have to cross that bridge! Congrats, btw, on finishing rads. :-) Did they warn you that you might feel some extra fatigue about a week or so after? Hopefully it won't happen for you, but if it does, know that it's normal. It's still important to get your rest, because your body is still doing a lot of fighting.0 -
Josie - you will be seeing your RO 2 wks after rads...write down all your questions and concerns then ask. Record the answers and keep them in your BC file with all your records. My understanding is that full breast external beam may only be given to a breast once. Read the radiation section on this site to confirm.
You have just travel a hard dark journey and you made it! The trama is real. The past months have been tramatic, but Focus on a healthy future...don't let c steal or cripple your future. You have and are doing everything in your power to have a long survivior's happy life.
Live sweetie Live! (((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Josie, I agree with the others....once a breast is radiated, they won't do that breast again. The good news is that since you've been radiated there isn't anything lurking...can't be, you've been zapped good! So....rejoice in being cancer free, and let your body, mind and spirit heal. I think this questioning is something we all have after rads because its hard to face that we're really done.
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Sew- I needed to read what you wrote about the tamoxifen. I havent picked it up yet, just scared. But I am more scared of not picking it up and having to re-live this past 6 months again. My MO didnt give me good odds on my healthy side, I am really living with a underlying fear. I am ILC and LCIS, so scared. All the go go go, wait wait wait and now its just me, feels good but not comfortable. The healing isnt just on the outside I am learning fast its also so much more emotional, what a horrible ride it has been.
I wore a bra today! Kept it on about half the day, felt really good to get it off! I still have a lot of peeling and my underarm to back is a mess but my breast is just brown and yep leathery. She is not a pretty sight but SO much better than she was.
April- non smoking and ass kicking rads all at once, you are a true Warrior.
Cindy your radiant as always..((hugs))
Kate- Your doing good, hang in there. Dont you stop doing the things you enjoy. This road is a scary one but decorated with love, hope and all the caring friends and family anyone could ask for, you will be just fine.
Brookside- I am a bit spaced out, not sure if its the rads or just the whole trauma of the past 6 months, either way I feel like I need a bit more me time each day and that helps.
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Hi Runfree,
I did feel tingly with boosts. So glad your first boost was easy for you. Riesling it is. With all I have going on I am a little forgetful right now. Please remind me the night before your last boost.
Hugs, Kate
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Hi Bunkie,
I don't think cp shades is still at the promenade. glad you enjoy nexflix.
xoxo,
Kate
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Thanks, Lemon. I think spaced out kind of says it. It's certainly been traumatic: an intellectual, emotional, and physical whirlwind. Since November, my world has shrunk into an intense focus on breast cancer statistics, treatment decisions, lifestyle changes, and getting through it all. Now it's time to focus on the ordinary, everyday stuff, and, boy, is it tough to let the world back in!
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Janis I am on your pocket tomorrow and pray for all good news. I don't think I will be able to post tomorrow, except for the first thing in the morning. I am going to my hairdresser, and after that I am going out with my friend doctor at 2:30, and won't be home till late evening. So, if you don't hear from me till saturday please understand. I will post for you Saturday.
Hugs,
kate
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Brookside and lemon thank you so much for your support. Lemon you wore a bra today YEAH! Even though it was only for a half a day I am so glad you were able to do it. I have tears in my eyes of joy for you.
xoxo,
Kate
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oh Brookside your so right. I almost feel like screaming " HEY I HAD BREAST CANCER, what the hell just happened??" Its almost like waking up. I want to just heal, open a drawer and throw this nasty disease in it and lock it up. Not so easy to do in our own minds. We will get there I just know it. We deserve to let the world in again. And the world deserves us! We are not the same women we were, I know we are all stronger and wiser in many ways. I think once you face your own mortality you see the world much different but in a good way that cant be described unless you have been there. xoxo
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Lemon please do NOT fear these AI's or Tamixofen. Seriously, you can make yourself crazy and it is not worth the grief. Tamifoxen is well tolerate by thousands and thousands of women. Arimidex can have more SE's but not everyone gets them. I can't even say for sure that my joint pain is a direct result of Arimidex. The break I am taking is temporary, and the short time I am off it (probably less than a month) will not be long enough to put me in any danger. These follow up meds are so important and I will stay on course for the full five years.
Josie Sweets, the same to you. Once you have gotten through rads it gets easier and better every single day! I always say 'don't bother trouble'. I know this can be difficult but enbrace the end of rads and know that by taking the AI's or Tamifoxen you are buying insurance. For awhile it is normal to be a little jumpy with any new SE's you might experience, weird twinges, funny skin changes, etc. Remember during these next few months you are healing. Focus on that part ladies. Healing! Don't worry about whether or not you can do more rads on the same breast. Please! It is not a question for now, and highly unlikey you will ever have this return. Deep breaths for everyone. Know that you are strong, you are doing all the right things, and just enjoy this healing phase. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel so soon. Your energy level will increase as your body heals. It is an awesome feeling to return to normal, and you will realize one day that you had a great day and didn't even think about BC. It will happen. One day at a time of course, but never let the fear take hold. Enjoy life. Enjoy the coming of spring and embrace whatever makes you happy. Physical energy and joy will return, I promise. You have already come such a long way. Pat yourselves on the back and go out and reclaim your life! Enjoy the ride..........:)
You are all an inspiation and soon you will be welcoming newbies, and giving them the positive wisdom from your experiences. this is what we do. It is all about sharing and caring.
Love and hugs ladies, and plenty of laughter!
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Gigil I miss you! Are you still on vacation? Hope you are having a great time!
xoxo,
Kate
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Cindy actually I don't see my Ro for 6 weeks .But thanks for the comments .And thanks Sew and Gemini too for your thoughts.
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Thanks Kate. I know you have an eventful day tomorrow. Enjoy the day and put cancer on hold.
That reminds me of a pact my DH and I had during rads. We always have enjoyed going to garage sales on weekends. The constant talk of cancer got to be such a bummer. So, we made a pact. I had rads Monday-Friday. We made a rule that cancer was not allowed in the house on weekends. No talk of it,no letting it bother our weekends. It was just kind of cute and we stuck to it. The weekends became very special to us. We had wonderful weekends all during rads, even if all we did was go to garage sales and maybe catch breakfast out. So, my rad memories are not bad, because I remember the special way we made weekends a no cancer zone.
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Lemon, if you are worried about side effects remember that you can always stop or switch meds if it does happen. I also want to tell you, if I haven't nagged you already, to read anticancer, a new way of life by servan-schreiber because there are steps you can take to lower your chances of recurrance. No guarantees, of course, but at least it can make a person feel like they are taking control. As a benefit my dietary changes helped me prevent possible side effects (I say "possible" because lots of women don't get them) like weight gain, and fatigue.I agree with sew and janis that one must look forward and move forward. anticancer made me feel like I was still doing something positive for my health, even though active treatment was over.
Brookside and Josie this nagging is for you too!
Janis, in your pocket, keep me clear of the machine!
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Hi April,
I just watched American Idol, and was thinking about you. What a shocker that Candace was in the bottom 2. I was thrilled that Kree was in the top 2, even though she didn't do as well as the others. I love Kree. I need to tell you what I told Janis.I ill only be able to post the first thing in the morning. I am going to my hairdresser
and then out with my doctor friend at 2:30 tomorrow, and come home late evening. So, I will post for you Saturday, but will be thinking about you tomorrow
xoxo,
Kate
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Hi Janis,
I love that you and hubby had cancer free weekends. How great is that. Your dear hubby sounds wonderful. Glad you don't have bad rads memories, because your weekends were a no cancer zone. I love it. It gives me an idea to do the same and have a no cancer zone Fri, sat, and Sun. I have chemo on Mondays, and doctor said I might feel crummy Tues., Wed , and Thurs. of course I am hoping not. It definitely leaves me Fri, sat and Sun to have fun with friends, and have a no cancer zone. I am starting that tomorrow when I go to malibu with my friend. There won't be any talk whatsoever about cancer, just talking girlie girl stuff and having a blast. Thanks for the idea. Will be thinking of you tomorrow and wish you all the best.
Hugs,
Kate
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This thread is hyperactive! I can't keep up M-W because my job is working long hours. I love Thurdays, but tonight I volunteered at my college for open house.
April, you are nearing the finish line. That was quite a sprint....will be thinking of you tomorrow. Remember to let your body heal. Listen up...
I think of you all each day and hope to reconnect soon.
Tomorrow I have a "reunion" - actually a "meet up" with some BCO friends for the first time. We are meeting in Grand Central Station in NYC.
I better get some sleep...it will be fun.
Hugs,Joan
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Yes this thread is hard to follow! ;-)
I wish we had a "like" button for posts! I echo everything Janis and SAB had said to everyone. I'm typing on my iPhone so keeping it short and sweet. Much love to ALL of you!!!0
