Radiation recovery
Comments
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Interesting question Sew! I really haven't put my chest in the sun, I don't think. The first thing that happened was the itching--which I had for about a month after rads--revved back up, then got worse than even right after rads. Then the area along the lower edge of my bra under that breast started to look red, and the itching started to feel as if it was coming from inside, like prickles. And it got worse from there. I will think some more about this sun thing though. My chest is improving pretty fast, such a relief! But my legs are worse. I've been wearing long pants all day to keep myself from scratching. If I weren't heading into meetings tomorrow, I'd call my PCP. I still might. I treated the area around my desk today, since I suddenly realized this is where I spend a lot of my time, and the fleas can jump onto my legs from the floor but nowhere else. It makes more sense that they'd be getting me at my desk than in bed, because I don't have any bites on the top half of my body except a couple on each arm. It's also weird that I have not seen a single flea through this whole thing. I know you have 100 fleas for each one you see, but shouldn't I see one?
Kate, you will rock that chemo tomorrow, and we'll all be there with you! I'll be the one scratching my legs. Onward! This is your next to last long chemo, right? You're a champion!
Bunkie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow! I hope you are on the path to winning your battle, and your birthday is a good milestone. Or least I hope you have some fun. You really deserve a pleasant day.
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Run free...yep the whole thing is strange. You know, are you still getting new "bites" on your lower legs? Seems to me if you are, then you definitely should at least see a flea or two someplace. My husband will get a bite when I've been lax on flea treating the cats, but he can generally find a flea if he looks. It's still possible that you are just really really sensitive (lower legs) because your body is fighting this chest skin radiation damage and dermatitis. It's got to get better soon...and remember my old mantra..be sure to eat lots of protein so your body has fighting fuel.
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Thanks Sew, great point about protein. I do seem to be still getting new bites. I have three new ones on my right arm, and I found a whole galaxy of new ones last night on my right leg. More on the right than on the left, can't explain that. I do think my chest could be making me extra sensitive to the flea bites, and also once there are a lot of bites, the fleas keep going there because the skin is breached. Yuck. I am not sure what will break the cycle. And I'm suspicious about all my sneezing--seems like some kind of histamine reaction? Whatever that means. Hence my nightly Benadryl, at least for a little while. I'm glad I found my Aveeno moisturizer.
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Run Free, time to call the PCP, I'm not sure you should wait for the dermatologist to get back. It almost sounds more like another allergic reaction or something. I'm not sure it's fleas....mites? Chiggers? Poison ivy/oak? You haven't started a new med/vitamin/supplement? I know you've thought of all this, but I'm not at all sure you should still be getting new outbreaks.....
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Hi y'all
Kate - pockets are full, princess warrior coat is ready, slumber party now, but tomorrow we will wake you with giggles and squeezes
)). Sew hush RunFree stop scratching whose snoring...ear plugs please...
Bunkie - Happy Birthday! Yippee party time! Ooo who...pocket parties time zone jumpin!
(((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Morning.....I have not celebrated my birthday since mom died. She died August 24th 2010. So today is the first day in all this time that I am going to go to lunch. I can not remember my dads date, neither of them but moms is just too close to my day. Going to have cake too.
I am still bouncing off the walls with dizziness and weakness but it will pass. I hope. At least someone is driving me. I feel like Miss Daisy.
RunFree - Just wanted to say I think it is some reaction to other things too but it could still be fleas. With that many bites I would think you could see the little boogers...jumping. It really might take a 6day pack of prednisone to get your body to calm down. Go to you PCP...please. This is taking too long.
Kate - Good luck today with treatment. I am thinking about you. Wish I was there.
Will check in later. It is only 9:30am and the air-conditioner is churning. Not a good sign. Going to be very hot for the next 6 days into Labor Day. This has been one crazy summer. I hate to admit it but I am almost begging for fall.
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Happy Birthday, Bunkie
Enjoy your day, and the cake too.
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Bday Girl Bunkie
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Happy Dancing for you...driving Ms Bunkie...enjoy lunch out...hope they sing Happy Bday and you wear your Bday tiara...be a Diva today!
(((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Runfree I am glad your chest is a little better, but so sorry your legs are worse. This sounds like miserable suffering, and I pray you will feel better soon.
Josie I am so glad you got a cute hair cut. You know me I love girlie-girl stuff. I can't wait to see the photo of your new hair-do.
Bunkie, Happy Birthday! i am so glad you are going out to celebrate. I am very sorry that you are still feeling dizzy and weak. I hope you feel better soon.
Cindy I pray your hubby is doing better.
Thanks for the support Cindy, Runfree and Bunkie. So wonderful of you all to think of me when you are all going through so much yourselves.
I am at chemo now. I had my blood draw about 20 minutes ago, and now I am waiting to be called in for treatment. Runfree you are right after today I only have one long treatment left. How nice of you to remember. I know I should feel ok today and tomorrow. I pray I don't feel too sick Wednesday and Thursday. Of course feeling sick is worth it because the chemo is killing off ugly cancer cells. Truly I am not compaining I feel very positive and hopeful.
Janis I hope all is well. We miss you
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(((Kate))) - we are there:) praying for easy long day...and minimal SEs!
Janis - missing you! Hope you are ok and fires are not issue!0 -
Bunkie, my mothers 100th birthday, if she were still alive, was August 24. I thought a lot about her that day.
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(((Kate)))
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Thnak you Truebff and Cindy. I am getting the treatment right now and doing ok.
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Wow, RunFree, thank goodness you now have a diagnosis and several wonderful tubes of stuff. Apparently, you are one unique lady. (Sorry about that.) And thank you for defining "brawny." I had seen that word on my MO's post appointment notes. It just made me think of paper towels and buffalo plaid shirts, but now that I know what it means, I can feel that my skin is more dense, not crinkley or plaid.
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Runfree-what a thought-that it might not be fleas?! If so, PCP might be a better choice anyway.
I saw my PCP last week, and she commented on my low white cell count. It was interesting to me because my MO just always waves it off as being "not low enough to worry." So, PCP asks for all these additional tests/asks me all kinds of questions and guess what? I have Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 deficiencies! She's having me come in for an injection of B-12 and adding supplements to my diet. I wasn't really surprised about the B-12 since I eat very little meat, but I am in the sun all the time and was just shocked to hear about the D. I'm sort of relieved that she cared enough, was smart enough and took action on my behalf. And so extremely disappointed in my MO.
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I am on day #6 today and very little burning or redness as yet .The NP told me to start putting the aloe lotion on the area anyway. Not sure when this usually starts . I have medium tone white skin and dark hair.
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Good advice GrammyR. My RO told me that skin tone has surprisingly little to do with how well your skin reacts. Good luck!
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Grammy, redness, burning etc can start at any time. I understand its usually half way thru. Mine started on day 2....so anything goes. The thing is, your skin will love the aloe, consider it preventative and you're helping to avoid problems. Put it on as soon as you're done with treatment, and a couple of other times during the day. And I've heard the same thing as SAB, reactions have very little to do with skin coloring/hair color. Remember to drink lots of water, eat lots of protein and rest if you feel tired. And congrats, you're already done with more than a week of this. Keep checking in as you go along, we're here to help
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Kate hope your doing ok tonight
Bunkie hope you had a happy birthday!!0 -
Thanks everyone for your positive take on parenting and kids being independent. It made me smile...am up at 2 AM and cannot sleep...as soon as I start to feel sad I get out of bed and get busy. Otherwise my mind goes where it shouldn’t.
DD’s huge family party was a big success – she had a massive bounce house with slide and basketball hoop inside...amazing face painter...kids were spoiled...a happy day with a lot of emotional goodbye moments. I stayed positive – got tears when anyone asked me how I was coping; but then I said I wasn’t going to think about it on party day. Her nanny showed up, burst into tears and went to leave with her son. I talked her into going back in with her beautiful smile...then I went to take a famlly photo and she disappeared...DD called her and she was absolutely hysterical crying...she cannot bear to see the little ones go...it is her life, her love and her livelihood. Her husband just left her and she is moving with her 10 year old...I want to help her financially, but DD would have a fit. I don’t know whether to keep in touch or let it go. She truly did a wonderful job of helping to shape my granddaughters into beautiful, responsible, active and fun children.I worked so hard helping DD that I slept great for 2 nights. I drove from NJ to work all day.
Tomorrow is DH’s birthday and I am not yet prepared....I have a lot of running to do tomorrow. Just us 2....everyone’s busy with kids back to school or they are far away...this is how it will be.
Infobabe, wow, it's amazing to think your mother was born 100 years ago...0 -
SAB, Congrats on the job offer...is this a result of your interview? Or something that just came along? It sounds like a job that fits you...it will be an adjustment for you, giving up your “free” time ... or should I say an adjustment for those family members who benefit from you always being around...I know you have wanted this for awhile and I wish you well!
There seems to be a large number of women with Vit D deficiency...I am being treated again but I don’t like the mega doses. My MO monitors closely.Runfree, that is great news about your healing skin. And it’s fine to take a photo if you want!
I keep forgetting about your flea itches. It’s unbearable, as I remember from our infestation when I had a newborn. Mama cat and I gave birth same week and she brought fleas in to the kittens. When we moved the cats to the basement, the fleas attacked us...when we moved them outside, I’d go downstairs, I was literally covered to my knees. We bombed and got out for a day...it was so awful and newborn had a few bites. I was horrified. It sounds like fleas to me...hopefully you would be seeing some dead ones. The hatchlings are very tiny and quick...
I hope your homeopathic treatments are working.
I never heard about the Benadryl interaction. I try so hard not to take it and when I do, I use children’s liquid and minimize the dose. It knocks me out.
Runfree, I am going to have to master Skype. Yes, when DD#1 went to college it was pretty hard. And no email then...Sounds like you had fun shopping... I have been told I could not have certain lenses due to my Rx. I prefer small lenses but have a triple progressive lens that requires some room.
Josie, that is sad that your sister is so far ... some day you will be more mobile to visit. It took us a long time after 5 kids to get to this point where we can get away. So, I shouldn’t complain. It sounds like you had a good birthday and a fun breakfast. Did you go to 6 flags? Are you having the heat wave?Bunkie, hope your Birthday was happy!!! I am glad SAB made the cake...although, if you want an unhealthy one, I can arrange it
Cindy, I hope you and DH can find his path back to health. What a scare...and sounds like he has a ways to go. I am sure you miss CA especially after a hot summer.Sew, how are you doing? And how is your SIL holding up during this time of waiting?
Kate, sending good thoughts your way that the chemo is effective and SEs minimal.
Back to bed to try to salvage some sleep....
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Joan, that's an absolutely hideous story about the fleas when you had a newborn! Goodness gracious! I did not call the doctor yesterday. I was so eager to get back into work, after my last compromised semester, that instead I went to Rite Aid and bought $60 of new OTC goops and conducted an experiment on my limbs, found a weird homeopathic spray worked the best, managed to keep from scratching (mostly), and confessed my problem to a lot of people at the various faculty workshops and meetings. One colleague from another town has recently had some fleas and bought flea traps, set them out and caught a bunch of adult fleas. I couldn't find any traps in our stores, but the guy at the pet store told me how to make them with a nightlight and a saucer of soapy water. We set three traps last night--and caught not a single flea. Still haven't seen one in the house or out. So I am either being attacked by the world's SNEAKIEST fleas, or by some other phantom critter (another colleague suggested spiders, which would be like a horror movie!), or by something else entirely. If it's related to the dermatitis on my chest--which continues to improve--I would think the steroid creams or the oral Benadryl would help. Sigh. Can't be bed bugs because they wouldn't just be on my legs, right? And they'd bite my husband too, if there's any justice. The mystery continues. I suppose I'd better call the PCP today, although I doubt they'll know or be able to do anything, and the dots do look a bit better this morning.
Joan, what a wonderful party, and what a hard transition. That's very sad about the nanny. I hope you can get things pulled together for your husband's birthday. Skype is not that hard. If your computer doesn't have a built-in webcam, you can buy one for about $20 that clips onto your screen. Then go to Skype.com and set up an account. It really is vastly better than a simple phone call. I think it will help.
Kate, I'm thinking of you today. You're such a star! Only one more of those long days and BAM, you did it! I hope you're feeling OK, and also tomorrow through Friday.
Bunkie, I hope you were able to enjoy your birthday at least a little, and I hope you are feeling some progress. Cindy, hope your husband is doing better.
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RunFree, so happy that you're back at work. But are you saying that the fleas are biting only you? Could this be some sort of truly systematic post rads thing? I'd think your RO is probably hanging by the phone waiting to hear how you're doing.
Joan, so sad about your daughter leaving, and that poor nanny! I hope she finds another job soon, soon, soon.
Bunkie and Kate, I'm hoping you're both feeling better than you expected.
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Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!!! That was a nice cale SAB. It went OK for me. I did go to lunch at Cracker Barrel. I had fried catfish...not healthy but I wanted it. I came home and had Carrot Cake and then later pancakes. Go figure. Back to eating healthy today. If I were not dizzy and not weak I swear I would be cured. It poured down rain and we had a lightening show this morning at 5am. I went downstairs and the basement was dry so far. Thank You!!! The day is young though and more rain is predicted. The ragweed is really bad this week so hopefully the rain will wash some out of the air. My allergies are acting up.
Time for some oatmeal.
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Sounds like you had some fun on your birthday, Bunkie! Yum to all those things, and yay to a dry basement. Glad you seemed better too.
I called my PCP office at 8:05 and they got me in at 8:30, same nurse practitioner who saw my mild shingles last winter. She said it doesn't look like shingles, flea bites, Lyme, staph, bed bugs, or poison ivy. Mystery rash. She's calling in prednisone for me, and I'm going to call my RO and run it past her before taking it. She thinks the pred will clear it up fast, and we'll never know what happened but we don't really have to.
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Yikes. Mystery rash. What about a dermatologist?
Bunkie, glad your birthday was fun and you had fun food. I'm chanting, "Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day," for you and your allergies.
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No dermatologists in the boonies, Brookside, and months to wait for a distant one if it's not oncological or otherwise urgent.
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run Free, Glad the Doc/nurse saw you so fast. Do run the prednisone by the RO office, and, come to think of it...do you take Arimidex or Tamoxifin? I know Arimidex can have SE's that include just about everything. I wonder if a quick check by your MO would also be wise? He/she may have seen just this type of reaction, now that we've pretty much decided it isn't fleas. But if any of the neighbors get inundated with them, you'll have the solution!
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Run free, I'm glad you got to see someone.You don't think this rash could be something like scabies? I had that in high school and it was actually something you can get just by shaking someone's hand.Well no one knew what it could be but finally the dermatologist.I hope not for your sake.They gave me some cream to use and it was gone before you knew it.
These are little mites that get under your skin and itch like crazy.I hope I didn't offend you by asking but these are similar to chiggers except reportable to the Health department because it's communicable.
Bunkie glad to hear you had a great Birthday.0 -
Yesterday we had a family emergency with my Autistic son Andy . He did a creative writing assignment and he mentioned about being an outsider and thinking about suicide at times.Needless to say his teacher sent him to the counselor and they called us.My husband took him to the DR at the suggestion of his Pediatrition.They just evaluated him and told us He needss social interactions with his peers.He also needs to get outside and do something physical.
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