Fall 2015 Rads
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I'm pleased to report that a month after, my chest temperature is the same on both sides!
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I do use a cooling towel. The temp was that way 9 hours after rads. I can't take the thermometer away from here, so I don't know what it would be right after
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I start my first treatment tomorrow. Whole breast 30 treatments.
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ROTISSERIE! LOL! Spellchecker's got that right. I get my first boost this morning. Another day closer to ringing the bell!
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Lizannee: welcome to the group--I put you on the (semi)official list, is that OK?
Meezers: doesn't starting boosts make you feel like you're in the home stretch, now?
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Rotisserie -- I love it!
*Tech knocks on door of radiation room* "Anybody in there?"
"Nobody but us chickens!"
Take care,
--Sherri, aka EnigmaticFox
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Found out today was my last whole breast and start the boosts tomorrow. Oh well, ignorance was bliss for a little while..
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Meezers: my skin itches sympathetically on your behalf--tomorrow really is the start of your boosts, though?
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Yup, tomorrow. Feel like I've been bitten by a dragon!
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Meezers- LOL dragon bites. I love it. I thought it looked like I had been boiled in Death's bathwater...
Last whole chest for me today!!!!! On to 5 boosts. My techs think the sharpie design they drew on my chest for that is going to stay. I am here to tell you sharpie comes off instantly when steroid cream is applied to it. There has to be a better way!!!!
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Yes. Sharpie does come off instantly when any creams are applied. So why then do they use alcohol swabs to wipe it off??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I've found the radiation marking technology to be sorely lacking. As one example, black light tattoos could be used so we're not left with visible prison-style dots all over our chest.
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ksusan - I did get black light tattoos. Guess I was lucky. But they still mark all over me with sharpies.
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One more down, 6 more full breast treatments to go.
Ya'll will appreciate this - I wear a loose t-shirt with some sort of loose button up shirt over it to the center. When I get to the car I stick a cooling cloth under my t-shirt for the drive home. Today I had on a black t and a blue chambray shirt. Did the usual routine but had to stop on the way home for blood work. I didn't want to take the towel off and figured I could get by with it. As I was getting my blood drawn I noticed the tech looking at my chest. I went to the bathroom after and my shirt is wet around my breast. HAHAHA Bet she was wondering how a 62 yo woman could be lactating!
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LOL....chickens, rotisseries.....you ladies are funny.
Huh, the techs do no such drawings with sharpies or any sort of marker before getting zapped. I just have the 5 dot tattoos. Wonder why?
On the radio today while on the table, "Here Comes the Sun" by Mr. Lennon was playing......
Skin still holding up on #5/20. When am I gonna really start to hurt, girls? My port site, that is still healing, has been bothering me more than my radiated boob.
Should I get that cooling towel yet? What do I have in store for me? Ya know, stuff that the doc doesn't tell you....
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Since gingeel mentioned her port healing, did everyone that had a port get it taken out prior to rads? I meet with my MO and surgeon tomorrow but just wanted to know what to expect. I'm assuming I'm getting it taken out with my lumpectomy but some of the nurses I talked to during chemo weren't so sure.
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If you are finished with chemo, then I don't see why they wouldn't remove it along with your lumpectomy. Why go under the knife more than necessary?
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Hi All--
Just a few words of encouragement.
I finished 20 radiation treatments--my daughter's wedding was scheduled for 2 weeks after final treatment, and my mother-of-the bride dress has a V-neck. Was really worried about how my skin would look so--
I used Aquaphor ointment 3 times a day (except in morning before radiation). I slathered in on "from my ear lobes to my waist, both breasts" as suggested by my nurse. Yes, it was greasy, sticky, etc but it worked. Just pile it on. I wore loose T-shirts and no bra when possible. Did NOT wear underwire bras--too annoying, so got some loose sports bras (Athleta has some great ones). I had some discoloration (like a mild sunburn) and some funny warty looking brown spots. My underarm got dark and did peel a little. Worst thing I experienced was a REALLY itchy nipple that did peel (weird).
I had scheduled a sprint triathlon 3 weeks after radiation ended--kept on training for it as best I could (swam until skin got itchy--about half-way thru treatment) and rode my bike and walked when I could. I think exercise really helped--had little fatigue, no nausea. Did do the sprint triathlon and wasn't dead last (I am 61 years old). All-in-all it was much less scary than I had anticipated.
I did wear my v-neck dress, no problem.
Now I am almost 6 weeks post-radiation--breast looks normal!
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Today I took the sports towel (target's version of the polar pad) and put it underneath my sports bra and then put my shirt back on. I am currently at my desk working this way and I have to say, its very soothing! Once again, you ladies make this crap just a little more tolerable!
19/33 today. I am having a tough day mentally today. Skin is angry now and I am scared its going to get worse and I really dreaded going in today. You finishers give me hope though! One more month of crappiness and it will be better right?
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I received my official dates...I go for my simulation on Friday and I start rads on Oct 5. 25 days of whole breast and 5 days of boosts.
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Pamela, the 62 yo lactating woman. LMAO!!!
I only had two tats and no sharpie. I didn't have boosts, just wbr. I had IORT (intrabeam) during surgery. That counted as my boosts. That wasn't the plan, but ILC diagnosed after surgical pathology threw me into an additional 28 sessions of wbr. And yes, I was pissed.
gingeel...Start using the towel now. It certainly won't hurt anything. And if you had a cool infared, non-contact, surface thermometer like KBeee and I, you'd probably see that your radiated boob is starting to retain heat. Whatever heat you're feeling on the outside is going on in the inside too.
RADIATION....Not like a sunburn. More like a microwave.
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Gingeel, I have been posting weekly pictures here and posting them on the April Facebook thread. That should give you a general idea of the changes week to week.
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Gingeel- My skin didn't really start to peel until last weekend, so at about 20+ treatments of 30 total. Honestly, its not painful for me because my BS scraped all my nerves out when he cut off my breasts, except just a few tiny areas outside the area he skinned. I think you will be just fine. Use grease and more grease. Its really annoying, but not terrifying. Promise.
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littleblueflowers.....I'm confused by your statement about grease. In the Summer 2015 Rads thread your RO said heavy greases trap the heat. It's a bit confusing.
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there's a Facebook thread?
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No no. Not facebook. It on the boards here on this site.
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Sorry, i didn't mean to be confusing. In this case I was using "grease" more as a verb. Sometimes I get carried away in hyperbole. I'll make a note on the other thread.
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lbf..No worries.
I feel so good today. I had a super productive day at work today cause I didn't have to go rushing off to rads. It feels so good.
Don't get me wrong. I can't wait to get home and get th bra off. It is uncomfortable and sometimes a little painful. But I feel sooo good.
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Littleblue: how about slathering yourself up good, rather than greasing? or ladling.
MaryLC: thank you for the words of encouragement! And I'm impressed with training for a triathlon during rads--I managed swimming for weeks 2-4, but feeling decidedly leaden by the end.
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queenmomcat,
You swam during the radiation treatments? My RO said not to. Something about the risk of getting an infection through microscopic breaks in the skin, or something like that. I'll ask when I have my simulation. I would like to take a water aerobics class to stay somewhat fit during this part of the process.
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