Fall 2015 Rads
Comments
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Wildflower: (bemused) Yes, and made it quite clear to my RO that I was planning to do so. All he said was "As long as you don't have any skin breaks." meaning some of the more grievous effects of rads. But I didn't have chemotherapy first--might that make a difference?
Throwing this open to those who have gone through chemo: how long after your chemo did your oncologists want you to avoid public gyms?
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I had my rads over 28 sessions with 2 3-day weekends. Those 3 day weekends were a blessing and really gave me a break. I loved my rads techs and their collective experience. Their advice was invaluable to me. I did add the advice of another contributor to this website and added the cooling towel.
I'm 4 days post rad. Yes I'm uncomfortable. Yes I'm still wearing a sports bra 2 sizes my normal (more good advice from another contributor). Yes I'm still holding my boob when I go over a speed bump. But I never thought this was going to be a cake walk. And sometimes from reading some of these boards...I was scared shitless.I was lucky. Wbr no nodes. That is not every woman's experience. Some women have more. Some less. I'm Caucasian, but tend to tan pretty well. Maybe you're a stereotypical redhead.
Please. Stop and take a breath. Your experience will be nothing like anything you've read, but everything like what you've read. It will be as unique to you as we are as individuals.
I may be crying like a baby tomorrow. And if so, I ask for your comfort and compassion. But if now is the peak of my worst, then I'm totally ok with it. Jesus Christ...I had cancer.
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Queenmomcat, I used gyms all through chemo. You just need to not rub your eyes, etc,and wash your hands when done with ewuipment... No different than touching grocery carts at the store, etc.
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queenmom, my MO never told me to avoid public gyms, just to be careful and be sure to wash my hands, etc immediately after I was done. I explained to her that I was going to go to the gym regardless of what she said, as long as I was feeling up to it. She laughed and said she wasn't banning me from the gym unless my WBC was insanely low. Luckily that never happened!
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I third that- but I had neulasta so my whites never got too low. Just wiped down each machine befor I used it.
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Hi, my name is Colleen. Finished 16 treatments Sept. 16th. Things got so painful I couldn't do anything. Hot one minute and cold the next. It would seem to be getting better, but by evening it would be worse in a spot that I was thinking didn't get hit. Once the treatments ended it continued to get worse and worse. Friends and even husband thought it would be better for me to get out and be with people. Go with them to work out and visit. Right. Me with my melting painful boob and greasy, oversized shirt. 6 days after my last treatment, I lost it. I really dont wish this on anyone, but i was close to it that day. I yelled things at my husband he couldnt believe were coming out of me...like putting a certain body part of his in the microwave oven for 60 seconds a day for 16 work days. Now, it is so much better, I will be going back to the YMCA Monday. I will be ready to go. I decide that and no one else. Sheesh. Pilates should be okay to do, right?
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sewbutton, my burns feel worse at night too. It usually flares up 12 hours after my treatment. I was asleep earlier but woke up from the pain.
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Thank you for responding! Apparently, the lymphocyte can go almost to zero before they worry! Today was my last day of radiation!!!! Celebrating! Wish you all the same success!!! Enjoy the people you meet in the waiting room. They are awesome!
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Congrats girlonfire! Hope your recovery is swift.
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Sky squirrel....You are entering that pivotal phase. Do whatever makes sense to you to relieve any areas of discomfort. I too have a computer job. There is no privacy (I work in a control center). Fortunately the ac is set very low and I wear a light sweater/jacket all the time. During the really uncomfortable times, I slipped into the restroom and removed my bra. I worked braless all day. No one was the wiser.
It is important, at this time, to take immediate action to stop any rubbing or whatever is creating your discomfort. Change your bra style/size, stuff silk scarves in your sensitive areas, roll a soft cloth under your boob to prevent skin to skin contact, use the cooling towel to draw out that radiation heat. Whatever it takes. Nurse your way thru this next week. It'll pay dividends later.
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Congratulations girlonfire!
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Thank you so much for the advice, ladies! I'm mentally preparing myself for the worst. Hey, if I can do surgery and chemo....I can do this too, right? I hope all of you are feeling good today. And I really appreciate what this site does for me. This information is invaluable!
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Congrats girlonfire!!! I'm so happy for you.
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KBeee/StephLove/LittleBlue: Thank you for the input! Not for me (this time around) but for anyone who's wondering about rads after chemo this time. I'd just chalk it up to the perplexing variants in ROs' treatment criteria. My take on swimming (and gyms) is "Chances are good that I have microscopic skin breaks for a significant percentage of the times I go to the Y." Gardening does that to you.
GirlonFire: congratulations!
Sewbutton: my sympathies! I too lost my temper with my husband--asked him to cut a 'sprig' of aloe and he asked in a panic if I'd been burned--so I can well understand getting up in his face about stuffing various parts of your husband's anatomy into the microwave.
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Congrats Girlonfire!
And yes, Sewbutton....don't beat yourself up about your husband. Our significant others don't get it sometimes. Well, most of the time. And when they don't quite give us what we want or need, we lose it! I know I do! My husband frustrates me sometimes, and other times, he's perfect.
I hope you have a better day.
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Today was my second to last whole breast. My boosts start on Friday. Today was my boost sim. Mine is a little more complex because it is a recurrence so they need to cover original scar, new scar, original tumor and new one...and a second one they found this time around hanging out in the soft tissue. I noticed the boost area did not cover that last tumor which was up in the soft tissue towards my axilla under the pec muscle. It was the most aggressive of all of them. I asked the team about it, they went and got RO, he looked and agreed it needed to be in there, so they redrew things and are making a new mold. I am grateful to have an RO who listens and adapts, and does not have an "I am always perfect" attitude. It also points to the importance of knowing your history, where your tumors are, and paying attention. That is the area that is the most burned and he did say it would get significantly worse and more sore with boosts. My reply was that if it keeps this cancer from coming back again in 14 months than it'll be worth every ounce of pain. Thanks for being aggressive with it. I think he appreciated that. Remind me I said that next week when I am writhing in pain! I already feel like I am on fire there! The reality is though that I do not care to revisit this cancer crap again.
Sewbutton, Your comment about your hubby putting his body part in a microwave for days may not have been appreciated by him, but it sure was by me!!!!! And I just may use it when DH asks "what's wrong? Why are you in a bad mood?" I hope you heal quickly and start feeling better.
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Good advice, Karen. I mean, it's scary that had you not been ontop of it, they wouldn't have gotten that last tumor spot. I hope your skin holds up! Give it everything you've got!
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KBee: (winces) but glad you pressed the issue of a tumor site being outside the boost area, and gladder the RO listened to you.
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Good Work KBeeeee! I hope this Radiation stuff is frying the shit out of any hostiles remaining. My RO, pessamist that he is, seems determined that it will work. First boost today. Its just one long shot to my scar/tumor area. Armpit is peeling, and the areas where I do have nerves left feel like I got stung by a bee, but whatever. Almost done! It takes my techs forever to position me for the boost, though- and they have to redraw the penis on my chest every day, because it washes off. Duh. Of course it washes off. There has to be a better, more permanent marker out there than sharpies! 4 more. Just 4 more.
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lbf...Isn't that just like a penis. To leave when you want it to stay? LOL LOL and LOL
Sorry ladies. I just couldn't let that one slide. lbf...You made it too easy.
Again, I'm sorry, but ROTF LMAO.
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ROTFL LMAO...
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hahahaha laughing out loud here at my desk
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KBeee - you might not get as bad as you picture with boosts. My RO said the same thing, but it never happened. I was expecting the worst. I kept thinking I was worried when I was getting so red, but then I was worrying during boosts that I wasn't getting red. I guess there' no winning in this game...
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hi everyone.
I had my third today (doing 16) and so far so good. I also started tamoxifen on Friday, so it's hard for me to tell what is causing what symptom. I've been quite nauseous and tired since Monday but I'm guessing that could be the tamoxifen. My incision also seems to be weeping and crusty - is that a result of radiation ? I'm seeing my surgeon on Friday, so of course I'll ask her. And strange question, but does anyone else sort of 'smell' something while the machine is delivering the rads? It freaks me out, like I can smell my own flesh burning. Of course, it is probably just in my paranoid head ...
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5 more whole breast to go
Today has been the worst. I am in misery. My breast has been on fire since my treatment at 9:30 am. I've been topless using cooling towels, aloe with lidocaine, a fan, you name it since I got home. The faintest touch is very painful. The skin is dark maroon, my nipple is headed towards black. Any movement feels like my skin is splitting apart.
When my RO saw me on Monday he said he would look at me again tomorrow, Thursday, to check my skin. He though it would crack/split by then but fortunately it hasn't. At least not yet.
Should I ask him for a few days off if he doesn't do so on his own? Will it help or would I just be prolonging the suffering? I consider myself pretty tough when it comes to pain and if I need to just suck it up and get it over with I will. Has anyone been in my position? I'm trying to think straight and know what I want before I walk in there.
Thanks for any help. And sorry if I'm scaring anyone. I have very fair, sensitive skin plus I'm 62 yo which I think factors into how your skin reacts/recovers. My experience may not be yours!!
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Littleblue/Keys-plez: laughed so hard I choked on my sip of wine. Good thing [husband] is upstairs napping. He's been good humored about the whole thing....mostly.
Capippy: odd smells? huh. I'd bet there's an element of overactive imagination, but IDK- my sense of smell is ridiculously limited. But I can well imagine you're nauseated and fatigued, between starting tamoxifen AND rads so close together.
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Pamela, I am feeling the same way. My skin is on fire and I was told today that it looks like it'll split...and it looks like it wants to split. Usually they do not take time off unless there are big open wounds, but that may vary from practice to practice. My axilla is purplish black. Yuk. I really want to just go topless around the house, but hubby picked this week to have siding and windows replaced, so even with shades drawn, a window might just be pulled out at any moment, and DH took shades off most of the windows so they would not be in the way. Aaargh! I bought Walmart out of tank tops...next best thing.
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Kbeee - Well at least I can close the blinds and go topless!! I guess I'll go with what he says tomorrow. Nothing open yet. At least I can count down until Wed and know it will not be whole breast after that. I'll post tomorrow's outcome.
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I cried for the first time today since my journey started in May. And it was from being forced to stay absolutely still in the prone position, in worsening pain, for 45 minutes for my first of 2 boosts. I came in to my appointment and I started getting a horrible headache - I never get headaches. When I had to lie there, and they tried again and again to get me in position and plan the boost beam positions, everything was just killing me - my head, my jaw (which is forced clenched by having my head down on the head frame "cushion"), my inner ears, my neck, my lower spine and both sides of my pelvis. And then my arms fell asleep and were really painful. And my breasts were itching insanely from my reaction to the prior rads treatments since Friday.
I kept trying to meditate away to my 'happy place' but I couldn't, everything was just hurting so badly. I have a pre-existing joint/ligament pain issue but it was really intense and I could not believe I could not move for so long. Shear agony.
When it was time to get up, I could not feel my arms or feet and was trying to explain that I had no sensation and could not lift myself off of the table. It took a while to get them to understand how bad things were and help me up. They were sorry that I was in so much pain but could not help how long it took. They put extra stickers on me and so tomorrow's final appointment should go faster but I will take some ibuprofen ahead of time just in case the headache pain returns.
I immediately had to head to my weekly acupuncture treatment, for which I was 15 minutes late, and that is when I cried. I also had a return of the nausea, with the headache and the other pain, and I just couldn't hold it together any more. My acupuncturist was so kind and immediately just started rubbing my temples with soothing oils and I didn't need to explain anything or try to speak.
I don't know that I could have done anything differently. Had I known how much this would hurt me, perhaps I would forego boosts. It is not like I have to go through this same exact scenario ever again and it reminded me of natural labor - the pain was made worse by not knowing how long I had to tolerate it. I guess the only thing I will do tomorrow is ask them to estimate how long it will take (which should be quick if all of the markers align nicely).
I finished my goal of climbing to the top of a nearby (small) mountain peak every day in September - today I did it in the rain, and now I will search for new hikes to explore. I am headed now to see the movie Everest, just to belittle my accomplishment I guess...
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Goofyfoot, that is horrible. I am sorry you were in so much pain and that you were in that position for so long. I was stuck in my rads position for my boost sim, but it was just for 35 minutes, and I was on my back. That must have been horrible. I have another sim tomorrow because they have to redo it. My first boost isn't until Friday though. I hope tomorrow goes better for you
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