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Hello Toad -- Your drawing is just brilliant and so beautiful. It belongs in a museum. I hope in chronicling your radiation journey through your art helped you get through it with a little less fear and angst. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
~Susan
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When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my first and most anxious fear was about radiation therapy -- even more than the surgery. My first appointment was meeting with the RO and the Dosimetrist. For someone who is usually quite chatty, I was mostly dumbstruck. My husband was with me (who is my Rock and my memory and as through all of my appointments) and remembers everything and keeps notes for the 100 times I will ask him the same question again. Like a lot if not most of us, I Google everything and the thought of being restrained for the treatment and the possibility of some very bad burns, I ratcheted up in anxiety. The Simulation took three hours. I have torn rotator cuffs in each shoulder and spine issues, but the worst part was being restrained in the mold they make for the entire time. I will fast forward through the next five weeks of the actual treatment to say that ALL of my fears were in vain. The people who cared for me were so kind and patient, I changed my mindset to being grateful that this treatment could help save my life. Other than some mild discomfort during the treatment, it was not at all difficult to endure. I will miss seeing these kind people every day for the five weeks I was there. As far as burns, they are certainly there, but are healing up well. I'm entering the brown leather phase ;*)
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I would like to hear from those of you who finished radiation how often the Radiation oncologist is supposed to follow up? I did 4 weeks of whole breast radiation and had one meeting with my radiation onc about two weeks after completion. That was almost six months ago. I sort of feel like that was the "see ya" appointment and then we are supposed to go back to our regular medical onc?
I understand that unless we have some specific issues that maybe we are no longer to be followed by them? I have had some tightness and mild rib pain but I sort of stretch myself out and it is not horrible so I have not pushed to be followed. But is this standard that once radiation is completed you are sort of dumped out the door with no further follow up----ever? Would appreciate experiences from others?
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Radiation was definitely the “easiest” part of treatment for me. I was very lucky and skated thru with nothing more than some tiredness. I actually looked forward to seeing my rad techs each day.
I was extremely anxious/nervous prior to starting treatment. One thing that helped was when the lead tech took me into the treatment room to show me the machine and how everything operated on the day of my simulation. Made the 1st day of actual treatment way less scary. Each of my treatments consisted of 2 doses, each lasting about 15 sec.
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I had lumpectomy followed by radiation six years ago. radiation was the easiest part of the whole treatment and 'waiting for the test result' process. I had to drive about 25 minutes each way for six weeks. Not to mention, I had just started a new job in completely opposite direction, so total drive was a lot. They had a very nice and organized set up, so 10 minutes in and out of the building. Radiation is nothing more than an X-ray, albeit very high frequency and that's why your skin burns. My skin started to change color at three week mark and by the end, it was dark. I used the cream they gave me. Stopped wearing bra for few months during and after radiation.
It took about 4 months for color to come back, but no problem during or after. Only thing to remember, if you ever need to do mastectomy and reconstruction, you may not be able to use implant on radiated breast. You have to use DIEP- tissue from your other body parts.
Wish everyone who is going through radiation very best. Relax and enjoy those few minutes, those may be the only few minutes you have for yourselves in a day!
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and now I'm scared! I just read through this whole thread thank you for having it and all who participated but now I'm really scared
they restrain you? you get blisters???? fatigue? you have to wait in a waiting room with others all doing the same thing? markers? arms over your head? I don't think I can do this.....
I am very lucky.and am embarrassed as my diagnosis is the best if one has to get a best cancer diagnosis...and I want to make sure it is all gone.....but this is scaring me
Also, many posts mention "listening" to motivational tapes, music, etc. I am deaf. I can hear sounds with my aids, I lip read and if I know the voice I can get most. but I cannot listen to taped words. And if I do this my aids need to be out......this is way too scary.....what if the tech is annoyed or less than caring what if I'm just a number and not a person what if it hurts now I'm really scared
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They don't restrain you, you just have to be very still. You may or may not get blisters. Use whatever ointment they recommend religiously from the start (don't wait until you are having problems). I didn't listen to any tapes; just thought about being at a beach. You are only in there a few minutes. I did chemo first, so I actually felt my energy returning during radiation. Walk or get some other light exercise, which will actually help to keep your energy up. The techs will not get annoyed. They have seen just about every situation before. If they weren't empathic people, they would have chosen a different career. Radiation is something everyone on the forum needs or needed to do.....so you just do it. It seems huge now, but eventually will become a blip in your life's story.
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Amy
There are definitely people who have had casts, molds or someone had a mask I can’t remember who that they had to wear to keep them still but I think for most people at least in the US that doesn’t seem to the standard. But certainly if something keeps you from moving it doesn’t matter if it’s considered a restraint or a cast for some of us that’s going to be bothersome. I only remember the mask because I kept thinking how uncomfortable that would make me. But again not the norm.
So many people say don’t search Google but even the board sometimes can be overwhelming in terms of information and all of us have different stressor and have to come up with ways of coping that work for us.
So while there is a part of me that makes me want to say don’t stress BUT seriously we all know that isn’t as helpful as we would hope.
And there are people who choose not to do radiation after a lumpectomy (not telling you not to just saying there are). I don’t know if that makes things easier or harder. But for me it’s important to remember what I can control and what I can’t and try my hardest to let go of what I could control although I do reserve the right to still complain about them. How silly is that.
Hope you are able to enjoy your weekend and try to put this on the back burner until your appt. Looking forward to hearing how that goes and when they start scheduling your planning sessio
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