Starting Radiation Sept. 2019
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rlws- good luck with those boosts. Did you have to go through another simulation appt. for those?
Smackan-You are past halfway! The time will pass quickly for you now. I sure do envy your massage days. Hoping your skin continues to hold up.
My skin feels very good. Only slightly pink. I use aquaphor ointment spray on it twice a day.
Hoping everyone is having a good day today.
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hi. I am wondering how the appts and set up work for rads? My mom had a simulation i believe (they put tape on her boobs and did some dotted markings) and he said he wanted to see her Friday to make sure she’s all set to start? Would that be to do the marking with the the sharpie? I'm confused with how this works.
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ucfknights- I had a consult first with the RO. This was just to discuss my case and decide whether I was going to have rad treatment. Then I had a session where they used a CT to map the area. Then I had a simulation session with the linear accelerator (the machine that produces/creates/whatever the radiation. This was also when they positioned me and put my marks (semi permanent marked with water resistant stickers) on. Then the next week I started the actual treatments.
Your tumor was on the left side so you may have to hold your breath for the treatments. Unless you have treatments in prone position, like smackan.But they will walk you through it.
Edited to say that I completed #9
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smacken - congrats on the halfway mark! I envy the massage day you have too! Glad it helps you!!
upstateny- for the boost, at my second to last regular txt they put the boost mechanism on and marked me up again to indicate where, it was very short. Also, no breath holding during boosts, I am so happy about that part. You do not have to be some meticulously lined up so it is way shorter session.
ucfknights - I met with my RO, had scans, then they created my positioning pillow, after it was created I came in for the simulation, where they put me on the table and positioned me and took pictures and taught me to breath, because it was left side. They sent all that info to the RO and apparently the physicist that helps create the plan and when they approved I started my txt. They are very helpful and walk you though and answer any questions!!! Good luck.
Yesterday was #16 of 20, so boost #1, so much easier! Met with RO for my last appointment during txt. All going well. I see him again one month after treatment is finished. I have been more tired, going to bed by 8:30 at night a lot, but skin still holding up. It is getting itchy but the steroid cream helps and the aquaphor.
Happy Friday All. Hope treatment goes well and SE's are minimal! Take care of yourself this weekend and get rest.
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Good Afternoon Ladies.,
Just checking in with everyone and seeing how you are doing. Hope everyone is well, getting rest and drinking plenty of water.
I am doing good. I am trying to get rested up with my sudden "vacation" and doing a few things for me. Skin is doing better- itching stopped for the most part. Still have zingers but I can't tell if its from rads or from the reduction surgery or maybe one complicated the other. I just feel like after 6 months the surgery pain should be gone by now. And the stickers are starting to fall off without help Yay.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Rest and enjoy the break from rad txs. Do something nice just for you!
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I am getting mapped at the end of the month. Has anyone tried Arnica for the skin? I plan on trying aloe, arnica and maybe miaderm or another calendula product.
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Has anyone gotten around the tattoos? I really don’t want tattoos. It looks like the place I am going only offers that. Is there any wiggle room? What’s about Henn tatoos or waterproof marker etc. It seems very rigid not to have alternatives.
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I didn’t have any tattoos, not by choice but I live in Japan and the Japanese are very anti-tattoo. Instead they use those temporary tattoos that transfer on with water. Pretty hard wearing. I have the purple marker lines too which they touch up after each session and just takes a couple of minutes.
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I had tatoos for my first configuration. I ended yesterday with regular 25, and I had a sharpie mark for the last 8 boosts.Thank God! Another tattoo at this time would have been very painful!
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I have tattoos - I think 6 of them. But since I am doing rads in the prone position, they are on my back and I can’t see them. I have tried to look for them in a mirror and can’t see them. My RO said if I was really against them, that I could go for the sticker route.
Hope everyone is enjoying their rad free weekend. I am now 10 down
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rlws - Congrats on #16! so the boosts are easier than the regular?
PinkArmor - that's a great way to look at, a much needed vacation! Glad you're doing well.
AnnC - welcome! I didn't get the tattoos, which actually I wouldn't have had a problem with. Ask them if they can use the semi permanent markers and stickers. That's what I got.
Yndorian - only 8 more!
smackan - I am one behind you. Congrats on being almost through.
So I went in for #9 which went ok. Then I had an eye appointment. I went to have what I thought were a couple of styes, looked at. They turned out to be benign papilloma masses that will have to be removed surgically. Apparently chemo induced immune suppression allowed them to grow. yippee.
But what really made my morning was that they took pictures of the back of my eyes (routine stuff instead of getting dilated). The the doctor walks in and the first thing she said was "I didn't see any metastasis to the eyes". My mouth must have dropped open because she asked if that was a good thing. I said of course it is. But - wow, that's not even something that I had even thought about (not to the eyes at any rate. I guess that will be the new normal. Checking for metastasis in various places.
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Dogrunnrmom - I think the boosts are easier for a few reasons, first I do not have to hold my breath, which has stressed me out:), second the thing they use to do the boosts means I do not have to be set up perfectly, it comes from above and zooms into my breast to the area where the tumors were. Since I do not hold my breath it is faster too because of it being continual. I may feel it more, but that is okay.
PinkArmor - it is good you get to rest! God had a plan for you and I bet your new job will be better!!!
I did not have tattoos, my clinic does not do them. I have sharpie marks with waterproof stickers. I did have to get more for the boost part but ...
My skin is still holding up, it itches some and I have the sharp zinger pains especially right after and sometimes later in afternoon but not continual. I am continuing the use of the steroid cream and aquaphor. They say that the SE's are a few weeks after done so will continue.
I have 3 more boosts, so three more strikes and I am done and get to ring the bell. I am glad I have a bell just to sign off, symbolism.
We are all getting there. Stay positive and take care of yourselves this weekend! Do things that make you happy and rest!!!
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DogMomRunner: I have heard that sometimes chemotherapy causes the tear ducts in the eye to become clogged (it has not happened to me, I can assure you that 😪) wow, I hate the new normal ...
Today mi boob itching like crazy... I'm going to get some corticoid cream. It is torture. Have a nice weekend ladies
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DogMomRunner, sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with your eyes. I had terrible problems with styes on chemo. My eyelash follicles would get infected and I had 5 or 6 styes in each eye that would pop up after each infusion. Hot water compress for about 20 mins a few times a day really helped, but god was is painful. My doc told me to wear sunglasses outside as having no eyelashes would let dirt get in there. I’d read about eye mets too - rare but possible.
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thanks Yndorian and pokyspider. I noticed today that I've got some tiny baby lashes coming in. Of course now I'm losing eyebrows. sigh.
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I got six permanent tattoos. I was okay with it. It didn't hurt at all. They are also so small that you can hardly find a few of them. The larger ones just look like skin moles.
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I got six tattoos too and my radiation techs kept calling them freckles. You probably wouldn't even notice them much except I am pretty pale so they may stand out a little bit more. I don't mind them.
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DogMomRunner - Congrats on the baby lashes! I noticed some coming through yesterday too! Very exciting. I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows about 4 months ago, makes you look a bit alien and I never really mastered drawing them on. Hopefully yours will just thin and you can fill them in a bit.🤞
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9/32 Done! It’s been a while since I posted. I’m trying to get more active with walking and just moving more. I always park on the top level of the parking structure for radiation and it occurred to me that I could take the stairs up and down every morning. So, I’ve started that. It’s 1200 steps total, 6 floors each way. Then I’ve been walking 3-6 miles, 3 times a week. I went from being too sick while on chemo to do anything physical, to now trying to get back in tennis shape, mostly cardio. I’m very tired from treatments but I’m pushing through it and making myself move.
I am having success with my skin by alternating between AloeVera and coconut oil. One day I couldn’t lube up nearly the whole day and my skin got very red. I was afraid it was the beginning of problems, but after I used the Aloe, then a lot of coconut oil, the redness was gone. Lesson learned. I’m also beginning to feel a soreness under my arm, where my incisions are. I know it’s just part of the process. My RO isn’t worried about it. Also, he said that some nausea I have on and off isn’t an expected side effect but it’s not unheard of. He said there’s no explanation for it but he’s had that complaint before. Thank goodness for Ginger chews.
Upstate: Congratulations! I, too, saw a gong in my waiting room. I haven’t seen anyone ring it though. I’m not sure how I feel about ringing it. I didn’t for the end of chemo, and I’m kind of not wanting to jinx anything now. It’s such a personal decision. I’m really happy for you.
DogMomRunner: My brows and lashes started falling out after chemo ended! I was sure I had escaped that, but nope. Now, they’re still falling out while little ones are growing in. I have this great brow pen that I can draw individual brow hairs to fill in the empty patches. My hair on my head is coming in WHITE! Oh well, it’s just a sign of moving past the effects of chemo.
Pokyspider and Ydorian: I have to fight the flood of emotions that ambush me out of the blue from time to time. I am totally like you, having others kindness being something that makes me morph into a crying mess. It’s embarrassing. I also have to fight it off during radiation, if I get one of those waves of sadness as I’m on the table. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s all part of a grieving process I’m going through with this cancer situation.
rlws: Thanks for the boost info. I asked if I will be getting boosts and my RO said I will. Not sure if they are counted in the 32 count I was given at the start of this. I sure hope so!
I hope everyone is having a great Sunday. Here’s to a new week with few to no side effects, and energy with happy feelings. Thank you to everyone who posts their journey. I am learning so much from you.
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Hello Tennisgirl, congrat on #9 done! I really admire women who try to maintain a level of physical activity during treatments, all my exercise is to walk a few blocks to the radiation center and climb two or three times a week to my vibrating platform for a couple of minutes.
I'm very upset because they made me a mark with sharpie for the boosts that will start tomorrow and I can not wash and moisturize the area as I wanted because I'm worry to erase it ... what annoyance!
My skin is peeling off... itches a lot, I need to use cream 😫😫😫!!!
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Today has started my new countdown. 1/8 boost done. They allowed to me to put cream "arround the sharpie mark" so I'm happy again. There is a cream here called "Hipoglos" It is spectacular for the skin but it dyes everything white, so I will go to my nexts boosts with my entire chest whited except a small square area of 3x3 cm (boosts area) in furious red... funny
I wish you all a good start to the week with few SE. ❤
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Yndorian1 - YAY on your new countdown! I'm so glad you were able to use a cream and keep yourself mostly moisturized. I know that makes you feel better.
I am keeping everyone in my thoughts as you continue towards the finish line!
So I finished 6 days ago and was quite surprised that after 3 days, my energy levels have mostly returned. My weekend actually felt like a normal weekend where I was able to run errands and clean house and not feel totally exhausted. I was still careful not to overdo it because I didn't want to push my luck. Through my treatments I wore these soft v neck camisoles with a loose bra over them. In the area where the edge of the V layed on my chest, I got a little bit of a rash looking area. It is mostly gone now but am still treating it as I am my entire breast. I do have tightness and a little numbness under my arm that feels like it did right after surgery so I am mindful to keep the light stretching going on there and hopefully that will improve.
Hugs to all of you and have a great SE free week!
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Pokyspider - yep I've got the alien look
tennisgirl - congrats on #9! I am also using aloe along with the Aquaphor. Good for you on the exercise. I am trying to get back into the running but it will be slow.
Yay Yndorian on starting the boosts! I hope they go well.
Hi Polkadot! I'm glad you are on the road back to normal. Or what passes for it.
I am halfway through! Six more regular and 4 boosts to go.
I hope everyone had a good weekend
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Ydorian1 - so glad they are allowing the cream! congrats on being on the boost portion!
tennisgirl - I too have been doing my best to exercise, running three times a week and even played tennis over the weekend(that wiped me out for the day) Keep it up!
dogrunnermom- I am running but I am slow and cannot go as far as I did before. I am just happy if I get out there and try. I walk my dogs too to do something. I am going to sign up for a run to get me motivated! Congrats on being halfway done!
Polkadot - I am so encouraged to hear your energy is getting back so quickly! Congrats
Today I did #18 of 20, so almost done! Still get sleepy in afternoons but that is fine. The boosts I feel right away as zingers but that is fine.
Hope everyone has a great week. I am excited to be ringing the bell this week.
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Rlws: 18/20 congrats, you are almost there. We will celebrate with you that bell!
Hello and happy start of week to all of you in this thread❤ I hope you all are doing well.
2/8 just done. To me, gratefully it is the more easier part, because the boosts are in a little square of skin. The rest is white because of the cream, but what a relief. Just waiting to end this, it seems eternal!
I send you my best wishes of heal and no SEs.
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I finished #12 today and I am barely pink but my underarm is painful. It’s darker but not pink at all. This fatigue is real though! I shaved under my arm yesterday and that did not help my irritation at all. I will be so glad when this is all done. But still thankful that my I have had an easy journey thus far
Glad everyone is closing in on completion and doing relatively well.
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Hi everyone! Number 11 in the bag.
smackan - the only good thing about chemo is no hair to shave in the armpit(s). :
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DogMumRunner: congrats in you #11! You can see the light at the end of the tunnel...
3/8 boosts done. My boobie is still healing, thank God! By the time I finish the boosts, I just have to worry about a 3x3 square to heal. Today I saw my RO, she is happy with my healing process😀😀😀
I wish you all a good and beautiful day, free of SEs❤
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Today I 'graduated' and finished my treatment. I rang the bell, got a certificate of merit for completing my treatment and got a symbolic bell to bring home to ring as I want. My husband came to my appointment today for the celebration. I celebrated with a salad and a nap!
I feel like each of us in the this group that finishes has been helped by all that are on this thread and I thank all of you very strong women! I am grateful for you all. I know there are many still going and you are almost there and I look forward to celebrating with you the day you are done as well.
Stay good to yourself and listen to your body. Life is a journey full of many twists and turns and this is just one of those twists. The tough turns like this is what make us all stronger!
Thank you to all of you for getting me to graduation!!
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rlws-Congrats to you on finishing. Isn't it such a good feeling to be done? I am also grateful to everyone on this thread. Wonderful to share stories and gain such good support from others who truly understand the process. That really was a big help in getting through this.
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