January 2021 Radiation Club
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Checking to see how everyone is doing. My guess is most have finished. I am 2 weeks since my whole breast radiation was completed and no break down of skin. The boost area is pinkish...not even the color of a slight sunburn. I am hoping to make the 2 weeks with no break down there either. I have 7 more herceptin infusions...until the middle of July. My hair has grown back enough to go without my wig or cap. But in my neck of the woods it's been chilly and my head gets darn cold!!! Blessing to all!🤗
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Hey there!! Yay for being done!! I am thrilled to hear your skin did great! That's fantastic! I'm a bit over 1/2 way and no skin issues at all here and I pray that continues! I feel great. Been back to my 2 mile walks and so glad that signs of spring are there!! My hair is coming in and starting to fill in and I figure I'm a month from being able to go without a cap or wig! I am happy you are there!! Remind me when you're last chemo was??
I hope your Herception infusions are going well. I never had any trouble with those. Hope that is true for you. If I remember right, you're not doing AI or hormone therapy of any kind. I am going to. We picked up the Letrozole rx last week! I'm praying for little to no SE!!
Hope everyone is doing well! I will do #18 today! Let's go!!!
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mindiG66. I finished chemo at the end of October. You are correct that as of right now no hormone treatment. Happy to hear your skin is holding up too. And you are getting walks in. 👏👏👏 I need to get back on my rebounder and elliptical before spring arrives. I need to get back to a routine in my life really.
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I finished my 25 rounds of radiation yesterday, my skin held up fairly well...although underneath my arm pit has gotten fairly dark and is a little burnt. Immediately following completion of rads I ran right down to my plastic surgeons office to have them re-inflate my non radiated expander. Which, I got to meet with my plastic surgeon and he expanded the one side and got them evened out, and then he added 100cc to the radiated side...hoping to not make the skin on that side get so tight. It was hard as a rock, and just looks extremely tight...but it’s not too painful! He urged me to fill them a little more, to see if I wanted bigger...the beauty is if I liked how they were prior, I can go back down. It’s kind of fun to be able to try out different sizes before you buy!!! I’m just glad the expanders aren’t painful and I’m getting used to them! A few months and I’ll be able to have exchange surgery.
I had my first kadcyla, and will go next week for my second. It wasn’t too bad! I just get a little achy and yucky feeling for the most part. Nothing too bad!
Hope everyone else is getting along good!!!
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mtspacekace....👏👏👏🔔🔔🔔 It is good to hear your done and doing well. And that you have a bit of a silver lining with your new "try before you buy" implants.
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Congrats to everyone who has finished! I finish next Monday, I'm down to my boost which I'm excited about because I don't have to do the horrible suffocating breathing tube anymore. My skin is burnt to a crisp, started around day 20 which is when they told me it would happen. It's peeling but the silver lining of mastectomy is I can't feel my skin there anyway so it doesn't bother me too much. It's itchy at night but they have me taking Tylenol PM for the benadryl to help me sleep through it. So excited to be on the other side with all of you soon!
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morningstardust...happy to hear you are almost done but I am sorry your skin didn't hold up. Just a few weeks to recover. Best wishes
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Hey all! I'm excited for you all that are DONE!! I imagine, or am beginning to imagine, it's going to be an adjustment not going daily! Kind of an end of the long months behind us. Wonder how that'll be mentally!!?
I did #22 today and so far just a slight rash in a couple places! 11 to go! I've been applying Jeans Cream and Aquaphor 2-3 times a day. No fatigue.
Hope everyone is well!
Mindi0 -
MindiG66...I can tell you my story since completing treatments. I feel pretty good but lack ambition to do my housework, daily tasks that I used to do. All I want to do is sit on my couch and watch tiktok. Depression? Maybe. But I think the fact that for almost 9 months my focus has been on appointments and treatments. Everything else was put on the back burner. Now I have bit of an "I don't give a s#$% attitude". I have been trying to find a routine but just can't figure it out. I have started projects that I don't finish. I make lists of what needs to get done and never do anyghing on the list. I try to do just one thing and I lose interest. I keep saying I have gotten lazy but I think it is more than that. My oncologist said cancer changes our perspective and the things I used to think were important no longer are. Well I want to care about some of these things again. I want to get up and be motivated to do something....anything! Maybe this is fatigue and I am not recognizing it but I know my attitude towards daily life has changed. Maybe spring will be a renewl for me. I should be so grateful for the incredible response my body gave me to these treatments. And the fact that as of today breast cancer is something I HAD. I met with my naturopathic dr this week and I am going to detox my body of sugar and starches. Day 4 and I am feeling better about my eating. Maybe this will be the start of my NEW after cancer treatments routine. Prayers that your breast tissue stays healthy for the last few days! 🤗
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IAmLoved — you just described exactly how I feel. No motivation or inspiration. I still have two more weeks of radiation and I am so sick of it already. My skin is really red and rashy in several places and it switches between itchy and sore. I am hoping that when I finish in two weeks I will come out of the funk, and that spring weather will help. We shall see. Cancer is definitely not just a physical challenge. The mental and emotional toll is sometimes even harder to deal with.
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@Iam and @Melbo- thank you for sharing that so openly and honestly. I relate. There are days when I feel exactly that way and days when I start thinking what now? Days I begin wondering if it's just lurking waiting to attack again and it scares me bc once was more than enough, twice insanity! Sometimes reading things on here really encourage and other times it's terrifying! Seems no rhyme or reason and yet, I can't focus on the what ifs! Cancer has already had stolen too much and I will not give in. I've blocked several threads to keep my mind a bit safer HA!
My faith is very strong and keeps me grounded most of the time. Like all things - what we let our minds think dictate our actions, or lack of~ often. But, there is also the thing that I didn't do 17 years ago and I think it's critical I do this time - PROCESS! Like deal with what I'm feeling and not just bury it under the rug and blow through it. And that's hard at times and yet, I know that it's important to process and work through.
Cancer is traumatic and odd as it may seem, going daily or every 3 wks or whatever the case may be, is somehow comforting to me. But, obviously, I long for the end of it and want to live life without it!
I don't see my MO until May. I saw him last month. I will see his nurse in April and I see my Breast surgeon in April and will see him every 6 months as a peace of mind (even tho I've had 2 mastectomy) bc I want to and he is happy to oblige. Other than that, I assume there will be occasional blood checks? No scans?? IDK. Do you have a plan yet??
@Iam - I'm certain our diets have an impact. I love that you are detoxing of sugar and starches! I began 'fasting' from baked goods and candy since my radiation began. I'm not sure I 'feel' any better or different but it's bound to be better for my body. I will limit that going forward. We're pretty good about fruits and veggies, limited meat and yet way too much pasta/rice LOL Gave up diet pop over a year ago and just trying to eliminate as I go without sending myself into shock HA!
@Melbo- I'm sorry you're feeling as you do! I sure do get it. Part of me feels that way and part of me wants to keep doing something! I'm not sure what you're applying to your skin but I have found Jeans Cream to be a game changer! truly! It's pricey- about $45 on Amazon but HIGHLY recommend. I asked my cancer center if they had any samples and they did and I used those until my tube came in from Amazon.
Okay - It's a rainy dreary day and rain forecasted for the next 4 days so UGH! But, gotta know the suns out behind the clouds and I will do my best to engage today! I'm glad to have you all to work through with a bit!
Today is radiation #25! I will begin 5 boosts next Wednesday! So far my skin is doing amazingly well!
Mindi
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