Oct 6, 2021 10:10PM aklynna wrote:

Ivy- I asked about other creams, but she said I need to try this first. Well, if I want to get something else I will! I told my mom last night that I will not be attending the wedding next month. I said that I need to make the best choice for ME. She was disappointed but understanding. I also talked with former supervisor(now close friend) and current supervisor to go over my work schedule when treatments start. They were both great and on board with whatever I need. So glad to hear your skin is still hanging in there…you are SO close!! I also appreciate you sticking with us, your advice and support mean so much!

LW- my start date is 10/13, last date is 11/9. I’m also a bit nervous about the breath holds, hope I can do it. Your menopause story makes me feel better…I was thinking this was too good to be true!

Lisa- welcome to the group…none of us want to be here, but at least we can commiserate together! Good luck at your 1st session tmw, hope it goes smoothly for you.

Sweet dreams all!

Oct 7, 2021 02:26PM serendipity09 wrote:

Hi Peter! Nicole will be in my thoughts!

AKlynna - I'm sorry you had to decline going to the wedding but you really don't know what you'll be feeling. I thought I had hit the worst part of it until last night. OMG!! I was miserable, immense pain in the armpit, my scar was on fire, which is weird because my breasts are numb. Maybe it's the nerves?! I don't know! I was/and still am, feeling ill, very nauseous. I did not want to go today, my son had to talk me into it. I think it's just taken its toll on me emotionally. I'm so over it! Again, and I know I keep repeating this this, it's tolerable, but it's very bothersome. It's different. So, I don't say any of this to scare you, everyone is different and my body has been through hell for over a year and half now without a break.

And the breath holds, they really aren't difficult. Like LW said, the most is 20-30 seconds.

LW- one more day to go and then the weekend break! I'm looking forward to it! That's great that you don't have any SE's!! There's a lady and a gentleman who both really haven't had any SE's and started at the same time I did, so I hope and pray it stays the same or vey minimal.

I was really concerned about my implant, but from what I can see there's been no change; I think it's a good thing. From the beginning the RO told me he'd be keeping watch on it and make adjustments if necessary, but luckily nada. I really like my RO too. On the August thread it was an ongoing joke because I mentioned he looked like George Clooney, which he does.

Metaplex, is that like a patch/bandage with gel on it?

I asked about the bolus and it is exactly what I thought, but I have to have mine on every single treatment.

I'll check in with you all later!

Have a great day!

Oct 7, 2021 11:05PM Rubytoos wrote:

So tomorrow I will be a third of the way through treatment. The bolus definitely is the part I least like because the skin feels hyper heated for hours afterwards. But it also appears to be doing its job which is to ensure that the skin has adequate treatment. I want very much to try to avoid residual cancer popping up in my scar or chest wall at some future date. I am doing exercise to maintain ROM in my shoulder like crazy and I have a feeling I will be doing this forever. My treatment is left sided so I worried hugely about my heart--but the dosage is in the neighborhood of 1.97Gy so I am a happy camper.

LW422--I was shocked that you had 32 nodes removed. Was that SOP for IBC?

And as far as random concerns, I find myself wondering how up to date the machines are as far as software/calibration... But I have asked so many questions that people were clearly not prepared for I kept that one to myself.

I also asked why it is important to apply creams when radiation "burns" are basically from the inside out. Was told keeping a moisture barrier helps with discomfort but am not under the impression it speeds healing.

Oct 8, 2021 02:48PM lw422 wrote:

Hello all! It's Friday at last, and I had my treatment so now I can kick back till Monday. I struck up a conversation with a woman in the waiting area today; she has had 4 weeks of rads and told me she is "burned up." It made me so sad for her; she told the techs that she couldn't do it anymore. Honestly it scared me but I was scared of chemo and then scared of surgery... so this is just more of the same.

I'm feeling kind of weird since yesterday; not really "sick" but not great. It's kind of a shaky feeling and a tiny bit of nausea. Not sure if this is radiation-induced or all in my head, but hopefully it will go away over the weekend.

Check in and let us know how you're doing!

Oct 8, 2021 06:37PM - edited Oct 8, 2021 06:37PM by lw422

Serendipity-- ONE DAY LEFT... OMG!!! You are at the finish line, girl. I hope you feel better over the weekend.

I don't know if the number of nodes removed makes much difference in the pain and discomfort from surgery. The surgeon still cuts the nerves and stuff in the axilla, so it's a miserable thing for all of us whether we had one node removed or 50.

The thing that really annoys me is that out of 32 nodes, NONE OF THEM were cancerous. So my odds of getting lymphedema increased by a million percent for nothing. Ugh.