Yikes!! Gulp!! Start today???????

Akiss4me
Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Good morning everyone!! Good news....BRCA Gene test was negative. Guess I am just the trendsetter in the family.
But now my Radiation Oncologist wants to start today!! Called as soon as they got into the office and woke me up. Said we should get the ball rolling. Gulp....I thought I would get fair warning to pump myself up for this. You know, start on a MONDAY!! Well, I guess this is as close as you get to a Monday.
So, shakey knees and all, I will be starting my rads TODAY!!!!! Will post tonight and let you know how it went.
Darn...this means Taleena won!! (for all of you who knew we were in a bet about who would start treatment first, since we were diagnosed at the same time). Not fair....she went on vacation first. (sticking tongue out at taleena).....:) Pammy

Comments

  • arbojenn
    arbojenn Member Posts: 118
    I'll be thinking about you!
    I'll be thinking about you! And thank you for offering to share your experience. I really look forward to reading about them: I'll do rads after I recover from my surgery: won't be for three months, though, as I need skin grafts to cover the "hole" that will be left after they take out my reconstructed breast. Knowing what lies ahead of me for rads will help me heal faster. So THANK YOU again. I am hoping you have no side effects. Best of luck!
    Sue
  • faithandprayer
    faithandprayer Member Posts: 177
    Great!
    Great news on the BRCA! And, Whoo Hoo on starting rads today! Just think, by Monday you'll already be a rad pro!

    Cheering for you all the way!
    -KC
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    Yea
    Great news about the negative BRCA test, Pammy--AND starting Rads. The same thing happened with my chemo, one day's notice before I (finally) started. But that is good. No time to fret. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will be finished.

    You already know what you need to know before Rads, and then some. The only thing I can add is that it was initially freaky to see the rad machine moving around me. It's big and round. The "table" you lie on is also moved some. At least mine is moved some. You might take your own CD. I found it helps to have familiar music--and spares you Barry Manilow. Not good to be shaking with laughter when getting zapped. OH, MANDY!

    You go, girl. You will be fine.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    Well, I for one am NOT
    Well, I for one am NOT surprised...from reading your posts, I already knew you are sooo rad!!

    You will do just fine~and it is all designed to get you one step closer to being completely finished with treatment. And how cool is that?????

    Keep us posted!

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    Moopy23 said:

    Yea
    Great news about the negative BRCA test, Pammy--AND starting Rads. The same thing happened with my chemo, one day's notice before I (finally) started. But that is good. No time to fret. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will be finished.

    You already know what you need to know before Rads, and then some. The only thing I can add is that it was initially freaky to see the rad machine moving around me. It's big and round. The "table" you lie on is also moved some. At least mine is moved some. You might take your own CD. I found it helps to have familiar music--and spares you Barry Manilow. Not good to be shaking with laughter when getting zapped. OH, MANDY!

    You go, girl. You will be fine.

    Pammy!!!!!!
    Go for it girl, like our wonderful Moopster said, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll finish. It sounds a bit daft (well, it would do coming from me)but I quite enjoyed my rads sessions, the treatment was fast and almost painless, and the tech's were hilarious..they took the mickey out of me constantly for my accent..I laughed a lot. Hugs to you Pammy..We'rs all with ya! Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    Best of luck to you! Keep us
    Best of luck to you! Keep us posted!
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    Extremes
    Geez... Seems as if...

    We're either waiting interminably for... something/whatever: an appointment, test results, etc.

    Or, it's like for you today, Pammy - a call that asks: "Can you be here in an hour?" "Tomorrow morning first thing?" "How 'bout yesterday isn't soon enough!"

    Today is probably rads consultation/set-up/measurements/simulation, etc. ... I had three of those types of appointments before actually beginning treatment - which started on a Wednesday, not a Monday.

    Let us know how it went for you.

    Kind regards, Susan

    P.S.: Good news on test results, thanks for sharing.
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    tasha_111 said:

    Pammy!!!!!!
    Go for it girl, like our wonderful Moopster said, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll finish. It sounds a bit daft (well, it would do coming from me)but I quite enjoyed my rads sessions, the treatment was fast and almost painless, and the tech's were hilarious..they took the mickey out of me constantly for my accent..I laughed a lot. Hugs to you Pammy..We'rs all with ya! Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    I can't say that it was fun,

    I can't say that it was fun, but I sort of missed it when it was done. Or, maybe, I should say I missed the people, when it was done. It was a walk in the park compared to all the testing, surgery and waiting.

    Joyce
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    Thank you everyone!!
    So glad I was able to stay on the internet and read your encouragements as we just had a HUGE hail storm. Lost garden, need to check for dents in cars, hubby was stuck in driveway for 15 minutes, temp dropped to 45 degrees, it was so loud (and BIG!) that he had to plug his ears and couldn't hear me calling his cell, and I was sooooo scared!! (hence the reason he rushed home, knew I would be!!).
    However, hubby is out looking for a rainbow now. Wouldn't that be something if the lord said "Here I am". A rainbow for first day of rads.
    Moopy..thank you for warning me that the machine & table may move!! I already had my simulation and tattoos done, so I am assuming this will be the actual zapping!!
    Well, better go get ready....hubby does not want me to be late!! Gesh...he will have me there waaaaayyyyy to early, I know!! Time to take a xanax......:) Pammy
  • padee6339
    padee6339 Member Posts: 763
    jk1952 said:

    I can't say that it was fun,

    I can't say that it was fun, but I sort of missed it when it was done. Or, maybe, I should say I missed the people, when it was done. It was a walk in the park compared to all the testing, surgery and waiting.

    Joyce

    I agree
    with Joyce. After the pet scan, biopsy, surgery, chemo - rads were a walk in the park. You don't start glowing until the 3rd week (only kidding!). Make sure they give you the cream to use (I had XClair)it helps when the skin starts getting wierd. Good luck and joke your way thru it, that's what I did!
    Pat
  • lolad
    lolad Member Posts: 670
    Akiss4me said:

    Thank you everyone!!
    So glad I was able to stay on the internet and read your encouragements as we just had a HUGE hail storm. Lost garden, need to check for dents in cars, hubby was stuck in driveway for 15 minutes, temp dropped to 45 degrees, it was so loud (and BIG!) that he had to plug his ears and couldn't hear me calling his cell, and I was sooooo scared!! (hence the reason he rushed home, knew I would be!!).
    However, hubby is out looking for a rainbow now. Wouldn't that be something if the lord said "Here I am". A rainbow for first day of rads.
    Moopy..thank you for warning me that the machine & table may move!! I already had my simulation and tattoos done, so I am assuming this will be the actual zapping!!
    Well, better go get ready....hubby does not want me to be late!! Gesh...he will have me there waaaaayyyyy to early, I know!! Time to take a xanax......:) Pammy

    I just wanted to let you
    I just wanted to let you know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck and i hope all goes well.

    laura
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    Wll, I'm.......
    I'm late chiming in, as usual, but good luck Pammy! I know that you will do just fine!!

    Hugs,

    CR
  • tjhay
    tjhay Member Posts: 655
    CR1954 said:

    Wll, I'm.......
    I'm late chiming in, as usual, but good luck Pammy! I know that you will do just fine!!

    Hugs,

    CR

    Pammy all will be good. So
    Pammy all will be good. So glad that leg of your journey has started, means you are that much closer to being done. Remember every single one of us was with you today ans you had your first treatment.
    Lots of love being sent your way
    Tjhay
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    tjhay said:

    Pammy all will be good. So
    Pammy all will be good. So glad that leg of your journey has started, means you are that much closer to being done. Remember every single one of us was with you today ans you had your first treatment.
    Lots of love being sent your way
    Tjhay

    Pammy
    Pammy,
    Hoping today went well with your first day of rads.

    Margo
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    Hurray for no BRCA!
    Pammy, Hurray for no BRCA! I don't recall that you've been tatooed and had a simulation. They will have to tattoo you first. Is that tomorrow? Then they do a simulation. That's probably tomorrow too. Then the radiation oncologist has to go over the stuff with a physicist and another person (don't remember what that person is called) and come up with a treatment plan. Then you meet with the radiation doc again to go over the plan. Then the fun begins. At least that's the schedule I was on last summer.

    At the center where I was treated, the nurses handed out Aquafor like candy and I used it many times a day. I had very little burning until the end. I did blister a bit after the booster, but it was never bad. I was able to work during radiation, but I did wimp out once it was finished.

    This is probably more information than you want, but thought I'd share just in case. Lynn
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    Akiss4me said:

    Thank you everyone!!
    So glad I was able to stay on the internet and read your encouragements as we just had a HUGE hail storm. Lost garden, need to check for dents in cars, hubby was stuck in driveway for 15 minutes, temp dropped to 45 degrees, it was so loud (and BIG!) that he had to plug his ears and couldn't hear me calling his cell, and I was sooooo scared!! (hence the reason he rushed home, knew I would be!!).
    However, hubby is out looking for a rainbow now. Wouldn't that be something if the lord said "Here I am". A rainbow for first day of rads.
    Moopy..thank you for warning me that the machine & table may move!! I already had my simulation and tattoos done, so I am assuming this will be the actual zapping!!
    Well, better go get ready....hubby does not want me to be late!! Gesh...he will have me there waaaaayyyyy to early, I know!! Time to take a xanax......:) Pammy

    I don't know about the place
    I don't know about the place where you are getting your rads but mine would take me in if I got there early and no one else was waiting. Hope the same is true for you. And Tasha is right, the sooner begun, the sooner done. And you'll win that race will Taleena. Hope you saw that rainbow. And hope the rads go easy and well.
    Stef
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    lynn1950 said:

    Hurray for no BRCA!
    Pammy, Hurray for no BRCA! I don't recall that you've been tatooed and had a simulation. They will have to tattoo you first. Is that tomorrow? Then they do a simulation. That's probably tomorrow too. Then the radiation oncologist has to go over the stuff with a physicist and another person (don't remember what that person is called) and come up with a treatment plan. Then you meet with the radiation doc again to go over the plan. Then the fun begins. At least that's the schedule I was on last summer.

    At the center where I was treated, the nurses handed out Aquafor like candy and I used it many times a day. I had very little burning until the end. I did blister a bit after the booster, but it was never bad. I was able to work during radiation, but I did wimp out once it was finished.

    This is probably more information than you want, but thought I'd share just in case. Lynn

    Hey Pammy
    Will this include another story from you. Good luck and so happy about the braca.
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    Akiss4me said:

    Thank you everyone!!
    So glad I was able to stay on the internet and read your encouragements as we just had a HUGE hail storm. Lost garden, need to check for dents in cars, hubby was stuck in driveway for 15 minutes, temp dropped to 45 degrees, it was so loud (and BIG!) that he had to plug his ears and couldn't hear me calling his cell, and I was sooooo scared!! (hence the reason he rushed home, knew I would be!!).
    However, hubby is out looking for a rainbow now. Wouldn't that be something if the lord said "Here I am". A rainbow for first day of rads.
    Moopy..thank you for warning me that the machine & table may move!! I already had my simulation and tattoos done, so I am assuming this will be the actual zapping!!
    Well, better go get ready....hubby does not want me to be late!! Gesh...he will have me there waaaaayyyyy to early, I know!! Time to take a xanax......:) Pammy

    How did it go, Pammy?
    Hi, I am sure all went well. Just thinking about you.
  • chickad52
    chickad52 Member Posts: 497
    You can do it!!
    Best of luck Pammy!! You are going to do great!! Good News on the BRCA test!!
  • aurora2009
    aurora2009 Member Posts: 544 Member
    Akiss4me said:

    Thank you everyone!!
    So glad I was able to stay on the internet and read your encouragements as we just had a HUGE hail storm. Lost garden, need to check for dents in cars, hubby was stuck in driveway for 15 minutes, temp dropped to 45 degrees, it was so loud (and BIG!) that he had to plug his ears and couldn't hear me calling his cell, and I was sooooo scared!! (hence the reason he rushed home, knew I would be!!).
    However, hubby is out looking for a rainbow now. Wouldn't that be something if the lord said "Here I am". A rainbow for first day of rads.
    Moopy..thank you for warning me that the machine & table may move!! I already had my simulation and tattoos done, so I am assuming this will be the actual zapping!!
    Well, better go get ready....hubby does not want me to be late!! Gesh...he will have me there waaaaayyyyy to early, I know!! Time to take a xanax......:) Pammy

    I thought I missed something :D
    Sooooooooo happy for you that the BRAC testing came out negetive and no MAST was needed, That's great news Pammy.!!!!!!!!!

    And so off to rad's you go, that certainly was sudden, but I'm happy the no more waiting is left for you. I can't wait to hear how everything goes, and remember we are all here for you.

    As always you're in my thoughts and prayers

    God Bless you

    Aurora