The Radiation Room

BMS said:

Twilight Zone
What an eerie story, Lorrie! Funny how things happen like that. In my family the number 11 is our number...births, deaths, anniversary, even when my Dad had bypass surgery on March 11th, his heart was officially stopped at 11:11am!!!

I have 10 rads left! 2 of them (today and tomorrow) are regular and then I get my 8 boosters. I finish on the same day my son graduates from elementary school! So we get to celebrate that night. Ony side effect is an itchy rash near the cleavage! Cortisone cream helps a lot.

I will let you know how the boosters go since I start those on Wednesday.

BTW...did the Susan G. Komen 5K on Saturday. It was quite empowering and emotional. If anyone is on Facebook, I posted pictures. Friend me...Bonnie Brownstein Schendell.

Bonnie

Sent request Bonnie. I
Sent request Bonnie. I forgot to let you know I found you on this site....

butterflylvr said:

The one day during the week
The one day during the week that takes you longer is when they do films. They take pictures with the laser to check your treatment fields to make sure everything is going along as planned. Renee as far as the laser chamber goes, it's nothing like an MRI machine where your whole body goes into a tunnel. The laser only circulates around your torso area and there is always open space all around you. I think you will do fine.

I on the other hand had treatment number 22 today and I asked the nurse about my burn under my boob area. She gave me a script for Biafine, even though I only have three more regular treatments the skin is getting quite thin in a couple of areas. Boosters start next week... the end is in sight... I am feeling some of the "tired" symptoms too, this morning I had to have a can of diet Mt. Dew. That did the trick...

Lorrie

"light at the end of the tunnel"
Lorrie
I am so happy for you!
I am glad you see the light at the end of the tunnel! What a wonderful feeling that will be for all of us! I'm starting the rads Monday along with the films your talking about. I'm actually looking forwards to it, just to get it going!
Thanks everyone for posting your experiences on here! It sure has helped so many!

Happy weekend everyone!
Renee

week 2
Made it through week 2, little swelling, little redness~good cry today...all in all doing ok. Hope everyone else is doing well too. Posting this at 1 am and heading to bed. 2 days off, God bless the weekends~Cindy

Corinna11 said:

Can we listen to ipod while
Can we listen to ipod while doing rads??

I-Pod
They make me put my i-phone on the chair. I don't know why. It doesn't hurt to ask. Where I go if they don't have the music on I mention it to them. It is all oldies but at least it is distracting.

grams2jc said:

Here we go again
Ok girls, time to sing the song Chen thought up for us, get all our goopy lotion ready and hit it again this week. I am now down to where I can count it all on my fingers and can say 1 Friday left and will be able to count that way all week.

Yup, just 9 to go and the RO promised me he wouldn't change the number, as he says, "We're swinging for the back fence"

Go get 'em Radical Ladies!!

Jennifer

RAD Grad!
Well, sisters...I finished on Friday! All 33 treatments done and I had minimal burning. It is kind of funny to have one tan boob and one as white as can be! I now have to wait until September for my follow-up visit with the RO and she will give me my order for the first mammogram. She said everything needs to heal before having it done.

It feels kind of strange not going every day now. I still go every 3 weeks for a Herceptin treatment at my MO's office and will continue that through September which is the one year anniversary of beginning chemo. Boy has this been a journey. Thanks for being there for me...and I will always continue to be there for all of you.

BMS said:

RAD Grad!
Well, sisters...I finished on Friday! All 33 treatments done and I had minimal burning. It is kind of funny to have one tan boob and one as white as can be! I now have to wait until September for my follow-up visit with the RO and she will give me my order for the first mammogram. She said everything needs to heal before having it done.

It feels kind of strange not going every day now. I still go every 3 weeks for a Herceptin treatment at my MO's office and will continue that through September which is the one year anniversary of beginning chemo. Boy has this been a journey. Thanks for being there for me...and I will always continue to be there for all of you.

Yay! Congrats!
Congrats on being a Rad Grad. And hang in there, September will be here before we know it!

One more box checked off as done, Congratulations,

Jennifer

renee616 said:

CONGRATS BONNIE!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Bonnie! I cant wait to be where you & the other Grads are! Better than graduating school! Hoping you get back to normal! Let us know how normal feels!
Hugs, Renee

I was technically supposed
I was technically supposed to start Rads today but instead they just did the first set of films & set the markers again. They remembered that tomorrow will be my 2 weeks out from last chemo & they need to wait for that. Any ways I told them last week that I would do a clinical trial for an herb that is supposed to help with your skin during radiation, and they had me talk to the woman in charge of it today. I spent about an hour signing papers, answering questions etc, I was told I would get blood drawn for it....ok...Didn't really want additional procedures....but ok....then they would take a pic every 5th day...Again not thrilled on top of all the stuff already...Got to the end & We could have saved each other alot of time...When she said She would see me in a week! I said..No I start rads tomorrow, She said oh, thats the Drs policy to be 2 weeks out from chemo...for the clinical trials we wait untill your 3 wks out. Well I dont know about any of you...but waiting another week is not on my schedule! I'm sorry! I planned on the date I would be done, by the end of July & she said well...it would just put you at August 10th...Sorry! NO! That week difference matters to me! She said She understood, but I'm sure She was disapointed. At least I was in the rad room today for films, not what I expected, small room, some finished puzzles on the ceiling from the waiting room. At least it took the fear out of "The room"

lymph edema
Any body have mild lymph edema or just swelling of the upper arm during or just after radiation? I am having 2 areas of lymph nodes radiated. The arm pit and the bone area. I am hoping it will resolve after the burn goes away?

Cindy

butterflylvr said:

Nope not me Cindy, my severe
Nope not me Cindy, my severe burning is mostly below the breast along the incision line. I feel like a burnt lobster.. Small blisters and peeling, last regular treatment is today and 8 boosters start tomorrow. I think before todays appointment I will have the nurse look at my owwie to verify every thing is normal. I can tolerate the discomfort but I don't want my incision popping open. Thank goodness boosts are going to be directed at the top part of my boob and the lower cavity will be left alone to heal. Wow, I didn't expect to get this red though because I tan real easy. Maybe it's because I have tissue expanders and no natural breast material to absorb the treatment, just skin and nodes.

Lorrie

fair skin or not fair skin
I was told, burning has nothing to do with how your skin normally reacts to the sun! I am relatively fair and I just have a little blistering in the armpit. I wish I didn't have to wear a shirt! The sleeve seam is the worst part so I have been wearing my scrubs. This heat is not helping......
I will finish on next wed the 29th, is your last day thursday or friday? We should plan a toast!

Cindy