Saw Radiation Oncologist today.......

Welcome to the tattoo club. I have 4 cute little (haha) tattoo dots on my chest. I asked for butterflies, but just got dots. Radiation is not much. It's a hassle going in every day, though. They tell you there is no nausea, but I felt it. Most don't though. I used Avalon Organics with Lavender and my skin survived beautifully - no burns. And I am very fair-skinned. I was warned that I would feel fatigue - I never did.

I really hated the way they made me feel like a human sacrifice to the gods of radiation. The name for programmed cell death is apoptosis. So I would like there visualizing the radiation beams hitting the cancer cells going POP, POP, POP.

I'm sure you will do well here, LoVonna.

Hugs.

Lesley

KathiM said:

Hey, I missed out on ALL the fun :-(
I just had sharpie marks...try to keep THOSE on over a weekend...sigh...
I thought seriously one weekend of making a big tic-tac-toe board out of all of the marks, but decided that my rad onc wouldn't see the humor...
I had 33 treatments...I used aquaphor right after each one, and then smeared on the Silvadene creme at night, careful to wash off in the shower (they HATE leaving that stuff on for the rads...)in the morning. Applied aquaphor for the day.
This, too shall pass...make friends with the rad techs...I did....they gave me a big hug after the last treatment....2 weeks after it stopped, I was BURN FREE!!!!!!
I actually NAPPED during some of my sessions, and scheduled it so that I went home right after...no more work for the day....
MUCH easier that chemo.....

Hugs to a VERY brave soul!!!!!!
Kathi

Keeping in mind that everyone is different, my experience was that the first appointment, where they get you "set up" with measuring and marking etc,. was the worst. In fact it was the only time in all my treatment that I cried. It took about an hour and I had to lay perfectly still. I was in pain after about 15 mintues but they didn't want me to move. Be sure to get as comfortable as you can when that session starts! I had 30 treatments and had to take a break after 25 due to skin burns. It didn't hurt, but I was tired, but not like I was during chemo. The treatment is fast - seconds in my case, but they shot me in 3 separate areas. I now (7 years later) have some blotchy red areas where I got radiation. They may be real picky about what they want you to put on your skin while you are getting radiation. It's usually M-F. I worked until 2 PM then ran to radiation and then home to rest while I was in treatment. Just focus on the killing rays destroying those awful cancer cells. You can do it!

I ditto the ickiness of the long, set-up appointment. One word of caution -- do not drink a lot of water beforehand. I made that mistake and nearly went insane I had to go so bad. I literally counted the minutes until it was over and came close to wetting myself. Good luck - radiation is a breeze compared to chemo.