On my way to rads next Wednesday

rjjj
rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Goodmorning sisters! I went to Billings Mt. yesterday where I will receive my rads, got the tatoos and pictures taken and planned what I will do. The ACS is wonderful and is providing free lodging, mon,-thurs. I will go home on weekends. I may have to move each week to a different motel until a apt. opens up, but what a relief! They also have transportation to pick me up and take me back to my room each day if needed (also provided free by volunteers) They are also offering free wigs (think i'll pass on that) free prosthesis also. Everything is falling into place and they have been beyond helpful! I was very scared to leave home for this but I feel lots better now.

My radiologist Oncologist, is wonderful..He took his time and answered all my questions and talked with me for some time without being in a hurry. I was very interested when he started telling me that in 5 years or so he doesn't believe they will even have, surgery, radiation or chemo as we know it. He said if the government stays out of it..they will be able to go strictly after the cancer site or tumor without cutting or poisoning our good cells ..and if i should have a reoccurance in the next 5 years all will be different. I believe him, look how far they have come now! just thought i would share all this.

As for radiation..he said 1. don't wear a bra 2. I can swim and he thinks that is wonderful for range of motion with women who have had mastectomies (as long as the pool isn't reeking of chlorine) 3. He recommended vitamin E- oil, alovera in plant form or otherwise, and bag balm to grease up with, 4. no deoderant with alcohol 5. its hard to say who will burn or not..but red-heads seem to have a worse time with skin..but not always.

Anyway I will be taking all of you with me..don't think i could make it without ya. and it is almost like coming home when i am here with you. I love you all very much!
hugs
Jackie

Comments

  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    Wonderful, Wonderful News!
    Jackie, Joe and I are SO thrilled! Doing the happy dance big-time.

    Thank you for this information from your onc. Mine did not offer much, and I forgot to ask. I am taking in all the info you and our sisters have posted.

    Love,
    Moopy
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    Good luck to you and thanks
    Good luck to you and thanks for posting all that positive information.
    Kathy
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    :-)
    I am so glad that you are receiving the assistance offered from ACS, they have a great support system. It sound as though your radiation doctor is both knowledgeable and caring, what a great combination! Keep us posted you will be in my prayers!

    image

    RE
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    Hi Jackie,
    I am thrilled for you! It sounds like everything is all set and that you will have a good experience with a wonderful doctor. My doc. said the same thing about swimming helping with range of motion, but wanted me to be in a private pool. So, Jackie, what will you do in Billings when you are not being treated? I think you said your daughter is there? I hope you will have internet access because we will miss you otherwise!

    I'm so happy to hear about how optimistic your doctor is about future cancer treatments. I, too, have heard that targeted therapy, without the need for surgery, chemo, or radiation, will be the next big thing in cancer treatment. I sure hope so. How wonderful would that be?!

    Best of luck on Wednesday. Everything will turn out great.

    Mimi
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    Morning Jackie!
    Wow..isn't the ACS wonderful! I am so happy for you! And what your radiation oncologist says is great! Has he written a paper or anything on that? I would like to read about it. I pray that what he says is true, that would be beyond wonderful! It amazes me how the radiation oncologist's differ in what we can or cannot do. But, it just goes to show, there are no set rules for anything, even breast cancer treatments. Mine said no swimming for sure. So, I hope that you will be fine, if you do. Mine said no Vitamin E, no aloe vera and you can use a deodorant IF it is aluminum free. I found one called Tom's at a health food store..I think most drug stores carry it. But, I didn't like it, so, I just went au naturale..lol And, be sure and use your cremes right from the start. Your skin is cooking even if you can't see anything yet on the outside. Just like I am still burnt and I have been done with rads a little over a week. But, I didn't really burn with the regular 25 radiation treatments, it was the 12 boosters that burnt me. And, I tanned outside and in tanning beds and tan easily. I am blaming it on the new radiation machine the cancer center had..lol Maybe I should have found a cancer center that had an old one and wasn't so potent. lol Anyway, I will be thinking of you Jackie. And, if I can help you in anyway..just ask.
    image
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    Great News All Around!
    Jackie - I'm so very glad that everything has been worked out for your upcoming radiation treatment! And your post about all of the ACS assistance is wonderfully heartwarming! Maybe someone else reading about your experience will feel comforted to know that they, too, can contact the ACS for help and support, if and when needed.

    So happy your rad onc is wonderful and that you like him very much - it's really important to feel good about our doctors. And, I found what he said about "within the next 5 years" to be quite interesting. About 5 1/2 years ago, my med onc told me something very similar. Only back then, he said "within the next 10 years." So, seems like the timing is still on track! Yes, we're all hopeful for this to be true.

    Good for you, dear Jackie! Will you be checking in here only on weekends, from home? Please let us know so we don't worry too much!

    Warmest best wishes for your upcoming rads!

    Kind regards, Susan

    P.S.: OK, I can't help it... Gotta call out the BAG BALM!!! How ironically funny! In all the threads about rads - I think this is the first mention of BAG BALM! Yet, it should be kinda obvious, yes? Hee hee!!! :-)
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    Yay Jackie..
    Yay Jackie! How wonderful that everything is falling into place! Worrying about those kinds of things is so stressful! The ACS is awesome,isn't it! I have not met anyone from there who is not warm, caring and ready to help in any way.

    Also great info from your rad onc!

    CR
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    CR1954 said:

    Yay Jackie..
    Yay Jackie! How wonderful that everything is falling into place! Worrying about those kinds of things is so stressful! The ACS is awesome,isn't it! I have not met anyone from there who is not warm, caring and ready to help in any way.

    Also great info from your rad onc!

    CR

    Hey Jackie
    I am just sooooooooo pleased that you found this site. I didn't discover it until well after my treatment was over and done with, i sure could have used it before that!....Good luck to you Hun, You'll sail through it, I am the worlds biggest coward and I sailed through it with very little support........You Have All Of US!!!!!!!!!!!

    Luv Ya Jxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    mimivac said:

    Hi Jackie,
    I am thrilled for you! It sounds like everything is all set and that you will have a good experience with a wonderful doctor. My doc. said the same thing about swimming helping with range of motion, but wanted me to be in a private pool. So, Jackie, what will you do in Billings when you are not being treated? I think you said your daughter is there? I hope you will have internet access because we will miss you otherwise!

    I'm so happy to hear about how optimistic your doctor is about future cancer treatments. I, too, have heard that targeted therapy, without the need for surgery, chemo, or radiation, will be the next big thing in cancer treatment. I sure hope so. How wonderful would that be?!

    Best of luck on Wednesday. Everything will turn out great.

    Mimi

    What a wonderfull world it would be
    Mimi, if only we could see five years ahead! But it did really give me hope for the future. My daughter Jamie lives in Colorado, but will be coming to spend a couple of weeks with me in Billings. She is such a joyful, and fun-loving gal. (also my bff) I am really looking forward to spending time with her.

    I think i will have internet access I am bringing you all with me on my lap-top!! Thanks for all of your good wishes.
    hugs
    jackie
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member

    Great News All Around!
    Jackie - I'm so very glad that everything has been worked out for your upcoming radiation treatment! And your post about all of the ACS assistance is wonderfully heartwarming! Maybe someone else reading about your experience will feel comforted to know that they, too, can contact the ACS for help and support, if and when needed.

    So happy your rad onc is wonderful and that you like him very much - it's really important to feel good about our doctors. And, I found what he said about "within the next 5 years" to be quite interesting. About 5 1/2 years ago, my med onc told me something very similar. Only back then, he said "within the next 10 years." So, seems like the timing is still on track! Yes, we're all hopeful for this to be true.

    Good for you, dear Jackie! Will you be checking in here only on weekends, from home? Please let us know so we don't worry too much!

    Warmest best wishes for your upcoming rads!

    Kind regards, Susan

    P.S.: OK, I can't help it... Gotta call out the BAG BALM!!! How ironically funny! In all the threads about rads - I think this is the first mention of BAG BALM! Yet, it should be kinda obvious, yes? Hee hee!!! :-)

    Ha Ha Susan
    I guess bag balm would be the most obvious choice!lol!
    Jackie
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    Sounds like everything is working out!
    Jackie, that is great news, too bad you have to go so far for rads, mine was just around the corner, left for work every day, hit the hospital, then went home. Sounds like the doc know what he is talking about, but the deoderant, as I believe someone else mentioned, should not contain aluminum. I found one at Wal-Mart it was fairly inexpensive, and worked well. Take care and try not to burn.
    =^..^=
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    Big City Girl
    Jackie, I believe you live in a small town? Rads are a great opportunity for retail therapy, great restaurants, cultcha (such as it is in Billings) crowd watching...I think I went to a Title I workshop in Billings and swam at the Y there. I was always feeling queasy during that conference and when I got home I found out I was pregnant! (I don't think it was from the water though). Hope all goes well with the rads. If you meet a trumpeter swan named Louis, give him my regards. Love, Lynn
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    cats_toy said:

    Sounds like everything is working out!
    Jackie, that is great news, too bad you have to go so far for rads, mine was just around the corner, left for work every day, hit the hospital, then went home. Sounds like the doc know what he is talking about, but the deoderant, as I believe someone else mentioned, should not contain aluminum. I found one at Wal-Mart it was fairly inexpensive, and worked well. Take care and try not to burn.
    =^..^=

    Hey Cats-toy...........
    You are right he did say aluminum, i must have had alcohol on my mind..teehee. but i am really curious about is =A..A= what does that mean?
    hugs jackie
  • tatooedinpink
    tatooedinpink Member Posts: 95
    Good Luck, Jackie
    Thoughts and prayers are with you during this leg of your journey. Take advantage of the home away from home, and do some shopping and eating out :-)

    Debbie
  • tatooedinpink
    tatooedinpink Member Posts: 95
    Good Luck, Jackie
    Thoughts and prayers are with you during this leg of your journey. Take advantage of the home away from home, and do some shopping and eating out :-)

    Debbie
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    rjjj said:

    Hey Cats-toy...........
    You are right he did say aluminum, i must have had alcohol on my mind..teehee. but i am really curious about is =A..A= what does that mean?
    hugs jackie

    jackie, you are sooo funny!
    that is my cat icon = ^ . . ^ = ( I put spaces in between so you can see what I used)
    btw: I also found a deoderant at Big Lots! called Naturally Fresh, it even has the bc symbol on it. All natural, hypo allergenic and no aluminum. good luck shopping (just make sure you buy more than that!

    =^..^=
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    cats_toy said:

    jackie, you are sooo funny!
    that is my cat icon = ^ . . ^ = ( I put spaces in between so you can see what I used)
    btw: I also found a deoderant at Big Lots! called Naturally Fresh, it even has the bc symbol on it. All natural, hypo allergenic and no aluminum. good luck shopping (just make sure you buy more than that!

    =^..^=

    Ah i see it now!
    I love your cat icon! and i will look for the naturally fresh. Thanks
    love, Jackie
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    rjjj said:

    What a wonderfull world it would be
    Mimi, if only we could see five years ahead! But it did really give me hope for the future. My daughter Jamie lives in Colorado, but will be coming to spend a couple of weeks with me in Billings. She is such a joyful, and fun-loving gal. (also my bff) I am really looking forward to spending time with her.

    I think i will have internet access I am bringing you all with me on my lap-top!! Thanks for all of your good wishes.
    hugs
    jackie

    The news gets beter & better, Jackie!
    Very glad that your daughter will be with you in Billings during rads! That's wonderful!

    Kind regards, Susan

    P.S.: Thanks for changing your pic, for all to see! You & your 3 kids, right? :-)
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    lynn1950 said:

    Big City Girl
    Jackie, I believe you live in a small town? Rads are a great opportunity for retail therapy, great restaurants, cultcha (such as it is in Billings) crowd watching...I think I went to a Title I workshop in Billings and swam at the Y there. I was always feeling queasy during that conference and when I got home I found out I was pregnant! (I don't think it was from the water though). Hope all goes well with the rads. If you meet a trumpeter swan named Louis, give him my regards. Love, Lynn

    eee-gads!!
    Louis, i don't know and am sure to stay away from..even though no chance i could get pregnant....but swimming at the Y sounds fun.
    love jackie