Radiation Visit

Yesterday I met with the Radiation oncologist to get my mapping and tattoos done. I first met with the doctor to go over what to expect and side effects of radiation. My radiation appointments will be every week day at the same time. I will see the doctor only once a week to go over how I'm feeling and to see if we need to make adjustments in my treatment. Each radiation appointment will last about 20 minutes. Getting radiation is only about 7-8 minutes, and the rest of the time is spent getting lined up on the table and having several people (dr. and nurses) make sure I'm lined up correctly before they begin radiation. For the first 3 weeks I may not feel much different, but by the end of the 3rd week I may start feeling sunburned and tired. Once the redness begins it will only increase and get worse. I can use aloe vera gel, burts bees aloe after sun cream or a special radiation lotion. These lotions will only help relieve the burning feeling. I need to drink LOTS of water while going through radiation, as that will help with the burning and redness too.
I will have 25 radiation appointments, which is better than the original 30 that they had planned. That was good news!
Yesterday I had my mapping done so that the computer knows my body contours. I also received my tattoos, there are 4 in all, one under each arm pit by my side and two down the middle of my chest. The tattoos are little black dots and they're not very noticeable.


Side effects of radiation:
*Scarring of the muscles in the radiated area. For the rest of my life I'll have to do stretches to keep my muscles limber in that area.
*Lymphedema is increase by 1-2% (with surgery alone I have a 25% chance)
*I need to use hot pads when taking food out of the oven so I don't get a burn. Healing is harder on the radiated side after radiation.
*Carry less weight on the cancer/radiated side. Example- don't carry all my grocery bags in all at once in my arms, take multiple trips in instead.
*Wear gloves when gardening or working in the dirt so as to avoid a cut and infection on the cancer/radiated side.
*Treats cuts more seriously as healing will be harder.
There is a small chance of heart disease because of radiation. To try and prevent this they will have me take a deep breath during radiation and hold it for 20 seconds so that the distance between my chest tissue and heart are farther apart. While holding my breath they'll do the radiation.
*Radiation will make my skin very tight and brittle. Because of that there is a 25% chance that my reconstruction surgery may fail on the radiated side. There are some procedures that can be done to minimize this, but there's always a chance that my next surgery may not be a success.

My first radiation appointment is this coming Monday, November 24th. The plan is to do a dry run before they do the real radiation, so next weeks appointment will be both a dry run and a real radiation appointment. Next week I'll have radiation on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They are closed on Thursday and Friday so I won't have another radiation until the following Monday, December 1st, which is also a herceptin chemo. If all goes as it should I'll get my final radiation on December 31st.

With each change in my treatment plan I get nervous. I've been told that radiation is easier than chemo, but I'm nervous none-the-less. Please keep praying for me! Pray that I can have the strength I need and that I will stay healthy! Thanks!

Herceptin chemo and a visit to the plastic surgeon

Last Friday I had my 5th Herceptin chemo. Only 6 more to go! I'm so happy that this chemo treatment is so easy!
My chemo buddies today were, my Dad, my brother and my oldest son. Three very special people in my life!

The wait wasn't too long to get back into the chemo room. Once we were settled into our comfy seats the chemo went pretty quick. My son was very attentive to our food and beverage needs. He loves the kitchen nook in the chemo room and was great at keeping up set up with snacks and drinks. We played Uno to pass the time. This appointment was the fastest one yet! My next 2 chemo appointments I will NOT see a doctor! I'll have my port accessed and then start the chemo right away. Sounds wonderful to me! By my next chemo on Dec 1st I should have started radiation, so I'll have a chemo and radiation back to back. I have my appointment scheduled in the morning so that I can have radiation immediately following the chemo. I'll know more about radiation this coming week...which leads me to my visit with the Plastic Surgeon.
I met with Dr. yesterday. He is happy with the way things looked, but wanted to do one more fill to make sure the skin was stretched enough. The fill was double what they have normally done. (The pressure is great and today I am sore!) He gave me the green light to get in for mapping for Radiation. Final surgery to remove the tissue expanders is usually 3 months after radiation ends, so we're looking at final surgery in March/ April. I asked if he would remove my port during the final surgery to save me from being under anesthesia two separate times, he said as long as I'm done with my port he can remove it. Today I was also given the go ahead to start driving again. 8 weeks of not driving was pretty hard! But those 8 weeks meant my daughter got to drive herself to and from school, which I know she has loved! Looks like it's back to riding the bus for her :(
I have no follow-up visits with Dr. I will see him again once radiation is complete.

I called to schedule my appointment for radiation mapping (getting my radiation tattoo's). I have an appointment for this coming Tuesday. Mapping takes a couple of hours. I'll know more about radiation and when my 1st appointment will be after this coming Tuesday.

I am currently going through physical therapy. I found a place close enough to home that I can walk to and from my appointments. I love the exercises they have me doing and my range of motion is improving a lot! I will continue having physical therapy until my range of motion is back to where it needs to be. They have me doing exercises at home and those exercises will continue during radiation to keep my muscles stretched and limber.

I am enjoying the tea's I received last week! And I'm loving the love notes I get in the mail! Thank you!