Ah thanks AC. Still feel great, but today have developed comedy swollen, red, throbbing toe, probably a toe infection . . . Come back immune system PLEASE!!
You should still ask about parking, but we asked during chemo & told big fat no, so bought the season ticket, otherwise it would have been £12 per chemo (& I had 13) & £2.50 for each set of bloods before hand. God only knows what you would do if you were on benefits. When I had my port inserted, I had to go on 3 consecutive days to see doc, have pre-op & see onc. I said to my HB how expensive it would be if you had to arrange childcare/get time off work. l know money is the last thing you should worry about, given the circs, but still seems odd time to fleece patients. x
We both start on the 2nd, angelcake. Nervous, but just want to start now. I use coconut oil as a daily moisturiser - it really works for my dry skin - so plan to ask at my first rads session although I expect it’ll be a ‘no’! I’ve only been given the time for my first session - I’m not going to be happy if times are given on a daily basis, it will make planning and arranging lifts for later on so much more difficult than it needs to be.
I was in and out really quickly for my planning, Brave. I put it down to the free parking (the only ‘freebie’ I’ve had from my health trust :smileywink: ) I do hope physio helps with the cording, sounds like you’re having a dreadful time with seroma too
Val, arawak and Jilly1989, hope you are all well. Hugs to all, Tat xx
Had my rads planning yesterday and am now the owner of three new tattoos! I start my three weeks on Feb 17th. 70 mile round trip for a ten minute appointment!
Well had chemo then surgery on 14th December so can’t wait to get this next bit underway! Then it’s just another 13 herceptin jabs and (fingers crossed) I will be all done with this treatment malarkey!
Welcome back Val, liking your new look Will be thinking of you on Thursday and Friday, hope both appts are over quickly and painlessly. A family party sounds just perfect - hope you feel well enough to enjoy some bubbles. By the way, my kids both had lovely Yorkshire accents when they were little and we lived in God’s own County I miss the people, hills and the scenery, but not the sideways rain!
Welcome to our growing band, Purpleclare. That’s a heck of a journey, I thought my 50 mile round trip was bad enough; hope you manage OK through to the end of your rads. I’ll still be plodding on for another week after you finish, but up for a virtual party as each of us finishes. Mine’s a G&T
I’m boob only, but I still don’t like the idea of it. Hope the antibiotics work for you soon.
Welcome PurpleClaire. I think there might be two PurpleClaires from what you say about yourself & what she has put on her blog about her own experiences.
Tat I’m fine thanks. Had a nice lunch with my sister & a friend to thank them both for being so amazing in their unfailing support over the past 8 months. How about you? Enjoying the last week of no hospital appts I trust.
Hi again Val. I finished chemo early too. The oncologist didn’t seem too bothered. She had been deliberating between 9 & 12 weeklies at the beginning anyway.
hi, just started rads today! will go on for 2 months, what should i be expecting? dr. said i am a good candidate for brachytherapy - has anyone gone for that?
This may seem like a silly question but can someone explain to me what the ‘tattoos’ look like on your body after CT planning? I can only see a tiny black dot in the chest area between both breasts, and a line of black ink, ‘for alignment’, according to the planning radiographers, on the left side of my body, but I guess that another black dot must exist in the breast area to be zapped (right breast) - the dots are tiny. Is this correct? When I think of ‘tattoos’, I was expecting a large patch or mark on the body area to be radiated. If someone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.
I realise that the reference to ‘tattoo’ may be a tad exaggerated but it has puzzled me as I am thinking that I may not have had my planning done right?
Goodness, all sorts of thoughts run through the mind when having to live with cancer and the treatment of said invader - you are never sure what to expect; it’s all new.
Hi AC they are like tiny freckles, but a darker colour. Any help? I’m sure they must be there, sort of encouraging you can’t see them in a way & good job it isn’t a big thing.
Gcinny 2 months sounds like a marathon like Tat’s. How often will you have to go?
Hi gcinny. I wasn’t offered brachytherapy/internal rads. It is probably only suitable for certain types or sizes of tumour? Might be worth starting a new thread with that title to see if anyone else has experience. I’m having 33 rads over 6.5 weeks, sounds like we are in for the same kind of ordeal :
angelcake, as I understand it, the tattoos are done so there is a permanent reference for the radiographers. Some people don’t consent to them and have long lasting pen marks, but it must make it difficult for their treatment team to work around. I have 3 dots, all in a line, one on my right side, one left and one centre of my chest and they will use those to line me up correctly each time. I imagine if there is a more extensive or irregular shaped area to re might be more dots or triangulated? One of my dots is huge, but it was the first one, and I had a student, so I think it was just a case of too much ink!
Hi PurpleClare I do seem to recall you doing the odd post on the August chemo thread. The other PC changed her blog to clarewise.com recently . . maybe she realised there are 2 of you. I just had a quick flick through your blog. Hope you have sorted things out with the other half. xx
You have allieviated my concerns. I can see only the dot in the chest area and a clumsily placed ink mark that aligns my body from left side to the right breast side area where treatment is supposed to be placed.
Best wishes as you move forward; as we all move forward.
Glad to hear that Purple … the last thing you need to have to deal with on top of all the BC sh*t. Men!?! Glad you have transport to get to & fro. The driver will be your new best friend after all this (I am picturing you in Peter Kay’s car share!). Got a call last night, planning now today not Monday. They do invisible tattoos at our place, so no need to search for mine AC. Brave hope all’s well. Good weekend all xx
The rads travelling is going to be gruelling for you, Purple, but at least you got funding and transport for it. The financial and time burden of cancer is a really unwelcome side effect I was doing some research last night and I found a Breast Friends group locally. They offer social stuff but lots of practical and financial help too, including electric reclining chairs on loan for women having recons! I’m pretty sure it’s a national voluntary and fundraising support organisation. Definitely worth a look.
Great image of Peter Kay’s car share, Bibi Let’s add James Corden for a bl**dy good singsong ?. Invisible tattoos are a brilliant idea - I feel ‘branded’ now. The one in the middle of my chest is clearly visible (I have freckles, but not dark grey ones!). Even if I could have a recon this side of never it would be really obvious in lots of clothing, not just v neck tops. Reminds me I need to go through my wardrobe… The local charity shops are going to do well out of me
Sorry about your ‘branding’ effect Tat. Apparently you just have to ask for the invisibles at our place, but they don’t give them out voluntarily (bit mean). I asked because my BCN tipped me off that they existed. They stuck my port about an inch above where a bra or bikini goes, so I now have an inch long red angry scar on show to the world as a permanent reminder of this. Everyone else I have met has theirs under their bra strap. What was my bloke thinking? Bad day at the office darling? xx
Well, that explains why I didn’t know about invisible tatts (assuming they are available here)…my BCNs are a very mixed bunch, but mostly in the ‘chocolate teapot’ category In their defence, I don’t think they know what to do with me, they’ve never had a primary angiosarcoma patient before and probably wanted to stay well away from the argy bargy between the breast and sarcoma consultants over who leads my care…!
I find it so frustrating that basic, yet important, information is not provided routinely and you have to ask about everything. How can you ask about something you don’t know about!?! Like your port, Bibi - it really should be standard practice to locate it where it will be covered by clothing, surely it only takes seconds more to stop and think about the person rather than the patient? I’ll stop now, having a grumpy, moany sort of day Countdown to Tuesday, I think… Hope the planning goes smoothly today, Bibi.
I hope the stickers/non stickers doesn’t slow you down each session while they line you up, Brave? I wish I had understood more and could have asked sensible questions… oops, here I go again! So, changing the subject, who would be your ideal car share companion/s, Brave?
I know (said in the voice of Monica from Friends!). I plastered it all over the chemo thread so people would know & should have done it on here too (sorry AC). I quickly found out during chemo, that by default, you get the most convenient thing for the medical profession. The problem is that we are conditioned as children ‘not to be a pain’. I got a bald patch during chemo because I didn’t speak out when a new nurse didn’t put the cold cap on properly. Who would you have in your car share Tat . . James Cordon & Adele? They looked like they were having such a laugh in that photo. I’ll have to think about mine. x
Will be thinking of you on Thursday and Friday, hope both appts are over quickly and painlessly. A family party sounds just perfect - hope you feel well enough to enjoy some bubbles. By the way, my kids both had lovely Yorkshire accents when they were little and we lived in God’s own County 
I miss the people, hills and the scenery, but not the sideways rain!