Sorry another question for you my little trail blazer Lisa…
Got my planning appt at last yippee (well kind of) and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to have my rads as late in the day as possible. Did they give you a choice of times or make any allowance for the fact that you need to work? I’m really hoping they will.
Angie
Hi
Lisa sorry about the car. just posted a probably bad timed story about my car going in today!! I like the music part, I do that in the dentist if a long visit, as I have terrible trouble there too. The running out the room will probably spook me and make me want to scream and follow them. Is yours leaft or right? My friend with the left with cancer had to wear a jacket to protect her heart as 30 rads for her.
Hugs
Lily x
Hiya
Angie - I got to pick am or pm so asked for pm, mine is about 2.15pm which suits me as work am, then head through at lunch time and then back about hour before I would normally finish work. When’s your planning day? It takes about 1.5 hours but doesnt seem that long to be honest.
Lily will read your thread! Its not too bad as its light and if I dont get too scared no one would!! Mine is on right, told me might hit a rib and a touch of the lung which might make me breathless - my ribs were aching last night but nothing else and a bit tender!!!
xx
Hi Lisaf,
Just a note to see how things are going.
I’ve just had number 11 so only another 4 to go and can’t wait for this week to be over. Not sure if its the travelling/early starts/not sleeping or the rads that are making me tired - or just a combination of them all!
Are you still managing to work during your treatment? Its my intention to go back to work next week (all being well) but am finding things a bit sore at the moment - the main chest area is ok (other than scar feeling really tight at times) but under my arm (just where bra strap goes) is pretty tender. Also getting the odd shooting pain through my scar - radiologist says this is pretty common as the nerve endings are being jangled by the treatment.
Mine is on my left side but haven’t had to wear a jacket like Lily’s friend. I do have to have a bolus put on thats about quarter inch thick and about ten inches square covering the whole treatment area (they told me that this makes the beam think that the level of the skin is higher) which I assume stops it penetrating as deep so as to protect the heart and lungs. Haven’t had any rib pain but am suffering general stiffness which I think is probably from the tamoxifen - or could just be old age!
Hugs to all
Spongebob xx
one thing I didnt know until my rads finished is that the area gets more itchy and red over the next 2 weeks, so you need to keep slapping loads of cream on!
BessieBoo,
Thanks for the tip. Will need to see if I can get another couple of tubes from the hospital before Friday.
Spongebob xx
they were really generous with it at Leeds! Wonder if it works on wrinkles!
Hiya Spongbob
6 left to go so close behind you , no news from hospital re Op whic Im terrifiedabout. Im still at work, my times have changed this week to lunch time so doing work for hour before and few hours after but boy does the tiredness hit you all of a sudden, I was okay at first then friday was exhausted so much so struggled to speak couldnt believe how it hit in, it was my first weekend away from cumbria too so managed but tired, have a really stiff neck too so always panicing.
My chest area isnt too bad to be honest at mo, I can start to see an outline square where they are zapping and tends to be a bit more tender at night but in totall agreement, my dogs ear and just below where bra goes is tender and achy, doesnt help have a very ample prothesis which Im still wearing - did actually expect the burning to be a little worse after what I had read so hope its stays like this for us all. Anyone had headaches? might be realted to tiredness and working? Oh and yes, thank god you had the pain in the scar mark, was walking out of the house with dog and got the stabbing pain that made me double over, very wierd!!!
I havent got any tablets yet as awaiting op then arimidex, worried that not on anything. Good luck and just think by Friday afternoon you will be done!!
xxx
lisa we may have another near collision on Thursday… I’m due for the planning session at 2pm so if you want to meet up a little early for a coffee and try and scare me you could. Understand if you’re pressed for time or run screaming at my presence (I realised last night that without the buff on my head I currently look like gollum from lord of the rings 
We’ve cracked open a bottle of sparkling wine as today if the last day of my last 3 week cycle… AKA END OF CHEMO
WOOOO ****ing HOOO.
Of course my body has now decided that I must pay for what I’ve done to it. Bubbly bath to apologize I think.
Typical, would you believe it, Im on lifts this week as too tired to drive and my appointments have been changed to early lunch time other wise would have been ideal to meet up and wouldnt scare you - its okay honest!!! My barnet not looking great too!!! Congrats to end of chemo, hope you are picking up, I felt lousy afterwards but think it was my body relaxing!!!
Hope you enjoyed the wine and good luck for Thursday, typical I finish on Tuesday otherwise we might have definately collided
xx
Well done the planning… ready to start next Wed. I have 7 pin prick tattoos. Should be finished on Nov 4th and will probably be watching the elections the following morning 
Hi everyone,
Well that’s it, final session now over and done with and not before time.
Had to see doctor today as not due for follow up for 6 weeks but experiencing some rib pain/tenderness (middle of ribs just below where breast used to be and where bra conveniently digs in!) Doctor knew when she had found the painful bit when I almost shot through the ceiling. Apparently this is fairly common and is where the rads have inflamed the rib and connective tissue on the edge of the treatment area. She said that this is nothing to worry about but may take some time to settle down. Take painkillers as and when needed (more pills!) She did tell me the medical name for it but, like most things these days, I can’t remember.
Although glad rads have now finished, I feel a bit apprehensive at the thought of being left to fend for myself - I know it is only for 6 weeks at the moment but since diagnosed the longest I have gone without seeing someone medical was the 3 weeks between chemo sessions. I know this should be a positive but I suddenly feel very lonely. Am due to start back at work next week so hopefully will have something else to think about.
Good luck to those just starting and congrats to those just coming to an end.
Hugs to all
Spongebob xx
Spongebob, congrats on finishing, thank god someone else got that rib pain, mentioned it to two rads nurses and seemed noplussed, was getting scared, feel like prothesis weghing me down an very tender on ribs and nick stiff. know exactly what you mean re being alone, thought would be jumping for joy at finishing but scary, still waiting for op date in newcie, scared stiff but know sooner over can get on tabs.
Heres to fee and enjoyable few weeks ahead
xxx
p.s. anige, glad your tattoos tiny!!! good luck for wed!
x
Well I believe there should be a little drum roll for Lisa later as I’ve kicked her off the machine so I can have my go tomorrow so we’ll call that finished shall we 
seriously da dah da dah da da daaaahhhh, congrats lisa.
Gordon Ramsey voice: Chemo… done… radiotherapy done… 1 slightly fried cumbrian… done
Hi everyone,
Vertangie - Good luck for tomorrow plus good luck to anyone else due to start.
Lisaf - Congrats on the last of your rads.
I got fed up waiting to hear from hospital for op date so phoned gynae’s secretary, it’s in his diary for 9 December - he had already said end Nov/beginning Dec so this doesn’t come as any great surprise but it may put a dampener on Xmas festivities (I’ve already paid my deposit and placed my food order for my works Xmas do - typical!). Secretary said that another lady had been offered 23 Dec so I suppose I should count myself lucky! Anyway, the next thing to do is to start shopping I suppose (groan).
Starting back at work tomorrow which will be a bit of a culture shock after being off for 10 weeks (I know that this isn’t long in the general scheme of things but I can honestly say its been long enough). Never thought that I would ever look forward to actually going to work - maybe its caused by the ongoing side effects from the chemo(?)
Anyway, hugs to all and keep using the cream
Spongebob xx
Thanks spongebob, looking forward to getting this bit done and dusted. As for xmas shopping, you can always use chemo brain as an excuse. My lot are all going to get bubble bath and think themselves lucky that I remembered and god help them if they forget my birthday (mid dec) as they’ve get a box of lose pins instead if they do LOL
Sorry I’m obviously feeling evil today as mysociety (people I work with) are having their 5th birthday and I’m not going cause I have rads tomorrow… blurgh. Still I won’t have the hang over either LOL.
enjoy the preop time, I’ve been told recovery really doesn’t take that long if it’s the keyhole variety (possibly considering it myself).
yippeee done, angie you can have my share of two machines, I got shipped on to different ones as I was flexible on my times, as I always am of course. Take it easy, after week and half I was shattered but then come round again, maybe cos working too much so accepted some lifts, which is hard for me. They are lovely up there its just a bit more emmm formal compared to chemo as there isnt that much time for chit chat. Of to watch masterchef as I fry! in honest mine hasnt been half as bad as expected but back is itching off as cant reach to cream it and dont think dog would do a great job. Anyhow off for another very large wine before more posting.
Angie, hope tomorrow goes okay, i was so wound up for first one, being the wuss I am I cried just before but found it nowhere near what i expected and actually gone quite quickly, think I will actually miss it tomorrow p well dyson again in weeks, no deoderant still for another 2 weeks, and have a very sneaky suspicion Op date might come through tomorrow.
Spongebob know what you mean, feel a bit in limbo, thats why i go to work so much, first time in 9 months Im not having something done, thank god for 3 months check up on monday! Oh but I do plan on having a hangover, celebrating on sunday with girly friends.
Arrrggghh dont mention christmas!!! although think I will appreciate it a lot more this year.
xxx
well done Lisa. funnily my 3 month check up is on friday, hence my wobbly today. chemo has just left the system (mostly), rads start tomorrow, saw onc last week, touchy feely check up Friday and having genetics email me today with an appt for next week was just too much. grrr.
So now half expecting to be brca as it’s only been 3 months.
hiya angie, least you get dr O touching you up lol!!! 3 mothly check up sends me to wobbly country too, can feel lots of lumps and bumps, can you??? strangely enough my genetics appointment was 3 months ago. on plus side she did say that it usually takes quite a while and if nothing comes up before will just update me at Xmas so maybe its good news. I think chemo stays around a bit, my 3 stone defo has!!! my legs today are aching lots more than normal.
Hope it goes well tomorrow and genetics next week. waiting for week date to see Dyson, scared already, cos in lymph node and mentioned something about extra nodal spread, worried already adn my close friends dad had treatment just before me and in hosiptal today not looking good, hopefully things go well for us and we have many happy years before us.
p.s. dont forget, Im rallying people round for a virtual hen night I had 3 so you need to surpass that!!!
xxx
3 hen nights… wow!
Don’t worry too much about the extra nodal spread I think it just means that it was in the tissue surrounding the node, not that it had necessarily got out of the lymph system, it’s important to remember that it’s the job of the lymph system to deal with nasties so it doesn’t mean you’re doomed. But seeing people who were treated at the same time go down hill is bound to freak you, it would me.
I’ve had to move the genetics appt because I just can’t do rads in carlisle and genetics in Whitehaven at the same time. So It’s now on nov 5th but she does have results for me apparently so I’ll finish rads on 4th and find my fate on the 5th so one way or another I don’t think I’ll be very sober that night
Hope you’re feeling good not having to go to Carlisle today
Keep going with the cream for a few weeks though.
lots of love
Angie