April Showers - Radiotherapy

[Hawkeye]

How did you hairdresser appointment go?

[nebsminty]

Hi AG65, welcome aboard! Gosh you have had a whirlwind of a time these last few weeks, no time at all to get your head around things. I've had rather too long a time (diagnosed last July) but still haven't been able to accept that I've been very ill. The cancer didn't do me any harm , it's just all the treatment....

Sunflower, still can't believe you want to fall asleep during treatment. I'm exhausted these days but find the treatment position too uncomfortable for 40 winks! Still 3 down now, only 17 to go. My skin is still fine but my scar is starting to look quite pink and blobby if that makes sense.

Hawk eye I'm pleased you've been given a stay of execution. The last thing you need is more damage to already damaged skin. Fingers crossed that you're in better shape for Monday.

I'm loving all these meet ups you folks are having! All my appts have been at different times so I've yet to see the same people two days running. Maybe after another week or so I'll recognise someone.

Hope you're all enjoying good weather but keeping properly wrapped up as the drs order 🙂

[Rosemaryanne]

Hi Judi

Meeting you absolutely made my day! So nice to be able to chit chat about what's happening face to face.

I think of the people on here as friends, and I was right!

We can sort out a day next week at your convenience.

Love Rose xx

[ollisj6]

Hi Rosemary it was so lovely to see you today i know it wasant for long but it seemed like we had known each others for ages hope to meet up again very soon Love Judi xxxx

[Judithvr6]

Hi Jane.

No Not started yet. Planning on Monday 20th, 1pm +.

Treatment is due to start 29th but I've not had the times yet.

Might see you there on Monday if I'm a long time.

I've shortish dark hair with a purple tint 😉

[Lucy_BCC]

Hi AG65
Welcome to the BCC forums, in addition to the support you have found here our helpliners are on hand with further practical and emotional support so please do call to talk any queries or concerns over. Lines are open 9-5 during the week and 10-2 Saturdays on 0808 800 6000

I am posting a link to the treatments area of the BCC site where you will find lots of information and further support ideas :

https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/treatment

Take care
Lucy BCC

[AG65]

Hi I am new to the forum. I was diagnosed in Feb after being chosen at random for an early mammogram (not quite 50). I had no symptoms. I am so grateful for the team who have looked after me. My treatment has been quick and everyone has been so kind and friendly. I received the results of the biopsies on 19 Feb and had a lumpectomy and SLNB on 27 Feb. I was told the results on 17 Mar. A 10mm Grade 2 tumor with some spread to 16mm. Margins and lymph nodes all clear. Will start on Tamoxifen after rads have finished.

I start 15 sessions of Rads tomorrow. I feel quite anxious as I have quite sensitive skin and suffer from Fibromyalgia. Hopefully I am worrying about nothing.

I can't believe it is only 10 weeks since I had my mammogram. Everything has happened so quickly (which is good) but it is also overwhelming at times.

I am finding reading the posts on this forum very helpful.

A.

[happywanderer]

Hi nenya
How funny, we may be there at the same time and not know it. All my appointments are after 4.10pm except for Tuesday when they are in the morning to see the doctor

Hope we meet
Jane x

[Nenya]

Hi, I was at Weston park yesterday on session 4, small world 🙂

[happywanderer]

Hi Judithvr6
I was also at Weston Park with my partner last evening. Had session 5 yesterday, 10 more to go. Looking pink now, increasing with each one. Have you started yet?
Jane x

[Judithvr6]

Evening everyone.

My treatment is at Weston park hospital Sheffield and they do a monthly 'open evening' so friends and/or family can see what the treatment rooms and equipment are like.

I went this evening with my fella for a look around.

Having been through all this years ago I must say there didn't seem to be any difference. There are still cool laser beams criss crossing the room and huge ugly grey machines. But I think my fella found it interesting to have seen where I'll be disappearing off to every day soon.

Hope everyone is doing ok especially those with extra additional worries on top of the routine bc stuff.

[Chez666]

Glad you have a plan and something to aim for, so rest up now and let the wound do its work......good luck for Monday and beyond. X x

[Hawkeye]

Went to my first rads appointment today with my ruptured wound thinking they would cancel and wanted to talk to them about it because I was worried it would affect the healing of the hole. They wanted to go ahead even though the wound has 18 cm of packing. As it turned out my boob had changed shape since the planning so had to have another scan and measurements, they used the same tattoos (that was a bonus) and I will start the rads on Monday 20th April and see how it goes. At least that gives my wound another 6 days of healing. I've been a bit emotional today but at least I know where I am now and tomorrow is another day. Thanks Chez666 your message of support came through at just the right time xx

[Rosemaryanne]

I'm usually a 5-er too. The ceilings are nicer in the other rooms, though! I was delayed today but that was unusual. Will be there at 2, really looking forward to it xx

[ollisj6]

Yes definetly cant wait im usually out by 2 most days i seem to be on machine 5 and no waiting ive been straight in see you in cafe dont forget the newspaper!!!!! Love Judi xxx

[Rosemaryanne]

I'll pop this in here too: Judi, are we still on for a meet up in the cafe tomorrow?

Hope so!

Love, Rose

[Sunflower57]

2 of 15 sessions done today Same as yesterday, I could have fallen asleep given the chance. I finished work at 2pm today & drove the 3/4 hour drive to the hospital. Nearly left my Kindle behind, boy I would have been upset.
Eileen728, I've decided I don't like years ending in 5! Hope your mum is on the mend soon. Keep us posted about your Rad treatment.
Nebsminty - TKU for your kind words. Enjoy your hairdressers appointment.xx

[Chez666]

Hi Hawkeye, today is 14/15 so it all comes together in the end but completely understand the waiting part is soo hard as you just want to get on with it. Hope all goes well for you best wishes x x

[nebsminty]

Eileen, sorry to hear about your mum, I hope that being at home will help her with her recovery.

Sunflower, I'm impressed you're squeezing in treatment after a day at work! Mind you, thanks to a crap company sick policy/crap HR and boss I worked through my chemo last year, trying to eke out the sick pay to cover surgery recovery and rads. But pay is all sorted now and I've decided to either not work or work at home over the next few weeks. I think it's all finally catching up with me now as the walk to drop my daughter off to school this morning has left me utterly exhausted. I felt like I was walking through treacle at the end of a marathon with breathlessness thrown in for good measure.

You've had an awful few months and years in your family, that must be really hard for you.

To everyone getting annoyed with other peoples moans and groans, I totally understand! I think it's another reason why I'm not working right now. Sitting in a hospital with people going through treatment and then going into an office where customers are complaining about a few hundred pounds or moaning about a lack of coffee machine would be just too much of a head spin.

Anyway, on a lighter note I'm off for my first hair cut post chemo :-). I was bald as a coot on Christmas Day, not a single eyebrow or eyelash to be seen. Now I'm sporting a very short hair do but am getting annoyed with bits curling over my ears so they've got to go!

Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous weather

[eileen728]

Hi all,

Hope everyone OK on this beautiful sunny morning. Haven't posted for a while as it's all been a bit much ! My 89 year old mum had a serious heart attack so we spent a lot of time sitting by her bed while various nasty looking treatments were carried out. She is home now thank goodness. Certainly took my mind off the BC for a while!

Start radiotherapy on Monday. Fingers crossed nothing else unexpected happens before then - or during! Decided I don't like 2015 much so far but hoping that spring means it will start being good from now on.

Love to everyone xx

[Clemmy87]

Hi Kim (I replied with this message in another thread, but this one might be more appropriate),

I found your threads today, which is a huge help/support for me, as I was just diagnosed this past Friday 4/10 with pretty much exactly what you have and with anticipation of the same treatments.

They found about 3-4mm tubular carcinoma (after an excisional biopsy of a small supposedly benign tumor). It's grade 1 and very slow growing. Since it's such a rare type, I'm having hard time finding any extensive current patient experience so your threads are great!

Even though the tumor has already been removed I'm expecting a sentinel node biopsy and then radiation. I saw you had a node biopsy, I hope it's been healing well. Have you heard anything about radiation?

[Sunflower57]

Hi Nebsminty Glad your 1st session was ok. My 1st one this evening went ok, no pain or sensations, Just had to lay still for 10mins. I could have dropped off, if there wasn't the whirring & beeps from the machine. I'm a morning person, so this evening after a day at work dealing with an office move - I'm shattered.
Fuffs123 You would have loved the person who sits opposite me at at work creating merry hell about the lack of paper in the new printers today. I thought really LET IT GO There are bigger things to worry about 😧
I had a sad moment whilst waiting for the radiotherapy, thinking about my mum who passed away on 29 Dec Just before I was diagnosed, Mum had Dementia & had a double mastectomy in 2005 - same year our son was killed in a RTA,. I was sad that Mum is gone, but also sad cos, even if she was alive, there wouldn't have been any point in telling her about my situation. Sorry for the long post.

[Jobey68]

I've had my first day back at work today which was in a way nice to see every one but nothing has changed in their lives yet everything has in mine and it makes you so resentful at times, I know I have to learn to get over these feelings as it's no ones fault but it's not mine either, I'm so glad I'm not alone in feeling like this, I do feel like I've gone bloody mad at the minute!! I'm so strong and positive normally and I hate feeling like this, I've been on antidepressants and have had to stop them now I'm on tamoxifen and will be switched to another sort soon so I guess I'm having withdrawl symptoms, either that or I really am a nut case 😂

[Hawkeye]

You won't be the same person again you'll be better, you'll be stronger and more patient and tolerant. Have a snivel ( better out than in). I always have to acknowledge and say how I feel and I usually feel better once it's out of my body, weird eh? Doesn't your mind run riot with you?

[Fuffs123]

Oh yes. Listening to someone in our local supermarket whingeing that one of the potatoes in a pack she bought was green and she wanted her money back. Please! I could have screamed. If that's all she's got to worry about, she's a lucky woman. I then felt guilty about feeling like that, which made me feel even more angry, lol. What a surreal world BC is, it seems to completely change you as a person. Is it just me? I have a feeling I won't ever be quite the same person again but I guess a lot of us may feel like that. Just going to have a bit of a snivel and I'll be fine. 😂😃

[Jobey68]

I know exactly how you feel, my emotions are the same and listening to people waffle on about their mundane rubbish makes me what to punch someone!!!!!! Like you ive got off lightly, no node involvement, a teeny area of 4mm found and a very happy surgeon, still awaiting rads and shouldn't be complaining really but I feel so angry that this has happened and am struggling to come to terms with it! No I don't feel much better for having a rant either lol ️Xx

[nebsminty]

Judi, I hope the hospital transport works out ok and you're not left hanging around too long.

I've had my first zap this morning. Physically obviously everything is fine, I did find the machine a huge reminder of how serious cancer is and how it needs to be treated. Massive understatement I know but even after all these months, I still haven't got my head around the fact that I've been very ill.

A bit frustrated that some of my appts have been changed (I'm there at different times each day) and three are now going to be in the evening. Means I have a lovely free day but the thought of treatment hanging over me.

Oh well, good luck for this afternoon sunflower

[ollisj6]

Hi Ladies just getting ready to go for number 5 session 10 to go no side effects as yet i keep slapping the cream on no pink boob as yet ive got hospital transport this week as i dont drive hubby took me last week but hes back at work now,might be a bit of hanging around but only 2 more weeks to go so will take plenty of mags plenty of people to chat to Love Judi xxxxx

[pandorra1]

Well done for letting off the steam.  That question must be asked over and over, what did we do wrong, why, and when we get a bad moment it hurts so much. But, we get on and there are many people that actually admire us, for our strength, determination, courage and above all for the person we are. The ladies on this site are incredible and just remember you are one of those. Shout when ever you need us. Lol xxxxxxx

[Nenya]

OMG I an soo cross and feel like screaming!!!!! Having the 'why me?' moment, I live a clean life, have never done anything wrong to anyone or anything and there's some hideous people out there getting off scot free!
Sorry I don't even feel better for letting off steam. Just feeling trapped. I kno I have nothing to complain about as I have come off very lightly in this journey. Worried about my job, I lift pans containing 20lb of meat before adding water and the trays weigh 11 lbs before putting anything on argghhhhhh. Will I have to pay back sick pay if I hand my notice in? Sorry again, but I have written this with a very aggressive finger lol xxxx

[Hawkeye]

Thanks for your reply, it's good to hear the wounds eventually heal, it just seems to go on forever and I'm bored with it now. How far along are you now?

[Hawkeye]

Hi there, I haven't spoken to my BCN but will go on Tuesday and see what they say, I have appointments with the practice nurse all next week so will take it a day at a time. Hope all goes well for you on Wednesday, let us know how you get on, best wishes x.

[Chez666]

Hi Hawkeye, sorry to hear about your haemotoma. I had one too which opened up about half of the wound, this happened on 29/1 and when I went for rads planning on 5/3 it was literally just knitted back together. My team told me that they could not start whilst it was being packed and they stopped packing it after 4 weeks, which let me go to rads planning and once they did that it came together quite quickly. If you do have a delay then it's frustrsting but you can't afford another opening but i do feel for you. Good luck x x x

[Fuffs123]

Hi Hawkeye. Sorry to hear you're having problems with your wound. I must say I would be rather worried starting rads with an open wound and I would be surprised if they did this. My consultant made it quite clear that I couldn't start it until my wound had healed, which has meant that since I am having another WLE on Wednesday, my rads have been held off again. Have you chatted to your BCN about it? It must be a worrying time for you and we all know what that's like. Sending you a virtual hug x

[suebeehoney]

Wow, I wouldn't want to start with an open wound either, but I hope someone who has been in your situation can comment. And we can only have faith in those treating us if it is a go to treat you ...they should know.
I am trying to listen to my intuition more. And I wish you well. Keep posting. 🙂

[suebeehoney]

Wow, I wouldn't want to start with an open wound either, but I hope someone who has been in your situation call comment. And we can only have faith in those treating us if it is a go to treat you ...they should know.
I am trying to listen to my intuition more. And I wish you well. Keep posting. 🙂

[Hawkeye]

Hi, I'm a first timer so bear with me, I am due to start my rads next week but have a ruptured haemotoma which 6 weeks down the line is still being packed daily. Did they start yours with an open wound? I am a bit concerned that it will take longer to heal if they start the rads while this is going on.

[nebsminty]

Sue, I had 4 EC, 2 paclitaxol (should have been 4 but was stopped early due to side effects), WLE and SNB with clear margins and fortunately no node involvement and a year of herceptin. I'm having 15 rads followed by 5 boosters

Was diagnosed with Grade 3 Her2+ pos IDC. I've never been given a stage but suspect it may have been a 2 or a high stage 1

[suebeehoney]

Thank you Judi. I had AC/T Herceptin.
And it was in the lymph nodes. Double mastectomy.

[ollisj6]

Hi Sue my treatment plan was chemotherapy T/C combination also combined with Herceptin as Her2 pos now i am having 15 sessions of radiotherapy and 5 years of hormone therapy(letrozole) i was stage 2 ductal no lymph node involement and clear margins Love Judi x

[suebeehoney]

Wondering about my treatment plan and why I have so many compared to some. I'm to do 28. Stage III Her 2 pos but all negative findings after surgery. What's your plan ladies?

[Rosemaryanne]

I'll carry a rolled up newspaper! Looking forward to it xx

[ollisj6]

Hi Rose that would be lovely on Wed shall i meet you in the cafe ill wear a flower in lapel lol i live in Scarborough so not to bad if there is a prob on wed we can arrange another day as i am there until the 27th April Love Judi xxxxx

[Rosemaryanne]

Hi Judi

How about I get there for 2 on Wednesday (my last session!!)? Only day I can do it really, as in manchester overnight Monday and train wouldn't get me back in time on Tues. Or, as I'm not far away from Cott, I could pop up there another day after rads are finished. I would love to meet up with you.

Do you live far from Hull?

xxx

[ollisj6]

Sorry Rose i thought when i read your thread there was another place ie Queens or Castle Hill my brain is frazzled with chemo and everything else ive had Love Judi xxxxxx

[ollisj6]

Hi Rose im at Castle Hill and my appointments so far are 1.45 my hubby has been able to take me this week but next week ive got transport so when my appointment has finished at 2 i will be hanging around near Transport info or cafe would be nice if we could meet Love Judi xxxxxx

[Chez666]

Hi nebsminty, I am marching together overlapping with the April showers. I had my WLE on 5th jan, and a haemotoma developed on the 29th jan which split the wound site and was left often to heal. I had rads planning on the 6th March and it was still a little open so I was concerned with a 23rd march start date. However, it has started and I am 10 sessions in and without jinxing anything the boob is holding up well, I e45 four times a day. Good luck with your treatment x x

[nebsminty]

Gosh nenya, you're entitled to moan spending that much time out the house for such a short treatment! It doesn't sound like it will be much fun repeating that but it all WILL be over one day soon.

Judi, can't believe you're 3 down already! Glad it's all going well so far

Pandorra don't like the sound of going pink so quickly, keep slavering over the e45 I reckon!

Can I just ask you all about the state of your scars/scar tissue as you're about to start treatment? Have your scars fully healed and/or do you still have lumps and bumps of scar tissue? I definitely have hard lumps and there's a 2mm or so part of my scar that hasn't healed as much as the rest (surgery was 5 weeks ago now). Just wondered if it would cause any problems as treatment gets underway?

[Nenya]

First one done , 14 to go 🙂 was told the others would only take 10 minutes. Good cos my arms didn't want to come back down today. Major pins and needles in the fingers of my other hand (head of humerus broken 8 years ago) managed to keep flexing my fingers without moving owt else lol. Was out the house 5 1/2 hours! So glad to have transport but am feeling really trapped that this me for the next 14 week days. Yes I have told myself off very severely as I know I am very lucky and it will be over soon. Sorry for the moan xxx

[Rosemaryanne]

Hey, Judi! You're having rads in Hull? Queens on Castle Hill site, by any chance? What time are your appts? My remaining appts are at 15:40 (except Monday which I changed cos I'm seeing Paul Simon in Manchester, and stupid cancer is NOT taking that from me!), only got 4 more to go but if you're there around that time, shout up- we could venture into that cafe at the entrance for a natter? I'm only 20 mins down the road so can be fairly flexible, time-wise

Love,

Rose xx