October 2017 radiotherapy

[ladybowler]

littlefairy

So you have reached the top of the hill and you are now on the downward path xxx  Looking forward to ringing the bells for you next week xxx

[littlefairy]

congratulations to all the ladies that have finished their rads and i wish you all the best i am now halfway through mine xxx little fairy

[ladybowler]

Flyingarcher

Well I couldnt planned it better if I had known xxxx

[Flyingarcher]

Thank you.  I used to be a bell ringer so I appreciate this very authentic bell!

[ladybowler]

oops I didnt realise that it would go back and forward tee hee

[ladybowler]

Flyingarcher

Whey hey thats fab all done, end of active treatment and you can start to move forward.  What a lovely way to spend your time post radiotherapy and there are the bells for you, I had to get a new set as the others were wearing out :):).  Have a fab time but remember to keep up your regime for the next couple of weeks.

Helena xxxx

[pecan]

Congratulations, Flyingarcher.  Have a super time.  I'm up in Yorkshire.

[Flyingarcher]

That's me done!  Woopwoop.  Off for a few days in Chester and yorkshire.  Have just spent loads of money on swanky shoes and boots and a sparkly dress from Whistles😳  Hey ho.  Who cares.  It's only money (eeeeek!)

[littlefairy]

hi debbie you finished your rads today and i wanted to wish you all the best,it must be an emotional day for you ,and im glad your taking some more time off for yourself to heal and mentally heal too it feels like a whirlwind when your going through it and you just need time to take things in and have some head space for a while,take care and rest give yourself time xx little fairy

[Debbie1964]

Thankyou pixie knight, i have my doctor ringing me tomorrow, i was diagnosed 5 months ago and apart from recovring from op , i did work, but i do feel now i need time for me, i think you get to end of treatment and its alot to absorb, im lucky with work, ive worked for the company 23 years and never sick, so they are telling me to look after myself and not rush back, so i would like to take a couple of weeks for my self, to be healed and put a bra back on , and be mentally ready for work.

Hugs
Debbie x

[ladybowler]

Debbie

Well what more can a girl ask for wine and moisturiser 🙂 🙂

[Debbie1964]

Thankyou helena, yes today was my last day, glass of wine and plenty of moisturiser to celebrate, congrats to other ladys finishing xx

[ladybowler]

Suzie123

And I believe you have finished today as well so ringing the bells for you too.

Helena xx

[ladybowler]

Debbie164

I hope I have this right you have finsihed your rads today so ringing the bells for you. 

Helena xx

[Gail1892]

Hi Pixieknight, can I ask how many hours you were working during radiotherapy? I'm staring on Wednesday and hoping to carry on working. Thanks xx

[Pixieknight]

Debbie you definitely shouldn’t rush back to work. I went back part time after my surgery so have been working during my Radiotherapy, it’s really tough! Give yourself a few weeks after your sessions have finished so that you can recover properly xx

[littlefairy]

im with you on that one after 8 rads the bra should be flying like a flag or maybe it could be a kite instead flying high xx from little fairy

[littlefairy]

thankyou for the fairy dust ,like you i walked in to the wrong dressing room and someone was in there then i nearly went home with one of there tops and it took me 1 week to realize how to lock the door what a silly little fairy i think the brain switches off when you go for your rads well mine does ,sorry to hear your booby is sore so im giveing you a virtual hug right back at you and waveing my fairy wand to help you feel better xx little fairy x

[ladybowler]

Flyingarcher

I so love your humour. Just think only two more sessions and no more of someone marking your boob 🙂 🙂

I remember when I was having mine and they kept having to remark me, I was being very careful but they just kept fading.  I bought a blue and a white bra for my post surgery and rads times so I got used to wearing the blue one during rads because of this.

Helena xxx

[Flyingarcher]

My bras are covered in blue, green, black splodges from the pen marks.  Thinking about it, this whole experience seems to have involved a lot of being written on with pens from the four surgeries (**bleep** marker pen 'this one!') to all the x marks the spot of radiotherapy.

[ladybowler]

Flyingarcher

I had the reverse done, I forgot to lock my door, fortunately I had only just started to get undressed, phew!!

Woo hoo we will be ringing the bells for you next Tuesday. 

Just keep taking in pletny of fluids to help with the fatigue, I still notice some days now that I get a bit of it and it is generaly because I have not taken in enought fluids.

Helena xxx

[ladybowler]

Peggy

Oh the image that has come into my mind 🙂 🙂

So glad your first week has gone well, jus tkeep moisturising over the weekend as well mate xxx

[Flyingarcher]

Poor you, fairy.  Sending virtual hugs and a sprinkling of fairy dust.  I no longer have a nipple, just a rather wide smile, as husband terms it.  It has got redder.  Poor nork is deffo more grumbly and hurty now.  Feels like it was post op.  Taking painkillers again and I think it has swollen up.  

Fatigue is also murmuring away as a constant undercurrent.  Still, only two more to go.  

I walked into the wrong changing room yesterday.  Thankfully the chap had his dressing gown on.  Woops.

[charboyles]

Hi All

The first week of Rt had gone well, with no side effects kicking in yet, but I suppose it is eary days. I told agree with you on the bra Helena coming off as soon as you get home. Perhaps we should be flying the flags with our bras?

Love Peggyxxx

[Debbie1964]

Thankyou little fairy, my last one is monday, two nice days of now, yes im taking tamoxafin, been on it 30 days now, so far its being very kind, no hot flushes no aches or pains, but the last week i do have insomnia, not sure if thats down to hormone treatment or radiotheraphy x

Thankyou anne, i definatley think i will take alittle more time, i went back to work for a few weeks after op and before radio started,  i just want to feel for there sakes as much as mine, that when i return im ready to be there xx

[littlefairy]

debbie are you taking any hormone treatment x

[littlefairy]

i think your body will tell you what it needs ,if you dont feel ready dont go back just yet and give your body time to heal do what you feel is best for yourself do rest and i will be thinking of you tomorrow and will come on here tomorrow night to see the bells ringing for you ,take care and i hope you sleep well tonight xx sending you a big hug debbie xx

[ann-m]

Hi Debbie,
It can always be a bit of an odd feeling when finishing rads, I remember feeling as you do now & oddly, I quite enjoyed the whole experience.
I think you’re right to take some more time off if you’re able to, if nothing else, it does give a bit of extra recovery time & headspace. I was fortunate in that I was able to take another 3 weeks off afterwards & I’m glad I was able to.
take care everyone
ann x

[Debbie1964]

Thankyou lady, i look forward to hearing them bells ring.

[Debbie1964]

I have what they call lolly pop incision, around whole of nipple and straight down underneath boob, my scarring has handled it fine, just one little area but hydrogel sorted that. I have mixed feelings about finishing, great relief that no more travelling to this appointments, and a feeling of wow i need to go back to work after these 3 weeks off, and i actually dont feel ready for that, my work are very good and dont expect me to rush back, but my brain is saying i should, the nurse i spoke to yesterday said that radiotheraphy can peak 2 to 3 weeks later and listen to your body, so i think i might see if i can take a bit more time off, good luck with your remaining sessions 

[littlefairy]

helena i must say the hospital team are so good. praise to the nhs they have been fantastic xx so kind and helpful x

[littlefairy]

i know what you mean about the colour of it my nipple is a differant colour too ,the cooling pads sound really good ,so you have 1 more session to go i bet they ring the bells for you on here how do you feel about finishing rads soon thankyou for your message it was very helpful i must say as your scar is close to nipple too xx 

[ladybowler]

Debbie

We will be ringing the bells for you on Monday evening 🙂 🙂 x

[ladybowler]

littlefairy

Easy to say but dont worry they will look after you.  A friend of mine was exactly the same in terms of where the scar was and boosters she came through it ok xxx

[Debbie1964]

Hi littlefairy,

I found by day 8 i was looking very red and part of the scarring around my nipple had a white spot, they said it was starting to break down, they cave me some hydrogel just to use on that area, it has with held, and they said it was totally normal, my nipple is very much looking like a prune and its totally different colour to the otherone which worried me, but they said totally normal, i actually thought it looked like it was dieng, ive got one session left, nurse gave me some cooling pads yesterday, and i have to say i wore one in bed last night, and it felt amazing.

I had my nipple moved after surgery so i have no feeling back in it yet, so i think thats why i was worried it looked like it was dying, but am told its all very normall.

[littlefairy]

you say youve helped in a small way well i think youve helped in a huge way xx a huge big thankyou

[littlefairy]

i will be haveing boosters too. my scar site is so close to my nipple and they said its gonna make my nipple really sore im not looking forward to that but its gotta be done xx 

[ladybowler]

littlefairy

To be honest apart from being a bit red and the nipple area being like a prune, your description is very apt, I was ok, I was more worried than they were, each day they would ask how I was and I would ask if it was looking ok, they were just so good saying it was ok and holding up well for the point I was at. I had 20 sessions, 15 regular and 5 boosters.

The two weeks after I finished rads, saw my booster area get like I had been out in the sun too long but I kept moisturising and everything was back to normal colour a few months later.

Thank you for that I am so glad that I am able to help albeit in a small way

Helena xxx

[littlefairy]

thanks for the hugs I needed that xx

[littlefairy]

oh how long did it take after rads for breast to recover xx

[littlefairy]

can you tell me what sort of effects you feel from rads by 2 weeks that you experianced,i will be half way through next tuesday ,you messages are always very helpful thankyou xxx

[ladybowler]

littlefairy

Well your team will be keeping an eye on it so dont worry.  I experienced similar with the nipple but it did not break down, the rads nurse gave me a polymem dressing to use between the skin and my bra which really helped and also for the fold under breast.

Well they reckon that you start to feel the effects of the rads around day 10-14.

I only had one op but yes I know what you mean about being uncomfortable on that side whilst having rads and I struggled wearing a bra, it was the first thing that came off at night when I got home, but again it will get better in time.

Are you half way now?

Hugs back at you xxx

[ladybowler]

Pecan

Don't be xxx

[littlefairy]

yeah to right yippee for the weekend xx i put on my calender freedom days for sat and sun xx

[littlefairy]

hello i did fine today thankyou,i have noticed the booby starting to go slightly red and the nipple and bit round it is looking redder and a bit shriveled up like a prune any advice on that would be helpful that was number 8 today so is it gonna get reder and reder as i go along,skin bearing up well though at the moment ,not comfortable sleeping on that side but its been like that since the 2 operations do you find that happened to you too? xxx big hug to you 

[pecan]

I think we're all a little nervous to respond, Ladybowler.

[ladybowler]

littlefairy

How did you get on today xx

[ladybowler]

Hi all

Its the weekend and you have two days off rads.  Hope you are all ok and looking forward to the break.

Helena xxx

[ManCity Helen]

Helena,
Thank you for ringing the bell for me.
Hx

[ladybowler]

Flyingarcher

How are you feeling, hopefully the nausia is at least easing off xxx