Well after what seems a lifetime but in reality is only a few weeks, my wife has had scan and biopsy. Yesterday afternoon we went to the hospital for the diagnosis
12mm lump, class 2 cancer approx stage one. Middle of May she’s booked in to remove lump and a sentinel node. Then approx six weeks after she starts 15 days of radiotherapy
she seems to be taking this in her stride but even though the hospital gave us a huge folder of information I have a couple of questions I hope you lovely people can help with
radiotherapy - is it like chemo and in all day for treatment or just in for a couple of hours.
we have been told it is like sunburning- will she be blistering? What do I need to do to help her through this?
Sorry to hear about your wife’s diagnosis- she has a similar story to me. My plan at the moment is for lumpectomy and radiotherapy. I have been told it will be everyday for 3 weeks but be suse if my age (45) I may need some booster sessions. I believe that actual radiotherapy isnt that long - minutes- and that the positioning takes the longest. I was also told I will have a CT planning appointment where they will temporarily place marks in the breast so the radiographer knows where to treat. I have read lots of posts on here (there are some threads on radiotherapy) that have some really useful tips and information so worth having a read.
Your wife’s diagnosis & treatment plan is similar to mine. I was diagnosed 3 years ago now, treatment was quite straightforward & was back to normal within a few months.
No, radiotherapy is not like chemo. It usually involves a daily treatment for about 3 weeks & therefore daily travel to the unit. Most hospitals will offer parking arrangements /concessions, so do check this nearer the time.
Once in, the session lasts about 10-15mins. On one appointment, I was straight in & out in 10mins, but it might take a bit longer if they’re running a bit behind. The initial planning appointment takes a bit longer.
You will be advised by the team when treatment starts. In my case, I got some skin reddening & minor soreness, as well as a rash & a bit of itching. My boob looked & felt back to normal after a few weeks. It is recommended to moisturise frequently, I used e45 cream & to drink plenty of fluids.
Oddly, I quite enjoyed rads, as I found it interesting & you get to know the team.
Things do become a lot clearer & it sounds like you’re doing all you need to in supporting her.
My story is similar to your wife’s. I have just finished 15 daily radiotherapy sessions.
They were very quick ( in and out in 15 mins and most of that time was undressing and dressing)
Nothing to be nervous of and radiographers will guide her through. I was told no deodorant or toiletries to be used during treatment and only the brands of deodorant recommended by radiographers to be used at other times.
i was given a huge tub of the skin cream they recommended (Aquamax) and advised to use it several times a day to keep area well moisturised. Your wife will need to keep well hydrated and I found soft bras comfortable.
Didnt blister until end of treatment but on final day noted a rash of small blisters. Left cream off these areas and after initially getting worse they are now subsiding. I wish your wife well.
I was diagnosed at the end of January. I haven’t posted before but felt i needed to respond to you.
The fact that you have been courageous enough to seek help and advice about how you can support your wife shows you are going to be great at this. It is a journey for you both and myself and my husband are part way along so i can offer you some snippets of what has mattered to us.
I had surgery for stage 2 invasive ductal breast cancer (22mm in size) in late February. Today was my first radiotherapy.
I’m having 4 weeks of radiotherapy as i’m 43 so i’m having a booster week at the end. Today was a big day for us. Very emotional but much less daunting medically than i’d feared. My therapy appointments will be 10-15mins (much of that time is spent getting me lined up on the machine) every week day for 4 weeks. Some people get a bit sore or burnt or uncomfortable towards the end and others don’t. The biggest thing we’ve learnt about cancer is to give up trying to control or second guess anything and that has been hard for us both.
There is not much support for partners and it is incredibly hard for you guys too. You have all the fear that we have. I know my husband has often felt helpless as he has watched me through surgery and appointments.
I would say the best things you can do in terms of support are to listen at whstever time of day or night. Realise that even when there are no appointments or you are waiting for treatment and things seem ok or quiet there can still be huge emotions going on under the surface. I tried to carry on as normal so everyone assumed i was ok. Then i got mad at them for ignoring me!!
Ask her if she wants you to read all the info they give you. I really wanted my husband to know everything that i knew and that was important to me.
Little treats and things to look forward to (whatever that looks like) for me that is going for walks, tea at the pub and a mini break between surgery and radiotherapy.
Sometimes my husband just says “what can i do to help you?” and sometimes there isn’t anything but it keeps us connected.
It isn’t easy but you’ll get through.
I hope i haven’t given you tbe overly emotional answer!! I think you are brilliant for posting the question!