Radiation after lumpectomy
wondering what's the normal time after lumpectomy does radiation start? I had the small cancer and one node with cancer removed on 1st April. ( one node had changing cells - pre cancer). Oncologist ...
Forum Discussion
@Anne65
WOW, my friend .... how awesome that you are finished your rads and your recovery is going so well - your emotions are totally understandable and I expect to go thru similar ones when I finish. I hope your skin recovery continues to go well and it doesn’t break down on you. I got some Calendula cream and am using it along with some stuff called Epaderm and the Renu 28 gel (from my nursing buddy.) Also been using aloe vera (that has been in the fridge) for the heat. I got some Cortic 1 for the itch but can’t use it til after the treatment as they don’t want the steroids in the skin just now. My husband used Aveeno when he was itchy from chemo and believe it or not, just plain old Cornflour works on extreme itch as well .... but as we use the cream as well .... would be VERY messy! ... I am starting to look like a chemist shop just now, with so many lotions and potions! LOL. Your Mepitel description is beyond what I can imagine .... I am so glad it has worked so well for you, even if it IS fiddly. It sounds like you were truly wrapped up in it!
I haven’t heard of a Patient Tree ..... that sounds VERY interesting! I am not sure if anything really happens here, other than handshakes and big smiles and hopefully hugs! One lady finished the other day, finally ..... having had both breasts ‘done’ just months apart, as the 2nd breast was only diagnosed after all the treatment for the first breast was finished! How horrible would that be?!
I hope that you don’t take on too much work TOO SOON as you recover physically and mentally from the rads - especially in the lead up to your next surgery. Thank goodness that it is keyhole surgery which is MUCH less traumatic and recovery time than the other ‘usual’ surgery. I wish you well in this next journey (and also your sister who may be going down the same path.).
I had to laugh at your description of the bowel prep! We’ve all probably been there .... and you don’t stray far from the loo, eh? Whenever I have to do it, I don’t even wear undies ..... cos you don’t always have time to drop them!! LOL. I think I just sat there for some time last time, scared to stand up in case gravity took over .....
Make sure you look after YOU ... cos the lack of sleep as well as everything else clumped together just adds to the emotional and physical toll.... I can totally understand the emotional pressure on you and feeling a bit Teary and flat after the rads finished ... 4 weeks of 100% concentration on attending to the rads and totally dependent on our SO LOVELY nursing staff. They are amazing in themselves - always bright and chirpy and remembering personal details of every patient and checking on their progress .... yes, they ask how hubby is going all the time!! LOL. Haha you are right there, it has almost been a competition for the most attention, as I have been looking after him as well as me! He is still on regular tabs and will be for a few more weeks, I reckon. Then it was MY turn ... I fell over too, on grass tho, and only sprained my ankle. Next morning it was fine! I was amazed.
How wonderful that your family was able to celebrate a special dinner with you to mark the end of the treatment!
When I finish next Wed, Paula, the manager of the Lodge here, has asked us to stay on as the wonderful Rotarians are cooking dinner for all the lodge residents that night and it will be a fitting celebration to the end of my treatment here! Then we head home on Thurs, for Easter and some sort of normality again! It will be interesting to see how the skin goes over the following 2 weeks .... cos I will be in Norfolk Island by then for the ukulele festival there!!
The Official Opening of the New Wing here at the Lodge was on Monday and yours truly was interviewed on Prime 7 news as we are staying in the new wing! What a hoot! My 5 seconds of fame, LOL.
Yes, Relay for Life is on Sunday - I am feeling fine and assume I’ll be good for it! I just hope that the rain stops for it so the participants don’t have to walks and run in the rain!! :( How devastating we’re all those fires in Tathra NSW and around Cobden, Vic .... my heart bleeds for all the affected families. One of my friends and his family were evacuated from Cobden, so they know the very real fear of possibly losing their house, but luckily, they were ok.
Take care, my friend ..... you are Getting closer to being back home permanently with your hubby and normalcy ... tho not sure if any of us will be ‘totally normal’ again ... I hope you ARE able to attend the forum and afternoon tea ... your insight into your treatment will benefit others, and also give you closure - much as your participation has here on this forum!
BIG HUGS and best wishes coming to you from Port and Forster!
@Sister
All the best to you for your upcoming treatment - you have certainly been thru the mill and are in our thoughts. Any form of chemo is not pleasant and it sounds like you are having a triple dose! When my husband was going thru it, we called it the Good Poison ... trying to imagine it chasing down any random cells, And blasting them to kingdom come! I hope your side effects aren’t too extreme and that you can handle them. Every treatment is getting closer to the last one .... keep those fluids up to help flush it out after each session. Xx
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is currently having treatment or about to start .... there is a wealth of information in this thread alone, to help you cope with any side effects and/or emotional issues .... we’ve all been thru it, so safe travels on this tricky journey!! Xxx
WOW, my friend .... how awesome that you are finished your rads and your recovery is going so well - your emotions are totally understandable and I expect to go thru similar ones when I finish. I hope your skin recovery continues to go well and it doesn’t break down on you. I got some Calendula cream and am using it along with some stuff called Epaderm and the Renu 28 gel (from my nursing buddy.) Also been using aloe vera (that has been in the fridge) for the heat. I got some Cortic 1 for the itch but can’t use it til after the treatment as they don’t want the steroids in the skin just now. My husband used Aveeno when he was itchy from chemo and believe it or not, just plain old Cornflour works on extreme itch as well .... but as we use the cream as well .... would be VERY messy! ... I am starting to look like a chemist shop just now, with so many lotions and potions! LOL. Your Mepitel description is beyond what I can imagine .... I am so glad it has worked so well for you, even if it IS fiddly. It sounds like you were truly wrapped up in it!
I haven’t heard of a Patient Tree ..... that sounds VERY interesting! I am not sure if anything really happens here, other than handshakes and big smiles and hopefully hugs! One lady finished the other day, finally ..... having had both breasts ‘done’ just months apart, as the 2nd breast was only diagnosed after all the treatment for the first breast was finished! How horrible would that be?!
I hope that you don’t take on too much work TOO SOON as you recover physically and mentally from the rads - especially in the lead up to your next surgery. Thank goodness that it is keyhole surgery which is MUCH less traumatic and recovery time than the other ‘usual’ surgery. I wish you well in this next journey (and also your sister who may be going down the same path.).
I had to laugh at your description of the bowel prep! We’ve all probably been there .... and you don’t stray far from the loo, eh? Whenever I have to do it, I don’t even wear undies ..... cos you don’t always have time to drop them!! LOL. I think I just sat there for some time last time, scared to stand up in case gravity took over .....
Make sure you look after YOU ... cos the lack of sleep as well as everything else clumped together just adds to the emotional and physical toll.... I can totally understand the emotional pressure on you and feeling a bit Teary and flat after the rads finished ... 4 weeks of 100% concentration on attending to the rads and totally dependent on our SO LOVELY nursing staff. They are amazing in themselves - always bright and chirpy and remembering personal details of every patient and checking on their progress .... yes, they ask how hubby is going all the time!! LOL. Haha you are right there, it has almost been a competition for the most attention, as I have been looking after him as well as me! He is still on regular tabs and will be for a few more weeks, I reckon. Then it was MY turn ... I fell over too, on grass tho, and only sprained my ankle. Next morning it was fine! I was amazed.
How wonderful that your family was able to celebrate a special dinner with you to mark the end of the treatment!
When I finish next Wed, Paula, the manager of the Lodge here, has asked us to stay on as the wonderful Rotarians are cooking dinner for all the lodge residents that night and it will be a fitting celebration to the end of my treatment here! Then we head home on Thurs, for Easter and some sort of normality again! It will be interesting to see how the skin goes over the following 2 weeks .... cos I will be in Norfolk Island by then for the ukulele festival there!!
The Official Opening of the New Wing here at the Lodge was on Monday and yours truly was interviewed on Prime 7 news as we are staying in the new wing! What a hoot! My 5 seconds of fame, LOL.
Yes, Relay for Life is on Sunday - I am feeling fine and assume I’ll be good for it! I just hope that the rain stops for it so the participants don’t have to walks and run in the rain!! :( How devastating we’re all those fires in Tathra NSW and around Cobden, Vic .... my heart bleeds for all the affected families. One of my friends and his family were evacuated from Cobden, so they know the very real fear of possibly losing their house, but luckily, they were ok.
Take care, my friend ..... you are Getting closer to being back home permanently with your hubby and normalcy ... tho not sure if any of us will be ‘totally normal’ again ... I hope you ARE able to attend the forum and afternoon tea ... your insight into your treatment will benefit others, and also give you closure - much as your participation has here on this forum!
BIG HUGS and best wishes coming to you from Port and Forster!
@Sister
All the best to you for your upcoming treatment - you have certainly been thru the mill and are in our thoughts. Any form of chemo is not pleasant and it sounds like you are having a triple dose! When my husband was going thru it, we called it the Good Poison ... trying to imagine it chasing down any random cells, And blasting them to kingdom come! I hope your side effects aren’t too extreme and that you can handle them. Every treatment is getting closer to the last one .... keep those fluids up to help flush it out after each session. Xx
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is currently having treatment or about to start .... there is a wealth of information in this thread alone, to help you cope with any side effects and/or emotional issues .... we’ve all been thru it, so safe travels on this tricky journey!! Xxx