Radiotherapy and mepitel

HI @kmakm - can you please tag me in that Mepitel thread too? I can't find it.
thanks! xx

Lovely to hear you're doing so well @Anne65! Keep doing it, Kate xox

@Sister Thanks for sharing all your news & great that you are getting on OK with your rad & the RAH are treating you well. Good that you dont have the breath hold. One less thing to deal with! It will be finished before you know it & then you can tick off that box & move forward! I can't imagine what you & many others have had to endure, so much more than me & I often feel guilty that I have got off so lightly. I KNOW you will be back on that paddle board & down at the beach & exercising full of energy before you know it. You must try to stay positive as you & many others are such an inspiration to me. The strength you all show is amazing & I can't wait til you are all finished your treatment & medications & can say Goodbye to this dreaded disease! 
Sounds like you & i should have a garage sale to sell off our excess furniture! I too have furniture from my parents who have both died as well as my grandparents so i know exactly where you are coming from!!
It's great that you are doing an exercise program. That is the best way to clear your mind & get those endorphins going!! It really makes you feel better in the mind & body so keep up the good work!
I too, was told to get a bone density test to get a base level now that my ovaries have gone so hope your results were good. It will be soon that we have to get our yearly mammos done so we will keep in touch to help each other through.
Thanks for your info re the clinic at Stepney. I'll check it out with my surgeon & see what she says. I don't reckon I can fit any more appts in on the day i come over as I have 4 already so if she says it will be worth it, I'll book it in for my next visit.
Great to hear that you may soon be back at work. It really is good to get back into some "normal" duties & it helps to get your mind off things & find a routine again & catchup with your workmates. 
Keep up the good work, stay strong & positive & you will be through this before you know it. Thanks for your support & advice & we'll keep in touch. Many hugs & much love xxxx

@Michellebella That's terrible.  Have they given you any suggestions about what to use when you get out of hospital to speed healing.  I'm going public and had to ask for the film (I don't think it would have been offered) and it does seem that it's a bit of a bother to one of the nurses but I can still have it.

oh Michellebella so sorry that you didnt have that option of Mepital  I hope you heal quickly I did once rads were over. 

Hi ,I tried desperately here in WA to get Mepital prior to my Radiation..I knew my skin type wasn’t going to handle 8 weeks of daily Rads ..I even offered to buy it myself from interstate ...Well not offered ,or available  here  ..And not enough nurses to apply it ..I ended up in hospital with my burns & infection , temp 39 ( so much for private health)
i would rather had another round of Chemo ..

@anne65  How wonderful that you've got all of that energy!  I dream of being able to go at that level again!  I know what you mean about the houseloads of stuff - when my husband and I first moved in together, we each had a houseful of furniture, then my Mum died and I had a lot of her stuff that I just couldn't deal with sorting out - then, we moved down to the suburbs for a couple of years and collected more furniture.  I'd like a skip and a bonfire!

I've been doing an rehab exercise programme but that will finish in a few weeks, and I've signed up for the Y's Encore next term, but I'll check out that programme you've mentioned as well.

Radiation is going okay.  I'm doing it through the RAH and they've been pretty nice there.  Mine's on the right so I don't have to worry about breath holds.

It just occurred to me yesterday that it's getting close to the end of the year and the scans.  I guess I will have them at that time.  I had the bone density test a couple of days ago as I've started on Letrozole for the next 5 years and the onc wanted a baseline.

I don't know whether it would help, but you may want to ring the Lymphoedema and Laser Therapy Clinic at Stepney to ask about treatment for the tight areas.  I think that would fit with what they do but you'd want to make an appointment well in advance given that you're coming from so far away.  Unfortunately, they're not cheap but they are good.  If you do, try to book in with Sharon.

I'm hoping to be back at work next term - I went there yesterday for something else and managed to get around to see lot's of my colleagues.

Good luck with all the stuff you have on!

@Sister SO lovely to hear from you & so sorry to everyone for not being online for sooooo long! So much going on in my life at the moment, nothing bad, just too busy. We're selling an investment property that my hubbie was living in while he was working away so moving all the furniture & crap that he has accumulated over 4 years & trying to fit it all back in one house!! Two houses into one really doesn't fit so we are living with twice as much furniture as we need! Also working full time so today & tomorrow are my last days off for the next year or so, so I'm busy doing as many jobs as I can. I am really well, running, walking & exercising daily & I am also doing a "Healthy Living After Cancer " program through Cancer Council SA which is great & takes around 6 months to complete with weekly/fortnightly/monthly phone calls. I am booked in to see my breast surgeon next month for a check up & then it won't be long before we are both due for our annual mammo...so that will be a tough day for us both!! My skin is really good but I am still just rubbing my rad area & surgery site with a good Vit E cream twice a day just to keep it supple as I am finding the area a bit "tight" when I stretch which I guess is due to the rad that has gone on underneath the skin!! I'll check it out with my surgeon when I see her. While in Adelaide seeing my surgeon, I am also getting a bone density test, checkup pelvic ultrasound (following my operation to remove my ovaries & tubes) & also a skin cancer check so I am certainly getting the once over!!

It's quite ironic that this morning I was thinking of you too & wondering about your rad treatment. Funny how we have this sixth sense with each other!! I thought you must be into it at the moment so sorry I have missed the start of your treatment but hope it is all going well. SO GREAT to hear that you are using the Mepitel & keep onto the nurses about getting it checked EVERY day as you dont want any bubbles or lifted areas. What clinic/hospital are you going to? I hope my info as I wrote above to @Lallaby has helped you & I would love to hear how you are going & if you have any questions I may be able to help you with. Do you have to do the breath hold? I hope you are staying strong throughout & I'm sure your family & friends are being supportive through this treatment as they have been at the start. Please keep in touch & I promise to check-in more often to see what everyone is up to. I should be grateful that i am back working & feeling healthy again & that life is pretty normal. I just wish it wasn't so busy!! Take care & thanks so much for your thoughts. Even though I haven't been online for so long, I think of you often & pray that you are remaining strong & your treatment is going well. Love & Hugs xxxx

@Moondeer

@anne65 I'm finally doing the radiation thing (4 down, 11 to go) and using the Mepitel.  I was thinking about you today and wondering how you're going.