Surgery and Radiotherapy

HiIrms​ I am sorry to hear you’re going through this. Sending lots of positive energy your way.
I am conscious the treatment plans and recovery times are different for everyone, depending on their breast cancer type and presentation; but  I hope my experience gives you some insight.  I waited nearly 2 months between my lumpectomy and commencing radiation therapy.
Recovery from surgery was straightforward- I had neo adjuvant chemotherapy and the surgery was to remove the remains of a lump and take sentinel node biopsies (but lymph nodes left in place). I did not have to go back for a second surgery, healing was straightforward and it was about 6 or 7 weeks before I started appointments for my radiation therapy. 

Getting a definitive start date for commencement of radiotherapy was not straightforward - I heard from the radiation treatment centre about 1 month after surgery just to book me in for assessment by the oncology radiation specialist some weeks later. There was another appointment scheduled after the assessment to be “measured up” and have some target tattoos (9 little dots) and a briefing about breathing techniques. The breath holding is to move the heart out of the way (my lump was in the left breast). I was sequenced in and commenced about 2 -3 weeks later. 
I remember finding this  period of waiting and uncertainty difficult at the time. I was impatient to get cracking and get the 15 cycles done as I had another 11 chemo and immunotherapy treatments to go once radiation therapy was finished. I found the radiation therapy more tiring than I expected but I think the fact it was coming at the end of 6 doses of chemo and a long general anaesthetic for the lumpectomy was probably a contributor. 

Looking back (2 years later) it feels like hardly any time but I remember being puzzled about why it (seemed to me) to be a long wait and uncomfortable with feeling uncertain about other arrangements and commitments I was trying to arrange because I didn’t have clarity about the schedule for my radiation therapy. Sending you best wishes.