1 week post radiation

(well almost). I'm still tiring easily, but otherwise feeling really good. They did say that radiation continues working for 2 weeks after the last treatment. The spot they targeted during the 'boosts' has definitely become more tender and is looking dark red and burnt. But no broken skin. I don't think I'll ever really complain about anything again - nothing is as bad as chemo, and that is over. (my friends that are still enduring chemo remind me every day how lucky I am to be done).

I was at the dentist last week - they put the big lead apron over me while they took an x-ray. After all the chemo and radiation my body has been through, it seemed rather funny to protect me from one little x-ray...

Two more sleeps until my girls getaway...

Done Treatment!

That's it, I'm done! Yesterday was radiation #20, which was the last one. I am triple negative, so no herceptin or tamoxifen for me. I'm told my prognosis is 'excellent'. Next follow-up with my oncologist is mid-December, until then, nothing!

7 days until my girls' getaway ... other than that, its a focus on getting my strength back. When I see the onc in December we'll discuss when I'll be going back to work.

Brad and the boys celebrated the end of treatment with me at Dairy Queen.

Port is gone...

I'm glad it's gone. I'm bruised and sore, but healing fast. The procedure to take it out was only about 10 minutes. It's in a real operating room. They had me lay down on the operating table, he froze the area with a needle. Then swabbed it with COLD antiseptic. Then they lay sterile towels around it and had me turn my head away. So I didn't see anything, but I could feel when he reopened the old incision, and then there was a lot of tugging and pulling to get it out (thus the bruising). I guess a lot of scar tissue develops over the 6 months it was in there. Well, having the port sure saved my veins from a lot of poking and worse. Anyway, I was out of there quickly. My sister was in the waiting room, and my dad picked us up. I felt like fainting on the way home (delayed reaction to all the tugging), but I didn't. Bandage stayed on for 48 hours. And that's it. One more thing to put behind me...

Halloween night was fun. Another couple came over, we ordered chinese, and we had a fire in the front yard and handed out halloween candy there. Some neighbors came by for a drink, and some other parents came by as well. Then Carter and the 8 kids he was trick-or-treating with finally ended at our place (bringing our 'kid count' from 20 up to 29).




...okay, those of you who know Brad, know our fire was a little bigger than this...

Radiation side effects

I'll do another post like this in a couple of weeks because the radiation oncologist says the side effects peak 2 weeks after treatment is completed (since the radiation keeps working for 2 weeks).

For now though, I'm doing really well. My skin is pink, and where the scar is, is very tender to touch, but no broken skin or blisters. I'm definitely tired, but that's still leftover chemo too. So really not bad, this treatment has gone by very quickly.

From the chemo, most of my muscle aches are gone, although my right arm is very achey (which is also where I'm being radiated so who knows...). The only other thing is my toes are numb (the pins and needles feeling). All 10 toes, all the time. That's common too from the taxotere, but gets quite annoying. But I've heard some people end up with bad nerve pain in their feet, so I'm not complaining (much) about numbness...

Have a good weekend and a fun Halloween everyone!
Beth

Radiation 'boost'

I finished my 16 'regular' radiation treatments yesterday. Today was my first of 4 'boost' treatments. The 'boost' dose of radiation is given directly to where the tumor originally was, and is supposed to further reduce the chance of re-occurrence. It's similar to the other radiation treatments - they place you in the exact position using your tattoo markings. Usually there are 2 or 3 radiation techs - good job for a perfectionist! Then they leave the room and the machine does its work. You don't feel anything at all, but you can hear the machine.

The best part was when they gave me my schedule for next week, there's a happy face after Tuesday's treatment, since that is the last one!!

Some Stats on Breast Cancer (in Canada)

Source: Canadian Cancer Society /National Cancer Institute of Canada. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2009, Toronto, Canada, 2009

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women.

In 2009, an estimated 22,700 women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer. On average, 437 women will be diagnosed every week.

In 2009, an estimated 5,400 women will die from breast cancer in Canada.

One in nine (11%) Canadian women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime (this means by age 90).

me and my dad - matching hairstyles

really, my hair has started growing back, you just can't see it in the picture...