Post Radiation – April 22nd

I finished the last treatment and boost treatment on Tuesday April 19th. It felt so good to be finished this all. It has been tiring. I had a headache all of the next day, and I’m not sure why, perhaps a stress letdown or something, I don’t know, but I am not prone to headaches so it surprised me.

I had to go to the hospital and get 9 vials of blood taken from me and see the nurse for clinical trials. I am taking part in a clinical trial called MA 32. It involves taking a pill a day x 28 days, and then 2 pills a day x 5 yrs. The pill can either be a placebo or metformin 850 mgm I don’t know which I have.ย  The theory behind the trial they are testing is to see if early stage breast cancer patients do better with metformin than those who don’t take it. I believe they found women who were already diabetic and taking metformin seemed to have better results for both survival and have less recurrance rates. Anyways when I met with my cancer Dr, Dr. Oja initially, I asked him if there were any clinical trials that were going on that I would be suitable for, and he told me about this one.ย  Suits me. ๐Ÿ™‚ย  I like the idea of being part of a possible solution to help fight this disease.

The radiology gals warned me, as did my radioncologist, that the radiation will continue to affect my skin and symptoms x 2 weeks. I have to say that is true. The skin continues to get more fragile even though the treatments have stopped. I am getting some pains in the breast, like zingers, and the crease/fold under the breast is red and raw and open. I continue to put hydrocortisone on it. I do have a prescription for flamazine, but I don’t have bigger weeping areas bigger than a quarter yet. The Dr told me to get the prescription filled if that happened.

I did a soak of the breast with cool water today and man did that feel good, it took some of the heat out of the breast for a time. They said to use saline soaks but I am not going to do that, I can’t see putting saltwater on the already irritated and open skin, so I’m sticking with water. ๐Ÿ™‚

Yesterday we went for a walk in one of the woodland parks, and it was lovely. We went to Surrey lake park, and there we saw an eagle nest, with mama eagle’s head sitting up high in it, and daddy eagle came circling the nest. Cool stuff ๐Ÿ™‚

I’m trying to make myself get up and do stuff, just to push through this fatigue. I have to say for the first time in months (even before the diagnosis I had told the Dr. I was feeling fatigue ++ ) (no doubt because of the cancer I didn’t know I had then), I woke up this morning and I don’t feel like an absolute dishrag. The morning is early yet, but I am hopeful that the bone crushing fatigue I’ve been feeling might actually be lifting.ย  Hope. ๐Ÿ™‚ย  Fingers crossed, and lets see what today brings.ย  If I can get this inflammation down in the breast area, then I might feel like I’m getting back to normal here. The Dr told me they are inflaming the breast every time they radiate it, and I have not had alot of pains/zingers thusfar, but I am getting them now that the actual treatments have stopped. WEIRD. ๐Ÿ™‚

…Pam…

Related Posts

4 thoughts on “Post Radiation – April 22nd”

  1. Wow! lucky Nick! What a great experience for him! Will be nice to see you in summer or fall. ๐Ÿ™‚ We can firm up plans when you get home. The room is booked Apr 10,11,12,13 ish but other than that, free and clear. ๐Ÿ™‚ I can send you my schedule later on as well so you will know when i’m working and off.
    …Pam…

  2. Pambo – good on ya for doing the drug trial – it’s not the type of questions lay folk ask their doctor.

    I imagine the fatigue issue is partly a chicken and egg story, the more you get out there and do stuff the more energy you may have the next day – maybe.

    We will be home in one month and plan a road trip this summer or fall. Nick may not be with us as he is moving to Australia with his mom for at least a couple of years…no more Calgary winters for him!

  3. The symptoms seem to be worsening as far as burning and irritation of skin on the underside of the breast. It stings ++ and so I’m continuing to soak with cool water, and putting hydrocortisone cream on twice a day, wearing a cotton sports bra.. nothing for it but to get through this. ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Well, that’s too bad about the lingering symptoms you’re having. I guess time’s the only answer with that one. My friend you know had rib pains and redness as well. I can only assume and hope that is all behind her now……….good luck glad it’s over.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.