Radiation Burns Are Healing

It's been two weeks since my radiation treatments stopped. The terrible burn under my arm has healed completely without blistering. One wouldn't have been able to tell that a mere two weeks before the skin was charred.

The red caused by the boosts have changed to a darker brown and the skin no longer hurts. Some of it has started to peel off.

In a few weeks there will be no evidence that I ever went through this.

Menopause Here I Come

Perhaps the subject line is not technically true but who knows anymore? All I know is that I never went through any of the symptoms of menopause. Now I will get to find out when I start taking Arimidex: http://www.arimidex.com/ tomorrow.

Dr. Schaffer gave me a reprieve of two weeks after finishing radiation to start taking this estrogen suppressant pill. I've browsed the Arimidex discussion board ... doing my usual to prepare myself. I've decided I'm up to the challenge ... I can do this. The thing to do to combat a lot of the side effects is to keep exercising. This shouldn't be a problem since I do this almost everyday anyway. I do have to add weight bearing exercises so I am slowly adding yoga back into my regimen and hope to do at least two days a week of yoga. Last week I started working with hand weights again.

There was discussion on the boards about the body's production of estrogen. That after menopause the ovaries stop producing estrogen, making the main sources of estrogen the adrenal glands, breasts and fatty tissues which use the enzyme aromatase to produce estrogen. I suppose I will have to see about reducing fat from my body ... sigh ... sigh.

I will do my part and the rest is up to God. I will give this hormone therapy at least six months and if my body hasn't adjusted, I will stop it. I do not intend to spend five years of my life in misery.

Creeping Potassium

Finally, my potassium level has crept up to the lowest end of normal -- 3.5! This is the first time it has been in the normal zone since July 28. It has taken almost three months after the last TCH infusion to reach this point.

The Herceptin infusion went well today. The nurse I've nicknamed Gentle Anne got the needle in on the first try and she remembered to flush the port once the infusion was done so all is good in my world.

No More Radiation!

I had my last treatment today! Was on cloud 9 most of the day and couldn't wait till 2.30 so I could leave for St. Mary's. Got my treatment, did my exit survey, said good bye to the lovely radiation therapists, met with the RO, fixed a date for my visit in 8 weeks, and then I went home!

Hubby and daughter took me out to dinner and now I am in my soft old flannels, drinking hot chocolate and I have a book I am going to enjoy right after I finish this posting. Not going to think about anything else tonight.

Doing happy dance in my head!

Eve of the End of Rads

I an sitting here quietly savoring the thought that tomorrow another big treatment for this crappy disease will come to an end. And I have survived!

I had my moments when I thought I could not possibly do another day of radiation but that time is fast becoming a distant memory. My poor charred skin has disappeared and in its place is beautiful unblemished new skin. That constant sore and tight feeling has gone. It really does feel like I am on the verge of a new day and I am! I am!

I got back on that elliptical again today and told myself that I would do only fifteen minutes and before I knew it I had done 30 minutes. Last week the very thought of moving my arms would have made me sick.

I am looking forward to tomorrow ...

Healing

I have been feeling good this weekend. The old burnt skin has been gradually peeling away to reveal smooth unblemished new skin. I am healing! I am healing! It's been coming off in the daily process of bathing, oiling with emu oil, rubbing off from clothing, etc. I have not been picking.

I have three more boosts to go, and so I am taking this as a good sign. Now I know for sure that there will be no blistering and all the awful things that brings. Something else I've noticed ... the scar from my lumpectomy has disappeared! Everyone has always had a hard time finding it -- it's pretty funny when the doctor looks at my breast and has to ask "Can anyone see where the scar is? I can't find it!" and everyone starts looking. I always could tell -- there was a faint outline but now I can't! I don't know if it is really the emu oil but I am now religiously putting it on the surgery scar from the port insertion ... maybe it will do it's magic here too. The scar from the lymph node removal has also disappeared. It's harder to tell with this one whether it was burnt off by radiation or healed by emu oil. I am just grateful not to be carrying the reminders of this terrible disease.

It will be so good on Wednesday to mark off the end of another part of this journey ... one more leg of this journey will be done ... done ... done!

The Boosts Have Started

After 31 radiation treatments

Normal skin

Thank goodness the whole breast radiation stopped last Wednesday. I don't think my skin could have survived another treatment. The area directly under my armpit is burnt black and is constantly sore and painful to the touch. Putting emu oil on it is agonizing. Any movement is painful and feels as if my skin is going to split wide open. I did not have a good week but at least I did not develop blisters which could have burst and gotten infected. In everything there is something to be thankful for.

Sometimes it is hard. After the Thursday and Friday boosts to the tumor and the scar area, there was such pain in the area that I wondered, "Can I do ten days of this?"

The pain has gone and the area under my arm, while it is still black, it is not as painful as it was last week. It does seem that when I have just about reached the end of my rope, I get a little relief -- enough to rally my spirit.

And so the answer is, yes, I can do this.