On To Radiation!

Thursday, May 4: I have already started radiation. Last week I had an appointment with the radiologist. He is in the same building as my oncologist. He told me that I will be doing 6 weeks of radiation. The first 5 weeks will be radiating tissue of the whole breast and lymph node area and the last week will be aimed only at the site where the mass was. I went for a CAT scan a few days later. They use this to map out where to send the radiation. They try their best to keep away from the heart and lungs. I did not know this until I went for my doctor visit but they put permanent tatoos (4 of them) on your body. They use these as a guide so you will be in the same position each time. They are about the size of a freckle and will not be very noticable. I don't think. On Tuesday, I went back in and had xrays. They double checked the information that had been gathered so far and made sure that everything was in the correct position. I started radiation yesterday. It is very simple. I go to the office and change into a gown. They will call me back, position me to the coordinates and it literally takes about 2 to 3 minutes for the radiation to be administered. The machine moves to the right of me and you can hear a whirrr sound for about 30 seconds and then it moves to the left and whirrrs for about another 30 seconds and that is it!! Some precautions that I have to take are; I cannot wear deoderant, no hottubs or hot showers or baths, no swimming or suntanning, don't wash with soap on the breast or underarm, no bras with underwire. In 2 to 3 weeks my skin (only on the breast) could get red and sunburned looking and painful. Radiation can cause fatigue also. I have had 2 sessions so far. Twenty eight more to go!!
I haven't mentioned my hair in a a while. My hair started growing back after the AC treatment. I was expecting it to fall out again once I started the Taxol, because that is what everyone said. But mine never fell out. So I have about an inch and a half so far. It is curly. I can make a duck tail in the back! For me though, it is not long enough to wear out in public. It is also a "non color". That is what I call it. I guess the chemo can destroy the pigment and it takes a little while for the real color to come back in. I hope it doesn't take long! It is a whitish, brown sort of something. Anyway, I can't chemically color it for 6 more months but I have heard of some natural stuff I can use. I don't have much for eyebrows and I use a brow pencil to give me some eyebrows. I wish they would grow back in a little faster.
We are looking forward to all the company coming to see us this summer. I should finish all my radiation by the middle of June. Then I will only have herceptin once every 3 weeks. I can't wait!