Every 5 days, the radiation techs are suppose to take Xrays of you so that the doctors can verify that they are still radiating the same areas. Last week, I had a set a films everyday I went in (Dr. orders) So today, when Erin (the CT tech) came to the waiting room to tell me that I would be going to see her today after my appointment I got really worried.
"Oh my gosh, something is wrong huh?" I asked her. I just knew that something else funky happened with my body and they were going to have to stop treatment or re-map me or something!
"Nope, she said, you have only 12 more sessions left, so we are going to map you for your boost." then she smiled at the relief in my eyes.
Oh my gosh... only 12 more?? Oh my gosh, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!! I don't know if you remember but I have 28 full treatments (with photon and electron radiation around my entire left breast, under my arm and collarbone) then 7 "boost" treatments which are only on my tumor bed (the location of my tumor). Wow!! That means only 5 more full treatments!! And they couldn't come too soon. My skin has been (according to Dr. S doing wonderfully) but that is because she was expecting burning, peeling, blisters, and a bloody mess. My skin is so burnt and I have one small blister that has popped, and a lot of tiny blisters in my cleavage, but we have not had to stop treatment, so to her, I am doing great!
After my treatment I went to the CT room and laid down on the board to the CT machine. I was flat this time and had to raise my hand over my head. Erin had set down a head and neck rest down for me and a couple of cushions to rest my arm on. Then she did the CT for a few minutes and marked a big black cross where the new treatment would go. She was going to cover it with tape, but I have opted to having it re-drawn everyday. I have a slight reaction to tape and cannot handle anything else on my poor boobie.
Then I had to see Dr. S (it was a long day). I even got more of a surprise to find out that I might even cut off the full treatments early and add a few more boosts! When they designed my protocol they could either under-lap the fields or over-lap the fields. Dr. S decided to over-lap the fields (this would have been my decision too). So she is worried that I may have a few hot spots (where the fields over-lapped) and she might stop me early and do the boost to make up the difference. WOW!!! I should find out next week what she wants to do.
I am so excited, this is almost over!!!
Update:
- I have thin eyebrows, but they are now brown and I don't have to draw them in!!
- My hair is still growing in, it still doesn't cover my scalp, but it is coming back (I wish it was coming back as fast as the other hair on my body though). hahahaha
- My port is finally healing up (I had the chemo nurses take out the remaining stitch that was hanging out)
- My left breast is BRIGHT pink and burned, but my cleavage is burnt with tiny blisters all along it (but I guess since there are no open sores, I am still considered "good")
- I am still tired, but getting through the days pretty good. I am still running in my couch to 5k. I figure that maybe the sweating helps get rid of all the radiation and chemo that might still be coursing through my body.
I will post more once I find out exactly how many treatments I will have. Oh, I can see the light!!!
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