Radiation Rx: the how-to for radiation therapy

I didn't experience any skin irritation or burn from radiation so I am often asked what I did to prevent the normal burns and skin irritation. If you know someone that will be going through radiation, pass this information along.  I was fortunate enough to have a friend, Ruth, give me her tips and she bought me the Coat's Aloe products and it was a perfect gift as it saved my skin!  

Radiation Remedy:
a) From the very first day, I used Coat's Aloe Vera (paraben-free) lotion, aloe vera and aloe vera spray.  I applied 4x a day. When you're in the market for aloe products, these are the best.
b) Once a day I applied Boiron Calendula Creme.  You can purchase at Whole Foods. I love, love the Biorin line for lots of helpful products when you're not feeling well.
c) Stayed hydrated
d) Did not use any other products on my skin in the radiation area or soap in the shower.
e) Kept skin out of the sun
f) I didn't want to wear a sports bra for 7 weeks so I took the underwire out of my bra on the left side. Worked perfectly.

Radiation... Check!

Today, marks another milestone in my treatment regimen… I have completed 33 radiation treatments. I am feeling grateful for having another treatment option that kills bad cells.  Elated that I am living and survived this dis-ease.  I am grateful everyday for my life in a way I hadn't experienced pre-diagnosis.  Everyone puts up a good “fight” when they are living with the disease but it is unfortunate, that not all of us get to continue to live. Being a survivor doesn’t make me any better than the next girl that has to live with cancer, I am just different, my outcome/experience is different.

8 months ago, when I was diagnosed, I said over and over again that I didn’t want to be defined by cancer  or what was to come in my treatments.  Now, I am a survivor, and proudly define myself as such. It's a badge of honor, I am the owner of a healthy body.  What I don’t forget and am reminded of is that I am a survivor today and I don’t know what is to come tomorrow, so I cherish the time that I do have.

The scans they used to map my radiation.

What’s next on the treatment trail:

I will start tamoxifen in the next two weeks.  I will take the pill, everyday for 5 years.  How it works: Estrogen can promote the growth of breast cancer cells. My breast cancer was classified as having an estrogen receptor-positive which means that I have a protein to which estrogen will bind. These breast cancer cells need estrogen to grow. Tamoxifen works against the effects of estrogen on these cells.  Potential side effects (there always is): blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer and menopause-like symptoms. I will welcome back hot flashes with open arms (*sigh and smile). However, the benefits of the treatment far outweigh the side effects.  I was very reluctant to take tamoxifen, because of the potential of the menopause-like symptoms, for some, the drug completely changes the make-up of the body.  But, I am      
  hoping for the best. 

I will continue to have Herceptin infusions every 3 weeks, have my heart checked regularly (heart conditions are side effects of Herceptin). I will continue to have regular follow-up appointments with my surgeon and radiologist.  But, with all that said, with 75% of my treatment behind me now, I have more time and energy to get living, again. Cancer rocked my world and it has forced to me find a new normal, really, I am willing and open to the new normal, luckily... because I don't have much choice in the matter with the physical and cognitive restrictions I now have on my life.  Conditions of living, is what I call them. 

Fun Stuff:

+ I taped a public service announcement for young adults with cancer on Saturday.  Different and fun at the same time. 

+ Saturday I attended a survivorship day at UCI… got to see friends and catch-up plus ask lots of questions… like, “Did this happen to you?”. 

+ I am attending another survivorship day at UCLA on May 19^th.  If you or someone you know is a survivor, pass this information along. More info

+ Had an great girls night on Friday night, Katsuya for dinner then to the Pantages to see Billy Elliot.  
+ Just finished reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield.  A good read. 

Survivors! 

Beaming from Radiation

The alarm on my phone starts annoyingly beeping at me at 7:30am and it's amazing how exhausted I feel.  Wait, how is this possible?  I just slept 8 + hours.


After I hit snooze once and the annoying beeping starts again, I get out of bed, I drag myself into the shower, begin my morning routine, then off I go to Dr. Lewinsky's office for radiation.  I have completed 26 treatments and have 7 more to go, every Monday through Friday, I drive box canyon to West Hills (right across from the hospital).  Have I mentioned before that I DO NOT like driving canyons?  It makes me nervous everyday, however, on the flip side it is a really beautiful drive and I forget where I am sometimes, there are parts of the drive that are sureen. I leave at the same time every morning, take the same route, park in the same lot, am greeted with the same cheerful smile and "Good morning, Kristin!" from the front office staff, I sign in.  I immediately head to the private changing area for radiation patients, change into my gown, leave my keys and clothing in a locker and head to a private waiting area for radiation patients. I wait for one of the radiation technicians to come get me and tell me they are ready for me.    

As I exit the waiting room, I head down a hallway that has a massive door in front of it.  On the door in bold is "CAUTION" signs welcoming you into the world of radiation.  

As I turn the corner at the end of the hall, I am greeted by a massive radiation machine.  The one that I will lay on for the next ten minutes. So, I untie my gown, jump up on the table and get myself in perfect position...top of head aligned with the top of the headrest, left arm out of gown and holding onto the pegs above my head, right arm does the same (might I add how proud of myself I am... I can completely extend my left arm now while holding onto the pegs and it is no longer painful) legs straight and uncrossed, feet together, head turned to right side.  Normal breaths, no deep breathing, no holding the breath.  No itching, no coughing, no movement of any kind.  Relaxing the body.

Once I am positioned properly on the table, the technicians read off various numbers from the tv screen which list all of the parameters for my radiation treatment.  They use those numbers to make sure I am in the exact same position for every single treatment.  The table is elevated, pushed back towards the machine, and moved centimeter by centimeter into the right position.  They then turn off the lights, which then allows green laser beams to become visible.  These laser beams are used to make sure they line up with my radiation tattoos and the "x's" all over my body, so that they can ensure I am in precisely the same spot for each treatment.  Once I am all lined up and ready to go, the therapists turn the lights back on, leave the room, and close that huge door I previously mentioned in order to protect themselves from the radiation.  

First the machine arms come out and do an xray each time so that the technicians know I am properly placed.  I am laying on a mold of my body- which is another tool to help them properly place me. Then once they get me right (the table moves, etc) the huge machine rotates around radiating my left breast, left underarm, chest and left side of my neck.  The machine rotates twice around me, everytime making sure to miss my heart when radiating (I am doing the IMRT treatments).  Based on where my tumor was and given that we are treating the left breast, my radiation is high risk treatment so you can imagine the precaution the team takes. You don't feel a thing, really can't even tell it is happening (total beam time is 2 minutes). Within 10 minutes or so, I am off the table and saying good bye to the technicians, on my way to the dressing room.  The machine is quite an incredible work of medical art.  For the ten minutes I am laying there, as I know the radiation is beaming, I say to myself, quietly (there are microphones and cameras so they can see and hear me throughout treatment) that I am so thankful for the radiation and it killing any and all last cancer cells that may be present in my lymp nodes/ducks or breast .

Starting on treatment 29, I will have what is called a "boost".  This is where they radiate my tumor site, only.

Aside from the skin issues, the fatigue has hit me hard (both typical side effects of radiation).  I am definitely running on empty. I am exhausted- wiped out.  Completely drained.  I don't think the fatigue from chemo hit me until radiation started and then on top of that the radiation makes you tired.  So a double wammy. It is much more than a feeling of sluggish, more than wanting to nap or kick your feet up for a bit.  It is heavy eye lids, wanting to go to bed at 3pm daily and a really hard time getting anything done besides just sitting.  It's hard to explain or imagine, unless you have experienced it.  And I hope you never have to- hope I am doing it for all of us.

My skin irritations are minimal, I feel very fortunate.  Daily I apply Coat's Aloe (paraben-free, organic very high quality aloe) and Coat's Aloe Lotion twice, Callendula,  plus La Ocitane Almond Oil.  Basically, I do everything I possibly can. More info on Coat's Aloe

I miss my antioxidants.  I am going to have a berry and dark chocolate party the night that I finish radiation.  April 24th... who's in?

More about radiation? Radiation therapy is a highly targeted, effective way to destroy cancer cells in the breast that may stick around after surgery.  Like Dr. Lewinsky says, "its my insurance".  After finding the second cancer during surgery, the radiation is a security for me, that I can only hope, will kill off any possible cancer cells that are left over after chemo and surgery. 

Cancer Talk, College and Kensington

Health:
Overall I am feeling well this week.  Last week I had a lot of skin irritation with the radiation, but now most of the time the irritation has subsided. I knew going into it that it is not a "if" situation but "when" I will start to burn and feel tired.  I obviously am feeling both but they are manageable.  Last week I spent a lot of time resting and in bed, this week will be more of the same.

Met with Dr. Meyering this week and my vitals are looking good.  I have had lots of follow-up doctor's appointments.  Normal Status: Echocardiogram, liver and kidney, vitamin panel is looking good with the exception of Vitamin D and Iron.  I am still on the border of being anemic but am almost "normal" with the white blood cell counts.

Happiness:
10 more radiation treatments= happiness!  I won't miss my daily radiation appointments, drive to West Hills- 5 days a week.  The obvious cut-back in doctor's appointments will be fabulous!  The 3-a-day doctor's appointments that come and go can stay gone.

Stupid Cancer:
Last weekend my Mom and I went to Vegas for a young adults cancer conference (called Stupid Cancer). A few things I would like to point out:
1. A year ago thoughts of attending a cancer conference, especially in Vegas, would have been unthinkable and yet laughable.
2. My highlight (there were many- too many to share).  Imagine this: 100's of cancer patients/survivors and caregivers at the Playboy Club Saturday night and bunnies are all around.  It's spring break and Vegas is packed! Fat, thin, ugly, beautiful, hair, or no hair .... We are all on the dance floor.  What do we all have in common - CANCER.  As I danced, I was physically present, moving my body to the music (quite enjoying it) but my thoughts were running wild about what the group of people dancing in front of me- what we all had in common- what some of us might be thinking as we are dancing.  Some, live with cancer. Some, like me are fortunate enough to hear the news that you have "no evidence of disease".  Caregivers, like my Mom, are getting to have a good time, for the first time in a while, she has been busy having her entire life consumed caring for me. So back to a re-occuring thought I couldn't kick: When will I be able to get on a dance floor, dance and not be reminded of my cancer?  When I am in social situations that may remind me of my life before cancer, I am reminded by how different I feel now. I want to be JUST dancing, enjoying the moment and carefree.
3. For one part of the conference, when you entered the room you found the table that had the type of cancer you had/have displayed on a card, you sat at that table.  I called it the "what body part fucked you over" lunch. Anyways, to the real part of the story.  There are so, so many different cancers and I am fortunate to have (If I have to have it) had a cancer that is well-treated and unfortunately common which means there are lots of funds that go into research and cures.  I have a huge community of support.  Actually, I came to learn that many of the "other" cancers dis-like us breast cancer people.  Basically, they hate pink.  We are like the Pink Ribbon Mafia.  So many cancers don't have an entire month dedicated to awareness like we have Pinktober.  It was an interesting perspective and one that I would not have thought about on my own because I didn't realize that cancers discriminated.  But, if you have a rare form of cancer, I can imagine how alone you must feel and jealous or pissed off that other more common cancers have so many more resource options.
* I learned many new things about the environment, products, action we can take, etc and will be sharing them in the coming weeks. I have been a researching princess since I returned.  I have had lots of down time in bed with my Ipad.

Kensington:
Kensington had an eye surgery today.  Her surgery was a success and she is recovering.  On serious pain meds, snoring a lot and super silly when she is awake.  She is limited on what she can do over the next two weeks, so it looks like all the caring that she did for me during my recovery, I will be taking care of her now.  They say that dogs can sense when someone is sick, I really think that is true. There were times she would lay on top of my stomach when I had a tummy ache, sniff parts of my body that were aching or just know when to come sit by me and just be.  She is a special bulldog, for sure.

College:
One of the promises to myself for the "new year, new me" campaign is to apply to USC again for my Executive MBA.  I need to prove my math skills to the admission's board so I am taking a Math for Management course at UCLA.  I am seriously in over my head with how advanced the work is but I am determined to get through it and learn lots.

Stupid Cancer Manifesto (this is a great non-profit organization).  Every time I read this, it takes me so long to get through it; it's beautifully written and more importantly a perfect reflection of feelings.

I'm Healing Today

I had radiation treatment number 15, almost halfway done. No skin irritations yet.

Had another round of Herception this morning. All is looking good, Dr. Meyering says. I am retaining water, but nothing to be all that unexpected. She is going to check my b12 levels to see if a b12 shot is in my future to help with my energy level.

Tip from my Dr.:working out hard or feeling under the weather? Need electrolytes and don't want the sugar that's in Gatorade? Drink coconut water. My radiologist told me it is a great alternative to Gatorade.

Pink Up The Pace

This morning I ran in the Agoura Great Race- 10k.  I haven't been working out or training for the race (an understatement) so needless to say, I was concerned that I would not be able to run all that much this year.  To my surprise, my body was good to me today and I ran 4.5 miles and walked the other 2.  Overall time 1.16.

The last two weeks I have struggled with feeling weak both physically and mentally. I feel as though I am in a 80 year old body, which I hope you never have to experience when you are young because it is so frustrating having physical limitations.  I am exhausted all the time (another understatement), don't have full range of motion on my left side and am weak beyond what I could have ever imagined.  Wishing, hoping, working at physically getting back to pre-cancer energy and strength.    XOXO- K