Radiation is Complete!

I know it has been quite a while since I updated the blog and several people have reminded me that it is time - so here it goes:

As one dear friend asked me at church on Sunday - "How was your 7-week retreat to Camp Nuke a Breast?" Boy - that says it all!

My body managed the radiation pretty well - actually really well until the end. My armpit area started "breaking down" in early March and Dr. Panwalla moved my "boost" treatments up to give the area a break. The boost treatments are designed to radiate the immediate area where the tumor sat in my breast. I had 7 of those treatments and then went back to finish the general radiation. My armpit area cleared up and healed in that time, however, now the boost area started breaking down.

I had many "home" remedies to try - vitamin E oil with saran wrap to protect it - that worked great! Cabbage leaves on the breast itself to east the pain/burn - also worked great. Apparently this is all the rage among new breastfeeding mothers for pain and other issues. Finally, my accupuncturist gave me a sauve of chinese herbs that took away the pain, the red, the swelling all in two days! She has also put me on a chinese herb called C/R support which is specially designed for people going through chemo or radiation. It helps with digestion, energy, body heat etc. It has been wonderful.

I have some big Dr. appointments coming up this week. I see Dr. Mary and back to the Dr. Panwella. I continue with my weekly physical therapy appointments, accupuncture and yoga 3/week. I am feeling healthy and doing great. Slowly moving back to my new "normal".

The Dr. did finally give me permission to fly - so Greg and I are going to visit Jessica at the end of the month in South Dakota. I guess it isn't good to fly during or soon after radiation because of the air pressure and radiation still in your body and having had so many lymph nodes removed.

I will update again next week after my doctor appointments. My big angst now is "Tomoxifan or no Tomoxifan?" I don't want to do it.

More to come......

Love, June