Radiation

I finalized what I will be doing for my radiation plan. I will be having 28 sessions. During each session they will radiate my clavicle and chest wall. This will be done M-F for about 5 minutes a day. One of the girls from the YSC boards came up with an excellent skin care routine for radiation. I plan on following that because radiation can cause skin damage and burning. She recommended the following plan:

RADIATION SKIN CARE

1.  Aloe + Aloe Lotion - AM/After shower
2.  Vitamin E lotion (2x daily)
3. Calendula Lotion -  right after radiation. 
4. Aquaphor or prescription lotion - After home from radiation
5. Aloe + Aloe Lotion - bedtime

That will be the "end" of active treatment for me. I started Tamoxifen about two weeks ago. I have been getting hot flashes as warned by my doctor as a side-effect from taking the new medicine. Other than that, no other noticeable side-effects. I am a little moody at times, but I really think that is due to having to go through this whole crappy experience. Otherwise I am pretty even keeled and optimistic about things.  

I plan on calling my doctor and asking him about Zometa. A few of the girls on the boards are taking this as a preventive measure for bone metastasis, which I never want to even be a possibility, and osteopenenia, which could be a side-effect from chemo. I also want to get a bone density scan, my mom has osteoporosis and I just want to make sure that chemo has not taken a toll on my bones. 

I think that is all for breast cancer news. Things are going good, my reconstruction is settling into place. I will most likely have another surgery to "revise" the reconstruction around December/January of this coming year. My surgeon says its a simple outpatient procedure & I won't need much time off of work. That is good news. I am glad I am getting to the end of this nightmare of a year.