| Radiotherapy for breast cancer can be a bit of an | | | | I had all my treatments has a fantastic set up for |
| ordeal. | | | | radiotherapy patients. There is a dedicated car park |
| For me, the worst moment after being told I had | | | | next to the unit and you are guaranteed a space or |
| cancer was being told I would need chemotherapy | | | | they will valet park your car. This was amazing and a |
| and radiotherapy as treatment to fight the disease. | | | | big weight off my mind as your appointment only |
| Having been there I know its shocking and I felt I | | | | lasts five minutes and you have to be there in time |
| just simply would never cope with it all. | | | | as the machines are in use constantly. |
| My treatment regime was to consist of four | | | | The actual radiotherapy lasts a few minutes and is |
| treatments of FEC chemo, four weeks of | | | | painless-quite relaxing really. Some people find the |
| radiotherapy treatment then four treatments of | | | | treatment very tiring. I didn't, but I think if you've |
| Taxotere chemo. This would all take the best part of | | | | had chemo first then your perception of tiredness |
| ten months. | | | | changes! The going to the hospital every day is a bit |
| Having survived the first part of the chemo ( just! ) I | | | | of a bind but use any mental trick to over come this. |
| went into my radiotherapy a bit bruised and battered. | | | | After a few weeks of treatment the skin over the |
| The first thing that needed done was going to a | | | | treated area can become very red and fragile. No |
| simulator to have the very complicated process of | | | | soap or creams should be used as these can make |
| marking out where your treatment would be. This is | | | | your skin even more sensitive. This does clear up but |
| done with lasers and details of where your tumour or | | | | it did cause discomfort for a few weeks. The skin on |
| tumours were. Small tattoos are then done to mark | | | | this area will always be more sensitive and sun should |
| out the treatment area. This enables the machine to | | | | be avoided. It's also worth mentioning not to forget |
| be set up very quickly every day during treatment. | | | | the exit area - mine was on my back - where the |
| I mentally decided that for the four weeks of | | | | radiotherapy exists your body during treatments. |
| radiotherapy I would treat it like a job. It took 45 | | | | Radiotherapy treatment, for me, was the least |
| minutes or so to drive to the hospital and back | | | | unpleasant of the treatments I went through. At the |
| every day. The Western General in Edinburgh where | | | | outset it seems daunting but really it's not - honestly! |