None of what occurred was a surprise, as all along, the therapists were checking my skin in the areas being radiated, making sure that there were no breaks in the skin. Over the time of treatments, the skin becomes redder and redder, a lot like a very nasty sunburn. As long as the skin does not break, radiation can continue. If there is a break in the skin, evident by weeping, radiation has to stop because it creates problems with the healing process.
The skin under my left arm was looking more and more like it was about to break. This was two days after I finished my initial treatments. Cary took a look at the area after my therapy that Thursday, as she was not wanting me to develop a real problem over the weekend. She started me out with having to dab the area with very diluted hydrogen peroxide twice a day. I was to see her Friday morning before my treatment. She would decide then if more needed to be done.
By Friday, it was worse. I was dealing with some burns due to radiation therapy. It looked bad, and the moist dead skin smelled. I also was sore, although not as sore as I could have been due to my still being rather numb in that area from my surgery. Cary took a look at it and decided we needed to do more. She cleaned the area and then told me to return after I had my treatment.
Matt and Karen, the therapists, had been keeping an eye on things. When I showed up and was laid out on the table for the treatment, Matt said something about seeing Cary about the burn, as he described it as looking "rugged," while Karen told me that it was a good thing I could not feel most of that area. I said to Matt that I had already seen Cary, and I was going back to her after the treatment.
The other big concern Matt and Karen had was about the location, making sure that the radiation from the boosts was not hitting the area where the skin was broken.
Cary decided that in addition to the peroxide, I needed to cover the burn area with Silvadene. The cream would help prevent infection as well as soothe the area. What I was to do was about mid-afternoon, I would dab off the Silvadene she was about to put on and cover lightly with gauze to keep it off my clothes. The burn area then could "breathe" for about six hours or so. (The best thing was for me to sit in my recliner so I could prop my arm up on the armrest and minimize the friction to the area.) Then about bedtime, I would clean the area again and cover the area with Silvadene and gauze. When I got up, I would clean the area and let it breathe. Then late morning I would again clean the area and cover it with Silvadene. The process I repeated over the weekend.I definitely was sore. Minimizing the movement of my arm was helpful. I did not go to school Friday. I was not too comfortable Saturday evening when we drove over some rough back roads to our grandniece's wedding reception. Sunday I stayed home from church.
Monday I returned. Cary took a look at the area, as did Dr. Fallon. No infection, which was a good sign. Already there were signs of healing going on. I did continue with the boosts -- although to put my left arm up where it needed to be was even more painful than it had been because of stretching the burn area. The doctor asked me if I was all right with the pain level. I said I was fine. I was taking some Tylenol, but I didn't expect it to completely alleviate the discomfort. After treatment, I went back to Cary, and she again cleaned the area and covered it with Silvadene and sent me on my way. I continued the process here at home.
Tuesday was the same pattern at the office and at home with more evidence of healing. Wednesday, my final day of boosts, there was more evidence of healing. Because I was done with therapy, I was not going to be coming in every day as I had been. So, Cary had me return on Friday so she could check on how things were going.
By Friday, the area was looking like it had new skin beginning to cover it. The area was sensitive, but there was not much oozing. There were no more areas of moist dead skin clinging anywhere. No odor. Cary asked me whether I wanted to come in Monday or Tuesday. I chose Monday, as I was hoping to return to school Tuesday.
Over the weekend, two new spots appeared. These seemed to be related to the boosts. These were more in the front. (Odd that with radiation burns like these, they do not appear over the whole area. They just seem to hit areas.) They were smaller and less nasty. So, I went ahead and started to treat them the same way I was doing the other area.
Last Monday I returned. The area under my arm was doing very well. No need to do "the procedure" anymore. BUT, now the attention went to the new spots. Cary cleaned the new spots and dabbed Silvadene on them. I was to do with these what I had done with the other burn. I was to return Thursday. Thursday would mark the end of a week of dealing with radiation burns. I still was not going to work because of my having to do some treatments at home.
Thursday I again saw Cary. She really is good at this. Like she did Monday, she cleaned up the area, including taking care of the dried dead skin. (I have not wanted to do that lest I create a problem.) The spots are healing well, like the larger area did. She thought that maybe this weekend, the oozing will end, and I can stop doing the Silvadene applications. Then I can go back to putting Miaderm on the area. As she was checking things, Cary did spot an area that had a little bit of drainage. It was not anything we have been working on, but I had also noticed it here at home and was going to say something. She had Dr. Pohar take a look at it, and he decided to prescribe me an antibiotic for ten days, as we are wanting to avoid any big problems.
While Cary was dabbing the areas and dealing with the dead skin, I asked her if burns (beyond looking like a nasty sunburn) were fairly common. She said that they are, more than it may seem. I do know that last week there was a man who was getting burns checked out. He had had to delay his treatments twice and was hoping to get back on track. I also know that a few weeks ago there was an older lady who had finished who had come back a few times after -- she said she was there because she had had problems with burns. So, I was not unusual, which I could tell because Cary seemed so practiced in what she was doing.
Monday is a holiday. No school. Cary has a school-aged daughter, and so she is taking the day off. That said, she can't fit me into her schedule until Wednesday. I am hoping that that will be my final follow-up appointment. My goal is to return to school Thursday.
So, although RT is done, I have a little longer to wait before my life can return to normal -- for the first time since late last year.
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