# I finished radiation today-- help me celebrate! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005 "2015-07-02T00:12:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/1 "2015-07-02T00:12:09Z")
I got a diagnosis of IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma-- breast cancer) at the end of February. Stage 1, less than 1.5 centimeters. Had a lumpectomy March 12. Didn’t have to have chemo. Due to some minor but annoying complications from the surgery I didn’t start radiation until June 10. I opted for 16 treatments, every day for five days per week, spread over three-ish weeks instead of 28 treatments over five weeks. Had the last one today-- yay! The treatments were painless and nothing touches your body at all, although my boob is sore and the skin is tender. Ibuprofen helps. The people at the radiation treatment place were soooo nice. It was a pleasure to see them every day. I was in and out in about half an hour, and the radiation itself is only on for about a minute and a half in four bursts. [(Setup looks like this.)](https://www.lfh.org/resources/content/3/7/6/6/documents/gcc_tour_09.jpg) When I got the diagnosis, I didn’t know what to expect. I started reading message boards… got some good info, but also TMI sometimes. I’m glad this part is over. I dodged a bullet and got off a lot easier than many others (for which I’m grateful). In two weeks I start on a five-year course of a drug called Arimidex, which is an estrogen-blocker similar in function to Tamoxifen, but for post-menopausal women. I hopehopehope I don’t suffer some of the side effects I read about when I was encountering TMI. My cancer was positive for estrogen and progesterone, so that’s the reason for an estrogen blocker. I don’t have any (human) family to celebrate with, so I’m inviting this community of strangers wherever you are to have a glass, smell a rose, pet your dog, tell a joke, share a hug-- and that will make me feel good tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/2 "2015-07-02T00:15:07Z")
Congratulations!🙂 I always think of this: > **[Tattoo](https://xkcd.com/933/)** > > I calculate that the electrons in radiation therapy hit you at 99.8% of the speed of light, and the beam used in a 90-second gamma ray therapy session could, if fired with less precision, kill a horse (they did not let me test this). when I see a tattoo. Did you get the tattoo? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/3 "2015-07-02T00:31:40Z")
Congratulations! As the song goes, “[science advances so much, it’s barbaric!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn-embVPHlg)” I am glad you were born in these oh-so-barbaric times. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/4 "2015-07-02T01:03:50Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > Congratulations!🙂 > > I always think of this: > [xkcd: Tattoo](https://xkcd.com/933/) > when I see a tattoo. > Did you get the tattoo? Great cartoon! 😃 I got two tiny tattoos on my sides. I can’t even see them. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/5 "2015-07-02T01:09:58Z")
so glad to hear that you are doing ok 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rahne\_McCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rahne\_McCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rahne_McCloud)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/6 "2015-07-02T01:54:40Z")
Congratulations! You are now part of a larger group of friends who all have all gone through the same thing. A survivor. Hugs!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/7 "2015-07-02T01:57:24Z")
Here’s to no side effects! Best of luck. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/8 "2015-07-02T02:00:34Z")
finest kind of news. celebrational ice cream is in order. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/9 "2015-07-02T02:04:43Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > finest kind of news. > > celebrational ice cream is in order. DONE! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/10 "2015-07-02T02:15:27Z")
My gf had a very similar experience a few years ago. The estrogen blocker caused calcium loss from her bones, so she takes one pill a month (that costs a few hundred bucks) to counteract bone loss. Way to survive!! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/11 "2015-07-02T02:16:03Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/12 "2015-07-02T02:30:11Z")
I so happy for you! Congratulations, and here’s to many years of excellent health! ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/13 "2015-07-02T03:08:15Z")
Congratulations, **ThelmaLou**! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/14 "2015-07-02T03:41:36Z")
Cool beans. You put a smile on my face too. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/15 "2015-07-02T03:42:40Z")
Thank you all so much. 🙂 I’m off to bed. Suddenly exhausted. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/16 "2015-07-02T03:57:28Z")
CONGRATULATIONS! We of the blue tattoos salute you and welcome to the ranks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/17 "2015-07-02T04:57:12Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/18 "2015-07-02T17:54:05Z")
Congratulations, ThelmaLou! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/19 "2015-07-02T18:45:50Z")
Don’t forget sunscreen on the area! ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005/20 "2015-07-02T20:38:04Z")
Congratulations!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-radiation-today-help-me-celebrate/724005.md?page=2)