Prior to your first treatment, your team should show you how to check in for each session, brief you on where to park (you may need to ask for a parking pass since you will visit your facility every day for weeks), and allow you to ask questions.
Treatments
You will report to radiation once per day, five days per week, for a number of weeks. Consider your schedule to figure out how radiation will fit into your day most easily. You might want to stop in for radiation before work, after work, or on your lunch hour. You might need to arrange for on-going childcare or for someone to drive you to and from appointments. Often the biggest hassle of radiation is getting to and from the appointment, which takes more time than the treatment itself.
Radiation appointments are relatively quick. My appointments lasted no longer than 30 minutes. I checked in, waited for a few minutes, and then reported to the treatment area. I removed my shirt and bra and all accessories (wig, hat, jewelry), and walked to the treatment table holding a towel to cover my breasts. Once I reclined on the table, my radiation therapists covered me with sheets, exposed my left breast, positioned the machines properly (with tattoos as guides), and exited the room. They spoke to me over a speaker from another room where they watched me on monitors. They told me what to do (I used a breathing tube to assist in moving my heart out of the way for each loud zap of radiation), and quickly returned to excuse me from my session. I walked away from each session feeling no different than when I arrived.
Skin irritation is a common side effect of radiation, and I saw my oncologist once a week to monitor how my skin was tolerating the treatment. Radiation can cause burning, itching, and blistering, and products offered for relief can include aloe (100%), silfer sulfadiezene, and other ointments.. To avoid further irritation of the skin, consider wearing soft shirts that do not rub or chafe your skin and shirts with built-in bra liners (regular bra straps may feel too tight). I wore a bikini top as a bra. I could position the ties so they didn’t touch any affected areas. Avoid the sun, shaving, deodorants, perfumes, lotions, and use only gentle soap.
