Update

I'm doing okay.  My right upper arm is still numb but seems to be slowly getting feeling back around the edges of the numb area.  Allowing me to have my arm down by my side was a saver.  I could not have endured holding it above my head any more and would have quit had they not found a solution.
It's the middle of week 3.  Next week is the last.  Hope I don't have to go through it again.

It worked

Yesterday I expected to have another CT scan to see if having my arm by my side instead of in back holding a post would work.  Well.....didn't have to have the scan!  We tried positioning me with my hand down by my side in the treatment room on the machine and were successful!  They were able to give me treatment with no problem.  I do have some new "magic" markings but who cares?  Those will wash off eventually.  What a relief it was to get up off the "slab" without having a painful arm.
Now I don't have to take the Tylenol before I go.  And maybe the feeling will come back in my arm.
All because a doctor was will to try.

Someone finally listened.

Since the beginning of the radiation treatment I have had a problem with my right arm.  It's been numb on the outer top part from the shoulder almost to the elbow.  This from having to hold it above my head and grabbing a bar.  The left arm is fine.  The big problem is that my upper right arm now hurts like hell when I try to get it into position.  The techs are aware of it but just continue the treatment.  I've told them that there isn't enough support under that arm.  I've told Dr. W about it and he believed it was because of the way I was holding my arm, that it was stretching ligaments. He thought perhaps physical therapy could be the answer.  I didn't think so. Yesterday I told everyone that I was within a gnat's ninny of just quitting.  I could not put up with the pain anymore.  Extra strength Tylenol just wasn't working and I couldn't take a pain killer 'cause then I wouldn't be able take the deep breaths they wanted.  Dr. W wasn't there, would I like to see Dr. B?  Yes!  I would talk to him about physical therapy if he thought it was needed.  Dr. B had me explain about my arm.  I told him the numbness had been there since the beginning (we're into week 2) when I had the CT scans done.  I explained that nothing was working to alleviate the stress on the arm and that I thought it was possibly lack of proper support under the arm since the left arm was fine and it had more support.  He suggested we try to see if I could be positioned with the right arm in a different position since the surgery was on the left side.  So today another CT scan is going to be done to see what, if any, impact the change of position will have.  And even if there are changes that will have to be made in the settings I don't care.  I don't care if it means starting over, I need to get the feeling back in my arm and be able to do the treatments without being in pain.   Keeping my fingers crossed and thinking positive.  Sometimes you just have to talk to someone who listens.

One down, three to go.  I've made it through the first week.  My upper arm is still numb and I suspect it's going to stay that way until this is all over.  Since my chiropractor is away until the end of next week I plan on having at least two more massages as the one I had did help.  I bought some CBD oil and some CBD salve with menthol and camphor.  Both also help.  The treatments would be a breeze if it weren't for the shoulder.  Something tells me that it's going to have to get looked at after the treatments.  Meanwhile I'm going to tough it out and get through this.

Yesterday

Yesterday was not fun.  Because I couldn't do the first session Monday it had to be done, as well as the treatment, yesterday.  It was long, at least to me.  At the end my right arm was even more numb and I had trouble moving it in certain ways.  And no, they can't cushion it any more than it is because then we'd have to do the mapping and everything all over.  I'll deal with it.  I went to my friend's house afterward and she put some CBD salve on my back where I can't reach.  It helped.  I'll be going to the local shop to get my own.  I might get some tea as well.  I'm seeing the chiropractor this morning and that will help too.  I may just start seeing him every day.  I also see a massage therapist in my future.  This is only the first week.  The sessions should be much shorter now that all the mapping, etc. has been done.  I will make it through.

Yesterday was supposed to be the first radiation treatment.  It didn't happen.  It didn't happen because my upper right arm started to hurt right away.  And when I say hurt I mean HURT.  It was that way at the end of the CT scans last week.  I should have known it would happen yesterday.  Partly my fault as I forgot to take Tylenol an hour or so before yesterday's session was to begin.  Today I'm prepared that come hell or high water I will get through the session.  I believe it has something to do with my shoulder...maybe.  Then again it was the upper arm muscle that was screaming not the shoulder joint. At any rate, I did a little practicing of holding my arm in the right position (as best as I could recreate).  Hopefully doing that and taking the Tylenol will help make treatment happen today and the rest of the week, and next week, and the next week, and the next.  It has to happen.  Wish me luck.

A new adventure

Today I start a new adventure.....radiation.  I go to have CT scans so that the positioning markers can be put on.  Am I scared?  I don't know.  Maybe a little. It's definitely an unknown.  My half sister didn't help when she told me about her mother losing her left arm because somehow blood vessels in that arm had been hit by radiation causing the arm to literally die due to lack of circulation.  I don't think they did the tattoo thing back then.  Also there's no reason for the underarm to be targeted since on 2 lymph nodes were removed.  At least I don't think so.  Keeping my fingers crossed.