I was advised to consult a radiologist to determine if this treatment was for me...
My Oncologist said it was recommended but I could choose not to do it. He felt I should have a consultation at the radiation center to determine how strongly we felt about the pros and cons. My husband and I went together and spoke to the Radiologist who recommended six weeks of therapy. My initial reaction was that I did not want to and decided to get a second opinion. The second Radiologist told us that in her opinion my chances of a reoccurrence without this treatment might be as high as 30% but with the treatment would be more like 3%. That pretty much concluded any thoughts of skipping this therapy. I would just have to get over my in trepidation.

On the first visit I had a CT scan and after analyzing it marked me with three very tiny tattoos. Those are no larger than a freckle but different in color, an inky blue. These would help the technicians line me up exactly the same way for every treatment to assure that only the necessary area was exposed to the radiation. A nurse spoke to me about the procedure and gave me a couple of samples of creams recommended to use on the effected areas every day and let me ask questions. They told me at the end of every week I would see the Radiologist who was monitoring skin reaction and could answer any concerns that I may have as it progresssed, I was issued a scan card to check myself in every day and sat in a private waiting room reserved for patients only. Each week we were given a fresh white cotton gown and a cubby to stash it in for the next day. The changing room was adjacent to a small private bathroom so you could put creams on after the treatment. I was not to use any creme or deoderant six hours before each treatment. The only deoderant I could use during this time was one that contained no aluminum, from the health food store.

Each treatment was the same procedure- It took two technicians to do the set-up. I would lie down on the table on a white sheet and one technician would put a prop under my knees.  I then put my arms over my head and held on to a handlebar. They put a pad between my elbow and that devise for comfort. They used a laser beam to line up the tattoos and measured the height of the table very carefully. They would pull the sheet I was laying on this way or that until both technicians felt I was perfectly aligned. There was a TV screen with the coordinates for "my setup" for them to go by. They placed a wet cloth on my chest or a “bolis”. This would cause the treatment to come closer to the skin surface so it would radiate all of the surface skin effectively. It was very important not to move anything after this set-up. They would step out of the room and the machine would move overhead and make noises like you hear during a normal X-ray, then it would rotate and deliver another dose at a different angle. I had three separate angles and doses each session. The actual treatment only lasted a couple of minutes.

My skin started reacting at about week four, gradually getting more of a "sunburn" each day after that. Only in the last week it became uncomfortable and started some blistering. I was asked if I wanted to take a few days break before finishing but I was determined to be finished! At that point it was a countdown. As soon as some skin was broken I was given a prescription creme to help prevent surface infection. I had avoided the greasier creams early in the cycle but now I did not care how messy they were because they gave me greater relief and stayed on better. For about a week after the last treatment the burn continued to "bloom". I found the itching very bothersome and wore the lightest t-shirts I had inside out so the seams were smooth. Luckily after the mastectomy I did not require a bra!

Fatigue did not occur at all until about the last week of treatment. I knew that was one of the side effects of this treatment so I was surprised I did not have any reaction throughout most of the therapy. About the sixth week I would find I could not get through the day without a nap. At first I fought it, but it was overwhelming and I would realize I was so tired I could not even think straight. I had to accept the schedule that my body told me and that was very frustrating! I do not like to slow down or interrupt my work schedule. After a couple of weeks the fatigue seemed to intensify, where I could only go three or four hours without resting. I imagine this affects everyone differently, because the treatment intensity and dosage is varied for each individual. There was some improvement each week but I can safely say it lasted longer than the six weeks of treatment.

There are many websites that give you more specific medical information about radiation treatment and will address your questions. I thought this one was very good.
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/

The blisters, redness and itching all disappeared after a a month or so. Now you can not tell there was any treatment on the skin surface. After a few months I started to develop some hardening in areas that were radiated. I was told this is typical and could go on for a year or so. There was soreness and sensitivity in all of the areas that had reddened. I kept massaging and doing exercises to keep the area from tightening up. I think I was lucky because it has now started to soften back up. (About nine months after the treatment)