Cookie,wilckdds,

If the test comes back positive or suspicious, my husband will go in with me to my next visit to the my oncologist. He will arrange to get all the further testing and exams done. It will all be done at the Va Hospital in Little Rock where my brothers surgery is being done. Some VA hospitals are very poor, but the one in Little Rock, Arkansas is one of the very best.

ChristineB,
Feel free to scare the living hell out of me. Not knowing is worse than knowing too much about things that may not happen.

The worst I had with my radiation is radiation blisters across the top of my chest and blisters under my breast. My ribs on that side are still sore over 2 years later and I have lost some lung capacity. I will have to watch out for spontaneous breaking of my ribs on that side. I am fortunate that the cancer was on my right side so my heart hasn't been damaged. At least I think it hasn't been.

All in all you are correct, Christine, that as long as the damn machine is properly calibrated, the experience of a breast cancer patient with radiation is a walk in the park compared to what I have read on this site. That is why I am asking whether radiation can be avoided without substantial risk of recurrence.