Hi Everyone!
This the place for everyone who had rads during winter 16/17 to talk about how they are doing, oncology appointments, follow-up mamograms and anything else, and to get support from everyone that’s going through the same stage. Please join in, I think it’s going to be easier if we go onwards and upwards together! Gillx
Hi Gill, I’m so glad you’ve set this up! I like the idea that we’re finally in the moving on phase, I’ve spent the last seven months getting through treatment. So now I’ve lifted up my head and looked around, and thought, what shall I do now?
I love the sound of your forest garden, what a lovely idea. I would have hundreds of bluebells. But fruits and nuts would also be lovely. Sloes especially, the blossom is beautiful and I’m a regular sloe gin maker.
Presumably there are restrictions on what you can plant, I know you can’t turn it into garden without planning permission.
Thank you Gill… a good feeling to be officially moving on!
I vote also for a sea of bluebells…with the odd snowdrop 
(I think we really are kindred spirits dizzy!)
So glad we are moving on. Sometimes I feel almost normal, but we are allowed wobbles, I think it’s inevitable.
Last week we planted the tiniest oak tree in the forest garden, it’s really only a twig. Obviously I don’t expect to see it in it’s full glory but maybe a good few feet. So exciting. It’s roots have been inpregnated with truffle spores, yum. This year I’ll probably be able to count each of it’s leaves. :womanwink:
Helena’s virtual party is here tonight. I’m putting up bunting… Gillx (Hope you don’t think I’m too silly)
Appropriately for a moving on thread, I had a counselling session today. And I was talking about the journey I’ve been on, all the stresses and problems along the way. And at the end of it, I felt a real sense that I’ve done that now, I don’t need to dwell on all those things any more. They happened, they were grim at the time, but I’ve come out of the other side all right. I feel a bit tearful now, but in a good sort of way, like I’m saying goodbye to something.
I won’t ever forget any of it, but maybe it’s lost its power over me now.
I never kept a diary or a blog, but I think I might write myself a timeline, because in a while I might not remember the details right, and I would like a record of what happened, what I got through and have come out of the other side of.
And now I have so many plans to make, things I want to do in the house and the garden, the allotment.
But I have woodland garden envy now!
Oh well since you insist, I’ll start on my bottle as well! Shall I start blowing the balloons up?
Welcome Helena! Glad to see you are hanging on to that ladder ok. Don’t wobble!
Dizzy, you have had a busy day! So glad you are feeling so positive. There is lots to look forward to, but it is so easy to forget that when we are in the middle of all the scary medical stuff. But your support and knowledge has made such a difference for me. You always seem to know the right thing to say.
So, where’s that turntable? Remember those? A bit of Elton I think…
We’re still standing, better than we ever did!
Looking like true survivours,
Feeling like little kids…
We’re still standing, yeh, yeh, YEH!
G
Congrats Helena, I’m drinking tea not bubbles over here for you xx
Hi, Delly and Dizzybee, I’m trying to find a post from yesterday where I talked about how happy I was too read that you both felt that weird after rads now what feeling. Do you remember which thread it was on please? I’m in Australia so it is 11.45am here while you lovelies are probably snoozing. Thanks xx
Hi Helena,
How was your first day of moving on? Did you miss it? (As if?)
Gillx
Thanks Helena, I can’t find it but that’s okay because it did its job when I needed it. Reading through the posts is soooo interesting though, I found lots of interesting bits of advice, warnings, suggestions. I finished rads on a Friday two weeks ago and went to work Monday, Tuesday and couldn’t go Wednesday because I was tired, shaky dizzy so stayed in bed. I went on the Thursday instead and ended up in the loo swearing and crying at 5.00pm. Amazing that I thought I would be okay, physically, mentally and emotionally. So please those still working, take my advice since I wasn’t using it, and take it easy. I am nervous about starting the Tamoxifen today …
Thanks Dizzy. Comments very much appreciated and thanks for finding my thread, will pop over there for a peek. The pharmacist made me laugh, he suggested I mark the symptoms I already have prior to starting Tamoxifen! Well I ticked hot flushes, dizziness, mood swings, insomnia and joint pains haha. So, will see how I go. I did wonder about periods though as mine are all over the place and it would be horrible if that was too worsen. ?
Found it! Yep, 7 pages in, lovely welcome replies too. So glad I found this site.
Thanks Dizzy. I had a Merina put in over a year ago and had to have it removed after nine months because of heavy and almost continuous periods, headaches and sadness. Wouldn’t mind missing them at all haha. I was concerned though that having the progesterone actually caused my cancer but various medical people said no and my surgeon said that it would only be a contributing factor. I also would mind warming up a bit because I generally feel the cold a lot and find most air conditioning freezing. I had a massage a week ago (I’ve been seeing the same lady once a month for about 12 years) and she said my body temp had gone up. Great to chat to you all and read the comments. Going to sleep now to the sound of the surf and a gentle breeze, nite nite xx
Whoops I meant wouldn’t mind warming up a bit.
Hi Lee.
I hope you had a lovely sleep to the sound of surf and a gentle breeze, lovely. At the moment I’m going to bed in pajamas, a big Tshirt and socks, under a huge duvet and tonight probably a hot water too. Brrr. But we are heading to New Zealand this week so tomorrow I’m going to find my flimsy summer tops!
I am post menopausal and have been on tamoxifen for about 2 months now. I was really concerned about taking it because I suffer from depression which is always made worse by taking any hormonal medication. I have never been able to stay on the contraceptive pill, HRT did my head in and I had a similar experience to yours with the mirena coil. But I have to say I am ok. Maybe a few more hot flushes and I have put on a couple of pounds but my mood is fine, no more aches or pains than usual. Over all it’s ok. I know everyone is different, but try to go in with an open mind. Good luck and let us know how you go on!
Gillx
Thanks Gill, good to hear. Three days in my fingers are still crossed for minimal symptoms. I did get postnatal depression after my second child and can get down sometimes 20 years later. I have had small bouts of if during treatment (disassociation, tears and numbness) but felt that was natural given the situation. My mum is a kiwi and I’ve spent a lot of holidays there, beautiful spot. She has just come back from a three week stay with her sisters, cold nights but lovely days. Xx
I don’t think about what could have caused my cancer, I’m putting it down to bad luck. I had lots of supposedly protective factors, but have been a yo-yo dieter so my weight has fluctuated a lot over the years. But my sister also got this at 48, and she has always been slim, never smoked, takes lots of exercise etc.
So I don’t think there’s any point in beating myself up over anything I might have done or not done, I was just unlucky.
But I’ve been very lucky in lots of other areas of my life, I guess the luck evens out in the end.
Evening Ladies,
I’m sitting here under a huge tartan blanket and I’ve got the woodburner going so feeling pretty cosy. I have a big pile of pretty summer clothes all ready upstairs to throw into a suitcase, but I have to say the 30 degree heat and humidity of Bankok still seems more than three days away. Brrrr.
Gillx
Ooohhhhh so much to read. I’m from Port Macquarie which is about 4.5 hours in a car north of Sydney on the coast and today was about 34degrees and really humid. I had a swim in the pool when I got home from work about 5.30pm, crazy eh? I’m noticing a couple of Tamoxifen symptoms tonight; fuzzy feet and cramps calfs.