Hi girls
Day 3 and feel quite lifeless. Day 1 was sick and felt v unwell. Slept most of yesterday. The thought of putting myself through this 6 more times is outragious!!
Hope you are all feeling not too bad.
Deb xxx
Oh good heavens, I hope you are all doing ok, you all sound valiantly brave… I am feeling nauseous even before they put any off the stuff inside me!! And I seriously can’t sleep which is doing my head in, I fall into bed exhausted at about 10 pm and last night was still clock watching at 1.45… Just can’t switch my brain off.
Is anyone trying those motion sickness bracelet things that work on acupressure? I will try ANYTHING!! lol… You should have seen my room in hospital when I had my recon surgery, it was like a complementary therapy suite. I had some reiki before and that really helped and have heard it can be really good during chemo, also acupuncture… OMG am I obsessed??? Hope you all have a good weekend, who’s up next?? Anyone in on Monday??
I have the dilemma of what to do about my little ones birthday party, his birthday is 2 days after my 2nd fec and I know I won’t be up to anything then least of all having 12 five year olds running around hyped on e numbers!! But feel so bad if not, have been so determined the boys lives will go as normally as possible… What should I do??? Xx
Weena felt like that too, go with the flow, flop, sleep. It does get better really and truly, must admit still not looking forward to doing it again & again.
Be good to yourself, why do we seem to need to be ok all the time.
Well time for a nap methinks even though I feel well.
Sarah, you simply will NOT be up for the birthday party - can you do it a few days early? I’m quite sure he won’t mind having his party before his birthday, and you will be much more able to cope!! Also, if funds allow, could you give in and do an arranged party at a soft play centre/bowling alley - so all you have to worry about is turning up and taking him home again? I know our local bowling place even provides the birthday cake and party bags… it is more expensive than doing it at home, but no mess, no shopping, and no hassle. I haven’t actually done it for mine… but every time I’ve taken them along to one of these parties, all the kids have loved it, and I always think…hmmm, I really should give in!
Sophie xx
Deb, rest up, try to sleep through it, wail if you need to. It does lift, remember, in just a few days you’ll be feeling ready to take on the world. Don’t even think on the next six… just get this one done.
Big hugs coming your way
Sophie xxxx
Sarah i tried the bracelets but in all fairness i dont think they worked. I came home at 3 and by 6pm the sickness feeling started. Got worse and worse til i was sick. Took em off at this point!! Felt much better after actually being sick.
Pat think ill join you with the nap, it must be time for one by now!!
Deb XX
Sophie thank you XXX
Sarah- agree totally with sophie re party. You will not feel up to it. Its my sons 7th a week today and am hoping ill be ok to take him bowling with a handful of friends. My concern is am i ok to do this when it will be during my vulnerable week. Cant keep locked up though can i?
Deb xX
Seriously, only if these are the world’s best-behaved 5yos should you try to do the party. 1. Ask friends, family to prepare party in your house & clean up, pref before your treatment. Make it simple tea, cake, few trad games or DVD. 2. Arrange a party visit someplace local, again try to get family, friends to drive & supervise, you taking it easy. Ask for help.
5yo is a bit young to understand a delayed party, so early is better if possible, also you want to be there.
I was having terrible morning sickness over D1s birthday, but these were 9yo girls and springtime, so OH picked up order from MacDonalds who could do that on short notice, bought cake instead of homemade, etc, and party was tea in garden.
Good luck
Cheryl
Annie, Deb, I have always found that resting when necessary gets more done in the end, whether putting your feet up for a few minutes, or a proper nap in bed. Trying to push on only makes things worse, and then you discover you have to do things over again.
You have to pay attention to your body, whether it’s telling you to nibble, drink, or crash out for a while. Do the truly essential and let the rest go until you feel up to it–and then take it in stages.
I’m going to listen to mine and go get some water now!
Cheryl
In the same boat as you Sarah, 6 year old’s party, and a 15yr old. Should only be a case of shelling out cash for the elder. I’m going down the soft-play route for the younger one. I’m trying to keep it in perspective, having just got through Christmas, and all the trauma involved trying to keep it ‘normal.’ It’s one of these things we like to do to ourselves as mothers…guilt and inadequacy! Really, truly though, they are resilient, and self-absorbed, and will not notice a thing!!
Tracey
Re kids parties, the sad, unpalatable truth is that no matter how much time and effort we put into arranging a traditional party at home, complete with home-made pin the tail on the donkey/passtheparce/musicalbumps and statues, good home made party food and cake we’ve spent hours agonising over, plus a small fortune filling party bags so that we don’t let the side down… take 'em to Charlie Chalks/Clownabout/mad running around soft play place, feed 'em utterly tasteless pizza or chicken nuggets, grotty generic party bag… for much the same price - and it’s that party they will rave about.
So don’t feel guilty if you go this route - you’re just being a generous mum and giving in to a child’s best fantasy party.
Sophie xx
Has anyone found a really good all over moisturiser that smells nice? The only ones I have are the ones that go with my perfume, and they’re too pricey to slap on every day - and I don’t normally use one (naughty, I know). I don’t mind spending a reasonable amount, but I want one that will work - my hands and shoulders seem to be the driest places at the moment, but my face could do with some help, too!
Sophie xx
I’ve been using Boots body butter, bergamot because the scent is not too strong. You need to soften it a bit before putting it on this cold weather. Normally I use something like vaseline hand and body, aloe vera, as I think someone else said. I use the back of a salad spoon to teach the bit in the middle of my back. It’s not cheap cheap, though it’s often cheaper in a multi-buy, but gives good protection. Normally I use in on holiday when swimming a lot. You might not need it every day. There’s a choice of varieties, such as cocoa butter, almond, shea butter, etc.
You could probably use this or decent hand lotion on your face, depending on sensitivity. I use clinique, very sensitive skin, but body butter ok on the rest of me.
Well I am tucking into a large glass of red wine tonight, in the vain hope it will help me sleep…
You are all absolutely right of course about the party. I have a friend who I met 3 days before our boys were born at the midwives, so our boys have known each other since they were tiddlers , She is having a pretty crappy time of it too at the mo, as she informed me on thursday that she has just walked out on her alcoholic ( you would never have known) husband… Bless her, she has 3 boys under the age of 5, the youngest only 6 months old… Anyway… I saw her earlier at another party and suggested we do something together the weekend before… Definitely not at home, good suggestion, mum said she will sort out all the food and my friend will sort out entertainment. Perfect!!
Vaseline intensive care do good body moisturisers, not expensive…
Anyone going down the wig route, tip from a friend… Cut up an old pair of tights to wear under it, like a bank robber only not as far down your face ha ha… Stops the wig itching.
Xxxxxx
Hey peachez so sorry to hear about the node in your tummy as if you don’t have enough to deal with. I had trouble sleeping and someone recommended to me to listen to a relaxation cd, so i got one popped it onto my ipod and i have to say it really has done the trick… (not to sure if it will relax me on wednesday night though!!!) I am near to you, i am having mine done in Basingstoke hosp at 10.30. Getting really nervous now!! I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Take care Kaz xx
hi everyone
i wanted to log on last night after having fec 1, but i was just too ill. am feeling much better today, hopefully will carry on feeling this way. Did anyone attempt the cold cap. I had a go. It was extremely painful for the first 10 minutes, then was absolutly fine. Afterwards the nurse informed me that i could only wash my hair once a week and should not blow dry it. Don’t think i’ll bother with it next time if this is truely the case. Has anyone heard any different?
i went into selfridges the day before fec 1 and tried on some wigs just to see how i would cope. i sobbed, although they had some very good ones, it just didn’t look like me. Think it was the first time that i realised that life was going to change for a while. On a better note i,ve never been 1 for hats but managed to find two that i think i,ll feel good in lol.
Maria x
Mari
Hi
I admire you for trying the cold cap, i have heard that it really isn,t a nice experience so i have decided to go bald and proud!!! It scares the s… out of me but i know its going to happen! I have been hat hunting with my best friend my sister and she has been very honest with me. Like yourself i am sooo not a hat person but hey after this i guess we will be, i dont fancy a wig either you never know about the wind and which way it will blow!! :-)) I go for my first fec on Thursday so only 5 more sleeps, thinking of you, take care Kaz xx
@Maria, stick with the cold cap if you can. The deal is this, my head is larger than average, no nice art hair fits so SO glad I’ve stuck with the caps. Wig fittings very traumatic and useless and I can’t be ****d to buy something online.
Spray hair, add conditioner, apply cap paying attention to top and above ear for neat fit. Change half hourly starting half hour before and finishing an hour after the E part has finished. Two weeks after FEC1 mine started to come out uniformly all over…hard week with my best friend the lint roller but worth it. Has thinned and need to wear headgear but with the help of colouring conditioner foam (water based so fine to use) no-one has noticed my hair (except me). This will allow you to style it without heat. I do wash it less and carefully with an organic baby shampoo (not Boots which is awful stuff).
Very, very little came out post FEC2 and now just post 3. I can avoid a lot of the comments that have hurt others…got quite enough else to cope with already!
It was more uncomfortable with 2 and 3 as hair thinner but only lasts a minute or so each change after the first. Each to her own, but keeping some hair makes the post-chemo phase faster as the grow-back is a bit easier…so I’m told.
hi
Kazza i think you are so brave. Yes you should be proud. i will be thinking of you thurs.
bacca thanks for your advice i,m going to take it all on board, and sorry if i went on a bit
Maria x
Maria - good luck with the cold cap - it does work well for a good percentage of people - I’ll keep my fingers crossed you’re one of them!
I just couldn’t be bothered, having had razor short hair before (back in my yoof), I kind of know what I look like with very little hair, so it didn’t really worry me. Having said that, it was still distressing when it started to come out - it’s one thing making the decision to have a radical haircut, quite another to have the issue forced upon you! Mine started coming out exactly a fortnight after FEC1, which seems to be very common, so OH clippered it down to stubble. Had second FEC yesterday, and chemo nurse commented that I’d done well to keep so much hair (think she meant that the stubble was covering well!), but lo and behold, midway through chemo my head started to prickle, and 24 hours later I have definite bald patches - mostly on the sides, prob. cos I sleep on my side.
My saving headpiece has been a camouflage baseball cap I bought from scarf hut for a couple of quid - it’s got a good long peak on it so even if my eyebrows go it won’t be obvious, it’s fast to pull on, and I can wear a bandana under it for extra warmth and coverage. Do have my alternative hair, but when I put it on, OH said it looked natural, but made me look a lot older, so it’s back in its bag in the bedroom!!!
Hair loss or no, it’s only temporary - just another thing to get through. Good luck with yours.
Sophie xxx