Anyone due to start chemo April 14??

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy monthly threads
2501

Happy new year ladies,

 

Feeling a bit deflated here too, Christmas day went well, we played some games after lunch with GS and my eldest brother and two daughters, it was amazing GS joined in he usually cannot be persuaded he just showed us all how bright he is, I have a feeling that he may have a photographic memory, the games we played were a logo game and also game that YD had picked up in M&S, I can’t even remember the name of it but it was a general knowlege type of game giving about 6 clues gradually becoming more obvious starting quite obscurely, naming places, authors, groups and items, it was aimed at over 13’s but GS did very well.

 

YD & ED managed to have a fall out in the early hours of Boxing day, I was asleep at the time, I do hope they manage to sort it out YD did not even see ED on her birthday or get a card on New Years day, her birthday.

 

We are having our CQC inspection on the 11th at work so its very stressful at work and all annual leave had been cancelled, unless of  course youre lucky enough to be already out of the country.

 

New years resolutions try to loose some more weight and not worry about anything or anyone too much, generally look after myself for a change!

 

I have just finished knitting a rather 70’s style jumper for myself and will start on the making up this afternoon. Have a good weekend.

2502

Well, xmas is just about over, I can’t believe how quickly It has gone and like some of you feeling rather blue about the prospect of back to work and dark January days, a few nice things to look forward to but nothing like Rosie’s Caribbean  trip though I have been looking at a few brochures for a holiday later in the year.  I love your barter arrangement of dog sitting in exchange for reduced school fees, Rosie, also your in house cheap manicurist. 

 

The planned visit to the Tudor house was a washout since it was closed. Entirely my fault, just misread the details on the web site. Finished up at World Wildlife a photographer of the year exhibition, which saved the day. The Sherlock Holmes game was good, so we spent an enjoyable evening in on New Years eve then went to YDS lunch. ED and partner left on. Saturday then we picked up GD for a sleepover. Now recuperating. 

 

SILS mother continues to make good progress. His fathers pneumonia has cleared and an MRI scan has shown no brain damage. He still cannot swallow so they are going to replace the nasal tube with one straight into his stomach which hopefully will be more comfortable. 

 

Cassie, what a shame your two daughters have had a falling out. I hope they patch it up soon. Xmas can be such a fraught time with emotions running high, but particularly disappointing after such a nice xmas day. A pain about the inspection too. 

 

Wildpurl, interesting about vitamin D, which makes perfect sense. I have been taking seaweed pills, recommended by the dietician at the Penny Brohn Centre, who says seaweed has all the vitamins and minerals we need.  I also sprinkle  dried seaweed on soups. 

 

Lovwine, glad the dogs chemo went well. Glad you are continuing to enjoy the Roy Grace series. Yes, I have read the Galbraith books, and am looking forward to reading the new one. But having succumbed to buying the new Ian Rankin I shall have to hold off for a while. Looking forward to Endeavour tonight. Not sure about the Sherlock. Clever and funny but perhaps a bit too complicated/clever. And I didnt see  why the suffragettes were in klu klux klan hats and robes although DIL says it references back to a story called the 5 pips. Much of the story was filmed at Tyntesfield, the local National Trust house where YD used to work so it was particularly interesting to us.

 

hope everyone weeks are not too dismal. I shall have to tackle taking down all the decorations in the next couple of days. Wednesday we shall be doing our extra days childcare so there will be little time and even less energy. 

2503

Good morning Rosie, it’s very dark and pouring with rain again! Fed up with hosing down dirty wet dogs every day- having border collies means I need to let them run over the fields- can’t do a quick road walk unfortunately???- wish I could days like today!
Hope you get your washing dry- sounds like you will, a big improvement with Cyprus weather??.
It doesn’t take long to slip back into the old routine does it!! I am the same when OH comes to bed later - wakes me up and then can’t sleep ?, I have an unpleasant habit of waking at 4.00 a.m now and can’t get back to sleep and then spend the day tired!!
Hope you are all ok.

2504

Can’t believe I haven’t posted since Sunday. Had a busyish week with things starting up again: Qi Gong on Monday, my new course on Tuesday afternoons, this time on short stories, acupuncture plus grandchildren on Wednesday (late back because YD got stuck for 4 hours on the M5 because of an oil spillage). Plus a bit of work but fortunately not very arduous. Oh yes, and restoring the house to normality and searching for the insides of a Russian doll father xmas which the grandchildren were playing with but have disappeared. Great shame because we bought it in Russia. What I haven’t managed to get back to yet  is swimming and gym. Much needed. That was brought home to me sharply at my acupuncture (sorry, not an intentional pun) when the guy stuck needles in my tum and I lay there exposed seeing them stick up out of a mound of flesh (like the top of Glastonbury Tor for those who know it.)  Very embarassing. Went to an interesting talk today at the  Penny Brohn Centre on resilience, given by a doctor who works partly at the centre and partly as a GP.  

 

Rosie, hope you are managing to get through all the washing. The very thought of being able to dry things outside seems very remote here, they would probably go mouldy. I’d be interested to know which camera your OH has treated himself to and whether he is pleased with it. When is your next hospital appointment?

 

lovewine, thought of you today as I tackled the ironing. Don’t know you manage to do it all. How many of the Peter James books have you devoured now? Glad YS first day n new job went well, hope the rest of the week has been the same. Good luck with your shopping on Saturday. I shall also be hitting the shops, looking for a ‘really nice’ handbag mirror which YD has requested for her birthday next week. Hoping I can find something unusual in a small shop and don’t have to go to the mall. have looked on line where there are hundreds, but the only ones I like are out of stock. The difficulty of a birthday so soon after xmas.

 

Wildpurl, hope your first week back has not been too challenging and that you have the day off tomorrow to recuperate if it has. 

 

Cassie, I’m sure your week will have been stressful with the inspection due. Hope you can have a restful weekend. 

2505

Hello Ladies,

 

What a nightmare week, I have not stopped, no days off this week leave or my normal non working day, (I have been in  the office until 6.30 almost every evening laminating posters inspection rooms nagging staff to clear inboxes, making up files for other staff to organise them, setting up shortcuts so everyone knows exactly where everything is, I could go on and on. I will be in the office on Sunday too to set the too small room up for a presentation to 15 people, not sure how they will fit in but somehow they must, apparently I am the only one who can set up a projector and I could not do it this evening as the PM is having the carpet cleaned tomorrow ! Enough of work.

 

GS is comming tomorrow evening bless him he had a bad day Thursday at school and ED found him sitting in the office when she went to collect him from school, he had behaved badly in class lost his temper and threatened to throw a chair apparently, he is so sweet the rest of time its difficult to believe he does do these things he was very remorseful to staff and cried to his mum and said he did not deserve to go to Yo Sushi which she had promised as a treat earlier in the week if he was good. Its really sad he said he cannot control his brain sometimes, I just want to give him a big hug.

 

The weather is much colder today in London and due to get colder still, there is no way I could manage without a tumble dryer Rosie largely because I don’t have any outside space at all.

 

Lovewine M&S should deliver any items instore for free, I usually have to order either online and request delivery at the store or if I go to the shop nine times out of ten they don’t have the size I am looking for and I am the opposite of you 16-18 these days and not happy about it.

 

My cat is feeling the cold he is either sitting on you, under a radiator or in his hammock, bless.

 

Joan John Lewis have some nice compact mirrors £17.50 - £35 for a Vera Wang one, very stylish though.

 

Have a good weekend ladies, I will try too.

 

 

 

 

2506

Morning ladies, Rosie, my dog walks are still resembling a swamp?, good thing I only have wooden floors in my house! Good the concert went well, how lovely for the family too. I expect you are going to be busy when you get home sorting out for your trip- hope the oncology appt goes ok too.? I have found gradually since my last Herceptin in sept my nails are now growing better and eyelashes too- still get very watery eyes and nose though.
My navy jumper I bought in Next wasn’t in the sale - nothing seemed to be when I went on Friday, they had some very nice new stock in- have my eye on some other jumpers too- blue and white stripe and a cream stripe!
Don’t think I am doing much today - washing, paperwork and maybe catching up on Midsomer Murders later!
Have a good Sunday whatever your plans everyone!

2507

I’m up for another meet too. When would you be in Bristol Rosie? We’re away over Easter from 26 March to 2nd April. 

 

Thanks for for all the suggestions about handbag mirrors ladies. Spent all yesterday morning looking in small shops in Bristol to no avail and John Lewis only had a very limited selection. Bought a quite nice cheapie in Wells on Friday so unless I have any luck this week YD will be getting that with a promise of something better if she or I see anything.  morning not wholly wasted though because bought three tops in the Sahara sale including a bright red one, which is not really my colour but looks very cheerful. Much needed in this awful weather. 

 

Lovewine, hope either the huffing and puffing has diminished or your knitting acted as a distraction. No, I haven’t found the rest of the Russian doll yet but, on the plus side, I have found two mugs which I bought at  a sale at Dartington and had planned to give to ED and SIL at xmas but went AWOL. Good news about your nails and eyelashes. 

 

Cassie, what a horrible week you have had. And to have to go in today is too much. At least it will soon be over and hopefully all your hard work will have paid off. I I really feel for your GS, his comment that he sometimes can’t control his brain was so poignant. I hope you both enjoyed his stay. 

 

Rosie, what a beautiful picture of your GS. he looks gorgeous and I love his outfit. You are certainly having a hectic time before you head off to the Caribbean. An oncologists appt en route to the airport sounds very time efficient though not the most relaxing start of your holiday. I’m sure you will have a wonderful time once you’re there. You obviously have some very talented children in your school. 

 

Wildpurl, what a nuisance about the delay on your implant swap and the potential delay on the oophorectomy (I hadn’t heard that term before so confess I had to google it). With luck things will be sorted out soon but your plan to ask for a referral for the op seems sensible. Hope your week at work is not too stressful. I am determined to go Swimming and/or to the gym at least once this week. 

 

Hope you you have all had good weekends. We braved the cold and wet this afternoon and tackled another of the Somerset churches. Had hoped to do another but it was closed. Now warming up in front of the fire. I have another very easy week worksite (it won’t last once my new project gets off the ground) but for the moment I am really enjoying the unfamiliar feeling of having enough to do (in terms of non work activities mainly) but not feeling rushed. I realise now that my pre Cancer life was just rushing from one thing to another. 

2508

Good morning ladies- it’s raining again so will definitely get muddy again??. Rosie I am hoping my workload is a little slower this week, today is fairly steady but tomorrow very busy , hope you complete your packing, I am afraid I am like DH and take far too much and then don’t wear most of it!
Good you caught up with the family too, of course you have the wedding to look forward to in the summer- how lovely???, a nice time of year for a wedding as well!
Cassie, hope you are ok and not too stressed out , hoping all goes smoothly.
Joan, are you planning on going out for your daughters birthday ? Hope you have a good week and can find time for swimming etc.
Wildpurl, my OH is driven mad by my stress of the motorway!! I am always telling him to ’ watch the lorry’, the other cars, too close and too fast etc etc??. Expect you are planning your growing season now? Thats always uplifting!
Bad back update- after a day of OH huffing and puffing and looking like a martyr for dragging himself around !??, it seemed to be slightly better- mainly because I pestered him to take anti inflammatory pills and warmed up a pack for him to lean on- I just wonder why he didn’t start taking them at the first sign of back pain !!
Have a good day everyone!

2509

Sorry Rosie, just worked it out. 

2510

You seem to have had an eventful couple of days Rosie. Lucky escapes both in terms of avoiding and insurance fine and, more importantly, an accident. Not so lucky with having to do an impromptu maths lesson. Commiserations on the shorts. The church was Axbridge. Lovely church and lovely town square. 

 

Lovewine, we shall probably have a family lunch here for daughters birthday, on Sunday. Saturday its GDs family birthday tea so ED and partner are coming down. Hope OHs back continuing to improve. As you say men do seem to be pretty pathetic about looking after themselves. 

 

Got  myself started back on the straight and narrow with swimming this morning (not many lengths and it was a real effort but a start) and meditation this evening. Also no alcohol since Friday and kale with supper! But it is only Monday.

2511

Rosie, I won’t catch you tomorrow since we’re on GS duties so have a wonderful holiday. Hope OH gets his packing done without completely driving you to distraction/ staying up till the small hours and that your anxieties about the journey don’t make it too much of an ordeal for you. Also hope all goes well with the oncology appointment. 

 

Went to to my short story class this afternoon which wAs taxing but enjoyable. One of the stories we looked at called The give was about a married couple who had developed an interesting way of ironing out minor marital irritations. Every year each of them could ask the other to stop doing something irritating and the other had to comply. That’s the ‘give’ . I thought I might introduce that. I can think of quite a lot of things I might ask for though, starting with really minor ones like not leaving drawers half open, which drives me mad. Trouble is I’m sure OH would also have a long list!  (In case the story sounds really boring the wife’s ‘give’ was for her husband to stop having sex with their male lodger! 

2512

Good morning ladies! Rosie, I hope you are ok and well on your way on your journey! The travelling is always the worst part.
Have woken up to sleet and some snow , it’s turned much colder?.
Hope all ladies are doing ok- nearly end of the week!

2513

Quick good morning from Heathrow! Depart in 1.5hrs!?
Oncology appointment stressful! Had blood test and need to have ultra sound and chest X-ray. He agreed the right implant is very tight and asked me what the surgeons plan is!?
Have a good day ladies!

2514

Rosie, hope youre managing to stay warm in New York, quite a shock after Cyprus. Did you manage to get to the Empire State Building in time to avoid the queues? Pity your oncology appt was so stressful. Although you would have already known the implant was tight I I guess having a professional confirm it makes a difference. Hope you manage to put it to one side while you’re away. (I did wonder whether I should say anything about it for that reason). I’m getting myself a bit worried about having an MRI on Monday. Although it’s part of an investigation into my cough it does bring back all the Cancer stuff and of course, probably irrationally, I’m worried that they might find something. 

 

Lovewine, after finishing the Ian rankin  I decided I needed to read something other than detective novels for a while. But I do have a Jeffry Deaver beckoning me so don’t know how long I will last out. Who wrote the book you mentioned.

 

wildpurl, will it be a flying visit to Paris or will you have at leadt a little time at leisure? I haven’t heard of the author you mention but will check it out. 

 

Must dash now, husband and GS just come back from the apparatus at the play centre and attention is required. 

 

 

2515

Good morning ladies snow? No snow here although part of a lake in Central Park had ice on it! I didn’t make the Rockefella Centre yesterday I stayed in the hotel as we had walked a fair way round Central Park as my right leg plays up! Something else that needs sorting!?
We are being transferred to ship at noon. No free wifi onboard so it maybe Wednesday before I can touch base. Stay well ladies!x

2516

Good morning ladies, just wanted to say I hope everything goes well for your appointment today Joan.
Another week begins, can’t believe we are mid January already!
Rosie, hope your boarding passes smoothly and you can look forward to some warmth!:sunny:?, enjoy it!
Wildpurl , good luck with the Paris trip.

2517

Evening Ladies,

 

Lovewine it truely looks like Narnia in the photos you posted and you poorly doggie looks very content, we have only had a light sprinkling in London.

 

We are just coming down from all the activity at work in the last couple of weeks, still some more submitting of evidence to do but pretty much finished with it now, thank goodness. I have so many appointments coming up in the near future I just hope I remember to attend them all, its my birthday on Friday and YD has something planned, but is remaining tight lipped. I have a three consultant appointments a scan a mammography and a minor surgery appointment which is the first one, it makes me feel old and ill which I am not.

 

I am jealous of your travels ladies I think it may be time to plan my next trip somewhere warm.

I had GS over the weekend and my internet went down, he was not pleased. YD daughter seems to be getting on OK in her new job with Virgin, maybe some air miles may come my way, here’s hoping so.

 

Keep warm and cosy Cassie

 

 

2518

Cassie, glad the worst of the inspection work is over. I was going to say you will be glad to get back to normal but that is pretty hectic anyway, so I hope work is less pressurised for you than it was last year. Like Lovewine I had chemo first so it was quite a shock to read that you are due for your checkup. Have a wonderful birthday even if it doesn’t involve air miles. 

 

Lovewine, good that things are settling down for you too work wise and that the dogs chemo went well. We haven’t had any snow here at all, much to GDs disappointment. I keep thinking of you while reading my current book which is called Fifteen dogs. It’s rather strange, about 15 dogs in Toronto who are given human consciousness by two Greek gods. Not sure I would recommend it though, three quarters of the way through  and all but two are dead. I didn’t chose it, my husbands xmas present to me was signing me up to a scheme called improve your bookshelf, whereby I get sent a book a month. 

 

Rosie, you certainly packed in a lot in your time in New York. That bar bill sounds extortionate though and the bar attendants rudeness is no recommendation either. But at least you enjoyed the show. Hope the trip is going well, think of us as we shiver. 

 

Wildpurl, not sure exactly when you’re off to Paris but hope it goes/is going/has gone well.

 

the last few days seem to have been quite busy. The weekend was lovely with first GDs family birthday party, then YDS birthday on Sunday. I made a rather spectacular pud three layers of coffee and hazelnut meringue sandwiched with a hazelnut and chocolate filling and cream. It was enormous. It was supposed to serve 10 but after 5 people had had seconds we were still only halfway through. The remains went straight into the freezer to prevent temptation. Monday’s appt turned out to be for a CT scan rather than an MRI (the doughnut machine rather than the tunnel) so the actual experience was fine but I came away feeling really wobbly. Won’t get the results for a couple of weeks. Had my 5th acupuncture on Tuesday. Part of the session was discussing diet. Help, I’ve been advised to cut out coffee and cheese and stick to white wine! Good news re in laws, he came home yesterday and she is due home today. Apparently they are sending a team out with her to assess the house. Seems a bit late for that. 

 

enjoy the rest of your weeks ladies. 

 

2519

A quick hello from San Juan! Arrived after 3 days at sea!? Will have to catch up with the thread when we can have better wifi! Love to you all!x

2520

Love wine sorry to hear your oh is not too good do hope it will be short lived! Going on a snorkelling trip this afternoon they provide floatation jackets so hopefully I will manage! Wifi very hard to get here so will have to grab while I can and catch up on return!