Lovely to hear from you jos, sorry you have had a tough time both with your relationship and results from surgery, I have a seroma which popped up half way thro chemo and had to go back to get checked out by surgeon who ultra sounded it- oncologist thought it was cancer in lymph nodes, did you have an operation before chemo on nodes- sentinel node biopsy or just M.R.I ? My seroma they said would drain on it’s own and I think it is going down.i also had same problems in mammogram with the wire and only just avoided fainting, how awful for you just before surgery having all that extra stress. I can understand you feel so worried about chemo not zapping nodes , but you had a very good response with chemo on your breast so would think it would have done it’s job , this is such a rollercoaster for us all and nothing ever goes straightforward , could you ring breast care nurse tomorrow or the helpline on this site which I found very helpful when I needed answers, also take comfort in your clear margins, that’s certainly good news!
Once again sorry for your break up with partner, what a bloody awful time for you on top of dealing with this illness, sending you a hug and thinking of you.
Am not doing too bad physically, but very apprehensive at going back for results, like you today. I was also told chemo had done a complete response to tumour, but have had some scares in recent weeks and do worry about pathology results.
Breast care nurse did tell me that more ladies have node involvement than don’t, I also have several friends who in recent years have had many nodes removed and all are fit and well and carrying on with life, I know it won’t ease our worry though! Do you have anyone at home with you now, I presume ex partner is not living with you? I hope you have friends / family not too far away to help you.
Dear Jos, I am so sorry you have been having such an awful time. Coping with the treatment process is challenging on its own but having to deal with the break up of your relationship and now this latest bad news about the lymph nodes just sucks. And I can completely understand your anxiety that some stray cells may have escaped having similar concerns about my results. You probably need to talk to one of your medical team about this, they may be able to put your mind at rest. Are you having radiotherapy as well. What is your second op Tuesday for? Are you getting lots of support from family and friends?
Rosie, glad you now have an appointment to sort out radiotherapy. Only pity is that it means another trip this week.
Lovewine, your projected trip to the Imperial War Museum sounds good. I think they have an exhibition of Ww1 art. cherry and chilli chocolate sounds yummy.
Had a lovely day out at Hester ombré Gardens in Somerset which has an amazing garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll. Delicious lunch in rather posh tearoom- crab and mango salad followed by strawberry shortcake. Both simple enough to be tried at home though I doubt I could manage the beautiful presentation. We didn’t succumb to the champagne tea though. Only die side to the day is I now seem to have either a stinking cold or an allergic reaction to something so had to retire to bed, hopefully only for an hour or so.
Joan, hope it’s not an allergy related to the crab you had for lunch, hope you feel better soon.
Jos. I get my results on September 15 th. Must say the surgeon ability and skill continues to amaze me, what they can do now is incredible, even from 2/3 years ago things have massively moved forward. My friends had a general surgeon for their mastectomys , now we have specialist breast surgeons and all these different techniques! At least you have your sister here for support for a couple of weeks , although you will miss her ime sure when she returns to New Zealand, am sure you mentioned ages ago you were hoping to go and visit her next year? Something to look forward to is what’s needed.
Yes the waiting is awful, makes us all very anxious, sympathise with divorce costs! Macmillan cancer charity offer great advice on insurance too! Incidentally have you applied to macmillan for a grant, this is available to everyone who is being treated for cancer as one off payment to help with expenses etc, regardless of job situation etc, I applied and wAs very pleasantly surprised to have a cheque very quickly for £380.00, my breast care nurse filled in medical parts and only took a week for cheque to arrive!! Being self employed I am not entitled to any state sick pay or benefits so it was a real help!
If you have a Macmillan centre within your hospital which I have just pick up a form or look on Macmillan website for grant details or maybe ask breast care nurse- they send cheque really quickly too!!
Wildpurl, my wool is sirdar click chunky in blossom !! Am going to try and knit a cardigan and brush up on some forgotten skills! I love pale blue, hope you get a bit of wear out of it before chunky knitwear is needed!
Morning everyone, babysitting sons collie too today so had 3 collies to run ragged today!!
Rosie, an easy day sounds nice, particularly with all the travelling you are going to be doing! It’s nice to be involved though with your school and all the little ones!!- but tiring I would imagine! Enjoy your day. X
Jos, hope things are not as daunting today after a nights sleep, hope you can maybe speak to nurse in next few days.
Wildpurl, am hoping my wool arrives today as quite excited to get needles clicking!
Jackie, hope you are recovering well?
Joan, how are you today? Hope you are feeling better.
Have a good day everyone!
Hi Lisa, am trying very hard not to sneak back to work!! Not easy though for a control freak like me!
Nigel slater cake sounds really nice, I am not much of a cook but find his recipes successful even for a non baker like me!! His banana and chocolate cake recipe is really easy and delicious.i think you are wise not to go into work as before you know it you will be at full speed again! When they do the c.t scan is at the radiotherapy unit at the royal infirmary? Also regarding joint pain, i am not on tamoxifen but have found my joints ache particularly in morning and my back aches if sat still for a time, have read other posts further along than us and think it’s very common, I think tamoxifen does exaspiate the aches though!!
Hi Joan, seeing we are at a similar point in treatment could you give me an idea of rough time scale when radiotherapy starts after surgery? Would be nice also to squeeze a short break in somewhere!!
Lisa I had some discomfort in my legs and ankles after my final chemo. It has not been really painful and was more noticeable in the morning. It has gradually faded and I am not really noticing it now. I have been on Tamoxifen now for 20 days.
Evening everyone, thanks Joan for info, didn’t realise it was as long as that to start radiotherapy!
Rosie, sounds like your dad is in good hands even though a suitable bed or a diagnosis isn’t available right now,maybe by the weekend you will have more information, very frustrating and worrying for you.
Wildpurl. My wool arrived this morning , very impressed with website, wool arrived in a beautiful decorative bag which I am using as a knitting bag and came in less than 24 hours! Website I used is called -love knitting.com, highly recommend it!
Jos, good you are feeling less stressed today, I always find my walk every day does help and makes me see things slightly calmer!!- although not always!
Lisa, nice to know radiotherapy is not too bad, it’s another unknown thing to face again!
Best to everyone x
Morning all, Rosie, good luck with the early start and long day, will be very tiring! Hope all goes well.
Another grey, overcast day today, walked my dogs and now going to venture on my first trip out alone to nearest town for some boring essential items such and light bulbs and batteries and maybe some paint for furniture revamping!
Hope everyone is ok, Jackie hope you are not too sore.
Wildpurl, hope pilates went well! Good luck with the gardening, have you any plans visiting NT places this weekend? I am off with eldest son tomorrow to have a look around bric a brac shops for furniture to " do up" and then on Sunday hole to walk around Harlestone woods in neighbouring northants, it is part of princess Diana’s ancestral home and a lovely place to walk around.
Oh what a stressful day Rosie!! Talk about getting things moving- seems to be all at once!! I am getting worried that my herceptin hasn’t started yet either. Have a restful evening and maybe a quiet weekend!
Jos, sorry to hear of your problems, I have a seroma under my arm from lymph biopsy surgery in march, it’s not sore and doctors have just said leave it to drain on it’s own, did have it drained about 6 weeks ago but it filled up again about a week later! All the best for Tuesday, yes impatient patient sums it up doesn’t it, I am itching to get on with things and find it really hard to slow down. I also can’t take codeine or Tramadol as very sick too!
Knitting is coming along nicely, havnt done much today though as been busy washing curtains !!
Wildpurl, I would definitely take out yearly membership, am sure you would get a lot of use out of it, I am thinking of joining myself maybe next spring too. Well done for doing your gardening jobs!
Morning ladies,
Today is my birthday decided earlier this week I couldnt face it looking like a rather sad scarecrow so despite all the cold cap blurb I got an organic vegetable base hair dyebfrom H&B and it worked a treat looks really natural and no adverse reactions (did do a skin allergy test day before). So feel much more like my old self.
Still have slightly yukky mouth so although going for meal later with OH and son not expecting it to be great, not that relaxing anyway with a toddler in tow who isn’t interested in food !
Jos you sound like you’re in a lot of discomfort I didnt get seromas from any of my surgeries but know all about the shooting pains they can be really intense, I dont think any painkillers really help with it anyway. Unfortunately I found the taxotere appears to have homed in on my poor damaged nerves in my reconstruction and had lots of pain for about 10 days after treatment. Hopefully your pains will settle quite quickly and you dont have chemo to aggravate them.
I really know how you feel about your sister , my younger sister lives in California I havent seen her for over 5 years visits are lovely but then they have to leave. Definitely going to see her next year when all this is over. My other lovely sister lives over 250 miles away near Portsmouth so I only see her about 4 times a year if I had my way they would both live no more than 10 minutes away I miss them.
Rosie what a day you’ve had, I think after waiting for results the next worst thing is getting told different things by medical people. Its really scary when one consultant pretty much trashes what another has said who are you supposed to trust ? On the plus side at least you have lift off with your inflatables !
Are they sending you for a heart scan now ? I had one earlier this week its just an ultrasound takes less than 10 minutes.
I had to ring breast nurse to check if it had been arranged she told me 9.30 Wednesday, I didnt get a letter from hospital turned up to be told by sonographer I should have been there for 9.15 , said sorry was told 9.30 and can’t drop my son off at nursery til 9.00 so couldnt have made 9.15 anyway. She made big thing about fitting me in I saw my file on her desk it clearly said 9.30 and next day my appointment letter arrived in post (really useful
- not)it said 9.30, felt like going back and asking her where she got her time from. To be fair think she is the first snotty medical person I have encountered so far everyone else has been lovely.
She didnt say anything about the test, hey I’m just the patient, so opened the letter she gave me with the report in and everything was normal so should start herceptin this Thursday round 5 of chemo.
Looks like I have done something weird whilst typing this so am signing off before I lose the whole thing.
Best wishes toeveryone for a good weekend
Morning everyone, happy birthday tulamo! ?? I was about to suggest the same as Rosie in trying to get a suitable babysitter for your little one! Enjoy your day whatever you do! You were up very early so hope you went back to sleep for a few more hours!
Rosie, I quite enjoy going to our local pet supermarket, particularly weak when it comes to resisting dog toys particularly the squeaky ducks!! How sad is that, used to go to Dorothy Perkins and next for the same retail experience now it’s pet shop!!! Have a nice meal this evening even if it’s work related and good luck with the inflatables!!
Wildpurl, hope you have a good day and finish your cardigan, you may even be able to wear it tomorrow!
Jos, hope you are ok today and you Jackie? Cassie, Lisa, Louise, Nellie, tij, Booksandwine , Joan have an enjoyable day today.
Evening everyone, poor you Rosie, sounds very uncomfortable with the inflatables, I have only ever been a 34 A / B , so never had much bust, can’t really imagine what it is like to be without a larger bust you were used too, maybe a smaller chest would be more comfortable! I would definitely have a brandy pre dinner you certainly deserve one! And yes I buy large sacks of dry dog food from pet shop too! Enjoy your evening.
Wildpurl, hope cardigan gets finished and enjoy your trip out tomorrow…
I had a lovely day with my son, found some bargains too-a very nice , signed oil painting of Kingston on Thames, a vintage Turkish rug for £5.00, my son bought a fabulous leather chesterfield sofa for £120.00 in oxblood red- a real find!! Think I could get hooked on the charity shops/ bric a brac hunting, it’s very satisfying when find a bargain!
Yes Rosie, very rewarding! Hope you get a good nights sleep! And not be in too much discomfort.