Thanks for the update Philomena. Hope you’re home and comfortable now Sandy. xx
Angie I hope you’re feeling a bit brighter today. I second what Philomena said about going back to work very soon. I had my Occ. Health meeting today and she said I’m not fit for work yet and should wait the full 2 months post rads that the onc recommended as it takes a while to recover from rads. You’ve not had that recovery time. Do take it easy. xx
Kim I hope your appointment went ok.
Well done Amber for getting out on your bike. XX
Sorry Lynn I missed your post. Have a great time in Tenerife. xx
Hi all
Angie - hope you’re feeling better now. I know what you mean about wanting to run away. I used to feel like that often before I was diagnosed. I look back now and just see too much work, too much stress. I’m trying to work out how I can not return to that life.both me and oh were working far too many hours and not giving the time to the important things. Spend time with the people who love you, that’s What matters. Enjoy your break .
Judy- so good to hear you had already managed to change your life for the better. I bet you don’t regret it!
Mel- not surprised you need longer off from teaching. I know I’m Still on the chemo train but I’m thinking of not returning to work until easter if poss. Maybe I won’t Go back at all!
Sandy- glad to hear things are improving. One day at a time lovely!
I’m Just sooo tired. Blood test on Wednesday then chemo on Friday. Don’t Feel like I’ve Recovered from last time at all yet. I’ve been fretting a lot about scar and changed shape, which I know is stupid because it doesn’t Matter in the scheme of things, but I dream about it and wake up at ridiculous times thinking about it and then can’t Go back to sleep.
Love mel xxx
Mel nothing is stupid if it affects how you feel and you are still on a rough ride with chemo at the mo. Is this your last one? I don’t blame you for thinking of quitting teaching. It is very hard and stressful and too many hours. I’m like you at the moment. BC has taught me to focus more on what matters most - time with my family. I’m considering my options for a change of career at the end of this academic year. I also had that feeling of wanting to run away from it all at times before my diagnosis because I was working too hard and couldn’t see a way out. Judy definitely had the right idea. Good luck with the chemo on Friday xx
Hi mel
Perhaps we need an escape from teaching group! This will be my last chemo cycle, but I have 2 doses, this Friday and next Friday if blood test is ok. Desperate to finish, but I know there will still be weeks of feeling crap afterwards to get through. I’m on my knees really and just about dragging myself through the days, but I will get to the end!
Mel xxx
Hi everyone
I’m so glad Sandy is doing well and is hopefully on the way home today.
Angie - I hope you are doing Ok. I have admired how you continued to work throughout you treatment and returned to full time hours so soon after rads, I think a little break with your family will do you the world of good. I think we have all thought about running away at some point over the last few months and the love and support from this group has helped us through.
Judy - well done on making such major changes to your life. Five years ago I had an extremely stressful post and was working long hours including on-call, I never seemed to have any time for me or my family, I wasn’t as brave as you but I did take a much less stressful post a couple of bands lower which has given me a much better work/life balance. I’m now seriously considering reducing my hours even further.
I had a meeting with occ health yesterday and they have agreed that I can return to work in 2 weeks time, initially I will work 4 hours alternate days gradually building up to full time over the next couple of months. I feel ready to go back to work but am a little apprehensive as I’ve been away from work for so long.
Mel and Mel - it looks like we are all reevaluating our lives as many of our priorities have changed since our diagnosis.
Kim x
Nearly there Mel. It is hard for you at the moment and I really feel for you. You seem to have had the roughest deal out of all of us. Use the time to rest, spend time with your family and have time for you. I feel like I’ve started to find myself again and take an interest in things, whereas I didn’t have time for that before. BC and the treatment is cr*p but for me it’s been worth it to open my eyes to what is important in life and what living should be about. I really hope you start to feel better soon. Big hugs xx
Kim I’m glad things went ok with Occ. Health. Maybe the re-evaluation is what we all need. xx
Found this in another thread. It has 520 signatures, but think we can do better than that!
Free dental checkups and sight tests for cancer patients
Responsible department: Department of Health
All cancer patients should receive free dental check-ups and free sight tests for five years, i.e. during all treatment, as per the prescription exemption certificate received. Especially as chemotherapy is known to cause dental problems, and tamoxifen is known to cause sight problems.
Copy and paste the link below into your address bar:
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/53515
Pass it on!!!
Done 
Oh how ive missed you Angels.
Went in on Thursday went to anasthetic about 1.30pm. Woke up around 4pm hardly any pain. Oh and kids visited around 7pm still felt incredebly upbeat but hated the two drains. Still hardly any pain. Visitors left and I remember settling down for a snooze. Remember being woken up for BP and pulse check twice. Then Friday morning early hours woke up with so much pain straight away I pressed the panic button. It really was hidious pain nothing i’d felt before ever. Felt like the absent boob was splitting tried to look but couldn’t move. Anyway they did lift up my gown and I saw what looked like a giant boob four times the size of my other breast and leaking everywhere under the dressings. Next thing I remember was injection in my thigh, someone explaining another op then saying sign this, then text OH and tried to post you Angels, then something going in my canular arm. Then lovely oblivion. All I remember after is someone asking if this was my signature then a mask going over my face with a horrible smell.
Woke again early hours Sat with 3 drains in. I was in pain but bareable this time. Apparently i’d had a blood clot which stopped the drains working which caused a build up of fluid. They had to get hold of the poor surgeon who then worked into late Friday to clear the clot and put an extra drain in. I also have a hole in my back for some reason and have a pressure dressing there.
Im at home now after having two drains removed Monday and the last one today.
Can’t wait to catch up with your posts so am going to try retrace to last Wedsneday and take it from there as I can hardly remember the weekend at all. Philomena I do remember your call and best wishes. Thank you sweetie.
Hope your all been behaving and taking it easy. xxxxx
Sandy it sounds like you’ve had quite a traumatic time. I hope you are ok and feeling more comfortable now. It’s good to hear from you. Take it easy xx
Brilliant news about finishing rads Carol. Enjoy your celebration
Amber enjoy your bike rides xx
Congratulations Carol, hope the celebrations went on long into the night! Hope Tamoxifen is kind to you, I’ve been on it 11 weeks now and so far just a few hot flushes which seem to be lessening…or I am just getting used to them?
Sandy, good to hear you are home and on the road to recovery, take it easy and don’t rush things too much!
This is now my 3rd week back at work and its definitely getting easier but I am still only doing 21 hours. In Nov I will increase that to 28 and then hopefully full time in Dec but even then 2 days per week will be from home and I’m hoping to continue that for a while but we will see what the bosses say!
Amber, go for it, a little bit further every other day is a good start. I have been walking more and making sure I do more each time I go out.
Mel, good luck with the chemo on Friday, hope its not too hard on your body and the SE’s are under good control.
Hope everyone is doing okay,
Kate
X
Carol - Thanks we are all truly wonderful aren’t we sweetie. I hope you are enjoying the celebrations. I keep waking up and thinking yay that part is all over. What a journey were all having!!!
Mel - I’m wishing you all the best for Friday a long time coming for you but getting there never the less. Bless you. Were all on the platform waiting.
Amber - I hope your biking is going well. Getting your fitness up to speed and something to do whilst waiting for your OH to return.
Judy - Your rads must nearly be over too. How long has it between your surgery and Rads. The thought of anyone going near my right boob at the moment fills me with dread and it just dosn’t seem that long since yours. I know how you all felt waiting to get the results from your operations too. I get mine next Wednesday…I have no idea what to expect.
Kate and Angie and anyone else who has started work. I think you really are so brave and I hope that you have good supportive bosses. I just can’t think of it at all. It fills me with a sense of not being able to cope at the moment. Most of my low points are because OH is doing so much for me, the house, the kids, and going out the door at half seven to work. I cried yesterday when the nurse asked how I was feeling because i felt so guilty.
Mel A - Im really glad you met up with Rozz to walk the poochies. Wish I was nearer to meet with more of you.
Philomena - Thanks for passing on those messages for me and it was great to talk to you sunday. I hope I was ok. I was talking to you ok I think but those tramadol tablets they gave me really spaced me out. Are your Rads Se’s all over now.
Hope everyone else is ok. Hubby in for dinner. Going to get my sorry ass up and make him a coffee.
Lv and Hugs angels. sandy. xxxx
Hi everyone
Sandy you’re not to feel guilty for being ill. If your husband was ill you would do the same for him. That’s what families do. You won’t be down for long. Rest while you can.
Angie have fun on your pink day. I hope everything goes ok at the doctors for you.
I’ve just read a book about a really inspirational guy who was dying of ALS and completely losing his independence, but had such an amazing outlook on life. A truly amazing guy. The book was called Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. It’s well worth a read.
I’m off to Anglesey for a week tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it. Lots of time with my family and pooch
Hi Angels
Sandy- so glad you’re home and drain free. Don’t feel guilty, Your need for downtime won’t last long and like Philomena says family like to help.
Congrats to those who’ve finished rads- I just can’t keep up with you all.
I started last chemo cycle yesterday on a 75% dose after the disasterous 0 WBC count last cycle. Onc said I could skip it altogether, but I’d already geared myself up for 8 and I don’t ever want to look back and think I wish I’d had the last one. So 75% it is. last dose is next Friday. Have got friendly with 2 women I met at chemo clinic who also finish same regime next Friday so hopefully celebrations all round. Thinking of taking cakes but none of us will be able to eat them. Still the nurses will appreciate them. They’ve finally replaced missing nurses so yesterday was the quickest I’ve ever done, in and out in an hour and a half.:smileyhappy:
Up at 4.30 am as usual and feeling sick as a dog but nearly done! I start tamoxifen 2 weeks after chemo. Bit worried about side effects but just have to wait and see. Glad it’s going well for you Kate and you’ve been able to go back to work. I’ve just got another 3 month sick note from GP.
I’ve also referred myself for counselling at my cancer centre at the hospital. I just feel rather lost at the moment. normal life seems such a long time ago, and I don’t know which bits I want back. Well I know the bits I do want back but don’t know how to get out of the bits I don’t want - mostly work!! not sure how to escape from something i’ve done for the last 26 years, but I keep thinking if this comes back in the next few years I will regret having gone back. Sadly retirement not an option.
Judy- my skin did not start to break down until about day 15 of rads and got worse in the week after. Dressings were great in the end and all healed now. keep slapping on the aqueous!!!
love to you all
Mel xxx
ps lovely daughter ran the race for life last night in the dark. She did it with a friend in 28 minutes and raised over 300 pounds. tried to put a link on but it was removed. I’ll try to add a photo but haven’t managed this yet! I crawled off my sick bed to go and watch- so proud:smileyvery-happy:
Hi all
Pauline can you remind me of the dates we’re supposed to be going? chemo brain!!!
Mel xxx
Morning Angels
Pauline and Debra it good to hear from you again. And yes I can’t wait until 5th/6th April.
I know it’s been a while since your surgery ladies but I wonder if I can ask some questions just to put my mind at rest.
Should i be starting to feel a little better by now? ( Had my last drain out last Weds).The pain under the whole of my upper right arm feels like ive had boiling hot water poured over it. It also feels numb on the underside and has a tingling sensation too. It got so bad I ended up at A & E on Sat the Dr on call there at least took BP, pulse and blood. Everytihing was ok apart from noticable swelling on the breast and upper arm but the doctor daren’t do anything without getting hold of the surgeon and told me I must contact the breast unit this morning.
I tried, but the nurse said nothing can be done as he’s not in unitl my appointment on Weds. Now I feel like i’m being a nuisance. I’m already on paracetomol and tramadol so daren’t take anything else. It really feels like i’m getting worse but have done everthing I can in getting help. I suppose the only thing I can do is wait until Weds.
Did any of you ladies have this pain and sensation after surgery? If so how long is recovery?
Mel - Well done for sticking to the chemo regime. Must have been tempting to miss or reduce the last ones. Like you I felt I had to stick it out and give it my all.
Philomena - Great news for you and your family that you dont carry the BRCA gene. Now you can concentrate on getting better and having loads of cuddles from your kids, family, and Luca. (What a lovely name)!
Amber - I hope the starfish relapse is only temporary.
Mel - A hope youve had a great time in Anglesea.
Caz - Hope the finishing rads celebrations went well and you had a champers for me.
Judy, Kate, Kim, Lynn, Angie, Diggy, Lori, Hope your all ok and feeling well. Lv and hugs Sandy. xxxx
Hi Sandy I’m still numb around my scar after my surgery in Feb. Like Judy it took a good few months before I could sleep on that side. The main discomfort I had apart from cording was nerve pain in my arm pit, which felt like I was really chapped. I was told it was the nerves resettling after the op. I hope you start to feel better soon. xx
Philomena that’s great news about the bcra tests