Hello to everyone today
I have been to have some complimentary therapy today. I had reike last week at the same place and it was really relaxing I had my best nights sleep for a long time on that night. Today I went to see about some coping strategies to help me with the canula on Friday. I have a needle phobia and was offered a PICC line last time around. I declined because I was worried I would get it infected(It would happen to me can’t help it have to have it all!!)Anyway the therapist gave me a relaxation CD and also some techniques on distancing myself from my left arm,thought she was going to suggest cutting it off but she mean’t breathing around a square . The idea is you focus on a picture frame or square clock even a small piece of paper. You breath in whilst following the top of the square out whilst following down the side in along the bottom and again out as you follow the edge of the square to completion. Get the picture? I was also given a little bag with a tissue infused with a mixture of aromatherapy oils to calm me, I like that one because it smells lovely plus a sponge in the shape of a starfish to squeeze whilst breathing.
I’ll let you know if any of this works.
All of you Angels who have had chemo this month already. Hat’s off you are all very brave just think by Summer we will all be racing towards the finishing line. Those also having Herceptin I have got to tell you Herceptin on it’s own is a breeze compared to Chemo.
Hugs n stuff Alex x
PS is there anyone of you from the South Yorkshire area?
Wow it really does look like most of us have turned the chemo corner and are heading for a few days SE free, hope so!
Awww Amber D, love the idea that your OH sent flowers as he couldn’t be there, that is so lovely and thoughtful.
Sausage sandwiches, butteries, pork pies - maybe that’s where the weight comes from on Chemo not the steroids/drugs/lack of exercise! 
Have a good sleep tonight everyone
Kate
x
FEC-T Cycle 2 Day 7
Aaarghh! Really annoying when it has taken me days to actually write anything that the post goes into the abis…start again Lori!!!
I had my 2nd cycle on Wednesday, felt ok Thursday and Friday, even managing to sit in the long awaited sunshine. Unfortunately it all went down hill from Saturday, I ended up taking myself off to bed in tears I felt like I had been hit by a train…everything ached so between this and the nausea which has lasted until today I have been feeling a little sorry for myself. Did not get out of bed til 5pm on Sunday but managed the sofa on Monday and Today!
I’m having a problem with this look in the mirror, I hope it is just because I have been in a very gloomy place over the last few days but this journey really does knock your confidence, sometimes leaving you feeling very sad and vulnerable. I hope to get a grip soon and try and pull myself back to a nicer place…maybe the light at the end of the tunnel will be a bit brighter after a decent sleep!
Amber D - Lovely flowers, very thoughtful of hubby, glad it went ok for you today, hope your still feeling fine.
Debra - Hope your doing ok, will be thinking of you on Friday, best of luck. Louis sounds lovely, just what you need to cuddle up to to make you feel better!
Pauline - sorry to hear about ‘your garden’ even on my worst day you made me laugh!!
Linda - Glad your home, hope your continuing to do ok and enjoying your own food its gotta be a bonus on hospital offerings!!
Sounds like a few of you ladies have taken to baking etc…I think I might give that a go, I can always blame the steroids for the weight gain!!
It is getting harder to reply to everyone as there are so many of us with so much information and tips to share, I have been reading all of your post and just wanted to say thanks to all - I will take as much from this as I can to ease through the rest of this pesky journey.
2 down 4 to go!!!
Thinking of you all,
Love Lori
E-CMF CYCLE 1 Day 5
Hi all
So good to hear some of you are coming out of s/es. I’m still feeling sick sick sick and heartburn definitely no sausage sandwichs for me. sleeping better now though and actually left house today to go to hairdresser. Just gone to a short bob this time I’m eeking it out! Lovely sunny day,a word of caution. On sat I had factor 50and hat after 5 pm and still burnt neck!!!
Welcome Alex, sorry you’ve had to join us.
Hope everyone sleeps well sweet dreams!
Mel x
whoops! trying to do on tablet, don’t seem to be able to delete them now.
Just found this link on another thread and found it very touching, thought the angels might like a read
butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/
night night
Christine
Morning AAA
i am from the April Bunnies thread. This day last year I had my first FEC & thought I would post how I am a year on from that terrified feeling you have before you start.
i was violently sick for 12 hours after each FEC ( tax was better for me) but now apart from not being able to stomach mint tea or rice cakes it is a distant memory ( make sure you don’t eat anything you like after treatment!)
I have a fab short haircut which is now dyed platinum, I was traumatized by losing my hair but like the sickness I got used to it & now it feels like it never happened. Oh & my eyelashes are so long they look false!!
i have joined a gym & now do yoga and Pilates. I eat no processed food ( couldn’t taste it on chemo so stopped eating). All my friends tell me I look better than I have ever looked.
i live life for today & never turn down an opportunity to try something new or do something I like ( always was a reasonable reason why not to before). Doing not having is my motto.
finally I have a wonderful new group of friends, the 16 women I met here. Last Saturday we went to The Connaught for afternoon tea to celebrate being a year on & on May 11th we are doing the pink ribbonwalk to say Thank You to bcc.
i know you are all feeling scared and in a long dark tunnel at the moment, but you will be amazed how quickly you emerge blinking into the light.
2012 was not a lost year but a different year & actually I gained more than I lost. So hang on in there & carry on supporting each other it does get better & it is easier with the support of your thread.
love & virtual hugs.
S x
Dear Lori, I had a good day on Sat we went to Speke Hall and then to a garden centre. Sun I was very tired my legs were so heavy.
Yesterday and today I have felt very low and have not got dressed. I cannot bear to look in the mirror and keep having dreams about having long hair. I work for a large airline as cabin crew and probably will have to wear the wig on my return to work.
I am dreading Fri for the next EC regime, no cold cap this time. Still got eyelashes and eyebrows.
Wish we could all meet up at a spa and stay together for a weekend.
Mel I will let you know how I get on with the next treatment.
Debra xx
Morning Ladies
I’ve been following your thread as likely to start Chemo in May. You are all amazing and although I know they’ll be se’s and down days you have shown it is doable so far.
Keep going and I’ll keep following xx
Fec-t Cycle 1 Day 15
Angie im with you and have had to call in the clippers as my hair has started to fall out big time. Had my head in the sand over this one as everyone loved the pixie. Bit of A Shock. 
The wig i have ordered has still not arrived. Feel panicked again.
Kim I love the wig naming and as soon as mine arrives I shall be naming her too.
Alex - Welcome, Im from Lincolnshire so not too far away.
Judy if it helps I have Lanssoprazole for heartburn and works great for me. Also the steroid tablets I had the ladies on here advised me to take the last before 3pm otherwise I would be up all night. Did that and It worked a treat.
Southpool - Thank you for post. Its great to hear from people who have fought this war and love the support and encouragement.
Luv n hugs to all AAAs. 
EC cylce 1 day 7
Hello all Angels,
You just don’t know how much support I’m getting from this forum. I’ve never been on anything like this before and I feel it’s one of the main things that will get me through and out the other side. Lori, I’m so sorry you’re feeling down at the minute and I hope it’s only temporary. PrimroseHill and Debra, I’m staring to worry about this hair loss business too. I’ve had mine cut really short but I think that when it all comes out in the sleepcap I’m going to blub an awful lot. I’m in my early 60’s but have always taken pride in my appearance - spent a small fortune on haircare an face creams. So damn, damn, damn! Kim, I’m looking forward to hearing from the wig people about my Danni. However, owning one and actually going out of the house, in bright sunshine or on a windy day worries me sick! Mel, do get some omeprazole or lansoprazole for heartburn. They work really well with no apparent s/es. Christine. thanks for posting the link to the dontlooksick thread - wish I was computer savvy enough to be able to post links but I’m sure that by the end of this journey I’ll have mastered the art of threads!
Southpool, thank you so much for sharing wth us. I’m sure I won’t be the only one who caught my breath and choked back a tear when reading your post. Without a doubt you’ve strengthened my resolve.
Moira xxx
fec-t cycle 2 day
just back from aberdeen where i got round 2 of chemo, quite tired but no s/e yet
To all the ladies worrying about their wigs I am sharing this to give you a little reassurance and a bit of a giggle. I was chatting to a lovely lady sitting across from me in the chemo ward and we were discussing our regimes. She was having chemo for lung cancer and her hair had gone very dry and brittle but hadn’t thinned at all. She says to me “oh what a shame your getting treated for breast cancer as it makes your hair fall out and your going to loose all your lovely hair!” I had a bit of a giggle to myself then explained to her that my hair had gone already and i was wearing a wig and she was surprised as she said she wouldn’t have known. As for windy days, the wig doesn’t move at all! Im due to go to florida in sept with my dh & kids and am now thinking even if my wig does survive a rollercoaster (might need a chin strap, lol!) it probably wont survive the heat 
Hope everyone is well today and managing their s/e
take care, Christine
Thank you for those reassuring words Christine. My hair looks pretty lifeless and, what with the grey roots, it really needs colouring - which we’re not supposed to do! So perhaps the wig has something going for it. Been on the Bohemia website this afternoon and ordered some cheap little jersey caps for wearing round the house, My OH wanted me to get bright fuchsia pink but I think that’s a step too far just yet!
Have a lovely evening Angels
Moira xxx
Fec-t cycle 2 day 2
Well so far so good, felt fine last night had a good nights sleep, woke about 8 and felt a little nauseas so took a domperignone and felt ok. So got up had breaky and the rest of my meds and have felt good all day so hope it keeps up.
Lori- sorry you’ve not been so good hopefully it will pass soon
Mel - I’ve got Omeprazole for heartburn
Southpool - thanks for your lovely message, you are inspiration to us all
Debra - sweetheart, hope each day you will get a little stronger and take time out when you need it. Good luck for Friday, it will be another tick box so think of it as a positive.
Melrose 15 - it’s definitely doable and just keep ticking the boxes and before long we’ll be off thic chemo rollercoaster
Moira - Iam with you on the support thing, it’s a difficult journey but we’re all in this together and helping each other through managing to have a laugh in between the good and the bad. Before long we’ll be looking back one year on
Christine - wig story made me laugh, glad your ok so far. Love butteries, had one yesterday whilst having my chemo
I’ve been keeping a diary since diagnosis which has really helped. I can look back and see how I felt in my previous Cylce and what to expect s/e wise. I will be able to read it in the future and take the positives from it and how I got through this journey and out the other end. Has anyone else done this?
I’ve just signed up for Race for Life in Inverness 12/5. Our team name is the Cosmopolitans because Iam on a cocktail of drugs at the moment and my favourite cocktail is a Cosmopolitan
sending good wishes to all and minimal s/e
take care xxx
hi angels, fec 1 day 8
hope you’re all well and coping with the trials of the day.
I went back to work today, drove 20 miles there and back and worked 8 til 4. at 3.30 the tiredness hit me so i just gathered my stuff had a cuppa and came home. i was so pleased, everything appeared to be perfectly normal and nice again.
everyone at work thought i’d already got my wig on because i dyed my hair darker a couple of days ago (to match my wig) so that was a giggle. they all know now that friday is d-day for the folicles so theyre looking forward to seeing my new ‘haircut’, i tell them all everything so they dont need to look at me weird or do that stuff that other people sometimes do when they dont know what to say to you. My boss has been fantastic all through this and just says do what you like, come and go as you please, so no pressure. I baked them all a big cake.
so all in all a good day. 
southpool - so inspiring, thankyou
amber d - yes ive got a diary, every tablet, every symptom. my daughters doing race for life in nottingham, so proud of her.
mosiecat - my mother in law said i should get a bright pink glittery wig. i didnt think it would suit me! stuck with brown.
to all angels, chin up! keep smiling 
angie xx
Fec T, Cycle 1 day 17
Hi Ladies, well got my wig today. Gave it an outing straight from the shop and went shopping then for lunch with my daughter (still feel good today BTW, my weekend away is looking hopeful in terms of no s/e’s:)). Have to admit it felt a bit wierd and not sure how much I will wear it but at least I have the choice. Will post a photie once I get one taken!
I was recommended a product called Talika Lipocils, it helps growth of lashes. I’m quite concerned about losing lashes so hopefully this will work. It is highly recommended. You can gt from Space NK, not sure where else
Lori / Debra - sorry you are having it rough, thinking of you xx
Amber (arg! Shona) - I assume you’ll be taking it easy during the RFL - well done you but please go easy! Love the name, are you going a just giving page? If so, let me know the details
Southpool - love your inspirational message
Hope everyone else is well
Pauline xx
Hi Pauline,
iam sure your wig looks fab can’t wait to see the pic.
The link to my page is
EC cycle 1 day 9
Hi eeveryone hope you are all doing well and coping with any SE’s.
Southpool - thanks for your great post, I really helps to hear from someone who has finished their treatment. It shows there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
Moira - I know what you mean about actually wearing the wig, I need to be comfortable wearing it before I go to a family wedding in the 31st May. We’ll just have to bite the bullet and see how we get on. Been to my mum’s for tea and she has bought me a present…a bright green Afro wig!! my 17 year old nephew was extremely amused,
Pauline - do you use the eyelash product now or when you have lost them? I must admit losing my eyebrows and lashes is a bit concerning , I have considered having my eyebrows temporarily tattooed but I’m moot sure if they would look just too false.
Angie - glad your first day back at work went ok.
kim x
The night my fiancé and I shaved my hair off was upseting, 2 bottles of wine helped. Now my scalp has stopped itching and the wig feels much better. I have walked with my cavalier Louis around Lymm dam in the wind and it has not moved.
i visit this site every night and feel cared for by all of you.
Debra.
I have put a recent photo of me wearing the wig!! On E CMF, still got lashes and brows!
Debra.
xx