Anyone due to start their chemo July 2014

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy monthly threads
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Hi hbunny, hope all went well with your final chemo today. Just the se’s to get through but hopefully it will help knowing this is the last time! Glad you had your radiotherapy planning meeting today too, it’s good to get the next stage sorted.

Thanks for posting the links, it will be interesting to watch.

BerkshireLass, I tend to get heavy legs as the week goes on, I’m usually ok by time next chemo comes round and for a couple of days afterwards so I’ve been trying to get on treadmill while I’ve got the energy. I’ve put on so much weight since starting chemo that I have to try and do something. Hope the Tax Se’s aren’t hitting you too hard, it’s a shame you won’t be able to go to Prague this Christmas, maybe you will be able to get away for a break in the New Year.

Cath, each treatment does seem to take more of a toll doesn’t it? Might as well just go with it and rest when you need to, if that means spending every afternoon on the sofa for the next few weeks, so be it. I’m still able to eat spicy food at the moment but not enjoying it so much. Think I might have to try out one of those eyebrow kits.

Fiona, my last chemo is due 6th Nov too, all being well. Not long to go, just get the rest you need now and we will soon be through it.

Shoes, I will look out for you and your funky 70’s style hat on Thursday, I’ve never made it as far as the lounge yet! Hope you’re feeling ok, how many have you got left now?

Wendy, glad you got to stay in a B&B near the hospital this week, 100 mile round trip is too much to do everyday. Seems like your radiotherapy has gone really quickly. Good luck with your first herceptin on Friday, glad to hear you can have that at your local hospital.

Mouth not so dry today but horrible taste back with a vengeance. Think I’ll have to have a glass of red in a minute to see if that helps. Really want to watch Gogglebox but don’t fancy the whole Stand Up to Cancer programme, all a bit close to home at the moment, especially as a couple of people I know have died from different types of cancer this week. Seems to be an awful lot of it around at the moment, has made me appreciate that awful as this is, things could have been a lot worse.

Congrats to all those July ladies who have finished, wishing you minimal SE’s, for the rest of us we will soon be there too!

Xx

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Hi Everyone,

 

Reading all the threads makes me feel there’s a sense of community in this group and it no doubt helped all of us keep going and feeling more positive.

 

The end is nearly in sight, my 6th and last chemo (TAX) is tomorrow and cannot wait to be done with it.

Hair looks strange, there’s a sort of a fluffy, pale looking thing, but it is there thank goodness and hope it will keep on growing and getting stronger, as like many of you I have had enough of my wigs.

 

Looking forward to the half term week when I have taken a week off as my sister and family are coming over to spend time with us, so planning to take the kids to Colchester Zoo and the castle and relax. My sister is a famous chocolatier and TV personality and has been a judge on 2013 Masterchef in Romania, so looking forward to some exquisite deserts yum :smileytongue:

 

I know this week will be the most difficult out of the three, but hanging on in there like all of you.

Three weeks to go and PICC line will come out too yippee !!!

 

Here’s to a minimal SE week xxx

Love, Flossie 

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Hi All, hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday, is it next weekend the clocks go back? Must admit I do enjoy cosy autumn nights.

Hbunny , did you manage to get anymore sleep last night? At least that’s it now, no more steroids for you. Hope your SE’s aren’t too bad and that you enjoy your break in Bath. Good that you have your start date for rads too.

Cath, unfortunately my glass of wine didn’t taste very nice but I’m going to try again tonight and hopefully I’ll be able to enjoy this one!! How are you doing today? Hope you are not feeling so wiped out in the afternoons.
I’m glad you got to wear your wig and it was comfortable. I used to wear mine when going out as every day is a bad hair day at the moment but I couldn’t really get on with it. It always seems to squash my ears and the little stocking thing always pings off at inappropriate times.

Slyolddog, congrats on getting your final chemo over and done with. Like you say, last time for the yucky mouth you will soon be able to enjoy food all the time. The heavy, achy legs are definitely slowing me down too and I didn’t manage to get on the treadmill today. Although I don’t want to put on anymore weight as I refuse to buy bigger clothes, I think realistically it’s going to be the New Year before I make a concerted effort to get fit. Hope you are not suffering too many SE’s.

Candyflossie , a chocolatier for a sister! Wow that must be fantastic. Hope you enjoy Colchester Zoo and castle. My kids used to love the Zoo but we haven’t been for years, I’ve never been to Colchester castle I really should make the effort as I love castles.

Good luck with your final Tax tomorrow, at least by the time half term is over you should be more or less back to normal and the SE’s gone for good! Glad to hear your hair is starting to come back too. Does anyone know if any of these shampoos which are supposed to promote hair growth are any good?

Chemo 8 of 10 on Thursday, getting there slowly but it’s encouraging to see so many July ladies reaching the finishing post. Although my treatment is dragging on a bit, the Paclitaxel does seem to be less harsh and although I moan about the horrible mouth and aching legs, it’s nothing like as bad as I expected chemo to be.

Hope everyone has a good week and escapes the storms. We are all getting there and will hopefully soon be able to put this year behind us.

Love to all, Karen xx

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Hi Ladies - sorry not been on sooner but had a busy week! Had last tax last Tuesday (yaayyy!!) - went ok but had to use surgery side for canula as the other hand was just not playing the game.  Was my youngest daughter’s 11th birthday on Wed so was then busy planning that and a sleepover for her and school friends on Friday night.  Yea, think it was a bit mad to plan that for few days after last Tax but thought it would keep me occupied! Sure did, but I survived (although I really did feel lousy yesterday but feel a little better now so hope to be through the worst of it now).

 

Horseslave - good luck for last one on the 23rd! Nearly there!! You’re right about there being so many other things to take on board during all of this - radio, hormones etc etc - hope the arm mobility improves for you and like your attitude regarding keeping it moving.  x

 

Cath - not long til your last chemo now then and glad to hear you have your appt for radiotherapy already.  It’s good to get straight onto that and aim for another block out of the way isn’t it?  (although a bit scary again with that fear of the unknown once more).  Mornings are best for me too so I also tend to get busy then and rest later (with a well-earned cake) x  I know what you mean about it being strange catching yourself with hair - I’ve also not worn my wig much and just feel like I have too much hair with it on!!  Have got a definite white covering now, hubby likes to call me ‘fluffy’ - how original, eh? x

 

Karen2609 - glad you’re doing well with your weekly treaatments and not finding it too bad - the horrible taste is really disgusting isn’t it?  I’ve really struggled to keep drinking, although food doesn’t seem to be a problem!  Hope 6th Nov comes round really quickly for you x  P.S. Hope the wine tastes better tonight x

 

hbunny - congratulations on reaching the last one!  Hope you have minimal se’s and get them over and done with quickly.   Thanks for the link - will try to catch that x

 

Slyolddog - congratulations on finishing treatment! Me and hubby are also planning a break and thinking similar to you - maybe we should send those two off to the sunshine and you and I  should head for the log fires and country walks, lol x

 

BerkshireLass - I also have heavy legs, especially last couple of days and can’t wait till they get moving again!  Good luck with reaching the end of chemo very soon x

 

Fiona - glad to hear your se’s are not too bad.  Hope it continues and good luck for your last treatment on 6th Nov - not long now x

 

WP23 - well done at almost finishing radiotherapy! Wow - that seems to have gone really quick!  Glad to hear you sorted a B&B and hope the tiredness improves quickly.  Good luck with Herceptin x

 

Candyflossie - good luck for last tax tomorrow and PICC out soon. Hope you have minimal se’s and enjoy half term week x

 

Got first radiotherapy appt tomorrow and been told it should start in 2-3 wks time (with one more appt due before then).  I’ve gone into a trial and been allocated 15 sessions with 8 boosters incorporated into those so only 15 in total instead of the standard 23 that I was due to get separately.  Also, got to book my flu jab - was advised to book that for 3-4 wks after last chemo once bloods are up again.  Oh, and start Tamoxifen next week - so much to remember!!

 

Apologies if i’ve missed anyone but sending one and all good wishes and hugs xx We are nearly there!!

 

JuSt

x

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JuSt - Congrats on getting your last Tax done and hosting a sleepover in the same week! Very brave of you. Hope you are starting to feel better now and are looking forward to getting the rads under your belt, it’s good that you only need 15 . My wine tasted very nice last night, looking forward to the time I can have a glass every Saturday night and know that I will enjoy it. I’m having my flu jab on Saturday, as I’m on weekly chemo apparently there isn’t a specific time to have it.

Cath - sorry I haven’t got any tips for dealing with vein pain but if it’s any consolation my veins improved very quickly after finishing Fec and I don’t have any trouble with them now.
I only wore the stocking cap thing as I still have quite a lot of hair, I don’t think you need to bother otherwise. That’s probably the reason it doesn’t fit very well and keeps moving! Hope you are feeling well, is this your good week now? Just think this is the last time you will have to think about a good week, after you get through the next set of SE’s they will all be ‘good’ weeks.

Wendy - thanks for your good wishes and the tip about the aqueous cream. I will have to get some for when I finally start.

It’s so annoying when you lose a post as they take so long to write when you have to keep scrolling through. I just managed to post a blank comment on a different thread somehow, I don’t know how I managed that!

Hbunny - well done you sleeping until 11.30, must be fantastic seeing the back of those steroids. Last time to get through the SE’s, they will soon be a thing of the past. Doesn’t seem that long ago we were all starting out on this part of the journey and look where we are now.

Looking forward to next chemo on Thursday, it’s a real boost everytime one of us finishes. Can’t wait to hear when my rads are going to start, I’m really hoping to get them done by Christmas.
Has anyone else got an appointment with their surgeon coming up? I’ve got one on 23rd Dec but don’t really know what it’s for.

Karen x

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Last chemo ( FEC) tomorrow…

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Morning Ladies,

Morag, good luck today hope it all goes ahead as planned. I’ve had a few delays as well which can be frustrating but a lot of mine have been because the chemo unit is so busy. I agree that this forum has really helped me get through the chemo, I wish I had found it earlier when I was first diagnosed as it would have kept me away from Google. As some of the others have said would be nice to put names to faces.

BerkshireLass, sorry to hear you are having such a bad time with the chemo. Has the nausea passed yet? 3rd Nov isn’t far away, hang on in there. July when we started this phase seems so long ago now and we just need to get through the next few weeks. With any luck you will be able to delay the op but I had mine a week before my son’s First Communion and I was fine just a little tired. So although it wouldn’t be ideal it’s nothing like as bad as chemo. Fingers crossed they put it back until after Christmas for you but if not sit back and enjoy being waited on.

JuSt, hope you are feeling a bit better now, those down days still hit us don’t they. Hopefully you are getting over the SE’s now.

Cath, just one more to go, good luck for Tuesday. Keeping everything crossed bloods ok. Strange to have come so far but these last few weeks seem hard to get through. The thought of hibernating sounds very appealing at the moment?

Horseslave, good luck with last Fec. Hope all goes well and you have minimal SE’s.

Wendy, brilliant news that you’ve finished your rads. You must be so pleased, and back to work so soon is admirable. Hopefully your herceptin will go well tomorrow, always good to get the first one done so you know what to expect.

I’m off for number 4 paclitaxel this afternoon, will be looking out for Shoes at Southend. My appt is an hour earlier this time and I’m really hoping to not be the last one left with a couple of nurses waiting to go home but not confident. As long as yesterday’s bloods were ok, that will have been my last full blood test as the next 2 can be done at the unit just before chemo. They took a bit extra yesterday as no one has any idea where I’m at menopause wise and this will effect which drug I’m on for the next 10 years.

Hugs, Karen x

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Karen will look out for you this afternoon you dont have to sit in the waiting room you just tell reception you are going to the lounge.

 

Anyway sorry guys not been on line this week too tired and no concentration. Its nice to see so many of you are coming to the end of your chemo if i have the 7 left i will finish the begining of Dec them its radiothereaphy.

 

Having this shortness of breath is becoming a pain landed in A&E monday but they let me home. Tummy is covered in brusies from the heparin injections for the blood clots i will be on them for another 5 months.

Hope the ses are better for you all this session.

Final note really looking forward to meeting Karen today.

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Hi all, lovely meeting Shoes yesterday. Nearly never happened as I was no good at recognising a 70’s style hat! Luckily we were put in the same bay at about the same time so found each other eventually.

Cath, glad to hear you’re feeling a bit more refreshed today, hope it lasted well at least long enough to have cream cake. Just need to take as many duvet days as you need and try to enjoy the rest as long as you are well stocked with cakes and able to eat them.

Wendy, thanks for the info about radiotherapy, I’ve only just been referred and am still waiting for first meeting so had no idea about procedure. I still don’t even know how many sessions I need. You must be glad to have that under your belt now. Glad your first herceptin injection went well, you must be glad to be on the 6 month trial.

Slyolddog, I’ve been advised my my onc not to go back to work until after rads. However I have a 1 1/2 hour each way commute to work and the hospital is in the other direction so it probably wouldn’t be feasible anyway depending on appt times. I was surprised though that when I told him I intended getting a train and then taking the 35 min walk he wasn’t too keen and said he would prefer me to drive. I don’t like driving and the parking can be a bit of a nightmare so not looking forward to that.

I’m also with you, and actively been encouraged by onc, to carry on with life as much as possible during treatment. I go shopping, out for meals and to cinema. He said the only thing I’m not allowed to do is go swimming.

I had a bone density and CT scan before my op as had spread to lymph nodes but I don’t know if I get anymore after treatment. Sorry to hear you’ve been suffering so much on this last Tax but hopefully you are on the up now. Last time ?

Lilac, glad you had a great time in Barcelona, good to have a boost and do normal things. Glad your first Tax went ok, the SE’s do tend to kick in a bit later than with Fec , I didn’t feel too bad but I know some other ladies have really suffered, it affects us all differently. Is that right that your last chemo is 25th Dec?

Hbunny, sorry to hear this last Tax has been a struggle. Hopefully you will be on the up soon and never have to go through all of this again. Will they not make another onc appointment for you since the last one was cancelled? I don’t know what happens after all the active treatment finishes.

Well 8 out 10 done, and all being well will be finished in two weeks time. Had a bit of a shock when I asked a nurse yesterday how long I would have to only wash my hair twice a week with tepid water, avoid hair products and blow drying once the chemo is over - 6 weeks! I was really looking forward to being able to jump into a hot shower and wash my hair everyday but it’s going to be near enough Christmas before I can anything with it.

Got home from chemo last night to find out my eldest daughter found my 9 yr old son crying his eyes out in bed. He was really upset because I was so late home and worried that they would keep me in for a week as when I had the infection. They just want life to go back to normal, don’t we all. When this year started I had no idea what it was going to throw at us, I can’t wait to see the back of 2014 and will be toasting the New Year, let’s hope it’s a better one.

Enough of that, wishing everyone a good weekend with minimal SE’s

Karen x

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Hi ladies sorry not been on been feeling sick since Yesterday and really tired after my 3rd tax. I meet Karen too and we had a good chat while we had our tax but i must inform you all that Karen does not look like a scarcrow :smileywink:she has a good head of hair not like me with my slap head.

Hope you all feel good especially the ones coming to the end of thier treatment.  Going to see if i can keep out of hospital this week as i see my onc on wednesday maybe he will change my sickness tablets and can do something else to keep my sugar levals lower after chemo. Breathing is better so far this week and no bone pain.  Catch up with you all soon xxx

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Hi Cath, good luck with your bloods today for final chemo tomorrow - whoo hoo. Just the last lot of side effects to get through and you’re there ( apart from rads - have you got a date yet?) Thanks for the tip about transport think I will look into that. Make sure you have a lovely cake before tomorrow’s treatment just in case you don’t fancy one after.

So hard for the children, however old they are.

Hi Shoes, hope you are feeling a bit better and not so sick. Glad your breathing is better and hope you get something for the sickness and blood sugar levels when you see onc tomorrow.

Hi Slyolddog, sorry to hear you are finding the side effects harder to deal with on this last one. I’ve got a feeling I may feel the same, although I’ve never felt really awful it just seems to have been such a long slog. Especially now it’s coming to the end. Hope you get your radiotherapy dates soon.

Feeling a bit down today, feet and legs ache and just fed up with it all. So nearly done with the chemo side but just want my life back and normality still seems a long way off. A few days ago I was feeling really positive and counting down days until last chemo. Oh well, getting there slowly, maybe I’ll get a letter today about rads I’m sure once I get a date for that I will feel better.

Hope everyone is doing well xx

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Good luck today, Cath x

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Just been catching up reading your posts. Glad some of us are approaching the home run. It does go quickly yet slowly too, I get that! The waiting for the chemo to subside is the most tedious part as you don’t quite have the energy to do anything really constructive.
I can’t concentrate on books, which is odd! Day 6 after last FEC. I expect I will get the odd ear pounding nausea day again on day 8? Then its job is done.
Spending lots of time resting, sleeping, its the best thing really. I know if I over do it, it delays recovery.
I really hope everyone else is ok, that their treatment is running smoothly with no hiccups and that spirits are high. Xx

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Hi All

I haven’t been online  for a while. Life’s taking over :smileyhappy: in a good way. I have started going to the gym, did my first zumba class on the 24th Oct and now back to working my regular 2 days. Did lunch with lots of friends which I seem to be doing more of now. Understanding friends have helped me to normailise my cancer.

 

I have read thro’your posts and so sorry most of you are suffering SEs. but upward and onwards because there is an beginning/end to all this. I still have my 3 weekly trips to the hospital for herceptin injections ( one year’s worth) but it’s doable  and have to take letrozole for 5 years. Don’t know if I will ever get used to the hot flushes and disturbed nights though. 

 

Glad to see that some are/have finished their chemo. the bummer bit of the treatment but necessary as we all know. Be strong and think happy thoughts

Love

Clare x x 

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Hi All,

 

Back to the world of the living this week after a lousy week after my last chemo (TAX) … I hope ever… My sister and family have been here for 4 days, ready to go back tomorrow, so it was a nice break from this treadmill of sorrows… you can feel the drama buliding can’t you :smileytongue:

It feels good to be off work for a week and when I’m back next week my energy levels should be on the up.

 

The same SE’s as the last two TAX, hot flushes were/still are tough to deal with as they’re interrupting my sleep. My periods have stopped during TAX, is this common? Are they ever coming back? I am 41.

 

Luckily I have got a date for my planning radio appointment, 5th November. What happens during these planning meetings?

 

CathC,  congratulations for having your last chemo, I bet you must feel so relieved, I was wondering as I remember you are triple negative too, why we have different treatments (I had 3FEC+3TAX), I should ask my oncologist.

 

Everyone , keep the posts going as it helps immensely :smileyhappy:

 

Love,

 

Flossie 

 

 

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Hi all feeling a bit down been ill all week with leg cramps feeling sick been to a&e again Tues they checked me out sent me home to much sickness going on in hospital so did not want to admit me.

Well heres why i feel down CHEMO STOPPED still had six weeks of chemo to go but the onc said i am not reacting well to Tax so he will not give me no more.He seem pretty sure i have had enough to prevent it coming back but he cannot be 100% sure. Sending me to see radiologist to decide where we go from here.

Feelings are mixed i cried when they told me i had to have it then cried when he said he felt it would be a danger to me to carry on. I will see him in 4 weeks then every three months after that for 2 years.

Hope to see Karen today as they are taking out my pick line today.

Hope everyone is well. Catch up with all later.

 

Final note please can someone help me stop the email notifications i have tried and not been able to do it.

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Hi shoes220

I’m sorry you are having problems turning off your email notifications.  If you go into your profile and click on “subscriptions and notifications” and then into “notification settings” that should take you to the page where you can switch off the email notifications.  I’ve attached a screenshot of what this should look like:

dropbox.com/s/ozk0ajzbmmiolxp/Screenshot%202014-10-30%2011.48.41(2).png?dl=0

I hope I’ve explained that clearly enough and that it works.  Do get in touch if not and we’ll do our best to sort it out for you.  You can also email moderator@breastcancercare.org.uk for help.

Very best wishes

Janet

BCC Moderator

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Is it normal to be soooo forgetful and to not be able to finish a sentence as you forget it half way through?!
Mushy brain me.
Sorry to hear about how some of you are struggling on the TAX stuff, I really feel for you. This last FEC I have had has not been too bad at all. Reckon they have meds right pretty much.

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Hi ladies,

Cath & Horseslave - well done on completing chemo - you’ve done it!! Hope the se’s are minimal and over and done with really quickly x

I should’ve been to hospital today (Fri) for a second planning appt then was due to start radiotherapy next Tuesday but they rang me a couple of days ago to say there has been a delay with my planning so my appt is now next Friday with rads due to start Mon 10th Nov.  Was a bit miffed at first as I was all psyched up to go but now just intend to make the most of next week (maybe even get some Christmas shopping done - yikes!).  

Off to Wales for the weekend and just been out locally to do a quiz (hence the late night) - went out bald (well, with my bit of white fluff) knowing I’d see quite a few people who I’d know and I didn’t mind at all - funny how I used to spend a fortune getting my roots done all the time but now don’t mind being white/grey.  That may well change though when there is more of it, especially if it gets too unruly (hard to imagine how it will be as it’s growing) so will keep hold of my wig and turbans for a while longer (and for the cold weather).

Hope everyone is doing ok with minimal se’s - wishing you all a good weekend.

Take care,

JuSt

x

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Morning all

Sorry not been on here for a while, it’s been a hectic half term ferrying kids here, there and everywhere. I’ve been reading all the posts just not had time to reply.

Gill, I had a similar experience with my first Tax, thought I was doing really well and to be honest never felt ill at all but still ended up in hospital for a week with an unidentified infection. It took 5 days of IV antibiotics to get my temp down. When I saw my onc the following week he said 40% of patients on Tax end up in hospital at least once and refused to let me have anymore at full dose so instead of having last 2 I was swapped to 6 weekly paclitaxel. I wasn’t very happy at first as this has delayed my finish but I must admit it has been much easier on me, the only SE’s I’ve suffered have been horrible dry mouth and aching legs/feet for a few days each week.
I hope you get something sorted for your next dose, another suggestion was to have a reduced dose of docetaxol. Unfortunately my way of dealing with horrible taste has been to try and eat it away so the weight is piling on even more, major diet ahead once all this is over, my face has never looked so round ! When is your next chemo due? Wishing you lots of luck for an easier ride, nearly there now.

Cath, sorry to hear you’ve been feeling yucky at least this is the last time and every day is a day nearer to being back to your normal self. Hope you are feeling up to cake soon!

Had 5th paclitaxel on Thurs so only 1 left to go, unfortunately Shoes and I missed each other this time round as I had an earlier appointment and only went in 10 minutes late. I’m feeling much more upbeat at the moment but that could be down to the steroids so could dip in next couple of days.

Had a few late nights as eldest daughter has been in local theatre production of Les Mis, luckily her friend’s mum has brought her home so I was able to doze on sofa while waiting up. We all went to see the show last night it was fantastic and lovely to do something normal.

When I got home from chemo on Thurs I had a message from my bcn that my first Radiotherapist appt is booked for next Thurs. Unfortunately this clashes with my last chemo so I’ve had to postpone it a week which is annoying as I just want to get on with it. It doesn’t seem like they do the planning at this appt either so looks like I won’t be finished before Christmas now.

Sorry not to reply to everyone but there are too many posts to catch up on but hope all those suffering from SE’s start to feel better soon. Congrats to everyone who has finished chemo recently, good luck with the rads and best wishes to everyone who has finished rads.

Hugs, Karen x