Anyone else with liver secondaries?

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141

Hi Silver Lady

its really amazing the difference in peoples reaction, one colleague took time out of a 3 day trip here from the US to take me out to lunch for 2 1/2 hours and really talk to me - nicely,positively…no silliness…and one of my oldest "friends"who I have known for 22 years took the news quite calmly and told me she was very busy with christmas and will call me in mid January! Who knows what will be happening in January.

I am being treated through my work insurance at london clinic…not sure how long that will last. Hope you are keeping ok.

Cathy

142

Hi all

And a big welcome to you, Cathy, even if it would obviously be better if you didn’t have to be a member of this club. I was diagnosed in May this year with a liver secondary - after 4 years and 9 months clear!! And just like you it was picked up through a routine blood test which showed a rise in the tumour markers. Hopefully you will find a lot of support through this site just as I have done - I’ve found it so valuable. I also empathise with you over the friends - some people just don’t seem to want to know even when I thought they were good friends and I’ve certainly noted a big difference in people’s reactions to this secondary diagnosis and to the original primary one. But there have also been some real surprises - people I wouldn’t have expected necessarily to have shown much support, who have in fact been wonderful. You certainly learn quickly who your real friends are!

Good luck Jen with the appointment tomorrow - hopefully you’ll agree a plan forward. I always find that helps me feel more in control. I’m hoping that’s what I will get tomorrow as well when I see the liver surgeon - just hope it’s the plan forward that I want though!

Still keeping everything crossed for you Dawn!

Love to everyone Kay

143

Hi everyone,
Been away from here a couple of days and such a lot’s happened - as someone said, we are all coping with so much stuff and changes/news/new treatment regimes etc.
Dawn, hope your body is responding to the ABs and behaving itself. I really hope all is OK for Sat and Monday. As you say, if the worst happens and you are in hosp you can always get a pass out, or even discharge yourself if you want to be a real rebel!
I think the laptop is a great idea -why should the kids get all the great presents?!
Allie, I’m so envious about your mini - my dream car.
Cathy you are welcome. You must be reeling at the moment, just be easy on yourself. Do you have a partner or is it just you and your son? How is he reacting to what have you told him?
Kay, will be thinking of you tomorrow.
I’m sorry i can’t remember the other details - i wish we could write a bit and then go back a couple of pages. I read everyone’s posts avidly then by the time I’m writing I’ve forgotten half of what i wanted to say. If I look back I lose what I’ve already typed…
Anyway, lots of love to you all. Thanks for your support
Jacquie xx

144

Hi All

Well typed a msg a while ago and lost it, and was so disheartened didn’t do it again til now. It was sooooo long too …

Anyway, as you can see I am still hanging on here, and doing OK. Chest seems to have cleared loads, temp is behaving itself very well and reckon I am beating it. Good job I rang the chemo ward yesterday and managed to get on top of it. Only prob I do have, is mouth ulcers I think, right at the back of my mouth where the hole is (LOL) and so am gargling with diflam to see if works and using my oraldene too. Any ideas greatly received!! So things looking good for the weekend and my daughters party! Yippee

Kay, thinking of you and sending lots of love to you for tomorrow. I do hope that everything goes well with your appointment and let us know when you are ready.

Jacquie, know exactly wot you mean about reading all the posts, knowing what you are going to say and then bam, soon as start typing it all disappears and then on top of that, you forget what everyone is doing, having done, where they are going etc etc. It is so frustrating …

Cathy hope you are doing ok this evening. Sending you big hug.

Allie, good luck for tomorrow - make sure your hubby posts to let us know how you are, even a one liner will do. And stay in as long as you need, as you know if you come home early, you will not rest, as it isn’t really possible with the children, as we know!!! Take care honey, and will be thinking of you.

Jen hope tomorrow goes well for you too and will be keeping everything crossed for you. Let us know when you can too.

Well that is it, it is shorter than original version, can’t even remember wot I put in it now. Hope everyone here is doing OK though and heres hoping to good news for the end of the week from you all.

Lots of love
Dawn
xx

145

Dawn, that’s great news - so pleased to hear it. And still time to really get your strength back before the challenge of Saturday. Those soft play places do take the organisational strain off you, but i always find them incredibly uncomfortable places to be - so noisy and ‘jangly’. Don’t exhaust yourself. You can sit and enjoy watching the kids play, and the other helpful mummy can deal with the knocks and bumps, arguments and trips to the loo!
Take care now
jacquie x

146

Hi Jacquie, Dawn Kay

Thanks for the welcome, appreciate it.

Finding this all a bit much today - had it pretty much together only to lose it. My son doesnt have a clue whats going on other than something is wrong, he is severly disabled. That hurts alot when I look at him. My husband is finding this hard, hes great but he is a very private person and being descended on by relatives, phone calls from my mother is going to be too much for him. How do you handle your parents in this situation?

Kay really struck by the similarity there- (there is no good way is there )but it was really a shock, I had just started to think it would be ok…hope your appointment gos well today.

Dawn glad you are looking ok for saturday.

Sure I will get up to speed and work out whats what and what everyone is doing, just as I am sure i will have loads of questions,
best to all
Cathy
Cathy

147

Hi Cathy,
Welcome to our gang, though I’m sure you didn’t really want to join this one! I have numerous liver mets which were discovered just after I had a lumpectomy in July. I find it really difficult to deal with my mother especially, at the moment I am reasonably healthy but go to chemo every week. On Sunday I drove the 2 &1/2 hours down to Builth Wells and back on my own but my mother insists on driving me the 20 mins to chemo on Wednesday! My step father finds it hilarious. It must be very difficult for your husband with your son being disabled, he must be very worried about the future.
Dawn, glad to hear you are going to be fit enough for your daughters Birthday. take it easy though.
Hope the rest of you are doing ok,
Take care
Allie

148

Hi again

Kay, I hope your meeting with the liver surgeon went well for you.
Dawn, I’m glad that you sound to be holding your own and hope all goes well for Sat & Sun.
Sue, I think the skin eruptions might have something to do with having my hair coloured onc says not to worry.

I also can’t remember what has gone before (can blame my age) so I just wish you all well.

It sounds like Arimidex might be working as I’ve told the onc that my breathing has improved and he is quite happy to keep me on it so fingers crossed it will work. I am to have scans in next couple of weeks to see what’s what at the mo. I am to start low dose of chemo monthly to strengthen my bones (spine & pelvis) 14 Dec.

I hope it won’t make me ill as our two will be home 16th and we yet have to break the news to them (both in forces and in foreign lands at mo). To make things worse my daughter texted to ask if she could bring her new boyfriend home for a few days b 4 Xmas. It was bad enough the first time round, but because it’s so different now, I really hope I say the right things to them. I’m sorry, I know others have much worse things to cope with, but there’s so many milestones to face and I know I’ll get through it and will keep up the appearances.

Once more, good luck to you all, you’re a good bunch and an inspiration.
Love Jen xx

149

Hi Allie

sorry to hear your mets were discovered just after lumpectomy…terrible right after, but glad that you are out and about on the motorways…what chemo are you having weekly? I have numerous small mets apparently as well.

My mother calls me up and stresses me…I know its difficult for her but I feel she is second guessing my previous treatment, decisions that I made, decisions that doctors made…if anyone can do second guessing I am perfectly capable of doing it myself…quite good at it!

Hope your chemo continues to go well

Cathy

150

Hi All,
Cathy, I hope you feel a little better today, but no pressure! You just feel however you are… Glad to hear you have a supportive man by your side.
Cathy and Allie - Relatives can be very peculiar can’t they? but I’m sure they just feel they ‘have’ to do certain things, in order to feel they are taking care of us. I had a friend who travelled 200 miles just because she had to see me with her own eyes, that I was okay. The reality (which at the time i thought was pretty un-attractive!) was much better than what she was imagining.
Jen, glad your breathing’s better - all power to the Arimedex! keep us informed of when your scans are (nearer the time or i’ll forget again!). Christmas sounds a real mixed bag for you. It will be wonderful to see your children, but bittersweet when you have such news to break, and then knowing they’ll be having to leave again. Telling the kids and my Dad were definitely the worst things I’ve ever had to do - I’m not surprised you feel apprehensive. Hopefully the new boyfriend will be sensitive and give you all a bit of space. But don’t go feeling you have to be supermum and not be emotional. They might need to be emotional too - being weedy together is a very strenghtening thing, I’ve found.
Allie - got that dream car yet…? You’ll have to do another 2 and a half hour drive to test it out…go on, flaunt it you foxy lady.
Love to you all, and hope you have good weekends. Dawn, enjoy tomorrow.
Jacquie x

151

Hi all

Brilliant news for me - the tumour is now considered operable and there is just a 1 in 10 chance that when the surgeon opens me up, he’ll find something that will change his mind. I have decided that this is definitely the right way forward for me - there are obviously no guarantees but it does seem to offer the greatest hope of a decent length of time with no evidence of disease. The surgeon wants to wait at least 6-7 weeks after my last chemo which takes me to the end of January really - date to be arranged next week! Evidently the Avastin I’m on, affects the healing process more than some of the other chemo drugs. He’s probably going to take the whole of the right lobe out though he might be able to preserve some of the back part of the right lobe. My left lobe has already started growing to compensate for the poorer function in the right (could explain why I’ve felt bloated the last few weeks). In hospital for about 7-10days and then another 4 weeks or so off. He did raise his eyebrows when he asked me what I did and I explained about crawling around the floor with 3 year olds, so it might be a bit longer! Or a really phased return. So I’ve been really happy today despite chemo and lots of other problems.

I think my body is really beginning to shout “ENOUGH”. I had a routine optician’s appointment yesterday (I wear contact lenses) and have discovered I have lots of little abrasions all over the surface of each eye as a result of the chemo on the tear production and the lack of eyelashes. So I’m banned from wearing my contacts for a while. Then today at chemo the latest bloods showed I’m now very anaemic - some discussion about giving me a blood transfusion but they’ve decided to leave it and see what happens naturally, given that I’ve only one chemo left. I’m just under strict instructions to get in touch if I begin to feel really light-headed or breathless. I’m also back on the antibiotics because I have an infection under the fingernails - think I’ve mentioned before how all my nails are lifting from the nailbeds. That also explains why they have been particularly painful (and oozy - sorry!) the last few days.

However despite all these problems, I just can’t stop smiling today.

Really glad to hear you’re doing ok, Dawn. I’m so pleased that you’re going to be there joining in your daughter’s birthday celebrations when you missed out on your son’s day. Have a wonderful weekend.

Hope you are having a better day, Cathy, but if you’re not, you’re not - just treat yourself kindly. I found it a real emotional roller coaster the first few months - and still do at these key points of change/uncertainty. My hubby found it really hard initially - another private man who found dealing with the well meaning friends and relatives so difficult. Over the months though it has become easier for him and he has become better (with encouragement from me) about saying how he’s feeling so we can support each other better - before he would have just gone and dug the garden! Telling and dealing with my parents probably has been harder than anything else - even telling the children. My father has advanced prostate cancer and I think they just can’t deal with the idea of me being ill as well. They live up in Cumbria as well (I’m in Surrey) so I don’t get to see them face to face very often and the telephone calls just get so difficult and stressful. Is your mother also a distance away?

Having a son who is disabled must make everything more difficult as well. I’m a speech and language therapist and have worked in a number of different settings over the years (am currently working with preschoolers in a specialist nursery at a mainstream school. They all have profound difficulties with language - many are non-verbal when they first come to us - and sometimes other difficulties). What I have definitely learnt over the years is the pressure that having a child with difficulties (whatever they are) puts on you as parents and how the whole family has to learn to adapt to a new situation that is clearly not of their choosing. Not dissimilar to adjusting to cancer maybe??? So for you and your husband having to adapt twice is going to be hard and take time. Let us know when/how we can support you - I’ve found just expressing things has helped enormously and sometimes that’s hard easier to do o n line than at home with the people who love you but who therefore are so emotionally involved as well.

Glad the Arimidex seems to be working, Jen. How old are your 2 children? (Sorry if you’ve already said but I daren’t check back on the old postings - glad I’m not the only one who finds I forget all the key detail!! Perhaps I should do a nice visual chart but suspect the rest of the family would just fall about laughing). You must be worried about telling them but hopefully you will find the words just come - lots of hugs I’m sure will be in order. My 3 (20, 23 and 26) all just wanted to be with me the first week or so but now have adjusted very well - youngest is at uni (back on Sunday - hurray); middle on 10 weeks travel around Fiji, NZ and Hong Kong (back on the 11th - another hurray though not looking forward to all the washing he’ll bring with him. He does now load the washing machine but then tends to forget about it!!) and the eldest just back from 3 weeks in Thailand. They all ring in/email regularly and I’m really proud of the way they are dealing with things. Really hope that you can tell your children the news, share the emotions and then have a good Christmas full of happy memories (I would advise not trying too hard to “keep up an appearance” with them because otherwise they will do the same with you and then you cannot move on together). Hope you like the new boyfriend too - always a risky first meeting, isn’t it? We too have Elaine’s (the eldest) boyfriend with us this Christmas which is a first though we have met him several times since the Spring when she started going out with him.

This posting is just going on and on - sorry! Blame the chemo and steroids today - and the happiness factor from yesterday’s appointment. Really sorry if I’ve missed anyone else’s significant news but think I better close (plus need to find my anti-sickness tablets!)

Enjoy your weekends.

Lots of love and hugs to everyone.

Kay

152

Hi everyone.

I havn’t been on the site for over a week and it’s taken me nearly an hour to try and catch up. One thing that really strikes me is the increasing amount of us out there with liver secondaries. I have decided to take notes as i can’t remember everything about everyone. (Blame the chemo - but I’m forgetfull anyway!)

Kay - what great news for you. You must be over the moon. did you only have the one secondary or is there only one left after treatment?

Welcome to Cathy. I havn’t been on this site for long but have already received great support. Liver and lung mets diagnosed end Oct. I think the first few days are the hardest and I know I felt a lot better once my treatment had started.

Jen - It’s really difficult telly family the truth> I told my 2 sons 15 qnd 18 that the cancer had spread and that I needed to have more treatment and that hopefully like the last time time would give me two more healthy years before I needed anything else but I didn’t say that the treatment would help keep the cancer at bay but not cure it which I wish I had now.

Dawn - Well hopefully you are preparing for the party and everything goes well. will be thinking about you.

Jacquie - How far are you along with your treatement now?

I have now had 3 of my weekly Paclitaxel and have had minimal side effects so far. Main one seems to be joint and muscle pain. really struggled with changing gear in the car yesterday because of pain in left shoulder but it seems to have settled today. My liver function tests are now starting to go down which hopefully means that the chemo is working. I see Onc on Tue so i’ll see what she says. Because I feel and look ok I’m trying to do lots of things during the week so by the weekend I’m tired which does’t please my husband who thinks I’ve got plenty of time for my friends but not for him. It’s hard for him to understand that when he’s at work I don’t want to spend my time doing housework or sitting around. Anyway I think I need to try and get a good balance but it’s difficult when you are trying to make the most of your precious time but have the normal things to do as well.

I’ve found that relatives and friends have reacted differently this time. Following surgery and chemo last time I had lots of practical support from friends and family but this time although I’ve had lots of phone calls and visits for coffee not many have actually given me practical help. I Sometimes I think I need to take to my bed to let them realise what having chemo is like. Anyway enough of my moan. Has everyone read the post about insensitive things people say. It is really funny. I am going to print it off and take it to my cheno unit and sens it to poeple in Xmas cards.

Well will sign off now.

Jill xx

153

Hi

Back again as just remembered read about someone not sleeping because of hot flushes. I have accupuncture at our local hospice for hot flushes and it has really helped.

Also take Valerium herbal tabs to help sleep although don’t seem to go with the chemo at the moment.

Jill xx

154

Hi Everyone

Just a quickie really, as just got little Jack to sleep and gonna get muppet ready for her party!! And myself!!!

Kay am so pleased for you, that is really good news and bet you are pleased. Shows that it can be done, so will be going armed to see my onc on wednesday. No doubt he will be against it, but we shall see. Is your liver surgeon private and does he only work in the Guildford area? Just asking as we will need to find one to get second opinion, so maybe he would be an option?? Going to have to start looking at them and who is around here. But well done you anyway, bet you are having a great weekend.

Hope everyone else is doing OK today and enjoying their weekend. I have not been out the house yet today, as trying to still get rid of this cough and cold, although probably not gonna do me much good at party, but hey ho, I want to be there. And any of you out christmas shopping, you are very brave. I would not even contemplate shopping this weekend, bet it is hideous.

Well have a great day, will let you all know how the party goes.

Catch up later
Love
Dawn
xx

155

Hi All

Wow its really going to take me some time to work out where everyone is …I really am going to set up a digram, will give me a little project.

I have been doing a bit better over last couple of days, and had a good day today.

Kay- first thats fantastic! You must be so happy and, I am really thrilled for you…do you think its the avastin that put you in that position? Whats great is that you have got to this and now can have the surgery…I am not sure I am being clear but its really good news. I am going to ask the onc about Avastin on Monday as you hear great things. You are a speech and language therapist ? have alot of experience with this as my son has autism…you have really hit the nail on the head with alot of things…and yes my mother is in Florida you are quite right!

Jill - Hi back to you - good to say hello just wish circumstances were different.

Dawn - waiting for your update on the party.

best to all
Cathy

156

Good morning ladies

Dawn - I hope you felt well enough for the party yesterday and hope you’re even better for tomorrow, go for it.
Kay - What great news for you, no wonder you’re smiling, it’s a nice Xmas pressie for you and I hope you continue to do well. I think you will have set us all off wondering and hoping, I know it will be on my next list of questions (despite being initially told by the breast team it was inoperable).

Our son is 27 and daughter is 24 so I know after the initial shock, they’re old enough to accept the situation. I feel so guilty that everyone else knows, but I don’t want to burst their bubbles whilst they’re having a good time (son at sea 8mths, daughter Austria skiing for a month). I’ve insisted on waiting until we’re all together and am sure we’ll make the most of Xmas as my brother has invited us for lunch and tea, so less pressure there. I have a lot to be thankful for as most of you have very young families and hearing your plights, especially Cathy, it helps to put things into perspective.

On a cheerier note, we’re going to put the tree up this aft, it always cheers me up. No doubt there are some dark days ahead and life’s for the living.

Bye for now, I hope you all have had a good weekend.

Love n stuff, Jen xxx

157

Hi all

Thanks for your encouraging comments - it’s good to share positive news for a change! I am seeing the liver surgeon privately, Dawn, but he also works for the NHS at the Royal Surrey in Guildford. Don’t know whether he works elsewhere - his name is Prof Nariman Karanjia. And I don’t know whether it is the Avastin that has worked so well or the Taxol, Cathy- can’t really tell. Must be worth you asking about it though - there do seem to be a few more getting it recently. I am still really happy about the news - should get a date this next week.

Hope the party went really well, Dawn, and you and the whole family had a great time. Bet you’re tired today though! And good luck with the scan - am I right that it is tomorrow? (Daren’t go and search out the info!!).

Glad to hear you are doing a bit better, Cathy - think I’m going to join you with that diagram as I can’t keep track of everyone’s news. My job is one of the best jobs you could ask for - I’m working primarily with preschool children with specific (but profound) speech and language difficulties rather than autism, but inevitably every year (because of the difficulty in getting a differential diagnosis between the 2 when the children are so little and not talking) we get 2 or 3 children in the Nursery who by the end of the year we feel are on the autistic spectrum. Often very difficult for the parents who have been hoping that it was a specific problem with language and therefore theoretcially at least curable. How old is your son? At least it sounds as if you are getting some support at least from a SLT - not true for many parts of the country I’m afraid - and hopefully from education too.

Glad you’re finding the Taxol not too bad, Jill - I was the same for many sessions and it really is only these last few that things have begun to catch up with me a bit. Your liver function tests improving must give you real encouragement at this early stage - hope the onc confirms the good progress on Tuesday. And yes - I’ve really enjoyed the 2 threads on “insensitive comments” as well - had me laughing out loud at times.

I’m having a very quiet day as hubby has gone to pick up Catherine (our youngest) from university. Must go and remove the last few bits of my clutter that has collected in her room before they get back with all her own clutter. It will be lovely to have her back again - and Michael (the middle one) is back from his travels round NZ etc next week as well. Must set some ground rules though about who is cooking/cleaning etc!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekends despite the horrendous weather.

Lots of love

Kay xx

158

Kay, that’s fantastic news about your resection and you sound really sure about it and they sound very positive. Brilliant. You are v brave!
You can hopeully carry this warm glow with you through Christmas. It’ll be great having your children home - but make sure you make up a rota for chores - do it now!! You don’t want to spend the next few weeks feeling increasingly resentful and like they haven’t thought about your needs. You can pre-empt it by being clear straight away.
Hi Maddison/Jill, it does take ages to catch up when you haven’t been on a while, doesn’t it? I’ve finished chemo (Taxol - 2 wks ago) which i was having with herceptin. I’m having just herceptin over xmas to see what side effects are from that, then starting tamoxifen in January. I’m having another scan in Jan and then we’ll have to see if my liver tumour’s operable or I can have radio frequency ablation. It’s near the bile duct so a bit complicated to reach. I’m in talks about going back to work in January (children’s occupational therapist, working in a child development centre. Lots of mainstream school kids with co-ordination difficulties etc as well as a number of kids with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy etc and some with autism too) but no-one seems to want to make the decision about when I start my staged return. Think I’ll just decide and tell them, then see if they object! I only work two days a week anyway, so will start with half days and work up.
Dawn, so glad you made it to the party. Tell us all about it. Have you shaken off that infection yet?
Cathy just remind me where you’re up to treatment-wise - can’t remember, sorry!
The weather is truly awful. We went out delivering xmas cards with church this morning - to visit the people who live on our patch and invite them to our xmas services. It’s quite fun as we do a lot with the community and they’re getting to know us. Hardly anyone slams the door these days! and a lot greet us like old friends. Anyway, we’d just delivered the last card and set off to walk back to church when the heavens opened and the rain came at us horizontally! brollies were going inside out, I was hanging onto my wig and trying to run. Got soaked through to the skin in five minutes flat! Yeugh!
Tomorrow I’m going up to Oxford St to meet my sister. We’ve been saying we’ll go shopping in London for about 6 years since we moved here (St Albans) She lives in SW London, so I thought i’d make it my end-of-chemo treat and then she couldn’t refuse!! It’ll be great to see her without the kids and husbands… Hope my strength holds up until my money runs out!
Hope you’ve all had a nice weekend and good luck to all who have treatments and tests this week.
Love and hugs
Jacquie xx

159

Hi All

Well, daughters birthday 4th party went really well yesterday, although her best friend, who’s party it was too (as born same day) was poorly sick and didn’t really enjoy it and fell asleep on her mum for about 30 mins at the party, but did manage to smile and blow out the candles. Everyone enjoyed it though so that was good. Had another 4th birthday party today too, also born same day, but lives different place now. So that was fun as well. Am a bit knackered now though have to say.

Also having some serious problems sleeping, as still got cough and cold it is a really bad tickly cough it keeps me awake all night (and I am not joking). Went to sainsburys pharmacy this afternoon and spoke to pharmacist and so got some cough medicine stuff. Hopefully will work tonight but if it doesn’t will be ringing docs tomorrow for emergency appointment, as really need to get sorted. Not slept for 3 nights properly now and starting to take its toll!!

Got my ct scan tomorrow at 9am, so gotta be there for 8.30 for the lovely drink!!! Am not looking forward to it as very nervous about it, although won’t know anything tomorrow. Think i told you the onc has bought my appointment forward a week, so seeing him on Wednesday, and hopefully he will have results and can discuss my liver and also when i am to start Herceptin. Have also got my list and on there other peoples treatment like Tamoxifen and Avastin alongside herceptin to see whether I am to have anything else too. So different to understand why the treatments are all so different.

Thanks Kay for the name. Will write it down in case need to contact him, as we have private medical in place for my treatment, but not used it yet. Bet you are still on cloud nine from last week, it is such good news and makes me smile to think about it. Hoping I can get some too!!!

Jacquie, hope you have a great day tomorrow shopping and remember to rest inbetween spending all that money. You are a braver lady than me, as NO WAY would I go shopping in the west end. Apart from the fact I don’t really enjoy shopping that much, except when buying my babies stuff, the thought of the west end does not appeal to me. But you go girl, and ENJOY!!!

Cathy hope you are good today and have had a great weekend. Not sure if you have anything on this week, but hopefully you are feeling stronger and we are helping you in some way.

Jen, same for you really. Hope you are doing OK and the weekend has been good. Have a fab time in Germany, I know they do some lovely christmas decorations as my dad went there years ago and came back with some gorgeous stuff. Have to fill us in when you get back.

Anyone not I have not mentioned, I do apologise, but lost track a little with not being on as much last few days, but I haven’t forgotten you I promise … just give me a kick up the back side!!! LOL

Think we are going to look at going to Florida next year to Disneyland, around March time. Although youngest might be a little young at 17 months, am sure he will enjoy and daughter will absolutely lurve it, she had a blast at eurodisney in March this year. As we have not had a holiday this year now (apart from eurodisney), cos we had to cancel, we are going to SPLASH out big time and enjoy. So watch this space, gonna go get as many brochures as we can and surf the net too. Anyone been there and got advice or tips - let me know.

Anyway, take care everyone.
Lots of love to you all
Dawn
xxx

160

Hey Dawn and everyone

Disneyland is a great idea for the whole family…my brother lives near there and is coming next week to see me. I will ask him for some tips on hotels etc as he used to take his kids there quite a lot. Definitely splash out, I am planning a trip in a 1930s bi plane around cambridge - but will be looking for something a bit further afield soon. I think you had your scan today and hope that wasn’t too bad…I really hate them too, they make me sick with anxiety.

Today we all went to see the onc which was my first chance to have a really proper chat with him since this all blew up. My white count is very low so I am now on antibiotics, but otherwise things seem OK. Had a long talk about avastin with him and made a case for it based on what I have picked up here and internet. private medical should pick up the tab for this as funnily I was really involved with the purchase of the PMI for my workplace. He is going to come back to me in next few days. After consult we went for a glass of wine which I managed and my husband found helpful. My son behaved brilliantly which was nice…so anyway thats alot about me!

A few things are clearer and it looks like I will get a port- which is a pain but probably right. Next chemo on 14th.

I have really taken alot of encouragement from you guys because you are all out and about and doing so much! It does help alot and I want to do the same. My diagram is shaping up nicely!

Jacquie hope you enjoyed your shopping…you are a tough cookie because its incredibly crowded in the west end…we were pushing our way through the crowds and trying to find quieter side streets.

love to all and take care

Cathy