Anyone from East Kilbride/Glasgow area?

Hi All

Just a quick note:

Pauline – Really great to hear from you again, was wondering where you were. Sorry to hear you’ve had a bit of a rough time with Tamoxifan SE’s – something to look forward to! I know this is slightly different but when I had my Mirena in I had all sorts of Hormone related problem and had a severe headache 24/7 for about 6 weeks, I’ve never experienced pain like it. So I’m sure the brain scan will be fine. You take care.

Tracey – great to hear from you too and I’m really pleased you’ve finished and survived your rads – thats great news.

Just back from town and getting School shoes fitted. Fortunately only one of them needed new shoes - £49 a pair – OMG!

Hope everyone else is OK.

Helen

Hi Girls

Where is everyone?

Had chemo no.8 today, only 4 more to go so should be finished 8 weeks today if no more delays. I really feel that I’m on the count down now - yipee!. Not feeling too bad, just a bit heavy headed and tired. The nurse decided my chemo arm needed another rest, so had it in my lymph arm again.

I hope everyone is OK and taking it easy.

Hugs

Helen
xxx

Hi Helen and Everyone,

Gosh, can’t believe you’ve had 8 chemos already. I hope the next 4 fly by for you. My boys came back today which I am so pleased about as I missed them so much however my eldest is being ever the teenager and retaliating against my “must be sleeping by midnight” rule! So it’s been a trying day to say the least. Well at least I’m not fretting about BC!! I’m still a bit down and not quite as chatty, but give it till the end of the week and I’ll be fine. I’m on my iPhone and find it hard to type much but I’ll be going on the laptop tomorrow. Just wanted to pop on and say Hi.

Big Hugs
Fiona xxxx

Hi Helen…

Hope you arms are not too sore…you are doing great.Get a holiday booked up for next year …nurse ratchetts orders!!!
Only 2 more sessions in the oven this week…machine is getting serviced.
Take care
P
X

Hi All
Pauline & Fiona – Thanks for your note, I’m doing OK today, although really struggling to keep up my fluid intake this time. I caught sight of myself today in a changing room mirror earlier and I’m sure my arm must resemble a junkies arm; all bruised at elbow level and really bad cording down to my wrist.

Fiona – Glad your boys are back and are keeping you busy! I think having the kids about makes a huge difference to how you feel, as you really don’t get a chance to worry about yourself or get too down when they’re about. Keep thinking positive thoughts – I’m sending you a cyber hug to cheer you up.

Pauline – lucky escape only having 2 cooking sessions this week – will that prolong your treatment? If you aren’t feeling up to your second lot of surgery, then its best to delay it. You need to be strong physically and mentally to get through it.

I probably won’t be about much during this next week – so if I don’t post I haven’t deserted you.

I hope everyone else is OK and treatment is going well and for everyone who has been away, I hope you have had a good time.

Lot of Hugs

Helen

hi helen

sounds like you are having a rough time with your veins with the cmf… not sure why you have to get two lots every month… i will only be getting one lot every 3 weeks… but still got 2 epi to go.

my bloods arent good so have to get them rechecked tomorrow to see if my chemo can go ahead…
seeing the physio for my veins/cording/lymphoedema before chemo… so i understand your pain… im taking co-codamol and tramadol and using ibuprofen gel but its not making much difference.

Tracey well done for raising so much and for walking 10k i dont think i could even walk 1k… you must be glad to have your rads over with.

fiona glad to hear your boys are keeping you busy… my daughter has spent a few days at her dads which is quite nice… although shes 18 shes hard work.

Pauline enjoy your extra day off of rads.

car sorry to hear your feeling rubbish on the tamoxifen… i was on it for 3 years and took a wee bit getting used to but after a few weeks it settled down but found the green pack (?sandoz) the worst for side effects but the APS and woerkhart werent so bad. hows your scar? healing up again i hope.

take care all
Luluxx

got good news yesterday, my son got 6 standard grade credits and 2 generals, I am so proud of him, as I was really worried about him worrying about me with my cancer, even managed to go out for dinner to celebrate, glad I wasnt at work just to see his face when he opened his results.

lulu, my wound is gradually closing up, although this morning I have noticed a stitch peeping out of it, my second op was six weeks ago, I phoned the doctors about tamoxifin and was told to try it for another few months, the minute I take it, I feel really sickly, the joys, sorry to hear about your bloods, hope you are ok

maggie, hope you are doing ok, you have been quiet
fiona, how is things with the boys back
Helen, how are you doing

everyone else, hope you are haveing a better week

Carol xx

Girls…thinking about you all…and read here daily…just in that place you have all been in…waiting to start chemo…found out just TODAY…it’s to be followed by rads. shockeroonie ! didn’t expect that.
Will fill you in soon.

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Lulu could you find out if you are definetly on one every 3 weeks for
cmf and why you are not on the 2 a month, as I have also been told 2 a month. I was told they do this because the side effects of cmf are bad.thanks

Hi Girls,

Well I went to Luss yesterday which was very nice, the weather was good but I was knackered by the time I got back…

Carol congratulations to your son for doing so well in his exams… My eldest was allowed to sit his Chemistry standard grade this year but he is only in 3rd year and he got a grade 1 in the credit exam, so big smiley faces all round here… nice to have some good news… How is your mother doing? have they done any tests on her yet, I hope she’s feeling a bit better now.

Lynda, hope all went well with the bloods and you managed to get chemo, My arm is really sore and I can do nothing with it, ibu gel and heat not really helping. nurse did say it would take a long time to heal…wonderful!!!

Pauline, How’s the week been with only having 2 rads? I’m sure everything will be fine from the scan on Monday, but it’s just another stressful neccessity, will be thinking of you…

Helen, hope you are doing ok? your arm sounds the same as mine…annoying isn’t it!!! hope you have a nice restful week…

Maggie, Hope you are having a better time of it now? Radiotherapy is standard practice if you had a lumpectomy? they just need to make sure all cancer cells in the breast is zapped, better to be safe than sorry!! when is it you start chemo?

Well girls, I’m feeling much better now and a lot calmer. next couple of weeks busy with appointments, herceptin, mugga scan and planning appointment… no rest for the wicked!!!

Hope you all have a nice weekend…

Lots of hugs
Fiona xxx

Hi Maggie Eveyone gets radiotherapy, it’s a walk in the park xx

yup my bloods zoomed up from0.88 on tues to 2.68 on thurs couldnt believe it… they offered to postpone the chemo so i could get a hickman line put in but it would take over a week and seeing as my bloods were ok thought i would just go for it… went with my left hand (recent BC) and was advised to definitely not get anything done in the right side due to current and past history of problems… probably too late now.

anyway saw the pysio and then 2 doctors had bloods rechecked and finally got chemo and was given even more slowly with double amount of saline and isnt feeling any worse so far… fingers crossed.

helen have your veins gotten worse on the CMF as i still have 1 epi and 4 cmf before im finished and they have said i can get the hickman in if i start to develop any more problems but was thinking it would really just be the last epi and not the cmf.

sorry thats a bit of an ‘all about me post’ but will catch up with you all later.

maggie i had rads 3 years ago and they really werent a problem and will get another batch after chemo.

Thanks girls, I didn’t know it “went without saying” I would be getting rads. AGAIN…lack of information from the hospital.

Went for my wig fitting yesterday…for some reason they don’t do curly wigs, well they had one, I looked like a mixture of Dolly Parton and Harpo Marx LOL. I asked why they didn’t do ‘curly’ they don’t seem to have an answer. I ended up just taking a long straight one and they are gonna cut it shoulder length. Luckily enough I wear skip caps quite a lot…so with a wee ponytail at the back it should look ok.

It was more traumatic than I thought, but thats another hurdle jumped.

Hope you are all fine today, bit overcast in the west, but Im gonna go down to West Kilbride and walk Jack.

Oh…forgot…went for my 3 yearly cervical smear last week.
When I came home at 6pm on Friday evening there was a message on my answering machine, Ive been called back in to the doctors…blinking typical, I can’t phone the surgery till Monday morning. Ive been worrying myself sick all weekend.

Chemo starts Wednesday…Im driving myself in and out…was told it was ok by the Beatson.

Catch you all later lovely ladies

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Hi Guys,

Just got back from the land of bejasus and behorrah last night and cold hard reality has just weighed in. But by God, Ireland is soooooo expensive now!!! My brother paid for the trip and we could have gone to New York for a month on the same budget. We had a great time though. My bloody phone broke down,need to take into town to have it serviced, feel lost without it. It’s an IPhone so I have been using it like a laptop. I got the laptop back, need to reinstall the internet on it though but I am so incredibly tired just now. On holiday I felt completely fine, walking tours, up till 2am etc… was so determined not to be ‘ill’, I suppose … Now I just feel knackered and wonder if my tiredness is psychosematic??

Great to see my 3 wee cats - cannie move for them. I missed my cousin Jacqui, who was here from Brussels for a few days, which is a pig. She wants me to come over to Brussels now that they have bought a house there, but don’t know when I can because of treatments … Or even travel insurance.

Well need to get all my dental work done starting Monday before Tax and Herceptrin the week after so gearing myself up for that!!

You guys all seem to be in the best of spirits. Fiona, how are you feeling now lovely?? The worst of the FEC is out you now and you will soon bounce right back.

Still no decision on DLA, which is breaking their service level agreement of 15 weeks after 3 months of illness, so I am contacting Tommy McAvoy, my MP. It is an outrage that we have to go through this when we are at our lowest and have paid National Insurance all of our lives. It is especailly hard on us who live alone. I will be paying off debt for the rest of my life.

Sharon, any news on your ESA?

Well lassies, great catching up on you all. Hope you have a lovely Sunday and that our bootface treatments are kind on you.

Any news on a get together?

Love you lots like jellytots xxxxx Annie xxxxx

Hi girls - sent a long post yesterday but don’t where it has gone.
You all seem to be doing not bad.
Fiona you’ll be glad that the horrible sickness is over and hopefully you’ll feel better.
Helen - how’s the arm
Annie - you sound as though you’ve had good holiday. Nice to be away and to make the effort to be “well”. You can chill out now your home.
Maggie - hope 1st chemo goes OK. The unknown is so frightening as you don’t know how you’ll be. We’ve all coped, just sometimes, so you’ll be fine.
All you Mums will be glad schools back next week. Maybe we culd try and arrange a date to meet up for lunch.
Went to Troon today with my 7 year old niece, Fiona, Jessica and 2 of Fi’s friends . Had picnic on beach. It was really nice and warm. Cara had her feet in water and there was even people in swimming.
Love to all
Sheila

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all doing fine?

Maggie good luck for tomorrow, were you at the Beatson today? think I saw you. I came and sat down about 2 minutes before you were called… If it wasn’t you then it was someone who looked very like you… I was just about to ask if you were Magggie then you were away… I hope all goes well tomorrow, which I’m sure it will, the nurses are really nice so don’t be afraid to ask them anything… keep us posted how you get on… are you going to stay at you friends for a couple of days?

Sheila, nice to hear you’ve been getting out and about for a few days out… I did a few last week and although I was very tired I realy enjoyed it…

Annie, sounds like you had a ball in Ireland. Make sure you get lots of rest before chemo. I get my Herceptin same week as you…

Lulu, Helen, Sharon, Pauline, Carol and everyone else… Lots of hugs.

Fiona xxxx

Fiona - glad your more up beat now, sometimes it can feel hard to keep on top of things
Sheila - I hope to get to Blair Drummond next week when my family from Birmingham visit.
Annie - you are still rocking and rolling
Lulu - don’t know if you saw my message would be interested in your answer
Maggie- it’s hard at the beginning but just keep asking all the questions you need to. We are all here to answer them, to help you and each other.
Pauline- you are awfully quiet.
Helen- glad things are picking up.
Carol -my thoughts are with you, hope your mums doing better
Congratulations all you proud mums on great exam results
Think I have definitely got the early menopause now after 4 Epi but to all you lovely ladies who are over 40 look on the bright side no more hassle or expense.
On my bright side so far, the menopause has all the positives but no negatives
long may that thrive
Sharon and Tracy your our rads experts would love to meet up
This may look as though it took 10 mins to write (and it should have taken less) but losing pages having to
write in word, copy and paste, this took me 90 mins and I am used to Pcs
is the chemo getting to me?

hi there, mum is out of hospital, they still dont know whats wrong with her, she has to go for an mri scan, she is a bit better

got my appoitnment for the beatson for 28th August to get my tatoos done and scan, cant believe they actually tatoo you.

Im getting myself into a rut, I really just cant be bothered going out just now and I was always on the go, cancer has a lot to answer for, just want “normal” back!!!

Maggie, hope you got on ok with your first chemo, one of the girls I met in hospital starts hers tomorrow.

Fiona, you mts be really proud of your son, thats some achievement.

Everyone else, hope the weather picks up a bit for you and you are all ok

right im off to have another exciting day in the house, I am really going off my wallpaper in my living room, sick of the sight of it!!!

Love and hugs to u all

Carol xx

glad to hear your mum is recovering carol… hopefully they will be able to find out whats been causing her problems.

the tattoos are tiny about the size of a pin head and are only really noticable if you point them out… some places will lazer them off afterwards… you can get temporary ones but it means you cant wash while your having treatment in case you wash them off… i didnt really experience any problems with them and hopefully you will be fine too… some units prescribe aqueous cream to use from the start at my hosp they only give it if you start developing problems… i still shaved using an electric razor and used roll on deo as the rads were to my breast and not my auxilla… sometimes they are a bit over cautious with their advice.

yvonne i am def getting cmf every 3 weeks on day 1 only… i have been given all my dates at the start of treatment… i have asked them a few times if this is correct but have been assured that is how they do it in edinburgh… still worried about the effect on my veins as they are mega sore… but think ill try and persevere without a hickman line.

maggie you dont always get rads it depends what treatment you have already had (if any)… if you had a Mx they dont tend to give rads to breast but do if its a WLE or if a Mx they can give to the auxilla if you had positive nodes but dont do it if you already head them and its to the same place but if its in the other breast like mine they will do (HTH)… so it doesnt really go without saying… you can discuss the benefits with them if you are a bit concerned about it.

Annie for travel insurance check out getmy.com or insurepink.co.uk who both insure you with pre-existing medical conditions… also make sure you have your European health card.

as for losing posts i still write it in the box but right click and copy before i press send just in case it disappears into the cyberspace ether and if it does i just press reply and right click paste.

hope everyone else is doing ok.

lulu x

Oh Fiona I didn’t notice…and yes I was at the Beatson yesterday…I was wearing a cream skip cap. blue top and denims.

I never noticed you…what a shame if I missed you.

Had my first chemo today, it went ok…Im feeling ok tonight.
Will keep you posted.

Thanks girls for all your good wishes.

Im going to get Jack out for a walk…I will write a longer one later

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