Morning JJ’s off to hosp for bloods and all things pre chemo this morning.
Tamsin are you having your PICC today??
Positivelady thinking of you, you are our first one.
Anyone else starting this month sending cyber hugs/large G&T/ or anything you want; join us.
Kat xxxx
No, Kat, I’m playing the waiting game now. They decided I didn’t need the hassle of a picc line if nothing chemo-ish was going to happen for a few weeks. BCN thinks I won’t need another pre-op assessment, which would be good, but apparently surgeon is so busy it might be a bit of a wait until I can be fitted in. Hmmmmm. Hope they managed to get blood out of you and that Positivelady is doing ok.
Tamsin x
Good evening July Junkies and friends. Had bone scan this morning which was easy peasy compared to the mri. Not that the mri hurt but it was like having a pneumatic drill going off by my ear for nearly an hour. Anyhow, apparently nothing leapt out at them on a first look at the scan although until the radiographer has had a closer look they told me it wasn’t gospel. But I’m more hopeful than I have been. CT scan tomorrow, results Thursday. Have had to chase all scan appointments which I’m glad I did because friend who is in similar position as me at same hospital has not been so fortunate. She’s going to have a MX on Friday without having had an mri scan so she won’t know if it’s spread to the other one. Also saw BCN because I was concerned I was developing lymphoedema, but apparently all the lumps, bumps and my fat back are post-op swelling as well as the port for the tissue expander implant. Personally, I think the MX has been the easy bit. I’ve been really lucky that the surgeons have done a brilliant job of skin conservation and the PS has got the size of the expander almost spot on. (This was described by said friend as a crisp bag filled with salty water - nice!) I still can’t believe my cleavage looks exactly the same as it did on 11 June. It’s all still quite painful, but the elephant sitting on my chest (the crisp bag) now feels more like a donkey. It took me over a week to pluck up the courage to look at myself, but because of the skin conservation actually the implant one pretty well matches the real one, droop and all. The implanted boob looks as though someone’s got a big pair of scissors and cut the nipple and aureole off. Ouch! But actually it’s all numb. It’s weird. If I feel the false one, my hand knows what I’m touching but the boob doesn’t know it’s being touched. Something to be aware of in case of injury I guess. Mentally, in the wee small hours I’m terrified it’s spread but I’ll deal with that when I have to. Mostly I can carry on as if nothing has happened. I’m driving (living in sleepy hollow, Wiltshire, a car is essential), dog walking, gardening, etc. etc. I’m dreading chemo but hoping that because I’m probably the most fit I’ve ever been (apart from the life threatening disease of course), the SE’s won’t be too bad. OH and I have been following the 5:2 restricted calorie diet Dr Michael Moseley did a Horizon programme about last year. We’ve both lost best part of 1 stone and l’ve gone from a just about still size 14 but occasionally 16, to a size 12. Except for tops which are a size 14. Result! Anyway, enough about me.
Benedictus, you started this so I think you have to stay with the rest of us even if you don’t start your chemo until August. Sorry your having to have some more surgery.
Janey10, don’t know much about triple neg, but I’m sure there are lots of ladies on here who do who can support / advise.
PositiveLady, seems like you’re first off the starting block. Good luck. I agree it has to be faced and beaten, although I expect there will be days when I’ll think it’s beating me.
Samjs and Lois, it’s the not knowing that’s so hard. Hope your scans are clear.
Pironm, how are you?
Orangecat, decided against cold cap. Want the chemicals to get to every single molecule! I’m not sure about a wig either. Hopefully I’ll only need to cover up for 3-4 months and as I’m retired I thought I might get away with scarves and hats.
Artemis17, thanks for sharing. I’ll be in touch.
Anyone else I’ve forgotten, thanks for commenting on this thread. It’s all scary. Got, to go, puppy (oh I suppose she isn’t a pup, she’s nearly 2 now) is demanding dinner by typing with me LOL.
Have a good evening everyone xx
Hi Ladies
I’m from the June Jewels - Welcome to the chemo club. There is a wealth of advise as Poemsgalore and Marie says from either the AAA group or the May Moonbeams and even the June Jewels, so don’t be scared to jump into our threads if you need any advise.
Take care
Martha xxx
Morning JJ’s,
Met the Queen of phlebotomists yesterday who took my blood like a dream, I was watching the tennis so could have been distracted. Onc has agreed to refer me for genetic testing, now have to wait and see if Marsden agree.
Piggsytrotter you seem to have your head around the old mastectomy thing. I used to think mine looked like the ones on Barbie, now I have the nipple tattoo it looks good, fools radiographers who want to mammo it and when I had my Echo they appeared suprised when they found the implant!!
Everyone else OK??
I’m nervous about tomorrow but I guess I will just have to jump in and get it started.
Kat xx
Afternoon ladies. Hadn’t realised quite how long my post last night was. But at least I’ve got all that history out of the way. I think there are two reasons I’ve been so fatalistic about the surgery. The first is that my mother had a radical mastectomy back in 1976 (she’ll be 84 in August), so I’ve lived with it for a long time. The second is that the end result looks so damned good, and this is just the temporary solution lol.
I’m not surprised you’re nervous Orangecat. I gather this is second time around for you. Were you HER2+ before? I’m a bit confused about your situation though. If you’ve had a mx and recon, how have you got it again in the same breast? And if it’s in the same one, then what’s the point of an mx? I must be having a massive blonde moment (it’s my natural colour, and can’t bear the thought of losing it!). Sorry if my questions are too intrusive.
Off to hosp shortly for CT scan. Must remember to remind them results needed for Thursday morning when I meet my onc. Apparently she comes from Royal Marsden, and is highly thought of.
Good luck to all us July Junkies, wherever we are in the process. xx
Hi Piggsytrotter,
I will try and answer your question and no you are not being intrusive. It is very rare to get a recurrence on the same side as a mastectomy but it can happen. Quoting my onc microscopic areas of breast tissue can remain and especially if you have not had rads or chemo (me) it puts your odds up. Even with a preventative mastectomy like Angelina Jolie ther is still a 5% ish risk. In 2008 with no nodes the protocol was not to offer me rads or chemo but just put me on Tamoxifen for my ER6, PR7. Before they knew it wasn’t I was told I was the 2nd recurrence in 5 years at my hospital. They now call it a new primary because it is ER0, PR0 and now HER +++ the lumpectomy did not show breast tissue just muscle. So quoting onc again she says it is academic because some cancers can change ther spots to stripes??? the school of thought is that the Tamoxifen worked as I have no ER or PR + tumors so…why I have this I do not know.
My worry is that it is genetic so I have requested genetic screening as I have a 15 year old daughter, My mother died of BC in 1985 and had it in both breasts and now I have had 2 different tumors.
Kat xx
Hi JJs, Just popping in to wish Kat well for tomorrow. Main bit of advice? Take your anti-sickness even if you don’t feel sick! Other than that, just hang in there. I remember feeling pretty awful after the first one, so had my anti-sickness adjusted before the others and felt ok. And unless you’re having Neulasta or another sort of white blood count booster don’t go to Wimbledon, or the sales, or other crowded places when you are at your most vulnerable (I think around days 7-14 but the unit will tell you) unless you’ve sprayed everyone present with Dettox…
Piggsytrotter: Fingers crossed for results on Thursday. Glad they are going to be available the same week - only got days to fret instead of weeks!
Still waiting here but at least I managed to get to the GP and sort chemo se meds, so that’s one thing to cross off the list.
Positive vibes to you all. Thinking of you xx
Thanks for asking piggsytrotter, I am doing Ok - Start chemo next week. Anxious but reading the blogs about side effects and what can help is helping me. I really appreciate everyone sharing.
Thanks! Will try to share all the sunshine I can with everyone! We are having almost too much sunshine-
Hi Tamsin, saw my consultant today and looks like I will be a July Junkie too. Starting on 16th July, having FEC.
Senga x
Welcome Senga. We’re a small but select group at the moment, but I suppose it’s still early days. Glad to have you join us!
Pironm: “Too much sunshine” is a little used phrase in Britain nowadays. Pouring rain here tonight 
And I know I’m cautious so far as temperature is concerned, but haven’t got my socks off yet this year.
Tamsin x
CT scan done and dusted. Didn’t know I’d be jabbed with something or other. Weird stuff, made me think I’d wet myself - they didn’t warn me about that one. So that was a pleasant surprise lol! Now it’s waiting, waiting, waiting until Thursday. I’m absolutely pooped.
Wow Orangecat, I’m so sorry to hear that. Can’t imagine how you and yours must be feeling. I hope the different drug regime you’ll be on is kind to you. Good that you and your daughter will be gene tested. Doubt I will be as I don’t have children.
Benedictus, hope things start moving quickly for you. The sooner it starts … but you’ve been there and probably got the T-shirt. Hope the waiting’s not too long.
Imagine I won’t be far behind you pironm. Once I know what cocktail I’ll be given I shall also be looking it up.
Good luck Senga. Hope we all have the minimum of side effects.
Early early night for me. Sweet dreams all. xx
Sunshine please Pironm. My lovely wooden deck chairs arrived today and I would like to use them soon.
Hello Senga, nice to have you with us.
Tamsin thanks for the tips, Ive got tickets for the Proms do you think they will mind me squirting Dettox during the loud bits !!
Lois how are you doing??
Kat xx
Hi Kat, hope today went OK and wasn’t too stressful. Want to bump this thread for anyone else wanting to join. x
I agree, Piggsytrotter. In one way it’s great that we’re quiet but I’m surprised that there are so few of us so far. Well the troops are on the move at this end. After a satisfying morning having a bit of retail therapy I came home to a message that they have slotted me in tomorrow, so it’s starve from midnight and in at 0700. Then fingers crossed with fast track results next week so we can get on with malarkey. Scuppers my plans to go and see small boy playing ‘small boy in crowd’ in Evita, but fingers crossed I can get a ticket for later on in the run.
Hope today and the aftermath isn’t too grim Kat. One step at a time. Which proms are you going to? Are you promming? If so, I suppose you could always sit in the fountain to get away from people…
Positivelady: No news. I hope you’re beginning to surface.
Hope all our other members are getting a little sunshine today
Tamsin x
Greetings Junkies from May Moonbeam rapidly turning into a June Jewell! (long story involving postponed chemo session) You will survive what is coming, it is “doable” but it is a roller-coaster which can take a chunk out of your CV - but what it takes away you can replace with the love and support of your family and carers and your friends on these boards!
There’s a thread I started on nails and chemo which some of you might find useful: Search Results | Breast Cancer Now.
I’m up!!??
Nauseous but sucking up the pills!! had what can only be described as sinus pain, but thats gone. Feeling dizzy but BP’s gone down so good excuse to put feet up.
Tamsin thinking of you as you go again.
Piggsytrotter your wise words made me decided to not go with the cold cap, I have been sat on the fence on this one, but hitting it at “moecule” level made sense. I was pre warned during my CT scan but feeling like you wet youself is a bit strange.
Positive lady hope you are feeling OK.
Back to the sofa I go, I think the cat is looking for a lap. Kat xxx
Hi everyone,
I would like to join July Junkies, actually I would like to not be here but here I am and I am looking to have attitude so like the junkies bit! I had my 1st FEC-T on Tuesday and so far so good. I have had no side effects and I feel like I am just “waiting for a bit pile of kak to land” I am trying to be positive that I have had no SE but I don’t seem able to manage it right now! The only thing so far is a little tiny tiny bit of nasea but a couple of ginger snaps has been enough to get rid of it!
I had a mastectomy on the 14th May and then ALNC on the 26th May as there was a lymph in the breast with cancer and also 0.4mm on the sentinel so I decided to get the lymph nodes removed. They took 14 and all 14 were clear, as were the CT, MRI and Bone scan so that is fantastic (sometimes I feel that and sometimes I don’t). I had a SSM with the impant put in straight away and the scar on some of it already is barely noticeable which is amazing considering it is only 7 weeks ago.
This morning I have been in the house on my own for the first time since have chemo and I was scared. What if I got poorly, what if I needed help…I hate that! Anyways luckily I had an appointment with Top to Toe about getting some scarfs and hats sorted out, I had picked up my wig a coupld of weeks ago. Anyways by the time I drove to the hospital and going back into the unit I was a tad emotional, think the “shower howl” got rid of most of my “woe is me”. I feel a bit wobbly today, think all my positive thoughts have helped me get to where I am now but having chemo has knocked me for 6 I think. I wanted to grab onto my oh’s leg this morning and not let him out the house; how mad is that ha ha
Anyways, having come back from the unit with some really pretty scarves and a hat I am ready again to tell cancer to F**K right off and stay there! I think it helps knowing that I am not alone and can say to anyone of you lovely ladies out there “aaaarrrghh” or “help” or just about anything and knowing that one of you will respond helps this bl**dy awful journey a bit more bearable. So that is me, I am 47 (yesterday) so my 48 birthday will be better than this one but then I have a feeling that everyday next year will be better than this year! I have a 5 year old little boy who has coped amazingly with what we have gone through as a family and my OH, I have no words to express my gratitude to that man who has stood by my side every moment of this horrendous journey and just let me be.
Hopefully my wittering will calm down a bit but it seems that these days put me in front of a computer and I can talk about my emotions and fears and cancer journey for hours ha ha
Take care lovely ladies and hopefully speak to you all soon
Karen
x
Oops no idea how I managed to post that twice, seems I am really keen to be a July Junkie after all 
Karen
x