Hi all.
First FEC today and have mostly felt ok!
I think I have 3 different anti sickness meds on board and another optional one if needed.
We actually went to Frankie and Benny’s for lunch on the way home.
I feel a little spaced out and completely knackered but barely slept last night so hardly surprising!
Going to have a few ginger biscuits now I think then off to bed.
Morning all, our numbers seem to be growing everyday, I know none of us would choose to be here but I am enjoying your company so thanks!
For Abel I agree the apprehension is worse, I’m sure once Monday comes you will just get on with it as that’s what we have to do. I also like getting organised and I would suggest you make up a few meals and freeze. I really didn’t feel like cooking but did want to eat a healthy meal and although my husband has many skills cooking is not one!
Linda, I have had one chemo treatment 11 days ago. I used the cold cap and nothing has fallen out yet. I haven’t read any reports about washing the conditioner out but through sheer laziness didn’t was it for a couple of days. I have only washed my hair a couple of times and am using simple shampoo and conditioner.
N&Wmum, so pleased all went well. I’m not assuming it’s going to get easier but that first one my be the most daunting mustn’t it? Take care of yourself, if you can sleep then sleep and eat little and often. Look forward to hearing how you’re doing when you’re ready.
Gygi that dinner sound great, I can’t stop thinking about pomegranate since! Hope you’re not working too hard and that the boob is a good fit. I have all that to come. So have you had a mx? Why do you have to have more surgery? Hope you don’t mind me asking? Just don’t answer me if I’m being too nosey!
Have a good day everyone x
That damn auto correct ‘for abel’ should read Dorabel!! X
Glad I could help, I panic bought pj’s the first week I was diagnosed, they cost a fortune and didn’t have buttons on front ended up taking them back, and as it happens I’m having chemo then surgery so really no need to panic!!
On reflection I think it is just trying to take control of the things we still can. Life just feels better doesn’t it when you have a bit of control?
If you have lots of spare time to fill I was also advised to get on top of the cleaning, washing ironing etc but I guess that can always wait it depends if it makes you feel better to do it or not.
I’m halfway through my second week now and starting to cook double to re stock the feeezer. It makes me feel better prepared x
Hi I start chemo on Friday. Having a Hickman line on Thursday putting in I’m dreading it.MY chemo is carboplatin and abraxane.Has anyone else had this combo chemo or a Hickman line
Hi everyone how was your Tuesday? I’m soooo tired. Went to work then dashed to London then stopped off at the shops on my way home (that’s the point I knew I’d overdone it) luckily my knight in shiny car came picked me up. Lol Two more days to go then Fridays I don’t work. I think I can made it ? Wildshell sorry I have no experience of either. Will be thinking of you Friday Michelle21 about my new boobie lol. I had a mascetomy and my boob is now a c cup but f on the other. Was due to have surgery to reduce the f but as you know now having chemo so that will have to wait. So got fitted today to even me up. Was fun. Got a bamboo hat too which is maroon and quite cute. But I do look quite naff in hats lol.
Washed my hair this evening too. Doing it once a week. Nothing appears to be falling out yet and my silke should arrive tomorrow. The girls at school keep telling me how much they like my hair. I cut it into a bob before I went back. I want to answer them back it might not be here next week but restrain myself.
Despite the tiredness popped into the charity shops and got some more scarves and a bag for work. Have quite a collection of scarves now. And pijamas have played a big part in my life in 2018 lol. Got lots before surgery in the after Xmas sales to wear at home. Ones that are easy to wash and dry. Well i better get some sleep. You all take care N&Wmummy hope today has been ok. Btw last night was my best sleep of 2018 so far! Gigi
Afternoon all,
Been out for a walk this morning, the sun is shining and there are beautiful blue skies. It actually feels like spring is here. The odd thing is I feel totally normal today, as if there is nothing wrong with me. It feels strange that it is such a beautiful day and I feel so good and then there is this bad thing going on inside my body. Sorry if I sound like I’m away with the fairies I suppose I’m still trying to accept that this is actually happening, TO ME!
On the plus side this makes me realise that the chemo and it’s side effects feel like a distant memory, hopefully I will feel like this until the next dose in 27th.
Glad you got your boobs evened up Gygi! I am having a mastectomy too after chemo but I haven’t thought much about it yet. How long is it before you can drive again? Glad your hair is holding out, I hope you like your oyster silke, lovely colour choice. Mine arrived today but I think I look more Mrs Mop than 30’s starlet! Still if it keeps the hair in it’s worth it, just not sure if I’ll be wearing it out if it does go!
Enjoy the sunny weather all xx
Hello - a late April bloomer here! I’m due to start chemo next Thursday (26th), assuming I’m healed enough from my last surgery (a re-excision to try and get clear margins). I’m having three rounds of EC followed by three of Docetaxel, topped off with a burst of radiotherapy to breast and armpit.
I’ve been diagnosed as stage 2, grade 2, with 2/2 lymph nodes positive, and decided to go for radio to my armpit rather than surgical clearance in part because I just want to get on with the full-body treatment of chemo (I don’t mean I’m looking forward to chemo! I just mean that if we’ve not been able to get the cancer with surgery I’m keen to get it blasted as fast as we can).
Am finding others’ stories and experiences really helpful to balance out the very clinical experience of treatment - it gives a much better sense of what this whole process actually feels like, and makes it all feel a bit more human. Thank you all for sharing 
I’m particularly glad to find that I’m not the only one whose response to diagnosis has been pajamas! I’m also discovering a whole new world of accessories in headwear (scarves! headwraps! henna!), and as a bit of a paper fiend I’ve gone mad on stationery (notebooks! folders! files!). My partner thinks I’m mad.
Mainly though, my outlook is that the next few months are not going to be fun, but it’s going to be fine.
Hi fitful head, welcome to the thread! I would say this is a positive place to be, I for one am enjoying the company of others here!
I am grade 3 and have at least one lymph node, I haven’t had surgery yet so there maybe more positive nodes but I guess I will find that out later.
I am getting through this by taking it one day at a time and remaining as positive as possible on the basis that it is no fun being miserable!
I have had one lot of chemo and touch wood so far it hasn’t been too bad, I am hoping the next lot is the same. (3xFEC 3xT) I am cold capping but whether it will work for me remains to be seen. I will also be having Herceptin at some point. Is anyone else on that? After Surgery I’m having Radiotherapy, hopefully all of this will be over by Christmas! X
Hi lovely ladies,
I’m glad I’m not the only one finding all this very surreal. Had first FEC on Monday and have largely felt pretty good - far better than I expected. Finished anti sickness meds today and started GCSF injections yesterday.
I’m ignoring the tiny paranoid voice that’s suggesting I should feel worse if the chemo was working! ?
Hi I’ve had my Hickman line fitted today wasn’t as bad as I thought.Start chemo tomorrow I’m having abraxane and carboplatin combi.Has anyone else had the combo
Hi
started chemo and due for second of 12 weeks of Taxol tomorrow. This is my third breast cancer diagnosis but the last 2 were 19 and 17 years ago so this was not suppose to happen. i also haveCML ( leukemia) so this also complicates treatment.
using the cold cap as i did before and hopeful that if it worked for me with FEC all those years ago it will work again now. The main side affect has been crippling stomache pains for 3 days 48 hours after treatment so hoping it will not happen this time. The dose has been decreased slightly in the hope this will help. I was advised to take Buscopan which reduced the pain slightly but the lack of sleep due to the pain hasn’t helped the tiredness. If anyone else has had this problem i would be grateful for any tips.
Am a complete noob with this wildshell and Christine Rim, so don’t have any advice for you, but hope tomorrow goes well for you both!
Morning everyone what a beautiful day! Today is my day off which is lovely! Good luck Christine and Wildshell for today.
Glad to hear you are not feeling bad N&Wmummy. Linda I wash my hair once a week. Just coz I think handling it less is better and I’m lazy lol. I love my new silke my hair feels all shinny. Nothing has fallen out so far. And I’ve soooo many scarves now. I’ve very colour coordinated when I go to work.
Hi Michelle how are you? I’m going to be on herceptin too. Fect as well. And wore a tshirt to work yesterday. That boob fitting totally evened out my boobs But I don’t wear it at home just go lopsided lol.
Hi Fitful head you start chemo the day before my second one. I have it quite late on Friday …With the cold capping will make me finish about 5 middle of Friday rush hour. My partner works shifts so he is not available so trying to work out the best way to get home. He picked me up the first time and it was lovely. I might just get the train back a cab will cost a fortune and take hours.
And my bad news of the day is #lovelyhusky stole my new lunchbox and bag and ravaged it in the garden! I’m not talking to him for at least an hour but I’m definitely buying new ones as I find for chemo and work makes me pack food and eat. Hope you all have a good day. Going to go buy factor 50 today and lamb chops and pomegranate salad with sumac and mint yoghurt dip for tea. I’m hungry already x
Good morning, another beautiful day!
I think my message crossed with your post Gygi, glad all is well. I’m having chemo 2 on Friday too. I hope I feel the same for the next one as this one. Naughty husky, but I bet he gave you the cute eyes afterwards! I know what you mean about packing the food to eat helps through the day. I’m going to pack a little back pack for my morning dog walks with drinks and snacks as sometimes I’m out for 3 hours and eating regularly definitely helps especially in the first week. I haven’t got any scarves, I’m rubbish at stuff like that, haven’t got a clue how to tie them! Got my wig fitting on Tuesday, I hope I like it! So far so good with the hair, although I read it’s between 2 and 4 weeks that it falls out and im at week 2. so I’m watching and waiting. It does look shiny in the mornings though! Glad the boob fitting went well, I’ll be joining you in lopsidedness come August!
You are definitely not alone in finding it surreal N&W mum, I told my neighbour this morning as it still seems really weird hearing those words coming out of my mouth. My latest train of thought is hopefully I will look back on this as just a really difficult time in my life. Thinking that makes the feeling that I can move on from this and will get over it seem a little more real. Also I try to ignore all paranoid voices at all costs!!! Not always easy!
Christine and Wildshell, hope all goes well today, and Dorabel for Monday, let us know how you get on.
I’ve got gardeners here today to cut back the hedges and mow the lawns. As we’ve had to cancel our holiday this year we’ve decided to pay people to do all the jobs that we don’t want to do! It’s just a little disappointing that the gardeners don’t look anything like the one in desperate housewifes or the Diet Coke ad!!
Have a great day all X
Michelle21 hiya got my wig fitting on Wed when I go see oncologist and have bloods done. Excited but don’t know what to get. Have you thought of anything? Are you having the same hair or going wild? I have really straight hair. I’m thinking of going curly lol
Hi Gygi no I don’t know what to go for. I have naturally wavy hair that I have spent the last 20 years straightening the life out of! It was in a medium length bob but since starting chemo I had it cut short and have left the waves to run wild. I’ve never had my hair this short and so many people have commented even those that don’t know why I’ve had the chop! I was thinking I would go for my usual bob style but then it’s going to be odd as my hair is so short now it’ll be so obvious if it’s suddenly grown loads!! My daughter’s thought I should go for a completely different style and colour and they are coming with me on Tuesday so who knows what I’ll end up with! I’ll let you know x
Michelle21 morning hows you?
good idea to take your daughters so I’m copying you and I asked mine. She will set me straight if I choose something too wild lol but the opportunity is there to be a bit different so I may take that x
Hi everyone got my sun factor 50 and checked the score with chemo. I can actually go out in it if I wear factor 30 or above.Went shopping last night and got 3 different types to make sure I stick it on everyday. And found my summer hats. Won’t go out in it too much but I do need to mow the lawn today and I’m a considerate neighbour and won’t do it till everyone’s up lol. This is my good weekend where I’m feeling really good. Partner and daughters out this afternoon (not together!) Lol I’m going to attempt to make ice lollies got pineapples kiwis strawberries and watermelon then do my prep for school (got speaking exams next week) then watch watch the Queens birthday concert with a non alcoholic cocktail made up thing. Big thing is fluids. Bought a ton of shopping last night got more lime cordial and a thing called pj which is lemon to keep up the habit of drinking lots… kind of preparing for next weekend. Hope you all have a lovely day and feel well enough to enough it. Take care Gigi x
Oops …for second enough read enjoy it sorry x
Hi all,
Another lovely day here.
My 7 yr old and his dad have gone off to Wales Comic Con today so that leaves me and my 4 yr old together which is lovely as that doesn’t happen much! Currently watching Trolls and eating homemade popcorn and it’s not even 10 o’clock! Very decadent.
Currently still feeling pretty ok and hugely grateful for it.