Hi All… Ive been reading along for the last week and half as after that first chemo on 13th I felt pretty OK but then a few days of feeling very low but now feeling back to my old self and my last blood test showed good results . I think it was the length of the treatment plan that got to me and knowing that i won’t be finished with this until Sept by the time I have chemo then radio. My sisters came to stay for 4 days over the weekend which was lovely. I’m quite envious Gigi that you’re able to work. I’m missing working as really loved my job but as I work in a client relationship role my job doesn’t really work on a partime basis so I need to get into a routine. I know it will all be there when I’m able to go back…Anyway, just wanted to say hi and I’m so pleased to see everyone seems to getting on well. ? Best to all, Fiona x
Me again. On my own this evening lol. Mfl is modern foreign language teacher. I teach French and Spanish. Michelle Your daughter sounds v hardworking and like she knows sleep is so important. I’m in Chemo from 1.30 Friday. Morning will be running around cleaning and replacing my new lunchbox the husky ruined.
Fiona lovely your sisters came. My brothers don’t even know I have cancer. I never see them. One lives in South Korea so he has an excuse. Lol Glad chemo wasn’t too bad. Cinnamon rolls in the oven better go make sure they don’t get burnt x
It’s tricky with family, my 2 sisters aren’t close at all and don’t really catch up with each other and they only live in Scotland and England… My mum can’t help sharing an illness so there was no one in a 4000 mile radius who doesnt know! Enjoy those cinnamon rolls… Do you make them from scratch? They’re a favourite in our house but I haven’t tried to bake my own…enjoy! Night all!
Yes family is a funny thing. It’s just my daughter and me and my partner really and one lovely aunt who rings me up every couple of weeks. I used gluten free pastry jus rol spread coconut sugar and really good cinnamon from spice mountain in London bridge and rolled and cut. Takes less than 15 minutes great during chemo. Next batch I make going to add icing sugar on top. Coconut sugar means they are not as sweet as when I used brown sugar. They don’t last very long.
Also need to buy lolly moulds but just made fruit lollies in plastic cups. Then added it to watermelon and made the most delicious watermelonsmoothie in the nutriblender. As you can probably tell lost no weight since chemo started actually put on a pound
Yes family is tricky! I started talking to my dad 6months ago having not been speaking for 20 years! And i’ve told my mum and Dad not to tell my brother as I don’t see him at all, so don’t really think it has anything to do with him.
I’d love to be able to speak a language, I learnt Spanish at school but really lacked confidence when speaking it. Can’t remember much of it now!
Cinnamon rolls sound lovely, your posts always make me hungry Gigi! I have put on a couple of lbs too, I think I’m going to eat my way through chemo!
I’m planning to make up a jug of ginger iced tea for after chemo, keep up my fluids, ease the quease and stop me drinking so much squash, I never used to drink squash and I’ve drank gallons in the last 3 weeks!
Night all x
Pleeeease stop talking about cinnamon rolls or I will be making a dash to ASDA in my jimjams!
Thank you Gigi for the information about your work! I think I’ve been through a similar process - intially thought three weeks for op then a few weeks of half-days for radio would do it, but then 18 weeks of chemo threw in a real curve ball especially as I’ve not been able to go back in between. Headwise, I’d be very ready to go back tomorrow (my original return date) if I could, but my onc. recommended taking the full 3 weeks of the first cycle off to get the feel of it, so that we could make realistic plans for the remaining cycles, rather than just trying to wing it - this makes sense to me, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to work for a good chunk of each cycle after that. It’s helpful to hear others’ experience as it gives me a realistic guide as to how I might be able to work it, and to be able to present an effective plan.
Your post made me giggle, MrsPardaeva - it’s my mother-in-law who tells everyone! It’s very odd as she is not at all a gossip and is generally very Lancastrian about sharing things (i.e. doesn’t). I’ve even had an email message from her hairdresser’s daughter saying she’s sorry I have cancer (I’ve never even met her hairdresser), and the sister of one of her old school friends has knitted me a hat!
Blerghh… woke up at 3 this morning to find that my period has arrived very early - not too unusual but really unfortunate. I have always had bad problems with them, and now take meds to control extremely heavy bleeding and very strong pain. I specifically checked at my pre-assessment yesterday whether I would be okay to keep taking these while on chemo, but didn’t anticipate taking them at the same time as treatment. So I’m now facing going into my first cycle already sore, nauseated and headachy, and worried that these other meds will somehow delay or interfere with the chemo :(
That’s so unfortunate fitful head … As if all of this isn’t tough enough! Hopefully some of the chemo meds will help x
Sorry I accidentally sent that too soon. I was going to say that I had terrible back pain as I have collapsed discs when I had my chemo but some of the meds they gave me to counter the effects of the chemo actually helped dull the back pain! I hope that it isn’t any harder for you that at all possible. X
So I’ve got my second chemo tomorrow so I’m on the end of week 3, just had a shower and my hair has started to fall out. I’m cold capping which I know isn’t guaranteed to work but I so wanted to keep my hair. I suppose everyone does. I’m so upset, if it falls out completely everyone will know and give me that look. I can’t bear it x
Thanks Fitful head, yes maybe I will keep enough. It’s made me all teary now and I’m meeting a friend for coffee who cries at the drop of a hat. I really don’t want it to be a crying fest. I need to pull myself together. I really should be more positive, brave and strong!! I have no advice re periods as mine seem to have stopped. I hope the chemo meds help with it and chemo goes ok for you x
Wildshell my daughter has the exact receipt for the ginger tea but I think you just put a few tea bags in water, let it cool and add ice!
Oh Michelle, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve been having that fear too, of making it impossible to hide it when, until now, you’ve been powering through and it’s your choice who you tell. You’re a week ahead of me but so haven’t yet experienced it so can only imagine … It seems to cruel that we go through the pain and still it’s no guarantee.
I think that on days like this a good cry is absolutely in order…
Thinking of you x
Afternoon Ladies
Michelle it is upsetting when you first start to lose some hair… There is no getting round that I’m afraid. But what I would say is that firstly the cold cap will help, so hopefully you will have some covering, and secondly, you sort of get used to it, or should I say, you resign yourself to it. Honestly, you will feel a bit better about it after a while. Also, and I know it’s early days, but it does grow back. I had a full head of hair, 4 months after Chemo finished.
In regards to periods Ladies, you may find they don’t follow their normal pattern. I had one that lasted 2 weeks, and then didn’t have one at all!
Sending lots of hugs xx
Thanks everyone for your support. I haven’t touched my hair since, I think I am in denial.
I know what you mean Dorabel my hair has always been a pain to me because it is wavy at the back and straight at the front, but I’m going to miss it all the same, mainly for the reason you say MrsPaedava that there is no hiding then.
Thanks Sue, nice to hear from someone who has experienced it, I’ve also asked the ladies on the Jan thread. I can’t imagine gettting used to it but as with all of this we just have to because there is no other choice.
Thanks again everyone, appreciate your support and kind words x
Hi guys home from work. Speaking exams went very well. Totally wiped out but sitting on my swing seat listening to the birds is lovely. Michelle mine started today too but I have so much hair it doesn’t really notice. Trying not to touch my hair very tempted to put my fingers through it and see how much comes out. Off to make a watermelon smoothie upping my fluid intake in readiness for chemo tomorrow.
All the best to those going through chemo tomorrow.
My week seems to have had many ups and downs but has ended on better note than i expected. After the problems with the Liver function test last week and the scary news that my leukemia medication may not be given, my blood test today shows a near normal result after a reduction in the taxol dose. I now have clear information that i didn’t have yesterday. Also gene test back and no hereditary BRCA genes found. Should give my daughter peace of mind.
Chemo tomorrow is a long one as i have the targeted therapies followed by the taxol. 5 hours i have been advised which should start by 9.30. it is my third of the weekly chemo so at least the weeks are passing. still using the cold hat and keeping my fingers crossed. Of all the side effects i think it is the most scary as we feel we are not are usual self. Nearly had a complete melt down when i was told this could happen. The women i have met that it has happened to seem to have coped well with it so i am sure we all will if it comes to it.
You too Christine x
But ugh… Worst Hangover Ever, and without the party first :smileyfrustrated: First dose of EC yesterday, all went smoothly but felt really rotten in the evening. Been good and followed instructions with antisickness meds, slept reasonably overnight but then also been fast asleep all morning - not my usual mode at all! Think I’m being very sensitive to everything because it’s my first time, and suspect that once I’m more familiar with the process I’ll wonder what I was being such a sook about! Definitely feeling brighter now, and pottering about a bit.
Hope everyone’s Friday goes better than expected 
Hungover is exactly how I described the mornings on the first week after my first EC, Fitful ! I found just sleeping when I was tired and pottering when I could was how I spent the first few days… Hope you continue to do well.