@gromit12 Just do what you can do tonight. I’m sure they’ll be absolutely delighted even if you went for an hour or two. My guts took a day or two of threatening to be bad before they became bad so fingers crossed this is a slow burn for you too!
@hc1973 I never got on with wigs either. I think forced menopause and splintery stubble made them uncomfortable and I felt a little like I was trying to go incognito and failing. . I have felt like scarves were a way of admitting cancer but not feeling too exposed with the entire baldiness on display. I do still hate the tilted head pity looks you get though. On the hand and foot thing, I went for this one… SuzziPad Cold Therapy Socks -… https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B49TY3RK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Some people say if yours is longer than an hour to buy extra ice packs. I’ll take mine in ice when I go but mine is only an hour so should be enough and I’ll probably get some extra packs and continue it at home for a bit. Any help will be welcomed!
Bit of a meltdown as couldn’t find anything to fit as I’ve put on so much weight so into the loft as most of summer clothes had been packed as we were supposed to move in December and it never happened. And I found one that fits- just- as long as I breathe in!! And of course I have to master the wig too which rarely gets an outing .
Sorry I haven’t been on had a busy few days. I totally relate to the chemo poster child @swk1981. I’m at the stage now I hate the hats if I even had an inch of hair I’d love it, I’d scare people with bald head lol. I’ve also a few eyelashes left on the top and eyebrows are gone. I had powder eyebrows done before treatment and this at least gives some shapes.
Nose has been dripping all week as hairs gone there also
I can’t remember who mentioned about neuropathy. I have it bad in my feet and vibrations down my legs feels like a mobile phone buzzing on my pocket. I got compression stockings which are helping as my feet are painful to walk in. I got open toe ones also from Amazon and wear a Fitflops with them and are so comfortable and my feet aren’t over heating,
I’m finding when I’m tired my speech is desperate can’t get words out or they’re jumbled up, maybe menopause causing this also. @ivegotthis01 sorry to hear you’re having such a rubbish time, I also don’t have a picc line and my last chemo it took 4 gos to get a burn as they kept ballooning and then collapsing. I’ve my last chemo next Wednesday and dread the thought of it. I had horrible time the 1st 10 days of this one vomiting diarrhoea, fuzzy head extra.this last few days I’ve been feeling ok and it’s been great to get a glimmer of normality.
Has anyone noticed any changes in their skin, I’ve git a lot of pigmentation.
Sorry post is so long or I’ve missed anyone out ( brain mashed) hope everyone is doing as well as they can and are having nice weekend xxxx
@elle16 glad to hear you’re feeling not too bad. I’m like this also and now dreading Wednesday even though it’s my last chemo I dread the steroids. Last time I felt as if I was loosing my mind, I was an emotional wreck. I’ve warned my family to ignore me if I’m in self pity mode as it’s the drugs and not me
i get that shivery feeling like goosebumps all over, ive now got a pulsating also at the bottom of my back. The Dr told me it’s all the nerve endings kicking off ( that was his words. He thinks my back could be a touch of sciatica. I’m just hoping this all goes when chemo fingers.
Ps. I’m jealous of your fine stubble lol
Hi @hc1973, hopefully you’re able to make it tonight. I was felling exactly the same yesterday the thought of getting a shower actually was making me feel tired lol.
I eventually pushed myself and went for dinner even managed a small glass of wine and actually felt half normal again.
I’m the same with the wig, I ended up wearing a bandana hat thing( forget what you call it:see_no_evil:) I find the wig over heats me and then I get irritated, but then again that’s probably menopause .
@swk1981 ive given my feet a good inspection and my toenails look pretty normal but the underneath of my toes and feet are pinky red colour and feels like I’ve been walking for miles but I definitely haven’t I agree about the Uggs I’ve got the slipper type ones too but don’t really look right with summer attire @hc1973 hope you manage even a short while at the party, I’m the same with my wig I feel like when I go somewhere where I will know lots of people it draws more attention to me as they are looking to see if it’s a wig or real hair so actually feel less conscious with a hat or head scarf x @gromit12 you look beautiful 🩷 @pollyanna1 the antibiotics definitely working but I think they make me feel a little sick, I’m struggling with my fluid intake at the min as even water tastes like dirt glad you managed to get out last night, hope it did you good and trust me when I say my stubble is not all that but it has been hanging in there since my shave hasn’t really grown much and definitely doesn’t cover my scalp unfortunately I think the best way to describe it is very sparse
I also struggle with getting the correct words out or maybe say things in the wrong order, my sister jokes that she is my translator as she seems to know what I mean but no one else does, I was telling someone on Thursday that my daughter was making cheesecakes at school, she was in fact making fish cakes which I knew and I didn’t even realise I’d said it wrong until I mentioned the fish cakes in a later conversation and she was like you mean cheese cakes maybe it was wishful thinking @kartoffel thanks for the link I quite like the look of those @isthisreal ive bought some eyebrow transfers but I’m scared to use them incase I don’t get them even and then can’t get them off, I will try and give them a go tomorrow and let you know how I get on, at the min I’m managing to follow the few hairs I’ve got left and gently fill them in to what I think looks right but like @swk1981 my eyesight has took a real hit over the last few weeks and I’m having to check them in a x15 mirror which is scary🤣
Someone mentioned pigmentation of the skin I’ve not really got pigmentation but I’ve got the freckles I had when I was 8 years old just popped up over my nose and cheeks , my only age decreasing side effect everything else as aged, there is a lot of pressure for my new miracle cream
Evening all! Well I made it into a dress and managed 5 hours at the party this afternoon It was a mixed reaction- people who do know, asking me what side effects I’m having and people who don’t telling me how much they like my new haircut I find it really hard to manage both these people - how many times should you have to say, I don’t want to go into this right now (when what I want to say is…. Shut Up!!) and I can’t help but look at people to check they’re not taking the p**s
I completely agree with whoever said they feel very exposed in these situations, I feel like I’m playing a role in a very dark comedy…with my wig and make up a very poor disguise
Hey Ho - injections done, muscle pains increasing and indigestion the price I pay for not resisting the buffet!
Well done @altoan so glad you made it and you look absolutely fabulous 🩷 and 5 hours is incredible, hope the spent energy will help you sleep tonight x
This sounds like me, my husband laughed when I was talking to my sister last week I kept saying thingy as couldn’t get my words out and she was able to translate for me.
It’s me with the pigmentation and lots and lots of freckles lol
Glad I’m not alone with needing a translator and thanks for the link Ive suffered with Plantar Fasciitis ( can’t pronounce it ) for a few years , it just flares up every now again but my whole feet hurt at the min if I’ve been on them for a while so think I will give these a try x
@altoan you’re looking fab, I think we.do ourselves down. It was lovely tonight I was treated as “normal”, though I didn’t feel normal. Too hot for cardigan so PICC cover on show- but what the heck. Fabulous meal which I really enjoyed, but Gaviscon as soon as I got in, and good old filgrastin and now I’m still buzzing on the steroids!! Oh chemo life!!!
@altoan and @gromit12 you both look so lovely. I wouldn’t even know you have cancer to look at you!!! Well done for putting yourselves out there!
I’m more like @pollyanna1 and prefer to avoid things. Weirdly, the wedding in Scotland was safe because I only know the grooms and their families. No one else. And it seems Scottish people don’t do the annoying held tilted, pity face that people at home seem to love doing.
The translator thing is real. I’ve stopped being frustrated by it now and am basically using a mixture of words and sign language and my family have learnt not to mock me now or laugh as I’ve admitted it’s karma for being an absolute pedant my whole life and correcting wrong words. Total payback!!!
@pollyanna1 - you sound done in and just exhausted. Unsurprisingly! I really hope this last few weeks of your last chemo and the recovery from it are kind to you. You totally deserve a break! Sorry if you’ve said but are you then having radio? Do you get a break? They’ve scheduled a 6 week break between mine and said they don’t think I’d be ready before that. Apparently, even privately, 4-6 week break is normal?!?
@elle16 sorry your feet are struggling so much. I’ve found the Margaret Baggs Medical Foot Cream seems to calm my feet. I’ll be honest though, I can’t seem to pinpoint what the pain is. I don’t think it’s peripheral neuropathy as I had it and it was sooooo painful and nervy but then it subsided and instead it’s more like a mild burning on my feet. Not sure if it’s palmar-plantar syndrome that the booklet mentioned.
Need to take girlies shopping for summer holiday clothes tomorrow if I can. Am worried I won’t have the energy in the next cycle or will end up in hospital again.
Also, silly one that someone may be able to advise on….despite being very chatty, I’m a massive introvert socially and find it very tiring on a good day. I have to go to my daughters Sports Day. It’s a massive event at Team Bath at the Uni (she’s Y8 but they just use the facilities). ALL the parents attend. 99% of the parents do not know I have (hopefully had) cancer. How on earth can I prepare for such a moment? They’re all going to stare and then it will inevitably become one of this ‘stupid cancer comment bingo’ things where people tell you about keto diets that kill cancer or that their aunt died from cancer (it always amazes me how many people want to tell you about someone who has died from breast cancer ). In an ideal world, I would sneak in and sit on the grass and avoid the enormous outdoor balcony they all congregate on but I just know I’ll be spotted since the headscarf kind of sticks out like a sore thumb and I’d have to walk past if I want any refreshments for the entire day. Any tips on how to handle the pity stares. Bath is very very very white middle class. Not in a good way. It’s a small city and everyone knows everyone and it’s the land of coffee mornings where I will then become coffee morning fodder. Nothing fills me with anxiety more than being someone’s gossip. Any tips on how to grow some big girl pants and not feel insane anxiety. I wish it had been a month ago when I looked way less cancery than now. Now I look like a gollumy little newborn pig.
Speaking of which, I assisted my lovely Maud in farrowing 10 piglets this evening which was the most fun thing I’ve done in months. She’s laboured for 24 hours and was being super clingy today, wanting belly rubs and loads of attention so I knew she was close. Nothing better than newborn piglets and a good Mama to lift your spirits. Hopefully she won’t have sat on any in the night. It’s not easy weighing 230kg and having ears that cover your eyes. Treading on children becomes an unfortunate side effect
May be worth trying the feet cooler pack things that you can also use during chemo to vasoconstrict and prevent peripheral neuropathy? Is the a foot cream with mint in it too? It could relieve the pain for you maybe?
@swk1981 i understand how you feel about that situation, it would overwhelm me too. Dealing with this breast cancer rubbish takes a great deal of courage, so you are brave enough to rise above the gossips and be the better person. It’s very hard to follow this advice the idea that others are chattering about me is just horrible even though I know we can’t stop them and we shouldn’t even give them a second thought!
I’m still brooding on one comment yesterday, as I was saying I may need to pull out of things if I don’t feel up to it on the day (read: if I don’t want to give you the opportunity to quiz me further about my cancer) ….this woman interrupted me to ask “And how do they know if your treatment is even working?” Err…. I’ll be alive?
. I have felt like scarves were a way of admitting cancer but not feeling too exposed with the entire baldiness on display. I do still hate the tilted head pity looks you get though. On the hand and foot thing, I went for this one… SuzziPad Cold Therapy Socks -… https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B49TY3RK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
so into the loft as most of summer clothes had been packed as we were supposed to move in December and it never happened. And I found one that fits- just- as long as I breathe in!! And of course I have to master the wig too which rarely gets an outing .
you look wonderful 
I agree about the Uggs I’ve got the slipper type ones too but don’t really look right with summer attire 
glad you managed to get out last night, hope it did you good 
and trust me when I say my stubble is not all that but it has been hanging in there since my shave hasn’t really grown much and definitely doesn’t cover my scalp unfortunately I think the best way to describe it is very sparse 
maybe it was wishful thinking 
It was a mixed reaction- people who do know, asking me what side effects I’m having 
and people who don’t telling me how much they like my new haircut 
I find it really hard to manage both these people - how many times should you have to say, I don’t want to go into this right now (when what I want to say is…. Shut Up!!) and I can’t help but look at people to check they’re not taking the p**s 
x
and now I’m still buzzing on the steroids!! Oh chemo life!!!
). In an ideal world, I would sneak in and sit on the grass and avoid the enormous outdoor balcony they all congregate on but I just know I’ll be spotted since the headscarf kind of sticks out like a sore thumb and I’d have to walk past if I want any refreshments for the entire day. Any tips on how to handle the pity stares. Bath is very very very white middle class. Not in a good way. It’s a small city and everyone knows everyone and it’s the land of coffee mornings where I will then become coffee morning fodder. Nothing fills me with anxiety more than being someone’s gossip. Any tips on how to grow some big girl pants and not feel insane anxiety. I wish it had been a month ago when I looked way less cancery than now. Now I look like a gollumy little newborn pig.
