Morning Everyone! And welcome @pinklady2, everyone on this group has been so lovely and supportive and as someone who always says I’m fine this is a great way to talk to people and be really honest!
So I made it to the party in Stratford upon Avon, a bit like @swk1981 i was dreading the cancer comments and wearing the wig etc. A few times I just ended up saying let’s talk about where everyone’s going on holiday as talking about cancer is soooo boring and that seemed to work!
@altoan 5hours at a party amazing! You summed up my thoughts entirely about wanting to tell people to shut up! One of my friends was trying to be supportive about my wig and part of me wanted to scream and shout and say I hate it’s not what I want or have chosen. I have no hair and it sucks! then I feel bad as people are only trying to be nice! I loved your photo too x
@pollyanna1 and @elle16 needing a translator made me laugh! I agree I seem to use the word thingy a lot!
@swk1981 i can understand the appeal of hiding away! Sports Day will be a challenge but hold your head high, there will always be people at school who don’t have anything better in their lives than to gossip which actually is quite sad in its self! You however have a lovely family, a farm a business and have just delivered Mauds piglets get you! I couldn’t do that. So you rock your head scarf (which by the way I still can’t make it look like yours did in your photo!) cheer on your little ones and they will love you even more for it. Sending you an extra big hug xxx
@belle1 OMG Mountain Lion…. I think every forum board should have this pinned at the top! It’s is good. The Kale bit made me laugh! I am going to send it to some of my friends.
I’m really sorry if I have forgotten anyone, if I have you know I’m thinking of everyone on this group and I really appreciate all of you! Here’s to a brighter week for us all.
Oh and here’s a photo of Fraser and I from Saturday! X
@hc1973 wow! You look stunning. Well done on going and smashing it. I have to say at the birthday meal on Saturday I was treated v sensitively- it was basically a family meal with a couple of friends - me being one- and I knew virtually no one. Sarah has told her family I was having treatment but no one brought it up, until I had to say something for some reason, and Sarah’s mum just said yes Sarah had mentioned it to me. Turns out she’d had cancer and chemo about 10 years ago and is still rocking it, but we talked normal stuff. I do appreciated the way it was handled
@hc1973 - you look amazing - well done on making it to the party and managing to look so fabulous! @pinklady2 - welcome to the forum - it really is such a safe, supportive place and I value it so, so much. @belle1 - I think you have chemo this week? Fingers crossed it goes well for you @pollyanna1 - I think you also have your LAST chemo this week? Hope it goes ahead as planned.
I am finally starting to feel ‘normal’ a week out before my next chemo session. I guess I just need to enjoy this week as much as possible and focus on being there for Oscar as he takes his last few GCSEs before finishing on Friday.
I’m off to get my picc line flushed this morning and I’m a bit concerned about it as the line seems have to gone further into my arm and there’s now only a little bit sticking out. Not sure if they can do anything about that but will ask the nurses if it’s something to be concerned about as I don’t want it sticking further into my heart!
@elle16 and @swk1981 - hope you are both fully recovered now ahead of your next round of docetaxel - and @gromit12 - hope you have escaped the ‘taxel trots’ so far!
Hope everyone else is doing well, here’s to another week!
Emma x
Got to go and have an x ray to see what’s going on with my picc line. It’s working fine but they just want to check it’s not kinked or pushing further into my heart. There’s always something!
Yeah I’m due to start Docetaxel on Friday so just a bit behind a few of you on starting it! Strangely enough my 4th round of EC is the best I’ve felt since chemo started so it’s been nice to have more time feeling normal before my next chemo/starting the new one as I was finding getting it every 2 weeks was getting quite challenging. Really feeling grateful for it as it feels like it’s given me a mental reset ahead of the new regime in case that knocks me for six🙈
Hope everything goes ok with your PICC line!
Glad to see folks liked the post I shared - the kale bit made me laugh too😂
@hc1973 you look amazing - great photo of you both!
Good for you! I’d have done the same….in fact I did do the same when the Rep from the kitchen supplier came round to “inspect” our units, which have paint chipped within a year of installation…they’ve taken 8 months to reply and have been really unhelpful so I sat on the sofa with my bare head explaining that when I first made the complaint “none of this had started” They’ve agreed to replace the whole island
@hc1973 thats a fabulous photo! You look amazing and I hope you had a good time - I’m very envious as you clearly go to more glamorous parties than I do
Welcome @pinklady2 to this wonderful group, it really is a lifeline at times. I never dreamt I’d ever feel comfortable talking on a forum but these ladies are amazing. @ivy-cat hope everything is ok with your PICC line xxx @belle1 loved the post you shared, so relatable and also found the kale fit so funny xx @ivy-cat totally understand the feeling slightly normal towards end of cycle, gives us a glimpse of what normality feels like. As much as tomorrow is my last chemo I’m more anxious this time as I know how unwell I felt after the last one.
To everyone else I’ve missed out totally understandable the feeling of being questioned or the stares. I live in a small village where everyone knows everyone so for the past 5 months I drive to a village 4 miles away to shop lol. It’s not that I’m embarrassed or anything it’s just I feel every time I have to answer questions it’s like reliving it everyday. My family laugh at me and say I like living in my own wee bubble
Hope everyone is keeping well, just had my last bloods done for final chemo tomorrow all goes ahead. For anyone else having chemo this week good luck, sending hugs to you all
What a day… my thrombophlebitis has been painful and started swelling yesterday. Went to A&E last night and they weren’t sure what was wrong and couldn’t ultrasound as out of hours so was sent home and told to keep an eye on it as was seeing my own oncologist this morning. Overnight very painful, more swollen and red. Seen my oncologist and looks like my phlebitis is infected (in that vein) so have been put on antibiotics. Forearm is like popeyes they’ve doodled on my arm circling the red area and if there’s no improvement by my bloods on Thursday chemo is off for Friday. I also haven’t had a heart scan as they forgot to order it so they’re trying to urgently get me in for one in the next couple days as I can’t start the Docetaxel without it not convinced this will be happening on Friday!!
If it does, what times did you take your steroids the day before Docetaxel? I’ve to take 4 tablets twice a day but have had differing advice on times to take them
Thanks. The redness is way outside the boundaries she drew earlier and the swelling is still going…. Praying the antibiotics work quick as the pain is awful! Hope your stomach starts to settle soon too
@belle1 that sounds awful - hope it clears up. I’ve had pretty grotty day - woke up with horrendous jaw pain, couldn’t really open my mouth, and really off my food today. I too needed to be close to loo as Taxel trots has hit Did manage to get to PICC clinic without any disasters, but went back to bed when I got back in.
please check directly with your team about your meds. Explain to them you’ve had conflicting information and want to be 100% sure you are taking correctly always best to double check with your team Shi xx
Belle1 go to the pals office at your trust if you continue to be given conflicting information by your team or ask to speak to your oncologist via his secretary about your concern with conflicting information about your meds. In my experience the secretaries who work for consultants are highly experienced helpful compassionate assistants who will help you get correct information if you yet again get conflicting instructions from team also the pharmacist you are getting the meds from should clearly be able to advise how and when to take your meds Shi xx
x
they’ve doodled on my arm circling the red area and if there’s no improvement by my bloods on Thursday chemo is off for Friday. I also haven’t had a heart scan as they forgot to order it so they’re trying to urgently get me in for one in the next couple days as I can’t start the Docetaxel without it 
not convinced this will be happening on Friday!!
Did manage to get to PICC clinic without any disasters, but went back to bed when I got back in.
please check directly with your team about your meds. Explain to them you’ve had conflicting information and want to be 100% sure you are taking correctly