Blimey Katie, I think that comment might need to go on the ‘things not to say to a cancer patient’ thread! Hope you referred him/her to the local charm school for a few lessons in tact & diplomacy!
xx
Sharon
The idiot hospital locum I saw when I went in for my first lot of tests (I’d picked up the lump myself) said that the lump ‘was a bit of a stonker’
He didn’t know how to do a core biopsy so the nurse dragged in another surgeon who was heading off to theatre and got him to do it. The idiot had already told me I had cancer ‘I’m afraid it’s bad news but I think you already knew that’???!? Even though they hadn’t got the biopsy results back to be 100 % sure.
I tried to keep positive and joked that I was going away at the weekend and for the first time in ages I didn’t have to be mum, worker, cleaner, just me. And how it now had a whole new meaning. Idiot pipes up ‘and you didn’t think you’d be going with a hole in your tit’…
I still haven’t decided whether I should complain about him. I’ve never seen him again - I would have refused if I’d had to- but once I got into treatment I just wanted to put my head down and get on with it
And to those of you facing 18 months waits for follow ups, that seems incredibly long.
My hospital do annual mammos for five years and for me have taken the anniversary of when I was first diagnosed (by the idiot if you’ve read my last post!)
So here I am only a qtr of the way through rads which finish in May, a follow up appt with the radiotherapy consultant in June and my first annual mammo in July. I won’t feel as if I’ve time to draw breath before being put on the monitoring regime!
Evening.
I’m offically April showers.
I had my planning today. The planning ladies seemed to appreciate my sense of humour but maybe they have heard it all before and were just being polite??
Anyone else asked if the nurse had been to art college before she started drawing on you?
And I got new tattoos. They didn’t seem to like the ones from years ago so with those 2, 3 new ones and my ‘real’ one I’ve now got 6… Rock chick… that’s me.
Reasonably regular times. 12 sessions at 4pm, 1 a little earlier and 2 after 5pm. Oh the joys of the traffic… I can’t wait.
J
Session 6 over & done with It went quick today Met another patient who is from Dymchurch It was her last session today I gave her my contact details as she lives nearby She was surprised I’m working round my appointments I had an email argument with someone in another department before leaving the office, so I’ve been wound up all day & wonder if I should be at work! Perhaps I’m just having an angry day Who knows xx
Ha, ha - I must not be mature enough! A Joker was exactly what I felt like I was playing when my boss demanded I attend a meeting at what I thought unreasonably short notice . “Sorry, I have an appointment with my oncologist” brought a very rapid end to the discussion. I’ll try not to abuse my new and potent power?
Kitt
X
Welcome Judith :-).
I find my team lovely but not necessarily the best conversationalists. They just seem to want to get the job done and move into the next one!
As I mentioned before, after working through chemo and two surgeries, I’m now taking it easy for the next few weeks. I am checking emails and keeping in touch with the office but am not planning on going back until the end of May at the earliest. I’m amazed at those of you still working as I just couldn’t do it - way too tired now - but then again someone might have said that to me when I headed into the office one week after a chemo infusion!
I’m now 7 down, 13 to go and bored of it all already… Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out and a big breath now. 1,2,3,4… I’ll be saying it in my sleep soon!
My skin has definitely turned pink now and you can see a the outline of the area being scanned. Wonder how much worse it’s going to get?
Hope everyone else is good and those that are able are enjoying this beautiful weather
Hi Ladies,
Not to sound confused (but I am) learning as I go, but it just sunk in that the radiation area is the only area where they are trying to reduce recurrence of cancer. But it can come back anywhere.
I too am not connecting well with my team in communicating. Had a very hard day yesterday and today.
Halfway through though 14 of 28! Seems like the daily routine is taking a toll. I have blisters! But I’m trudging the road to happiness! Almost done I’ll keep thinking.
Sue
Also, Nebsminty I can soooo relate!
And glad you got started Sparkle!
Sue
Judithvr6 - I so wanted to play the radiotherapy treatment card yesterday. Today same person was ok with me with the emails, so I’ll let it go…
Session 7 over & done with today I’m given a hospital gown each day to ‘wear’ whilst the treatment is going on Does anyone else find it odd to have people undoing & doing up the poppers on the gown?
No modesty gowns here! Once they’ve marked me up they do cover up my good side with the gown.
What I find weird is lying down and having someone getting a ruler out and measuring marks from my tattoos before drawing on me. And then breathing in and out to get into the right breath hold position whilst two people are staring closely at my chest!
I’m not told to hold my breath Is that because my lump was in my right breast? ?
Yep! Only left sided cancers - and at my hospital only those in the lower half - need you to hold your breath. According to my paperwork ‘voluntary breath holding’ is to reduce the risk of ‘radiation induced heart disease’.
Oh my!
I’m left side and wle was for deep against my chest wall but no-one mentioned holding my breath.
Maybe I’ll phone and ask… or wait till 1st session next Wednesday.
I asked as mine was on left side but at Wedton Park they don’t do breath holding
Hi ladies,
I’m a left-sider too but I asked the radiotherapy planners to show me my scans/plans and they explained that some of it comes down to individual anatomy - luckily my heart is small and quite central so wasn’t hard to avoid and no breath holding required.
xx
Sharon
Hi everyone
4/15 done. Radiographer has got to discuss with my oncologist about the amount of swelling I have. My measurements have changed already. Is anyone else suffering from swelling?
Nebsminty I can agree with you it is weird laying there whilst they take measurements and draw on you!
Can’t believe after today I will be a third of the way through treatment.
Hope everyone is ok
Andrea x
Yea I’m over half way through my treatment No 8 of 15 done today The machine was being repaired when I arrived today There were already 2 other patients in the waiting room so I though I was in for a long wait Turned out my appointment was before theirs ? I worked from home today Got lots done
Hi… I’m a newbie here. I had no:11 rad done today out of 20. I had surgery right side and chemo. I’m starting to get very red now all over breast and nipple is very burned. Am applying the cream regularly as instructed. I love listening to radio when I’m in for the session. I agree it’s weird having people stare at your chest. Yesterday I was marked for the tumour site dense dose for last 5 sessions. My hair is just back and head is covered so I’ve braved it without wig for past week… Today I got funny looks in the hospital walking through to radio dept. It took the wind out of me on way in for session. 1st day I noticed people staring. Anyway it’s great to join this forum and feel like everyone understands ?
Well done Lorraine, I am sure the looks you were getting were not bad, hold your head high, and just remind yourself how special you are. The ladies on here are phenomenal and the help and advice is fantastic. Let us know how you getting on and sending millions of hugs xxxxxxx