Hi everyone,
well here I go again starting another thread! As I have had to go on chemo when I had hoped to have a summer free to enjoy the sunshine and live a little.
Today I had pamidronate for my bones, avastin for ? I am not sure but onc is convinced it has slowed down my spread and now the return to taxol for the third time. Is that a record for returning to taxol?
The whole experience took 7 hours, 2 attempt to get in last vein standing, well limping would be a better description. When I walked in the nurses ran, only Sister B stayed and she informed me Dr R would be canulating me. As I have been totally exhausted Life of Brian’ came for a chat. He has great hopes that as tax/avastin combo has worked twice before it should again, but if not I will go on vinerolbine. I am to be scanned after these 3 treatment so not wasting too much time.
Ian did the weekly shop while I was hooked up, he bought me 2 nice dresses from M&S to cheer me up. We had a spot of lunch together and then he went off to do a bit more shopping. The Friday club at Treliske is better than any other day we always have chocs aand tea about 5p.m.
Well to all those on chemo or not you are very welcome to join the thread please…
Love Debsxxx
Debs,
Sorry you are back on chemo, hope it works well, and that there are some days when you feel that you can enjoy life minus the chemical haze. The dresses, tea and chocolates should have at least given you some good things to look back on about the day.
Bright x
Debs
Seen your posts on Summer being cancelled, really sorry you are back on chemo, and I sincerely hope that you get good results from the treatment.
Your photo is beautiful - just wanted to say.
Take care
Love
Lizzy XX
Hello Debs
I am sorry you are having to re start chemo again, I can’t imagine what that must be like, I remember well this time last year having just had my first round of taxotere and how horrid it was.
Fingers and toes crossed that the chemo works better, or as well as before and hope that you don’t suffer too badly from the side effects. You are a strong lady - and you even let your hubby buy you dresses?? You must be brave too - LOL
Take good care
Love P x
Hi Debs, frigging chemo. But your oncs seem very positive. Hope it gets things back under control quickly.
What a star your hubbie is. Mine grumbles if I ask him to go and get me a sandwich!
Deirdre
Frigging chemo indeed though I swore I would never. Caelyx for me…mystery chemo on Thursday. Really hoping side effects minimal as some say…don’t want to lose my hair again. Lost it three times already and 4 just one too far, particularly as I love the way my hair now is.
Meanwhile I am on the waiting list to go into hospice to try more drugs for pain…whatever happened to summer indeed. And where are those pyjamas…I don’t do mightwear either.
Thinking of you Debs.
Jane X
Thank you all so much for the quick response it is such a comfort when you do a post and your cyber friends reply.
New dresses… Ian likes the classical look think when we first met I shocked him in some of my outfits.
Pj’s… The White company do some nice ones, I don’t have any as I would disappear in Egyptian cotton sheets! Per Una have some nice comfy ones that match my Cath Kidston teapot.
Jane re hairloss this will be forth time for me too, I am just getting to like my pykie look(cross between pixie and dykie). I wonder if 4 is a record? I know I will cry, silly really. Keep us all posted on caelyx, I really hope you get good results who knows we may emerge next summer with hair able to enjoy travel plans. At the moment a walk is out of the question.
Love Debsxxx
Hi Debs
Just wanted to send you an enormous cyberhug - I wish you weren’t going through such sh@@ and I hope you feel better soon. The prospect of loosing your hair again must be so awful, this is certainly not wig-wearing weather. I’m impressed with Ian’s shopping skills - is it just me or are M&S sizes getting smaller - everything I try on lately doesn’t fit, yet I haven’t put on weight.
Thinking of you
Linda
x
I’ve found the stylish pyjams I wore for srugery…Bon soir…and they still fit over my XLL arm. Bought one of those nice white dressing gowns like they have in hotels. And even a new holdall to put my things in. Ridiculous…I am crawling round in excessive pain doing gormless steroid induced shopping…and eating for England…
Jane
I think I would like somebody to design day pyjamas. You could wear them in bed, but wouldn’t feel embarrassed if you popped out to the shops in them either. That way you could stay in your PJs all day. I envisage bright, bold colours in some wonderful stay cool and not stick to you or crease too much cotton with wide sleeves and lovely comfy waist bands for those of us with insatiable appetites.
I am sure there would be a market for them. I for one would be in them for ever.
Deirdre
My bonsoir pjs really are a bit like that Deirdre (shame about the not stylish body which goes in them) They are sort of blue paisley and it works. I hate nightwear and tracksuit bottoms so shall just wear thin jeans during day…isn’t it a bit weird of me to be planning my wardrobe for going into a bl***y hospice???
Jane
just checked the Bonsoir site and their curent pjs stock is better than some but none as nice as mine from 5 years ago
Hello Debs and Jane,
What a pig this b****y thing is. DEbs I am really sorry that you are having to have chemo again I have only had 2 types and I am fed up with it.
Jane I hope that this chemo you are having can give you some releif from the pain and that a trip to the hospice helps. I know that the Dr I see at the hospice seems very switched on with the pain relief and she has suggested that I stay in for a few days to sort out my pain. So hopefully you will find it helpful too.
I am off to see onc on Monday its decision time.Onc has to decide what to do next either another chemo or a few more weeks without anything depending how I am.
Hi Debs and Jane
Just to add my support for you, and anyone else, going through chemo. I remember it only too well last ‘summer’ and that was only my 1st go. I’m sure I’ll be in your positions again so understand the dread of it all and can’t imagine how it must be to be on your 4th lot. Although there’s no ‘good’ time to have chemo the summer seems the pits, especially when all your friends and family talk about their sodding holidays. A quick reminder to them about how awful chemotherapy really is soon puts a dampener on the holiday chat 
Wishing you well and good results. Regarding pj’s M&S do really good, light cotton ones that you can mix and match sizes and styles. They have a range of ‘secret support’ vest tops which I find really comfortable and cool but as I’ve not had a mast I don’t know how they would be for anyone who has. Not sure if I could go out shopping in them but do hang out the washing for all to see me.
Nicky x
Hi Debs, thinking of you as you go back on the treadmill of chemo, I hope it works for you and gives you some quality back. Really sorry that it has screwed up your summer though 
Nikki
All of you who are going back on treatment I do feel for you. I remember how awful it was first time round too. Lets hope this time it does the trick, or at least gives you a much longer time before another chemo (heaven forbid).
On the subject of hair loss, this has always confused me - yes it’s awful, but where is our feminism here. I cannot believe that many of you feel so pressured by what society determines is an acceptable look, that you walk around in wigs in the boiling heat, blimey havn’t we all gone through enough.
I think we should start being open about the whole thing, and if we are bald, let it be so. No more messing around with wigs and headscarves and goodness knows what (unless you have young children or it is cold!).
I found the whole hair loss thing very distressing initially, but after a while I found it oddly empowering and I didn’t look nearly as bad as I would have thought.
So Debs I hope I havn’t hijacked your post, but I do think this is a crucial area which we should start thinking about bringing about change, after all why should we suffer more.
My Dear Debs,
I am so sorry that you are back on chemo.
Don’t you just feel you want to get of the bl**dy tread mill of it all and be left alone just feeling half decent for a while.
We seem to go through so much as well at the hospital, the weighting, the playing hunt the vein, the other patients that moan.
Thats before the effects of the chemo kick in.
I hope that you get a good response and quickly from the taxol, like you say at least your onc is not messing about, how long was it before you noticed a difference last time?
I have to agree about the hair loss thing…I am about to loose mine for the third time and like you and Jane I think that has just become harder to face.
Summer or winter there is never a right time.
I admire people who go comando on top, I can’t help it I always just feel I look to much like a victim if you know what I mean and with the steriod face as well… and now I am aware of my funny eye
I do wear scarves but although they are comfortable I don’t feel it.
Jane you have made me laugh about your fashion shopping to go into the hospice…you could always get Debs hubby to help you out!!!
When you say your on a waiting list do you have any idea how long that will be.
I hope you don’t have a long wait and when you do get in it’s quick and your soon out.
Best wishes as always
Tess.x
Hi Debs, I haven’t been on here much lately and I am so sorry to see that you are back on Taxol again…just when you think you may have bit of quality time it is snatched away again…it is so NOT FAIR!!! Don’t know is you remember me but i am on Taxol (for the first time) and finish it in August, but it is my third lot of chemo. At the start of each chemo it is crap isnt it, then you sort of get on with it hoping it will be your last, but probably really knowing the nightmare will never really end. Not sure what they will put me on after this has finished but hopefully something not too horendous. I really hope you are not feeling too crappy this time round Debs, I’ll keep signing in to see how things are going. I know what you mean about the hair s… and eyelashes, if you are anything like me you try to make the best of a bad job. I cant understand why Taxol girls are not offered the cold cap (not in our hospital anyway) because I think we would all feel a lot better mentally if we at least kept that! Anyway take care Debs, Jane and everyone else. I just want to say I think I am going to have a good week because my first grandchild is arriving on Tuesday by C Section and we are all really excited so I am feeling happy… he is going to be called Harrison.
Love
Debs
Hi Debs, Jane and others - I’m so grumpy to hear your news. What a pig the timing is too - it’s definitely worse in the summer! I want to say I’m really hoping it’s not too bad, but that would be stupid, so basically I just hope you have lots of lovely people and lovely moments to help you get through it.
Yes, I did laugh at you both thinking about shopping at a time like this!!
Big hugs
Jacquie xx
Hi everyone,
today I feel awake, it is about time as I have been in bed asleep since Saturday night. Just don’t seem to be able to stay awake for more than an hour.
DebsH, just want to say congratulations on the safe arrival of your first grandchild. Harrison is a lovely name. It is a bitter sweet moment isn’t it?
Tess, thinking of you at this tough time.
Nikki, saw your post on the other thread, I think the chest infections that some of us suffered this spring are still hanging around.
Love to everyone.
Love Debsxxx
Hi Debs,
Glad you’re feeling a bit perkier today (although you may be back asleep again by now, of course!). Please don’t do anything worthy, like jobs or duty phone calls - just relax and be waited on and use whatever energy you do have for pleasurable things.
Big hug
Jacquie x