Thank you Dilys. Hope you have a wonderful time with your sister.
I had a scan of my armpit this morning and the good news is that the consultant couldn’t find any lymph node imflammation, so keeping my fingers crossed that the sentinel biopsy will come back clear, wey hey!
Happy Christmas to all BC babes. Take care of yourselves and I will report back in after my op.
Love Louise
(That’s me told then!)
Happy Christmas BC Babes
Off to MK tomorrow to see baby Benjamin. Can’t wait!
Went for 16th rads session today wearing a Santa hat and with a Santa and sleigh sticker tattoo on my left breast - the staff thought it was great - no-one has ever done that for them before.
My right breast has now begun to glow and I believe I could stand in for Rudolph tonight if necessary. I had a yearning to become a ship’s figurehead yesterday as my breast was really feeling the heat - the thought of sea spray and breeze rushing past helped take away some of the itching - and gave me something else to giggle about.
Hope you all have a really great Christmas
Lots of love to you all,
Maddy xxxxxx
Dear All
Just a quick Happy Christmas to you all my loves, and a healthier New Year to us all. Thanks for being there and being so lovely.
Much love
Dilys
xxxxx
Hi BC gang,
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas with your families and loved ones, and a ‘New’ new year for us all.It will only improve for us, and we are soooooo lucky to have each other,without sharing with you here I would have drowned I think.my recon boob has a dent and my leg is a bit ‘tight’ sometimes, and still napping during the day like a toddler! otherwise getting better all the time,just ordered some headgear from the usa…
Thankyou lovely women. xxxx Julie
Louise- Im so sorry that you needed to be here at all.It is devastating news at first, Im 45yrs and had 5 weeks between diagnosis and mastectomy with recon, to be followed by 6 cycles of chemo starting in jan, then 5 yrs Tamoxifen. Shock,anger and denial are what I felt for 2-3 weeks, I read a lot here before I joined in, though Im really glad now that I did.Everyone is caring and supportive,whats more everyone understands,because we are all experiencing similar experiences. Other threads here may lead you to ways to help you tell your children, your BC nurse will be helpful too. Like everyone here has already said talking to someone,your partner a close friend or family member or a telephone helpline member is the first step in dealing with the news and your feelings. Have a great big cry-it will help let off steam. Ask your Drs lots of questions and read as much as you can, you’ll soon accept how succesfully treatable this disease is and start getting on with your recovery plan. There will be a few investigations first before a decision is made re what you will need, we will be here to hold your hand, to comfort you and hopefully be there when you smile too!
Take care for now, just take one day at a time,
Julie xxxxx
Hi not sure what I’m doing so apologies if this is wrong. Just been diagnosed (today 24th Dec) was originally offered to get my diagnosison the 28th Dec but the waiting was killing me so thought I would bite the bullet. Strangly I seem to be fine everyonethinks I am in shock and being too cheerful and believe me when it comes to the 8th Jan (Date for surgery) I’m sure I will be in panic mode but so far I seem fine. My husband keeps looking over the paper at me. One worryng trait I seem to have developed is apologising to everyone. Not sure if this is normal or not.
Well hope everyone has a great Christmas, I’m sticking to the plan having 12 over for dinner, I must be mad!!!
Hello BC Babes,
Been poorly sick again, sorry for not being here.
Can I just say what an absolute honour it is to have each and everyone of you as a friend. Thank you for being there.
To The BC Babes!
I have a list of people I know, all logged in my computer,
And now at Christmas time I have gone to take a look.
And that is when I realize that these names are a part,
Not of the forum they’re stored in, but of my heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they’ve become the rhythm in each rhyme.
And while it sounds fantastic for me to make this claim,
I feel that I’m composed of each remembered name.
And while you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my life, a lot more than you think!
For once I have met somebody, the years cannot erase,
The memory of a pleasant word or of a friendly phrase.
So never think my Christmas posts are just a mere routine,
Of names upon a posting, forgotten in between.
For when I do a Christmas post that is addressed to you,
It’s because you’re on the list of people I’m indebted to.
And whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have been a part of shaping things I do.
And now that Christmas has come, I realize anew,
The best gift life can offer is meeting people like you.
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Joyous year ahead,
Love and hugs,
Dyzee.XXXXXX
Hi all,
MRI scan went OK in the end after a bit of a panic in the middle. Nursing staff were very kind and understanding and one of them stroked my head all through my second go which kept me calm. If like me you get claustrophobic ask for someone to stay with you and keep talking to you or stroking your head and you’ll be fine.
Thanks to the ladies who have welcomed me.
Have a lovely Christmas and a positive New Year!
Love Ginge xxxx
That’s lovely Dyzee. Sorry you are being so sick. Hope everyone else is well
Debbie
xxx
Hi Debbie, Dyzee and all
Had a lovely Xmas Eve with my sister in law, her middle daughter and son Max, who is an official green Power Ranger! And tomorrow we spend with my step daughter and two daughters. Can’t wait. It has been good so far.
Love to all
Dilys
xxx
Hi Honeys,
Dyzee lovely words, keep your chin up, it will pass, hope so soon.
Dilys,Debbie, Louise, Maddy, Ginge, Gilly, and all,
We are going to wales tomorrow until 2nd, I will be off line possibly for a while, so until then have a great new year, fingers crossed for everyone, take care and god bless,
Julie xxxx
Hi Everyone,
Dilys - Hellllloooooo, you sound as though you had a fab Christmas with your wonderful family. I am so happy for you my love.
What did santa bring for you. I hope you got some nice pressies after all of the hard work you put in -you surely deserve to.
Ginge - Belated welcome to ther BC Babes, I am not normally thids quiet but the flamin chemo has had me decked!! Hope you are ok and hopefully I will be a bit more supportive.
Maddy - How is lovely Benjamin - I know you got what you wanted for Christmas!!!
Louise - I am thinking of you my love. Here’s a big (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))))))))))))))).
Wendy - Hows you? Hope the dreaded chemo didn’t spoil your Christmas!!!
Julie - Have a great time in Wales. Don’t be drinking to much champers and falling over!!!
Debs - How you doin? Thanks for your mails and good wishes.
Custard - Hello and welcome. What surgery are you having on the 8th. Do let us know.
Lizzie - Let us know how you are my love.
Phew, the family is growing by the day.
Well all went well on Christmas day. I managed to (a) keep my dinner down (although didn’t each much) and (b) stay awake.
We had all the family here on the morning which was fantastic. My brothers mother in law came with them as she had lost her hubby just after Christmas last year. When they left our house at 13.30, after several drinks, she was on a full tilt and had to be helped down the drive and into the car, which she thought was hilarious (bless her). When they got home, she ate her lunch, consumed a few more glasses of alcohol and snored on the sofa with her paper hat over one eye for the rest of the afternoon!!!
Dilys - You will be pleased to hear that Mam and Dad had a lovely day. They were thrilled with their pressies and were in their element when we were all together in the morning. They went home about 8 o’clock last night with a major goody bag of food.
That’s it for now.
Take care,
Love and hugs,
Dyzee.X
Hi there,
Well I suppose now I have got Christmas out of the way I had better start thinking about this, I’m faced with a dilema, my consultant has given me the option to have a lumpectomy but as the lump is so close to the nipple I am losing the nipple and he isnt sure how much of the breast I am going to be left with until they get in there. The diagnosis is grade one 1cm ductal invasive tumor (or thats what is says in my pack!!!) so he has said I an choose between a lumpectomy with loss of nipple and reconstrition to incluse a new tattoo of a nipple at later date ( i knew paying all that national insurance would pay off one day) and having my lft breast reduced and lifted to match the duff one or I can have a full mastectomy n the right and reconstruct it at a later date. Initially I thought save what I could but now I am thinking if I get rid of it all perhaps I would worry less about re-occuring in the future.
So therie is the dilema. Any thoughts???
Hope everyone is doing well, I seem to be swinging from ok to blubbing for no reason (well apart from the obvious that is) I feel a bit more positive today, randthe insurance companies and mortgage people so feel like I’m back in control a bit.(ISH)
Love and luck to all.
Sxxx
Hi BC Babes (including new friends!)
There has been something wrong with our internet access right across Christmas so I haven’t been able to log on - I was getting withdrawal symptoms!
Had a great Christmas with family and felt well on Christmas day and Boxing day which was just as well because Mum was ill and Hubbie hurt his back and hasn’t been able to move for 4 days! Chiropractor not open until Jan 2nd.
Debbie - hope your new desk is now fixed without your son discovering your extra bit of handywork!
Louise - sorry you had hospital on Xmas eve, what a day for it! Good news that you are sleeping better now. Thinking of you today (27th) hope all is going well, let us know your news.
Maddy - your stickers sound fun, a good sense of humour helps see you though doesn’t it. So sorry to hear about your friend with a Brain Tumor. No matter how much of a nightmare we are all living through there is always someone else worse off isn’t there. How is Benjamin? I bet you had fun in MK.
Lizzie - I had 3cm invasive ductal BC, had a lumpectomy then a mastectomy and have now just started 6 sessions of FEC Chemo. Your postings left me wanting to reach out and cuddle you! Please try not to despair as there are many, many good news BC stories (more good than bad in fact). I really can’t give any more advice than the girls have already given but I do find the Breast Cancer Care helpline really supportive, they are sympathetic and will offer good advice and put perspective to the situation for you - please call them if you haven’t already. I have a 4 year old grandaughter and we have explained that Nanny has a sore boob and I have to visit the hospital for the doctor to make it better but the medicine will sometimes make me sick. She has understood and accepted this - not sure if it helps you but it has worked for us.
Dyzee - so sorry to hear that you have been poorly but hopefully, if my experience is anything to go by, you should have picked up a bit by now? I am feeling ok but my mouth and throat are now getting sore - still no sign of hair falling out yet though! My BC nurse seemed surprised about that at my weekly appointment today. I have definately got to have a Hickman line (oh what joy!) so my next treatment is delayed for a week so that they can fit it. We will therefore probably be getting our second treatments on the same day. Your Christmas rhymn was great and it brought a tear to my eye.
Julie - I am picturing you napping like a baby. My advice is to put your cuppa down first because I know from first hand experience it makes a mess of your clothes if you don’t!
Custard - how are you? What a choice to make, not sure anyone can help you with it as it is so personal. You just have to do your research and weigh up the pro’s and con’s and decide what is right for you. Do you have a partner that you can discuss it with?
Ginge - any more news following scan? My results are above. Looks like you will be a chemo chick at the same time as Dyzee and I (welcome to our little club!).
Well I have rambled enough (but I did have 5 days of catching up to do!).
Thinking of you all, sorry to anyone I haven’t named (too many to remember now, especially for someone with half a brain (Ginge, Custard, Lizzie, you will soon all relate to this!)). Take care everyone, until next time,
Wendy.
Thanks all for lovely supporting comments,
Wag…yes i do have a wonderful husband who has been amazing throughout the whole thing which seems to have gone on for ever even though its only been 3 weeks. I know he will be fine with whatever we go with. I already have a scar from the nape of my neck to my bum from a scoliosis operation i had over 23 years ago so the scars wont be a problem for him, I however will feel like an ordanance survey map!!
Found a really good web site today called “about cancer - Cancer backup” that gave me loads of info about the whole thing including photos of reconstructions and explaining a bit more about the tattoo. I am seeing my GPtomorrow and am going to ring my hospital contact too to see if my back may cause problems if they want to reconstruct using muscle coz if thats the idea I thing a full mastectomy may not be the right choice. Anyway think I may be getting ahead of myself here. I have got to get the op out of the way and the radiotherapy and possible chemo b4 any of that starts. I have until the 2nd Jan to decide as thats when my pre op check and consent forms will be done.
Back to work tomorrow after the xmas break, I had 12 over for dinner on xmas day and we did it all again at one of my sisters yesterday so it will be a bit of a rest going back to my desk. I realised no matter how much you love your family its only when they are sleeping under the same roof as you again do you understand why you left home!!
Thanks again for the support and just a quick question is a MRI and/or a CT scan normal and essential? I am a bit worried as I have a 2ft metal rod grafted to my spine and so it rules them out. The hospital havent mentioned anything yet and would hate to blow up some machinery or myself for that matter!!
Well off to bed to stare at the ceiling again. Love and luck to all. S xx
Hello BC babes!
Glad to hear that most of you had a good Christmas, hope the chemo girls are not feeling too bad. I did NOT enjoy Christmas, just felt weepy and going through the motions and nervous about the op.
Just a quickie from me post-op, I was determined to get home the same day even tho I was last on the op list, had a very long and hungry day at the hosp at 7.30 am and not at theatre till almost 3pm. I asked the anaesthetist if he was a traffic warden giving me a parking ticket, lol. I was alert as soon as I could be afterwards,got home at 8pm, my boob is blue with the dye and so is my wee! My boob is a funny shape now, with a large oblong slice out of it near the cleavage but once I get my bra on and some clothes then you cant see the difference. Got a lot of pain at the back of my shoulder but am doing the exercises already. My husband is sleeping on a mattress on the floor so I can have the bed to myself, he is being a real help in general.
I am so glad to have finally got it done, results hopefully ready on 11th January and I can find out what is in store.
Take care all, sorry this message is all “me”, am just on here while the painkillers are doing Ok and I can type. Will be back again soon.
Love to all, am thinking of you at all you different stages of this thing.
Louise
Hi All
Well, spoke to soon about retaining my hair! Came out in handfulls late last night and again in the shower this morning! Got hubbie to shave it this evening so now look like a skinhead! Still, less mess and no hairs all over the place. I thought this moment would be really emotional but my little grandaughter, Georgi, is with us so we made a big joke of it - she says I now look like my brother!
Custard - you seem to be gathering your thoughts and getting a plan together. I hope this is making you feel a little better. I have found that I feel much more in control once I have the facts and can make a decision for myself based on a logical thought process rather than my emotions. I have always found ordinance survey maps extremely useful! Your hubbie sounds great, I am sure he will be a rock for you. Sorry, can’t help with your questions on scans but I am sure someone else will be able to help - or you could call the BCC Helpline.
Louise - glad to hear you are one step further on. Not too long until 11th January and this couple of weeks will give you time to regain your strength following the op. Hope you don’t have too much pain. Keep us up to date on how you are doing.
Dyzee - how are you today? I am thinking of you.
Hello to everyone else, hope you are all ok?
Take care, Wendy.
Hi Everyone,
Louise - Glad you are back home. You must rest plenty and let everone spoil you. You blue wee will soon pass (that’s not all that comes out blue by the way so don’t be to shocked like I was)!!! It’s really important you do the excercises. Dilys made sure I did mine and it really helped me with my mobility. Do you have drains in your SNB wound? I didn’t and it drained itself in the middle of the night , which scared the pants off me (I thought my stitches had burst). It happened twice.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy your Christmas hon. I guess it was a strange one for all of us this year. We can only look forward to better days ahead and help each other get there. ((((((((((((((((((BIG HUG))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) and kisses XXXXXXXXXX
Wendy - You are so, so brave shaving your head. I will not be far behind you my love. You know, I have long, curly and very thick hair. I spend hours straightening it with my GHD’s. I complain about it all the time, but the past few weeks it has really behaved itself and is looking good. Sod’s bloody law!!! Hey ho hon, we will get through this together. Have you got a wig yet?
I got some nice hats in Accesorize, I don’t normally “do” hats but I found three nice one’s.
Custard - Wow, you have such a lot to think about and consider at the moment, no wonder you cannot sleep my love.
I know my bedroom ceiling very well and also the one in my lounge. I don’t really like taking tablets but got to the stage where I was becoming a bit of a zombie through lack of sleep. I asked my doc for some light sleeping tablets. The one’s she prescribed did the trick. I took 1 but had the option to increase the dose if necessary. In all I only took 3, over 3 nights but that got me back into my sleep pattern. I still have the odd sleepness night, but not to the extent I did before. It may be worth thinking about hon, just to give you some peace of mind.
Dilys - How did your day go with your lovely grandaughters? I am so looking forward to hearing all about it. How are the nails doing? Have you got a date for your next inflation? So many questions but it seems like an age since we had a good gossip!!!
I miss you my friend. ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((BIG HUG))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Deb, Julie, Maddy - Hope you are all ok.
Love and Hugs,
Dyzee. X
Hi all,
I’ve been encouraged by all your posts, it’s so good to know we can support each other.
MRI showed a couple more cysts in the effected breast but no other tumors which is a big relief.
Had 1st of 6 FEC treatments yesterday and so far have felt mildly nauseous all the time. Woke at 2.30 last night feeling worse so took anti-sickness pill which helped til the morning. Also have nasty taste in my mouth which makes everything I eat or drink taste awful. Other than that don’t feel too bad.
I’m impressed by everyone remembering everyone else’s posts. I can’t seem to do that at the moment but maybe I just need practice or a clearer head!
Take care of yourselves,
Ginge xxxxxxx
Hi All
Dyzee - not really brave, had very short hair for a number of years before I grew it over the last 4/5 years so knew it what it would look like (sort of!). Your hair sounds great so finding an exact wig is a blessing, I am so glad for you. I guess the dreaded ‘fall-out’ day is not far away for you. You will feel much better about it once it has happened because you can then resolve yourself to it and move on. I have decided not to buy a wig, I will go for the ‘eau naturalle’ look I think!
Ginge - cysts, what a relief, I am so pleased for you. First FEC down then. The taste change you have is exactly how I felt - a sort of metalic taste in my mouth which lasted for about 10 days. I couldn’t drink tea but my taste is just getting back to normal - day 16. Take it easy for the next few days.
Hi to everyone else - hope you are all feeling ok.
Sorry the web site I recommended in my last posting has been edited out!
Wendy.
Hello again BC babes
I am feeling loads better today, and don’t look like a ghost anymore, not much pain either. Think I was lucky that my sentinel node is v low down and not bedded in my armpit!
Wendy, what a brilliant and courageous thing to do, to shave it all off, I am glad you were able to have your little one there to lighten the moment, strange how we cope with each thing that is thrown at us, I am realising that already as I read all the posts on here. I salute you (or I would if I could lift my arm!)When will they sort out your Hickman? Hope your husband’s back is a bit easier as well, rotten time of year to get it.
Dyzee thanks for the tip-offs. I don’t mind blue by-products but yes I would be scared too if my SNB wound self-drained, there are no drains in, and it is superglued on the outside, McMillan nurse says that it will all swell up about 7 days post-op. Glad you got some hats sorted, I agree it is typical that you just get your hair sorted then there is chemo to face. Half a Hug for you! (on my good side hahaha) I am doing my exercises, they are not too hard, pain loads better today. When is your next chemo? Hope you’re not feeling too sicky.
Custard, what a strange time for you, so many decisions and I imagine your head in a whirl, I have only just started on this road but can tell you that I already feel better that something is HAPPENING. Glad you have good support at home.
Ginge that’s good news re the cysts. Hope you’re not feeling too poorly with the chemo today, honey.
Dilys I am glad that you enjoyed Christmas so much, by the sounds of things you have had a helluva 2007, and I hope 2008 will be brilliant for you as you complete your recovery (xx)
Maddy a lovely Christmas with Benjamin! My stepdughter’s baby is due in 2 days wow, we can’t wait.
Julie, Debbie, Gill, Lizzie and all, hope you are Ok
Love, Louise