Diagnosed on Christmas Eve

Hi there Mel

So sorry to hear your news and sorry it means you have to cancel your Cuba trip. I know how much you were looking forward to it. So far I have no side effects from either tamoxifen or zoladex. I do get warm at night but thats nothing new and I quite often sleep with my legs out of the quilt normally. I am half way through rads today and so far not too pink. I am tired in the afternoons but not sure what is side effects or not these days.

I’m heading for a return to work around the 14th April and will have to have an interview before to discuss perhaps a month part time to ease me back in. Never thought I would be looking forward to getting back to work but I cant believe how quickly the last 3 months have gone to I suppose the next month will fly by too.

Chin up hun, I’m sure nothing I can say can make you feel better at the minute. So sorry things havent happened how you had hoped but I will keep my fingers crossed for good news for you.
Love Shonagh xx

Hi everyone

Mel - Sorry to hear that your appointment didn’t go as well as you hoped and that you are still having to wait for your treatment. Here’s hoping everything moves along quicker than you now anticipate and that you get to go on your holiday as planned - sending you all my best wishes for some good news soon!

Shonagh - Pleased to hear that you are coping well with your treatment - good luck with the rest of rads - you’re counting down now!!

Sukes - no news of you for a while but hope that your chemo is still going OK and that you are coping well with honey poos!!

My hubby and I had a lovely weekend in London with my daughter and son-in-law. My daughter is now 20 weeks pregnant and has quite a bump. We ladies (the men went to the pub!!) had a wonderful time wandering around the Baby Show - the excitement is starting to mount!! Now I am home again I am back in a state of limbo - 4 weeks since my node clearance and still waiting for an appointment to see the oncologist about starting chemo and then possible rads. BCN told me I should get an appointment for either the week before Easter or the week after but it’s so hard waiting to hear. I find myself rushing to the door whenever the postman has been to see if there is anything from the hospital - how sad!!

Anyway I send you all my good wishes and hope that you are all having a good day!
Take care!

Love
Polly x

Shonagh - Great news that you are getting no side effects from the tamoxifen or the zoladex, that must b a huge relief for u. Sounds like the rads is going as smoothly as it can for you too. Half way through eh? You will get there soon.
Gosh back to work for u in April. I think u r doing the right thing going part time for a bit to get used to working after being off for a bit and to fully recover from the fatigue from the rads and sock of dx.

Polly - Awww ure trip to London sounded fab. Its great that you have such a huge event to look forward to. Hope ure not waiting too long for that appointment.

Sukes - Hope u r doing OK, thinking of you.

Rang the breast care nurse the other day for an update on my expander/implant situation and still nothing in motion. Surgeon called three companies and none of them did my size or custom made them. Hubby decided to do some research and found somewhere that does my size , can custom make them and they currently supply to some NHS hospitals. My hubby emailed them explaining our situation, they actually emailed him back with lots of details and asked us to get our consultant to call them. Hope this doesnt put my consultants nose out of joint but we cannot just sit about waiting.

All the best

M
x

Hi all,

Mel…Well Done you two. On a mission and I would just like to say mission accomplished. Your other half sounds like a rock and you two sound like a team not to be taken lightly. Sod what the Doctor thinks of you getting the information for him. You never know you may be salsaing (is that a word?) in September yet.
I actually had a look at the calender this week and am going to try to get back to work for the first of April if I am up to it and they let me do part time for a month if not I will stick to the 14th April date.

Polly: Congratulations I didnt know you were an expectant Grandmother. I am in touch with two ladies on another thread who have become grandma’s since I was DX and they are getting so much joy from the bundles I’m sure its easing the rads and chemo they are doing. If the waiting is getting too much ring your BC nurse, honestly its amazing what a little nudge can do. Thats what they are there for and mine were great so Im sure they all are.

Sukes: I hope you are managing the chemo OK. I’ve seen you on a few other threads and you sound in a much better place now you are having treatment. Everytime my mobile rings I cant help thinking about your brother and wondering if its God with the answer!!!LOL

Since I have made the decision to get back to work I feel really motivated and have got off my backside and tried to stop with the day time TV. We have just got back from the post office after picking up my parcel from America. I have bought two vests, one with Radiation Therapy gives me afterglow on the front and one that says Cancer Shmancer. Also got one for a work friend of Phil who has just had her boobs done after a lumpectomy for DCIS last year that says you dont scare me I fought breast cancer and won. Also been to the garden centre abd bought a cast iron trough/window box. Its under the kitchen window and I am going to grow my own lettuce and rocket this year. I’m absolutely sick of it going soggy in the fridge. Also bought a huge ceramic pot and a rubarb root and planted it all up. PHEW!!! its the most I have done in ages. When I finish on here I am tackling my office. Its a mess and I’ve loads of wedding stuff to catch up on and am starting to get phone calls for samples.

Well off I go. a bit of a whirling dervish but making the most of having the energy, I actually got up at 8.00am yesterday, went to visit my sister on the way home from rads, straightened my nephews hair (He’s 10 and wanted surf dood hair for a disco he was going to…I am the cool auntie!!!) and stayed for a chinese and went to bed after midnight. A record for me. I actually slept loads better (still with the help of the chemist) so I think I definately need to get moving.

Enjoy your weekend everyone. Thinking of you all. Love Shonagh xxx

Hi All

So sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner.

Mel - I really do feel for you…This is just taking the P***. I think you need to put your foot down a bit more because at the end of the day the fact is you still have BC regardless of the fact its DCIS and it has been 3 months now since DX and they still haven’t took the BAS**** out. I suppose I think i’m not trying to scare you but thinking of your health you need to get the bugger out ASAP!!!. Its also good news your hubby is focused on getting you and him ( wink wink nudge nudge) the cup siZe you both want. You go for it girl.

Polly - I’m so glad you are there for your daughter during this special time I pray to go I too will be around to see my 3 little angels have little ones. As for the four week wait that is just not good enough. I was told chemo normally started within 2-4 weeks after op to ZAP any buggers if still left behind. check this out to see what the guidelines and standards are as again its still leaving you in limbo on getting the right treatment and you would rather it be sooner than later.

Polly - Your just a star and all I can say is YES I did have a personal visit from god telling me if he wanted to take my life he could in an instant - remember the earth quake last week it was just for me! good to hear your doing well and focusing your energy.

I’m not doing to bad with chemo but had to go to hospital last night with a pain in the arm (see thread on undergoing chemo). Turns out my blood is positive for clotting and had to have an injection in the belly. Need to go to hospital at 9.30 tonite for another injection and a scan on my arm tomorrow at 10:00. chemo for me so far hasn’t been to bad other than the constipation and bad taste in the mouth.

Take care all and I will speak to you soon.

Luv to u all
Sukes

Hi everyone

How are you all?

Sukes - I hope all is well with you and that the pain in your arm has gone away. Pleased to hear that you are coping well with the chemo. Take care.

Mel - Have you heard back from the hospital re your expander? I hope all is getting sorted for you so that you can eventually start your treatment. The waiting must be driving you mad! Good luck!

Shonagh - On the last leg with the radiotherapy - whooppee! Good luck with your booster rads - hope all goes well!

I’ve eventually got an appointment to see the oncologist - next Wednesday (19th). I phoned the hospital on Monday to find the oncologist’s secretary was off sick. Fortunately one of the other secretaries sorted me out with an appointment and I was really pleased that it is next week! I’m really glad I phoned now as I may have had quite a wait. Hopefully now I will start chemotherapy shortly after Easter. It’s such a relief to feel events are moving along and I am in control again!

Take care everyone!

Love
Polly x

Hello Ladies,

I feel really bad for all you ladies on chemo but cant help being so glad only got 3 more rads to go. I am on the electron boosts now so dont have to lift my arm so am less aware of my awful stinky pits. Feel like I’ve been punched in the ribs just under my boob but its fine as long as I dont move too much. Sofa day for me today.

Polly…good luck with your appointment. You will definately feel better (mood wise that is) when chemo starts. I was really low between full dx and oncologists appointment but the first time I popped a tamoxifen it was quite scarey but I felt like PHEW!!! so hope you feel the same and well done for taking the bull by the horns and ringing the hospital.

Mel…any news from the hospital after you gave them the info and was your surgeon ok with you. I know I would’nt like to be them if they’ve not pulled their fingers out. Dont they know you have a holiday to go on!!!

Sukes…Hun your arm sounds awful. I’m having the zoladex in the abdomen and that hurts if you dont have a local first (luckily my GP is a sweetheart). Its amazing what we start to think of as feeling ok. How was the scan on your arm andhope you are moving !!! again.

Well my big news news is I went into work yesterday after rads and had an appointment with head of HR and have decided to go back to work on the 1st April. I am doing a phased return 3 days a week for two weeks and 4 days for the next two weeks. I then have a weeks hols and hopefully back full time at the beginning of May.

Hope you all feel as well as you can. Love and luck to all as always. Shonagh xx

Sorry - I put a long post here before I realised quite how this board works - I was butting in and will put it somewhere more appropriate. Best, emelle

Hi All

Sukes - Sorry to hear all the bother u had with ure arm, hope the anti clotting injections are going smoothly. Glad that besides that u are not getting too many bad side effects.

Polly - Its good that u now have the appointment for the oncologist, there is nothing worse then feeling in limbo.

Shonagh - Wow ure rads r almost over, whoo!!! Gosh and back to work in April. Sounds like work have been good with the phased return, that will make things sooo much better.

Well hubby rang the breast care nurse with details of the expanders and implants we found, but looks like consultant had managed to find one himself and already has them on order, phew. Was good to hear as means he has not just been sat on his butt and forgotten about me. Not sure how long they will take, they did say it will b longer then normal, but least things r in motion again!

Take care All

M
x

Hi Ladies,

Just popping in to say hello and see how you are all doing?
Mel…Glad to hear your surgeon has got his act together and seems tobe on the ball. Does this mean you may be able to go to Cuba after all. I’m sorry I’m notnery sure how long the expanders take. There is a lady on another thread I write to who has just had her last inflation and is now waiting for the 12th May to start deflation (Is that a word??)
Polly…Good luck for tomorrow, dont forget to take any questions you can think of written down. I dont know about you but when they start throwing things at me I’m never sure its all gone in. I hope everything goes well for you and your chemo starts as soon as you hoped. They dont seem to hang around once they have a programme for you.
Sukes…How are you doing? Are you between chemo 2 & 3 now. I hope your arm is better now and you have sorted out your clotting problem. Doed it have an effect on your chemo.

Today was my last rads session. My skin has held up just a bit pink underneath. The oncologist says it carries on cooking for a couple of weeks but fingers crossed everything seems ok. I cant believe it that we started this pretty much at the same time and we are all at such different stages with treatment. I’ve got my 2nd Zoladex on Thursday, just hoping the side effects dont increase. So far its been just getting a bit warm at night.

Well Hope you are all ok and being good to yourselves. Wishing you all good things. Love Shonagh xx

Hi everyone

I thought I’d post a quick note wishing you all a lovely Easter weekend. I hope all is going well with you all.

Shonagh - Great that you’ve finished all your rads - have a good rest now before you start work again. Hope all is still well with your injections and the Tamoxifen. I do follow news of you on the other threads from time to time. I’m pleased to hear you will still be joining us on here even though you’ve now finished your rads - it’s great having your support.

Mel - Any news yet of your expanders? I hope you hear soon so that you can get on with your treatment.

Sukes - Hope all is still well with the chemo - I’ll be joining you soon!! How is your arm now? Have the injections sorted it out?

Well, I saw the oncologist yesterday and my treatment plan is 6 x TAC and 15 rads plus Tamoxifen. I start my chemo on 7th April which is 2 weeks away. I’m quite pleased it isn’t starting right away now as I feel I need time to get ready for it - I need to get a wig (apparently I will be given an appointment to go to choose one) and some headscarves. I’m quite apprehensive about it all (well terrified actually!!) but I’m sure It will be better once I’ve started it. I just keep telling myself that everyone on here seems to get through it and it’s “doable”.

Anyway, I’m off up to Shropshire tomorrow with OH and my son to visit my mum and all the family for Easter so hopefully we’ll have a good weekend, weather permitting! I hope my mum is reassured when she sees that I’m looking well and coping OK.

Have a good weekend everyone and take care of yourselves!

Love
Polly x