Embarking on an adventure, you are welcome to tag along

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Hi girls,
Glad to here your son got all the technical work sorted out on your computer Marial!
Nice to here from someone new Anne welcome, I’m still a bit of a newcommer myself but everyone is so kind on here.
It’s loverly to be back home in my own bed (slept much better!).
I have had loverly days both on Sunday and today good friends called on both afternoons so plenty of coffee and girlie chat, just what I like, could get used to this. My bc nurse also rang me today to see how I am and told me I would get my results (grades and SNB) either next tuesday or maybe the week after so i’ll just have to settle down to plenty coffee and girlie chats until then!
Hope you are feeling well after your op Sandra, isn’t it loverly just to be home? I hope everyone else is ok too will keep in touch.
Best Wishes

Isabelle xxx

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Hi hope everyone feeling ok, lovely sunny day today which I think makes you feel better anyhow and yes Izzy its so nice to be in your own bed…

My first day back at work today went fine. although I have popped in and ‘dabbled’ a bit on emails etc today was my first official return from sick since my diagnosis in January. Everyone was so kind and caring and looking after me (I felt like an invalid!) but it was very much appreciated. I got settled in quite quickly, had a couple of meetings and generally caught up with most things. I did get a bit tierd and so left early (just before 3pm) but no problems at I feel absolutely fine now. At last I feel like a person again and I am not just a Patient - whoopeee.

I am really lucky in that I have a flexible job and will be working from home mostly anyhow and my employer is absolutely fantastic allowing me to work as much (or as little) as I can, I know not everyone is in that postion but for me being able to get back to work is a real big milestone and I think will help with my overall recovery.

I wore my wig it itched me terribly not sure if I can tolerate the itchyness for as long as I did (6 hours!), my protheses held up well though and felt fine. However I intend to take one day at a time though and see how I go, I have four more chemo’s to go so its early days and see how it goes but so far so good… xxx

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Hey Saffron, well done on going back to work, don’t think i could concentrate if i did, though as i am on a 3 year career break, i won’t have that problem for another 2 years!

Hope, please can i come to your house for a weekend if all that lovely food is on offer! And send me back with banana cake! The birthday party was in a soft play place we hired, 30 little children, but the staff did all the work which is what i had paid for! I usually do big parties for them at home and absolutely love every minute, but i knew that all the cleaning, catering and entertaining would be too much for me, so i bit the bullet and compromised. I still made a cake though which made me feel more normal. In the end my sons had a fabulous time so that was the main thing.

Hope evryone doing alright
Vickie
xxx

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Goodness me there are a lot of us on this journey. we are all new comers one way or the other.
Isabelle, I’m glad you are home and sleeping in your own bed again
Vicky, I think you are one week ahead of me. I’ve still got all my hair… (got out my old wig though, and put it away again quick)
Sandra, I hope OH had a real day off today and you did not give him too much work !!
Lee, sounds like your son is kept busy and you too, feeding him. Some times I think thats all we are good for (cupboard love, they call it) I’m sure your daughter will be fine. I saw a reportage on TV saying tourist areas are all fine.
Saffron, wow work. I didn’t even go to the course I was meant to.
Sue, Anne and Ann, help have I forgotten someone…

OK My news:
OK, hoovers are very good for sorting out internet connections, but I do believe I shall have to change mine soon. It won’t last.
My tree feller came back and cut down the rest of the trees and cleared up. First day of good weather for some time, he said. Hopefully all will be finished tomorrow and all I have to do, is pay the bill. Goodness me, once it is all over it wasn’t so painful after all. It’s the waiting, you know !! Ring any bells !?
My hair is still orange.

Hope you had a good day ladies
Hugs and love
Maria

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Great info about the hoover…didn’t know that one! switching stuff off and on has been my only solution (or attempt at one) I will definitely try that in the future.

Vicky, glad the party went well and you are welcome here any time! Doing the party somewhere else does take the pressure off and that’s just what you need at the moment. Wish I could persuade my 21 year old to do that. Looking forward to having the family here though.

Saffronseed you AMAZING! My onc said that chemo affected people differently and some were able to carry on like you! I was almost hospitalised afetr my first chemo so I guess we are polarised in our responses! Wish I could help on the itchiness of the wig…I so sympathise…I tried everything I could think of, the best thing being the little cap you can buy that is very similar to a pop sock for your head! It helped but nothing was perfect, I even cut circles out from a silk scarf to no great effect.

Wishing Isabelle and Sandra a good night in their own beds after their ops. Hope you’ve had a better day today Sandra.

Night all, off to bed now after I’ve walked the dogs, can’t seem to stay up late these days as always have to get up early!

love and hugs
Lee x

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Hi
Hope, what is it with us Mums, that we have to fill their ‘little’ tummies with food! mine are 33 and 35 and when they come round they and their families all go home with goody bags sometimes carrier bags!! black bin liners have also been known to be used!
Hope your daughter is alright, never stop worrying about them do we? xxx

Maria, What would we do without our childrens technical knowledge? All those years of eduction, how did ‘we’ ever manage! probably just given it a good blow, who needs a hoover!
You will be glad to see the back of your tree feller? as long as he clears up and leave it spick and span? that is all we women ask, you would think we were asking for the world!
Yes hair! dread the thought of it going, how long do you think it would take to get to the length you have now…oh perhaps l don’t want to know! xxx

Anne, shall we tell everyone your aka? oh l think l must, hate having secrets! Well Anne is also known as ‘devil in disguise’ she seems such a lovely lady, but on one of my threads, out of the blue she threatened to punch someone in the mouth!! oh Anne, must remember not to get on the wrong side of you :wink: xxx

Isabelle, Hope you are still feeling good? oh the joy of results, well we don’t mind the good ones, just sometimes they are few and far! so fingers crossed for you xxx And yes always good to be home! xxx

Saffronseed, Wow go girl! first day back, well done you, whether it was a little or a lot, it must have been good!
Rotten itchy wigs! is there anyone out there that has a wig that doesn’t feel uncomfortable? Pleased your boob was comfortable, good to have a matching pair! as best we can anyway!

Vickie
Oh don’t we all love childrens birthdy parties, 30 little children, sounds like the whole class?
Well done on the shaved head, brrrrr bit cold to show it off in the playground though! or am l just feeling the cold at the moment? hope you told them first, and not just surprised them? xxx

My day…Well a bit quiet today, managed to take the dogs for a walk, thankfully they don’t pull, so we had a nice walk, still have a problem when l meet people and they ask how l am, especially those that are just aquaintances, l have always been a friendly person, so l will talk to anyone!! now i wish l wasn’t so friendly, because everyone l meet seems to know, and wants to wish me well, which is lovely but…would love to go out and not have a barrage of questions.
OH managed to finish tidying a few bits in the garden, without asking any questions…Oh no, panic, he doesn’t need me!! Lol
Even cooked himself a curry, l wasn’t very hungry today, managed a little food here and there, that was enough.
He even managed to multitask! he gave me a cuddle while watching his rice! the man is improving! whatever next?

What will tomorrow bring…well it is a hospital appointment at 4.40pm oh so late, OH coming along…l am only expecting to have stitches and dressing removed, said l may have results, but they always seem to take 10 days, so not holding my breath there.
Oh yes, and l have a delivery of groceries from Sainsbury’s just wish they would put it away for me as well as deliver it! Lol! just realised l have ordered extra food for my son and his family, she has had to give up her part time work due to my bc, so l try and help in other ways…Still waiting for my phone to ring, for a relative to tell me it was them that won the lottery this week and would like to share it with me! Me thinks l will have a long wait!!
Lots of Hugs to one and all, sleep well
Sandra xxx

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Hope you sleep well to sandra, i have just done huge tesco on line shop, to see my family through the next 2 weeks and with supplies for my temperamental tummy and appetite after chemo2 on thursday. Will have to spend ages finding space in cupboards for it all before it comes.I only flashed my new hair do at a few people, i live on the top of a hill at the edge of the pennines and the school playground is the most freezing place ever, it has its own microclimate!Wish i had a dog, am planning to get one when this has all settled down and i am fit and well ( fingers crossed). Had wanted a third baby very much, so now it will have to be a little doggy instead.

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Hello there to all the adventurers…
Well, I have found a solution to my problem…hope it works…instead of endless edits as I return and rereturn to the posts I now open up another window of posts and read and reply!!! Sandra thank you for your suggestion too in the subject box but I think my brain is suffering as I didn’t manage to follow your instruction, I will continue to try again though as it seemed a good idea, and I may learn a new skill in the process, in the meantime I will continue with the two windows open (after all it is summer and good to have lots of windows open!)Glad you had a nice walk today with your well behaved doggies.
Well I went back to work today (after my topless photo shoot at the hospital this morning- consultant wanted pics of my scars!)I was really tired when I got home but it was good to go back into work to work instead of just visit. They are being really good to me and letting me do the hours I want to (9 till 12.30) each day and can review at any time if I’m not coping. This means I am temporarily off sick pay and back on payroll so also not eating up my sick pay allowance which is good for me as there’s only me to pay the bills.
Vickie, glad the party as a success and all had a good time.

Saffronseed - well done you for going back to work too, sound like we both have good employers.

Hope - I’m glad there’s not only me that’s ‘sad’ and needs to make notes, my whole life seems to exist better when it’s on a list at the moment …it’s the only way I can remember things but I am beginning to slowly disappear in the pile of paper which surround me …and I also seem to spend ages looking for misplaced lists now hahaha - oh whare has my easy life gone??? :-)) Hope your daughter is ok on her travels.

Isabelle hope you are feeling well and getting better each day. Got everything crossed that your results are good ones…hate the waiting for resuls…my last ones took so long to come through I had to remind the flipin consultant whay I had gone to an appointment on Friday…he forgot I was still waiting for some final test results!!! Don’t worry this will not happen to you! :-))

Maria, glad you are back online, I can imagine you sitting there with your computer and vacuum cleaner typing away!!!

Sandra hope all is well at your appointment tomorrow…gosh stitches out…it’s only 2 minutes since I was wishing you good luck with the op…time is going by so fast it seems.Has your lottery winning relative rung you yet???

Well I’d better get to bed or I’ll not be up for work in the morning!!! That’s so weird after 2 months off…not been in since I was diagnosed…ohh that fateful day when I said to them…I’ll be fine…see you all tomorrow…then that was it until today!!! (except for the non working visits of course) how quickly our lives can change and they do…
I get a year older tomorrow and booked in for lunch and dinner out so a busy day for me :-))

On that note I will say nite to all and here’s to changes …for the better for all round!!
Nite n bless Suze xxxxx

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vickie…I live at the top of the hill opposite you lol…I’ll wave to you!!
Sue

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Morning Ladies,
Happy Birthday Sue! I hope you have a lovely day, it’s beautifully sunny here so I hope it is with you too.

Many thanks for your good wishes regarding my travelling daughter, she passed through Bangkok safely to Phuket though almost missed her flight and should be on Phi Phi now but haven’t heard since Phuket. No point in worrying as I know from when my eldest went travelling that access to the internet can be tricky and she only switches her phone on occasionally as it costs too much if calls come in. I’m sure she’s fine!

Sandra you seem to be doing really well…dog walking already! My chemo finished on 3rd November and my hair is only about an inch and a half long…straight up like a clown! It hasn’t come in curly though which seems to happen to lots. I have always had quite fine hair, though lots of it and it just doesn’t have enough weight yet to lie down. I wonder how long it will get before that happens…who was that singer in the 60s who had blonde hair that grew straight out like a brush…someone Brown I think. Good luck with the hospital appointment…does that mean you can stand under a nice shower after that? Bliss!

Maria, thinking of you looking out at a nice tidy garden, presumably with more open views?
Sue, talk about memory loss! Two of us stood in the garden yeaterday looking at a very common plant that I need to get more of and neither of us could come up with the name, still can’t. It’s the one that’s in flower now, likes to grow under trees and comes in a variety of colours, quite large with a flower of at least a couple of inches across… any help gratefully received!

I hope that chemo side effects aren’t too much for those of you dealing with them. It does make the good weeks in between very precious though.

love and hugs
Lee x

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Hi girls,
Happy birthday Sue, hope you have a loverly day.
Good luck with your appointment Sandra,I bet you will,feel much better and less restricted with those stitches out. Hope your results turn out well for you.
Iv’e just cheated and got the Asda man to bring me loads of ready prepared meals (I’m not usually that bad)but with two hungry farmers coming in and out of the house all day I thought blow it I’ll just cheat,as long as they get fed! It’s a loverly morning here,we are high upon the Cumbrian fells and it just feels good to see the sunshine today. Going out with my daughter this afternoon just for a little trail out. Dishwasher just conked out so waiting for the man to come and fix it, I’m lost without it! Don’t know what we all did before we had all these gadgets.

I hope everyone has a loverly day,
Best Wishes to all,

Isabelle xxx

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DISCOVERIES
Well, because of this journey I have discovered Qi Gong. It was very relaxing and I feel good now. I can’t say I managed very well, she had to keep “re-centering” me, and I didn’t manage to breath properly, and I certainly didn’t “feel the force”, but I expect it will come with practice. There are 5 more sessions before the summer break but I won’t be doing it next week because (I’ve not dared tell you yet) I am flying to England from Switzerland to see my parents. CRAZY, what if the ash cloud stops me coming home and I’m not back in time for my chemo. Well on this journey I have discovered, I have a wonderful family. My nephew has promised to drove me back if needed. I was so touched
Hope you all had a good day today
Love
Maria

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Hi Maria
Well done with the Qi-Gong, you will soon be a Master in it, once you have ‘re-centered’ and learnt to ‘breath properly’. Hope you soon ‘feel the force’ all that and only 5 more sessions!!! better get some practice in!
Oh you must be so excited to see your family, just what you need a real family HUG! Oh Maria, that is wonderful news! I can understand why you never mentioned it, frightened in case something went wrong and you couldn’t make the journey! Really really pleased for you, your Mum and Dad must be very excited, there will be lots of Hugs and kisses. No worries about the Ash Cloud, your wonderful nephew will drive you back, now that will be an adventure to tell!
So very excited for you.
Lots of Hugs
Sandra xxx

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Hi Gill
I know what you mean, when you are feeling low, its not always easy to post, but that is what we are here for, to “listen” even when you are miserable, we’ve all been there, and know what it feels like. Not so long ago I posted “I need some cyber hugs” and the replies really did help me. You must never be too proud to ask for help.
As for cold cap; there are some threads about to do or not to do. After I read them I decided not, but when I was talking to the nurse during the chem, I almost changed my mind. So now my hair will fall out in a week or so.
I’m having the same treatment as you. First one was 11th May.
Actually I live in Switzerland and am coming to UK to see my parents next week. So may be you can be even more jealous (lol) Where in Switzerland have you visited ? Do you ski ?
I hope evry one has a good day.
Hugs
Maria

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Well a week today that l had my mx! what a difference a week makes today l decided to drive myself to Marks and Spencers and Next for a bit of retail therapy! it started out as a quiet day, with a few phone calls, a friend came in for a coffee on her way to radiotherapy, when she went l thought, need to feel normal! shopping!

So after purchasing grandchildren some clothes, myself a skirt and three tops (not too low) l decided enough was enough of all these happy carefree people around me! is it just me, or do others feel envious of people around them? such a strange feeling, l suppose not so much envious (because you never know their problems) more like will l ever feel that carefree again!! sorry not going to be miserable! just wondered?
Hugs to all
Sandra xxx

PS. Maria pm’d you, hope you got it?

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yes i feel exactly like that sandra, all the time, it just hits me. But then this has also shown me that you never know what someone is going through, as loads of people would have seen me (pre hair cut!) and not realised the shite that was happening to me, so has made me a little less envious, though not much! Well done for getting out, it does lift your spirits. And trying on clothes too! That must be a good step forwards.

Vickie
xxx

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Hi to you all.
Yes Sandra i remember that feeling, post diagnosis, and seeing prople going on with their ordinary lives while mine was falling apart! and yes… you will feel like you have a life again when all this treatment is over. I am 1 year away from diagnosis and now look ok and get many comments saying how well i look! Spose people were expecting me to look really dire. Also feel better and am even getting back to regular exercise classes etc! I remember the high when i rejoined the gym and signed to pay my subs again… because i felt i was reclaiming my life and normality.

Gill i did cold cap and i am definitely glad i did. My hair had thinned on the crown towards the end but i never had to wear a hat or a scarf or feel self conscious. I just told my self it was only an hour or so each treatment for 3 weeks of hair on my head and i considered that a bargain!

Good luck whatever you decide.

Hugs to you all as you start the journey, but each step is a step nearer the end and reclaiming your lives too. It never goes away of course; but you come to accept things as they are and move on.

Chris

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Hello,
thank you for the lovely birthday wishes, I had a great day…I went to work till lunchtime (sogood to be back for a bit but it is very tiring even tho I’m not really doing much yet) then out for lunch with a friend,came home for a much needed nap.
My OH had bought me a petrol mower for the garden so he brought that and we tried it out…the cheeky man even got me to cut the grass hahaha…very cunning plan, he also bought us 2 nights in Southampton so I can go to visit my daughter and grandson soooooo exited to see them (hope the timing work out ok with chemo etc and I can make the trip and be feeling ok).
Then we went out for a lovely meal and the sun shone all day.

Sandra …driving already…and out doing retail therapy …good for you hun xx
Maria …a trip to UK that willl be so good, hope the sun shines for you while you are here.
Vickie, good luck tomorrow…the maths bit says you will be one third through :-))
Isabelle - hope that you are feeling ok
Gill - hope you are ok too
Hope - did you remember the name of the plant you were tring to remember?
Me …I get to meet the oncologist tomorrow finally…not that I’m in any hurry to begin but it is 6 weeks since my op and I’m getting worried that there may still be a b****er or two still in my bod…oh perish the thought…and I do need to get any nasties blasted into oblivion.
Catch you all again soon…so tired after work…only a few hours but it certainly tires me out
Hugs Suze xx