Just a quickie. When I got the bill for my TAC (well, a copy as I am not paying…) it was£4,000 a go!!!
Claire, I had my DIEP with Mr R in April this year. Can I ask how your scars are looking now? Have they become less red/pinkish? Also, did you have the tatoo and nipple done at the same time? I really like him too, but he says different things to different people, so am curious!
Glad you are all having lovely social get togethers - well done you lot. Make the most of it before you all go back to work (those who do!)!!
Have been really busy today and now feel absoloutely shattered - just right for chemo. Have got one home from school with sore throat and temperature, so hoping I don’t get it. Did a big shop in Asda today and treated myself aswell. Got some nice things from the tickled pink range. Another slobetta type track suit, some lovely pink slippers and 3 pairs of knickers. Lily, I am hoping one of the pairs I choose to wear tomorrow become my ‘lucky’ ones ha, ha. Tell Bev I am going to drive tomorrow, but if I don’t feel good I won’t drive home (promise) she will tell me off!! Thank you for your kindness and support Lily, it means a lot. I’ve got lovely Sharon keeping me company tomorrow, we will look after each other and hopefully have a laugh too. Will let you know how it all goes.
Hi Rebecca,
My scars are still quite noticeable and obviously being a delayed recon the scarring is more than with immediate reconstruction. They are slowly fading and in some places are little more than a fine, very pale pink line, but in others are more pink/red (as you describe) and far more noticeable. I’ve never had any problems such as infection post op and have had a pretty text book recovery from all my ops so I think it’s a combination of damage to the tissues from the rads I’d had 6 months previously and the way I’ve healed.
I had to have an implant in the recon as I didn’t have enough tummy fat to achieve symmetry, so he went back in through an incision in the diep scar but strangely this is one of the areas that is looking really good. The nipple recon was done in january this year but the tattoo wasn’t done until june (should’ve been april but I had to cancel). From my experience I can’t see how they could do both at the same time!
As I said I’m really pleased with the result, it’s not perfect but I didn’t expect perfection, but I can wear quite low cut clothes, I don’t need to always wear a bra and the whole process hasn’t been nearly as difficult as I was expecting.
Sorry I’ve rambled on, are you pleased with yours? Are you going to have or have you had nipple recon?
Hope you’re doing ok.
Claire x
Tracey and Sharon,
just want to wish you loads of luck for tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you both.
At Southend we weren’t allowed to drive after chemo and quite honestly I used to feel pretty spaced out and probably wouldn’t have been at all safe.
Take care
Claire x
Hi
Pheebster, hope you enjoyed the food and wine. I had a lumpectomy but cannot wear wired bras as they push against the port and get pains in the rib that then panic me if bad. Since wearing soft bras I have no pain around the area. Asda sell 2 for £3 so cheap as most shops only sell soft bras in small sizes so no good for me.
Rebecca you are probably worth your weight in gold (TAC) now, incredible price. My friend’s private insurance money has run out and they won’t complete her lymphodeama treatment, seems unfair as she only had rads. I guess it depends on your individual policy and how much people pay.
Moonshine, I hope you bought lucky knickers too. LOL I have lucky socks too!!! You are welcome to any support that you need. I really would not think about driving to any first treatment myself and the hospital would no doubt clamp your car so check if you do leave it. Tracey in the unit will tell you off if she finds out!! Really think about how emotional you were when you went for the assessment and think if you would have been ok with chemo on top.Don’t chance alcohol close to the treatment as it doubles the toxicity of some of them.
I wish you and Sharon lots of luck and hope you both fair well with any side effects, or even better be one of the jammy ones who get none. Thinking of you both
Lily x x
Hi everyone, as you can see it is 4am and have been up several hours!!! Thanks for all your woeds of support for me and Tracey - I am sure we will be fine and this time tomorrow I will be thinking what was so bad to make me awake from 1.30am. If I had known about alcohol I would not have had 2 smalll glasses of wine last nite but hey!!
Rebecca how many TAcs did you have, what side effects and how quickly did they come and also how long inbetween chemo and rads?? Hope you are ok and it would be lovely to meet up again.
Moonshine how you doing? I just want you to know that I am taking my courage and strenghth from you for later on - you are incredible and I hope we can continue to suppport each other. The unit won’t know whats hit them but maybe having had Bev and Lily there together maybe they will!!!
We had a lovely lunch on wed and I m sorry to getting weepy and thanks BEv and LIly for your ongoing words of wisdom and tips.
I looked in the MIMMS book at work and one dose of TAX is in excess of £600! That’s just the retail price on the drug not including administering it!!!
I’ll have a look later and see what the others are priced at.
All went well today although I did start to float off with the fairies halfway through!! Nurses insisted I needed window wide open to get some cool air, so everyone in unit sat freezing because of me. Am now feeling a bit woozy and my head feels out of it - so normal then ha, ha. Have had a nice dinner which I am determined to hang on to pleeeease! Sharon and I were very brave and our tufty badges are in the post. Hope you get some good sleep tonight sharon and are not buzzing around too much tomorrow on those steroids. Thank you for helping me today Sharon and will speak to you over the weekend.
Hi everyone, steroid queen here again. Have been up since 2am so getting better!!
Am feeling ok, today was not as bad as fefared and staff were excellant and the reflexogy was good as well. It was nice to have Tracey sit next to me although I did get someone to move to do so. I also had good news that my bone scan was clear - double celebrations. 5 more sessions to go - sounds better than 6.
Have the district nurse out for next 5 days to administer injections .
Hope you are well Tracey and speak to you tomorrow.
Tracey and Sharon,
Glad to hear that yesterday went well…really good news about the bone scan Sharon.
You’re very lucky to be getting the injections to boost white count from the word go…I had to be admitted twice with neutropaenic scepsis before I got them and had one chemo postponed for a week due to low bloods! I’m very impressed, as they don’t give them routinely in most trusts coz of the expense. They’re not without there own side effects tho’, the worse for me was bone pain, which I suffered terribly from with taxotere, so it was doubly bad!
Hope you’re both still feeling ok and that you managed to hold on to your dinner Tracey!
Let us know how you’re doing.
Love
Claire x
Oh, oh, before I post to Sharon, Claire, thanks for info about the scars etc. Unlike you, I did have enough flab for my boob! Long story, but was supposed to have the nipple done inbetween chemo and rads but didn’t happen. He said at least 3 months after rads, so I’ll wait and see what he says. Looking at your last post just now, I am really interested in this taxotere and bone pain thing. Did yours end when chemo ended or did it carry on a bit?
Sharon I had 6 TAC. Difficult to say about the side effects as each one was different. To be honest, I think I was very lucky as I didn’t suffer badly at all. The first few days I didn’t feel great, and found that I felt really low in myself. Apart from the hair loss, nothing too hideous. Hopefully you will be the same. Just try and rest when you can and eat healthily. Oh, and drink loads as it completely dehydrates you. The skin on my face used to get so so dry. I used to have 10 of the injections (private…) and I used to love finishing them - like ticking something else off the list! I did it myself though as I didn’t want to wait in for the nurse. Mind you, there are advantages in having someone else do it for you!
Tracey, hope you are not feeling too bad.
Love to all
Rebeccaxxx
Hi,
Sharon and Tracey, hooray the first one is done so well done. Great that you managed to sit next to each other. Bev and I never got quite so close so used to shout across the room or jump up and make a break for it.LOL.
I hope the next few days are ok, but just take one day at a time and remember it just all slides away and you suddenly think oh I feel ok and then it goes up rapidly from that point. Keep drinking a bit more than usual and keep an eye (that would be tricky!) on the other end. Act quickly if you get bunged up or it goes critical much too easily. Sharon hope the steroid buzz wears off soon. Now you know what I was talking about, thinking I was superwoman tearing around. This is when I have a big jigsaw or something on the go to sit and do during the night. it does help you to get back to sleep eventually. Brilliant about the bone scan results and I often get weepy, so just go with how you feel. I have been on chemo since May and still have 4 to go, can’t believe you only have 5 already. It all falls into a sort of pattern while you are on chemo. Yuk with the injections though. Poor you.
Tracey, hope it was at least bearable going back in the unit and that everyone who promised was there to support you. Do you know which drug you went faint with? I just wondered because it sounds like the reaction I have with the Cyclophosphamide, which is why I now have to have it dissolved and given slowly through a drip. Since then i only notice it right at the very end when the stinging nose wakes me up. That means I am very close to going home so almost a welcome sign. the piriton completely knocks me out! My daughter wants to come to support me, so she is on the next one. She is very sensitive but keeps asking so hope nothing silly goes on that day.She would never manage to carry this whale out!! LOL. Was your sister in law there soon after you and was she a good person to have with you? I will come with you if you run out of offers any time and I am not in a dubious state myself at the time. Pheebster - I must be the cheapest of all as I am on a trial, so Roche pay for everything. Hi skimum hope you are well. Rebecca I heard that you and Sharon met, that was a nice coincidence and hoping we can fit in a date that suits you some time although it will be hard with 3 of us on chemo now. How are you coping with rads and working? I heard that the fatigue from rads does not hit for about 10 goes, not sure if you think that is correct. Will I feel like driving myself?
Enjoy the weekend if you can and if not hope you are on your way up out the burrow very soon
Lily x
Hello,
Nothing too horrendous to report so far, mainly heartburn, face flushing and feeling a bit like a space cadet at times.
I had wonderful support and everyone went out of their way to help me. SIL was was very comforting and very brave as not easy for her either. Nurses were fantastic, Sharon was amazing, even got a visit from the good looking Onc (and a kiss) who 2 months ago married one of the chemo nurses - I do love a good doc/nurse romance!! Being in there felt kind of like I’m being put through torture, but what choice do I have. Very sad and difficult day today, as first year anniversary and life just seems utterly unfair at the moment. Sorry to sound depressing, am very tearful and brave face seems to have done a runner. Lily you are more than kindness itself, and I know you would willingly accompany me, but you spend enough time in there yourself. Not sure what bought on the faint feelings, they think it may possibly have been steroids, hope it doesn’t happen next time. I know you have been having chemo a long time, but you will get there and you are doing so well and are such an inspiration. Sharon, I’m very impressed by hubby’s nursing skills and that he can give you your injections, well done Den! Hope everyone else is doing okay.
Quickie (again!), before I watch Strictly Come Dancing…
Tracey, poor you - but get those tears out as it is the best thing. Hope you will start to feel a bit more positive during the week. Think the sun is going to shine tomorrow…
Lily, fine working and rads (remember I am part-time). I am fine driving to be honest. I just hate the place as I always seem to be the youngest there by a long way (and at 43 am no spring chicken) and I just feel very very low when there… The treatment is fine, and staff lovely, but I just can’t wait to get out of there. There is the long(ish) journey there from work, then back to Chelmsford. All a bit lonely really. BUT, that said it is going quickly. How many are you having?
OK, off to lust after some tight bums
another Essex girl! I’ve been posting on undergoing chemo thread as some of you already know. Just give quick low down on me for others: I’m 41,happily married 2 kids(7g 13 b),Dx Dec 07,mx Mar 07 immediate DIEP recon full Lymph clearance (2 affected) ,followed by 6X tac and about to start rads at Southend,eventually followed by Herceptin trial in Dec for a year.My rads planning session is tomorrow afternoon,I’m a bit nervous about the tattoo part.Anyone else having rads at Southend?
Sounds like you are all doing really well, for those of you going through the chemo,I found keeping a diary really helped. Each session I would write down how I felt,physically and mentally,then the following session I would compare.I quickly noticed a pattern to the chemo’s effects and it helped me to keep positive.
speak soon hugs Jennie x
ps have any of you seen the Helen Rollason teddy bears? A friend bought me one and it’s soooo sweet.A wheat bag is inside with a scent of lavender,It also comes with a copper band to wear too.
Hi everyone,
what a rainy day, not much good for going anywhere really and my good weekend too. Still the children all came in, except one so lots of people to talk to and I was able to eat it - hooray. May have gone overboard a bit though so the acid is playing up tonight. Tracey do you have ranitidine or other tablets for the acid? I always sleep with an extra pillow now to stop it in the night. I seem to have missed the snogging good looking onc who is obviously mad for Sharon!! Do you mean Dr H in the chemo unit? The faint part always gets me anxious as I think what is going to happen next and then feel even worse. Sorry that you had that first time too. I hope you will ask if you have no-ne to go with because I would not offer unless I meant it. Remember how I told you Bev loved taking me for appointments too, nice to go without something being done and I am home all the time so not busy very often. I will be thinking of you as I know anniversaries are tough times, especially the first ones. Big hug from me and just let it all out, it will make you feel better afterwards.
Rebecca, it is such a drive for such short appointments isn’t it. I have 15 and it will be through Dec so parking may be a total nightmare instead of a nightmare. Stupid place to put the unit. I am drumming up support so that I have company on the drive there sometimes. A lot of people offered so even if they only come once it will break it up and over Christmas, everyone is off so could have an outing!! LOL.Lets all see Mum get cooked. Are you on Tamoxifen already? I wondered when the prof starts people off.
Everyone else, hope you are ok. Sharon, I really hope you are not suffering with the pains some people get. Keep your chin up and hope to see you the other side of this dose.
Lily x
Tracey I’m not surprised things are very difficult for you, you don’t need to apologise for being down, I can’t imagine how I would cope. Just cry if you want to and who says you always need a brave face, it’s ok to be sad and scared sometimes. Sending ((((((((hugs))))))))) and thinking of you.
Sharon I hope you’re feeling ok, how did you find the injections so far? Hopefully ok. I see from Tracey’s post that your husband is giving them to you, that’s very brave of him, I’m impressed! I gave mine myself, being a nurse, but there’s no way my husband would’ve done it!
Lily and Rebecca, I had 15 rads, I always went on my own and drove myself but the hospital is only 10 minutes away, it was a complete pain going everyday and the parking was a nightmare. Rebecca I completely understand how you feel, I hated rads but not for any reason I could put my finger on, just couldn’t wait to get out of there!
Hi Jennie, I had all my treatment at Southend, there’s no need really to be nervous about planning, the only thing I’d say is that it does make you feel quite vulnerable, but they do their best to put you at ease. I have to say I’m disappointed with how visible my tattoos are, I know other women whose tats are hardly noticeable so I think I’ve just been unlucky, I have 5 as I had the nodes above my collar bone done to. I really want to get them removed, and my PS has told me of someone in Chelmsford who does it. Good luck for today and let us know how it goes.
Hi,
just a quick message to Tracey and Sharon, get well soon I can eat puddings now without any worry!!! As soon as you can face coming out, lets meet up quick. I really want to try that cheesecake. Thinking of you both and at least one is over so a little step nearer. Keep chugging along, when you hit the bottom it is up again all the way to better,
Hi to everyone else, hope this finds you in a good place
Lily x
Hi everyone, just lost what I had typed what a pain.
I am ok although aches in my bones from the protein injections at the mo last one tonite when Den gets home until the next time. I woke up with a slight sore throat but phoned the unit and was told what to do. I also had the flash of colour for about 3 days but this has worn off now. People at football on Sat all commented on how well I looked.
Lily, how are you doing? when is your next treatment? maybe we could meet up the end of this week or beginning of next so you can have your cheesecake! I must say it was delicious. I have not gone off my food yet so lets hope that continues as I love my food.
Tracey, it was so good hearing you so bright this morning. Lets hope we are both getting back to normal - whatever that is. Lunch on Fri or beginning of next week??
Have finally got my btm off that sofa and seem to be emerging through the fog! Last 4 days been a bit poo really, but glad to say I feel relatively human today. Doesn’t the sunshine make such a difference, had a lovely walk down river wth doggy. Very autumnal with the falling leaves and the fresh air felt soooo good. Lily, we are heading for that cheesecake, just let us know when. Hope that B got on okay back at work, I have been thinking of her.