Hi Lily,
I didn’t have the flu jab as my last chemo was in september and by the flu season I would’ve been back to ‘normal’. I think if I was having chemo through the winter I would definately have had it.
Good luck for tomorrow.
Take care.
Claire x
Hi,
thanks for that Claire, just got to decide on the timing of it between treatments now. Tracey hope the alien in the belly is not still growling too much and survived the sausage roll treatment. Mine is playing up in sympathy but as chemo bungs you up, maybe the two will cancel each other out and I will be normal again - You can but hope! Have you started the jigsaw yet? I do them in the middle of the night when I have insomnia as it satisfies the steroid need for brain activity but also the chemo lack of anything too tricky!! Sharon have you got anything planned for your last few days before the next one? Regarding our conversation, have you thought about going back to work for some weeks if you feel well? I have not asked what job you do, so sorry if it is a no no, but many people can work part of each cycle. Just a thought.
take care everyone, going back down the dark hole tomorrow.
lily x
Superted, it’s lovely to hear from you, and I love the tea bag saying! So glad you have finished your chemo and rads, do stay in touch and let us know how you are doing. I would love to have come to Colchester tomorrow, but I have to take my dog for x-rays first thing, and he has to be put out. Hopefully, I will be able to go next time, I am determined to get that bag of goodies. Hope you have a nice time if you go, will your friends be going with you?
Lily, I haven’t started the puzzle yet, as I’ve been asleep for hours! this IBS thing is really knocking me out, I am so tired, and so sick and tired of having it. I will probably be awake half the night now so possible will start the puzzle in the small hours. Trouble with me is once I start them I can’t leave them alone, they are good distraction therapy. Will think of you tomorrow, enjoy your breakfast and hope all goes smoothly this time, let us know how you get on.
Sharon, how’s the hair? I think the short cut is a good idea. Have you applied for a Mcmillan grant? you are entitled to one. Will see you for blood tests on thursday, we’ll have a cake afterwards for being brave!!
Take care all
Tracey x
Hi,
well all went well today, they got straight into my port first go, thanks to the lovely Scottish lady for those of you at the same unit. I am disappointed she is leaving before I finish. I also had refelxology so very chilled but the drugs were slow arriving so a bit of a wait. Snored through to the end and port closed perfectly. Hoooray. Tracey and Sharon good luck for Friday and another one done so you will be one third of the way through already. I was told I am being referred back for surgey straight after the last one - yikes but it has to be done. I will have a hole/dip when they cut the port out. Wonder if Mr I would do some liposuction of my ample tum to fill it up.LOL You can but hope. Hope the hair is not too stressful, either going or gone. I am wide awake on steroids again so will be starting another jigsaw at about 2 am I guess! Tracey I really hope the IBS is settling before the next. Might be an idea to speak to somebody beforehand and def tell the doc on the day.
Hi to everyone on here and hope to have another meet in 2 weeks maybe?
Lily x
HI all, well I took the plunge last nite and had OH shave my head to a grade 3 with large balding bits!!! I wore my wig out for the first time and several people thought I had been and had low lights put in - very encouraging. I have just come back from lunch with a friend at a posh restuarant and she thought I had been to the hairdressers as well so am pleased. It had to be done as son was saying I was molting like a dog - Children ha!
Lily, I am so glaad all went well yesterday I was thinking of you. shame about surgery but like you say it’s got to come out.
Tracey, how’s your little problem today getting better I hope. I may have to borrow one of your puzzles tomorrow as steroids again tomorrow so up all hours. Last nite I was awake from 3 as having a sore scalp and prickly hair just could not get comfortable - any ideas anyone. I did think of sleeping in a scarf tonite .
Hope everyone else is pk and enjoying the sunshine.
Love and hugs Sharon xx
Hi everyone,
Sharon the sore scalp and prickling is what people describe before a big loss and then shave it off, so I am sure you did the right thing. I never got it despite losing hair, no sensationa at all so must be the cold cap. It sounds like the wig was a good choice and hope it stays comfy and doesn’t drive you bonkers.What did your son think of the finished result?
I think you and Tracey will both find you need to sleep in something as the cold will wake you . You can buy sleep caps on line which Bev says are comfy or I wear a really loose thin pull on hat so it covers my ears too as they hurt when they get cold. I am glad to have number 10 in an done and waiting for the payback to hit at the end of the week! Lots of luck to you both on Friday and the second I found better so hope you do too.
Enjoy the last few days of fun and hope your bloods are ok
Lily x
hi girls!
hope the chemo is going ok.I remember loosing my hair- ooh my head really itched! Mine has just started to return 5 weeks post chemo,very fine and patchy but it’s there.
Lily - is it a big lump you are left with from the portacath? When I went to see my PS for a 6month check after the recon he was not very pleased with my scar at the top of my new boob- don’t want it any worse!!! Hope you are keeping well - you’re a fighter!
Sharon and Tracey - I bought a sleep cap from an American website ,think it was called Head4cover or similar.It was ladies on here that recommended it.It was great,quick delivery and the hat and scarves came wrapped in tissue and bow.A little touch like that I thought was special when really you don’t even want them!
Well I’ve finished my 3/15 rads today and so far all ok.Tiredness is ok and not to sore,brain is definately fried- forgot daughter’s Harvest festival and lunch with a friend today-whoops!
good luck everyone Jen x
Hi,
Jen I wasn’t very pleased with the scars from the port either, although friends who had BC surgery think they are great and will become lines around the usual creases of the body. Mr I did a brilliant job with my lumpectomy and moving tissue so I have the same shape exactly, just still a bit blue and the SNB scar is discrete too. I could wear the lowest tops I might ever want after his work. However the cardio vascular team just chop and think nothing of afterwards. I have a pocket looking scar where the port went in which is small but will always be visible with any round necked tops. Then I have a big scar of 3 inches round my collarbone which only polo necks could hide. I will not have it taken out till after my last chemo in Nov, so will let you know more at a later date. The port feels like a hard beetle although you can’t see it sticking through. I do have a hard tube that appeared up my neck, which I hate but again can’t be seen. How is yours at the moment? Glad you are on rads at last and hope they stay reasonably comfy. Are you finding the daily visit ok to manage? take care. Hi everyone else. Tracey and Sharon hope the blood tests were quick and efficient today and lots of hugs for tomorrow and number 2, a third of the way through after this one x
Lily x
Hi to everyone.
Tracey and Sharon - good luck for tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you.
Love
Claire x
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your messages of support, they are gratefully received!!
Well the blood tests were fine today for Sharon and I, because we had a nice lady who knew what she was doing!!
What a difference to mine last time, we rewarded ourselves afterwards of course, with latte’s and shortbread.
Also gave wigs a good testing out in high winds and am pleased to say I was not chasing a terrier across the car park.
Lily, am so glad everything went more smoothly for you on Tuesday, what a relief. Jen, thanks for the headwear info and advice, I am steadily gathering bits, which is better this way, rather than wasting money on loads of stuff first that I probably wouldn’t of worn. Strangely, I have excepted not having hair quite well, just par for the course I suppose.
Well, round two tomorrow which I am not looking forward to at all, especially as I have had other health problems but I hope they can sort it out. Will let you know how it goes, and thanks again everyone for your support.
Claire, Rebecca and Suzi hope you are all okay.
Tracey xx
Hi,
Sharon and Tracey how did it go today? Hope that your blood counts were ok and that the next one was not too traumatic. Thinking of you as the next one unfolds and hope the SE are a little kinder this time. My brain function is now obviouslt totally destroyed by 5FU as I just forgot to take my tablets on day3. I have no idea why, so no steroids, woops. Seem to have got away with it so far!!
Take care and let us know how you are
Love
Lily x
Hi Lily,
Had quite a long session today, over 4 hours and was extremely glad to get home! Had to wait an hour to see doctor, I don’t quite know why, but for some reason I had a panic attack whilst waiting and felt really awful. Anyway, managed to calm down and doc has given me something to take next time before I go in. My anxiety seems to be at an all time high at the moment, so hopefully this will help. He thought the faint feeling reaction I had last time was down to the steroids, so this time I had them by drip in the bag, watered down and given slowly and was fine.
Have got Sharon on to the puzzles now, so we may have a little ‘puzzle club’ going soon! Sure you will be okay without the steroids, you can always give them a call if you are worried, hope you continue to feel well otherwise an to see you soon.
Sharon and Tracy, I couldn’t have got through today without you both, thank you for everything, you are both amazing!
Love to all
Tracey xx
Hi,
well done another one done and dusted. You will get there before you know it. Sorry to hear you felt panicky but glad they sorted the faintness out. Speak to you soon and give yourself lots of tlc. Well done
Lily x
Hi everyone, survived session 2 although did need recannulating as they put the first drug in I was getting a stinging, burning sesnsation so to be on the safe side they stopped. I then had the hot water trick and they started again. They apparently could only find deep veins yesterday so a bit painful and was there 6 hours. I have now been awake oh 46 hours barring 4 hours sleep last nite from 10 - 2am oh the joys of steroids but did manage to lay restfully in bed so don’t feel to bad at mo. Taking JAck to football later and then collapsing!!
Tracey, how you feeling this morning, will phone you later. Have you been able to go to your special place again?? I really thought the other Tracey had gone to sleep.
You helped me as much as I helped you and that is wot is about as the time went quickly due to the continous chat and laughter we had.
Hope everyone else is ok. Lily, do phone the hospital if you need to but I am sure you know what you are doing!!! I think.
Tracey and I were thinking of organising a Christmal meal of an evening at the Fox and Raven so that Rebecca and others that work can come to as well. Anyone interested???
Lots of love Sharon xx
Hi,
yes love to come along if we can all agree on date to suit. Sharon glad to see ypu popped your head out the burrow. Deep vein bit sounds yuk but at least it is done, so that is a small consolation. Hope you stay as well on this one, keep topping up the varnish on the nail beds!! Well I am actually better for not taking the staerpids, no blurry vision so far for the first time, we will see if I make it through the weekend. I would not encourage dabbling with tablets but by the time you are on number 10, I think you know more about side effects than they do. It was the last day so not critical timing, you be good and stick to yours. Or else!! Hope you manage to crash out soon.
So glad you 2 have each other as Bev and I propped each other up going to appointmnets and it is such a help.
Take care and shall we meet the week after half term too
Lily x
Hi Lily, that would be lovely to meet up after half term. my friend rang me who lives in chelmsford and she has just been diagnosed so our group may get bigger. I don’t know if I said but my ct scan came back clear!!
Hi,
Sharon hooooooooooray. Brilliant news. I am really pleased for you and what a relief for you, I am sure. So sorry to hear about your friend but always happy to meet new friends. You can be the old hand for her now. I will ring Bev but I am pretty sure she is off Wed of that week. Will get back to you. Hope you continue to do well on your treatment and its side effects. I have mad itchy hives all over timight and scratching like I have fleas!!
Tracey, thinking of you and hoping it is not too yuk this time , but remember it will go. Ring me up if you need a ‘you can do this’ or sympathy chat. It will be hectic for you wiith everyone home for half term too.
Hi to everyone else and hope you have a good Sunday
Lily x
Hi all,
Thanks Lily, well I’m pleased to say so far so good! went into town shopping yesterday and so far today I have done the washing, hoovered and even dusted!! must be the steroids, so am making the most of it. Last time I didn’t get dressed for 3 days so this has been much better, strange because last week which is supposed to be the good week I felt quite rough, now I’ve had another dose of chemo and feel much better?? anyway, I’m not complaining. I have suffered with hives on and off for years. It drives me mad, sometimes I go for months okay and then it flares up again. Yes, it does make you feel like a flea bag! if it gets too bad I usually have to take Piriton. Hope it settles for you soon.
Sharon, hope all goes well with Prof. D tomorrow, will phone you to see how you got on, glad you are feeling okay too.
Hi to everyone, hope you are all doing okay.
Tracey xx
Hi
Tracey so pleased and relieved to hear you not only cheerful but out and about, long may it last. My week after chemo is always very affected by the stress of the day and whether it all went well. This urticaria is huge and up again tonight, I could rip m,ost of my skin off if I gave in to it. Will ring my research nurse and see if I get orederd in again. I am always having weird things happening. I refuse to give up more blood though if I have to go! I haven’t got any piriton unfortunately.
Sharon good luck tomorrow from me too.
Spoke to Bev and she is off work Wed after half term, might be 5Nov I think? Is that any good for you?
Take care and enjoy the family being home, well I hope you will
Lily x
Hi Lily, hope you have stopped scratching now or on the road to getting sorted out.That Wednesday sounds good to me. Better go as JAck needs his breakfast!!!
Love sharon xx