Hi all. Been following all the posts despite not contributing. Heading off for my 1st session shortly.x
Yes lovely thanks Tat. Been out for lunch again (well I did lose over a stone on chemo?) with some people I’ve known for years. We were laughing so much tears were running down our faces on several occasions. So great to be part of the human race again. Hope your treatment went well today Tat, Brave & AC. x
I know just what you mean AC. An 18 year old lad did my pre-op ECG & it felt just wrong to be lying there with my boobs out, given that I know what would be running through our 17 year old boy’s head under the circs. I would think most women would feel the same way & surely not beyond the wit of man (or radiographer) to have female staff for BC cases.
There was quite a lot of discussion about diet/lifestyle on our chemo thread & I am a firm believer that it will help us. I read Anti-cancer by Sevan Schreiber & Take BC off your menu by Hilda Glickman, both I can highly recommend. Did also read Plant’s Your life in your hands, but liked that less largely because she suggested you wouldn’t lose your hair if you drank fennel/carrot juice on chemo. Trying to force that vile stuff down when you’re feeling putrid after FEC was no mean feat … It made zero difference to our hair either.
Well off to breakfast with some friends today … You will all think I’m a fat pig of a woman, but it’s actually my birthday on Monday, so we are having a few Thank God Chemo’s Over/Birthday combos. I also have cancer counselling at 11.30. Booked it because I heard a lot of people crash & burn after treatment’s over & many get depression BUT I feel a fraud & I’m not sure what I’m going to take to her about. Perhaps that’s her job to decide. I have this mental image of TV counsellors who just bounce everything right back at you with a question. I’m hoping it won’t be like that.
Good luck today all xxx
Glad work are supportive, Angel, you definitely don’t need extra hassle while dealing with this. I agree about a more holistic view of life after a cancer dx. My prognosis is not too good based on the very small data sets available (angiosarcoma is aggressive with high rates of recurrence and mets) and my OH and I are already making some changes to make the most of our lives and the good health I have now. I won’t be returning to work (I’m a counsellor!) and we will be spending many more long weekends at the coast, walking our dog and generally doing things we enjoy. We’d like to travel more, having met in the Far East where I grew up and travelled a fair bit in Asia. I’m concerned that travel insurance for me might make that difficult; we’ll see when I make enquiries after rads are finished.
18 years ago on Sunday night/Monday morning I was in labour with my daughter, Bibi, so you share a bday! She was born in my kitchen in what my son called ‘mummy’s paddling pool’! Hope your brekkie was fabulous ?
Off to fill up the car - got through a tank in 4 days!! Happy Friday, tat xx
Lovely breakfast thanks. Not surprised you are running through your petrol Tat with your round trip. Cancer is an expensive business. I like the idea of changing our lives, we surely understand the ‘life’s too short’ thing now. x
Tat re travel insurance see below. I got it from Lizoriordan.co.uk, BC consultant who got it herself
I’ve read her blog too. V interesting to get her take on being a patient having been on the other side of the desk so often. Thanks for the link - I’ll give it a read 
xx
Must be the same for you trying to deal with the emotional impact of your diagnosis & being a counsellor. Like me being a trained nurse & getting this. Not sure if it helps or not! Maybe certain advantages & other drawbacks x
I don’t remember seeing a post for a while, hope all is ok with her. I’ve certainly learned way more than I ever want to about grief and loss Bibi! I’ll be a better friend because of this and I’m sure you’ll use your experience in a positive way too. We HAVE to take something positive from this, however obscure! How’s you today, brave? Done your rads today? Xx
Home in just under 2.5 hours! A bit stressful on the way there as the traffic was horrendous and I arrived with a minute to spare; thank goodness I didn’t have to park. I feel really flat (lol) to think there’s another 6 weeks of that 
I’ve had a headache since Tuesday (tension?) and feel cream crackered already! Regardless of the side effects, I am going to be on my knees by 17th March… Ho hum, at least it’s Friday xx
That’s a lot of travelling, tat. You have my sympathy. Hang on in there.x
Sorry you felt a bit flat yesterday at the thought of it all. Fully understandable. Will you be having a party for your daughter to take your mind off it? x
I woke up in a much better frame of mind this morning and keeping busy with chores. Still have a niggling headache, but not as bad as during the week ?. I saw a pic last night of a woman who had 35 rads to her breast and that freaked me out a little. I won’t post it here, but if you want the link I’ll PM it to you. The pic was posted on a FB group for angiosarcoma and a couple of people commented they had had a similar level of burns. One recommended aquaphor cream which you can buy in pharmacies here (better known as Eucerin aquaphor here). Have ordered a large pot from that well known site that sounds like a river in South America. Being a US group, lots of people recommend going into the ‘yard’ and harvesting leaves from an aloe plant ? Happy to say I have a couple of indoor plants waiting to do service, but nothing like e size they get in southern Texas! Xx
Glad you are feeling a bit more upbeat. I know your situation & treatment is a little different to the rest of us, but stay away from those websites! We are all different & it might not happen to you. No point worrying about something before it happens. If there’s one thing I have learned through all this treatment, it is that the human body has amazing powers of recovery & regeneration. We were in a right mess after some of our chemos … Ulcers from back of teeth all down our throats & hideously inflamed oesophagus/stomach that felt like battery acid had been poured down there. It went & we got over it. I’m not saying it might not have some ghastly moments, but that it will repair itself. You don’t have to have the treatment, but you are doing it for a very good reason. Keep your eye on that prize. The best thing you can do is to support your body as much as you can through diet, fluids etc. I am sending you a huge virtual hug Tat. I know you can do it. xxxx
Aw, thanks, Bibi. I know you’re right, but I can’t help but wobble at times. I need to come to terms with my prognosis in order to live with it, and saying (typing) it helps with that process. There are very few people I can say this stuff to in real life. I reckon that counselling could just be gilding the lily, as it were, you have a great attitude and that is always a big chunk of the answer. Hug coming right back, lovely lady ? xx
Wobbles are allowed? Tat. My neices got me Deliciously Ella for my birthday & it’s great for anyone who is trying to follow the whole foods diet. Tons of quick recipes & all seem delicious. She has been through her own ill health saga & I believe she has a blog too. I am impressed that someone so young has created such a helpful book, with loads of really practical ‘if you don’t have that, use this’ type of tips. Happy Sunday all x
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Bibi ??? xx
Thanks Tat! Hope you have a fast turnaround today. Really windy down here & a couple of trees down in our lane. Good luck for this week AC/Brave. x
A third of the way through AC whoohoo! Well done xx
Thanks AC. Glad you’re holding up. Could I ask do you have any soreness? x