Hello everyone hope you are all keeping well.
i just wanted to say to miss green good luck with your WLE I hope everything goes well and you have a speedy recovery.
Im finally feeling stronger and due to see occupational health soon to return to work as I go onto no pay soon .
i wish everyone the best of health and good luck with everything xxx
Hi all
Hope you’re all feeling okay?
Maccneech - I hope your skin is getting better.
Chrissy - hope Occupational Health were helpful and understanding.
My WLE operation has been moved to the 8th and my BC Consultant put me on the wrong list, someone elses, and he wants to do the surgery himself.
Lost my emotional cool at my Oncology appointment last week which resulted in the BC Nurse booking me in to see her to go over my concerns it really helped.
Just want to get off this cancer treadmill now.
Hugs to all
X
Hope today’s appointment with OH goes well today, Chrissy. Are you expecting to be put on a phased return? Does that worry you?
I’m currently waiting for an appointment back with my surgeon’s clinic, as I have a tender spot on my collarbone that is worrying me. Could just be a rads hangover, or maybe the dog did stand on me and bruise me (but I don’t remember it and it’s been sore for a few weeks), or maybe just paranoia, but as soon as I called the BC nurses, they said they’d put me in for clinic. So glad they take it seriously. I’ve told my husband but no-one else. Not sure when the appointment will be for yet.
Ovary removal looks like it will be in January.
How is everyone’s hair growth? Mine has done the typical and come back curly. My natural colour has caught everyone by surprise - we’d forgotten how dark it is naturally! I now have white wings at my temples though!!!
Miss Green you were right to rant about the uncertainty. It’s the last thing you need from your doctors. Hope the treatment is now back on track.
Chrissy I hope that the OH assessment goes well. I found my phased return worked well. I was surprised how tired I got at the start but was able to build up the hours over 6 weeks. So much depends on having a supportive and understanding employer. I was lucky with that and hope you are too.
Flora my hair is coming in curly too! I have never had curls before and don’t quite know how to deal with them! Sadly it’s also mostly grey. It’s growing much more slowly than it used to. I’m hoping when I finish the herceptin treatment it will grow a bit more quickly.
My husband and I have just had a lovely holiday - a week in the Trossachs with clear cold weather and lots of fresh air. It has given me a boost as I was beginning to feel as if my energy levels were dropping again and now I feel quite refreshed and ready to be a bit more active.
Hello macneech
Lovely to hear from you . I would say it’s the nerves causing the pain I have the same thing and it hurts so much I can’t wear bras or lie on that side . Time will help . Great news you back at work I will return new year tbh you sound like your trust are supportive I’ve found I’ve had to battle all the way with mine. But saw a lovely occupational health doctor who documented recommendations so fingers crossed.
I agree with you the year has flown and I’ll be due my yearly mam soon too !!
Just wanted to say good luck miss green for your operation I hope it hasn’t been cancelled again .
Good luck to everyone else hope you starting to feel a little more normal although I do feel life has changed a lot for us all . I think moving forward is the next stage of this rollercoaster ride xxx thinking of you all .
Hi Chrissy
No the op has not been cancelled but my normal BC Consultant isn’t doing it as he’s now off this week due to a family emergency. Yesterday I haf a hospital apt for me to meet the new consultant. He seems nice and I am back to feeling okay. Bit of a melt down when I first heard. So fingers crossed for tomorrow xx
Hi Chrissy
Sorry just re read my last post and realised it wasn’t clear. Sitting at the hospital as I type this. Need to get a wire inserted into my boob to help surgeon as the remaining tumours cannot be felt. Got to wait around until this afternoon for the op.
I am so pleased your Occupational Health meeting went well and now your boss will have it in black and white that you need to take your time in getting back to work full time xx
Hi Macneech
The op seemed to go well. Off work recuperating. Get results next week.
I haven’t had my hair cut yet, 22 weeks since I stopped chemo, and it’s gone a little curl. Good old chemo curl lol.
Xx
Hi everyone. Glad the surgery seems to have gone well Miss Green. Here’s hoping you have a good recovery.
I’ve had a bit of a trying week as I thought I had felt a change in my breast and the skin was looking a bit odd. Phoned the BCN and was told to come into the breast clinic. Saw the consultant and he reckons the changes are still the effects of the radiotherapy that finished at end of July. I was so relieved. Was sent for a mammogram and waiting for the results.
I thought I was recovering pretty well but it just sent me back to the start! It’s just over a year since my diagnosis and it’s been quite an emotional time. How are you all coping these days?
Hi lovely ladies
Got to have another operation ?. They cut out the 2 remaining cancers that chemo couldn’t shift cancers which is good but they didn’t get the clearance they need. Got 0.8 of a millimetre rather than the 1mm they want. Who knew that’s all they need to start with? This time round it will be less invasive so no guide wire needed and doubt I need an overnight stay. I’ll pretty much be up for anything to try and stop me having a 3rd recurrence.
WeeBurd - have you had your results back yet?
Xx
Hi miss green I will keep fingers and toes crossed for you and hope it’s a day case too. Thankyou for letting us know x do you know when the next op will be xx
Hi Miss Green, hope the next surgery goes well and with a quick recovery time. It sounds like it’s all hopeful anyway.
I did get my mammogram results back - all clear thank goodness although there are changes due to surgery and oedema from the radiotherapy. The BCN is going to refer me to see if I would benefit from manual lymphatic drainage to reduce the swelling. It’s a relief to know there’s something that might be able to relieve it as it’s been getting increasingly tender.
Hi Macneech I didn’t have an implant and don’t need reconstruction - my boobs are slightly uneven but not so much that it’s noticeable when I have my clothes on. Maybe that will change after the manual lymphatic drainage if the swelling goes down!
I hadn’t realised that radiotherapy could give me swelling either. I also hadn’t realised that it was classed as lymphoedema- I had thought that just affected the arm. Probably someone explained it at some point but it didn’t stick in my head!
If you’ve got the option of massage treatment it’s probably worth taking up even if it’s just for the relaxation.
That’s my hair from before the chemo took effect! I had just had it cut from shoulder length. It got really thin and patchy during the treatment. It’s coming in quite thick again now - and also surprisingly curly! - but mostly grey. I’m going to get it coloured again on Tuesday as I don’t like the way it has aged me.
It’s reasonably easy to add a photo on here. The instructions were quite easy to understand even for a technophobe like me!
Hi Ladies
How’s everthing going with your radiotherapy, hair growth, lymphedema etc? Getting there I hope.
Had the re-excision of my Wide Local Excision yesterday. Pretty much slept from 8.30pm to 7.30 am this morning. Still feeling tired and now the anaesthetic has worn off I feel uncomfortable but that’s to be expected. At least this time I don’t have to worry about having a drain in. Now just the dreaded 2 week wait to see if the clearance is good. Last time they got 0.8 of a millimetre and they need 1mm. Who new the margin only had to be that little?
Also, this week I have had an appointment with Oncology. The apt went well. Was worried I’d need more chemo as tumours that were removed 6 wks ago were grade 2 & 3 but I don’t. Having a CT beginning of Feb which will be about 6 mths since my last one and I hope I can finally say Woo Hoo “no evidence of disease”.
Wishing you all a fabulous Christmas and New Year. I think we have bloody well deserved it.
Xx
Hi All it’s good to hear from you. We have had a rough year. I had my surgery a year ago today and it seems like a lifetime ago. Had a much better day this year with a Christmas quiz and raffle at work, went to my circuits class and then went to the pub quiz tonight!
Miss Green I hope that the surgery has been successful this time. It all sounds quite hopeful. Macneech maybe there are other forums on here that can help you decide what’s best to do.
I’ve been for manual lymphatic drainage for the lymphoedema in my breast and been shown what to do for self care. It seems to be helping although it’s not gone away yet.
I hope you all have a peaceful and stress free time over the festive season and wishing all of us the best of health for 2019. It’s been a hell of a year and I’ll be glad to see the back of it!
Thinking of you all and thanking you for all the support 
Hi
Wee Burd it most definitely sounds like you had a better day than last year. Well deserved too.
Macneech - that’s a hard choice for you to make. I chose a Diep back in 2003 and just had enough tummy fat for it. Mine was done at the same time as my Mastectomy. I did need a little lipo after a few months as it was too big but I’ve never regretted having done. Take your time, if you can? And ask to see photos of the surgeons work. I didn’t have the luxury of time but my surgeon showed me photos and it helped me realise I’d made the right decision. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Chrissy - my family and friends are also shocked we don’t get regular scans. Because I’ve had two recurrences now I asked whether my boob would now have regular ultrasounds? NOPE was the response so again it will just be down to my vigilance. It doesn’t seem right especially as they didn’t show on CT scans. The scan I am due in Jan/Feb is for lungs and chest. Too be honest I want a full head to toe won every 6 mths and I think all cancer patients would.
Like Wee Burd said- thanks for all your support this year. It’s trully helped xx
Happy New Year to you all. Wishing everyone good health and happiness in 2019.
Happy New Year ladies. Hope you’re all okay and had a fabulous Xmas and New Year xx
Hi again.
I had a hospital appointment today. It was 2.5 hrs late and only lasted all of 10 min max. However, I’ll forgive them as they confirmed the 2nd WLE was successful so there’s NO cancer in the surrounding area. Just have a CT scan and Onc appointment in 5 weeks to go through before they can say “no evidence of disease”. Got my first Post Chemo hair cut today as well.
Feeling happy
XX