First FEC 2nd October

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Evening all :o)

Good to hear from you Avonlea… I have felt much better on FEC4… positive I guess… or just getting used to feeling “ill” perhaps.

Ostrich… you make me smile… I needed some light relief after spending over 10 hours at the poooter trying to get some uni assignments finished up… bloody men… haven’t they released we ARE the stronger sex yet! Go girl… I would have rung the AA man to change a tyre :o( …sorry you missed out on your shopping trip… I had intentions of going into town too to finish final bits and bobs… was meant to be at uni AM… but as I was up and about to make the effort to get there had a phone call from a class mate saying don’t bother… no one going! There’s me just a week post chemo and every intention of being there (including having a sickly child to deal with) but all other classmates had gone to the pub! anyway… kept me out of town and away from school kids celebrating last day… + I did actually do some work!

Cat- sorry to hear you lost your voice and secret santa! hope the pains ease soon x

Pheebster- Hope the SE are kind to you

Soo- you are so strong and don’t even know it …hugs ((((((())))))))

Caz… Hiya… I’m still holding out… but youngest (12) is still poorly… bless… it’s been a week now and he still looks worse than me!

Tanya… I agree it’s a god send this site… I wouldn’t know what to do with out it… makes me laugh makes me cry… makes me feel “me” again.

Ostrich- so you have one of those aliens in your house too… son on xbox… I have two sons (15 and 12) no help what so ever… one doesn’t even know where the plates are in the kitchen (that’s the 15 year old)!

Narnia - Hi again… re chemo scheduling… I had my op (WLE and sentinel nodes… not mx) 1st August… saw Surgeon 3 weeks later and given all clear with Nodes… didn’t see Onc till sept 9th… wanted me to start chemo… 6 x FEC the week commencing 22nd sept… but I said sons 12th birthday 24th and could we just wait another week??? please! so scheduled to see Chemo dept 29th… pre chemo chat… weight… bloods and had an ECG (to get a base level heart readout…) meant to then have 1st FEC on 1st oct… but Pharmacy shut for training… so had on Monday 6th October… asked to then switch to bloods on a Monday… and chemo on a Wednesday. (as days off from Uni) if you don’t ask you don’t get! I now only see my Onc after every 2nd chemo… she said this time “you know too much” as if that’s a BAD thing! I feel knowledge is power… and being a control freak … I need to be able to take back some control…

O god I have rambled on… that’s writing 3000 words essays for you :o)

Hope everyone’s well… and hopefully able to get into the festive spirit :o)
L x

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On a light hearted note:-

Has anyone else noticed that its impossible to park a pencil behind your ear when you don,t have any hair?

Or is it that I have jug ears? :frowning:

Soo xx

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It takes balance, precision, and ramming the pencil down hard so it sticks! Just tried it and it wasn’t easy.

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Hi all,

Well so far no SE from No4, am a bit tired but think thats cos I didn’t sleep to well as was worried about hickman line if I laid on my side and hate sleeping on my back. ( what a whinger ) Hickman line feels a little strange but affecting my shoulder rather than chest. Apparently this is because its gone into clavical vein - but pain killers are doing the trick. Looks mighty weird and feel like a bit of a freak but hey ho better than the alternative of knackered veins and possible lymphodeama.

Pheebs - SE’s sound awful, hope they don’t get you down too much and pass quickly. Laughed about you and hubby and your missed afternoon delight! Can totally relate to that, mind is willing but body KNACKERED.

Cat - how’s the voice? sorry about not so secret santa. Kids eh little buggers get into everything. Hope you feel better soon xx

Avonlea - Hi good to have you back, hope you’re now on the up and we’ll be hearing more fromyou.

Hi Soo - You are such an inspiration. xx

Lorna - hi there, hope son gets well soon so he can enjoy the xmas and the run up to it. Such a great time of year for kids ( and us big ones too )

Hi Tanya - glad you’re keeping well :o)

Ostrich - Sorry you missed your shopping trip but theres something about the way you tell us about your disasters that makes me chuckle - but in a good way ( if you know what I mean ) you have such a way with words. But I too, like Tanya would have called the AA - not brave enough to change a tyre - but I can change a plug!

Narnia - try not to worry to much about the kimo thing. Most of us on here will tell you that the not knowing is actually worse than having it. ( If you know what I mean ) I think its cos your imagination runs away with you and most people have heard all the bad stories out there. I saw my ONC two weeks after surgery when he told me what kimo I would be having 6xFEC, what differance having kimo would make to my prognosis re recurrence etc. Kimo started 4 weeks after surgery and then every 3 weeks. Have only seen ONC once since orignal meeting and that was after No3. He didn’t really say much, mainly concentrated on my arm as had been having a bit of trouble with veins.

Well thats me done for tonight, feel like I’ve written an essay. Suppose thats what happens when you dont come on all day. There do seem to be so many posts to get through, which is GREAT, by the way!

Well night all hope we all have a great weekend and don’t suffer to much with the dreaded SE’s.
Love and hugs to all
Caz xx

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Hi Ladies,

Just popped on before bed and all the posts brought a smile to my face!

You’re so right about this being a lifeline Tanya, who else would we be able to share all this with who would understand our moans/groans and laughs? If I had had to go through this alone I think I would have kicked my bucket over and never picked it up. One of the reasons I asked to join you ladies was a set of posts a few weeks back about one SE - wind! I didn’t have it first 2 FECs but laughed about you all. Now post 3rd FEC every 5 minutes its “parp” or worse sounding. I guess you were all at about 3rd FEC by then - I wonder does it only happen on the third? God they stink tho!

Cat, sorry about your voice and secret santa but the image of you squeaking like, what was it, an elf on helium and crack cocaine?, made me laugh!

I just tried with a pencil and it worked really easy for me - must be my sticky skin!

Soo, sorry about your second time around, much love, xxx

Hi Narnia, seen you on other threads, x

Avonlea, glad to see you back and feeling better from your 4th FEC.

Lorna, I do admire you managing to study and small child and BC treatment. I went to uni when my youngest was 1 after my OH decided he wanted some “time” and found that hard enough without BC to boot.

Pheebs, I know what you mean re afternoon delight, LOL! Napping is top of my list these days and not what OH would prefer. We cant even manage much of a cuddle as my op was on my left and I sleep on the right hand side of the bed. OH wont swop sides so I no longer get to lie on his chest and have my shoulder stroked! Perhaps when he gives up his side of the bed so I can have my cuddles I will give up the other!

Caz, glad your not getting too many SE’s and hope you settle with the line, x

Take care of yourselves, love to all, xxx

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Well this is the latest I have posted - 2.45 in the morning. Came down because was too humgry to sleep - caused by not eating any proper food cos of sore mouth and foul taste. Had a brainwave when I remembered frozen Frubes in the freezer (natch, duh!) for kids. Nice and soothing.

Ostrich - loved your spare tyre tale. And have to report that one SE that’s not so bad with Tax is the wind. Not that that means we’re getting any ‘intimacy’. Feel too shite for that. But we had the same problem as you - op on left, I sleep on right of bed. We did try swapping over, but it felt so weird after nearly 20 years that we couldn’t really relax into anything!

Soo - you are so brave. Being on your own is easier in some ways, but you have no one to bring you tea, fetch shopping - or complain about your farts! It is also cheering to hear from you that Tax isn’t necessarily awful all the way. BTW have just tried the pencil and find it much easier to park one behind my ear now than when I had hair - but I have got little piggie ears.

Lorna I’ve got one of those teenage boys too… Discovered today that I can eat natural yohgurt, so had some from a new big tub with a pear for lunch. Then found that 16-year-old had just upped and polished off the rest of it when I came to get some tonight. Lazy, TV watching, Wii playing, fridge-emptying little (or rather large) %&*@~^%£.

Will try and get back to bed and some sleep now

Liz

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Well its only 9am and I,m knackered! I had to be up at 7am because my Guardian Angel was taking Tortellini to the vets in Fethiye which is 1.5 hrs away and she had to be there no later than 9.30am.
Me being a economic sod, put my sheets on to wash last night because the electric is half price betweem 10pm and 6am.
I went to take them out of the machine and water flooded out. Now, cleaning my bathroom was on the agenda but not necessarily today…
After mopping up the water, aided( not!) by Aslan and Misty I then had to empty the filter which of course is at the bottom of the machine. The bloody screws wouldn,t undo, and all the time I,m thinking of Ostrich and her wheel nuts LOL. I eventually ahem persuaded them to part company with the kick plate and guess what??? More bleeding water came flooding out and I,m on my hands and knees in my jim jams. Aaagh.
I cleaned all of that up which then set me off on a mission of rearranging things. I had bought a trolly style shelving unit ages ago, but never got around to assembling it. So there I am, still in soggy PJ’s, with instruction sheet etc at 8am putting it together, still being helped by Aslan and Misty who keep trying to go to sleep on the shelves as I,m trying to put things on them.
In between all of this I had to remember to take my tablets, Kytril half an hour before eating, Xeloda half an hour after and Prednol at 10am. At 8.30 took first lot, 9am sat down for brekkie and to type this and realised I,d taken the Prednol instead of the Kytril, so now I,m off to eat!!
You know what makes all this even funnier?? Its just started bloody raining and I can,t put the sheets out to dry :frowning:

Oh just before I go, Liz, you,ve just reminded me:- I used to make grape sorbet and melon sorbet to help with the old taste buds. They are dead easy to make if you want the recipes.

Catch you all later - hope everyone is OK today - only 5 more shopping days until Christmas hehehehe.

Soo xx

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Morning ladies…my god you lot have been busy!

I’m feeling ok so far today…bit of toothache last night but nothing too worrying (yet).

OH has gone crimbo shopping to Romford and is going down to the market to get me some citrus fruits as they are so much niceer than the supermarket ones. I’m going to get some nice yogurts today as well and try and stop eating all the rubbish I’ve been slining down my neck over the last few weeks…I am beginning to feel like the housekeeper off of Tom & Jerry…you know the one that shouts ‘T.h.o.m.a.sssssssssssssss’. That’s her fat arse that fills the screen [lol]

Seems my onc is like yours soo and errs on the side of caution…I have taken 7 tablets so far this morning and will be dosing with ibuprofen today too just as a precaution.

I only have a little bit of battery left (yes…neighbour wanted her power cable back, but mine should be arriving soon hopefully - the joys of e-bay) so I will just say a general hi to all…and will hope we all have a weekend that allows us to get all the last minute stuff ready for christmas and some peace of mind.

Much love from me and the 4 leg version (who is still sound asleep next to me in bed…lucky dog)

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Soo, that’s so not fair! What I love about you is your humour. Big hugs, sweetheart, hope the day improves for you.

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Morning Ladies

Well it is for me not been up that long, not a good nights sleep again but never mind a nice lazy day ahead so that will help. Oh Soo what a nightmare start to the day hopefully in can only get better!

Pheebs glad you’re feeling better today x

Hope we all have a good day or the best one we can.
Well am going to get out of my pj’s now, sees ya later.
caz xx

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Boo hoo!!!
We have a storm raging here (11.30pm) and I have a big balcony, so I went out to make sure the drain away wasn,t blocked with leaves otherwise my kitchen might get flooded. (What IS it with me and water today??) and to be safe I went to put my wellies on, and my calves have got so fat that they wouldn,t fit!!
I hadn,t realised they had got so big. I mean - even wellies don,t fit…

Bastard illness, not only robbed me of my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, youthful looks (at least I can now blame than on the bc hehehe) but also given me FAT calves.

I shall now slope off to bed.

Nite all.

Soo xxx

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Morning Ladies.

Well I am beginning to understand how frustrating it has been for Tanya logging on. I am on my daughter’s computer and the mouse doesn’t work, security is jumping out of every corner and it sounds like a steam engine. Why do kids never tell you when things need attention until it’s too late grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Not a great nights sleep - bit of niggling in the lower limbs but got up and had a bowl of all-bran (or was it straw) to try and get the system working and get the meds down. Why does everyone else seem to get dire-rear and I get the constipation from hell every cycle. So far (I hate to say) I am finding this better than FEC. Early days I know but I went out yesterday and felt emotionally quite stable (novel!). Letr’s see what today brings. OH is off to S.London to do his family duties and the rest of us are going to laze in doors. Bf coming over later to do daughter;s hair…mixed race hair is too much for me to handle today, so she’s helping out!!!

Soo…you must be a Pisces…you are a nightmare girlfriend! I remember the times I lived out in the W.Indies and the rain was always a pain in the ass when it came to flooding… great for swimming in though!!! Do you have lots of cats? I thought they hated water?

I’m back to bed before I put something heavy through this screen…looks like a trip to Argos on the cards today for a new mouse…more money!!!

Laters ladies - hope you are all feeling brighter

xxxxx

PS no time to check typos…life too short!!!

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Soo - they dont list needing to purchase new wellies as a SE do they. Glad the storm passed without damage (saw on your Facebook). Can’t get a network connection for my phone this am for Facebook yet and it is banned on the hospital internet site! Can look at the BBC and here if I’m lucky!

Glad you are feeling good Pheebster. Well done for perservering with the ‘pooter’ so far!

Big hi to everyone else - have a good day. Tanya x

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Ladies thanks for the warm words and hope you are doing well.

Tanya - hope you are better now

Pheebs- i have constipation problem since uni. Since i was told what would be happening i am trying to eat ’ dorset cereal’ 's super high fiber for breakfest, following by ripe bananas and i eat lots veg and friuts everyday plus honey to get things going… so far only suffered a couple of times but not too bad considering my history… hope this helps… i also find pineapple’s very good but it could be very acid- i boil them in hot water - well lost the vietmin but at least the fibers still there.

soo , cabzz, cat, ostrich, Lorna and everyone sorry i am terrible at names- hope you are having a good sunday…

Went out yester for dim sum with colleague and that was very nice. ate too much !!

A friend of mine is going to cook us Chritmas dinner- gosh he is such a perfectionlist so we spent ages last night to finalise food and manu- still not sure what bird we goign to eat!! Turkey is too big for us so we have an eye on some smaller bird… poor bird…

Got my skypy installed today- well i was told by friends that i am the last person who never used skypy!! well ok tried to use my first free call to ring my mum but was interupted by my nephew who wanted my mum to look for something for him… gosh that little spoilt boy!!

Bought a wii game console last year but gave it to my parents- today i am thinking of going out to get another one for myself to kill some time over the holidays…

Hope you are all doing well and enjoy the week without kimo…

take care
xxx

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Morning :o)

Soo- sorry to hear about your “water” problems! and wellies… god haven’t thought of that… there’s no way I’ll be getting my riding boots on then! (haven’t been for over a year :o( but guess what… am planning a riding holiday in April!!! Just me and a Horse! to celebrate)

Tanya - are you back in hossy!!! Hope you are OK! Youngest brighter and managing to be back on Xbox… and look in our bare cupboards for Food! Me- still holding out… tho have a cough!

Pheebster - I know what you mean about kids never telling you their computers/electronic stuff has had it! until it’s too late… My 15 year has a new laptop this crimbo to look forward to -so hope he appreciates it and looks after this one! Tho he lost his phone on the bus home on Friday… I texted it - “Do you have Freddie’s phone?” - someone texted back - “NO!” LOL gota laugh… so am off to get a new one… the Mum with bottomless pockets full of money!
You lived in the West Indies!!! funny how we are finding out little snippets of each others lives!

Cat- How’s you? Loved your House and the lights on facebook - My neighbours house looks like the same design as yours ( I’m in a smaller one across the road … only 3 toilets to clean! LOL … bet the little one is getting excited about crimbo… no not James… Nathaniel :o)

Caz- hope you managed a good nights sleep x

Ostrich - I do manage Uni… gives me something to focus on… + the other students mostly don’t notice … they just think I’m quite funky wearing hats… I did have two jobs aswell … but am no longer working now and can’t even claim incapacity benefit as I lived abroad and haven’t paid enough National Insurance contributions! heyho!
Hows the wind? I’m afraid mine is still Bad after No. 4! Now don’t go blaming yours on the young , the old or innocent animals!!
Oh + I have the constipation… which can be the drugs and also Neuropathy as I found out!

Avonlea - good to hear No.4 hasn’t been too bad

Irina - How are you?

Anybody else I have missed … hope you are well

L x

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Hi Ladies,

Soo, pour you (get it?). Hope your kitchen and everywhere else has dried out! It never rains but it pours hey (trying again to be funny!). I too seem to be piling on the pounds - I tell myself that when the surgeon was in moving my back muscle he inadvertently chopped something on that side that was holding my stomach muscles in place and thats why they are all hanging around like tyres now!

Pheebs, sorry about your bunged upness. My BF had chemo last year and said it was her worst SE. I (thank you God!) haven’t had it as a SE but had the worst time post surgery with it and never thought it could be so hellish. I thank God (literally) every morning for keeping me regular! Have you tried the “Go Cake” receipe on “top tips”?

Tanya, sorry you are back in hospital. You did come out didn’t you? How long are you likely to be stuck in this time?

Avonlea, hi, my work colleagues brought me a Wii and Wii fit as a “whilst you are off sick pressie”. My youngest is getting fitter, me - I find watching her isn’t helping at all!!

Lorna, the wind isn’t improving, and sorry if TMI but I think I’m getting piles with all that air coming out. LOL! I don’t have constipation so its not that!

Me and OH went to my BF’s xmas house party last night with all our other couple friends and a few random singles. Its sh*t being the only one not drinking! Trying to have conversations with drunk people doesn’t work. Either they forget you were talking to them part way through or some other drunk person comes over and starts talking to them!

For some reason, my OH decided last night that he wanted to dance with me (it was probably the Bacardi!). He NEVER dances with me at any do but at about 10pm was so merry he dragged me into their living room, holding both my hands and decided to “dad dance” with me whilst gazing into my eyes and singing! Aw bless, he can’t dance, he can’t sing, there was no-one else dancing and I was sober as a judge but I managed to smile wanly back at him and sway!

There was this awful woman there who I’ve only met once before who decided to “take me under her wing” as the poor cancer patient! None of our friends treat me any differently (I went au nautrelle) but she kept hugging me, blessing me, kissing my hands and saying she wanted me to go to a girlie night at her house where she would protect me from people who might overly intrude on my cancer!!! She got right on my t*ts! I needed protecting from her! Ugh. She is the first person to treat me like a “cancer patient” and it was horrid!!! Needless to say I won’t be going to her party!!!

One good thing is my BF has brought tickets to see Take That in Cardiff in June and is taking me!!! She’s a complete nut for Howard and whilst I am not a drooling soppy fan (as she is) I do like Take That and a night away in Cardiff with my BF at a concert will be fab!!!

Got to go and cook the dinner now,

Love to you all and sorry to anyone I have forgotten, xxx

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Lucky you Ostrich… Take that!! I have booked myself tickets (x2) for Beyonce at the O2 in May… 4 days before my Birthday… haven’t decided who to take… BF or Sis?

I haven’t had the O poor you too much… but I do hate it!

on a postive… My Period as gone off on it’s hols!!! Yippy!

Must go… cooking a Lamb Curry (have Parents round for dinner later)

L x

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Hi there ladies…glad we are all up beat again. I always know that the week following my kimo most of you are on your good week, and there is a definite lighter note in the air.

I am doing amazingly well…hope that doesn’t sound patronising or gloating…I am just so relieved to be feeling this way - TAX terrified the sh*te out of me (well I wish it would cos I am still struggling in that dept)!!!

Sleep is a bit haphazard (due to dexa) and my mx site feels tight. Must get on with those exercises. Mouth resembles a trench but other than that I am ok…so far!

Tanya - sorry you are back in the hospital. Wish we could come and visit…

I am going to take Pheebster for a run up the top field…nothing too energetic today…she is looking at me with big eyes and making me feel a lazy cow. Then I’m going to work to collect a script of some description to get my system up and running again…

Wishing everyone a happy day. I love the school holidays… (honestly)!

Much love

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Hi Ladies,

Hope everyone is doing well and remembering to be kind to themselves in this busy time.

Pheebs, when I was bunged up for 8 days post surgery I found coming home and eating large quantities of hummous and drinking large quantities of white wine sorted me out. It may have been the cummulative effect of the drugs the hospital gave me but as I always find that garlic and wine upset my stomach I am sure this helped sort me out.

I too love the school holidays, lazy starts to the day, less pressure to spend what little time there is in the day on a school day with youngest (we spent all afternoon today on the Wii).

Lorna, Beyonce sound great. Its funny but when I am planning things for next year I keep forgetting that whilst chemo might have finished by Feb my hair won’t be back in a hurry. My BF said to me about the Take That concert - you might have a bit of hair by then - and I suddenly thought - "darn, that “sign” of BC will still be there - and I’m not sure if I can bear to wear my wig through a whole concert! At least I’ll be easy to spot in the crowd if I go au nautrelle or maybe with a crew cut by then!

My period went off on its hols after my 1st FEC but then the blighter decided to come back the day before my 3rd. I am truly hoping its gone for good after this last blast, never to return.

I am feeling good today. (Hooray, a week of normal before 4th FEC - I never thought I would feel like this again this time last week) A sure sign is that I wore my wig out to go to the doctors and shops today. When I am feeling cra**y I tend to go bald or with a cap cos I feel like a cancer patient when I am feeling “normal” I tend to hide the outward signs. The nurse who dressed my wound today said its looking great and I had a pic taken on my mobile phone as I’ve not seen it for a couple of weeks and I am actually beginning to believe I may heal eventually. All the sloughy dead tissue is nearly gone leaving a “healthy” looking wound underneath. I may not be fully healed by the time I go away for my intensive rehab on 12th Jan so no swimming/saunas etc but I now feel hopeful that by the time chemo is done I will be healed and return to work on short shifts may be a possibility.

I can’t say I am fussed one way or the other about New Years this year but I get the feeling March 2009 is going to be a good month for me!

Take care all, xxx

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Just a quick hello, lovely ladies. I haven’t been online or posted much the past couple of days, been feeling OK-ish but incredibly tired. Hope you’re all well and coping with whatever stage of chemo you’re at.

Much love,

Cat xx