Hi all, oh Jacq poor you! The tax is def nastier isn’t it? It plays havoc with my temp but because it did it last time, i kinda ignored it a bit this time - I know I won’t again! Thank god they sorted you out, the infections can be really serious. The throat thing is dreadful, are you managing to eat? As Lou says, hope you’re resting up amd taking it easy. Lou, sorry you’re feeling so c**p, give in and just do nothing. Just think that’s 4 out of the way. I’m not feeling too bad, mouth grotty and horrible congestion and bloody nose, but physically feel a bit more normal each day. My new wig arrived this morning and I must admit I’m like a kid with a new toy! It’s the perfect colour, nice little bob without volumes of hair in it and it just looks right. Gave it an airing already and going out later so will parade it again! Oh well, little things please little minds… Jacq, on a serious note re; interviews about getting back to work and all that c**p, my daughter is incensed, as am I about your situation. She asks have you asked you bcn to intervene on your behalf? It’s quite obvious to the most simple (kind word!) of people that your condition means you aren’t able to work at the moment, what part of that don’t they understand? Obviously the priority is for you to be on the mend first, but will you pursue it with bcn as there must be a way that you’re entitled to benefits (incapacity or the new esa thing) and, as you live on your own, a disability allowance. I’ve been told that, since dx I’m covered by Disability law, especially at work so there must be something. Sorry, I’m sure you’ve been through it all but it makes me so mad! I think we should all get together - I know WSM is a bit far Lou! - and go on your next job-searching interview with you, a little dangerous, I accept! Well, hope everyone else is doing okay and making the most of the beautiful weather, apparently next week it’s gonna be winter again so no change there. Check in later, love and big hugs, especially to Lou and Jacq, Pat x
PS, I learnt in the week that one of my neices, who lives 30 seconds from me but doesn’t give me the time of day, got married 3 weeks ago. Where did I learn this? - on bloody Facebook. So her Facebook friends are more important… Had a terrible rant when I found out but have let it go now - was soooooo tempted to send her a message - which you can do on FB - congratulating her but didn’t trust myself not to let the sarcasm peep thru. Families eh? P x
Hi all
Jacq Pat and Lou I hope that you’re all starting to feel better. I feel almost embarassed to say how good I’ve been feeling. I’ve not felt this good since my first dose of chemo. It’s meant that I’ve been able to make the most of the weather and I’ve been out and about most of the week. Never mind the jobs that are waiting to be done - they’ll still be here next week. Went to a local pub for a tex-mex and it tasted soooo good. Only problem was that my bowels didn’t think that it was so good.
The dog has joined the steroid club. She gets allergies and despite 18 months of desensitisation injectionsshe still reacts to various things. This week her eye and muzzle have swollen and piriton had no effect. Thank goodness she is still on the piriton to counteract the se of the steroids as I really don’t fancy a hypractive border collie!
Just watched the 6 nations. What a finish. I think the dogs picked up on the tension as they were both pacing. Despite having Welsh heritage I am glad that Ireland won.
I’m starting to get really nervous about starting cmf on wednesday. I guess that it’s fear of the unknown. I’m also nervous about having 2 doses just a week apart.
Pat I’m so glad you’re pleased with your new wig. Other than to show it to people mine hasn’t been out of the box. I feel really strange and self concious with it on and would rather be bare headed. Whilst the weather has been so good I have been out and about with no head covering and i haven’t noticed anyone staring. I guess I have jade to thank for that. I think the hat will be back in place next week if the forecast is right. I also agree with you about families. One of my sisters has only phoned me once since learning about my dx and that was to ask me about the details of my cancer and my mums cancer before she and her daughter went to see a geneticist( she had to have a double mastectomy when she was 28 due to bc). She hasn’t even let me know what the geneticist said! In Sept she didn’t go to my nieces wedding only a few miles from where she lives as apparently she was too busy. One of my other sisters and I cancelled plans we had already made so that we could go. Needless to say my niece was quite hurt. On the other hand this has healed a rift with my other sister and we’re now talking regularly after 6 years of no contact. It feels like we’ve never been out of touch.
Everyone make the most of the weather. Jacq I’ll repeat what the others have said and tell you to make sure you rest.
Nicky x
Hi ladies, and hope you have had a good weekend? Jacqui and Lou feeling better?
Like you Nicky I have been feeling really good and on top of being out every night last week, I went on a course through work on Friday, a curry with a friend from Canada on Saturday and cooked a 3 course meal for my parents and our lot tonight…and now I am shattered! Think I may just have overdone it but you have to do it when you are feeling well!
Nicky I also had a reunion this week with my brothers family and ours and after 9 years of almost no communication things seemed to have been resolved…my mum was overjoyed as we got the 4 grandchildren together for a portrait for mothers day. Makes you wonder why these things get out of hand the way they do??
Pat nice that you are pleased with your wig…you will need to post another photo of you wearing it!
Off into hospital again tomorrow to get a Doppler scan on my arm as it is still giving me problems and I don’t know what they will do next Monday for my 4th FEC if it is not improved.
Pat I can’t believe you are nearly at the stage of rads and thinking about it all being over! It seems no time since everyone was just starting out…though I feel July is an awful long way away yet!
Well better get off to bed and hope to sleep better tonight…wide awake til 7am this morning then slept til 10, but daughter home so I can’t crawl through to her bed to read tonight!
Hugz,
Lyn xx
Morning ladies! Thanks for all your good wishes - feel much better - almost good enough to be knocked sideways again for the next Tax in a weeks’s time … groan.
Nicky and Pat, these cosy family situations are great - aren’t they? Pat, I can do sarcasm! In fact I feel a real need to do sarcasm in the very near future - it gives me a buzz - lord, there’s no hope for me - very sad! My wig’s a bob too, and everybody loves it - much easier to control than my original curls. Mind you, I got a bit too close to the grill the other day, and it’s looking a bit frazzled around the front edges!
Went for the 2nd Pathway Back to Work yesterday, and the 2nd one was a different kettle of fish from the 1st JobCentre one. Young guy was absolutely lovely, understanding and EDUCATED! Within one minute of meeting him he was on the 'phone sorting out my non-existent benefits, and agreed with totally everything I said. Gorgeous guy, and he’s the one will be dealing with in future, so all anger re: this is gone. It’s just to give you all the help necessary for when you’re ready to get back to work eventually, and they give you £40 a week for a year when you do so. Guess I can suffer that!
Lyn, how did the scan go - and what’s a Doppler scan?! - hope it went ok.
Gonna ‘submit’ this now, 'cos have a feeling I’m about to lose it again. Hope all’s well with you and yours. xxJacqxx
Lou, get up! It’s all sunny out! xx
Hi Jacqui and all,
You must be so relieved to have got something sorted out-better late than never. I thought I had til end of April before I went to half salary but got a letter yesterday saying it’s effective from 15th March-how they get that I don’t know but trying to get anyone from local authority to answer the phone is near impossible…aaarrgghh!!
My Doppler scan was to look at the veins in my arm to rule out a clot which they have done thank goodness! The pain is apparently caused by the chemo seeping through veins into tissue and causing irritation-reckoned they should be using a bigger vein further up the arm instead of little veins in my hand so will see what they have to say on Friday at my onc review and Monday at next treatment.
Had to laugh at your aside to lou about it being a lovely day-returning from Aberdeen yesterday, our roads were white with snow!!
Still cold today!
On that note I am off to get my nails done…reckon I deserve a little pampering!
Have a good day ladies,
Lyn xx
Evening all
Jacq so glad to hear that things are picking up for you. When I lose my SSP and am on half pay please can I come and see your nice young man?
I had to smile about your nice weather too. Walked to the village pub for lunch yesterday(2 courses for 3.95 and the rhubarb crumble is very yummy) only for the rain to start coming down in rods during pud. Only live 5 mins walk from the pub but was soaked through to undies by the time I got home. Had to have a complete change of clothes.
Pat I’m glad to hear that your Doppler was ok. I have my first CMF tomorrow and my chemo arm is still sore even though they used my operated arm for my last chemo. As with CMF I have to have chemo 2 weeks on the trot I’m seriously thinking of asking for the PICC I turned down at the start of chemo. I really don’t want to have to keep using my operated side. Also it normally takes 3or 4 attempts to get the cannula in. This now means that I’m so nervous to start with that my veins go into hiding making it even worse!
Had abusy day getting all the jobs done so that I can have a few lazy days post chemo and of course I’m now shattered. They say that intelligence is the ability to learn from your mistakes. I don’t think that my IQ can be very high as I never seem to learn not to cram too much in on pre chemo day. I’ve also had a brainstorm and tried some home baking. Is it only me that can make a complete disaster of “tried and proven” recipes? I realised why I try baking so seldom when I got a horrible glutinous mess out of the oven. Bless him, my dad assures me that it still tastes nice. Don’t think I’ll ever be a domestic godess.
Take care all
Nicky x
Hi Nicky and all,
Just reading your last post and coincidentally had just left a post on another thread re arm pain-might be worth while reading some of the comments on it-it has been bumped up from last September but I felt it was quite relevant to what I have been experiencing recently.
Hope the rhubarb crumble was worth getting soaked for? And hope your treatment goes fine today?
Other ladies ok just now?
Hugz,
Lyn xx
Lyn I’ve posted on the painful arm thread. Thanx
1st Cmf today and so far so good. I had extra steroids so hopefully tonight I’ll just be awake instead of awake and feeling sick.
Hope everyone else is ok.
Nicky x
ello ello ello!
I’m awake!!! atlast - maybe short lived but who cares!
Just been catching up with all the posts, sorry to have not been back sooner, have felt really yuck, but i think i’m coming through this chemo ‘tunnel’ today.
My next RX was due on Easter weekend, but thank goodness theyre not open so it’s the Tuesday after Easter Monday, so it means we will be able to have a few days away which will be great.OH and Thomas really need a break from the norm as life’s getting a bit tedious here.( I need a break too but theyve had so much to contend with, i somehow feel theyre in greater need)
Glad to see everyones feeling on the up (?), weathers flippin cold today after such lovely weather last week-hey ho, back to woolley hats!
Anyway lovely ladies, big hugz all, back to the knitting,
check in again later,
Loulou! xxx
Welcome back Lou and hope you are still feeling a bit better?
Weather awful here too-really cold windy with snow blowing through, and I just can’t motivate myself to go for a walk!
Been feeling well recently just in time for FEC 4 on Monday-review went ok apart from a touch of phlebitis in my arm, which they prescribed ibuprofen for and it seems to be helping, but there is a question mark over using that arm on Monday and I am determined they aren’t using my other arm! How’s your arm Nicky?
Just finished making pear and ginger muffins out of the Nigella Express book and they are yummy especially still warm out of oven!
Take care ladies and have a good weekend!
Hugz,
Lyn xx
Hi
Glad to hear that everyone seems to be doing well, and that your arm is improving Lyn. I’ve been using ibuprofen too and it seems a little better. It’s not ready for more chemo on weds though and my other hand/wrist was a little swollen after my last chemo last weds.
Not sure what to do on weds.
So far cmf has been ok. Not feeling as sick as I did with epi. On thurs night I managed to sleep only to have to set my alarm for 1.30am and 7.30am to take a tablet!
Lyn those muffins sound wonderful. How do i follow tried and tested recipes to the letter and still make a mess? Bless him, my dad is always the guinea pig and always says it tastes ok even if it does look a little strange.
Weather is really miserable here too. I haven’t moved further than the drive for a few days. Hopefully going out for sunday dinner tomorrow just to get out of the house.
Take care everyone.
Nicky x
Hi Nicky and all,
What’s happened to everyone else on this thread? All well I hope?
Nicky I hope you get on ok with your treatment on Wednesday and that your arm improves.
I thought I was going to be pressurised into using the other arm today but they didn’t think it was necessary, just to keep taking ibuprofen, gently massage it and keep an eye on it for infection. Went ok and only occasionally uncomfortable but eased with a heatpack. So here’s hoping…
Was pretty tired when I got home so decided, after taking meds, I would head off to bed…only to realise, too late, that I had taken a steroid tablet, having been dosed on it this afternoon!
So no sleep for me tonight. Wouldn’t care but it is for sickness and nausea (which I don’t have!), and I now have 3 meds for constipation which I DO have, caused by the meds for sickness!!! Where is the logic in that I ask??
Anyway I am off to surf…need to do something to pass the time, and no, ironing is not an option!
Night ladies,
hugz,
Lyn xx
Hi all, glad it went ok yesterday Lyn, but those steroids are a bloody nuisance aren’t they! Nicky hope arm is ok for Wednesday. My veins seem to have settled down so here’s hoping last Tax can go ahead on Thurs - have chest inf and onc took chest x-ray yesterday and will ring with decision tomorrow. Really hope chemo can go ahead but have to wait and see. Jacq, where and how r u? Hope you’re ok, and how’s your back doing? I had another Tina Turner moment in the bath yesterday but couldn’t be arsed to get out of bath so ‘danced’ in it! I’m def a member of your strait-jacket club, aren’t I! Rocking as we speak… Lou, glad you’re ok and looking fwd to a break at Easter, weather seems to be on the up again so fingers crossed for some more lovely warmth and sunshine. Hope everyone else is ok, off to see gp now for more antibiotics, I swear I rattle when I walk! Check in later, love and hugs, Pat x
Hi all
Hope you are all managing your treatments. Going for Tax 2 in one hour hoping my bloods are ok. My mum passed away yesterday at 85 years I loved her to bits and am very emotional at the moment had my 8 steroids yesterday which I think make you more emotional and have had about 3 hours sleep. Not looking forward to sludge gob etc but will get by, got lots of things to see to with my family so will be very occupied
loads luv
Ange xx
Ange, hope all went well with 2nd Tax. I’m so sorry about your Mum, do take care of yourself as there will be loads to do but listen to your body and rest when you need to. Yes, the steroids make me very emotional too, I cry at the drop of a hat for a few days so this won’t help you. Hoping to have last Tax Thurs if lungs ok, willing the antibiotics to do their thing! hope everyone else okay - bit quiet on here lately, hope it means everyone is out doing stuff and feeling fine. Ange, take care, love and hugs Pat x
Hi all! First of all Ange, let me say how sad for you to lose your much-loved mum. Such a great loss for you to bear. Even when somebody has had a ‘good innings’, it’s still such a shock. Just boo whenever you feel the need - it’s all part of the healing process.
Hope everybody else is feeling ok. I’m good at the mo., got zapped with 5th chemo yesterday and was told to expect the same reaction as last time - great, well - bag never got unpacked so forewarned is forearmed.
Hope everybody’s treatment goes ahead as scheduled, so that we’re all a bit nearer the finishing post.
Popped up to my old ward to visit a friend who was in there yesterday - where I had my mastectomy in November, and all the nurses greeted me like an old friend … lovely people. Told them to book me a nice side room for 2 months time when I have the rest of my nodes removed. Told them I wanted one where nobody had snuffed it - they just laughed as if to say “yeah, right!”.
Got put next to a tramp - no really - in the chemo unit yesterday. Felt sorry for the old boy, but blimey the stench, he had the fan on winging my way too. Couldn’t get moved 'cos there was nobody up there who had a brain between them on yesterday’s shift. I dread to think if you were really ill and a bit confused up there having treatment what meds - if any - you would come home with! They really need somebody in charge in that unit - overseeing everything.
Anyway, good luck and good health to you all. xx Jacq xx
Hi
Ange, so sorry about the news about your Mum, even when you know it’s coming it’s still a great shock.
Lyn I’m glad to know that you could still use your arm for your chemo. Both my arms are a bit of a problem so don’t know what will happen for my 2nd cmf tomorrow. Chemo arm improving but still sore. Other hand is still bruised after last week(has never bruised before) and my hand wrist did swell slightly after last week. It has gone down now but has left me feeling a bit paranoid.
Had a bit of shock at the weekend - my sister who hasn’t been in touch in goodness knows how long phoned to see how I was! Spent ages on the phone catching up and it was lovely. I know that when I phone her she will always take the time to chat but this must be the first time in literally years that she has made the effort to phone me.
I had another phone call yesterday from a distant friend who I’ve known through the grapevine was diagnosed with kidney cancer about the same time I had my dx. Her 1st onc told her she was terminal but she went to see another and has just finished what they are hoping will be curative treatment. Frightening that she may have just believed the 1st onc!
Hope everyone else is having similar weather to us. I din’t need a coat on this am to walk to GP’s for blood test. Just getting the final things packed into the caravan ready to start the summer on Fri! It has been lovely to sit in there even with no heating and the temp in our conservatory has been in excess of 27c with no heating.
Hopefully this isn’t just a little teaser for us.
Pat it’s wonderful to know you’re so near the end of this, even if I am a little jealous as I have to keep going til July, and I hope those antibiotics work in time.
Take care all
Nicky x
Hi ladies,
So sorry to hear of your mum’s passing Ange-girls are right -even when you are exoecting it and when they have had a good life it doesn’t make it any easier, but hopefully once everything is over you will be able to focus on the good times. Take care!
Managed 2 hours sleep last night and feeling ok this morning-made soup, meatballs and stewed apples-all comfort food, and no spice-goodness how my eating habits have changed…as well as the waistline and bum…say no more!
Hope all treatments go ok this week and everyone coping ok.
Hugz,
Lyn xx