Shell there is no point in saying to you don’t worry because that is just not going to happen. I do find though that in a lot of cases I spend an awful lot of time worrying about things because I always seem to see the worst case senario and most times things are not as bad as they could be. OH reckons I could get a Masters Degree in worrying!!
I aways seem to be worrying about something and having BC certainly gives me plenty of worrying opportunities.
Today is day 11 following my op and I still have 1 drain in place. It just seems to on and on draining, today it was measured at 60 mls and the magic figure is 30mls. My BCN said this morning that she now believes that the consultant whom I see on wednesday for my op results will just have it taken away regardless and then strap me up tight to hopefully resolve the situation. I have my rads planning session next week so must work on my exercises to get my arm above my head for a period of time.
Bright you need a computer programme where you can just speak to your comnputer and it types for you, I have seen them on the TV and they look quite good.
Caron that puppy of yours is certainly giving you something to think about other than your current state of health. Have you read the book Marley and Me(The one the film is based on)? Now that really was a naughty puppy.
OH has gone back to work today so life in a bit nearer to normal for us.
POOR YOU SHELLY you have so much to worry about bless you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JO and good luck today !!!
Andie Molly looks really cute
Bright glad you arrived safely in York.
Jamie has lost his job deffo cos he got up late and he had been warned if he’s late anymore not to go in ( so stupidly thats what he did!!)I know how terrible it is to get Jamie up he’s always had trouble but he shouldn’t have been collecting his girlfrien at 2 am and then he was up for work at 5am!!!I think he has got a job delivering pizzas now just for the time being.
OH HAVE I GOT A STORY FOR YOU GIRLS !!!
Jamie & Emmy came round yesterday and Emmy said she was cooking dinner so we got talking about mash potato mashers I was saying that the ones they sell now are not as good as the old ones ( I have a old one still and I showed it to her )so off they go home a couple of hours later Jamie rings “CAN I BORROW YOUR MASHER”?
so I said “well you can, but I will need it back today for my own dinner”
So 5 minutes later Jamie turns up with a bowl full of potato’s!!
So I said DAD is masher in this house it’s his job(cos he’s the best masher!!) so Steve gets the bowl get’s my masher starts mashing!! Steve said I CAN’T MASH THESE THERE RAW!!!
I said to Jamie " didn’t she boil them???" so Jamie says " she got the spuds added milk & butter and put them on the hob" I think she took them off again when the butter had melted !!!
So I couldn’t put them on the boil again as they were part mashed with butter & milk in !! so I had to put them in the microwave to soften . Jamie was panic stricken as all the other food was ready!!
So Steve mashed them best he could !! but it was so funny !!!
Just a ‘quickie’ (those were the days!) for Andie. I had my last drain in for 3 weeks (was still pumping out 100 mls per day)! In the end the clinic decided to remove it. They did so and it was like a fountain that drenched the poor nurse and surrounding staff, put a dressing over it and it just stopped draining! Incredible! So have faith! xx Jacq xx
GOOD LUCK SHELLY for this afternoon. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jo hope yours went ok yesterday xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have got appointment today for bloods and to see nursie and hopefully she will have some good news from my scan ??? I am hoping that she is grabbing the cyst which is right next to cancer and so therefore it will mean it has shrunk more? (god I hope so)
Bright I’m not there until this afternoon.
I am so tired today why is it when it comes to blood day I sleep terrible, waking up all night ???.I can guarantee that it will be the same tonight !!!.
I wonder if I will be quicker tomorrow ?? as the EC was 2 sringes
and the Tax must be just 1 ???
I am going to go in bath soon and get ready, Jordan was meant to be coming with me but he’s still in bed !!
Shell, good luck with your scan today and really praying that you get good news this time, thinking of you lots
Caron, had my 2nd tax yesterday and as predicted spent the whole of my birthday day hanging around at hopital as I did get the allergic reaction with this dose. Eventually under contral and then a bit later decised to challenge me again and this time with piriton etc in my system it seemed to go in ok. bit scary though! It;s your first one tomorrow though isn’t it so you should be OK and it’s a bag on drip which was very different to my FEC which was several syringes of stuff, the tax bag takes about an hour. Hope your bloods ok today so you can crack on tomorrow, did you have steroids to take yesterday in prep for tax? if so that’ll be why you didn’t sleep last night. I,ve been up till 3 for the last 2 nights but at least it’s given me a chance to work out how to use and download stuff on Michaels I Touch that I bought him for his birthday back in Jan!
jo X
Drain still in place and fluid still very cloudy to the point that the nurse who came this morning says they wouldn’t want to take it away yet because at least fluid containing infection is being drained away - makes sense.She thinks that they may change the anti biotics at clinic tomorrow when I see the consultant.
I had a very scary moment last night. I had just tucked myself up in bed when I realised that I just could not stop shaking. I wasn’t hot or cold, had no pain anywhere but the shaking was totally uncontrolable. I took my temperature in case the infection had made my temperature peak but it was normal.OH started talking about A & E but I persuaded him to wait for a little while. After about 1/2 hour lying quietly trying to follow OH’s slow breathing it gradually stopped. He thinks I had a panic attack, todays nurse thinks it could have been more sinister and has said if it happens again - straight to A&E.
I just want to move on. I have a rads planning appointment next week which is beginning to look more and more unlikely to happen.
Good luck to those of you with hospital appointments this afternoon.
Hi girls,
I’ve been absent for week or so, but have been following posts.I had my op 6 weeks ago and my drains removed before i left hospital. It means I had to have fluid drained every few days ever since. I went to be fitted for my prothesis today and because of fluid the nurse was unable to fit it. She then removed 200mls of fluid from my left side. Then informed me I probably would be unable to start rads for a time. I’m due for planning next week. I’m really fed up about it. WHEN is it going to stop?
I saw the plastic surgeon on Friday, to talk about reconstruction. He said he’d see me in May when my skin had settled after rads. I don’t think THAT will happen now.
Because of all the Doctor and hospital visits I haven’t seen my daughter since my op. However I’m going to sevenoaks tomorrow for a few days to see her. Usually I go for longer but I’ve got to get back to be drained AGAIN!
Sorry to have whinged so much, others of you are going through far more unpleasant things.
Caron, I hope the TAX is going ok.
Andie, you don’t need any more scares,do you. I hope your recovery is going well otherwise.
Shell, pleaselet us know when you can how you got on today? Fingers crossed.
Gail, have you thought any more about a bilateral?
I know I’ve missed people out , I’m sorry but I have a really bad bout of chemo brain!
Victoria, Jo and anyone else I hope things are going well for you.
A big welcome to any newbies, sorry you’ve had to join us, but you’ll get all our support.
Love to all, Kathy
Aww Katemate I think you covered the whole lot !!! so tou still have to be drained now ? ( wonder how long that can go on on for?)
I have been today to have bloods done & to see chemo nurse she said oncologist happy to carry on with treatment , so I suppose everythings according to plan ?? NOT
I said " my breast tumor has only shrunk 2cm & it’s not enough if they want clear margins" but she said " the nodes have gone completley" so I said " well they will still be there?" she sais “yes they are diseased now so will have to be removed”
Then she said " if you never had nodes involved they would have done surgery first" , made me feel better but not so the case is it ???
Why do other people have surgery first even with nodes involved???
and I know they DO !!!
So TAX is on for tomorrow (yippee NOT) hopefully bloods ok (fingers crossed).
Aww Katemate I think you covered the whole lot !!! so tou still have to be drained now ? ( wonder how long that can go on on for?)
I have been today to have bloods done & to see chemo nurse she said oncologist happy to carry on with treatment , so I suppose everythings according to plan ?? NOT
I said " my breast tumor has only shrunk 2cm & it’s not enough if they want clear margins" but she said " the nodes have gone completley" so I said " well they will still be there?" she sais “yes they are diseased now so will have to be removed”
Then she said " if you never had nodes involved they would have done surgery first" , made me feel better but not so the case is it ???
Why do other people have surgery first even with nodes involved???
and I know they DO !!!
So TAX is on for tomorrow (yippee NOT) hopefully bloods ok (fingers crossed).
WORRIED ABOUT SHELLY SHE’S BEEN THIS AFTO SO COS SHE AINT WROTE MAKES ME WORRY FOR HER !!!
Bright showed my nurse ur arm pic she said " worse she’d EVER SEEN"!!!
JO I see you wrote today , no I had to take steroids today , never forgot , she asked me if I had been cleaning? I said no too tired from last night !!! no it wasn’t steriods it was just panic!!! as normal !!!.
ANDIE I have panic attacks and your’s does not sound like that !!
you must NOT leave it , we all do I do but it could be too late to do anything !! you MUST get things checked out !!!
Fabulous picture Caron.
I didnt look like that before bc as I’d put on weight. I wasn’t that worried if I put on weight during chemo as I wanted a diep reconstruction. Unfortunately I haven’t got fat in the right placeon my stomach for that op so I’m just going to have to diet.
If its any reassurance to you caron, the day after I finished TAX I noticed my hair returning. Inow have a completely covered 1/2 inch
lenghth of hair.
Also my eyelashes and eyebrows are returning, so I’m beginning to feel human. I still wear the wig at times but am much more confident
without it than I was.
How is Marc? what a difficult time your family are going through at the moment.
Good luck with the TAX tomorrow.
Love Kathy
Just writing now still from sunny York - and it was sunny today. Went to Ripon today and looked at all the shops around the town square and did the complete tour of the cathedral including the Saxon crypt. I spent ages looking in the window of Appleton’s pie shop - such amazing raised pies that I’ve only ever seen illustrated in books before.
At last my arm is beginning to feel better and the redness does seem to be decreasing tonight.
Encouraging to read that you now have all your hair back Kate. I am still at the stage of being worried about losing it. As I still have four cycles to go.
Well my CT scan turned out to be for measuring my chest for Rads, not impressed.I ranted and raved alot and they got me in to see an Onc…
My raised red patch is skin mets,there is a hardness in my chest so he says looks like the cancer is back…Its likely to be in my chest muscle and lymph nodes in my neck.I am having a biopsy on Friday and a detailed CT scan in about 2 weeks time.
Am in state of absolute panic over surgery on Monday. At the moment, I have no intention of going!!! I don’t think I’ve ever been as terrified. I think it’s harder because you know it’s not the end. next its rads and then it’s a waiting game!! Breast care nurse saw me again yesterday and counsellor this afternoon and they say all the right things…but still scared. had a tour of the ward to try to help me visualise etc and they have reserved me a side room…so that will help. But… am still terrified. The thought of drains etc makes me feel really sickly too. Have no idea how I’ll get through monster’s birthday party on Saturday!! I am just having the one done! But…I am still thinking about the other. The results of my genetics thing (whenever they come) might influence me!
On a positive note, I feel quite well at the moment. 3rd Tax has been kind to me (touchwood). Just tummy things and tiredness. I have bene out and about much more. I think my hair has grown and I certainly have leg hair again (too much info??). Still have eyebrows and nails too. Jo - so sorry you got the reaction. I hope you weren’t too scared. I didn’t get it third time as they pumped me full of drugs and gave it to me very very slowly.
Bright - sounds like you have had fun in York. Always wanted to go there.
Caron - look at you!!! Very foxy!!! The thing about nodes is weird. Different hospitals seem to do different things. My lot don’t like doing total clearance of nodes and believe rads take care of things, which worries me to be honest. They told me that scans can’t see the full extent of the disease in the nodes and it’s only in surgery and from results, you can know?? is this true? Are you able to get an appointment with your oncologist, rather than seeing your nurse all the time?? I was also told that big lump girls tend to have chemo first to try to shrink things and zap any rogue cancer cells elsewhere. Tax is meant to be much better at shrinking… I’m not sure if mine has shrunk that much, but it feels much better. But… all came as a result of Tax…didn’t have much change with previous chemo. So you might see some more change.
Andie - I do have a shaking thing I do when i get into panic situations, but sounds different to yours. Don’t take any chances next time!!!
Shell,
Have just seen your post. There is me yabbering on about being scared of a stupid operation… and you going through all this.
I am just so sorry - it is just so crap and so damn unfair. Can’t believe you have to wait another 2 weeks for CT scan either!!! Sigh! You have been through so much and been so strong. The waiting must feel like absolute torture.
Wish I could do something to offer more comfort…or words of wisdom…
OH Shell, wanted to text you all day yesterday, but knew you’d be going thru it but seriously haven’t stopped thinking about you. What can I say, but you’ve gotta try and look for some postive’s, if you can! Dreadful that CT scan not for another 2 weeks and yesterdays was for rads, but on the plus side, they are going ahead with rads so they’re not giving up on you, it’s just a constant long hard stressful slog for you and I’m so sorry that I can’t do anything meanigful to help you.
Sending you lots of hugs though!
Jo XXX
Gail, I Know It was different for me as it all happened so quickly, I didn’t really have time to think about the surgery because I had that first, but as I’ve said before, if you can cope with chemo, then surgery is a walk in the park by comparison! You’ve done brilliantly on chemo, so do try and relax a bit. You won’t know anything about it during surgery, then you’ll have a lovely sleep, then when you wake up they’ll make sure you’re comfy and not in pain and then before you know, you’ll be on your way home, look at Andie and Shell they both came home really quickly after surgery! You’ll be great, now go and stress about the party, that’s much more difficult!!!
Bright, gald you’re arm is improving a bit. My arm today looks like I’ve been in a car accident as they had to re canulise me 3 times for chemo on Monday. Think my vains have packed in a bit, thankfully only one more to go so am hoping to get away without having to resort to picc line of similer now!
Caron, Haven’t i seen you in Bond film before!!!
Wow, now I’m gonna look thru my pics and see if I can find a skinny bikini shot from my previous life to!
Oh Shelly, really feel bad for you ( bet your sick of hearing all us lot trying to cheer you up , but what else can we do???)
I dont know much about mets but I know they can be gotten rid of ( but also may come back ), I really hope your cancer responds to the Rads ( it may do , some people dont have chemo and just have surgery and rads , so at least they aint give up on you , bet you are worried sick !).
I have been to have my TAX today my appointmnet was for 1.30 but I never got out till gone 4pm!!.They were really busy I was looking at a woman and I thought I know you ! I said is your name Tracey she said yes , I went to school with her , she was only on her 2nd EC (poor sod!), I didn’t think the tax was any problem so far it was loads better going in.I never felt the horrible coldness or sickness or heart pounding, maybe I will next time?? (hope not!).
When will the Tax hit me? is it 3 days??.
My hair is also growing back very peachy and I can follow my eyebrows now ( they are not fully grown but at least I can follow them !!)
Bright a lady was in there today having her chemo and she only had her picc line done yesterday !! so hopfully you might have your chemo on Friday ???
Jo what happend to you with your Tax???
Andie I was watching thismorning when DR Chris was saying he had uncontrollable shaking (reminded me of you) he had blood poisoning and could have turned septicemia, so please dont leave yours if it happens again !!!
love Caron xx
forgot to say haven’t heard nothing about Marc yet I said to my sis this is strange…
she reckons its cos the dr has been on holiday so he is backlogged???