I wish I had found you all a year ago, you sound such a lovely bunch.
I finished treatment-2ops-3fec-3T + 4 weeks rads atin October, since then I’m on Letrozole for 5 years. Is anyone else on this drug? If so how are you getting along with? Like some of you I have just had first mammagram, told I would get the results when I see my consultant in a couple of weeks. No rush there then!
I was so interested to hear about the ladies going to the Penny Brohn centre, I have been faffing about trying to decide wether to go or not for months…Do any of you have a problem making decisions? I could understand it during chemo but this long after!
Glad you have found us. I am not on any hormone therapy, I just have joys of herceptin, am not sure about the others. I finished Chemo in October too. It seems like a long time ago now. Which hospital are you at? My hairs is coming back but am a little bit bald at the front. I am going to Penny Brohn next week. Will give extra feedback, but I think lulu has stolen all the headlines : )
Had a bit of a run around today. Had a blood test on Monday to check liver function ( high result was one of the reasons for liver scan before Christmas). Any way phoned BCN to get results today. Shr couldn’t tell me other than to say they were high. So phoned oncs sec to see if she could, no , but would fax the results to onc at other hosp and onc would phone me sometime. So tried gp, they didn’t gave any results. What a faff. Onc phoned at 5 today to say it was still outside normal range but had gone down from 64 to 51, so it is improving. Apparently 30 or 40 is normal depending which hosp you go to. They will just continue to monitor it. Why does everything have to be so stressful?
It’s a long long trek isn’t it Deb? But at least your liver function readings are going in the right direction,right?
Something funny happened during the night, namely I started experiencing pains in my tummy area. Cue in mini panic attack at the thought the cancer had spread to my bowels ( I’ve never been hypochondriac before but now I kind of freak every time I have a pain anywhere. Same for you girls?). Once I calmed down I realised it was my muscles aching because of the aerobics session on Monday night. Doh!!! But when was the last time I had any aches in my muscles??? I have basically turned into a mountain of blubber! Good to know they still exist and they are functioning, to be honest!
Got acupuncture yesterday with the specific aim to alleviate hot flushes. Apparently it can help. Well…didn’t quite work last night but I guess it’s early days. I must be patient!
How about meeting up on Monday 28th Feb for a coffee/lunch and a chin wag? I know the last gathering was cancelled but Cazza and myself are planning to come up to Newcastle for some shopping therapy on that day so we’ll definitely be there. If anyone is interested in joining us please come. Unfortunately you can never find a day that suits everyone!
Ellie, nice to hear from you. Do you live in the north east too?
Have a good day everyone!
Lulu x
P.S. You are right Deb,I AM kind of stealing the headlines about the PB centre, aren’t I? I should be a recruiting officer…lol. Not long before DEb, Emma and Margaret go, if I’m not mistaken…you’ll LOVE it!
I have arranged my phased return to work. Am due in on Monday 28 th, but am only doing a couple of hours. So if the lunch was 12.30 or 1.00 I could come.
The lunch can indeed be at 1. Why not? It will be lovely if you could come! I want to see your hair! Monk style and all…
I have a feeling that I will be back at work the week after yours. Haven’t spoken to the occupational health adviser yet but it looks as if that might be a good week to start. Feeling anxious about it. Aren’t you?
Plus HOW can I possibly get back into that kind of routine: up with the larks, out of the house by 7.45, etc. Rush, rush, rush! These days I am still unwashed and in my pyjamas at 11. Slothful or what??? But it’s good to live in the slow lane sometimes…he he
Lulu xx
Hi Girls
Well had my measure up and tattoos for radiotherapy, starts 21st. So have 2 weeks to relax until I start rads and herceptin. Julies posted a pic of her february hair on pp she looks great!
Hope your all well. Cant believe its nearly time for you to go back to work deb and lulu, thats come round quick!
Big hug Kim x
Hi all
You all seem ok at moment except for shaving hair , Abdo pain due to excess aerobics. all normal.
My friend got her results yesterday and as I thought it was a cyst, well she had a few . releif all round. I was so relieved. But it did make me think why could that have not been me , why was I so unlucky.
Then go and see Plastic surgeon today and even thou I knew I was to have my implant replace ( next year) they want to do it sooner rather than later ( due to encapsulation of implant). Had not planned for that, Will want to do it in the next 3-4 months, which goes into holidays which we have booked and also would go back onto half pay.
Came home and thought need glass of wine. turned onto my drive and x husband here to collect daughter. Did not see me and reversed out and hit the front of my car. shit shit shit.
Had three glasses of wine and still feel shit. Cant wait till next week for the PB centre.
ooooh M bless you i know how you feel you dont wish this on anybody but when someone elses results come back benign you just feel why was mine not and you want to have felt that relief and feeling when all was ok. I know my mam had her mammogramme results Dec and didnt want to tell me cos she felt so awfull and we both cried cos she knew how i must have felt being told I had BC although i was so relieved hers was ok.Have another 3 glasses of wine chick and hopefully you’ll feel better soon( the car can be replaced, /fixed) Are you back to work now ? i thought you only had to return for 8 weeks and you could claim ssp again ??? could they not manouvre it for then for you.Also re- holiday we had to change all ours they may just transfer it to another later date so you dont loose money. I was able to change mine from June to Sept without it costing a penny if you explain.xx take care hope it all works out Julie
Damn Margaret! If you didn’t have enough on your plate already! Mind you, I don’t know what you think girls, but things like this ( material losses, etc.) leave me unmoved now. Even before cancer they didn’t bother me all that much but NOW…water on a duck’s back ( is that how the saying goes?). Yes, I know these accidents/disasters can be annoying but in the great scale of things they count for nothing ( people do!). Not after my dx for sure. I find I am getting less and less angry and bothered . In fact hardly at all. I have to save my energies to get better and live to the max!
I reckon I should become a Buddhist, don’t you?
Lulu xxx
Hi all
M sorry about your crash. Like lulu I don’t get as stressed about things, but ido if they inconvenience me and top me doing what I want. I am more selfish than buddist now. I think I am trying to pack too much into life at the mo before going back to work.
Lulu have u posted about lunch on fb because Theresa and Monica don’t come on here anymore. Am going for my haircut. Well there are one or two slightly longer than the others hah. am being interviewed for an article in the journal today for bcc. Am a bit nervous. But will try to not sound like a complete idiot. But itcould be tricky. : )
Hi ladies, thank you for your welcome. Yes Im in the north-east, live on the outskirts of Sunderland. I had op’s and chemo at Sunderland and rads at Freeman. I’m feeling ok, but still have fatigue…Sounds daft, but I felt better during rads, didnt seem so tired then. I’ve started at the gym, and going swimming, hoping that this will do the trick. I’ve been told that tiredness can be caused by the Femara I’m taking but seeing I’m on it for the next 5yrs!!! Hope you girls going to PH centre really enjoy it, let me know how it goes,
Keep well, Ellie.
PS. Are any of you having having symetry surgery in the future or indeed have already had it?
Hi Girls
Well I’m sitting here dressed and can’t bring myself to go to the corner shop, what is wrong with me and why should I care what people think!!
Oh Kim, big hug. I had my photo taken for the newspaper today and it is hard. No hair, fat, frumpy… But I did it and I smiled. But people out and about really don’t seem to notice. Honestly, they don’t give me a second glance. Hope you feel better about it soon. We should go out together, two baldies, that would give people something to look at : )
Oh Kim big hug. I’m so sorry you’re feeling so self conscious. Deb’s right people don’t really look, they may glance and then we’ve passed. When we’re feeling self conscious we tend to look at people’s faces and that can catch their eye which makes us feel everyone is looking. Those that do look a bit more I’ve started eye balling them as if I have the right to be here and they don’t and it’s them who turn away.
M - hope the car won’t be out of action but providing you’re ok that’s the main thing.
Lulu hope the muscles are easier, I think when I get to the point of doing some exercise I’ll probably need an oxygen cyclinder and a walking frame for afterwards! How are you getting on with your superduper duvet?
Not sure if I’ll make the 28th. Have appointment at hospital so I’ll see if it can be changed.
Thanks girls. I took a deep breath and have just come back from the shop. The women always talks to me and was really nice. She asked when i was starting my radiotherapy for the whole shop to hear so I had two hopes of shrinking into the background lol. the women beside me who I didnt know even started joining in the conversation!
Anyway mission accomplished. Your right reeb I look at everyone when im out to see if there looking, some do some dont. Im sure if I push myself each time will get easier.
Deb - I admire you for getting your pic took, im sure you look great. When will it be in the journal?
Kim x
Don’t know. The journalist said she would email me, so will let you know. It’s all in the build up to the 5 mile challenge in exhibition park in March. It is spookily the anniversary of my dx the day before.
Kimmie
I am so glad you forced yourself out of the house. You’ll realize soon enough you blend in the background. People don’t stare, they just don’t care…he he, listen to me creating poetry!
Seriously: well done. It will get easier every time. You’ll see. If you lived in Italy you could just wear some Armani sun glasses. Just like in Zen (has anybody seen it? I must say I wasn’t impressed!). But here…ehm…where is the sun, I ask (albeit it wasn’t a bad day today).
Deb, which paper will you be in? I must buy it!! Or bring it to lunch on 28th if it’s not a national one.
By the way girls DO try to make lunch on 28th. It will be lovely to see as many as possible. Ellie, are you free to join us??
What about Hollingtons Deb? AND KIMMIEEEEEEEE! Reeb, if you speak Italian to our onc you’ll be able to get the last appointment. NO PROBLEMO! lol
Lulu x
Trying a Zumba class this evening. Has anybody been on one? It must be the latest craze as there are hundreds of these zumba classes at my local sports centre. Never saw them before dx. Sounds like fun but also sooooo energetic. I hope I will survive. If you don’t see me posting for a few days start getting worried…ha ha
Thanks Reeb I feel so pathetic compared to you girls and admire you all for holding your heads up and not caring what other people think. Go girlfriends : )
xx
