Afternoon all
Welcome to @vicstar85 and also to @hanhar82, I want to virtually hug you both.
Vicky, I can’t say I would be happy with that delay and no communication with my oncologist since June. I understand that you need the abscess to heal but somebody on your team needs to give you some reassurance in the meantime. Definitely call our BCN nurses on this one - 0808 800 6000 - who can give medical advice. Do you have any nurses on your breast cancer care team that you can call? Your onco’s secretary can’t give you medical info so I would say try to contact one of the people who can. Not fair to leave you hanging.
@hanhar82 I can honestly say that in almost 2 years on this forum, this is the first time I have come across someone being told they cannot cold cap. This also seems mighty unfair. The mental battle is as tough as the physical one and losing all your hair IS a big deal to many of us. It’s tied up with identity and not wanting to look like a cancer victim. All power to all the people who decide that cold capping is not for them but I do believe you should be given that option. Take a look at the Paxman locations for the UK and see if there are any places near you - Locations - Paxman
If you really cannot get scalp cooling then I want to give you a bit of hope. I stuck it out all the way through and lost so much hair anyway that I had to shave it all off. I looked way better with a shaved head than I did with my Gollum/Old Git look and found it really liberating. I came to the conclusion that it’s only hair and that it didn’t matter. However, that is not how I felt when I was about to start chemo so I fully empathise with your concerns. Brilliant suggestions from @carrie5 and @cass2
@rrey A massive well done for refusing to give in to worry - we’ve been there, done that and got the T-shirt. However, nobody would underestimate what a battle it is to keep it at bay. You are bang on that swollen lymph nodes in the neck can be due to the flu vaccine or a virus so focussing on facts and not letting ‘could be’s’ take you down that rabbit hole is an excellent strategy. Do keep us posted. I hope the time passes quickly. Every little sign or symptom is a worry for us now. New York was amazing thanks, and all the sweeter for being my end of treatment present to myself.
@sshini93 Your mum is on a very familiar treatment path. This is all good and she is slowly but steadily ticking it all off. Love and strength to her.
@kartoffel I was already jealous of your hair and now even more so! I’m still so relieved that your news was good. Even my husband was and he’s never even met you! Great suggestion that Carrie goes to a spa. 
However, she’ll probably opt to jump off a cliff with only a kite on her back or something more in character! How interesting to have visited Chernobyl. I have watched some really fascinating documentaries about that place.
Oh @naughty_boob I’m quite some way of being able to swing my ponytail but when I do, rest assured I will post a similar pic to the one you’ve posted right here! 