Hi all, thats a great tip @kartoffel , your nails look good. My nails are crap at the moment, worse now than they have ever been. I finished chemo end of July last year although still on Phesgo, so hopefully as they grow they will get better.
Well done to all you runners @galdiolus and @norts it must feel really great to get back to something you love to do, and @gromit12 who has not stopped running all throufh treatment, (madness ) personally i hate running, but i do love s good walk. @arty be careful with increasing your exercise as you know with long covid you can really set yourself back if you push too hard.
Iāve just come back from my solo trip to Delft and i have survived and really enjoyed it. The only bit i was really nervous about was getting to the Eurostar terminal on time, but all went smoothly and i even managed to get on the correct bus replacement service in Rotterdam, thank goodness most Dutch people speak English. On one of the days i was there i managed to do 20,500 steps! I didnāt get too tired at the time, a bit knackered now, but tummy played up a bit with eating out and the odd glass of wine, but it was worth it. I feel really pleased with myself.
Had check up today with Breast Unit, all fine and they do Patient Initiated Follow up so thatās it with them hopefully, apart from annual mammograms.
@norts You are right ! We are all amazing because weāve refused to let cancer knock us down ā¦ go us !!
@jeml - I went to the hospital to get mine , then I got one from boost . The hospital one weighs a Blimmin ton !
@pennyp - yep Iām being careful
As basically activity one day usually means three days if feeling rubbish , Iāve gone on a very low calorie diet as Iām essentially not burning anything , the chemo has burnt out my thyroid did you go away alone ?
Iām
Amazed at 20 thousand steps .thatās incredible
@arty1 yes it was a trip alone. Its something ive thought about doing for a while, but when i was having chemo i decided that when i was better i would just get on and do it. I was on the trail of Vermeer in Delft and went into The Hague to see the Girl with Pearl Earring, an amazing painting. Planning another art related trip to Malaga with friends for later in the year but who knows may do another solo trip next year.
Penny
@pennyp Thatās fantastic -Did you see his painting of the view of Delft ?
I donāt think Iād be brave enough to go abroad alone ā¦ pre long Covid I used to go everywhere alone .Malaga sounds lovely I took myself off to Malta in 2015, I did promise some friends in Belgium Iād visit after treatment is over so I may bite the bullet
Yes you should do it, you are brave! Its very liberating. Having said that i did choose a fairly easy trip to start with, but next time i might tour around, i love travelling by train. Belgium is easy to get to on Eurostar. Yes i saw vermeerās painting of Delft and also stood in the spot it was painted. The Delft ceramic museum and factory was also fascinating.
Penny
Also @arty1 my daughter who also has long covid managed a solo trip to south of france last year, she just paced herself and rested a lot. She inspired me. Penny
@kartoffel - Thanks for the tip. Iām going to get some of that build up gel as Iām loving these gel nails but theyāre growing out now. This could be the answer to that problem, Iām thinking.
@norts Great pic!! You are right there; we all rock. Cancer has definitely prompted me to get fitter although a walk to the dentist and back yesterday isnāt exactly running 5k or doing 20,000 steps. However, not so long ago I would have driven so itās a step in the right direction. To be honest, you all inspire me. The energy of this group is so damn good. It makes me focus on what can be achieved and the support is there for the bad times.
Talking of achieving, @pennyp Iām so glad your Delft trip went so swimmingly. It sounds awesome. I am plotting for my New York trip that I am planning for October of this year. I vowed it would be my gift to myself when I finished treatment as itās somewhere I have wanted to go since I was a kid. Blame Fame and Saturday Night Fever! Iām saving up and what I havenāt saved will come out of the pension that I can access at 55. I have always been so careful with money but this journey has made me care less. Now I want to spend some of it on seeing the places I have always wanted to see. Iceland will be next on the list. Good on you.
@jeml Iām glad to hear you are climbing back out of the wobble. I knew you would. Congrats on your new boobs! I have been given the date for my soft implant and boob lift at the end of May and am positively excited about it so I get it. Iāve decided I will have the nipple tassel tattoo instead of a tattooed nipple, after all. Hang the expense! Iām going to reclaim my boob and have a laugh to boot.
@arty1 - I could join you on Only Fans as there is possibly a market for a woman with one nipple and one tattooed tassel with a pullet hairstyle, no? Possibly for some very warped individuals but Iām not judging!
Iām loving all these accounts of holidays and planned future dreams. Roll on New York @salbert!
I watched āMrs Harris goes to Parisā on channel 4 catch up last night ā¦ I donāt hanker after a Dior frock but I absolutely get the point of having dreams no matter what anyone else feels important.
Well after a morning of chaotic phone calls about my chemo tomorrow, one of which I took outside the hairdresserās with my hair dripping, I drove to the Unit.
They cancelled tomorrow but rebooked me for Monday after consultations with my consultant and taking some extra bloods. Think Iāve sort of got a result. Now rebooking dog care, otherwise theyāll be coming with me!
@salbert you always make me laugh! Love the tassel tattoo idea. Good that you are planning some trips. None of us knows whats round the corner so its best not to put things off.
After having a good couple of weeks with no tummy problems, last night IBS symptoms back with a vengeance! Will this ever end? Iām hoping when iāve finished Phesgo things will gradually improve.
Penny
Can I suggest for your New York trip, as someone who was also obsessed with New York from a very young age and finally got to go for my 30th birthday (I hated turning 30 so fled the country and went on my own), visit Radio City Music Hall, Empire State Building and Top of the Rock.
The former is beautifully art deco and took my breathe away (I didnāt even see a show), ESB is stunning and the views are epic and Top of the Rock is the best views in the city (the park AND Lower Manhattan), some people go to the Edge instead but from the photos Iāve seen it doesnāt compare.
Youāll feel like youāre in a movie (especially if you make a playlist to listen to when you walk around, I did and it was awesome I highly recommend it). Oh and bring proper walking shoes, itās a walking city and your feet will thank you for it.
I always thought Iād go back there some day but with the stuff going on there at the moment Iām thinking of visiting Scotland or Ireland instead.
@arty1 I run every day. Problem is itās my nose and since I lost my eyelashes last week, my eyes too! Also do three weekly cycles. Today was number 4. Was in the saddle for 4 hours .
I think there may be interest in an OnlyFans account. Could call myself Bittytitties if Iām not left with much post surgery! Tasslehassle for @salbert or TittyTatty, you can be Artyparty as that sounds fun. @naughty_boob has her name already, mind you if I stick with Mrs Jelly they will be expecting a great pair of wobblers and they will be in for a disappointment if I get implants!
@jeml your swimming breasts sound brilliant. Did make me chuckle. Iād be worried they would be quicker than me and I wouldnāt be able to keep up! mind you if they stay in your costume they might make you go faster! My breast stroke is appalling, crawl is what I do getting out of bed and used to do when I frequented pubs. The butterfly on occurs when Iām anxious which is thankfully less now Iām on treatment but will no doubt creep in nearer my surgery date. Now days if I am in a pool I just float on back and kick my legs.
Iām not a swimmer. We had swimming lessons in junior school. We lined up for a verruca check before getting in then once in the pool, if we didnāt duck our head under the water a foot would push you under. Secondary school we had to have communal showers with a teacher looking on. So upsetting when at 15 you didnāt need a bra. The things they did 40+ years ago. Iām traumatised!
I am afraid Iām wired from the steroids hence my rambling! I fear they are going to steal me from my sleep. Returned from hospital and found myself raving to Triphop in the kitchen with the dog looking on. Never realised theyāre was such a genre of music though Iāve been enjoying it for years. Going to seek out a Triphop night when Iām through this. Beats Johnny Cashās Ring of Fire which I sang every time I find myself sat in the smallest room of the house experiencing s**tplop. Thereās no dancing when Iāve got that but there certainly is some movement. Sadly not solid ones! Bet @salbert could bust some moves. Now thatās an apt phrase for this group. Iām on fire this morning and better still itās not my arse. I think Iām going to give that a celebratory slap as I donāt have a bench in my bedroom!
@pennyp wow, over 20000 steps! Fab. I always chuckle when Iām out with my husband. We walk the same distance and he does around 15% more steps than me. My body is composed of nearly 50% leg so my stride is longer than his my arms reach my knees - Iām mesmerised by Bruce Springsteen as I donāt think his hands will reach the bottom of his pockets. Iām digressing, so despite us (not Bruce and I) covering the same distance he still maintains heās walked further than me
Iām now going to listen to a programme on R4 about how work is encroaching on our personal lives - more than 9 million people not in work or not actively looking for work. Asks if work is contributing to the problem as we are having to work harder. Had a pang of guilt as Iām off work due to āitā which has meant my poor colleague is trying to manage her workload as well as mineā¦ Iām hoping itās not so riveting that I want to listen to it all.
Thank you for your New York enthusiasm. You do have to have dreams and not put them off, itās true. There are always reasons not to and I refuse to look back and say āOh well, at least I saved moneyā. @sez You absolutely can suggest an itinerary for me as I want to see as much as possible. Iāve just started a page which Iāve entitled New York Itinerary Suggestions which is super-exciting. I almost wish I wasnāt taking my husband and son now, so that I could strut around with my playlist feeling like I was in a movie. That SO appeals to me. Thank you.
@carrie5 Well done for being dogged about getting your appointments sorted. Keep it up!!
@pennyp I am still running off to the loo repeatedly after breakfast every day too. We have moved into a new office which is great in that the loos are seconds from my desk, not so great when you have to wait until a colleague has left the kitchen to bolt to them. I am the only female in an office of men so itās not like I can explain and get sympathetic responses. I have tentatively mentioned IBS which received a deathly silence and a sudden frenzied tapping of keyboards. I finish Phesgo on 10th April so I will let you know if things start to return to normal. When do you finish?
@shannon27 - Wonderful news! This is all heading in the right direction. I have my reconstruction a couple of weeks after you. Come June we will be strutting about with our chests stuck out feeling jubilant that itās all behind us.
@mrsjelly Your steroid-induced ramblings are highly entertaining, hilarious in fact, so thank you for that. Iāve never even heard of Triphop but it sounds great. Perfect for steroids in fact. I must give it a go. Talking of busting moves and New York (thereās a neat little segue if ever there was one!), I was recalling on Sunday when listening to Frank Sinatra at our Mothering Sunday tea how I once disgraced myself at a wedding when the evening came to an end and they played New York, New York. As is usually the case, those on the dance floor took it in turns to go into the centre to show off their moves. Whatever possessed me, I still donāt know to this day. However, I decided it would be impressive to place a lemon between my butt cheeks and dance around the circle doing a jumping shimmy just as it got to āThese vagabond shoesā¦ā I then did the splits and pulled my hamstring to the point where I had to be assisted off the floor. What is worse is that this was my first wedding as a guest of the parents of the groom with my new partner at the time. They were his friends, not mine. As I hobbled from the reception, complete strangers sang āBlue Moonā to me. I was utterly mortified the following day and vowed that my days of flashing must come to an end. However, I may have to change my mind if our Only Fans plans take off. It has taken 9 years for me to be able to talk about this event without having a visceral cringing response that has me screaming aloud. It seems that just as I have got over it, the horror has transferred itself to my 15 year old son who, when I reenacted the dance, placed his hands over his ears and shouted āPLEASE STOP!ā I take his point.
Oh wellā¦ best do some work. One more thing before I goā¦@mrsjelly are you sure your arms reach your knees!!! That has made me laugh so hard I have just had to leave my desk on the pretence of needing a glass of water.
Oh gosh @salbert that just made me spit coffee all over. I had my father daughter dance at my wedding to New York, New York because I couldnāt think of anything good and weāre from New York soā¦ Your story tops mine though.
Iām having a bit of a downer today as itās 2 years since I found my lump. As soon as I woke up this morning the tears came. I even got cross with the dog for no good reason. Added to the fact that last week I pointed out somebodyās language/ words could be deemed judgemental on another thread to have two users have a go at me and say I over stepped my role as a CC. It made me think twice about my role. I was just trying to say we are all individual and we need to be careful with our words so as not to upset others.
) personally i hate running, but i do love s good walk. @arty be careful with increasing your exercise as you know with long covid you can really set yourself back if you push too hard.
did you go away alone ?
Im thinking there must a market for a fat one boobed lady no ? 
I took myself off to Malta in 2015, I did promise some friends in Belgium Iād visit after treatment is over so I may bite the bullet
.
I almost wish I wasnāt taking my husband and son now, so that I could strut around with my playlist feeling like I was in a movie. That SO appeals to me. Thank you.
Your story tops mine though.
