Lots of love to mechele, hope she’s home today. I have a bag packed ready in case of a temperature, hopefully if I’m ready I won’t need it!
I sympathise with all the hair angst, if it weren’t for that we could pretend to the world we’re not “ill”! My best friend is a hairdresser so she cropped my hair as short as possible as neither of us felt braveenough to shave! Still both crying while she chopped though! Wig still
In box, hope these gales don’t reappear - not exactly wig weather is it?! Have definitely seen cold caps work, so persevere, brave ladies.
I’m heading for cycle 2 this afternoon, am I the last? I still haven’t made my list of ladies names, etc to keep track of this forum but I’ll try when I’m ensconced on the sofa tomorrow! Love all xxx
Mechelle, glad you’re back and feeling better. Claire, I know exactly how you feel when you look in the mirror, I said to my husband the other day that I don’t recognise the person looking back at me and I wonder if I’ll ever look like me again.
I met with the oncologist a few days ago, she’s pleased with how it’s all going. I asked about the injection situation and how we all seem to have different numbers of them, even though we’re on the same chemo. She said that its prob down to different health authorities and that the five injections I have boost things as much as they can. Also, I’ve always been more worried about the FEC part as I though it would be worse, however she seemed to act as though the T part would also be hard, but in a different way.
I’m so bored being at home, on good days I’m trying to get stuff done, such as cleaning out cupboards etc, but I’ve now decided that the hallway needs decorating so am busy planning that and I’m also thinking about a new kitchen, so thinking about that will keep me occupied! Claire, have you rebooked any of your holidays yet? We were meant to be off to Vegas at the end of the month, but that’s been postponed until November. We’re also off to Spain for a week at the end of january for my dads 60th birthday, which was planned before my diagnosis. Need to be all done and dusted by then! Has anyone else got nice things planned for once we’ve got through this? Sissy xx
Morning all, I hope you don’t mind me joining you. I found a lump in mid December, while having a bath, assumed it would be fine as 9 out of ten are supposed to be, diagnosed with a 4.5cm triple negative ductal invasive aggressive tumour shortly after and started FEC-T on 29th Jan so am now on day 16, a tiny bit behind all you guys. So far I have been feeling pretty OK ish so have just tried to “act normal” and be very nice to myself, trying to have a good time while I still can - am preparing for it getting worse and worse over the 18 weeks and by the end fully expect to feel absolutely terrible, what a prospect! After chemo I will have surgery followed by radiation. I’m hoping for an all clear by the time the school holidays start and fantasising about a lovely trip in sunshine to recover and start to get life back again. Only major side effect I have had so far is that the corners of my mouth hurt and feel as I they will crack open if I open my mouth too wide, which has put me off eating. GP gave me some cream but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Also have had quite bad insomnia on and off and came across your thread last night in the wee small hours. I read through the whole thing, so feel as though I now know you quite well, we have so much in common (! fell asleep at about 4am) found all your posts a great comfort, thank you. About me - I’m a fit 49 year old (my 50th will be my 3rd treatment day). I have 3 gorgeous daughters: 10, 11 and 16 - telling them about this was probably the worst thing I’ve had to do in my life. I normally commute to work 3 days a week in London (work for a bank) I am English, originally from Nottingham but my family are in Dundee so are not used to me being around all week, being together is the silver lining of the cloud. I have been working from home since treatment started and will carry on working for as long as I can. I love my job and find it a great distraction from my deep sadness about this horrible thing. When I don’t occupy myself I sometimes start on gloomy thoughts and do unwise things like googling survival rate stats and post-surgery pictures. Can’t quite decide wheth to try to be prepared for the worst or just hope for the best, My husband is a Geordie cancer research scientist, my diagnosis has certainly given him a whole new perspective. Anyway that’s probably enough about me - except to say I have been really interested to read all your hair comments - I am using cold cap to delay/reduce hair loss (none so far but early days) and am going for wig fitting today. My feelings are: looking forward to looking as though I’ve just been to the hairdressers - hoping I don’t look like a drag queen - can’t believe this is happening. All for now, lots of love and positive vibes to you all. So very sorry that we are all here but nice to know we are not alone and in it together also isn’t the NHS fabulous! Fiona x
Hi Fiona, sorry you’ve had to join our group, but you’ll get lots of support here!
I hope everyone is ok and coping with the SE’s ok the second time round.
Regarding hair…or lack of it in my case, I still haven’t had the guts to go out in my wig, I’m worried that it looks too obvious. I went out with friends yesterday and wore a scarf for the first time, I felt quite self conscious at first, however it actually looked alright. Sissy xx
Oh Claire! How scary for you especially as you’re on your own this week! Thank goodness for amazing friends! So glad you’re home now and fingers crossed the antibiotics carry on doing their job.
Sending lots of love xxx
Sorry to hear that Claire, especially when you are on your own. Pleased you are home, keep warm and look after yourself. What number day are you on after last chemo?
Fiona, sorry to hear you’ve had to join us, but welcome. I’m also having chemo first then surgery then radiotherapy.
Sorry I’ve been quiet recently I have been reading posts but I’ve been busy as I’ve felt more myself. I went to the Look Good Feel Better session last week, it was good and came home with lots of freebies!! I can’t believe I’ve got chemo 3 this Friday - 5 days time, starting to get anxious for it. Let’s home I come home with a better sickness plan this time!!
Take care everyone.
Debbie x
Hi all. Sorry haven’t been on for a while but it has taken me a while to catch up on new posts. Hope you are all feeling better.
Claire I was also due to go skiing this week as well but my son ended up going with school and my husband is still home. Hope you are recovering from illness.
cant believe how many of you are also celebrating 50th birthdays this year as well! I think all deserve big celebration after treatment.
Reading all posts makes me feel very fortunate. I’m on weekly taxol and side effects have been minimal son far. Due to have 4th treatment tomorrow and have been cold capping. So far it’s been ok and hair ok. I have picked up my wig just in case and my hairdresser has offered to tweak it if I need to start wearing it.
I really feel for all of you reading about your side effects.
Im finding it frustrating not being at work and trying to avoid situations where I may be more prone to pick up infection but still want to go out.
Hope you all have a better week if feeling unwell and Good luck to those of you having treatment this week. Sorry there were so many to,go through and respond to all.
Alison X
Hope you are feeling better today Claire!
Day 8 of chemo 2 and think I am coming out of the chemo fog, although still got another injection to go tomorrow. Don’t think I coped as well this time as last time. Friday and Saturday I stayed mostly upstairs feeling too weak to do much apart from shower, get dressed and laze around. I don’t think my shedding hair helps - I just wish it would all go now! Definately felt more grumpy about the whole thing!! Hoping that after chemo 3 I’ll be more relaxed about how I’m feeling and just go with the flow.
I’ve been catching up on here daily and kept thinking “Ah I’ll comment on that when I’m up for typing” and now my mind has gone completely blank! Can’t remember who had their second round after me and Claire (Cassie?) I hope all went well anyway, and you are coping with the side effects well 
Have we all had our second dose now? I’ve been scrolling through to see where everyone is, but my concentration levels are still pretty bad!! Hope you are all coping at your different stages.
Was up early today as I have to hae a blood test after 7 days, so was at the Dr Surgery for 8:30. Think its to keep an eye on my kidneys, but I guess it’s also good that they can monitor my immune system while its at it’s lowest. So anyway, I’m sat on my bed yawning - I think maybe I should attempt to catch up on bits and pieces of housework in an attempt to energise myself!!
Take care everyone xxx
Hello all, Claire I hope you’re starting to feel a bit better?!
I was chatting with my neighbour today who was asking what was wrong with me, all she knew from before was that I’d had an operation in November. Anyway, after if told her she started to poke her right breast and said his hers was also a prosthetic! It turned out that she had breast cancer in 1989, resulting in mx but no chemo or rads. She’s now 78yrs of age. She said she decided not to bother with reconstruction as she was quite happy with being flat one side. I know it’s not much, but it’s nice to talk to someone who’s come through it and is still around 26yrs later. Xx
Does it feel good to get that 3rd one done? It seems like such an achievement - half way done! Hope the side effects are manageable :)
I’ve had my first proper day out today, road trip to Cardiff (about 2 hours drive - well longer as the traffic was so bad! I wasn’t driving by the way!) My son is at uni there, so we went down to meet for lunch and deliver his birthday presents for tomorrow. It was the longest I’d worn my wig - 9 hours!! I do have this habit of pulling it like it’s a hat, but I think I resisted today! It was windy and raining and I was walking round the shopping centre with perfect hair!!!
Claire, I had my meltdown day on Monday. Spent what felt like the whole day in tears, just felt really, really down. Felt better yesterday, still down but not teary and much, much better today. It’s partly the frustration of the whole thing. I’m sure I’m going to have other days like that before it’s all over too, it’s probably good for us - letting it all out rather than it being supressed.
Loads of love to you all xxx
Elizabeth, my tastes have changed after each round so far. after FEC 1 I kept eating cheese and tomato on crackers, and after FEC 2 I was obsessed with baked cheesecake, I got my husband to make one, which I ate over the course of 5 days. Whatever I eat always needs to be quite strong tasting.
I have FEC 3 on Monday, I feel a little apprehensive and also a little excited, I think because of being half way through, it feels like the end is in sight. I just hope my veins hold up and don’t let me down. I have chemo bloods tomorrow so have been drinking lots of fluid on prep. Will have a glass of wine tomorrow night as a reward.
Kim, I’m glad you’ve had a nice day out, it’s nice to go out and about and do ‘normal’ things. Sissy xx
Had a rubbish time at the hospital this morning for my chemo bloods. Chemo blood nurse tried to get some out of vein in my elbow, but no luck, some of the other veins there have also hardened up. Tried in my hand, but no luck there either. I then began to freak out at the thought of having a picc line or port. Chemo nurse calmed me down and got me to drink a litre of water. Then got sent to pathology, where the lovely ladies saw what they could do. Had my arm dunked in hot water for 5 mins, and on the 6th attempt they struck gold. Was so relieved. Sissy xx
Oh Sissy, that sounds like a nightmare! Glad they managed in the end. When I have my chemo the nurse dunks my hand in hot water so she can get a good vein. Enjoy your celebratory glass of wine!
Good luck for Monday xxx
Off for my 3rd FEC this morning, I’m praying for a better week this time. I’m not leaving the hospital until I am loaded with anti sickness tablets and a plan of action!!!
Sissy- sorry to hear about your bloods. Hope everyone else is either managing SE ok or enjoying there good days.
Debbie x
Good Luck both of you!!
Fiona it’s good to get that second one under your belt and Debbie - half way done!! Everything crossed that you breeze through the side effects this time
I’m sat in bed day 12 post FEC 2 contemplating whether I have a cold and if it’s going to worsen etc etc! Sore eyes, bit of a cough and dry throat. I’d dismiss it all usually but as we are now conditioned - never assume anything!! We are having our conservatory cleaned inside and out today so Mark is home to ‘supervise’ (make them tea ) as well as start decorating our bedroom (so I guess I should get up!)
Have a good day everyone xxx
That’s great news Debbie! Half way through seems such a milstone as well Hope you continue to feel well and enjoy your rest, book and snacks! xxx
Good luck to any of you about to have your next dose next week! I’m about to enter my good week, although I have to say last week wasn’t too bad, I did alot more socialising that I had the time before, but that was probably due to it being half term and friends were about more.
Hope everyone is doing well xxx
FEC 3 tomorrow, up until the blood taking drama on Thursday I had been feeling quite good about it all. Now I’m worried they won’t be able to cannula the me tomorrow, though they use different veins and areas of the arm for that so fingers crossed I’ll be okay. I’ve started on my 2 litre water bottle in preperation and the last few days I’ve been rubbing ibuprofen gel onto my arm and have been using those heated bean bag things as well. I know it would be easier to have a picc line, and I know I’m being selfish, but I just don’t each and more procedures that hurt and I don’t want another constant reminder of what’s happening. Also, I’m lucky to have a hot tub at home which has been really good to use when I’ve been aching and I don’t want to not be able to go in it.
I hope everyone else is doing okay and make sure you ladies enjoy your good weeks! I’ve booked in some ice things to do on my next good week xx
Sissy I meant to say a big good luck to you for tomorrow. I’m not able to have a PICC as I have a blood disorder. So I’m drinking 3 litres of water each day and I managed 2 litres on Friday morning before I went for treatment. I also wore 4 jumpers and 2 pairs of gloves (skiing gloves on top). It seemed to work, the nurse said my veins were “nice and bouncy”. I hope it goes well. X
Hi Fiona, 3 litres of water is good going! Chemo is at mid day tomorrow so will try to get up at an earlier time so that I can drink as much as possible. I just keep telling myself that by this time tomorrow (fingers crossed) I’ll have got the 3rd one done and can look forward to the nice things I’ve planned for my good weeks xx