Hi all, great news about the potential hair growth situations!
For those asking about my crochet. I’m very much a ‘crafty’ person over sport. I learnt how to do normal crochet then learnt online how to do C2C crochet which I’m now obsessed with! I’ve attached a pic of a completed one which was a Top Gun blanket I made as a surprise for my husband’s 50th - took me sooooo long to do as it came out a tad bigger than I meant The other is one of my works in progress - it’s for my brother and niece for Christmas. It’s the logo from a drama group they belong to.x
@collywobbles … ahhh children. Mine have been occasionally lovely but mainly selfish and pain in the ar@es most days! All normal for a 12 & 14 year old so I’m grateful that they just see my illness as something that really doesn’t affect them that much!
So, the head!? What to do … I guess you only see them every so often so you can tell them what you like and could tell them that it’s a charity head shave etc… but presumably they will be part of your life going forward so to not tell them may cut them out of a big part of your story/history? I coach a group of young athletes and at the start I didn’t want them to know but now I’ve told everyone I feel it’s my responsibility to show people that you can have cancer and it’s ok, we can go through treatment and survive it (I still go to the track every couple of weeks) I’m not suggesting you do this but I generally feel that being as open as we can, in a non scary way can help children process stuff. Life can suck big time but we get through it. What a great lesson to learn! So … maybe tell them, be upbeat… wear a wig but tell them and take it off if /when they’re ready? Children are curious but are also guided by our reactions and our emotions so have a think about what works for you and them
Okay lecture over … the Olympics are officially done, I’m feeling emotional & not sure how to get through the rest of the summer without the hum of sport in the background
@wjs & @pat how amazing are your creations!! Thank goodness I didn’t take up crochet … I’ll stick to hugging trees!! You are both really talented so keep it up ladies and find that inner peace that we all need at times xxx
Hope you all had a fab weekend!! Enjoying food, resting etc!
@donna_51 … your children sound exactly like mine although actually I’m kinda glad as well they are being typical teenagers!!
I agree I would be telling the truth @collywobbles … as age appropriate as you can. It is a big thing and to try shield can sometimes do more harm than good,… but obviously you do what you feel is right for you and your family.
The little meme about the hair @bettyb24 that’s exactly what mine was like but with bald patches … so gave it another buzz
Has anyone noticed their eyes are becoming slightly irritated … in particular my left eye feels a bit gritty! But oddly when I had my last chemo I felt like I could feel it travel up my cheek to my eye?!? I think I maybe loosing a few lashes but can’t really tell loads!
Also I know it’s been warm … wish that would bog off as well … bring on autumn … but my lord I am a sweaty beast through the night… so much so it woke me up last night!! So not only am I being woken for numerous pees, my sweaty self is also waking me up!!
@charlie22@donna_51 thanks for the advice and agree 100%. Everyone else I’ve just shared and I guess it’s because I don’t know them very well. I’ve asked my husband to talk to his daughter and see how she would prefer? She’s very supportive but because she’s not seen any photos she might not realise either. We shall see.
Olympics - sad it’s ended - Tom Cruise was good fun but nowhere as good as Bond and our Queenie in 2012!
Found my “Booby!” Might have to start these! @pat@wjs they are nothing close to your amazing craftwork. They all look fantastic! Patience of saints!!
Anyway - it’s another week on our journey - good luck all xx
@pat they’re fabulous, my sewing skills are not so great
@charlie22 I am also a sweaty mess particularly in this heat! I’ve noticed my eyes a little more irritated too but I guess it’s because we’re probably starting to lose lashes and protection.
@collywobbles sounds like a good plan. Hope you manage to work it all out. I love Booby, you definitely have to make that one Don’t undersell yourself though as they also take patience and counting! You’ll have to post a pic when done.
Hope everyone else is doing ok and @alig1961 you’re starting to feel a bit more yourself again.x
You’re so talented @wjs and @pat @collywobbles well look forward to meeting Booby & Sabbs!
My eyes are definitely struggling, they water a lot and by the end of the day are very dry. I’ve tried drops for dry eyes, but they don’t seem to help a lot. My oncologist told me to bath my eyes in cold tea, but I’ve not done it so can’t confirm if it works or not!
I have dry, irritated eyes too… nothing too bad but feel like I need to keep rubbing them but terrfied to do so incase all my lashes fall out! I’ve managed to keep my eyebrows so far - anyone lost theirs? I keep waiting for more stuff to happen…
Bloods ok for round 5 tomorrow… I’m not feeling great about starting pax. It feels like the first time all over again. The nurses say it’s the uncertainty… yes it bloody is… you sort of get into a routine and then bam it changes again… sick of it … not feeling the love today… and the bloody hot weather can fk right off. Feeling negative today obviously. AND this may be tmi but I don’t care… having less pubic hair means my knickers are constantly being sucked up by my vagina!!! Who would have thought those hairs actually did something good…
this does keep on giving and giving
It’s about treatment to the lymph nodes after chemo. Instead of doing a full lymph node clearance, they’re looking at just removing afew lymph nodes and that’s all (assuming the lymph nodes they do remove are clear). My treatment team have asked me about it and I was hoping to find others that may have been spoken to about it as well. I am pretty sure I’m going to discount it because I feel there’s too much uncertainty around whether lymph nodes left behind could not be clear and the risks around that. But I do understand there are risks around full lymph node clearances too. It’s so difficult
Oh @donna_51 I’m sorry you’re having a bad day but you did make me laugh re the pubic hair I’m currently missing my nose hair as up my right nostril is very sore! Still got my eyebrows although I’m sure some must have fallen out. At least you’ve got the go ahead for tomorrow and not delayed. Hope it goes ok for you with no major side effects. I’m sure I’ll be feeling the same in a couple of weeks when I start the Docetaxel.
@rrey I’ve not heard about the trial but I was given the choice of surgery or radiotherapy for my lymph nodes. I’ve opted for the radiotherapy so hoping I’ve made the right choice!
@donna_51 Sorry you’re having a bad day. Hopefully it’s just a day before chemo type of bad day. Good that you can get on with having it tomorrow. I’ll be thinking of you xx
I haven’t experienced the knicker eating vagina problem. It’s quite an problem I imagine, and I’m sure that M and S don’t have specific section to cater for that, more’s the pity
@pat@donna_51 I am rocking with laughter with what the knickers do so much so, I had to read it to my husband as couldn’t stop laughing.
I’ve still got most of my eyebrows and lashes - I did have a small sty start last week and I went to the chemist who recommended Optrex - small bottle which contains antibiotic - has to be kept in fridge - I had to check with my oncologist to use it and they said yes - it was pretty good stopping the itchiness and dry eyes and tired eyes.
@donna_51 so sorry you’re feeling down today - fingers crossed tomorrow goes well and hope the change is better than you think.
@rrey I haven’t heard of a trial either so good luck with that one.
The image of me walking into sensible M&S and asking for ‘non vagina eating knickers’ made me laugh! Thankyou @pat for lightening my day a bit.
@alig1961 hang on in there… you will feel better soon, it won’t last forever. In the meantime be really really kind to yourself.
@collywobbles tx for the idea for eye drops. Might see if I can get some of these.
@rrey what an interesting trial. I wasn’t offered any trial or any option before my full node removal. Part of me would have liked some options but I know deep down that I would have chosen this option anyway. Only 2/25 were infected in the end but I would never have known that and probably would have carried on worrying about the cancer bouncing down the line if I’d chosen another option !! Personal choice though so it’s great if there’s some options - you just need to be sure you’re happy with the choices you make. Let us know what you decide.
Off for the start of my Pax soon… I’ll let you know how I get on. Happy Tuesday everyone xx
@alig1961 hang in there, we’re all thinking of you. Just keeping reading all our mad ramblings and hopefully you’ll feel up to joining in again soon.xx
For those of us moving onto Docetaxel I’ve read a couple of encouraging posts on the Paxman Scalp Cooling FB page re hair growth so thought I’d attach them on here to show you.
The other is one of my works in progress - it’s for my brother and niece for Christmas. It’s the logo from a drama group they belong to.x
I’m very crafty too though I mainly do quilting and redwork/embroidery. Never learned how to crochet for some reason.
although actually I’m kinda glad as well they are being typical teenagers!!
… but my lord I am a sweaty beast through the night… so much so it woke me up last night!! So not only am I being woken for numerous pees, my sweaty self is also waking me up!! 
Still got my eyebrows although I’m sure some must have fallen out. At least you’ve got the go ahead for tomorrow and not delayed. Hope it goes ok for you with no major side effects. I’m sure I’ll be feeling the same in a couple of weeks when I start the Docetaxel.
x
