@bettyb24 I totally get the tiredness. I’m finding it harder the closer to the end I get. I’ve tried to do some cleaning today but have had to take breaks and my back has been aching. So I can only imagine what it’s like dealing with all of this with young children. My boys are 19 and 17 so mostly live in their rooms but are old enough to help us out when needed. So I have a lot of admiration for you and anyone else with young ones to look after too - you’re doing amazing, and although it sometimes feels like it’s never going to get to the end, it will. Keep going, we’re all here for you.xxx
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Thsnk you all - feeling a bit better after some sleep xx
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@bettyb24 ahhhh that bloody mummy guilt… we give birth to it alongside our children don’t we!!! Yep, 2024 hasn’t been great, no hiding from that … but the fact that we can even get out of bed and attempt to be a ‘normal’ mum deserves a BIG cheer. You are doing fab… you’re nearing the end of your treatment so you are exhausted, physically and mentally, so try to be super duper nice to yourself… yes, that is hard when we’re used to putting everyone else first.
With regards to kids… they are really really resilient and tbh really really selfish/centred. My two (12 and 14 boys) … have pretty much carried on their lives as if nothing has really been happening to me. That’s partly because I’ve made sure I’m ‘up’ when they’re at home and have kept them away from the darkest side of all this but also because they just know this is something I’m going through and it will soon be over. My 14 year old admitted the other day that as soon as he realised I wasn’t going to die, he didn’t think much about it. Harsh but I think kids just want to know you’re going to be ok and they can cope with the rest!!!
I’m due my last treatment on Wed but as I can’t shake off this cold I have, I’m presuming, sigh, that it will be delayed… I just need to hang on… arrghhhh…
@pat glad it went ok in the end. I too have these little plans with snacks and tv, then my hubby walks in and expects to join in … i.e annoying me with ‘what are you watching’ … ‘who’s that’ etc… GO AWAY I’m watching Bridgerton !!! Ha ha…
Keep going team June … we’re all doing fab xx
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I didn’t buy it but i was tempted!
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@pat think that t-shirt just about sums it up!
These last few weeks when people have been asking me how I’m doing I’ve just been honest, no more I’m doing ok, I’m fine, because actually it’s not and I’m sick of it. I had my CT scan today which was fine and have a start date of 4 Nov which is all positive and moving forward, but I can’t think past chemo on Friday at the moment (assuming everything’s ok with my bloods) and then next weeks side effects.
@donna_51 I hope your cold doesn’t delay things and you can get that final one done.x🤞🏻
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@wjs good to have a definite date even though its not really what you want to do! How many sessions will you need?
@donna_51 fingers crossed for the cold 
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Gosh 15 seems alot. I hope the hospital isn’t too far away!
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Hi everyone, ive laid low a few days after my last chemo. The tole of 8 cycles is showing and i’m soooo tired so for once i’m, sort of, listening to my body and others and am resting. Bar going with my best friend to her oncology appointment today (she has secondary bone cancer). So hoping things are stable or we’ll both be wrecks.
Playing catch up on messages, something has struck me. Everyone is great at supporting others, buoying each other up, reminding each other what an amazing mum/person/job theyre doing. But, the self talk needs some work team…after telling others, we talk ourselves down…i’m rubbish / let people /kids down, arent i moaning etc etc…Important to be honest and share on here, but offline I hope that we can all practice talking to ourselves as we would to others. Be truly kind to ourselves…self talk is so harming or can be so empowering and uplifting too.
That doesnt mean you cant be hacked off at the aches, pains, rashes, hair (lack of), colds, hot flushes, infections and whatever ive missed…but we’re not rubbish, or bad people, to feel guilty or that we have let anyone down because of it. We didnt ruin this year, cancer and treatment did.
I am telling myself this as much as everyone else!
I wish everyone who’s feeling rubbish better, who’s ill back to health and strength to face last chemo sessions…
Much love xxx
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@wjs i have 15 sessions to come too. Just waiting for a start date… have my planning scan on 18th October but dont know how long the wait is after that.
Do you have drug therapy too?
I have my tamoxifen here ready to start in another couple of weeks…
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@nicd the CT scan was fine to do. I was only in there about 15 mins. They said they have to wait 4 weeks from chemo to start (this gives them time to plan the radiotherapy from the scan too). So mine is literally 4 weeks after my last chemo. So hopefully you won’t have to wait too long to get started. I will be on some medication for 5 years I think. I don’t know which one yet - I think they need to test where I am now with the menopause.x
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I’ve got PICC line and at weekend my L arm became painful , swollen and discoloured and I was worried about clot
Seen at GPOOH Sunday and started on blood thinning injections and Doppler scan yesterday confirmed blood clot in L subclavian vein L upper arm
Has this happened to anyone else with PICC line ? I’m just so upset as yet another issue to worry about and also meant to be starting 3 weeks radiotherapy on 7/10
Not in good place
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@nicd Thank you for that message, it really spoke to me…
@docb I’m sorry to hear this, this happened to a friend of mine and she said hers cleared up quickly but its rubbish to have something else to worry about…
Those of you with Picc lines, do they take them out the day of last chemo? or leave them in for a bit? I’m hoping my last chem is friday but will depend on bloods etc and I’ve felt really wiped out this time… I’m waiting on a date for my CT planning scan but they’ve said radio should start 4 weeks after last chemo too. So hopefully also 4th November for me like @wjs , that’s the date of my daughters birthday and I’m also turning 50 within the three weeks of it… What a lovely birthday gift, although back in March I wondered if i’d make it to 50 so I’m kind of happy too in a strange way.
xx
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@docb Ive not had anything like this with my PICC so don’t have any advice unfortunately, but good you got it checked out and hopefully being sorted. I’m sorry it’s just another hurdle to get over though on top of everything else. Have you got to keep it in for much longer with you starting radiotherapy soon?
@charley i asked about the PICC line when I was in hospital. They said it could come out on the same day but up to Oncologist. I’m going to ask tomorrow when they call with my blood results. I suspect they may want to leave mine in for next week at least given all the hassles I’ve had lately. I’ve been told it only takes a day or 2 to heal though so that’s good news. Finger crossed we get the go head for Friday and get that last one out the way.x
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@nicd I was just thinking this on my dog walk earlier… I find it soooo easy to boost everyone else (and truly believe what I’m saying) but somehow it’s hard to tell myself the same things! What is up with that!!! But yes, we do need to start speaking/treating ourselves like we do others - definitely part of our recovery and new lives. I am 100% going to work on that.
@charley I was told that ‘they’ like to keep the PICC line in, just in case they need to take bloods or something for a couple of weeks after… but I’m insisting mine is coming out even if I pull it out myself… so TOMORROW… LAST CHEMO TOMORROW… bloods were all ok… I AM SHOUTING ABOUT IT… LAST CHEMO TOMORROW!!! For those of you that remember months ago, I have a headpiece I’m going to wear to celebrate… whooooo… I will send pics xx
I too have radio… but after this, it will be a walk in the park. Bring it on… NOTHING can be as bad as chemo… keep going team June xx
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@docb so sorry for you. Hope you heal and recover quickly…
@charley , as has been said, my nurses told me picc line could come out after last treatment, the oncologist said he would prefer I keep it in for a week or 2, but i pushed on why and just precaution if there were an infection and i needed ab’s. Not downplaying the risk, but on the basis my veins are not that screwed and i know via a friend who works in A&E they are most likely to cannulate anyway and not touch a picc line, i asked for mine to be taken out and they did. Takes seconds, feels odd but not painful.
I had to keep it dry for 24 to 48 hours, and thats it. The smallest little mark considering something has been in there for just over 4 months!
I have been left with an odd ache across my chest which i think is maybe a bruised type feeling, its not getting worse so im monitoring but will phone the team if not getting better by a week from removing…
Its so lovely to be able to shower without a sleeve!!
@donna_51 good luck for the last one xxx
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@donna_51 so glad you didn’t get delayed! Re the radiotherapy, the Doctor I saw at my initial radiotherapy appointment even said it won’t be that bad compared to the chemo so I’m not too worried about it. Look forward to seeing your end of chemo pics!x 
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