Thanks all for the song suggestions - love them all so far and keep them coming.
FEC 1 day 7
update on side effects - still feeling nausea, bad stomach ache, horrid taste in headache and ongoing headache.
I am learning to deal with it tho - loo boxes set up and ipad fed in to play twenty twelve as soon as I hit the loo from either end, have started experimenting with my own ice pops and have made fentiments ginger beer ones, lime from my very own lime tree so far. Have collection of codeine, paracetamol, gel strips and cool eye masks to cope with my headaches.
My most extravagant and best buy so far tho is a leather riser recliner chair which I love complete with side table for chemo caddy, tv remote and cup of tea. Biggest frustration is the fatigue. Yesterday morning went to tesco for short trip and then slept for 6 hours! Ludlow tesco is tiny and like somewhere you would find in Midsomer Murders not stressful at all unless youre the one in the queue behind Pat from the nursing home catching up with our Diane at the checkout who’s married our Joel who was married to Pat’s brothers mother in law.
Today I managed to get the boys to school, water the polytunnel, catch the escaping pet rats and then exhausted, collapsed into the chair until the alarm rang at 3.30 to pick boys up again. Just giving myself a few minutes then overcoming nausea to prepare tea - fortunately most constructed from the freezer as I did huge amounts of batch cooking pre chemo.
OH has phoned to check on us having landed in Houston (can I leave him a message saying “we have a problem” or would that be too cruel?) I shall save preparing clean undercrackers for days when I have more energy so that he can fly in for 2 days watch me having next chemo and then bugger off for another 2.5 weeks".
Emma - massive group hug to you - and to everyone on this site waiting either to start treatment or to deal with the next Side Effect event.
Jayne - incredible that you have kept your treatment quiet, that must be really stressful in itself for both you and your husband! Warmest and most positive thoughts for you both.
The loo is calling and must be obeyed.
NicJ xxx
Evening all 
Glad to hear youve been mostly ok, although Fiona, hope the world stops spinning for you and you start to feel a little better.
Welcome cazza, listen to Chelle she talks a lot of sense!!. But just to add, i had grade lll mass (80mm)so had a mastectomy and ANC (node clearance), which was positive 5/12 so then followed by a bone & a CT scan…They were both clear so even though i had a large mass and am E+ & HERC2 they got all the cancer out and its hasnt spread, so please dont fear the worst just because of numbers. Its natural to feel many symptons, pains, aches etc and think " i must be riddled with C", but stay positive.
Jackie & Maxie, i havent got a date yet either but should hear tomorrow. They told me 6 weeks from op so i guess thats fairly standard. Its just frustrating isnt it as you feel life is on hold until that first cocktail. Hopefully we will all be Jewels, although even if we end up in July we can still hang out here lol…
Well got a lovely rash-urticaria- caused by being out in the countryside yday, my skin looks like a toads so a cold bath for me & a handful of anti-histimine. If it doesnt go they may not expand my temp implant tmow, and i so want to at least touch the side if not fill the cup of my old granny support bra…
Good luck tomorrow for Lins and Becky…keep a space for me 
Well will check in again later,
Love to all
xxxx
Hi Jewels,
Lots to catch up on already, Ann & Martha hope you are both doing ok, not heard from yous for a while.
Crazzer I too was told grade 3 and needed chemo 1st before my mx. It is a worry and I was convinced I could feel pain in lots of places, neck, head on other breast and my stomach but have been reassured on this site by other people this is very common and good chance this is stress related.
Love all the songs they have made me laugh. Got my bloods taken today and they got on 2nd attempt which is very good for me, so gooo mee.
Emma I have a feeling I could be the same as you when I go to hospital tomorrow and see the chemo unit because I haven’t cried at all in hospital so god knows what I will be like. Hope you are ok now
Lins & Becky good luck at the cocktail bar tomorrow
Jayne I couldn’t keep that to myself as I know I have very good support from my family & friends as well as my OH.
Nic J Hope your not in the toilet too long 
had a laugh when you were talking about your trip to tesco.
Maxie hope your treatment doesn’t run into July even if it does you can still stay here with us. 
Hope all the other Jewels are and not too many s/e’s
Deedee xx
Hi everyone, I feel really bad, you all seem to be suffering one way and another and I am fine, I don’t think about what has happened to me, I have had 3 ops and am now waiting for chemo to start on the 19th, I am going for wig fitting tomorrow and blood tests, perhaps it will hit me next week like you Emma, I have’nt cried or been down yet. I have been off work since January and they have been wonderfull to me. when I read your posts I feel like I am not included, it’s not happening to me. I have not bought anything at all for the chemo, I can’t seem to put the two together. Will it hit me all at once, I just don’t know.
I really wish you all well and think about you all the time.
AM I NORMAL
Pat Xxxx
Pat - What can I say Guess your as normal as the rest of us Of course you are included, just jump in with your thoughts, good or bad, whenever you need.
I hate not to be organised so got as much ready befoe chemo started as I could as I didn’t know if I would feel up to it after. Couldn’t even think about buying things for the first week after chemo. New I was recovering when I started buying again. We seem to be Annnabandana fans here for scarves. Also Bohemia Fashions. They are quite quick with delivery.
Marion
XXX
Evening,
All was quiet on here over the weekend, and then I go out for the day today anf loads has been going on, took me ages to get up to speed.
NicJ - think thats a great ideas about the head shave, (very brave of you. What about I’m still standing by Elton John (don’t know if its appropraiate as he says the words to fast for to understand, but its quite a fast song so maybe upbeat?)
Cazzer - welcome to the Jewels. As you can see everyone is lovely and you will get lots of support.
Elizabeth- You wally feeling like you couldn’t join in til you got a date. Everyone welcome, date or no date.
Saxgirl - Welcome. I also missed you post and can’t find it now either, don’t know if site doing something weird.
Vicki - Did you get a start date today (sorry if you have posted this info already but I can’t read my own writing that I have put next to your name.
Meggy- Hope scan went ok today.
Fiona - Sorry to hear you are still feel cr"p. Think that if you are feeling bad, any stray cancer cells wil be feeling worse. Big hugs.
Marion - glad your nose seems a bit better.
Joan - good to hear your feeling ok and been into work.
Jayne - hope your doing ok. Don’t think I could manage to keeo it to myself - i’m too unstable . You know we are all here as a sounding board and hug station.
Pat - Don’t feel like you should be handling this differently, it is your way of coping at the moment so go with it, and we are here if you do have a wobble.
Emma - Sorry to hear you are feeling low. I have tended to be like that after each of my pre-op hospital visits. Virtual hug sent through.
Chelle - doing an excellent job of the cocktail bar.
Maxie - Didn’t want to miss you off, so hugs.
Anyone else I’ve missed from today or last night - keep shining.
Well I have been out on the train today to manchester to get a wig. Ordered a human hair one. It’s a bit blonde but getting some low lights put in and styled once its arrived. Might have to get it altered a bit once baldrick as may be a bit loose, but lady said can do this so thats the plan. Had nice lunch and a few wines whulst there and the sun came out so did it ‘al fresco’.
Lins and Becky - GOOD LUCH FOR TOMORROW. You can do it.
All other Jewles that seem to have gone AWOL for the last few days, hope you are all ok and enjoying yourselves and not in a bad way.
Faye x
Hello Marion, I suppose I am in denial really, I feel ok as if there is nothing wrong, maybe if I feel ill I will realise then what, I’ve been through.
I feel for all you brave girls, it’s so unfair, until you are involved you don’t realise just how many women are suffering with this cruel illness. I do leave things till the last minute and am not very organised, my OH has said if I need anything he will get it for me. He is retired so hes home all the time. I have decided not to have any bandanas, I will only go out with my wig on, although I might get one to sleep in.
Good luck to the next phase for cocktails.
Pat xxx
Hi Jewels,
corrr that took some catching up… what a whirl of emotions!
Too much to respond to, but welcome to the new guests, sympathy to those with the bad SE’s and thanks for the laughs to all those who still have a sense of humour!
after a fun filled Saturday (6 year old party and evening out with friends) I ended up with a migraine yesterday afternoon, soon led to a vomiting filled evening, no sleep and too ill to take the kids to play group / school this morning. Yanked myself out of bed at 9am and rushed to hospital to get my bloods taken ready for my first round of drinks tomorrow before the blood van left!
So here I am, feeling like I’ve had an argument with a baseball bat preparing myself for tomorrow… Not ideal. Feel on shaky ground, everyone I know has every confidence that I will ‘walk this chemo malarky’ I am struggling with my positivity today…
oh well, better get on with the first round at Bar Jewels of the Tuesday special, FEC-T!
Lins - first rounds on me! See you at the bar!
Wishing you all well ladies - we can do this!
Becky x
Evening Jewels,
Busy with parents here but just popping on to wish Lins & Becky all the best for their visits to the cocktail bar tomorrow (make sure it’s stocked up for the rest of us this week xx) have been at Asda for 2 hours and my kitchen now looks like a bomb has hit it (I normally do minimalist and tidy - my mum does bulk buying and busy!) xx still it’s taking my mind off Weds!
Love n Hugs Chelle x
Hi girls,
Just stopping by to wish Becky & Lins all the best for tomorrow…:-)…get those cocktails inside you girls!..xx
All the best to everyone else who has appts etc tomorrow & hugs to all of you suffering at the moment with s/e’s…xx
Went to a local support group this evening for BC, met a lovely bunch of ladies, most of whom had been through their treatment, one lady had just finished her chemo (fec-t) & I have to say she looked amazing, she was wearing a little beanie hat but whipped it off to show me her hair coming back…other ladies had been through chemo last year & were having reconstructions etc…its given me real hope that I can do this…and of course was thinking about all of you while there too!..we can do this ladies & we’ll all be at a real cocktail bar come Christmas …baldy heads or not!!!..
keep shining Jewels!!
xxx
Lins and Becky hope all goes well tomorrow. Kick some serious but, as my grandson would say. Let us know how you get on if you feel up to it.
Huge hugs.
Night night Brave Jewels
Marion
Xxx
Thanks for the support guys… I’ll try not to drink the bar dry and keep you posted on my hangover (oh I wish!)…
xxxx
Big hugs to Lins and Becky today. Thinking of you both xx
Morning all. I’m new here, trying to get my head into the zone. Been told I start FEC-T (3 of each) in the next 10-14 days - just waiting for the exact date. Recovering well from lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy (haven’t got the hang of all the shorthand on this site yet!). Bone and liver scans all clear last week. Still struggling with information overload at the moment and trying to enjoy a few days of something like normal before I start chemo. It’s great to meet so many of you going through some version of the same thing.
Gus x
Good luck to Lins and Becky today - you can do it! xxx
Good luck Becky & Lins - go strut your stuff ladies x
Hi just want to wish Lins and Becky all the best for today x
All other jewels think of yous often.Our very own June platoon off to war to fight the uggers.Will pop back later take care Meggy xx
Morning all. FEC x6. Cycle 1 day 8
here we go. I think I am destined to be the one who gets all the SE 's.
Since 3.00 I have had the most intense stomach ache and lower back pain spreading down through buttocks and into my thighs in spasms. I thought it was intense constipation so did hot water bottle, then stood in shower with water aimed at lower back alternating with lying in bath and of course sitting on loo which just became unbearably painful as I was getting locked in position. Called helpline at 6.30 and was told could be a reaction to the bone marrow stimulating injections and advised to reach for the pain killers. so am already on naproxen, (the strong version) cocodamol and am having diazepam delivered shortly to stop the spasms and pain and let it pass, so high as a kite today!
am also trying out different brands of mouthwash to help cope with the mouth sores and ulcers that have been gangng up.
I was a bit worried about scaring those about to start today, but think of it this way. There is always one who gets the lot, if that is me then hopefully the rest of you may escape at least some of the side effects! And then I can be a reference tool for stuff that helps!! That way I get to feel better by feeling useful and polishing the halo just a little bit.
Oh nicj sorry it’s all going Pete Tong re se’s. II’m sure the statistics will show there’s more than one in 27 who suffes so as im still to get started I’ll perhaps join you if there’s room on the saintly cloud lol. Though my halo will definitely need dusting
Again Becky and Lins best wishes for the first cocktail, in 4 months you’ll be able to do it with far better tasting drinks!!.
Emma sorry you were unable to get the picc line done-it’s frustrating when things don’t go to plan.
Well I’m off for 2 appointment today. First to get implant expanded then this pm the pre chemo visit. In between trying to do a few hours work. Have a good day all, the weather’s a bit pants today so will be mostly dodging the rain…
Xxxx
Ps Martha and Ann haven’t heard from you for a bit so as our pioneers hope you’re bearing up. X
Hi Gus
Welcome to the BCC discussion forums where I am sure you will get lots of good, honest support from the many informed users of this site. To help you along I have put for you below the link to BCC’s publication regarding chemotherapy. I hope you find it helpful.
www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-side-effects/chemotherapy-breast-cancer-bcc17
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator