Hi Elsie, Well they let me out on Saturday following my Mastectomy. Feel sore like last time but feel ok in myself. It wasn’t as bad as I had imagined it woud be. Its strange, but I try to look at it in a positive way and grateful that I no longer have Cancer which gives me some relief. The next stage for me is obviously Chemo, but they will tell me sometime next week how close it was to my chest wall, and if it was too close I will need follow up Radiotherapy after Chemo.
I really hope your news is good, and hope that the fact that they are not in a rush to see you is good news!! Keep me posted. The waiting is the hardest bit. The only advice I can give you is to keep busy and do nice things to make the time go quicker for you.
I was in hospital with a lady in her 40s whom the cancer had spread to her Lymph glands and she had a total clearance, She doesn’t know what the next stage is for her at the moment. There was also a lady who was 72 who was my inspiration. She has has 4 operations including 2 mastectomy’s, she took everything in her stride and saw every trip to the hospital as a chore and a hindrence rather than seeing it as an illness with a “oh dear here we go again” attitude, we were joking about taking our fake ones out and changing sizes when we want like we were the lucky ones (not that I would want anyone to go through this) But I suppose it was a case of thinking about what you have and not what you haven’t, in actual fact we had a blast in hospital!! Sounds daft I know under the circumstances.
Do ket me know how you get on I will be thinking of you and have everything crossed for you. Take care. Mandy xxxx
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed on the 7th October and had a lumpectomy and SNB on the 3rd November and whilst I didnt feel too bad following surgery the pain has been getting progressively worse particularly at the 10 and 11 day stage when the burning started right through the middle of the breast and numbness, chest and under arm pain. It’s now two weeks and the burning has eased a little but it feels like someone has punched the living daylights out of me. I feel worn out, can’t sleep properly and feel a little teary today. I get my results on the 27th and I promised myself I would try to be positive until then but it’s hard. I guess today I am feeling a little sorry for myself but I have good and bad days. You have all been through so much and I didn’t realise how many people have got bc. Best wishes Helenx
Helen,
Sorry you are having so much pain/discomfort .I am not surprised you are a bit teary!
I don’t think you should put up with it,I think you should call your BCN and see what they say.
Remember sleep is important in the healing process and not sleeping will not be helping.
Take care,
Dot
x
Hi Mandy,
Glad to hear you got that bit over with and I know what you mean about having a joke while in hospital-think that helps to make the whole process bearable-remember when I was in the gynae ward, an old lady of 80 speaking about losing some of the petals of her flower…I laughed so much I nearly did myself a damage!!
Do you know when you have to start chemo? As Monday gets nearer I can’t help thinking along those lines, yet still try to stay positive.
Am trying to stay busy and as I have been feeling really well and little discomfort, went Xmas shopping yesterday and blitzed it in about 2 hours-I was on a high after that!! At least that’s one less thing to worry about. Hope your recovery goes well and you are getting lots of help at home? look forward to hearing how you are. xx
Helen,
our time scales sound very similar-I had my op on 31st Oct and get my results on Monday. I must have been very lucky as I have had very little discomfort, though like you I had a few low days where I wasn’t in a very good place-think the anaesthetic has something to do with it. But you do need to get sleep as that affects your whole outlook, so think I would want to speak to either your bcn or your Gp if they are sympathetic. Take care. xx
Thank you for your messages Dot and Elsie. It certainly makes a difference to be able to put my feelings down in words and to have someone to discuss things with. I managed to sleep through from midnight to 4 am so that was something, instead of tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable. I am going to make an appointment with my GP. What is this aqueous cream? I know I am having radiotherapy. What does the cream do? Will be thinking of you on Monday Elsie x
Got some good news yesterday. I was supposed to get the results from my operation last night at 5.40, ut had to have a CT scan and bone scan yesterday and tell my Onc when I wanted to start Chemo. I still have a bit of a cold so I have decided to start chemo on 28th November. After the CT scan I saw my Onc who said my results were clear - I asked her “what from the CT scan” she said “No from the surgery”, all my lymphs were clear and they took an extra one out to make sure - I was elated - I was with my mum and we both cried!! Later on I went back for my bone scan and my Onc made a special effort to find me to tell me my CT scan was clear - More good news and the nurses that did my bone scan said from their experience they too were unofficially clear also… so all round a good day! So I did a bit of Xmas shopping coz I’m slightly more in the mood for it. Slightly gutted I won’t be able to go to my boyfriends works do as I have my 2nd Chemo that day, but I should be able to go my mine on the 12th Dec and it will be nice to see my work colleagues who I haven’t seen in a month!
Got all my chemo dates in the diary with the end one being on 13th March if all goes to plan. Now I know its a life insurance policy rather than a cure I can start making plans to rebook my holiday to Oz for next year when its all over - What a mad 6 weeks it has been from finding the lump(s). I still can’t believe its happened. At least I can be more positive about everything now.
Hope you all get good results too - I will be thinking of you all.
Congratulations Mandy!!!
Thats excellent news! Hope you enjoyed your xmas shopping and enjoy looking forward to your trip to Oz. My last chemo is the 10th Feb and I am already planning to be out in Turkey staying with my Dad by the end of March.
xxx ((())) xxx
Excellent news Mandy. Am so pleased for you. Helenx
That’s fantastic news Mandy-it makes such a difference to get some positive news for a change-here’s hoping my luck changes on Monday too!
At least now you can start to make plans for the future again and look forward to things, instead of having your life on hold. Hope the chemo is not too awful, but will hear how you get on. xx
Hi Helen,
I have been using aqueous cream to massage and soften scar tissue since surgery. Think it is useful for moisturising and cooling during rads and is not scented-and you get a huge tub very cheaply! Biooil is also good for scar management though more expensive. I also saw emu oil mentioned on another thread for use during rads so am going to look into that before treatment starts(I know I def have to have that!). Good luck for your results on 27th-the waiting is awful-I am starting to have panic attacks again and it frustrates me to feel like that as I am normally a fairly calm person! xx
Hi Elsie!
I used emu oil when having rads and it was fantastic - only some problems right at the end. I have large boobs and had 5 weeks treatment (25 sessions) and my onc told me I would get very very severe skin problems, but I didn’t. He commented on how well my skin healed in the 10 days after treatment. I bought the emu oil on eBay, but you can get it elsewhere - all the chemists in Australia stock it where it is very widely used. (Not suggesting you go there for it!!)
Hi redders!
Thanks for that! I have a friend going to Glasgow today who seems to think she may be able to access it there-failing that we have friends in Oz who we may just call in a favour from! I have been told to expect 6 weeks 5 days a week which seems to be standard for our centre. However if it is only rads then I will breathe a huge sigh of relief…!!
Well, got my results today and not all as I had hoped. On the positive side, lymph nodes were clear so I am sooooo glad about that! However no clear margin so he wants to go back in to try for a clear margin-seems fairly confident that he should get it this time. Back in next Friday(5th), then another wait for 2-3 weeks for results AGAIN!!! Given that takes us up to Christmas I am not confident of hearing before then. Then an appointment with oncologist to discuss benefits(HA!) of chemo…
I know I should be so thankful at clear lymph nodes, and I am!!, but the thought of more surgery and possible chemo fills me with dread.
Hope your recovery is going well Mandy and sorry for sounding so down tonight. I will bounce back but it just gets harder each time.
Hi Elsie,
I am so pleased that your lymph nodes are clear but sorry that he has to go in again. I know it’s frightening the anticipation of more surgery but the 5th is not that far away and he is sure he is going to get it this time! I do hope you get your results before Christmas! You have every right to feel down, but reading your other posts you WILL bounce back again, I know you will. Best wishes
Helen x
Hi Helen,
Thanks for that and you are right-I do bounce back. Spoke to my physio today who helps me manage the lymphoedema in my legs from my last cancer surgery, and she has said I can get back to swimming until next Friday so that will help as I can be so much more positive when I am exercising. Also felt cheered up after watching Tricia on GMTV this morning and she spoke about exercising throughout treatment, so that has given me something to aim for. You have to hang on to these little things!
Hope your results are good on Thursday-keep us posted. xx
Elsie, so glad your Lymphs are clear, not so great about having to go in for another op though - on a positive, though for me it was better the 2nd time around as I knew what to expect, even though the op was a tad more drastic the 2nd time around in actual face it wasn’t that different at all, it was more of an inconvenience as I had started to plan happy things after the first op only to find out I was going back in again. Fingers crosed they get it all this time, and that you won’t need Chemo. I start mine tmorro, not looking forward to it, but want to get it over with now. Bought my first week - Blonde and I am a brunette!!! I figured everyone knows what is going on so I am going to have fun experimenting! I’ll let you know ho that goes when I get over the worst of it.
Hope they don’t keep you wating too long after the op, would be nice to get some good news before Xmas! Let us know how you get on and good luck M x
It wouldn’t let me post last night so here goes again.
Hello Elsie and everyone,
Got my results yesterday clear margins and lymph nodes are clear.
The receptor results weren’t in yet so will have to wait until I see the oncologist in a couple of weeks to know whether I need chemo or radiotherapy .
Good luck Elsie for your op on the 5th. x
Hi Helen,
So glad you got clear margins and lymph nodes-signs are hopeful for just radio? You must feel relieved at that?
Mandy
- I wish I had your positive attitude to losing my hair…having to get used to the idea of chemo as both my GP and BCN have said that since it has been upgraded to a 3 along with no clear margins and my age it is very likely I will have to have chemo, which has always been my worst nightmare. I am not really that worried about having surgery on Friday as it is not going to be as drastic as before…it’s what is going to follow. I feel as if my life is going on hold for the foreseeable future! Also feel really guilty for my girls as they are so excited about xmas and I could happily cancel it this year!
How did your first chemo session go and how are you feeling?
Going to meet my oldest tomorrow in town to finish xmas shopping so will have to try and lift myself, but not easy.
Take care girls and keep chatting-it really does help that there are other people out there who know how you feel. xxx
get my results from tumour and snb on 9th, so one more week and i will know what the next step is going to be.Hope for clear margins and clean nodes!
You feel like your in limbo and can’t move on till the results don’t you. I feel lucky and like a huge weight has been lifted with regard to the clear lymph nodes. I am hoping just for radio Elsie… if its estrogen receptive. Guess I will just have to wait and see. I am still getting a lot of underarm pain and one or two sharp pains four weeks on but I’m quite large and it has been quite difficult keeping them still! I got refitted in Debenhams the other day for a much firmer bra and the pain level went down quite a bit I must say.
I cried after Tricia said the bit “oh I see people with breast cancer who are like this” and she hunched her shoulders and bent over, cos that was me in pain! I was having a particulary bad day and could hardly walk without it hurting let alone run! So everybody has different pain thresholds and you have to do what you feel you can. I breezed through a hysterectomy years ago and this has been completely the opposite.
It’s good to talk on here, thankyou everyone.