Hello fellow warriors
I found a thread in the archive which really made me smile - it might not be to everyone’s taste so let me start by apologising to anyone incase its too crass or challenging for you.
I can’t find the original post so wanted to start it again for anyone who feels it helps.
Cancer, chemo, surgery, radiotherapy, weight changes, side effects, scans, anxiety… they’re all Awful. Negative. Painful. And this forum is amazing for finding support through that but we rarely share good news, and that may have helped me in the wait pre and post diagnosis for treatment to begin.
I and all of us go through so much pain, skin changes, taste changes, losing hair, gaining or losing weight, aching, poo-ing ourselves or not at all (tmi!)… need I go on?
BUT…
There can be small positives and wins… so let’s share them? Bring a smile?
-
I haven’t had to shave my bits or pits for about 4 weeks, which is actually a god send in this summer heat!
-
I am constantly covered in suncream which smells like holidays and makes me able to pretend I am on holiday!
-
my skin seems to tan easier, with aforementioned sun cream on every surface of my skin Which is a big change from the pasty white Celt skin I’m used to!
Hi all,
What a lovely thread.
My piece of positivity is that I have started to eat plant based Monday to Friday. I am enjoying the meals more than I expected and they are helping with some digestive problems that I’ve had since starting to take tamoxifen.
Hang in there everyone and keep trying little changes to see what works for you!
Take care x
Good to know some clouds have a silver lining. I found it a lot easier to laugh at people who wanted to climb the greasy pole at work and to care less about my career as it was never going to be the most important thing in my life again.
I then ignored any silly directives I didn’t want to follow. One of my bosses noticed but he didn’t seem to mind!
Seagulls
1 Like
Incidentally I have either tiny nuggets of poo or full on turds, nothing in between. I fear my straining of the nether regions will result in what my mum has at 96, a rectal prolapse so if anyone has something funny or otherwise to suggest how my bowels could be improved - dare I say it some positive message about this issue, please contact me immediately…
Seagulls
Some days I feel like I am “just a cancer patient” and have nothing else to talk about or to me. But then someone will say something to me or I’ll take stock and feel so PROUD of myself.
I don’t like to say it as I hate to feel like im bragging in any way because everyone’s experience is different but I think I… WE… are smashing this cancer thing. In our own victories and milestones.
Since diagnosis, in amongst 4 MRIs, 6 biopsies, egg freezing, litres of blood taken, 47 self injections, 3 chemotherapy rounds… and I’m sure loads more I hasten to forget… I have started a new managerial job and worked nearly every day from home. Ive been on a city break (the day of diagnosis to be fair…), been accredited as an England Athletics Run Leader, finished a leadership course with work and in the better 10/12 days of each cycle I have managed to get out for a run. I even tackled the Trafford Centre on a Saturday which if anyone is in the North West knows deserves a medal in full health let alone now! ??
I have horrible tough days, I struggle, I cry, I stamp. But I keep going…
Well done you, especially the Trafford Centre at peak time.
Seagulls
I went on my own to the Hampton Court Flower Show yesterday and survived the rain and crowds for a few hours, did a write up for the Parish Magazine, and took myself on my own to Pizza Express where I gorged on a Fiorentina pizza with extra anchovies and drank a Peroni as they didn’t have Sicilian still lemonade. What a sacrifice. I would have liked a mango sundae but I couldn’t get anyone to serve me.
Home by train by about 4.30 pm. What’s not to like? It was cheaper cos I didn’t have the sundae, but the service could have been better. Just goes to show nothing satisfies some people, but there is a nugget of positivity in there somewhere.
Seagulls
I have just found something else on the positive side…or is it?
I have tested positive for covid which my husband has given me via the vet nurses looking after our dog. She was bitten by an adder a month ago so he had been going to the vets every other day.
Two veterinary nurses are off sick with covid. I am in York for an early music festival and the ticket prices are really high, I am staying in a hotel and I have about a seven hour train journey York London East Sussex tomorrow.
My friend told the hotel receptionists and has laid into me about coming although I have no temperature and my husband didn’t tell me he had covid until late on Monday…
I had no covid symptoms. Lots of treatment ones yes plus the beetroot red bosom with yellow crusts.
Friends, dogs, husbands, covid? Who’d have em?
It’s not fair. Rant over
@Luskentyre1 what makes me happiest about this is that you’ve found confidence in yourself both mentally in facing all the obstacles life throws and to speak up. This is brilliant x
Oh @Seagulls you poor lamb. As if life doesn’t suck enough with all that’s thrown at you - there is this thrown at you too.
Sorry that I didn’t reply sooner, but hopefully it has shifted now? I do hope you’re feeling better xx
One can but laugh. I am going to do a covid test tonight and hope it will be clear even though I have a chesty cough still. I sent for benylin original and it arrived today! A positive result. As is the news that our dog is much better.
I learnt to use Manuka honey on wounds when my diep scar opened up after the supermarket trolley incident - husband must always push laden trolley off moving walkway at the end - or tum wound will split open.
Positive - I am good at dressing wounds and using the healing power of manuka honey to prevent infection. So Lola has clean wounds with no infection.
Conclusion - every dog has her day. Lola I love you. She is a springer spaniel crossed with a Dalmatian and she is as nutty as a fruit cake. And so am I
Seagulls
@Seagulls we’ve had a French Bulldog to stay for a night and I am now so broody for a dog! We want one but wanted a house first - and now also a clean bill of health first!! - but his face and gorgeous tempriment has made me impatient!
I do want a springer or any spaniel to be fair, but we are quite keen on a Visla or Weimaraner currently! Anything that can go on a nice long walk or run with me!
So there’s a positive- being less active and more at home means I feel like a better friend as I am available to make it to coffee dates or to dog sit on the weekend! Gives me something fab to do but also I do feel some of my friendships have become stronger ?
(And those that were weak before have become weaker but that’s sometimes a positive in itself!)
Good news my covid test was negative last night so I went to work this morning as a volunteer at our local museum which happens to be in Battle.
Proving negative can be positive
Seagulls
@Seagulls I love this and love your attitude 
Hope you enjoyed being in work and a slice of normal again x
