Crying must be good for us Coleen. It shows our distress; as we are mostly really bad at letting people know when things aren’t right it’s a clue for them. Hope you’re feeling better today.
I’m getting squirmy about my op next week. I am having a ‘partial’ recon - surgeon has agreed to do a tissue based LD flap only with ‘evening up’ when treatment over. I’ll make do with chicken fillets till then. Lots of women do that anyway. My chemo will start about a month after that and rads at the end is the currentl plan… but things seem to change on a daily basis, so we’ll see!
My daughter & I are having a big party on Sat. to celebrate being a woman (she’ll be 13) We’re clling it ‘comings & goings’ - her breasts are coming and mine are going. We’ve invited about 150 women and hope to raise some money for BCC. So that’s keeping me busy this week. that and tidying my house!
Love Td x
Well Done You! I hope the party goes well!
I had to part with the rest of my hair today. it was driving me crazy. No matter where I looked it seemed to be all over the place.
So now I just look in the mirror + wonder who is the person I see there… Very surreal!
Like you say things change daily! At least its not boring!!!
My neck glands are sore today. I 'm to have my 2nd FEC on thursday.
Please God It won’t prevent that from happening.
I’m going for a doze now ( lazy lump!!) Catch up with you later.
Coleen x
Hi Coleen - thinking of you doing the fec again… I’ve got pre op today and I’m meeting a Friend who has advanced BC - she’s currently undergoing chemo (again). Hope you’re not pooly this time… Td xx
Hi Td,
I hope all went well with your pre op today. I feel grotty today after my treatment yesterday. I was really sick in the night so I think its knocked me out of kilter.
I have just given myself that Neulasta inj …helps the white blood cells… brings about a very red face and flu like symptoms.
So good w/end for my OH whose birthday it is tomorrow… Poor thing all he probably will have is a nagging wife.
I go to the Priory i Birmingham for my chemo. I must say they are a really nice group of people. Originally I was to have gone to Cheltenham but I’m so glad I’ve changed.
How is your friend managing on her 2nd lot of chemo? is it in her other breast or did it return elsewehere. How awful for her… Once is bad enough.!
Well at least the sun is shining now. I wish you well…Have a good w/end
Coleen x
Hi Colleen - been thinking about you!1
Hope you’re better and less sick - and that your Oh had a good birthday!!
Pre op was fine - junior doctor was a bit grumbly but warmed up! My friend was in good spirits too. She didn’t have her lump removed at all and its active again now, so not spread per se. i don’t know why this is… that they didn’t operate and are not intending to… part of her story she hasn’t spoken about yet.
The sun shone on the big party my daughter (13) & i had yesterday to celebrate being a woman and breasts - we had 100 female friends in our garden with decorated boobs. it was fantastic. And we raised £750 for the cause!!
Big op tomorrow so off radar for a week or so -
Stay well and be kind to yourself.
Love Td xx
Congratulations on your successful party! Very well done. to you and your daughter.
I wish you all the very best for your op, I will say a prayer for you and keep you in my thoughts.
Think positive and beat this **********
All the very best
Coleen x
Hi Coleen!
Home again and pleased to be so.
Was thinking of you fecing on thursday (really, despite all my ‘discomfort’ as I have doggedly refused any pain releif that makes me woozy) - how are you this time?
Is a wig in order or are you scarfing or going commando?
Operation was long (7hours) and I lost 4 pints of blood, but apart from that I’m brand new!
Fund going up every day and now well over £800. Great!
Td x
Welcome back!
I’m glad you are being so brave + positive. I lost most of my hair in the 3rd week of my 1st session. It has suprised everyone by growing back almost instantly!!!
Bizarre!
I think this is hair that hadn’t been ‘got at’ by the first dose + will probably go soon.
My 2nd session was 10 days ago. I thought I was breezing through, yesterday though I was unwell + more tired than usual. By afternoon I phoned the hosp .
they called me in + sure enough low white cells. Back on the antibiotics but they let me come home.
Today I still feel a bit poorly, my temp has risen slightly so I’m not quite sure what to do.
I’m fed up lying in bed but if I get up and move around I’m shattered + grumpy.
Regarding the hair I have ordered this thing from Whitecliffs. It will be great if it ‘does what it says on the box’ But some how I don’t quite trust the company
I wish I hadn’t given them my deposit. Now I will have to wait + see.
In the interim I bought on- line some sweet scarfs from a lovely comp. called Bohemia. its worth a look
Why did your op take so long? Have they said? Mind you, I don’t know how long mine took.
Are the family looking after you?
You’ve got to conserve your strength+ take it easy.
What happens next? Do you know?
You are a star raising so much money. Many congratulations.
Take care
Coleen x
Hope you’re feeling better today Coleen. Lots of good food and rest and hand washing!
I think it’s a normal abount of time for a recon op; they may have had a problem with blood loss as I lost about 4 pints!!
Tomorrow I have outpatients for histology result and dressings off ( I hope - they itch & I’m restricted in my movement) and referral to onc. then plan with oncs re programme for chemo & rads. I’ll take a look at scarves - can’t see me doing scarves but you never know!!!
Td xx
Good morning . Just wishing you well for your onc meeting today. I hope all goes well for you.
Make sure you keep up with your arm exercises. I was fanatical with mine and I have full movement. So it is worth it. Especially that little one of walking your fingers up the wall.
If only I could adopt that attitude to body exercises!
I’ve become breathless with a pounding hearbeat so I had to have my bloods checked again last night it seems I’m a little anaemic.
On reflection I think I’m breathless because I so unfit.
Either that or I’m becoming a hypochondriac ! God forbid.
Any how like I say good luck . Catch up with you later.
Coleen x
Morning!
I understand about the anaemia thing!
I went into surgery with Hb (iron count) of 14 and came out at 8.6!! I’ve declined transfusion, (messes up your immune system) and iron (bungs you up) and have opted for very healthy diet, which I’m doing.
Good news yesterday - NO lymph node involvement!! Tumor only 11mm (not 26mm) but invasive grade3 so def. chemo & rads… Also HER2 + - awaiting some other test on that to see if I’ll have herceptin. Onc appt probably next week… watch this space!!
I am doing the ecercises, but when the dressings came off yesterday, noticed I’m coming unpicked under arm, so OH and I made some temporary steri-strips & stuck me back together, so may rest the ‘climbing the wall’ one today - I do have good movement already - dried my hair (making the most of it whilst it’s still there!!!) yesterday!
Hope you’re not feeling too poorly!!
Love Td x
Hi Great news about no lymph involvement etc; I bet you’re relieved.
Mine was grade 3 too. no lymphs or vascular I had a mastectomy and that seemed to rule out the need for Rads.
Originally I wasn’t even going to have chemo - just Arimidex.
It was only that OncotypeDX test that changed the thought pattern on chemo for me.
Well done with hairdryer and all that! You do surprise me about the blood transfusion messing up the immune system.
I automatically assumed it would be bolstered up with a fresh input. How does that work then?
I’m knitting an elephant at present + will soon be putting the stuffing into it before stitching so I had a monty python moment
thinking of you doing up your stitches.
Not funny I know! but it sounds comical.
I feel well , but I also feel extremely lazy. I just can’t get myself motivated!
Any suggestions.Its driving me stir crazy
Take care
Coleen x
Afternoon (boy child not home from school, so computer time for me!)
With blood transfusion, although you are cross matched to avoid producing antibodies, there is always the potential, and having any foreign cells in you promotes an immune response. In chemo, sometimes/often the benefit of transfusion outweighs the risks and it’s used fairly often for various boostings. I just felt that an additional strain on my immune system right now wouldn’t be great… I have started a medium dose iron today (100mg once day) but will stop if my bowels stop!!
In Bristol you are ‘offered’ chemo at grade 2 and have it at grade 3 if tumour bigger than 1cm UNLESS you are ‘young’ when you are always offered chemo (all things being equal). Mine was 1.1 cm grade 3 invasive (ie into blood vessels but not into surrounding tissues.)
I’m having rads because the margins weren’t clear - you should have more than 0.5cm of margin around the tumour. My DCIS was 41mm and widespread, and also just under the skin, so they didn’t get that margin at the skin, hence rads. If I’d had no skin saved for the recon I guess I’d not have had to have had it. Small price to pay.
Getting motivated?? What did you enjoy most before?? For me right now, I’ve always enjoyed reading but no time. For my convalescence I’m aiming to read 2 books a week and have a list of things I always meant to get around to (like Daphne Du Maurier and Thomas Hardy, but that could be a struggle…!) After convalescence I’m aiming to start a course in something else I’ve always meant to do like jewelery making, water colour or stained glass… all these things are available at our local community farm with child care attached!
Maybe we should start a new thread in Fun & games on favorite activites or books or summat! Hope the elephant (Monty!) is all stuffed and finished off!
Td x
Good on you, Td - I’ve not managed to do as much reading as I was hoping to do - or, at least, certainly wasn’t able to read at all before and immediately after surgery - although my ability to concentrate has picked up recently and over the last few weeks I’ve managed to read one or two books from cover to cover without too much difficulty - but I did register on a jewellery course before I started chemo and so far have only missed one session - its great and would definitely recommend it, if only (sadly perhaps) just to get out of the house!
I’ve probably misunderstood but I had thought that the ‘invasive’ of IDC meant that the disease had spread beyond the ducts rather than that it had spread to the blood vessels - I thought that evidence, or not, of vascular invasion indicated whether or not it had spread through, or developed its own, blood supply - this is all assumption though as I certainly never asked for an explanation of what ‘vascular invasion’ meant - I just knew from the tone of my surgeon/BC nurse that it was good news that there was no vascular invasion. Can anyone elaborate?
Naz, x
Hi waitingangel
There are lots of publications and factsheets available through this site which may help you better understand your diagnosis.
Here is the link to the publications page which details the various sources of information. I hope you find some of the answers you are seeking here but if you are still confused you are more than welcome to contact our helpline who will be happy to offer advice and information.
breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=325
The helpline number is: 0808 800 6000
The helpline will be closed on Monday 26 May due to the Bank Holiday but we will reopen again on Tuesday 27 May at 9am as usual.
Normal opening hours:
Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
Saturday, 9am - 2pm
I hope you find this information useful.
Kind regards
Louise
Facilitator
You ok Coleen?
Busy rather than ill I hope!
Td xx
Hi Td,
I’m ok really but having a tough time with no energy. I went to a small art exhib. yesterday did a bit of shopping , had lunch and then was completely wrecked.
Considering I’m meant to have no 3 on thursday I thought I would be on the up +up. I find it very boring and wonder am I giving in too easily?
My eyes are stinging and my back itchy. So thats all my grumps today.I apologise.
How are things with you. Are you holding together? I hope so
Take care
Coleen x
Hey Coleen -
You are undergoing a massive assault on your body - you are being attacked by chemicals in every organ that you have and you are fighting it - of course you have no energy. Maybe shopping AND art exhibit AND lunch was too much to expect. Just listen to what your body says atay put and knit more elephants! I have a great pattern for a sheep. It’s huge though but knits up quickly as it’s that loopy stitch - say if you want it! I’m a big knitter. Just finished a beautiful cardi for my littlest one (Esme, 3) all cables and flowers in raspberry. Just need to get to a shop for buttons now - and aren’t they hard to find!!
Stay rested
td x
Thanks Td .
You are right of course. I just have to learn to accept this onslaught.
It must be 20 years since I’ve knitted anything . I must say i’m quite proud of myself for remembering as much as I have.
‘Monty’ is almost complete and when I get a needle big enough to sew him together I’ll let you know how he has turned out.
Anyhow what about you? My God how can you cope with a 3year old? Do you have family nearby?
You sure are brave.! Good luck to you.
Its after midnight now . I’m going to my acupuncturist in the morning so I’d better get some sleep.
take care of yourself
Coleen xx
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