Hi Ladies, Like Caren I had my 3rd FEC treatment yesterday. The onc says after the 4th i’ll do another MRI and they will assess the next set which was planned to be 4 x TAX. Pachit do let me know what you feel when changing from FEC to TAX. I’m all ears.
Beryl the photo of you and your daughter was just ‘love’ on show then I read the message - tissues please ! its this love and support that I know makes me really positive. I said to me OH, listen because I’m coping well don’t slacken your attention of love, its because of it I feel this way. I need it. He’s got the message, breakfast in bed today but then he hauled me out of it so I could spend a few minutes with the kids before they go off to school.
After an unusually cold spell, the sun is out again in Rome. Off to the garden centre to re-stock on the herbs. I may even buy some flowers for potting.
did I mention that I’d looked a nice Easter weekend away in Tuscany over Easter but the morning before leaving my daughter woke up with chicken pox? Grrr. We were in quarantine for the whole long weekend. Our cupboards are tidy and I gave 5 bags of clothes to the charity shop yesterday. At least we were productive.
Morning ladies,
Well, 4th and final AC scheduled for this afternoon (if bloods are ok, I never know til I get there). Next time will be all new again, the nerves are already starting on that one!
Beryl, what a lovely message from your daughter, hope the funeral goes well today, remember they are celebrations of life so try to remember the good times with your friend. Will be thinking of you.
Amylou, you asked about keeping things normal for little ones. I’m not sure how successfully I’m doing that to be honest. I’ve tried to be as open and honest as I can to my son and to do what I can when I can, even if it’s just driving him to pre-school and picking him up. It’s just me on my own with him so I’ve had a lot of help from family and friends but have tried to make that as fun as possible for him. It is still noticeable to him how little I have managed to do with him though and I’ve had a few ‘not fair’ tantrums when I haven’t been able to playwith him or do something. I’ve tried to always do his bedtime story even if it’s from my own bed and that has been a wonderful time just the two of us. I’ve also got a stack of little craft activities in a box to pull out and sit and do together (as take less energy than most things an active 4yo boy wants to do!) so we are at least doing something whilst I leave the more energetic activities to someone else. He’s also not been shut out when the district nurses visit and has dropped me off (with other people) to appointments sometimes so he knows where I’m going and that seems to have helped. I think you can just do what you can and hope it works, I keep getting told kids are resilient but it seems such a long time to not be able to be at full strength for him, I do continually feel bad about it and guilty for him having to deal with this.
Good luck for everyone else having treats today, hope those yesterday had a good night sleep
Xxx
Hi Ladies
Wow already so glad i made the decision to join…so many wonderful, encouraging msg which have already made me feel better, thank you x
Yesterday was a good day & after 9 days being stuck in either the 4 hospital walls or my 4 bedroom walls i managed a trip out. I have the most amazing Dad that is unconditionally at my beck & call so he took me to the very glamorous supermarket, lol! (We sadly lost my Mum 4 yrs ago to a heart condition…she was just 60, we miss her each day & the pain never goes away…we now, Dad & I, see each other most days!) Anyway arrived in the supermarket with a hat on but after just 5 mins in there it was driving me nuts so I pulled it off & went bald head commando!!! I did get a lot of weird looks as if nobody has ever seen a bald head!!! It did pee me off a bit to be honest but also made me determined to leave it off, & i did, right until i got home…another cancer liberating moment! This also enabled me to be brave enough to post my pic with my bald head! Today I am bang on day 10 & have woken with a mouth full of ulcers so hope I am not gearing up for hospital visit number 4 grrrrh!
Can I ask if any of you have had any feelings of anxiety approx day 3-4 post chemo? I have both times post my fec it has been horrendous like my skin is crawling and I get a feeling of being unable to settle. Will be interested to see if it is just me going chemo bonkers or if it is an SE that others have had.
Right might not remember all your names but…
Good luck to you all who are having chemo today. Fingers crossed for minimal SEs big hugs & to you all who had chemo yesterday xxx
Beryl-All the best with your funeral today, as if Ca was not enough to cope with. U will be in my thoughts all day. I loved your daughters words to u, truly beautiful xx
Parsnip- Good for me to find a fellow big tumor lady! If u don’t mind me asking what type of cancer do u have? Is it lobula like mine? So hard for u with such a small son. Big Hugs & I am sure ur amazing x
Socks- I love your hair too, very funky. My head shaving was not at all painful and I too had a very painful scalp!
Dulcie- Hi there, would just like to say that the word nodules in medicine can mean many things & is not a word used in reference to cancer alone. It is so hard to assume, having had a big c diagnoses that any further problems are to do with your initial diagnosis. Please take comfort in the words that “common things are common” & it may be unrelated. Having said that I feel your worry & total get the feeling of a need to panic. You could call your Onc for an earlier appt to get clarification as i am sure they would not want u stressing. Good luck & big hugs xxxxx
Gosh there were so many more of you I wanted to reply to but just feeling exhausted today…forgive me i will try again later. wherever ur or whatever ur doing I wish u all a good day or at least a comfortable day!
Morning ladies
Feeling ok actually today - better than Fec 1 I think which worries me as I’ll start eating sooner lol ! Off to hairdressers this morning so maybe I’ll be posting new photo - depends what she can do with what’s left. My daughter was playing with my scarves last night and we have a lovely pic of her being a Muslim Lol we did laugh but I least I’ll be able to fit in if we get to Turkey in May - my OHs mum will love that ! Xx
Hope Everyone has a good day - best for all those having treatment today and those of us recovering xx
Morning ladies,
It’s dull here in Attleborough, but dry at the moment, will probably go for an amble round the block later, we have a little market here on Thursday’s but will avoid it this week as too many people and germs maybe there.
Beryl- that was alovely message from your daughter, the scarf looks lovely, I still have to master the art of scarf tying as I always seem to have too much fabric that I don’t know what to do with!!. Big Hug for today.
Caren- I don’t know if you have this at your hospital but we have PALS which are a group of people you can speak to if you are not happy with something and they will take te issue up with the relevant people.
Ceej- good luck at the hairdressers, glad you are feeling ok today.
Parsnip- good luck this afternoon fingers crossed bloods will be ok.
Waiting too- sorry you were not able to get away for your break, hope your daughter on the mend hope you still doing ok after chemo yesterday.
Peanut- glad you are doing ok, hope the cafe is busy for hubby.
Bettie- glad you had a fun day sorting out your wig.
Hugs to all having treatment today.
Jane
Oh my word i cant keep up with you all. What a lot of us there are!
I have to say i have been struggling emotionally the past couple of days - the hair coming out took more of a toll that i thought.
Plus i am still waiting for scans results from last Thursday that arent back yet. However in my head i am convinced they are putting me off until i see the Onc tomorrow and its going to be bad news… how rational am i huh???
I have just felt very isolated but i think some of that has been my own doing.
Wintersock - i love the short hair on you - the cut is lovely.
Berly - i think i need you to come show me how to tie some scarves. The photo of you is lovely.
And welcome to everyone new aswell. The ladies here are fab, and a constant source of advice and inspiration for me.
I think someone mentioned anxiety 3/4 days post chemo. I do wonder if its some kind of come down from steroids. I was not given any to take home, unlike some…dont know why…
Good Luck to everyone who is having / had chemo this week. Fingers crossed all goes well and side effects stay minimal.
I have chemo number 2 next week - Portacath fitted first on Tuesday *gulp*.
Can’t remember when I last posted but had 3rd FEC on Monday. Felt terrible yesterday, probably as a result of Neulasta jab but better today.
Also can’t remember who was interested in my cording/possible portacath/physio. Anyway went for scan on Saturday which showed that my veins weren’t blocked. Been to see physio today who massaged my arm quite severely to free things up and gave me some exercises to do. I have to see her again next week so will see how things go.
I am surrounded by chemo fog but will post again when it lifts
Been out all morning then lunch with colleagues from work but exhausted now, think i have done too much, may have to have a sleep!!!
Wolsty- glad your veins ok, am sure physio will help.
Parsnip- Well done on keeping your little boy occupied, dont know how you are managing, I couldnt do it but good you have supportive family and friends.
Jayjay- how brave are you going out with your bald head! Ignore the looks! hope your mouth gets better and you wont need to go to hospital again.
Waiting too- Do you want to come and do my cupboards?? What a shame you missed your weekend in Tuscany. What a fab place to live though-Rome.
Rae- Sorry to hear you feeling down. I am dreading when/if my hair falls out so know how you feel. This damn cancer makes you feel tearful, i sometimes feel really tearful even when i have had a good day!!
Beryl- Hope you got through today ok?
My thoughts are with everyone
Mary P xx
Well back home again after the funeral and it was very emotional but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Thank you for all your kind works. My hubby took us out to lunch which we really enjoyed.
I called the Chemo Helpline this morning because my hand that they gave me chemo through has a rash down the vein line. It has got bigger and started to itch like crazy last night. Thought I’d just stick some hydrocortizone (spl?)cream on it but thought better of it because of chemo etc. Anyway, they said they needed to check it out so after the funeral went into centre. Doctor checked it out and said it was irritation from chemo and prescribed me so hydrocortizone cream and Piriton tablet (night) if needed for itching. So all sorted now and nothing was too much trouble for them.
Thinking of everyone having treatment and hoping all OK.
Jayjay - Well done with comando look in Supermarket. Must admit that when I got home after lunch the first thing I did when I got in was to pull my scarf off. What a relief to get air on my head. You look great in your picture.
Wolsty - Good news that your veins aren’t blocked and that they are giving you physio to relieve symptoms. Finished my last jab of 8 today and am glad of that. If they hadn’t given me the Diclofenic tabs I think I would have told them where to stick the jabs. I know what you mean about chemo fog because when I was at the hospital today I couldn’t even remember what month we were in wa she asked me some questions. I felt so stupid because I just couldn’t think.
Raechi - Big hug for you because we do let our thoughts run away with us and it’s not easy. The waiting side is always the bummer. Just think of how many scans they have to deal with and it is nothing more sinister than that. When you get your results from Onchologist then you have the right person delivery them. He/she will be able to answer any questions that you may have depending on the outcome. I’m keeping positive for you and my daughter to.
Peanut (Mary) Glad you enjoyed your lunch and know what you mean about feeling tired because my eyes are getting heavy now.
Going to go and have a rest - hope everyone that I haven’t mentioned is doing OK and look forward to hearing from you later.
Well, I am back from my 3rd Fec this morning. Everything went well and fortunatley didn’t have any problems finding a vein. I feel very emotional and tearful today. Kept blubbing in hospital and think it has all just got to me. I also feel guilty for feeling like that (sorry, will go and sit on the guilty bench!) because my pronosis is good as far as I know, and I am truly thankful for that and I know other ladies are having a worse time than me. I am now in bed with my pj’s on and will have a sleep in a minute.
Waiting too, its my first Tax 3 weeks today. I am trying not to worry about it yet and trying to take one day at a time. I too have been coping really well which is great, but because of that I think peopole sort of forget what you are going through!
Parsnip, hope everything went well this afternoon. I really admire how you are coping will a little one to care for as well. Hugs!
Jay, well done with the commando look, you look great! I did exactly the same when it was warm a couple of weeks back in the supermatket and round the town. It was very liberating and I felt like I was in control for a while, if that makes sense!
Marie67, I too am not very good with the scarf tying!
Rae, try not to worry about your scan results, you will find out soon enough and I really hope its good news for you. X
Thanks Beryl, and to your lovely daughter too…
Hpoe the hand settles down… my veins didnt like the Epirubcin at all… made it tender and itchy…
I ended up rubbing Ibuprofen gel on mine too…
ok so this is the new look - VERY short at the back due to the large chunk of hair that was already missing - am not very happy really, but I guess I still have some ha ha. It’s just that I’m son unconfident about my looks and my weight! and now my weight’s going up and I’ve lost what covered my face! BUT I am still here.
Jayjay - I admire you! wish I could go for it!
So for all of you feeling tearful - I certainly was today when I saw the hair slipping away!
Patchit - I too am already worrying about the Tax and I havent finished the FEC yet! I’m a born worrier! I have read that if you try and keep your fingers cold during tax then it helps you keep your nails - bit like the cold cap I suppose, but most hospitals dont supply the cryo gloves needed.
Feeling ok today and trying to get everything sorted - so am off to ebay site now to sell some of my grandson’s baby equipment no longer needed. Not into tidying cupboards just yet tho
Gosh so many posts. I haven’t got the energy to go further back then Ceej! But you look great. I wasted £20.00 on having my hair cut as within 48 hrs my hubbie shaved it as it was falling out everywhere! Got my wig - but it’s hot and itchy and I am just not in the right frame of mind to wear it. Just going with the scarves for the moment. One of my drugs is making me really breathless had the same last time for a few days then was fine. Other then that I am sleeping more but s.e are ok. Hope everyone else is ok. Love Georgie xxx
At what point generally can I expect to start losing my hair? My second chemo is due in 10 days time. I’ve got a fab new short hair cut and feel really sad to lose it but its something we all have to deal with and it stinks but it happens. Anyway I’ve got a great selection of scarves, funky ear rings. I’ll look like that woman (can’t remember her name, my chemo brain again) off ad fab!
Hi everyone xxx thank you for lifting me up xxx
I cant go back on all those posts…but Amylou thank you bless!
Beryl have you turned into a model now? lol to ‘posh’ for us now…lovely daughter…and i hope your friends funeral went well for you …hugs to you…
Love all the new pics Wintersocks… Ceej and many others too! My Latest piccy is when the boys came to see me a year last xmas…and the little one slept ALL the way through dinner …he was jet lagged…we had to try and get him out of the back of a 2 door car…wasnt easy! but we laughed our heads off…people thought we had got him drunk…he was only 5…bless!
It looks like i am having the same chemo as a lot of you 4 of one and 4 of another…
I bought Mankuna honey drink and lozenges…very expensive! What do i do with the Baking powder? now dont be rude!!! I got 3 packs of surgical gloves for 69p a pack…loads in them!and ginger biccies 39p
Bye for now …off out for possibly my last curry for a bit!
Dulcie xxxx
