Morning moonies,
my unit uses hot bags the same to open veins then down the side of your arm to keep it open… Ally don’t stress about them finding your vein they do loads of them I couldn’t see mine but she got it very with a small uncomfortable feeling for a second I didn’t watch was looking the other way I am a real woos.
Last injection today but then it’s only 13 days till next treatment.
going to see grandchildren today and take the rest of their stuff that has been living at mine for the last year now they have finally moved out…
Have a lovely day whatever you are doing xxxxx
Marie
Thanks SO much Jane & Marie thats really put my mind at rest - god I love all you ladies your such a godsend and the pioneers for us later moonies - we’re learning so much from you.
I wonder whether the hand warmers you get from Outdoor/Camping shops would do the same trick - might pick some up before my bloods on Monday (along with drinking a litre of water before I get there!)
Penny my list too keeps growing, I don’t meet with the nurses until the day of the treatment not sure if thats good or bad - less time to digest everything but also less time to worry too! I intend to re-read our Moonbeam thread from the start to make sure I haven’t missed anything, so much to learn.
I’ve got a lovely weekend ahead - going out for a slap up meal tonight with my OH whilst the tast buds are still functional and my mums up for a couple of days to see the kids and catch up with family. There’s a fun fair in the local park so that should keep my girls happy as long as the rain stays away.
Rest well moonbeamers, hope you also have lovely things planned, look after yourselves and keep those SE’s away.
xxxx
Hi Moonies, I am reading with fervour, these forums are great. My mum a young 61 ld was diagnosed out of tge e in Jan. it hurt and really feel like a lump! Certainly not sinister! We are doing everything as a family. I wrote all of our appointments in a diary yest and didnt realise quite how many we have come through. Mum has had two ops a WLE and ax clear and re-excision when margin came back too small. Started chemo yesterday and first few hours were fine but night was bad. Nausea, muscle cramps, insomnia. im thinking the insomnia have been the dex, which she had at 630pm. Everyone else ok? xxx
Hi Moonies,
welcome to Nanaste, Mchales21, Dodo14, Sooz, Jan34 and Lilylouise. By the way my treatment is at Cherrybrook in Exeter too. My first chemo on the 30 April was administered very reassuringly by *******in fact they were all very kind and helpful. Next one is May 23rd 3.30.
So Sooz and Jan we might meet at some point. I will change my photo to show me with my new short hair in a minute.
Angela, sorry to read yr post re liver, positive vibes being sent your way, we are all very strong and can kick the s**t out of cancer!
Barbara and Aly - I have kind of let my exercises slip a bit and have recently been niggled by a tightening feeling in the underarm, so have now stuck my exercise sheet up on my bedroom wardrobe to remind my to walk the wall etc. think I will try for three times s day as i am now 7 weeks post surgery. I can fully stretch my arm, but it does feel tight under my armpit when I do.
Caz - this lymphadaema sounds scary, is it improving with the sleeve? I hope they can sort it out dor you.
I’m on day 12 after first FEC and feeling fine, mouth’s a bit strange like when you’re a bit run down, but no ulcers thankfully. I arranged reduced hours at work, doing 9-3.30 now, so I can rest for a while in the afternoon, which seems to give me a boost. Had three small glasses of wine last night with no ill effects today! So it’s definitely doable as they say. No hair loss yet, still shaving legs. Lol.
best wishes to you all. Alex
Hi lilylouise, tell your mum I was told dex after breakfast and at midday after lunch. then if feel sick any further I have got metoclopramidE - perhaps check times of doses with her oncology ward? However I have only felt slightly nauseous so haven’t bothered with metocloprramide just ate a ginger biscuit and sat by an open window til it passed. I wake up several times during night so last night I switched on the light and played a silly game on my iPad for a few minutes which made my eyes tired so went back to sleep quickly.
i started chemo on Thursday and sadly, it hit me like a ton of bricks - overwhelmingg tiredness and weepy - but think that my anxiety levels plus lack of partner has a lot to do with this. I so wish I was still married!
Howver, I will say this, even in my darkest hour I know we have to go through this to get well so no matter how bad, it is so worth it. Take one day at a time. Please give your mum my best wishes.
and Aly, Marie and Jane are so correct about the heat pads, my nurse worked wonders on getting my veins up to a good level for the insertion of the cannula. Also, my chemo talk was 24 hours before first chemo and I think that was good for me and actually it was a good talk and reassuring.
Ps: When moonbeams read my post, you must remember I suffer with anxiety so my experience won’t be yours!
x
just a thought for lilyloise’s mum regarding the nausea, has she tried wearing the travel sickness bands. I put them on before the chemo and kept them on for two days, don’t know if they helped, but I’m going to use them again as I didn’t have any feelings of sickness, just the strange taste.
Hi moonies
Interested to see there are several of us based at Exeter - hi Alex, are you on the optima trial as well? I’m bit fed up today because this blooming seroma keeps coming back and I hope it’s not going to delay chemo. Feels like I’ve got a football in my armpit! Why do these things always happen at the weekend.
Rara - I’m on my own as well as I’m divorced and I agree it’s a time you’re better off with a partner. However, we are strong women and can do this! Have you got some nice supportive friends and family? I’m lucky in that my sister has been marvellous so far and has stayed with me after the ops and will see me through first chemo. I also have 4 boys who are suddenly visiting every weekend, bless them! You certainly find out who your friends are - Ive been pleasantly surprised.
Good luck to all of you who are struggling with SE’s at moment, hopefully it will get better as week goes on.PLEASE can we have some sun
Jane x
Hi moonies
Why do these posts sometimes disappear into cyberland??GRRR…just spent ages typing one that’s disappeared - any tips?
Great to see that there are several of us being treated at Exeter, Cherrybrook - hi to Alex (are you on the optima trial?), Sooz and Emma. Who knows we may meet. I’ve put a pic on so we can recognise each other.Im next there on May 27th for per-assessment then 29th for chemo. Ooh er…
Rara, I’m on my own as well as I’m divorced. I agree that it’s a time when it would be better to have a partner as its scary stuff to deal with on your own BUT we are strong women and can do it! Have you got good friends and family around you? It makes all the difference. My wonderful sister lives in the Middle East but has been staying with me through the ops and will see me through first chemo. I can’t thank her enough. Also found I have fantastic friends who are very supportive. AND my 4 sons have been visiting on a sort systematic system, bless them! Is anyone else without a OH?
good luck to all of you who are experiencing the SEs…hopefully it will get better as the week goes on. I’ve got a blooming seroma back - it better not delay my chemo as it feels like there’s a football in my armpit.
jane x
Oh…it hadn’t gone into cyberland. Silly me xx
Steroids do keep you awake. On the sticky thread about coping with chemo, on the page where all the various month groups have their listings, the site shares the wisdom of those ladies who have walked before us, and they say never take the last dose of steroids after 2pm. They say all sorts of other useful stuff too, so well worth reading for those who just came straight into Moonbeams.
I second the ‘please can we have some sun’ plea!
Jane x
Hi Jan34, no I’m not on the optima trial, I was offered it, but everything happened so fast, i was convinced i had a cyst, when they said cancer i think i went into a kind of numb shock. They gave me the choice of chemo first or op first, so I went for op first, then when they talked about the trial, another decision, on top of having to have scans to see if it was anywhere else, at that point I was sort of scared about the possibility of not having chemo and the cancer coming back, plus my OH didn’t fancy the trial either. In rectrospect maybe I should’ve gone on it, but maybe with 3 nodes involved i wouldve had it anyway. My father in law recently died of prostrate cancer so i think both of us just thought let them throw eveything at it and we’ll cope with the side effects etc. So hope ive explained my reasons behind that decision. I’ve had the first of 6 sessions now so I’m on the treadmill as it were.
Hi Jane in exeter, I do have three awesome friends who all have keys and let themselves in. I also have good parents butntheybare 77 and 80 so it’s all a bit much although mum comes to most apps with me however much she hates it. She says she wants to be my my side. Love her .
Janey you are so right about the side effect thread in here. The tips I have gleaned are super such as pineapple!
my parents dragged me to their house for dinner, now this will make you laugh, my dad accidentally put gin in my glass and because my taste buds have gone funny I didn’t even notice until my cousin asked my dad why hadn’t put much gin in her tonic water. When we realised what had happened, we all laughed! First laugh for three days! Wonder if I will get a hangover?! The irony is I am teetotal!
Hi ladies I spoke to my dr at then hospital( endocrinologists ) about taking the steroids he said 6pm was fine and shouldn’t affect your sleeping… And I also take a extra 7.5 mg every day on top of the dex…
Lilylouise did your mum have anti sickness via cannula before chemo ? Also did you ring and tell them how your mum was feeling that first night? Hope she is o.k tonight.
I’m probably lucky as I am only having EC so it’s only 2 chemicals in my body rather than 3/4 so Se’s not as bad.
Finished last injection today just taking antibiotics now till next sat then 2 chemo on the 23rd May.
Sleep tight my little moonies
Marie xxx
Oh Rara you are so naughty lol
Marie
Dodo I was wondering about children as well- I have grandchildren who’ll be staying here with their parents at odd times during the summer. My Onc said the most likely infections will be from germs and fungi within me, eg Thrush. SO not to be too carried away with avoiding crowds. I suppose one ought to avoid children’s parties where they sneeze and cough all over the crisps! And schools and hospital wards seem to be the dens for especially big and hairy viruses, so I have no plans to visit them if I can avoid it. I’ll be adding this issue to my list of questions for the onc nurse for Tuesday week…my list is now on page 2. I keep muddling it up with my shopping list for chemo related stuff.
BTW I’m only still up cos I did a late shift. Time for bed, truly. Moon is new and slim-I just saw it between the clouds. For moonies’ info.
ps Rachel-I’m still chuckling! Of course in the olden days they had to drink gin as the water was so bad!
Hi Moonbeamers
Alex, Jane my next session is on 30th May, looks like we shall be just missing each other.
Marie what’s the injections you have to give yourself and how often? I had to give myself one 24hrs after treatment, and that’s it no more (until after the next session etc).
My medication is given to me via a syringe but is fed through the same machine that is given me the intravenous anti-sickness drug, the nurse is not having to do it, although keeping a vigorous check on me.
Oh no, it looks like I may have a bad nights sleep tonight, I took Dexamethasone at 8pm tonight totally forgot about the advise given on time.
Day 3 and Se’s have been ok. Very slight nausea only. Still drinking lots of tonic water and green (lemon) tea.
My daughter (6) had swimming lesson this evening which I always love to go along to watch but OH was worried about me going due to picking up infection etc. around all the other kids, I went along because I think I’m right in saying that your immune system is at its weakest at around 10-14 days after each session???
Keep smiling ladies, we’re the special ones
Sooz xxx
Morning moonbeams
I think there must be 30 of us and it’s not even the middle of May. Have a lovely Sunday.
Morning moonies,
Sooz, they are to boost my bone marrow I thought everyone had them to stop white cells dropping and going nutrapenic?
Lovely sunny day here at Kings Lynn.
Marie xxx
Morning moonbeams, i’m on day 12 of first FEC-T and am feeling good, I’ve just got back from playing tennis, didn’t serve properly because of op but managed to play a set so feeling v proud of self! off for lunch with friends in an hour or so (they’re comingto my local so i don’t have to travel on germy tubes!) those who are feeling a bit crap now you will feel better!
I’m not having injections this time, although I know the onc did talk about them so I need to check that they haven’t just forgotten!
I was also told 6pm for my last steroid and after the first night I slept ok
Hope you all enjoy the rest of Sunday and good luck to everyone starting next week, I’ve lost track of who that is!
xxxx
Just looking through posts on here and we seem to have lost redcap on the way anyone know if she is still with us?