Karen- what an achievement! You done good girl. Nice picture. Love the dog. You look beautiful.
Lexi - another page turned eh. Since I had mine shorn people really been flattering but I know this is a stop-off on the path to no hair, and try to enjoy the moment. Sad.
Jo Thanks for your thoughts- this will be a hard week for some of us. Right now I’m wondering how to live without natural yoghurt!?!?
Alex - I totally get what you say about the hair, and I am not even there yet but sure I will sob in the shower when it comes out
Penny - it was brilliant, the atmosphere was lovely, even more so with it meaning so much to me this year, the dog is mine Jessie, she constantly got dognapped and my friend is holding her and she wore her best pink coat, I am in the middle of the photo and my daughter is just off the photo on the left of the photo, she is on the original so dont know why it has cropped it down. I think my legs are going to ache in the morning, well worth it, I thought about all you lovely ladies and that helped me get there
Karen x
Karen- yes you look beautiful and so does Jessie!
If anyone’s interested in the cat saga there is still no pong in the bedroom (and the little ones have now gone home!) but I did notice a suspicious crunching noise on Saturday when George strolled up to the attic and disappeared. So maybe he has eaten all the meat off the bones? Another thing- it has not been hot weather, so maybe I am speaking too soon. I really don’t have time to worry about this. We won’t be having guests again til half term!
Penny - half term is not very far away -next week isn’t it?
Off to see the onc this morning for my first chemo review. Have lots of questions for him -will share what he says when I get back.
Jo
Jo you are right- half term is next week for most of us but I think they are coming the week after half term which gives us a little (ahem) breather!
morning moonbeams
I ache lol - but well worth it
I have 2 cats Penny (Lilly and Peppa) and they are little monkeys too, when I walk Jessie we have Peppa follow us, so quite amusing to take both cat and dog for a walk, I wonder if George has now decided to eat the bone too? mine bring gifts in and let them go urgghh
well I am just enjoying a quick sit down before panic sets in what I need for tomorrow, will probably clean the house then at least its done for a day (well less with kids around isnt it)
good luck for anyone starting treatment today and those with appointments today and this week
Karen x
Morning Moonbeams,
Littlescoot - I REALLY hope things are improving for you and sending you a massive virtual hug, I’m sure that your onc will be looking at what they can do to ease the SE’s next time round - maybe this drug combination is just not for you and they can switch you to something else - from what I’ve read there are many options out there. I’ll be thinking of you and hope you are out of the hospital very soon.
Ann - I would definitely speak to your Onc about your concerns - maybe they can give you a bone scan to put your mind at ease. Back pain is so horrible and I know that I’m now paranoid about every little niggle that I get. My mother has suffered from back pain for many years and finally went for x-ray last year when her chiropracter could no longer help. They originallly thought it was arthritis but the x-ray showed that one of her verterbrae had worn away and bone was touching a nerve - she had an op to take away the bit of bone that was pressing and hey presto she was no longer in pain - it was miraculous, she was up and walking about the next day having been virtually crippled for months. I believe its very common.
Karen - well done on doing the race for life - I really want to do that or the moonwalk next year when all this is over - seems like a fitting thing to do a year on, and a good way to get fit too.
We survived the sleepover - although i think there was anything but sleep involved - I’ve had to apologise to the class teacher for the 4 little zombies who turned up at school this morning! So relieved that my chemo appt got put back to Thursday - I’d have been a wreck having to go there today.
Finally does anyone else feel that cancer is all around them at the moment - following on from my daughters friends dad passing away on Friday (she still came to the sleepover and was so amazing - inspirational how kids cope with these things) one of her other classmates rocked up to school this morning with the words 'my aunties got cancer and is going to die and mummy can’t stop crying" - so awful and of course I worry so much of the knock on effect this will have on my daughter - no matter how many times I tell her that I’m not going to die (well at least not for the forseable future) it must seep in and play on her mind.
Good luck all those ladies starting this week - Namaste, Angela, Marleypop, Karen, Penny, Penash - its a big week for all of us, I’ve got 'The Final Countdown" playing on a loop in my head this morning.
Caz, Bad Bambi, Mchales - I hope the SE’s are being kind to you
Alex, Deborah, Jane, Zuzy Dodo14, Marie, Jill & Barbara - do you start round 2 this week??? - my goodness I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone good luck.
Aly xxx
Thanks Aly and best of luck to all my fellow waxing moonbeams, and those of you coming back to give it another try. Px
Hi Ladies,
yes Aly1971 2nd chemo on thurs at 11.30. I think re cancer we just seem to be more sensitivtoto it where as before because it didn’t affect us we let it wash over us a bit, I’m not saying we didn’t care but it seems since i’ve been diagnosed there are more adverts about it and more people on the telly are portraying they have it. Hopefully your children wont take it on board xxxxxx
Today I have been and got my prothesis fitted and it is so much better than the softie was, it feels almost real…
Hope everyofeel into feeling too bad
Marie
Yes Aly round 2 this Wednesday. Have seen onc this morning and all systems go. Blood levels have returned to normal limits and “happy” with side effects so far.
Have also found out that I am HER2 positive so will need herceptin treatment which will start with cycle 4 when I change to the second drug. Apparently will have 18 3 weekly cycles of that! This is going to go on and on…
Definitely seem to be surrounded by cancer stories - think Marie is right and we are just more sensitive to it all now.
Just had a call from the hosiptal. Apparently I need to have a portocath fitted in my chest for the herceptin treatment - has anyone had this done already? I am a bit nervous.
Thank you Aly for your well wishes and everyone else, in some weird way I’m looking forward to it…
I think it’s just knowing that at long last treatment has started and I can begin my fight. Seems like a life time ago that I was smacked in the face with the news…
Will let you know how things go, will be thinking of fellow starters.
Speak soon, early night tonight me thinks…all being that my little girls goes to bed.
Txxxx
Dodo, I have a portacath fitted and it is my very best friend. They are automatic at my hospital for everyone on Herceptin because of the number of infusions. I had mine done under local anaesthetic, and was given the option of sedation but declined because they said I would have to stay behind an extra hour or two afterwards and I just wanted to get home!
It was done by a senior nurse specialist in the main X Ray department because they do it with the guidance of ultrasound. They make 2 small incisions, one in the neck (3 stitches) and one underneath just below the collar bone (5 stitches). They then insert this small plastic drum in the lower incision site, which is the port, which is attached to a narrow plastic tube that is threaded under the skin to the neck incision and then in to the large central vein that leads down to your heart. The advantage of this is that vein is wide and fast flowing, so the poison goes in and disperses much faster, so no vein damage.
It sounds horrific, but is completely painless although you can feel a lot of pulling and tugging. Your blood pressure and heart rate are measured throughout, and if you start to feel woosy they will stop for a bit. They are talking all the time, and a lovely nurse is holding your hand and chatting. I can’t pretend it is pleasant, it isn’t, but my God it is worth it. It took about 20 minutes or a bit longer, followed by an hour’s rest in the day ward, then home.
The whole contraption sits under the skin, so no part of it is outside your body. This substantially resuces the risk of infection, and once the dressings are off you can bathe, shower or swim as normal. You can see and feel the port lump under the skin, but it is hidden by most of your necklines.
It is used for all chemo and Herceptin infusions, and also bloods etc. providing the person using it is fully trained. All chemo nurses are trained, but not general hospital staff, so if you end up in hospital you will still need a cannula. I absoluitely LOVE it. During chemo sessions I have no pain, I can’t feel a thing. No hunt the vein, no sore arms. Bliss. I also have 2 free arms for toilet visits!
Hope this helps. It really will become your best friend.
Linda xxx
Thanks Linda your words are very reassuring although I am not looking forward to having it put in and feel weird about it being there all the time. I have been worrying about this all afternoon so it is good to hear that someone who has one thinks it is a good thing.
Hi Dodo - although I’m not having one a very good friend of mine who is also going through chemo at the moment has a portocath and I would echo exactly what Linda says - he thinks it is fantastic (as someone who has had chemo through veins before). I’m sure once it’s fitted you’ll be very glad to have it.
On a completely different note is anyone doing anything in term of diet to help boost their immune system / generally keep well / fight the cancer? A friend who has had a very long term battle with cancer (first prostate, now lymphoma) swears by his diet alongside meditation and yoga. I’m also reading a book called ‘Anticancer: a new way of life’ which basically talks a lot about lifestyle and nutrition alongside chemo / radiotherapy to help fight the disease.
So just in case your interested I’ve compilled a (very long) list of the foods which purport have ‘cancer fighting’ properties - apologies in advance for anyone who thinks this is total gobbledygoop!!
Green Tea
Olive oil
Turmeric with ginger & pepper
mushrooms - especially shitake & oyster
Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries
Walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans
Plums, peaches, nectarines.
Mint, thyme, organo, basil, rosemary.
Brussel sprouts, bokchoi, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli
Garlic onions leeks shallots chives
Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin
cooked tomatoes in olive oil.
Seaweed
Pomegranate juice.
Dark chocolate
Its quite a list and there’s a few more - apparently the most potent ones are green tea, tumeric and the berries. I actually rather love everything in the list so quite frankly its worth a try, alhtough I imagine they will all taste disgusting come Friday ;(
Aly xx
Thanks for that Aly. I do feel a bit happier about it now.
In terms of my diet, I am trying to have a healthy mix which I am pleased to say would include several of the items on your list. I am also trying to eat lots of iron rich foods to boost my red blood cells.
On another note, I have been sent an immunity advice sheet from Macmillan and they state that we shouldn’t be eating pre-wrapped sandwiches or cooked sliced meats! Has anyone else been told that and why???
Also they mention not handling pet litter - another thing I hadn’t been told or considered but makes perfect sense. I know there are a few animal lovers amongst us…
Help! I went for my pre chemo 2 appt today and bloods are low, am gutted as I’ve been so well. They gave me a booster jab and will have another tomorrow then bloods done again weds morning to see if ok to go ahead. I’ve also now been prescribed these injections for 5 days after each one, I know some of these had these from the beginning, apparently my hospital only give them on FEC if you need them after cycle 1, anyway, my question is did they give you aches and pains, I feel really odd since I had it this morning xxx
Hi Aly that is a brilliant list, as ever you have boiled a lot of complicated info into a manageable chunk! I’m going to sellotape it to the inside of my kitchen cupboard. My only quibble with green tea is that it does usually contain caffeine and the decaf green tea to me is tasteless. Which is a shame cause I love it. (I don’t mind caffeine but it is supposed to contribute to lowered calcium levels and the Letrozole increases your loss of bone density). And as for broccoli that appears twice on my shopping list too usually.
Ha! Thanlks Penny - I’m about to stick it to the fridge to encourage my OH to cook me healthy stuff when I can’t manage it, have you tried the flavoured green teas? Not sure they come in decaf form, I can’t stomach the normal stuff so go for mint or lemon - maybe you could just add a bit of that in to the decaff to give it some taste?
Can you tell I organise for a living - I love a list!!!
x
Zuzy - sorry to hear your bloods were low. It just goes to show that the injections are worth having. I had them and mine were ok.
Not sure if it is the same stuff - filigrastin - but I was ok with mine except for the day after the last one when I had leg pain. Apparently it is because it buidls and releases the wbc in a big batch. It did pass after 1 day though and pain relief made it manageable. I have to have days 4-10 though so might be slightly different?
Hope all is well and you can proceed on Wednesday - you are my chemo day buddy!!!