Have been a bit quiet of late as I went back to work last week. Very mixed emotions and a few tears! Not sure I can take discussions about work etc seriously…it all seems so, well, unimportant. And I am having a hard time not saying so to some people…like my MD.
BTW in the flurry of posts I think we missed a new recruit to the ND’s, AmelieBlossomville. Sorry you had to join and fingers crossed you get good results. Waiting for treatment to start or waiting for results is just one of the hardest things to handle, hope we can help and try not to listen the the ‘what ifs’… Let’s us know how you get on.
Lynzi, Fiona and Jacqui, I was relieved to see your posts saying it wasn’t as bad as you expected even if the emotional turmoil is overwhelming at times for us as well as our families. My OH has been brilliant but we still managed to have a big row this weekend too…I out it down to the full moon!!!
I finally have my treatment plan sorted and it’s rads and tamoxifen for me but no chemo. My reaction was both relief and anxiety. Relief I don’t have to have chemo, anxiety that I am not ‘throwing everything at it’. Bloody stupid really. Anyway I start rads on 23rd Jan and tamoxifen ASAP. My OH has hidden the knives!
Hello to all the other ND’s, I don’t know about you but November seems a hellava long time ago. Hugs to you all and hope you are all doing OK. Love Zax
Welldone for going back to work, but I’m really sorry yo hear thwy are not being that supportive. I think we all feel the same that everybodies conversations etc can feel really stupid and trivial. If things don’t settle I would say something sooner rrather than later to your MD. Are they going to be supportive during Rads, you will get pretty tired during it?
I know how you feel about wanting to throw everything at the BC. My surgeon initially said he felt I should avoid chemo as I had no risk factors for recurrence. This really scared me. But the onc used that adjuvant programme and that gave me a 39% chance of recurrence so there was no way I was not having it and he strongly agreed.
I think they are very good at sorting out what you need. I know several people including a best friend who just had tamoxifen and rads and they have done really well.
Sorry AmelieBlossomville that we didn’t welcome you when you first posted hope you haven’t been scared off! We will do our best to support you. I know how hard it is at first.
Zax it’s brilliant news that you don’t have to have chemo. Made me laugh about the knives as when I told my OH side effects of tamoxifen he only heard ‘Mood Swings’ and his eyebrows shot up in the air. I think he’ll be hiding the knives too!
Sorry Ruth missed your post, glad your 2nd FEc went well and not feeling too sick. I am not feeling too bad now just a bit tired. Not doing too much housework just tidying and hoovering really. been spending a lot of time reading which has been lovely.
anyway think I have chemo brain as typing really slowly and keep making mistakes so going to go
Hi AmelieBlossomville
I too was diagnosed on the 4th nov, i had surgery on the 29th nov (wle and reduction to both sides plus sentinal node removal). Went back for results to be told I needed more nodes removed as cancer had been found there. That was a shock, as you said it had all started so positively( its early etc) and then I was thinking it could be anywhere. This i had done on the 5th Jan,the day before results for this i cried for most of the day, thinking the worst. I had these results on wednesday and nothing more was found. It was like a weight had been lifted. So now I’m on to the next stage, waiting for my chemo start date which they said will be either end of jan or beginning of feb.
For those already starting chemo - when do you sort out a wig?
Shadders - I believe you work in a school are you returning during treatment, i’m wondering about shortend hours depending on how I feel.
Take care everyone Gill x
I was diagnosed on Nov 2nd AmelieB, near you and Christine. I had WLE and x6 LN removed on 11/11/11, but not totally resected, so mastectomy 29/11/11. Started chemo on 21/12/11. Hair starts to fall out about day 14 after first chemo if you have FEC, I shaved my head on day 15, it was pretty quick. Clippered it, now very little hair at front and patchy at back, day 3 post second FEC. I would have a wig ready or on order before you start. Less pressure/worry. Have to say I wear snoods ( by Buff) and hats more than the wig. It was not as traumatic losing hair as I thought it would be.
I also was told I could not work as surrounded by bugs at work, like shadders, I do a lot of paperwork at home though, to try to keep chemo brain at bay.
Had my op on Tuesday afternoon and got home on Thursday evening. Doing pretty well so far and have to say it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Still have the drains and have to empty them at night for a few days but otherwise no probs so far.
Just have to wait for the pathologist report, which should be around in about 2 weeks.
Hugs to you all
Alanaa
P.S. as you can see by the time I am not sleeping to well but that is not an issue for me at the moment.
Alaana nice to see you’re back, was thinking of you. Good to hear it all went well and you’re not in pain. Something I dread to be honest, much more that this chemo lark just now. No wonder you can’t sleep with drains sticking out of you.
Hi sorry haven’t been around for a while but exhausted by 9 in eve which is when I usually come on.
I am day 8 post 1st FEC and feel back to normal apart from being really tire by eve!
Lindyloo I was told absolutely not to go back to work as risk of infection from little ones too high so am home and trying to make the most of my time. Aim to pick up guitar lessons again and have offered to doo paperwork at home for school but so far they haven’t given me any. Hope I’m not going to get too bored.
Welcome all newbies, and sorry that you’ve had to join us.
Alanna glad the surgery went well and you are recovering.
Hi gang, also not been on for a while but this is due to being back at work. Seems like all our various treatments are underway which is good news. My ads start 23rd Jan (I am currently ‘battering’ boob with aqueous cream ready for my frying!).
I cant help with advice but my thoughts are with you guys on the chemo and surgery stages. Every step is a tick off the list! Hugs and best wishes to you all…Zax
hope you are all fine as it is rather quiet on her at the moment. I am doing okay 1 week past mx and feel rather fine appart from being a tad tired at times. Snowing here at the moment so I am glad I am tucked up on the sofa with a large mug of coffee, a new book and fat cat beside me for company as our tv signal has gone yet again.
Zak was thinking about you earlier and hope that all went according to plan with you and the rest of the group.