Yes definitely best wishes to all of you starting tomorrow, hope the chemo treats you as kindly as possible. Just remember that the rest of us will all be thinking of you.
I hope many of us are finding this forum a little safe haven in the storm of chaos and uncertainty that goes with being diagnosed and treated for cancer. I know it has helped me so much by providing hope, some laughs and helps me feel a little less lonely. The success of all that is down to people sharing their experiences, tips and thoughts so thank you girls, you are all fabulous!
I’ve got a Big Pink Pack too and want to organise a party but not got round to it…! Had hoped to do it next week before Chemo 2! Might have to be end of October instead? Has anyone decided to tell their Facebook community? I’m thinking about it but have held back so far. Cx
Claire I did tell Facebook if you want to see what I have put send me a pm with your user name and I will add you I put it out there as I found it emotionally draining to keep telling individuals
This was my original post and every day I have made sure I found a positive
I have thought long and hard before posting this and have decided that I will post as I am finding it emotionally draining to tell people individually and update people with each step on this journey I am about to take. On 21st June I was diagnosed with breast cancer, on the 8th August I had a lumpectomy and some lymph nodes removed. Unfortunately when I went to see the consultant for my results yesterday I received the news I did not want to get that there is lymph node involvement. I now will be having a 2nd operation on the 7th September for further lymph node removal and a I await a date for a CT scan to ensure there is no further spread. This will be followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy and I will be absent from work for approx 8 months (which for me will be awful as I love my job) I knew I was facing a journey however it seems that I will now encounter several bumps along the way. Please do not think because I have not told you personally that you are not important it is just a lot to get my head around and obviously my children, my family and very close friends are my priority in all of this and I will continue to speak to them on a personal level. I thank you in advance for your support and good wishes which I know will come, if I do not answer you individually please do not take offence. xx
Cassie, Claire, I’m a few days behind you and still have all my hair at the moment. Knowing my luck I’ll lose it from my head (even though I’m cold capping) and keep it from the neck down, I’ll look like a bald hairy monkey!
Just to add I am happy to add any of you to my fb it is set to private so you won’t be able to add me but that is because of my job in a School x just message me
I would also be very discreet and never put anything csncer related on your walls as I know some people are still keeping their journey private xx
Thanks meesh it took a lot of composing but I felt so much better once it was out there as I was getting up to 40 texts or emails a day and just could not keep up with everyone emotionally and it took an awful amount of time too x
Meesh that made me laugh. I stopped shaving to see when it started to fall out but began to look like a reject from Gorillas In the Mist so I relented and shaved.
Afternoon ladies, hope you are all doing OK and good luck to all those starting tomorrow. I’ve had a bad night last night, after being woken multiple times with pain in my arm which was getting worse as the night went on I phoned the helpline number early this morning. The sent me straight to the local A&E department, the best part of 7 hours later I now know that I have multiple DVT,s in my PICC line arm. The line is staying in but I now have to inject warfarin everyday for the next 3 months. If you are unsure of anything I would say give the nurses a call as you never know when it is something which needs looking at urgently xx
Sorry to hear that Runnerbean, it’s a lesson to us all to get ourselves checked out if unsure about anything.
I told my Facebook peeps because I had found out by self examination following a documentary where a lady had been nagged by her friend to check herself. I decided to be the nagging friend and put the word out there and I made the post public too so that it could be shared too.
The bald hairy monkey comment made me chuckle.
SueW I’ve been thinking pink food too to up the donation level. Thought maybe bacon sarnies in the morning. Bacon is pink and we buy kilo packs of cooking bacon from Lidl which is usually really tasty bacon you just have to avoid the packets with big chunks instead of slices. We then cook it on trays in the oven and keep it in the fridge ready to microwave for breakfast. We thought that we could just take a load of bread rolls and the cooked bacon and people can help themselves, after donating obviously!
Might make some pink cakes for lunchtime too
Hi Runnerbean, sorry to hear you’ve had a rough time of it. I agree it is important to get things checked out if you’re worried or not sure. That’s what they get paid for, that’s what my bcn nurse said they get paid to take care of our worries. My OH got a bit annoyed with me because I’ve phoned the oncology nurse about 4 times in the last week all about minor things but you just never know and I’d rather get things sorted quickly than let them escalate. Since I told him that some of you have ended up in hospital he has been a bit more understanding and asked me to phone them today to see if I could catch the flu from him when he has his flu jab Monday!
chaffinch, have you tried the September forum re: CK? When was her 2nd chemo?
Cassie, I have only been shaving one armpit since my surgery as the guff I read said I shouldn’t shave it anymore due to risk of infection in case you get a cut. Not that I’ve ever cut my armpits shaving but you know there’s always a first time and it was bound to happen! Then I stopped shaving my legs and the other armpit because was told shouldn’t when on chemo for same reason. I haven’t bothered with my eyebrows for ages either as I figured they’d probably fall out. So I look a right hairy state at the moment! I also popped on one of the monthly threads the other day and someone was talking about tamoxifen giving you facial hair, so I’m guessing I could end up looking like a bald hairy monkey with a beard too if my facial hair grows quicker than that on my head!
Thanks for the best wishes for tomorrow, my chemo is at 11.30am. It is reassuring we all together on this ‘chemocoaster’ now the time is nearing I am terrified but your support means everything.
I will be drinking gallons of tap water tomorrow & over the weekend!
I also had a problem with my picc line overnight like Runnerbean, hope you are ok now by the way.
After having it put in yesterday I had a 4 hour wait in my local a&e, my arm & fingers swelled I couldnt remove my wedding rings from my finger, after an examination I was sent home, the swelling has reduced today & seen a district nurse today & had numerous calls from the oncolgy nurses, I will be exmained tomorrow before the chemo too.
Chaffinch … re ck I private messsged her and had reply yesterdsy she has been working and said she is on most right after chemo when she has to rest but has less time in her working days x