Haha I feel like I need to invest in a new “chemo” wardrobe too, Fiona. All I want to wear right now are comfy (stretchy/accommodating ?) clothes! I’m sure your choices were far more stylish ? Also, I’m very impressed you’ve finished wrapping all of your Christmas presents! I have loads left…?♀️
I’ve had a rough few days. Tax really does hit you several days later than FEC, and I wasn’t really mentally prepared for that. Ended up back in hospital yesterday feeling rubbish. However, I seem to have finally turned a corner and feel a little bit better back at home today. Still on oral morphine, but the aches are tolerable. I hope you’re feeling a little bit better too, Sar_ah.
Aneeebel, I like the sound of your low-maintenance Christmas decorations. My energy levels have really taken a hit, so my goals for the day were to get my daughter to nursery, do a load of washing and read through one paper draft. It only took me 7.5 hours to accomplish…??
Must to something in the air Elliesmum! Struggling with the lovely T! Fatigue isn’t too bad today compared to previous days butbthe aches ? there are times I’m struggling to pick up my daughter which is awful! I also love to run and I’ve got to the point where i feel it’s the only part of the “old me left” and not sure is be able to do that! Hoping for a better day tomorrow, onwards and upwards I guess :))
Hope you feel better soon ladies!!
Reddi that’s really positive to hear, thank you for sharing ? it’s certainly made me feel more positive and reminded me everyday will get a bit easier I personally think I’m just a very stubborn person!
Aneeebel how are feeling today?
ellliesmum, have are today also? Hope your starting to get some energy back, I’m finding that it’s here very very slowly!
Fiona love the shopping for a new wardrobe idea! I feel like I live in the same clothes at the moment and looking like a hamster ?? enjoy the rest and putting your feet up :))
Like Sar_ah, I found your comments really encouraging, reddi. Thank you!
I’m slowly starting to feel a bit more human, Sar_ah, which is a relief. I too am incredibly stubborn and strong-willed ?.. I’m terrible at “relaxing” and doing nothing, which isn’t terribly helpful at the moment. I miss doing proper exercise and my endorphin high!?♀️ However, I’m in a much better frame of mind now that I am starting to recover from the worst of the tax side effects. We can do this! ???
Please take care, Aneeebel! As Shi suggests, best to call a temperature in and have it be nothing than risk something nasty taking hold.
You lovely ladies make my day every day. I find this Forum so encouraging and at the same time emotional.
I was starting to get concerned about T after your experiences this week but now I’m starting to feel a bit better. Each day done is one day closer to the end of this phase of our lives. The one thing I’m looking forward to when I start T is that my wee won’t be orange any more for those first few days after FEC?
I managed to get back into town this morning to return a few things (I’m in denial about my size ?) and managed to pick up a couple more tops ? I seem to live in joggers and hoodies these days and feel worse mentally because of it. So I decided I needed to brighten and smarten up a bit. It helps that my head seems to have a spattering more of hair these days, it definitely seems to be growing ??There are still plenty of gaps but at least it looks like I’ve got some sort of covering ?
I’ve got a list of jobs to do today before we head north to Scotland to my parents to be looked after for a few days, ready for the first T on the 28th ??
So I think I might put some Abba on and get the housework done ?? Have a great day, stay safe and warm ???
?Fiona xxx
Good morning ladies
Just having a little catch up
My third EC at reduced dose was much more tolerable , yes still felt erm poop but only for a week and not so bad , I still have one more EC to go then move to four T
How are you all finding the change over I am preying the side effects are not as bad x
What a debacle, Badboob! I’m sorry you had such a bad experience having to wait around for so long for a simple blood test. These things are super frustrating when they come on top of everything else we’re dealing with. Good to hear that your back passage issues are easing and the colonoscopy is no longer necessary. We need to celebrate the little victories!?
Fiona, I totally agree that this message forum has been so supportive and helpful. Thank you, wonderful October ladies, for helping me get through this. It makes such a difference having people who understand what it feels like and are going through the same ?!
Kateday, I’ve found T a bit tougher than FEC so far, but I know that some people find it easier. Mentally it was a bit challenging for me, as the side effects didn’t hit me immediately and I felt progressively worse for a few days before starting to feel better. Now that I know what to expect, I think the next cycle will be mentally easier for me to deal with.
I’m in hospital as I write this, as I ended up spiking a fever overnight and felt really terrible. They couldn’t get my temperature down below 38, despite several hours of IV fluids, antibiotics and paracetamol. So I’ve been admitted and will have to stay overnight. Sigh. While it is very inconvenient, in some ways I’m pleased as I really felt so awful this morning and I’m finally starting to feel a bit more human. We were supposed to be driving up to Lancashire tonight to spend Christmas with my in-laws. They have offered to take our little girl tonight and then I will go up once I’m discharged. It was so lovely of them to offer to look after her for the night. I will try to make the most of my enforced stay in Casa NHS and catch up on some sleep. Love to all, and I hope that you all have a magical Christmas! Xox ???
Thank you for thinking of me…much appreciated! ??
I’ve been quite unwell for the last few days… ?
I rang the Helpline this morning as my temperature had gone up yet again! I’m being admitted to hospital…I’m sat waiting for a bed as I type! ??
I’ve been suitably reprimanded for not calling earlier in the week!
(I know I should have done!!! I’m just too clever for my own good!!)??
ElliesMum… glad you’re feeling marginally better! Hopefully you’ll have a nice sleep tonight! ?
@Aneeebel and @ElliesMum I am so sorry you’re both in Casa NHS, but at the same time I am very glad you are – they will keep a good eye on you! Fingers crossed that you’re both back with your families very, very soon. Doing it Shi-style!: ???… ? (That last one for the creature most definitely not stirring in your rooms, thus ensuring good nights of ?)
Aneebel ?? it’s hard to know what’s what during chemo, your temp is up and down like a yo, yo, you have se’s To contend with, botty troubled, back up on the fec and ???arse on t (well some of us did last year) you are hairless too if you’ve not cold capped and then the t will finish if any remaining eyebrows and lashes, but your head hair does start to come back on the t, so crazy as it sounds something positive eh ?rest up and let them pump you full of whatever to get that temp under control and you home safely ??Ellie’smum, ???your temps behaving and you have managed to get home Badboob, think all of us had at least one ???moment like that on the journey, you are sat their ? wrapped round your face to keep any germs away, hot and sweaty from the meds and chemo and you get mucked about a bit and even the most calm rational person in the world can go into hang on a minute mode you should be looking after me a bit better please. Right then those in hospital the thread will be having a group ???At 10pm (nip to the loo and join in) extra bonus points if you get up and do it at the side of the bed ???Tune on Chemo jukebox will be dancing queen by ABBA ???See you tomorrow n the dance floor ladies ???Shi xx
Aneeebel and ElliesMum, I hope your enforced stays at Casa NHS are doing the trick and you’re both starting to feel better. We’re all thinking of you and sending lots of love and hugs ?? You can do this and we’re all here for you.
I’ve noticed that I’ve started to lose my eyelashes and have just read Shi’s comment which says T finishes them off ? I’m not looking forward to that. I’ve just about accepted the person looking back at me in the mirror but fear this next bit with the eyelashes and brows. I think it’s because it makes a person look like a cancer patient (I hesitated over the word victim but to me that’s a negative thought) and I don’t want people to look at me and pity me. This is hard enough emotionally and physically without having to deal with other people’s emotions. I’ve booked onto a Look Good Feel Better workshop but that’s not until Feb, after my last (??) T. So I’ll probably end up looking like a clown in the interim? (I’ve never been brilliant at make up).
We arrived safely in Scotland and my sister and nieces turned up in the afternoon. After an initial stare at me (I was wearing a headscarf) they soon realised it was still me. The eldest, who’s 8, was a bit more wary but once I gave her a hug and told her I’m still aunty Fi she was fine. My sister wanted to see my bald head but I had to make sure the eldest was ok to see it and she was. It’s hard to know how children will react isn’t it? And this niece in particular is very wary of illness so I didn’t want to upset her at all. But kids seem to be resilient ?
So today they’re coming over again (I had to have a rest at some stage yesterday, the noise was incredible) and will be opening their presents from us ???.
Take care lovely ladies ??you’re all well and resting up. ???
?Fiona xxx
Yay, Aneeebel! I’m so pleased you’re feeling better.?? I’m feeling so much better too. Those IV antibiotics seem to have done the trick (or maybe it was the morphine ?)… Way ahead of you here - I’ve already asked if I can go home! ? “Not yet” was the reply I received, but it looks like they will let me go home today once they’ve gotten a few more bags of IV antibiotics into me.
Good work making it to Scotland, Fiona. ?Glad to hear that your nieces have been accepting of your new look. My eyelashes and eyebrows are also on the way out and I, for one, am terrible at applying make up. ?♀️ I went on a Look Good Feel Better course a few weeks ago and, while it was helpful and I definitely recommend going, it wasn’t quite what I expected. I couldn’t really see what was being demonstrated and I was left to my own devices to figure out what I was supposed to be doing. Everyone was very friendly, and the bag of goodies was nice, but it wasn’t very hands-on. I needed some full-on intervention! ? They do have lots of online tutorials and videos and there are also make up counters at some stores (Boots?) that can give you some personal assistance. I got a few tips at the course, but have actually found the online resources more helpful. Good luck with it!?
Badboob, reddi, shi, Sar_ah, thank you all for thinking of me! Your positive energy has clearly done the trick as I feel so much better. ??
I hope everyone gets lots of rest and enjoys the festive period. Xox ?????
Aneebel and Ellie’s mum ??great you are both responding to casa nhs and ???home today for you both. For eyebrows go for a powder and stencil and stiff brush there is a girl on iTunes that does a good tutorial video and you can buy the stuff off amazon dirt cheap ??for eyelashes nip into a boots (most of the girls in the counters in there and Debenhams do the Lgfb days) so if you ask them to show you how to give illusion of lashes they will happily show you (you use feather like strokes of a pencil very close to the lash line) its amazing how good it works rather than just drawing a thick line on you do a softer line And my darling amazing ladies you are still there when you look in the mirror, this does not strip away the beautiful amazing strong ladies you all are, it tries to but you just go ???jog on ???our threads ???and ???and we’ll get through. ???to you all Shi xx
I was discharged yesterday but only after a bit of “gentle persuasion”… my oncologist wanted me to stay another night… but as I twisted her arm up her back she decided to let me home! ???
I’ve got oral antibiotics for 5 days but at least I’m home! ???
Elliesmum…were you discharged? Hope you’re a bit better! ?
I’ve woken up to a horrible wet miserable morning!! Where did I put my brolly?? ???
Glad to hear your home aneeebel :))) hope your getting plenty of rest and being a good patient
Hope your also feeling better Elliesmum?
I put my name down for the LGFG workshop in October and got too February if I’m lucky! I’ve opted instead for just asking in boots and Debenhams which seems to be doing the trick! I still think I look nothing like me which is bloody hard at times!
I’ve developed some interesting side effects the last couple of days including an eczema type rash on my arms and my heels strangely feel like the have blisters which makes walking a bit painful … I feel like im falling apart ?:female_sign: So I’m making use of this and using it as an excuse to use lots of lovely creams
Hope you all have a lovely day xxx
@Aneeebel Great that you are home! I hope Ellie’s Mum is right behind you.
@Sar_ah Are you on T now? What cycle are you on? The blisters may be a side effect; the rash, too.
For the blisters (assuming they develop, which mine did), I believe it is best to keep feet elevated when possible, moisturize a lot (but gently), and wear very comfy shoes – I had to wear not just trainers but also thick socks to reduce the pain and stop more from developing. Ine of my June-mates had them so bad she was told to moisturize and then wrap her feet in cling film and put them up.
Afraid I don’t know what to advise on the rash beyond the usual stuff.
Definitely alert your oncologists to both, as they may want to reduce your next dose. ?
Aneeebel, so pleased to hear you’re home. Please make sure you take it easy and are looked after ??
ElliesMum, I hope you’re feeling better too and are out of Casa NHS and back with your little girl ?
I’m having quite a relaxing time here, although the girls tired me out quite a bit so naps over the past 2 days were called for ? I might manage to stay awake today until about 9pm ?
I personally think I’m just a very stubborn person!
