Hello everyone. If it helps my dates are starting this Thursday 8th up to and including 23rd then back on 27th (so 3 days off) finish 29th. They have given me a full schedule of dates, times and the machine I will be on.
Momentus moment for me yesterday…I wore a ‘proper’ bra. First time out of the post surgery ones. Wasn’t too bad and only for couple of hours, think I’ll need to build up wearing time, as feels a bit strange today . Of course that’ll be after rads as I’m planning and hanging loose most of that 3 weeks!
Hi,
I am *thinking* that I will not be starting rads soon, so will gracefully bow out for a while. I hope I can continue to see how you are all getting on!
My oncotyping score has come back as 29, so now awaiting my oncology appointment, to see what is recommended. With all the reading I am doing, I believe I need to prepare for chemo first. Gutted.
But there is still a small chance that I may not need it, but I have to be realistic.
much love to all
Amanda
xx
Hi Amanda
thinking of you after your oncotype result. It does feel like the longest wait ever, waiting for those scores to come. See what they say when you see your oncologist to discuss them. If you have to have chemo then I guess the score reflects that it would be of benefit to you rather than a ‘one treatment suits all basis’ that it used to be. I don’t say that flippantly at all as it must be a scary prospect.
I had my Oncotype done in October so I understand totally the hope you put on the score.
Know that we are still all here for you, no matter what.
Sending a huge hug
Beth xxx
Hi everyone…have my first meeting with radiotherapist this Wednesday and hoping to start treatment in January.15 rads in all…have had lumpectomy and axillary clearance and also kidney removal for kidney cancer.
Thank you for your lovely replies,
Will let you know as soon as I get my appointment and treatment options…
But if ok, would still like to stay and lurk…
much love to all
Amanda
xx
Amanda, you don’t need to be a lurker, just drop in for a chat when you feel like it, we’re rooting for you.
Hi Treeze, you have had a time of it, how long ago was the kidney cancer? It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? Anyway, hope all goes well at your appointment on Wednesday, there’ll be company on here when you start your sessions. I’ve done two out of fifteen sessions and finish up just in time for Christmas.
evening all
amanda - you hang around as much as you like. We’re all still going through be here!
Treeze - bloody hell you’ve been through it already love. Keep in touch on here - there’s always someone around you make you smile or give a virtual hug.
Engrossed in in the final of I’m a celeb tonight. Embarrassed to admit I’ve lived every minute!
bedtime soon though as have an early start for rads tomorrow!! Number 10 here we come!!
Sleep well ladies
beth x
Hi…kidney cancer at the same time as breast! Had a Dr scan a month after breast diagnosis and it showed up another primary cancer in kidney…no symptoms at all yet quite a big tumour that had twisted the kidney.both ops done together four weeks ago and recovering well, I think.out and about but quite slow and a bit sore…worst symptoms at the moment is an awful dry sore mouth which may or may not be caused by the hormone blockers.Don’t drive and having to beg lifts if I can for radiotherapy which is just over an hour away at Norfolk and Norwich…anyone else go there? A bit nervous about rads! X
Thanks for the welcome…loved celebrity this year!
Wow Treeze, that is quite a story! So hopefully the kidney cancer was caught early if you didn’t have symptoms? But it’s a lot to get your head round in a short space of time. Have you had a long recovery from the kidney removal?
I had to have endometrial biopsies a few weeks ago and that did my head in, waiting to see if I had a second cancer. Thankfully the results came back clear, but waiting for the results was horrible, I’d just had two operations for breast cancer and was thinking I was going to have a hysterectomy before Christmas. But luckily it’s turned out okay.
Two ops on the breast must be hard…I was dreading my follow up in case they hadn’t got all the cancer in the breast and I’d need another op but thankfully they had.I’m still waiting for the kidney results as they took it away to test it so am recovering from both ops…pretty sore when I woke afterwards and could only lay on my back as it was left breast and right kidney!
Hi Ladies, and welcome Treeze,
I sit here and read all of your comments and try to think I am luckier than most but I just can’t seem to lift out of the doom cloud. Am in floods of tears again today. I’m sure the all of this has affected the efffects of my anti-depressants but am reluctant to take more as that will just supress it. Since the week I had biopsy I’ve been unwell; first with a chest infection, followed by the surgery and subsequent infection - so it’s all relative I suppose. I know I am anxious about seeing oncologist tomorrow so maybe I’ll pick up after that especially if rads are postponed until after Christmas. I could just do with a couple of weeks to recharge my batteries and be cheerful for the family. I’m sorry to be so negative but I know you ladies get it (my friends and family are great but they, of course, are hopeful that I am ‘cured’ so I feel they don’t understand). I’m trying to get Christmasy and write cards today but not really in the mood. Other things that have happened this year are playing on my mind too so I tend to be a bit glass half empty - which is not like me at all. The surgery phoned this morning to ask my husband back to talk about his blood test results and so it goes on… (they did say it wasn’t urgent so we are thinking that he may finally have reached the point where he needs thyroid treatment as it’s been on the cards). The Worry Wart has a lot to answer for!
Keep smiling. Hugs all round.
Jak x
Hi Jak
ive seen a counsellor 4 time now and have found it really helpful. Everything was getting a bit much - my father in law passed away this year with a brain tumour, my mum was diagnosed in March ( not well at all at the moment) and then I was diagnosed in August. Then two weeks ago my husband was told he is to be made redundant I’m April 2017.
It Is so good to go and speak to someone, a complete stranger, and offload. She has taught me that there is always an alternative way of seeing things, another view. I cried at everything and nothing. Adverts on tv, something on the radio…anything. Sometimes I’d be sitting in work and the tears would just come and I couldnt stop them. Speaking to a counsellor has allowed me to process what has been a horrible year on all fronts and we are currently working towards coping with life once rads finish and I don’t have that constant medical support anymore. I had a terrible issue with smells in the hospital, where it took every ounce of willpower I had to walk in through the door as it just brought back the diagnosis day feelings all over again. We’ve sorted that issue out too now and I can walk in perfectly fine! Not happily but with out any fear and panic!!
What I am trying to say, by mentioning some of my own issues, is that there is help out there and it can make a huge difference to life. You don’t have to bottle it up and just try and cope because eventually it will all surface. I’m not perfect now by any stretch and some days even now a simple question from someone like “how are you” will make me cry but I can deal with it much more easily and rein myself back to normality (if there is such a thing)
you don’t have to be brave all the time…it is ok to let it all out…
sending a huge hug and keep talking!!!
beth xxxxx
Hi
the gowns up the BC ladies get in my hospital are like tshirts with poppers down the front and across the shoulders. When you lay on the table they just undo the poppers, peel the front down and that’s it. Once it’s all done they just do the poppers up and off you. Psychologically it’s much better than sitting in one of the tie up type gowns.
My BC was found by chance. I was referred after finding a small lump under my left breast which turned out to be nothing at all. During the mammograms for that, they found something on the right breast and after a number of different biopsies and a consultant radiographer who was convinced from the mammogram that it was ‘suspicious’ even though the surgeon thought it was ok, I got my diagnosis and the rest is history as they say.
I do consider myself lucky. Lucky it was found and lucky the consultant persevered. I am 44 so am 6 years too young for screening and in Wales the commitment is to screen ladies within 3 years of reaching their 50th birthday. Potentially I could have been 53 before having my first routine mammogram and my outcome could have been very different. Where my lump was, is very deep and I would never have felt it. Hence while I feel lucky!!!
all our stories are incredible and it makes me want to try and do something in the future to ‘give a bit back’.
Xxx
Beth, my sister’s DCIS was found when she was 48, there are pilot schemes in some areas to start screening at 47. So she was lucky, it was still small and low grade. They offered her a trial to be randomly allocated between lumpectomy or watch and wait, but she chose surgery anyway. I’m wondering how many women would feel comfortable leaving it in and wondering how quickly it is growing. She didn’t have radiotherapy or Tamoxifen, so if it did come back those options are still available.
In my unit, they made me take the gown off altogether and spread it on the bench before treatment so it seems a bit pointless really. But I’ve sometimes had a long wait in a waiting room full of men, so wearing the gown feels a bit exposed. The men are all waiting for the other machine, they’re the prostate crew.
I saw on the other thread you’ve been signed off, I’m glad you’ve got a good long time to recover, those blisters sound really painful. How soon did you start to have problems?
Jak, good luck this afternoon, hope you have a sympathetic oncologist.
Thank you Dizzy,
Where would we be without mamogrammes? Blissful ignorance? Probably not! I keep saying that it seems such a lot of fuss over something so small that wasn’t causing any trouble but the alternatve doesn’t bear thinking about.
Beth - Sorry to hear about blisters I didn’t read that post I hope you are getting better?
Jak x
Hi Ladies,
Feeling much better now I’ve seen oncologist and it looks like rads will be after Christmas. I did get upset when he started talking about GP needing to change my anti-depressants - there’s never a good time to do that. Hopefully it can all be sorted out before I go back to work (he suggested after 6 week rads follow up appointment). So will have planning appointment as soon as they can sort it. Watched with interest how the waiting times for each scanner changed (at 4 o’clockish) some were over an hour delay. I’m going to ask for first appointment of the day then go back to bed!! I have a leaflet that says i will keep my gown for the duration but don’t know if it will be the popper one - hope so.
Jak x
Morning Guys,
Thanks for your replies and understanding.
The whole experience has been really strange because my feelings seem to range from being horrified that I have breast cancer to confidence that the medical people are right and that my prognosis is really good. So I am truly up and down like a yo-yo. When I talk to friends and family I can see a similarly horrified look in their eyes but if I slip into being negative about it they really don’t want to go there so shut me up. Essentially this sèems to be a lonely experience even though I am surrounded by family and friends. Are you all finding that?
Session 5 / 15 this lunch time. The Norfolk & Norwich are really well organised parking is the only real issue.
All my sessions are lunch time so it takes up a big chunk of the day because the round trip is 45 miles plus.
I am trying to carry on as usual, being out and about with a big family Xmas weekend coming up because one of my girls will be in Australia over Xmas. But I am begining to feel I will come to a grinding halt before I finish my treatment. Then there will be tears!
But thank heavens for the NHS and their appreciation of our feelings. They really seem to care.
I’m sending you all strength and love this morning. Have a good day, we are all going to get through this.
Loads of hugs, Gillx
Hi Ladies,
Yes Dizzy a huge weight off my mind - I’ll leave the ice removal to my husband as I leap out of bed and into the car! That’s if I get that time of course. Gilly I know exactly what you mean - I even said to the oncologist I should be feeling happy - but I’m not. His answer (well intentioned) get through the radiotherapy then it’s all over! However I do feel more positive today but still no energy. Christmas cards nearly stamped - will walk to the postbox later when the sun comes out. Tried a bra with a bit more oomph today but it cuts right across my armpit car; so back to crop tops. I have a problem with elastic allergy so have taken to wearing them over a vest - looks lovely!!!
Keep smiling,
Jak x
Hi GillyAnn. I too am having rads at Norfolk and Norwich. Mine start on Tuesday. How did you get appointments at the same time ? Mine are all different times. I wasn’t offered a choice ?! How are you finding the rads. I am thinking parking will be OK in the morning but anything from lunchtime on will be a nightmare so will need to get a lift. I too feel others don’t understand and are saying well once the rads are over you can get on with life again. It will never be the same again and I fear I will live from one yearly mammogram to another in a state of worry. Life has taken on a whole new perspective and I just want to spend time with my children and grandchildren and not work so hard in a tiring full time position. Wish I could afford that. Xx