ihi i had surgery on thursday 18th july to remove two lumps one 4mm one 18mm, they only saw one on the mammogramme but found two when then opened me up, three lymph nodes were removed and when i got my results on friday these were clear. my nurse came and took my final dressings off yesterday and so now am open to the air to aid healing.
im getting worked up about seeing the oncologist on tuesday, my partner cant come cos he works nights and my best friend will come in his place. will this just be a chat to sort it all out im havig to travel to the unit by hospital transport cos of partners work and worried bout this too, what if i feel sick etc. its been a bit of a world wind since i was diagnosed and feel sometimes my partner doesnt want to talk.
work thought id be back tomorrow, im a carer and cant even drive the car yet, my partner hsd a go at me for buying another comfey bra today saying you dont have money coming in do you.
im scared i suppose of the unknown, i hate confined spaces and being alone…
Hi Pendragon
What surgery did you have? I have had WLE in June and SNB on 17th July and am driving again. Are you having radiotherapy if so you are not in a confined space. You just lie on a bed and the machine sort of goes over your head but high up it is not close to your face although yes you are in the room alone it is literally for about 5 minutes if that. They will explain everything to you when you go to your planning session.
Good Luck tomorrow
hi been told ive got at least another week of not driving. had my wle and snb together got bout 6 inch incision .
thank you for info re radiotheraphy, i know im daft getting worked up . im glad my mates coming with me i feel the need for someone else to be there to remember things xx
thanks for good luck too xx
Don’t worry about seeing the oncologist, it will be a chat to find out how much you know about your condition and for them to fill in the blanks. They will advise on the treatment plan they have for you and if needed give you some time to take it in and discuss with your partner. They will probably want or o look at the surgery. The meeting is really for you to ask questions and find out as much or as little info as you need. Make a list of questions you or your partner want answers too. Get your friend to take notes or if you have dictaphone, or phone with recorder you could record the meeting. My oncologist is lovely and sadly going to another post. I was her worst nightmare as I walked into my first meeting telling her I wasn’t doing chemo and drugs. She did not patronise but listened to my concerns and now she can share a joke with me. Your oncologist will become someone you can talk to and rely on x
Pendragon
You are not daft getting worked up it is fear of the unknown that’s all. As Carrie35 says it will just be a chat and they are used to people being nervous and will put you at ease and answer any “silly” questions you have. I had the silliest believe me!!! xx
Hi Pendragon, just want to say that Carrie 35’s dead right in her description of an oncologist’s visit. Mine was lovely, very friendly and chatty and made sure I understood exactly what would happen during my rads. My final visit to see him ( a few weeks after I finished rads) was really quite funny as he had hurt his back and was in a much worse state than me, he even had to ask if I would kindly change the paper cover on the bed for him as he couldn’t bend down to do it himself! Both OH and myself sympathised with him as we’ve both 'tweaked" our backs a few times in the past. As Tolliebelle says it’s scary when you don"t know what’s going to be happening. It’s the rads planning that takes the time as they check and double check their measurements before they do the very tiny tattoos ((tiny black dots about the size of a pinhead, I have 3, 2 in my cleavage and 1 on my side) which they use to position you quickly and accurately each time on the machine. The actual rads sessions themselves are very short. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes including the time to get changed. The room was enormous with the linac machine in the centre, You lie on the bench, the radiographers position you and the machine swings over you on a large arm - you are not enclosed as you are with a scan- after a whirring and buzzing they come back into the room, reposition you, the machine moves to zap you from another angle, more whirring and buzzing then it’s all over. You are only alone for a very short time and the radiographers can see you on a screen and can talk to you so you can tell them if you have a problem. It’s really very doable. Keep posting, ask any questions you like, none will be silly or too trivial and we’ll do our best to support you through this. All the best Pat x
thanks everyone, getting more worked up as the time nears, got taken out for tea this morning by another carer, was nice to be treated lol.
when i was originally diagnosed they said t was only going to be radio now they have thrown chemo into the mix so that i can take a certain kind of tablet. do you have chemo before radio and do i need to start thinking bout my hair, i have gone a lil shorter than usual but nothing too drastic yet. my OH says he loves me not my hair, but tbh its something hes always asked me to keep long, dont really relish the idea of him aking up next to me with no hair. im not vain at all quite the opposite but am scared especially as my job as a carer takes me into peoples homes who are so used to my long hair.
glad you explained the machine trisha_51 i was thinking id go inside something for ages.
gpt to use hospital transport so it will be a long day any ideas what to do with spare time. thanks x
Hi pendragon, I believe most people who have chemo tend to have it before their rads. When you have your rads planning, you will probably go into what looks like a CT scanner ( the one that looks like a doughnut ring) for a short time to help the radiologists plan exactly which area/s need to be treated and so they can position your tattoos accurately. Don’t worry about the tattoos, they are very small black dots (I have 3) which they use each time to get you positioned quickly and accurately on the linac machine. Using hospital transport it will be a long day, perhaps your radiotherapy centre has a Maggies centre or another cancer charity’s centre there or close by you could pop into. I don’t have any experience of chemo but once you know when your chemo start date is you could join one of the ‘chemo monthly’ threads which some of the other ladies on this site set up eg the ladies who started chemo in June this year are called the June Jewels, the ones for May are the May Moonbeams, they offer each other a tremendous amount of help and support. Good luck with your treatment and keep posting Pat x
hi all saw oncologist today and i am going to have chemo one day a week for 12 weeks with no week off, worried that there is something theyre not telling me.
got to check my heart first as i suffer from atrial fibrillation, but ive signed the paperwork already.
having a central line put in so that they dont have to keep locating a vein. does anyone know if there is a group for augst chemo ladies yet please?
also has anyone else had chemo every week with no break, my bc had gone home by the time i got in to see the dr so feel like im trying to take in too much info.
thanks again girls, x
I’m not sure, pendragon, but it sounds as though you’re having a lower dose of chemo weekly rather than the usual dose once every three weeks - possibly because of your heart condition?
There is an Amazing Augusts thread - come and join us! 
thanks annie62, i have joined amazing augusts too, hopefully we can all support each other xx