I still have lashes and brows too! I hate my wig! its lovely and looks ok on, but it feels like a dead dog on my head! I’m perfecting the bandana look! totally commando at home though. …family used to it now. Looking forward to scaring the local kids when they come trick or treating at the end of the month!
gutted that I’ve just mastered Fec and next cycle I t all changes again! dreading docetaxol. also getting herceptin and pertuzumab so brand new cocktail. and bingo card!
hope you have a chilled day. symptom free ish.good luck to everybody else who’s having chemon this week too.
hugs galore, Jacqui xxxx
wig tape! ??? really? ?
arent there adjustable straps on the wig itself so u can adjust it? mine has them. But must admit it feels like a vice round my skull! (hence dead dog feel!) xx
Ha ha - I described my wig as a dead cat! I’m finally getting used to it though. Easier to cope in this cooler weather. Mine has rubbery stuff around the edge so if I maoisturise my scalp it seems to stick! I stick a hat on top to go outdoors if it’s very windy. Marks and spencer have some lovely winter hats with peaks this season. Great for sheltering the eyebrow and eyeliner make up from the rain if it’s showery!
I too had very little sleep last night - about 4 hours and was up at 5.30am on a steroid buzz. I literally have made a 2 year career plan, a soy sage and bean caserole, walked the dogs, sorted my emails and messages …and all before school drop off at 8.30am!!!
I have a whole week of steroids this time on a tapered dose, to try and help the nausea(apparently caused by the carboplatin) and hangover. Hope I can sleep though. Also I’m trying some new anti nausea - swapped emend for the newest version that’s even stronger and trying cyclizine instead of ondansetron. Bit scared as now I don’t know what to expect!!!
Jacqui, hope your side effects are ok this round. Keep us posted. Did you try taking your afternoon steroid at 2 or 3 pm as this can help(I took mine at 6pm yesterday which was definitely a bad move sleep wise!).
Mrs meow, I haven’t had my flu jab yet. Having it before my next cycle. The nurse told me that as it s an inactivated vaccine there should be no side effects. I’m not sure I believe her!
Well, I’m almost enjoying my chemo day - I bring pillows, snacks - peppered cashews and mango chunks today, drinks - fizzy mineral water, salad for lunch, iPad to watch “liar” on catch up itv, phone to catch up on here, and a book. I love having all this “me time” as with 2 small kids, a full time job, and an insistence on home cooking I’ve never had me time before!
Ali, jow, chaffinch, Sue, Ck, fairy - how you are all ok, and everyone else I’ve forgotten to name,
Cathy x
Glad that you seem to be ok this time but not good if you can’t sleep. I need to get steroids and anti nausea tweaked next time too. I hated the wired but nauseous feeling that I had for the first few days this time and the insomnia. I will have to accept it on the first night because my treatment is late afternoon again.
Evening Ladies
Getting in a pickle with my posts - have posted on the October thread but should probably be here. Apologies to anyone who’s already read it over there. (Possibly chemo brain but no doubt just my normal f*ckwittage.) Anyway, here’s quick update on my 2nd chemo sesh. Couldn’t post yesterday as I went out for dinner after my treatment (yeah, getting a bit cocky now!! ?)
As with last time the actual treatment day was somewhat eventful. I had a trainee chemo nurse putting my cannula in, unfortunately she made a bit of a bodge of her first attempt and I nearly passed out!! And cos she’d hurt the first vein she then had to inject the epirubicin (the scary, potentially flesh burning red drug) manually with a big plastic syringe which was pretty uncomfortable too. Not convinced she totally knew what she was doing. When I almost fainted she tried to take my blood pressure on my leg but that didn’t seem to work either. I suspect she’s actually a trainee at Argos but somehow ended up at Clatterbridge…
The magnificent news for anyone in the Cold Cap Club is that this time the cap was a much less harrowing ordeal. I think my electric throw really helped and I’d upped my painkillers from paracetamol to cocodamol.
Unbelievable really that it wasn’t as bad because due to all the faffing about with my newby nurse I must’ve had it on for 4 and three quarter hours!!! ? I better not lose one single strand this cycle!!!
Today, very little to report. Feel totally normal - not even my rosy cheeks this time. The only low point was having to attend a meeting with a new client and explain that I don’t usually pitch up at meetings looking like I’m sleeping in the woods. I’m just glad that during my last oncologist appointment she announced that my lump had shrunk by half a centimetre or I’d honestly question whether the chemo was working!!
Anyway, Hope you’re all good.
Cherry Bakewell xx
Cherry you are doing amazingly well!! I have been ok today and went for a lovely walk 8n the sunshine and a nice lunch with my friend. I even remember to put sun lotion on!!
I noticed this morning that my hairy legs are no longer hairy and my hair has definitely started shedding. I had a little cry with my mum this afternoon!! Anyway i have pulled myself together and said to my kids that we are going to think it can go now, in the Autumn, with the leaves and come back in Spring with the flowers!! As l9ng as it doesnt come back like grass!
Hope evetyone gets a good nights sleep xxx
Cherry you really cheer me up! The slapoed chicken is sticking in my mind!! When all this is over i think we have to do a series! You can be the mad viking and i can be the quiet scouser!! Not quite the Liver Birds so we’ll have to think of a title!! You are doing fantastically well Chick xxx
Cherry, add the silk headscarf and definitely Mrs Slocombe!!
ha ha ha Cherry you really make me laugh! There’s nothing wrong with mixing references to slapped chickens with analogies of hair and leaves. In fact it makes it better beautiful poetic analogies and humour what more do we need to deal with all of this! I’ve just finished my morning yoga and meditation and am now uplifted by humour can’t think of a better start to my day! Feels like it’ll be a good one even if it is Friday 13th!
I seem to have a realky good day then I’m shattered the next day! I have a cold and cough and feel achey and tired this morning. I wonder how i am going to get through 7 lots of chemo if this is all after 1. I am day 17 and my 2nd chemo is next Wednesday! Does anyone else feel like this pr is it just me xx
I hope that this is just a blip for you Ali, you have been through the mill this cycle. Give yourself a break you have been exposed to quite a few bugs so next time will be better x
I’m really looking forward to watching your chemo sitcom sounds great. My husbands family all live up your way so I have a great appreciation of the humour and I just love the expression ‘chick’ his cousin calls everyone chick and I think it’s lovely. Although ?’S slapped chicken has somewhat put other images in place! Where my family all hail from everyone is called duck.
Well done fairydust! Now de stress, rest, and look after yourself.
Welcome cherry - humour always brightens up the day! Defo slapped chickens all round.
Ali - I always feel like I can’t do another chemo while I’m in the middle of side effects, but once they start to lift I find my strength and optimism again. I’m sure you will too. Plus no two rounds are the same with side effect bingo! Hoping for an easier one for you next time.
Hope it’s gone well for you today, Meesh.
Lots of love and healing vibes xxx
Hi cathysid, I normally post on October forum as I’m an October starter (day10 after first chemo), but I pop over to this one to see how you’re all doing because you’re all ahead of me. I’d like to say a big thank you to all you ladies on the September forum for sharing your experiences and thoughts. It really has helped me enormously through my first cycle.
One question, what do people do with their wigs when they’re not wearing them? I collected mine today and its sitting on the table next to the sofa, like some new curly pet. I’m finding it a bit weird and I don’t know what to do with it!
Hi Fairydust am feeling for you today as it is so emotional stopping work - but you have come to the decision under your control when it was right for you so now you can listen totally to what your body is telling you it needs and be good to yourself
Meesh the hairdresser that sorted my wig sold me a frame for a fiver - it folds flat when traveling but then clips into a sort of head shape and is handy to pop the hair on when not using it - I am a bit funny about handling it so am happy it has a place to be when I am going wooden top. My wig tape arrived today so when I sort where to stick it I will be more confident that if anybody cuddles me they won’t knock my block off - I found looking at the top shelf in the shops made it start falling off the back of my head!
I still have some candy floss bits and a weird Donald trump comb over bit but round 3 next week will probably sort that - has anybody lost eyebrows yet? Mine are still hanging on though this doesn’t stop me looking like a pink roll on deodorant when I have a white sleep cap on in bed haha
Well done Fairy! You will feel relieved and less stressed now hopefully. Have a rest and hope you feel better.
I feel miles better tonight. Losing lots of hair but will just let it go gradually for now.
Hope todays starters get some sleep xx
Hi ladies, good to see you all! Ive just been very busy making use of my ‘good weeks’!
Cathysid
Good to see you have been away and coping and treating chemo as ‘you time’ I totally understand this! Today I signed up for Beechwood Cancer Care Centre today, do you know about this place?
Its an 8 week course and each time we have a one to one for 45 mins, a 45 mins therapy, lunch and then time to meet others in the group. All complimentary!
Fairydust
Sorry to hear youve been sick and tired. Didnt you have Amend? If not let them know how ill youve been and they will give to you. Hope you pick up soon.xx
Ali
Hope you get yourself back on track for next chemo and good to see you are back home.x
Chaffinch
I were born and bred in fishy Fleetwood and we say Alright luv! Ta chuck!x
Mrs Meow
Make sure you dont stick on whats remaining of hair as could be quire painful when taking off! Haha, looking at top shelf falling off reminds me of a clowns head with hair just at the back and bare at front. Just need a red nose.x
Anyway lately Ive had A colposcopy as smear result was positve and not yet received results! Also had my ECG and Echocardiogram b4 chemo 3 next Tuesday and also to see if can start Herceptin.
On Sunday I have 120 coming to my charity night for Prevent Breast Cancer which has kept me busy.
Its realky strange as Im panicking yet I never used to after all these years of holding these events! BC and chemo really does change you and I feel as if Im less confident and not as much energy and as bubbly as before.
Im worried I will cry in front of them all.
Anyway, sleep now. Lots of love.xxx
Hello everyone
Inspired by the chemomooners, we are off to north Devon for a night tonight in a rural pub with rooms. It’s not quite Cae Mabon Cathy (looks amazing by the way), and I have literally a box full of drugs and chemo aids to take, but am looking forward to getting away.
I’m also an antibiotics at the moment for my chest as still coughing and oncologist keen to ensure I’m as well as possible before next hit on Wednesday. There was also some concern about my multiple lung nodules seen on my staging CT in July which apparently had disappeared on the recent CT I had for my PE which worried me as if chemo had zapped them potentially they could have been secondaries, The scans have just been reviewed by a third radiologist who says they are still there and unchanged which is good news- hope she is right and the other two radiologists are wrong! Need another CT in March. I’ve also been referred for ovarian removal- is anyone else getting this?
CK I can’t believe you are organising an event for 120 people! I would definitely not feel able to do that at this point in my life. Yesterday I went to a Grayson Perry exhibition and to our TED group in the evening- that is my most ambitious day so far since before my mastectomy. Anyway, I am in awe and slightly confused- have you been running such events even before your diagnosis? I’ve similarly been a participant in the Breakthrough Geberations study which is exploring risk factors for BC for the last 10 plus years. Maybe knowing a fair bit about the risk factors for BC gave me a false sense of security- I should have been at significantly lower risk than other women my age. I didn’t anticipate being diagnosed with a large and aggressive tumour in my 40s… My fears of outliving all my friends and being alone at age 105 were clearly unfounded!
Im still waking up early (5.30 am) even without the steroids. Annoying but at least it gives me a little time to myself. Theoretically I should have a lot more time but I seem to fill it with seeing friends. I’m not sure if that’s always a good thing- I probably need a bit of space to re evaluate a few things in my life whilst I have this ‘BC gap year’ .
Will stop waffling on now - can hear kids fighting!
Jo x
Morning lovelies!!!
Sorry to hear you’ve been feeling so rough Fairydust but very well done for sorting your work situation out. Glad that your manager took it well - but jeez, you’ve got cancer, he’d have to be a complete sh*t to kick off about it!!
Mrs Meow - still chortling at your pink roll on deodorant description!!! CK, if this is you not bubbly and full of energy and confidence then I’m not sure we’d have been able for your pre-chemo self!!! I know that Sunday will go brilliantly for you - and if you can’t have a little cry at your own breast cancer event then there’s no justice in the world!!! It’ll just have them digging deeper into their wallets!! Haaaa xx Jo, have a lovely, relaxing time in Devon. Love it down there, beautiful part of the UK.
Would like to respond to everyone with a personal comment but don’t want to be hogging the thread, particularly as I feel a bit of a fraud posting on here anyway with my pretty side effect free cycles. I want to feel part of the gang but don’t want to come across as smug to anyone really going through the mill. On the other hand my actual treatment days do tend be my very own personalised version of hell each time. So maybe I’ve earned my place. Ha!!
? Bakewell xx
Morning Jow (Jo)
Have a lovely time away! I havent had chance to go away as my 81 year mum staying until Tuesday and have my 3rd cycle that day too so then I may see what and who can go away. If not I’m quite content visiting people at the various Cancer Centres I’ve joined and having treatments they offer, then going into work at weekends. Time seems to pass so quickly when we have rhese cycles as I make use of my 2 ‘good weeks’ ! For 2 cycles I was quiet tired and had funny taste buds!
Regarding the event, I have run a restaurant for 18 years and we have become veey well known in the area for our continuous local fundraising and community spirit! B4 my diagnosis, when I reached 50 last year I decided to take on a business partner which has just gone ahead (good timing) I need to step back now and put myself first after many years of just working hard for my daughters future and paying off debts my ex left me and helping so many people around me.
We have just reached our 18th anniversary and every year whether it be my birthday or work anniversary I put on a party and raise for a worthy cause. This year being Prevent Breast Cancer (see my post) like last year as its that time of year!
I have just used fb and contacts to invite people and on the night there will be people to host it.
Most coming know my situation so I can talk freely about it and it doesnt upset me!
I have been given a chance to get mended which I’m grateful for but the main thing it has made me reflect on my life (like you)and I need to slow down which I have done.
I hope the antibiotics get you sorted for next cycle and your team can get it right! Its difficult enough without extra confusion but make sure you ask if you dont understand!
I wake up at 7.30am every morning but I sleep between 12-1am! If I sleep earlier I wake up in rhe middle of the night, have a snack rhen go back to sleep.
I have a nap before I go to work.
Have a good weekend. Im going ro be busy.xxx
Good luck with your event CK, I couldn’t even imagine taking on something like that at this point!
Jencat, I’ve got a silk pillowcase I bought a couple of years back as someone told me they’re supposed to be better and help reduce wrinkles. I used it for a while didn’t notice any difference so put it away. Anyway, I’ve dug it out and using it again now. I got mine on Amazon I think, it was about £20