September 2017 Chemo Starters

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy monthly threads
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Morning ladies - just reading through your posts after a groggy few days. Hope you are all feeling strong for today.

Ali - I feel like that sometimes so it made me feel slightly beter to hear that others do! Glad to hear that your rant was cathartic! Cathysid - hopefully you’re through the worst of it now and coming out the other side? And Mrs Meow, Jow & CK - so hoping your ride on DoozyT works well with no SE. (It was so sad to read about your friend’s bereavement Ck).  Fairydust - hope your bloods are good so that your fecing fec goes ahead today! I actually wish I was still on that one cos I’d just got used to the SE! Good luck for you today too Meesh. Hope it’s totally non eventful! Love to Chaffinch and Rhonaboat too - hope you’re both well and managing.Was hilarious reading about the penguin igloo Geordie - you will be the talk of the town! I know what you mean about compulsive online shopping - steroids are deatoying my already repleted bank balance. I have had boxes delivered that I haven’t even opened yet! Quite exciting really!! For the first time ever, I have done my Christmas shoppping before the week before the big day! We usually go away for Christmas (since I lost my mum & dad a few years back, and I only have my sister & no extended family), but we’ve had to cancel this year so I’m quite apprenehensive about Christmas at home to be honest. Maybe by going ‘all out’ might help me along! Cathy I can’t imagine 26 for Christmas! That’ll be fab!

 

This treatment is so exhausting, mentally and physically. I haven’t tolerated Doxydoodar very well so will probably need to change to the weekly Paxotoxwhatever which I’ll find out when I see the Onc nxt Wed. Hope thse changing chemo manage it well - just when we thought we were getting used to it all!

Jacqui xx

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IHi All

 

Oh CK, I am so sorry about your friends situation. Sounds like you did all you could beforehand, but I understand that the shock of what has occurred will live with you for a while. All our thoughts are with you and if you need to share your feelings on this thread, we are all more than prepared to listen and console you.Good luck with the Dozeydo side effects, hopefully they will be bearable, but shout out if you need us.

 

Ali, we are all here to hear your inner thoughts whenever you need to explode, you and others were other for me when I needed, and we are here for you too. Every shout out for support is followed up by all of our open arms ready to catch you and hold you…till you can stand again…

 

Jow and MrsMeow, hope your Dozydo se`s are bearable…can’t imagine how it feels but will be joining you next month.

 

Hope you are ok Geordie and Chaffinch! Still Christmas lights shopping? I am. Bought 2 white Christmas trees (artificial ones with lights built in, one is fibre optic and only 3 ft for the hallway, the other is 6 ft with warm white lights and for the living area…exciting!

Also got Christmas bags from QVC, just drop the gift into a bag, pull the satin ribbons, tie to a pretty bow, add the gift tag and all done, no sellotape or scissor needed…So easy and hassle free. Thoroughly recommended!!!

 

Had my blood today but at 1.3, wbc still too low just by a teeny tiny bit, so am asked to go to the chemo unit at 9.00am tomorrow for another blood test…don’t know what happens if still too low though, will let you know!

 

Fairydust x

 

 

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Hi Fairydust
Yes, was shocked but I need to listen to my body and step back a bit. She has other support so will be alright. Im so sorry to hear about blood count, lets hope good tomorrow so can continue treatment! We just want it done!!! Manuka honey may help I was told.
I will most defibitely come and rant on here if needed.xxx

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Mrs meow tatyana off an earlier thread told us about udder cream with extra urea from amazon for the sore hands and feet while in the t chemo. Think all the May ladies used it too while in t chemo. Love shi xx

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Thank you e eryone for your vert supportive words - as always.

I have been good today. A bit tired and sickly but made it to Sainsburys for a little shop for half an hour or so.

Fairydust Life Mel honey has been recommended to me for boosting WBC and seems to have done the job as mine were 3.4 and my neuts were 1.6. Hope bloods are ok tomorrow.

Hope everyone is ok with few SE’s

Xxx

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Mrs meow, sorry to hear still having trouble from surgery. I just used Superdrug acqueous cream after surgery and worked really well to keep scar moisturised and supple. My cousin used it during radiotherapy too and recommended it to me which is why I’ve used it from the start. Tatyana is the one to thank for the udder cream, get the one with extra urea in it thats the one tatyana and the May ladies have used while on the t chemo. I’ve already stocked up ready for starting in Dec. Love shi xx

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Hello ladies, it’s been a while but thankful as ever that I found this site and can read your stories…first tax (Love the names for it, I can’t spell it!!) tomorrow. Trying not to focus on the side effects and just hope for the best as there’s not much else you can do. Very weepy at the moment which isn’t like me. Had the PICC removed because I was allergic to the glue, so hope veins will be ok.
Glad you are all hanging on in there despite some very sad and difficult stories xx
Sleep tight all, I’ll be joining many of you on the steroid rush tomorrow…

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Ali I hope you feel better after some sleep. If I need to shout, I go for a drive round the block and turn my music up loud and shout. Sure it looks hilarious if anyone sees me but it really does make me feel better so maybe worth a try for you? Hugs anyway. This really is ? and the Fear is the worst bit. For those worried about the dozytalcstuff, I’m on day 8 of my first lot and I’m back to normal inter-chemoness. Symptoms hit end of day 3, were worst on day 4 and steady recovery each day after that. New and different but manageable still. We are all strong ladies and we can do this together. Thinking of you all tonight and sending positive thoughts xx

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Fairydust I like the sound of your trees and gift bags. I haven’t made any further crazy Christmas purchases as yet but am taking notes… <️

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Georgie thanks so much for giving hope re the dopeytuckcrackers SE being almost gone by day 8 - am glad you have got through so well. And hope Cathysid the up of your Rollercoaster comes your way tomorrow and you feel a bit brighter.
Have had fun buying small gifts to put in my daughter’s luggage for her everest and India trip she is not back till end Jan so am slipping snowy advent calendars and coloring books, henna tattoos etc into her rucksack -I think I will be living each day of her trip through her which will get me away in my head from lying in my bed
Have a good night Chaffinch Fairydust Ali CK Shi Michell and all - I love all the collection of prison code names! Xxx

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Hey Fairydust
Went to sleep at 11.30am after soak in bath and woke up at 2.30am. Now getting tired again so hopefully will be able to zzzzzzz

Still waiting for SE, so lets see whsts in store tomoz.
Lots of love.xx

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Oh Fairy you have brightened my morning with that post!! I never thought i would meet Mr right and was very determined not to just settle for anyone.

My man has just given me tea and toast in bed, got the kids out to school and is also amazing with my mum who has come to live with us! We met at 35 and 36. We were married a year later, welcomed our baby boy 5 months later and twins exactly one year after that!!

We wasted no time, we just knew things were right. And we are still here 15 years on!!

Dont try to understand men - just like they will never fully understand us! We are all complicated beings. But thanks for your post - this chemo does funny things to us and i am so glad you are no l9nger stressing about work and have the time to read funjy books xxx

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Thanks Geordie it is great to know you are coping with tax xxx

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Good luck wit today’s chemo, Michelle, And fairydust, if your white cells say yes.
Hope you are all still on Ck, jo and Ali, Mrs M - despite lack of sleep. Jow, glad your lumpy boob was nothing to worry about. Hoping same news re lung nodules one day.

Geordie - glad you’ve made it out the other side! Enjoy normality while it lasts.
Jacqui- hope you are out the other side now too.

I’m day 8 today and still tired and not clear headed, but slowly improving. I had a bit of a disasterous day yesterday though. I decided I was well enough to do some batch cooking for my good friend who is now being given palliative care for leukaemia(she’s only 42 and has a 5yr old and 4month old daughter too sad to imagine, there is no more treatment they can offer her).Turns out I can’t multitask, or even cook for that matter, post chemo. I had to throw away a pie that was irretrievable, and made such a confused mess of the kitchen that it really was rather stressful. In the end I produced a roasted veg lasagne and a new recipe “cauliflower cheese pasta bake” hmmmmm. Oh well, I tried. Now just have to find someone to take the food over to Sheffield as I certainly can’t drive!

I also made a schoolboy error online shopping on steroids. Turns out I bought the kids presents from a sham website. No presents have arrived and my money has been taken. It’s not a mistake I would ever usually make - I just feel like this chemo has robbed me of not only my physical health but my mental faculties too. Had a bit of a cry yesterday and feel like I’m useless! I can’t think straight or concentrate. My poor partner has to do all the work at the moment, shopping, cooking, kid entertaining, and I just create work and worry.
Fed up day today, Cath x

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Oh Cathysid! “What are you doing trying to look after other people when you need looking after yourself?” I say that in quotations as that’s exactly what everyone keeps saying to me ?. It is so hard to not do anything isn’t it, especially when we think we can help our friends or family. My husband keeps telling me off like a child when I try to do anything. It’s very frustrating as I know he’s right but can’t bear the thought of not being me by looking after everyone else! I’m currently trying to bake a ‘healthy’ cake (Davina’s spelt Victoria sponge - yum) for a friend who is also having a rough time and you should see the amount of mess ups I’ve made. The mental SEs are so much harder than the physical ones for me. I’ve always been so switched on and my brain has turned to mush during treatment. My mum keeps going on about my hair loss and how I’ll always be beautiful bla bla bla while I don’t give a monkeys about that and just want my brain to work normally again. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, you’re not on your own with this and we get it… sending hugs xx

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Sounds like quite a day. I had a cooking day st a similar stage after chemo 1 and also discovered that my willingness was ahead of my ability! So frustrating. What a sad situation with your friend. I really feel for anyone going through this with young children, thankfully my youngest started uni a couple of weeks before my treatment started. It’s do sad to hear about little ones who face losing a parent. Makes me very thankful for my life, blessing counting doesn’t come easily right now but I do try.
I hope that you have a much calmer day today xx

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Thanks. I will try and relax today - trying to report the bogus website and being conned is proving to be very frustrating. Think I just need to let it go! Yourvsypportive messages mean a lot ?xxx

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Oh cathysid it seemsxwe are all havinf weepy and frustrating days this week.

I understand your online dilemma as i have done the same. Ordered 2 designer tshirts for my daughter. Supposed to be £56 for both. They took £73 then when it came out of my bank £84!! The website became inaccessible as soon as I had paid. Then 2 dishrags, nothing like i ordered arrived from china. Worth no more than £1 each!! I payed by debit card so trying to get my money back through the banks retail disputes dept. Fuming at myself but it is total fraud!

Hope you feel better xxx

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Good morning ladies
I can see now our posts are very similar! We are jelping others when we need suppirt ourselves and we really do need to concentrate on ME!!! Ive always wondered whether extra stress does trigger things off yet how do we avoid everyday people and life? We cannot live in a bubble. I just find when I hear bad news or see an argument etc my heart beats faster and then I need to do breathing exercises.
I aslso get etchy when people say stupid things to me, which I posted under a different thread!
This week it was ’ Has Chemo stunted your growth?’ from a stupid idiotic woman ’ Then to say’ Its great to see someone smaller than me!’ Omg, I said ’ Can you say something nice??’ She was a customer but clearly putting me down or simply no fecking sense!!!

Yesterday I had a toffee apple and I have a sore at rhe corner of my mouth, so I cut the apple up! My cousin said’ That defeats the object!’ So I replied, well would you rather my sore open up again for the sake of biting into it?’ Although shes got a heart of gold my cuz does say some of the most stupid things sometimes!

Then the woman at the cancer care centre telling me to take my hat off Erm, I would if I could but I wasnt confident at the time. She was a volunteer and you would expect her to know that there is a reason I am wearing a hat!!!

I got a call on my mobile from a call centre and they said ‘I hear you have had a car accident’ Im sorry but in the past I just put the phone down and blkcked but this time I said ‘No, but you will be soon if thats how you try to geberate business’ I know shes trained to say that by her boss, but then they should learn to use another opening line!!!

But, I have also found that by mentioning my condition it has helped me in certain situations e.g Vodafone rang me to say I have subscribed for something and gone over. I havent and I dont so I asked him to look at my history and also tjis happened at my diagnosis so I may have pressed on something…he got it all credited! I just tell people Im chemo brsined and they do sympatjise…but its true! Appatently this Docetaxol can give you loss of memory for a shjrt while but I also think its because our minds have been taken over by thhs BC and treatment.

I have a MacMillan book ’ Talking with someone who has cancet’ Even though Im the patient it might make me a bit more tolerant and patient, how I was before all of this!!!

Whether it be mum, man, friends, customers, family, they will all say things without meaning any harm but it really rubs me up and then we have to react without trying to being too harsh on them! Its difficult!

Cathysid, regards the mistake, similar to my vodafone one but we are chemo dazed, what can we do? Persevere my love, 2 more to go.xx

Shi, diprobase ointment emollient has done wonders for my scars and the GP will give you a large tub which you can rub all over your body like a moisturise…and you get it on prescription.x

Fairydust
What a good man! Just be you! I only dsacked mine because he was too weak for me and decided he had depression so I need to be aeay from that. Hope bloods ok today for treatment.xx

Michelle
Get them tears out and I think you are right, stip waiting for the SEs! Try to carry on but right now I do need to rest. 3 nigjts of crsppy sleep from steroids.xx

Chas n Dave
Too right, we do need our own space and people should understand this, especially immediate family. We need to deal with this in our own way, nobody elses! The longer my journey, the more harder and selfish I have become.xx

Jow
How are you? Ive had first GCSF inj for tjis cycle and then stsrted Herceptin on Tuesday. Along with bloids I think we all have pur fair shsir of needles, not forgetting cannula! I went shopping yesterday but realised I had notjing to buy. Usually Id be out Christmas shopping and clothes shopping but really not feeling it, just a few cards. My last chemo will be on the 19th December, so will be shattered but that will be the only prezzie I want this year andthen 4 werks til op.xx

Chaffinch
Even though its difficult, we do need to be grateful that we can be mended and count our blessings that its been found. It will now be at the back of our minds forever but its here, so we must do our best to deal with it and find ways to make our lives as smooth and easy as possible…and ME time.xx

Ali
How are you today apart from getting pampered?
I woke up at 2.30am from 11pm am then went to sleep at 6am to 9.30am. Now chilling with TV watching GP behind closed doors…of all TV!!!xx

Mrs Meow
Wow, Everest! Amazing! I always admire those who do tjis! I never had that kind of courage! Bot of a wuss! Prison names sounds about right! I feel I am at the moment as confined to what I usually do! For someone who is on the go all of the time it really is a change…but Im kind of enjoyng it and have an excuse for saying no!!!xx

Right ladies, time to take injection out of the fridge!
Have Aunt Sally cheeks but temp ok! Just ordered 10kg of Epsom Salts off Amazon £11.99, will arrive in 4 days but still have my 1kg Magnesia flakes at £10???(was in need) to use up. I reckon I will have a soak every day to ease the aches and pains from injections and Docetaxel! Can feel aches in legs already! Then Im going to do some Chi Gung breathing exercises and hopefully nap afterwards.

Lots of huggs.xxx

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Fairydust
There was a website where it said whst to eat to maybe boost cells. I wrote all down but cant remember where I put it. Try googling. Nothing put of the ordinary which we can eat everyday.x