Bibi, yes, get those appointments moved if you can. I was advised not to use aloe vera due to the drying effect and just using diprobase cream which seems to be working well at the present time. Not quite knowing what is causing the redness must be a concern, I hope you’re taking your temperature if it may be an infection. My fingers and toes are still crossed for you.
Maggie, lovely to hear from you and by the sounds of it you’re off to a sunny holiday soon…
DamselGreen, I can understand your concern regarding the sun, I remember desperately wanting to get away for a couple of days with a friend and then the heat wave arrived and I didn’t go in the end as I thought I’d be consumed with worry about the sun. After chemo my skin feels like plastic.
How is everyone coping with the sun? I really struggled with the heat waves, I have learnt that chemo can affect the sweat glands and when I am sweating my skin goes prickly.
Wombat woo - you okay?
It is Friday, I have a 2.15pm appointment, a friend is taking me in today and hopefully we will do something nice before or after. Physically I seem to be doing okay at the present time, emotionally I am having a few wobbles.
Anxious sole I am doing ok - just having SEs that I dont know if they are from the Rads or the Anastrozole… I am hoping that this weekend may make it all a little clearer
All nail biting stuff in that final episode - never guessed the bent copper once - and a great twist at the end. I did have to keep going over it and checking I had understood the whole thing about 10 times with hubby to check I had all the threads correct - good stuff - certainly distracted me from the week ahead.
Pearly start tomorrow- good luck to everyone for this week x
I didn’t stay awake to watch the bodyguard, crashed at 8pm, catching up on iplayer - excited.
To distract myself over the weekend I was binge watching Keeping Faith on iplayer, really enjoying this.
I have two appointments today, physiotherapy followed by rads - I am guessing I will be shown different arm exercises to do.
On Friday during rads the staff were playing a Fleetwood Mac CD. I caught myself singing over the weekend to one of their songs…For me, a good moment if you know what I mean.
Maggie, how are you feeling after ringing those bells?
All the the best to those heading into treatment. X
Morning Anxious Soul- know what you mean about tiredness - early starts this week are good in one way as it gets it over for the day but am not used to them - it was chilly this morning- ice on the windscreen - but at least the sun is shining now - a spot of gardening I think this afternoon ???
Maggie good to hear you have some energy back and I hope you have a fabulous holiday - you deserve it after all this.
Green Damsel I agree it would be lovely to go for a swim but advice I think is not - can’t wait to go again - will probably wait for a couple of weeks after end of rads until sure the skin is OK. Walking up a hill is also something I am looking forward to - walking up a slight incline raises my heart rate and makes me a bit breathless - think it might be the drugs rather than rads but again going to keep walking and will discuss with my oncologist when I see him in October.
I had a lovely afternoon in garden sorting out plants. I also became a student again last night for the first time in a long time - signed up for a Photography course at local college - had a great camera for my birthday last year and was going to do this course earlier in year but with chemo didn’t think I was up to it - so I’m quite excited to be learning and feel like it’s a step to getting my life back.
Hi everyone my first radiotherapy session is tomorrow.
I’ve had a lovely laughter filled weekend away with my mother and 3 sisters but since getting back last night the reality of everything has hit me quite hard, I’ve spent a lot of today crying, I’m really trying not to be negative about everything but I think I’m just fed up of putting on a brave face for everyone. When anyone asks how I am the only answer I give is ‘I’m ok’ or ‘I’m fine’ because it’s hard to explain how I’m actually feeling especially when they all say how well I’m looking.
I’m making myself so anxious about it all but I am sure once the first session is over I will be a lot better.
Thanks for listening ladies Sue x
Hi Sue. You are allowed to feel like that - I believe we all put on the brave face too often and forget ourselves.
Rads is a lot easier than I thought - in that all the radiographers are great, very caring and understanding… once the first one is over you will know what to expect. Expectation is often much worse than reality.
My main hints are to drink a lot of water and moisturise really well
Good luck, allow yourself to have bad days, then put your big girl knickers on and go knock the rads sessions off your calendar ? and if you feel like screaming afterwards come let it all out on here. ??. Wombat x
Ah Sue as others say you are allowed to feel like that - it’s the waiting every time that is hard - waiting for chemo, waiting for surgery, waiting for results, waiting for radiotherapy- once you have done the first one you will be able to cope better. The physical aspect of radiotherapy is much easier to bear than chemo for sure but it’s still mentally tough. I have done 7/20 and have been feeling fine but have just sat down and had a good cry and I don’t know why - it’s hard keeping going at times but hopefully you have the support of your family - and just tell them when you feel rubbish don’t always be ‘fine’ if you are not feeling it.
Having said all that I agree drink plenty, moisturise and get fresh air every day - that’s what has helped me. Good luck Sue xx
Thanks ladies I have a bad habit of over thinking things and today has been one of my worst days since being diagnosed in June and I let everything get to me but tomorrow is another day and I know I can do this, this forum is such a good help to me I don’t comment much but I read everything and you are all so inspiring xx
First session done this afternoon I found myself feeling really emotional it was hard keeping everything together, I felt so vulnerable on the table but I’m sure this will get easier once the first few are done.
This week has been my hardest week so far and it’s taken me by surprise I wasn’t expecting to feel like this.
My daughter and my 8 month old grandson are coming with me tomorrow so I’m hoping he will be a lovely distraction from it all.
1/15
Sue - well done for getting through that first sesssion- I felt something similar on my first session- it was like a fresh realisation that it was really happening to me just like when I was first diagnosed. I am on my halfway point tomorrow 10/20 and it does get easier - in fact it’s quite boring after a while. Good luck with the rest of your sessions.
Swimmer you are having a tough time - sorry to hear about your dad that is a hard loss to cope with as well as getting to rads everyday- look after yourself and let your family look after you.
Only one more day this week - looking forward to a lie in on Saturday- got 3 appointments at 2 different hospitals tomorrow ? so wish me luck on the traffic.
- but at least the sun is shining now - a spot of gardening I think this afternoon ???