Hi,
Does anyone live in the Staffordshire area?
Any support groups?
Mel
x
Melissa,Hi,
Used to livein Staffs - Wheaton Aston . Now live in Shrops - Shifnal - any good?
JaneyB
I live near stafford I just wondered if anyone knew of any support groups in the area?
thanks
mel
x
Hi Mel,
I live in Telford, Shrops. Not Stafford I know but not a million miles away. We have support groups the both The Princess Royal and The Royal Shrewsbury. I go to the one at PRH. I’m sure that there will be a support group at one of your local hospitals, perhaps you could check out their websites or ask your bc nurse?
Kelly
-x-
Hi All
I thought you may find of interest our telephone support group, they are an opportunity to get together once a week to talk with people who’ve been there. Linked together by phone in comfortable surroundings, you can express your feelings and discuss the practical and emotional impact of living with breast cancer. The groups will be particularly useful for you if you feel isolated.
Telephone support groups available:
Primary breast cancer
Secondary breast cancer
Younger women
for more information call Breast Cancer Care telephone 0808 800 6000 or see link breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=2387
Kind Regards
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Mel
Live on Staffs leicester boarder - have been treated at Burton on Trent Hospital. Have seen flyers for burton support group at the breast care unit - was thinking of going, but havent yet. Just out of hospital for mastectomy.
Anywhere near you etc. ?
Jane
I live right behind the hospital in stafford lol…has come in handy. Now travelling up to stoke to have rads done.
There are flyers in the breast care unit…but never really paid enough attention to walls.
Hi Mel
I live near to Stafford, Ive met up with a few ladies on this site who all live in the staffs area and we have formed our own little support group. We go out once a month for a bite to eat and a chat, infact we have become really good friends… we have all had experience of SGH and stoke hospitals so feel free to ask any questions you might want answering.
We have also attended the support group advertised in SGH - its called butterflies but we all agreed that it wasnt really for us. We are of the age range of 32 - 44… so we all feel we connect alot better doing our own thing as we did find that there are a lot of older ladies that attend that group - no offence to anyone who is older and reading this but we all just clicked as we were around the same ages…and seem to have lots in common… i dont know if the support group may have changed now as it was while since we attended.
i’m sure the others will be along to say hello shortly…
you dont say what stage of treatment you are at?
take care
jakki
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Hi Jakki
I have invasive grade 2/3 invasive BC that is 8 - 10cm in size. I am at present in my secound week cycle of Fec & taxaotere (1 down 5 to go) next chemo on the 30th Aug. (thankfully SGH have offered me home Chemo)(I have gratefully accepted) after chemo surgery tten possibly more chemo then rads.
I am 34yrs old with 2 kids (boy 9 - girl 7) & a loving husbad who is my rock & soul mate…
As you say a lot of groups are for the older generation(no offence they are very supportive and friendly) but sometimes it is nice to talk to others your age.
I live in Cannock.
TC
Mel
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Hi Mel
I’m 33, ive also had the chemo’s you have had… hope you are finding them not too bad… I had my Herceptin at home with the healthcare at home service, and it was great to be able to relax in the comfort of my own surroundings… Is your Surgeon Mr Gendy?
I also had rads ( went to stoke for those), think you will have the choice of stoke or new cross with you being in Cannock. Anyway… feel free to chat away to any of us… we are a friendly bunch here to help if you need us… i know how isolating it can be when you are first diagnosed and seem to be the youngest in the breast unit/chemo unit…
How are you coping having 2 young children? I dont have any but some of the other girls on here who i talk to do so i’m sure they will be able to offer you some advice if need be…
Take care
Jakki
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Hi Jakki!
I have Mr Scoble! first impressions - I really like him.
As for the kids they are great when I need a rest tey will leave me alone. they have not changed they are still like tom & jerry! luckily I have a some great friends! My mum & dad and younger sister are moving to spain but not till January (so I have their support) y older sister & her family moved to new zealand on the same day as my first Chemo. that day was the hardest so far!
I seem to have lots of energy (at the mo) in the mornings so I try to do loads with them. but by the late afternoon its time to settle and they are understandinjg that…
I hope you are ok? I was that as you get further into the chemo cycle things get worse - is this true? Dreading loosig my hair when should I expect this? know its early days but what are the rads like? have you had the op?
soz to ask so many questions I think that I am just trying to prepare myself as best I can…
Take Care
Mel
X
Hi Mel
Mr scoble is your oncologist, i dont know him but know other ladies that have him. The energy you have in the mornings are probably down to the steriods they probably have you on for anti sickness… Its normal to feel tired in the afternoons, thats when i get tired too, you just have to listen your body and rest. Everyone is differnet with regards to how they handle treatment… you probably will find that the more chemo cycles you have the more tired you will get… it does take its toll on you… as it builds up in your system. I know i felt very tired the more i had. I’d say let others do things to help when they offer an rest as much as you can when you feel you need it. I found taxotere a toughie but its supposed to be one of the hardest chemos to have which will give the cancer a good blasting… I was dreading losing my hair and i wont lie, when it did start to come out, i cried, i knew it was going to happen but i think at that point when it does happen, you sort of think you have lost control of things. I had shoulder length hair and i wish i would of got mine cut shorter before, to soften the blow… however once it did start to fall out, i got my friend to buzz it all off, it wasn’t half as bad i thought it would be or look… we actually had a laugh whilst doing it… i got used to it pretty quick, it was actually a huge relief for it to be gone… remember the quicker it falls out… the faster it will grow back… i lost my hair about 3 weeks after my first cycle of chemo… it didnt just all fall out by the way… it just starting moulting heavily and i didnt lose it all… have the hospital offered you a wig?
Rads are a doddle compared to chemo… you will hear that from many of us… you dont have to do anything apart from lie there and have a machine move over you for so many seconds… the worst part really is when you go for planning as you have to lie there really still for a while - i get fed up easily… you have to be careful you dont get sore but they give you cream to combat that… anyway… dont worry about rads just yet… take one step at a time…
I have had my op, it was done by mr gendy, he did a partial mastectomy and ld recon, he made a very good job.
Sorry to hear your family are moving away but it will be a great place for you to go and recoup after all of this eh? You will be able to just hop on a plane over to spain when you fancy it… that has to be a plus point…
Anyway… dont worry about asking questions, i was exactly the same when i was diagnosed… there’s lots of us girls on here to answer your questions so you have come to the right place.
Take care
Jakki
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Hi
I was first diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago. My first operation was a lumpectomy, followed by 6 weeks of radiotherapy. After a year and a half it returned, so I had a mastectomy followed by 4 sessions of chemo.
To add to the trauma, I had an operation on my stomach between the lumpectomy and mastectomy and since had spinal surgery to remove part of a disc which was causing sciatica. I have also had reconstruction which is healing nicely, despite some initial complications.
I am hoping that my visits to hospital have now ended, as the past 4 years have been somewhat traumatic.
My husband is “the best” and has supported and stood by me 100 percent of the way. He’s been my rock!
I am now 42 years old, and perhaps the most difficult thing for me is finding someone of a similar age to talk with.
I have been reading the forums ever since I was first diagnosed, but never registered until today. I live near Stafford, so it would be nice to hear from anyone, especially in the Stafford area.
Deb
Hi Debs
I am realy sorry that you have had such a traumatic time & pray that your trips to the hospital are over!
I am also pleased that you to have a “rock”…
I have not met anyone within my area (Cannock) of similar age and I do find it hard but after finding this site and able to ask questions and talk to others of similar age and experience I am able to feel a little prepared for what I to expect ahead.
I have already got it into my head that after my chemo I want a full double masectomy & reconstruction as I do not want the risk of it coming back (that thought horrifies me) but my hubby cant except this he thinks that I may be having an operation that I may not need! I cant get him to understand that having this horrible disease once is bad enough but if it came back further down the line in the other breast & I have to go through this all angain I dont think I could cope or put that burden on my family! am I being paranoid or selfish…
I am glad you finally joined the forums as there are some great gals on here!
perhaps we should set up our own coffee mornings open to all…
tc
Mel
xxx
Hi Deb and Mel,
I’m one of the ladies!! in the group Jakki’s talking about. It’s took me a while to find this thread. Mel I live in the same area as you and Deb I am a similiar age to you just a couple of years older (actually nearly 4)! I would pm you both but still not sure how private this message service is. Plus I’m not to good getting around this site now it’s been changed but with a little more effort I’m sure I can suss it out.
Like Jakki said we are good friends now. I remember feeling really isolated I knew there were others out there but how to make contact?
Mel it will be hard work getting through the chemo and having young children to care for so accept any offer of help. You won’t be thinking it now but when you look back after chemo you will realise that it seems to pass by quite quickly.
Deb sounds like you’ve been through the mill a bit! I was diagnosed 3 years ago. Are you also treated at Stafford general? You never know we may have sat in the waiting room together.
I am on the bcpals site with the same user name, you can both pm me there it seems easier to use. If you want to pm me through this site that’s fine I will try and get the hang of it.
‘speak soon’
take care
Kim
hi Kim
nice to hear from you.
have used the pm it is secure.
will try & find bcpals site
mel
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Mel
The bcpals site is the one I pm you with the other day. It is very good and most people on there have the same username as on here. Here is the link again: phpbbserver.com/breastcancer/index.php?mforum=breastcancer
Dawn
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Thanks Dawn
Have just registered using same username.
so hopefully will chat to you all on there to
XX
Mel
XX
I heard that there was tiredness towards the end of the rads. Is that a different tiredness? Do the people who have only rads not chemo not really know what tiredness is?
mousy
hi mousy
I have only had 1 chemo so far and I have been ok. for the first 5 days after therapy I was drowsy and got tired quicker. as for reds not sure!
which therapy are you on/
TC
MEL