forgot to say that i have been searching high & low for an anthem for the Breast Angels with no luck so far but will keep searching, what i can do is provide you with a poem that a newly dx friend wrote this week after 2nd round of chemo…enjoy
The joy of side effects.
Farewell my tastebuds, you’ve up and gone
The hospital said it wouldn’t take long
Days after chemo and you disappear
Food just tastes rubbish, best stick to the beer
Some things are cold, some things are hot
The texture is good, the flavour is not
My taste will return, I know from last time
So just for the moment I’ll stick to the wine
Itchy and tingly fingers don’t hurt
But honest, can’t feel to do the housework
Redundant is my little brush and dustpan
Ha, I’m gonna milk this for all that I can!
Second week in, feel like I’ve got the flu
Mouth ulcer gel’s just a mouth full of goo
Tongue feels all wide ‘n’ furry ‘n’ fat
My God we do go through all sorts of crap
The headache is banging, itchy old scalp
The wigs just look stunning, stuck on with talc
Maud is my brunette, Mabel is blonde
Martha’s on order, shouldn’t take long
But as side effects go, not doing too bad
I’m on the up, not gonna be sad
So until I can face a lovely big fry up
It’ll be the good old Chemo Vino diet!!!
Sarah - that is just brilliant! Kathy is a very talented lady!
Maybe one of the knitters can have a break from the merkin production line and knit us a wall hanging for the tent with this poem on it?
Sue, I wonder if your eyebrow has run off with all the hair that was on my hands when I washed my hair this morning? My hands looked like werewolf paws.
CM, I saw the photos of your new hair on Ellie’s JustGiving site - it looks fantastic! You can see what mine used to look like on my friend Lin’s JustGiving site at justgiving.com/lin-ventriglia - there’s a back view in the photos.
I hope I don’t need to knit a wig - mine’s called Pam and she should be here in a few days but I’m not sure whether I’ll like her or not. The rate I’m ging I’ll definitely be needing one of those spangly merkins as well though. Can mine be a nice bright blue, with silver adornments?
Oh, and the gettheflippinarmworking fairy came to call yesterday and waved her magic wand over me and now I can almost lift it up straight over my head! Woohoo!!!
Coffee and croissants consumed, I could now polish off a large roast lunch, but sadly having chauffeured children to and from many social events have not yet had chance to make, so will be fuelling up the range in the catering tent if anyone cares to pop in for roast chicken later… xx
It’s OK Marygrace - we’re having roast chicken tonight so you can come round here - you never know, you might find your eyebrow has emigrated to my house!
Thanks for the invite Jane. We can sing Alto together too!
I don’t want to worry anyone but I just noticed that there are a whole load of little furry things like caterpillars eating the sacks of chocolate bars behind the cooking tent. The place is overrun with them!
Do you think we should catch a few to use as spare eyebrows or wait until they turn into butterflies and fly off? It’ll be ever so pretty having them flying around the place xx
Hello Merry Merkin Maids,
Tis me, back form the hell that is a 6year olds soft play party! Surrounded now by pink plastic tat, wrapping paper, and an emotionally drained daughter - high on sugar and chicken nuggets. Tonight might be a wine night…AND YES THAT IS A REAL ONE to any snooping journos.
MG, hope the BF is behaving himself, I think sometimes men seem to underplay these things rather than admit how scared they are. On the other hand - may I refer you back to my previous suggested thread, ‘is your partner a rock or just a c*ck?’
I am liking the sound of a Moscow Mule- I think the ginger sounds healthy. Likewise, the orange in that Cointreau must surely be part of our ‘5 a day…’
Big hello to you Sue- everyone ends up on this thread sooner or later!! Sorry about the eyebrow. I have crocheted you a new one. It is sparkly and silver. I have attached a bead too, which I feel has become my signature style…lol,
Tracey xx
Hi Jane and TSR, I remember those days well! Definitely a big glass of wine when the party people are in bed. Yes I said a “big” one journos.
And you know what, those furry eyebrow thingys, I could swear they are getting bigger, maybe its all the feelgood chocolate they’ve been eating.
I just saw a whole load of them swarming and biting the ankles of one of the gremlins. He didn’t half run off fast. Maybe we could train them to chase off all the gremlins for us? xx
Sarah021210 another PIXIE here! Happy days! Wasn’t lost earlier, popped out for a few hours. Was off up in Chelsea having a giant Bacon Butty this morning – BUT it had salad in it, so it must’ve been healthy !!! Delicious! Chased of the WoeIsMe gremlin [who kept me on the bean bags during the party] by squirting him with tomoto ketchup!
Alto, glad the underarm fairy visited
MG, could on/off bf not rustle up a roast dinner as a peace offering?? Or offer to chauffer? Get him running round a bit – it’ll make him feel useful… If it’s any comfort my OH goes hyper every now and then; like he’s just got to pretend nothing’s wrong for a while so he can give his emotions a rest!
Welcome to the woods Sue, never made it to GGs , put off by overly competitive big brov who was into Scouts, so he gets the blame that I never got into sports – that and the big boobs anyway! (mine, not his ;-))
I’ve got left over embroidery skills so could help with the poem banner – also have bugle beads in purple and sequin trim for you TSR in case you run out !!
Oooh, just remembered, I have my sewing and thrift Brownie badges, circa early 70’s - days of the brown beret and too-short little cotton dress and all that… I could help with the sewing, although my knitting is definitely confined to knit one, purl one.
I was a leprechaun at first, then I was transmogrified into the sixer of the kelpies. Or was it the other way round? It was so many years ago… (creaks and groans with old age…)
My has this week flown! First fec tomorrow!!! Had a nasty moment there but just going to look out my combat gear!Got combat trousers in Tesco’s and I’ve got a combat coloured 3/4 Tshirt- longer at the back and sides and a waistcoat. Gonna look out my ankle length buckle boots! Maybe I’m too old to dress like that. Will I go for the Per Una do you think ?
Will I feel sick tomorrow? Do I get steroids or is that just when the Tax starts? Oh God- I’ve forgotten everything they told me!
Is there a calmmedown fairy in these bloomin woods?
Do they give the stuff through a drip or just a needle?
How long will I be there?
My little brown dress was second hand, AWWWWW! But I loved being a pixie especially in summer when we went walking in the woods!Liked christmas party as well and asking a boy who was in the cubs as partner so he would ask me to his party lol!
Hi marym - you go for it - wear whatever makes you feel best - who cares what anyone thinks!
Most FEC seems to be given through a drip in the back of the hand. You will have steroids as they help with the anti sickness - I had some through the drip before the chemo drugs then pills for two days but different chemo units do it slightly differently.
I didn’t feel sick at all with FEC1 - I had achy legs and gerneally felt under the weather within a couple of hours. If you’re going to feel sick it seems to hit people after a few hours, it isn’t instant, at least with your first chemo, so you should have time to get home (and into the Jingling Merkin for a swift half). The SEs do tend to get a bit worse with each cycle though.
You’ll come away with a huge suitcase (OK, paper bag) full of pills to take so if you do get sick (some people are very sick), they’ll adjust your meds for next time.
I’m sending the calmdown fairy your way - she’s brilliant at kicking the gremlins in the goolies so just take a deep breath and give her a nice comfy cushion next to you.
Good luck tomorrow - my FEC1 took a couple of hours but a lot of that was explanations and showing me around as it was my first one. I’ve got FEC2 on Wednesday…
I was a Brownie, too, a Guide (Girl Scouts where I come from), and I loved the camping and hiking, which is why I’m out here in the woods with you guys.
MaryM, they will probably finish your treatment with intravenous anti-sickness which will get you home and possibly keep you buzzing for a while. You will probably be given a schedule for all the pills–take them on schedule, don’t wait until you feel sick first, unless you have some sort of extra for ‘in case’. Part of this will probably be a steroid, or even more than one.
My FEC is given by injection, not drip, but there is a saline drip going into my arm at the same time. (I recommend not looking at the syringes too long, they’re enormous.) I’ve been there about 5 hours each time so far, but now I’ve been moved to morning appointments so I hope it won’t be so bad. The longest part is waiting while the drugs are prepared; I go to a large centre, they don’t start preparing them until you are there, and the preparation takes about 2 hours. So far I’ve had to wait 3 or more hours before the treatment starts. Drink while you wait so you’re well hydrated.
I like the idea of wearing combat gear. Be comfortable.
MaryM17, I had drip with syringes being pushed into it. Takes about an hour to get it in, but you may be there waiting much longer (and if you do the cold cap thing). Make sure they give you some back up anti-sick meds, I was very ill with my first, but have been soooo much better on the second!
What will the third be kike I wonder?
I hope it’s very kind to you, will be thinking of you P x
Good luck Mary, you’ll be so relieved just to have faced the unknown and started. Drink lots of water, and take all the meds they give you - it is much easier to stop the sickness from starting, than once it has got a grip. I have domperidone as an ‘extra,’ and my advice would be to take it from the start. Did not know, until some lovely ladies told me on this site, that it also helps to prevent heartburn, which maybe a problem as you progress through treatment.
CM, still have not managed to listen to you, as my iplayer keeps telling me you are not available, but am going to try again! Hope the London Pride hangover has worn off!!
Peachez- glad you had not got lost!
Right, am off to do some knitting now, with the increasing demand for hair substitutes of one variety or another…
Tracey x
Ps not been asked for leg warmers yet, I guess that is something none of us miss!
Good luck for tomorrow Mary - you’ll be fine. I have the ‘E’ put in by syringe, which takes ages (almost an hour), then the other two are dripped in and only take about half an hour or so. Flushes in between, so expect to be there for two or three hours, easily. xxxx
On subject of Brownies, my Dad was in the army, so we moved every year or so… I’ve been in LOADS of different sixes! Pixie, Sprite and best of all, when we lived in Pembrokeshire, a Ghilli Dhu (not sure on spelling) which I seem to remember was white and carried a milking stool!!! I made it to the dizzy heights of seconder of the Sprites when we lived in Dorset… but never had any interest in Guides. Did join the cadet force tho - so if anything needs shooting… have my marksman in .22 and .303!!!
Have had slobby, lazy weekend watching back to back Dr Who with OH and younger two kids… lots of popcorn, doritos and dips… hehehehe. Now thoroughly sick of doritos, popcorn and dips and dreaming of a tomato salad…
Thank you for the exceptional welcome and the new eyebrow. This is a great place to hide from the docetaxel witch if she comes calling again and the brownie colours provide excellent camouflage.
Good luck for first FEC tomorrow Mary. All will be well; the calmmedown fairy will light your way. Do take all the potions given you as they are powerful remedies.
I was a gnome in the brownies: powerful tricksters and pranksters who can beat off all comers.
Sue
