Good luck with the Portacabin tomorrow Linda.
Hugs to all for a peaceful night,
Mandy x
Good luck Linda! X
Good luck today Linda with the portacabin ! Your chemo journey begins.
Funki - sorry to hear you have poorly feet. Yet another ‘gift’ from this ¥++¥€ BC !
Alison - Hope the wine gave you some respite from feeling low. The frustration of the delays just flags up how powerless we actually are right now! Hang on to the fact that “this too will pass” ! In the mean time I hope you get lots of opportunity to share the joyfulness of your pup.
Kath - Im printing off all the poems as they appear! So many really strike a chord with me. X
Mandy - I had cording in my arm and your description matched my experience, but Ive not had that in breast. Hope it’s settled now. It would be a pity to have your “good week” spoilt.
Sorry I haven’t had chance to mention all my valentine sisters - Im posting this before getting off to work. Thankfully I get this one week in three to inhabit the “normal world” . Really hoping this is possible when I get to the TAX part of chemo!
Wishing everyone as SE free day as possible.
Tup x
Good luck today linda x
kath - luv the poems, they always either make me smile or cry, sometimes both x
i am heading towards round 4 on tues, again just dreading it but dreading a delay even more!
Luv to all
Aml x
Lisa
I felt fine after my low immunity days. In fact on low immunity days I just felt a little fluey though sadly temp. went up and I was admitted both times.
CC
I probably have about 30% of hair. A good strong fringe plus the back of my head on the left is completely normal and thick though the back on the left is patchy and thin. Its like someone drew a line down the back of my head and pulled the hair out just on one side. Weird!!! Not the best look ever but in the grand scheme of things thats fine.
Well its day 7 for me (normally admitted day 7/8) So bored as keeping myself in seclusion just dont want to risk it! Kids out all day at a paintball party that takes the pressure off .
Cant get motivated at all. Theres so much I can do at home paperwork filing. Phone calls ,housework but all I feel like doing is sitting in bed with the TV. Oh well !!
I,ve been drinking lots of beetroot juice which is good for your blood. Won’t go into too much detail but got a huge shock when I went to the toilet I thought I was heamorraging for a split second and had a major panic! Lol !!!
Karen sorry to hear about your little girl. Hope shes ok…that really is all you need.
Funki hope your legs are improving.
Kath I LOVE your poems THANK YOU XXX
TAX For all those starting Tax in the very near future just to let you know my experience has been fine. I have had no sickness and minimal side effects so fingers crossed crosse for you all too.
OK must get up to make a cuppa and take back to bed…feeling lazy today.
Hugs to all you Valentines
Jackie xxxxxx
For all those starting TAX
Good luck today Linda…xx thinking of you all…
FEC2 day 14
Have been reading up about snotty olds while on chemo and it seems, as long as you keep your eye on things like temp, it’s a good excuse to laze about a bit more and be pampered. I’m just p***ed off that it’s during my ‘good’ days.
Glad TAX isn’t too taxing so far Jackie. Are you coping ok Lisa? Hope so.
M x
Morning all. Having been awake since 6am I have finally made some notes to reply to you all So here goes (hopefully):
Linda - best of luck with the portacath fitting today. It’s been a long time coming but is here at last. Just don’t sneeze!
Mandy - I have had chording under my left breast for the last few days and like you thought it was because I am wearing a bra more often. But then I haven’t been very dogwood at doing my exercises since chemo started. I have now been going back to them & expecting to feel (or even hear!) the twang you describe. It shoes seem to be getting better though.
Kath - 2 fab poems again. Defiled struck a chord with me as I wake up feeling fine, then remember that I have this BC thing to deal with. Thr Pool was lovely & exactly where we will all be this time next year.
Karen -I so relate to those awful fumes you talk about. I spent days tring to track down what was rotting at the back of my fridge or cupboards until I realised it was probably me. I did blame the cat for a bit (as I don’t have a dog) but he threatened to leave! Glad you liked the reflexology -I’m a complete fan of it but haven’t had it done recently so must get myself booked in. My hospital is running a trial pamper day a week on Saturday & I’ve put myself down for a Bowen treatment which is gentle muscular manipulation. I will let you all know how it goes. Sorry to hear about your daughter. Sounds like a perfect opportunity for lots of sofa cuddles… Precious moments as long as they’re not too wriggly!
Funki - sorry I can’t help with your foot swelling but hope you get it checked out ok.
Jo -well done for a sleep free day & hope you slept like a log last night!
Alison - hope Friday does go ahead for you. when my nurse sais my bloods were good yesterday I responded with “fantastic. Chemo can go ahead then.” OH and I laughed about that one for a bit. Fantastic indeed… Bring it on!
Annabelle - good luck with the pills juggling. Along with my regular medication for blood pressure I am taking up to 9 pills a day… rattling!
aml46 - I can’t believe how quickly you are charging through the treatments. It seems like only a few weeks ago that we joined this site.
there a couple of people I haven’t mentioned -Gill and Yankee but I daren’t go back through the posts further as I fear I will lose what I’ve written. Hope everything is good with you valentines anyway. Sorry if I have missed anyone else out.
question - what hand cream does anyone use. I have been using all sorts but they all make my hands feel leathery & hard afterwards. It might be just the weather though. Any suggestions?
Take care Valentines!
Caroline
FEC 2 day 2
Ooh I forgot Jackie - thanks for TAX info. I’m just starting to read up on this so your notes (and i think someone else has written about this too) are a good start.
caroline x
FEC2 day 14
Caroline , this is going to sound awful but it’s good to hear about your boob cording as it reall bothered me. Since the twang I can hardly feel it at all so wearing a bra is now much less painful. Gentle massage under tension caused my twang! Hope yours soon recovers. Norwegian Formula hand cream by Netrogena seems to be best for me. Was recommended by my cousin who’s a tree surgeon and needs moisture without grease. Think my last one came from Boots but probably available all over.
Have been reading up about snotty colds while on chemo and it seems, as long as you keep your eye on things like temp, it’s a good excuse to laze about a bit more and be pampered. I’m just p***ed off that it’s during my ‘good’ days.
Glad TAX isn’t too taxing so far Jackie. Are you coping ok Lisa? Hope so.
M x
Afternoon Lady Valentines,FEC2 D20c/cx
Linda hope Portacabin fitted ok today,thinking of you,now you up and in the race.xxx<3
Louise you showed me up to be very gullible as I excitedly read your post to my hubby,then the penny droppedLOLxx
Funki I should think only way to reduce swelling is to raise legs to above hip level.Hope soon goes down xxxx
Re dry hands,I find my nails are really dry and very ridged lengthways.Funnily enough when I removed nail varnish on sunday my nails felt very bruised,sore to touch,but also my hair was shedding quite a bit too,so guess it’s related.
Karen hope little ones’ foot is ok,what a pair you make,bookends on the sofa.xxx
Jackie my hair is very thin now but covers all but two patches on top.I have given up c/c but figure if I keep it for half treatment won’t be bald for too long,No3 due on mon,getting bloods done tomorrow.Will have telephone appt with chemo ward tomorrow,something they piloted previous,to save time when having chemo visit as all se’s will be recorded prior to visit.Have rebooked my appt with Enc Dr Ella as was due next weds, too soon after No3,will be feeling rough.Someone asked about eyebrows and lashes,mine are just thinner now,very fair anyway so not too noticeable.
Alison,It’s lovely to see the dogs playing with new friends,so nice when you have a sociable dog.My sister came down monday with her three grandsons,whose parents got married last week.We took them to my daughters and we all took Stanley the Beagle to the park,was cold and windy,but all had a great runaround,Stanley played with some doggy friends,chasing around.
Got three friends visiting today so nice day ahead
Love to all chris xxxx<3
Caroline, I use diprobase which I got on prescription. It’s really thick and gloopy and I tend to rub it in and then wipe the excess of with a bit of kitchen paper. It’s good though!! You can really see the difference when I don’t moisturise so often.
Chris, The best part of seeing the two cockers playing was they were the same size and age and just played without the submissive postures. They wore each other out really well. I hope we meet her again soon.
Karen, Sorry to hear about your daughter - what dreadful timing at the start of the hols!!
We have had friends round for lunch today (my OH works at a college so is off now for 2 weeks) – pup was in his element as he loves new people!!! He’s flaked out on the bean bag once more – after keeping our guests amused.
Had my bloods taken today in preparation for Friday – fingers crossed this time!! Will find out tomorrow what they plan to do with my treatment.
Good to read that everyone is getting along nicely – with the odd hiccup here and there we all seem to be doing OK.
I too am on Facebook – but at the moment it’s a cancer free zone. I am planning on doing a sponsored bike ride in Autumn for Basingstoke hospital radiotherapy department (which doesn’t exist at the moment but fundraising is underway) – I plan to cycle 40 miles (usually do longer, but figured I won’t be that fit this year). I will tell all FB at this point (callous or what – just want them for their money). I am happy to be added as long as my page remains cancer free. My picture is mavis prewitt and you have to send me a message as I have removed the add friend button as all sorts of people kept trying to add me.
Alison xxx Surname (******)
Hi Valentines
Well down to an extremely lazy day today i’ve certainly had time to blitz this site. It is just so supportive we are there for each other in a way no-one else can realy understand.
Cucumber I too am on Facebook but also a cancer free zone. There are people I do not wish to know about my cancer and also found it surprising that suddenly so many wanted to friend me!!! Morbid fascination or truly caring I dont know!
Just to let you know of a couple of products I have found good:
Earlier I had asked how everyones eyelashes are well i,m trying a product called DOUBLE-CILS by Mavala you brush it on brows and eyelashes every night. I still have thick lashes and brows not sure if its down to the product or just the way it is at the moment. Anyway i’ll perceviere. Bought from Amazon though cant remember the price.
The other product is is a hair thickener that works for thin patchy hair. I have 30% of my hair with big baldy patches on top. This product is called BEAVER PROFESSIONAL from e.bay. It is a bottle of hair building fibers in whatever color you choose. My hair is dark and my patches vey white. I shook it on my patches it totally worked I eas dancing round the kitchen with joy…dog started jumping around with me totally crazy!!!
Sorry I’m sounding totally vain I’m not really honest just want to look normal.
Right must pull myself out of bed need to venture out and buy chicken corn. We have 3 Warrens Lady Gaga, Clara, and Cluckie who supply us with beautiful big eggs. We also have a tortoise Pebbles a hampster Smudge along with fish and of course the dog. The kids love their pets its such fun for them.
Ok now i,m rambling.
Take care Valentines
Jackie xxxx
Fec round 3 Day 8
Well Im most upset today… simple things in life eh… asked my nurse today the reasons behind why eating out at restaurants is not recommended… gave valid reasons… but Ive noticed most ladies on here eat out so why cant I?.. do I risk it? hmmm… also re: dry skin… Im using Nivea hand and body lotion and also some stuff my young grandson bought me from Lush… its amazing… I dont like the greasy feeling hand creams give you but these are working good for me…
Chris Ive noticed my eyebrows and eyelashes have become quite coarse? is that normal ? Had my last of 5 injections today so lets hoping and keeping everything crossed that I dont have to go to that “place” again and stay in!!!.. feeling ok at the moment… preparing spag bol for dinner for the family… cleaned windows… ironing all done… wonder if thats a sign?
Oh and also got some fantastic hijab hats from our muslim friends… amazing colours and material… and only a £1.00 each…better than googling
Have a good day valentines xxx
I’ve been using Re Gen from Asda (cheaper version of Bio Oil) and find that it tightens skin around scar so much, it feels tight and yesterday and today it actually hurts!!! So it’s back to E45 for a while. Had to laugh at neighbour today. I have been wearing my prosthesis today and was in garden when she came out. I cupped my hand around breast (prosthesis) so she would notice I have two. She looked and said:
“Oh, has it grown back?” aren’t people daft!!!
Linda, hope portacabin fitting went well and you’re not in too much pain.
Afternoon Valentines – hope all is well with you Linda, we’re all routing for your easy progress!
Lots of questions being asked lately to which I have nothing to add, but on the topics that I do have something to say 1) I’ve been using Holland & Barrett Vitamin E Body Lotion. It seem to be non-greasy and really leaves my skin soft 2) I seem to have no change in any body hair, incuding eyebrows and lashes, even after FEC3. I am using the cold cap, but it most certainly doesn’t have a attachment for eyebrows or lady garden!!! 3) Re Funki’s swollen feet, I have started having pain on the soles of my feet. Doesn’t seem like it should be a side effect, but can’t think of anything else that could have caused it. That said, I seem to remember reading somewhere about foot pain as a rare side effect, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t from FEC. 4) I realized the other day that my nails, which are usually terrible, are looking better than I ever remember them. Partly this is probably because I am doing less work outdoors and with water; and partly because, in preparation for TAX I have been using Boots Cuticle and Nail Mosturizer twice a day.
Amusing observation. I emailed a long-time friend in the States – male – that we were trying to get a good picture to send off of me in my red wig. To date, I have had emails back from four other old friends – all male – that he passed the email on to, wanting to see what it looks like. A couple of them I hadn’t had any contact with for over twenty years! I also recently observed a friend in the village, who is very shy and positively old-world courtly with his manners, flirting openly with the new Post Mistress about her red hair. I never noticed before, but men seem to be really turned on by red hair! I never would have found out if the wig company hadn’t sent me the wrong colour!!!
Hope everyone is feeling relatively good, and that the sun keeps shining!!
XXXXX Louise
Yeah doing ok MillyMolly thanks for asking, I’ve had a couple of days where I’ve felt in the fog which is a bit disappointing as this is my good week. I’ve had a really lazy day today as I think I’ve done just too much and my body is telling me to get a grip, well actually more explicit than that but I’ll keep it clean. I use diprobase as well as I was getting eczema type patches but now my arms have come out in what look like age spots!!! 
Just a short post sorry finding it hard to concentrate. Hope everyone is ok though and big hugs to everyone. Lisa xxx
Hi All
Well, I’m off for a breast removal/reconstruction discussion with the surgeon tomorrow. I’ve already done lots of research and am veering towards one course of action - hopefully, he will agree. The enormity of this decision started to hit home when I had a telephone call from the occupational therapist to discuss going back to work. Unfortunately, my genetic results will not be back in time to inform my decision on whether to have radiotherapy or a mastectomy as one or the other needs to take place within a certain time frame. I am, though, convinced that there is some hereditary/genetic element that means I’m predisposed to breast cancer. My medullary subtype and the fact my mum had breast cancer in her 40s apparently indicates a genetic mutation - so double mastectomy it is! Anyway enough of me…
Thanks Funki, MillyMolly, Kath and Linda for your photo comments. My hair is not quite a wig and is something I had before my diagnosis due to being a lifelong alopecia sufferer. I never thought I would be pleased to have alopecia, but this hair is really useful to have now, and very comfortable!
Karen - Hope day 2 of TAX is going well. I’m very sorry to hear about you little girl - I hope she isn’t in too much pain.
Jo80 - Hopefully, you wont suffer this awful nausea on TAX - Karen is right, reactions are rare, precautions are put in place - high steroid dose and slow infusion, and most reactions can be dealt with easily at the time.
Kath - Wow, you can write poems for every mood. ‘Defiled’ really impressed me.
Lisa - Hope those TC side effects are being kind!
Chris - I’m still amazed at your energy levels. My nails also feel bruised and are now two distinct colours - a bright white and a deep red, very odd! I think it’s best to keep the varnish on for the duration.
Alison - I’m on Facebook too and occasionally write a cryptic status without referencing cancer.
Lavendersun - I also have teenagers. How are yours coping with your diagnosis and treatment?
Sandra - I’ve never been given food advice and have eaten anything and everything, including takeaways - not sure how wise that has been… In fact, I wasn’t really given any advice except a sheet detailing side effects. Thankfully, this site is useful and informative in so many ways.
Thank you for all your good wishes Valentines.
What a bloody, bloody, bloody awful day, and some.
I arrived at hospital early for my 8-30 appointment, having got up at silly o’clock when it was still dark. I was called through immediately, and hubby left as he intended to go home and see to the dog and other animals then return to pick me up. The paper work was done and the small theatre room was ready for me, as were the nurses. Then the senior nurse practicioner who was doing the portocath fitting came to see me, all red faced and embarassed. Can you believe this … he told me they HAD NO PORTS so couldn’t do the fitting.
He mumbled some excuses about Bank Holidays etc. but I know another lady on this forum had hers fitted by the same team only yesterday. Anyway, he said they were trying to locate one at other hospitals and I could either go home and come back again tomorrow, or hang on. He said he wanted to do it this morning and would be pulling out all the stops to get hold of a port. I decided to stay and wait. I got a cup of tea and biscuits, and waited and waited and waited. He came back and said they had found one at Hope Hospital in Salford (not exactly next door to Preston) and he had sent a lady to go and get it, saying she would be an hour. Ha ha I thought. It takes longer than that for the round journey, but hung on anyway. He came back an hour later and said she was stuck in traffic on the M61 behind a road accident but wouldn’t be long. Another hour later she arrived and I was taken in to the treatment room and had the port fitted. It was 12 noon by this time and my nerves were shot at. The nurse was so lovely and kind all I could do was cry. This made my nose blocked up but it went ahead anyway.
It wasn’t pleasant. I am not at all squeamish but it did remind me of the M.A.S.H. army field hospital if any of you remember that 60’s TV programme. I can’t say it hurt, it didn’t, apart from the sharpness when the local anaesthetic was administered in 4 different places, but it was most odd. Anyway, I could watch on the screen or shut my eyes. I decided to watch, and was told I have a lovely large jugular vein, which I saw on the screen. Half way through I started to feel a bit funny - jelly legs mostly, so they stopped for a few minutes and gave me some oxygen whilst assuring me my heart and blood pressure were absolutely fine and there were no complications. I felt better so they continued and it was soon over.
I was given some lunch, a few blood pressure checks, and told I could go. I had already phoned hubby and he was waiting for me. As soon as we got out of the exit I burst into tears. God knows why. I think I was just in shock from all the nerves and anxiety whilst waiting, and the procedure itself.
I cannot believe a hospital department specialising in port fitting, having someone booked in, could find they had no ports!!!
To top all this off, last week I got a gammy knee and was given some anti-inflammatory gel to rub on. Well, this morning my knee and surrounding area, and one hand suddenly turned bright red and lots of nasty looking blisters appeared along with bruising and other things. I have never been allergic to anything in my life, but on reading the side effects of this gell, lo and behold, blistering, bruising and redness is the top one. I panicked because one blister on my hand had split, the others may well do so, and with chemo starting on Monday I was paranoid they might get infected. I now have an appointment with GP tomorrow to try and get these sorted out. I have to try not to scratch.
So that has been my day, and it’s still only 4-30.
I hope this bloody port is worth it! LOL I will read back properly and speak to you all again when I have calmed down!
Linda xxx
Oh Linda after all that waiting what a horrid day for you. Believe me, it will be worth it! Cx