Bless you Hayley, you are going through an awful time. I wish I could give you the hugest hug
Thinking of you and I hope things get better for you x
Hayley sending you lots of love and hugs. I’m so sorry you’ve got so much worry just now. I hope things settle down and the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly. Keep in touch and let us know how you’re doing.
Alice I’m so glad everything worked out ok (well except for having an abscess!) and I hope you still managed to enjoy the birthday party.
I had my op last Thursday, lumpectomy and ANC. Got home Friday lunchtime with a drain and that got taken out yesterday. The drain was uncomfortable so I’m glad it’s gone. The surgeon said the op went well and he got everything out but of course we won’t really know that for sure until the pathology comes back sometime next week. I’m doing pretty well considering. Not too sore and mostly just some discomfort when I’m trying to sleep. I’m going to try and enjoy the warm weather and not worry about the results because I can’t change what they say so no point stressing about them.
I hope you are all doing well.
Lots of love, Hazel xx
Thanks Kess and Alice. Been sitting outside today enjoying the sunshine and feeling really good. Long may it continue! ?
I’ll get rads Kess but don’t know how many as yet. My surgeon said it depends on the results but will be between 3 to 5 weeks. Got to keep doing my exercises to make sure I can get my arm up. Not having any trouble with that just now because I’m completely numb under my arm. Just need to watch the stitches.
Hazel. Xx
I’ve got tons of fluffy hair too. I look like a giant baby ? and the patch I thought was still bald has actually got some hair but it’s all white so still looks quite bald!! I’ll be dying it as soon as it’s long enough ?. I’ve read on here somewhere that holland and Barrett do vegetable hair dye that has no chemicals in it so I’ll look for that nearer the time but I’ve a while to wait yet. As my husband said, your hair is coming in fast but you couldn’t put a roller in it ? Hxx
Congratulations on finishing radiotherapy Alice! You’ve done brilliantly after having such a horrible time with chemo and you must be so relieved its over. I hope your abscess has healed too. It’s been a long road and I’m glad you (and the rest of us!) will still be closely monitored after main treatment ends.
Congratulations again. You’ve done it! ?
Hazel x
Hi girls,
Congrats on your last Radiotherapy Alice xx Ive just had my last booster - its over hooray !!
I have been very lucky with minimal side effects. Been in the wars over the weekend though. Ended up at the emergency dentist where I had an extraction. Now I have hardly any hair and hardly any teeth- lol havn’t got a lot going for me at the moment lol !!
I have a meeting in work this afternoon re: phased return . When I spoke to the Oncologist last Friday, I mentioned I was thinking of returning Aug (well this Friday actually) she seemed quite shocked, so now Im wondering if that would be too soon. Lets face it this has been a long and hard journey, perhaps more time to relax without side effects etc would be a welcome relief. Girls your thoughts on this would be welcomed. Has anyone returned to work yet or is about to ?
Love to everyone, thinking of you all, wishing you all well xxx
Catherine
Thank you for your thoughts ladies. To be honest I woke up this morning thinking how on earth could I have thought I would be fit enough to return to work Friday. As my eldest son said “you cant just decide to go back on a whim Mam, it’s got to be thought through properly” thank goodness work had the same feelings and dont expect me to return before September, I can even extend until after my Holiday in October. That has taken a lot of pressure off me, and you are right Jaffacakes, going back too soon could cause problems in the long run. It will be a lovely feeling to have some free time just to be me again.
Good luck for your scan results Kess, Im keeping my fingers crossed for you.
I plan to celebrate the completion of my treatment this weekend and intend to raise a glass to us all xxxx
Catherine
Dont know how much longer I can handle this xxx
Hi Sue,
Hooray, you’ve done it xx congratulations from me too xx hope the last Se’s are kind to you, then you can concentrate on the big day !!! I expect you are all getting very excited.
Good news for you too Jaffacakes, Its surprising how a bit of good news can give you a real boost !!
That glass I had intended to raise to us all this weekend has been postponed Im afraid. After yet another trip to the Dentist I apparently have a dry socket ( never herd of it before today lol) anyway Im on Metronidazole so drinking is out at the moment!! Oh well girls, its back to the old cup of tea.
Thinking of you all, especially been thinking of you Hayley. Sorry you are having such an awful time x
Cath
I’m now in half pay and will also get employment support allowance of £78 when my ssp ends next week. It was really easy to claim over the phone and as it’s based on ni contributions I didn’t need to go into much detail about earnings and so on. I’ll get it until I return to work. It’s worth calling dwp Rowan.
Congrats on finishing rads Sue. Must be so nice to be at the end if that and be able to look forward to the wedding.
Congrats Kess on clear scans. Big load off your mind I’m sure. I has my surgery two weeks ago and have been told they got clear margins so don’t need anymore surgery thankfully. Still waiting on full path results though.
Congrats to you too big pumpkin on finishing rads and glad you got good news about your lymphoedema. Hope your mouth feels better soon too.
It’s been nice being able to post congratulations today. We’re getting to the finishing line aren’t we (well except for years of hormone treatments ?). I’ve still got rads but they won’t start for a few weeks yet so going to try and relax meantime. Off into Glasgow today to soak up some Commonwealth games atmosphere (and probably soak up some rain too, weather forecast is a bit iffy) but sure I will enjoy it just the same.
Hazel xx
Hayley, come back and see us and let us know what we can do to help. We are all here for you so even if its just to let things out we will listen and support you. Lots of love. Hxx
A friend of mine works for the CAB and had lots of advice on money/benefits. It may be worth giving them a ring ? She also mentioned a one off Mcmillan grant about £250 I think, again may be worth checking out.
Hope you had a great day there in Glasgow Hazel and hope you didn’t get too wet if it rained xxxx
Good news on your results Kess, I will be thinking of you next Monday. It will be over before you know it and you will be on your way to a speedy recovery .
Fingers crossed my mouth is starting to feel better. As vitamins etc were not advised during Chemo/Rads I would really like to supercharge my immune system. I eat lots of fruit/veg and just bought some Berocca on offer in Tescos. Can anyone recommend anything else?
Thank you Tres Van. I shall definately look in to additional supplements to boost my immune system x
Hi everyone,
I take cod liver oil, evening primrose oil, calcium supplements and a multi vitamin. I was never told not to take anything during chemo (nor did I ask to be fair). I figure they aren’t doing any harm (I hope!) so I’ll continue taking them.
I’m two weeks out from surgery now and healing nicely though still leaking from the drain hole but that will stop eventually. I’ve still got most of my breast after my lumpectomy so I’m pleased about that. I got my results today. 5cm+ tumour before chemo is now just 13mm residual cancer and a further 3 infected nodes that were identified for the ANC were free of cancer too so the chemo did its job. It’s all in a lab and not in me and that feels great. Most surprisingly is that it was grade 1 when all along I had assumed grade 3 because of the size. From the beginning I’ve felt they missed it two years ago because the exact same area was biopsied with much difficulty due to dense tissue and it came back clear after only taking one sample. The low grade meaning it was slow growing maybe means they did miss it because the lump was in the same place and I always dismissed it because of that clear biopsy. Anyway, I’ll never know (and they will never admit it even if I am right) and the important thing is that its out of me and in a Petri dish!
I’ve got a meeting with the onc on Tuesday for rads planning. The surgeon had previously said 3-5 weeks but has now said its likely to be 3 so that’s good. I’ve also picked up my first tamoxifen prescription but haven’t started taking it yet. I’m going to have a glass of wine or two tomorrow to celebrate my results and start taking it on Sunday. I’ll be on it for 10 years so figure a day or two delay won’t make any difference!
Hope you’re all doing well.
Lots of love, Hazel xx
Glad its all over for you Hazel, enjoy your celebration. Im still on the antibiotics or I would have joined you in a glass or two !!!
Looks like I will be armed with a long vitamin shopping list when I go into Cardiff next week !! I definately need something for my joints. Im not sure why they told me not to take vitamins during treatment, I couldnt see any harm in taking them either. Probably just down to different opinions in different hospitals again.
Hope everyone is well. Lots of love xxx
Hi Kess.
Sorry I didn’t explain properly. I meant 3 weeks of rads when I start and that’s not likely to be until end August so 6 weeks after op. Initially the surgeon had said 3-5 weeks worth of rads but has said 3 after my op but I guess the onc will make the final decision. I’ve been doing the exercises and getting reasonable movement in my arm though the cording is starting again so that’s not great. I had the same after the SNB but it went away eventually.
Take care.
Hazel xx
Sorry you are feeling down girls. We all have our moments dont we ? For example I upgraded my mobile recently and the contract is 2 years, now know thats a simple thing for most people but it got me wondering. Hopefully there will come a day when these thoughts will lessen. In the meantime I agree with living in the moment.
Hope your first day back went well Rowan xxx
Thinking of you all xxx and our little ducks xxx
Hi Alice, no I’ve never been shown how to get rid of the cording but will ask the onc tomorrow. I tried massaging it today in the shower using your technique so will keep doing that meantime. Thank you for that. I’ll be careful though because I’d like to avoid a haematoma now I know it can cause it ?
Glad your first day back went well Rowan. Take it easy and definitely have naps if it helps. I still do that sometimes in the afternoon and I’m not at work! ?
I hope mummy duck is just off for a jaunt too ? sorry your daughter had to see one of the young ways get taken Jaffacakes. That must have been hard for her. Give her a hug from me.
I know how you all feel about the future although I don’t have children to worry about so it’s a different kind of worry for me I guess. The thoughts pop into my head at different times. When my dad was 65 in March all I could think then (and now too sometimes) is that it seemed such an unobtainable age for me since I’m 41. Or when (stupid) people tell me stories about so and so who got a good 15 years after diagnosis. That would still only take me to 56!!! Not helpful to hear at all. My bcn has already talked to me about going to a moving forward course after rads is over and it’s definitely something I’ll want to do to try and help deal with the fear. Maybe its worth looking into seeing if there are any in your area. In the meantime, I guess we just have to keep going because what other choice is there.
Take care and lots of love.
Hazel x
Hot flushes phew wee !! I used to laugh with the girls in work in the deep dark winter when they were fanning themselves and opening the windows for air ! Now I completely understand how they felt !! Im 46 and wasnt expecting to join the hot flush brigade so soon, now its me looking for a mini fan for my handbag lol !!
Thanks for clarifying Alice. I’ll keep massaging the cording in the shower and go easy on the exercises ?. I’m getting good movement in my shoulder and very little of the horrible neuropathic pain I had in my inner arm when I had the SNB.
I feel young too Kess. I sometimes can’t quite believe I’m 41!! How did that happen??! ? I’m glad you bought the bed. I’ve been thinking a lot over the last few days and have decided that I’m going to try and enjoy life as best I can. I hate the uncertainty but I am powerless to change it. Enjoy the new bed ?
Hope you’re doing ok with the flushes Bigpumpkin. I’m only on day 4 of tamoxifen so too early for se’s I think. I do have a flush every night at 10pm that started during chemo. I can set my watch by it. Weird!
Jaffacakes, I agree this is a supportive group to be part of. You always have a kind word to say and I’ve appreciated your support loads over this past few months. I especially love hearing about the ducklings and hope the remaining ones are doing well.
Love to you all.
Hazel xx
Hazel its day 10 of Tamoxifen for me, and as I sit here fanning myself with the lid of my wig box Im hoping these flushes dont increase too much ! I had flushes during Chemo but they do seem to be somewhat more frequent since the Tamoxifen. Im not sure if they are s/e of the Tamoxifen or if I have even more in store for me. I hope not as its tricky trying to hold a conversation with someone whilst having a flush. I look like a beetroot that has been doused in baby oil lol not a pretty sight!!
Love to everyone xx
Hayley thinking of you. How are you ?
Love Cx