BB and Rexi - hope you’re both doing well?
Katie - 4 sleeps to go! How exciting!! Sorry to hear you’re so sore.
My oncy said my skin will get worse for 10 days after my final rads and then suddenly get better really quickly. We shall see…! maybe go to your GP to stock up on any creams/antibiotics etc just in case you need it while you’re in America?
x
How is folk gettin on with tamoxifen - I am ok so far apart from i ache in the morning or after long periods of sittin . I then kinda limp for 5 minutes , suppose this is normal ?? I hope this is it !!!
xxxxx
Hi Lorna, I’m also fine. Same as you - slight aches in the morning or if I sit still for a long time like long car journeys, but it doesn’t last long. And my hot flushes are now practically non existant.Have you seen the thread with people freaking out over the potential side effects and thinking about not even trying it?! I was worried, but have been pleasantly surprised. I’m feeling great at the moment. Really chirpy and upbeat and Christmassy! X
I have seen that thread and cannot even begin to understand where they are coming from ?? Its a no brainer for me…
Oh thats good that u seem to have the same , i also have had noooo flushes.
I hope this continues …was interesting as Jennifer Saunders was talking about how tamoxifen made her feel instantly old and depressed , i am kinda watching my mood but hope its a blip.
xxxxxx
Hiya,
Yes operation is over. With the moving last week, I gave myself barely time to think about it and only packed the eve before. It got delayed by a bit on the day and was back in the room in the evening.
Had lumpectomy and node clearance, with drain and I am still in hospital.
Looks like I am going to stay till fri, as there is still a lot of liquid coming out and they won’t send me home with the drains or if it’s more than 30ml in 24h or so.
My children are well looked after and we have been talking on FaceTime every evening, so we have seen each other. I don’t mind hanging out here - whatever it needs. I have a quite nice room with view of the Thames, nicely cooked meals, telly, books - bit like a mini holiday 
Pain is controlled by various tablets, which I started to reduce a bit today, it seemed like there was a constant stream of tablets coming my way today, I want to see how many I really need.
Rexi xxx
BB - you were out so quickly - well done! How are you after a week now?
Super trouper - will you get the lymph nodes out, too? I think that’s when the drains are mainly used. I reckon better out than in. A little bit of liquid can be absorbed, but with lots they try to get the most out with drains.
Sandytoes - did you have lymph nodes out as well? I can’t remember? And no drains?
I had loads of liquid come out since the op - all together over 400ml - gets measured regularly and removed daily, can’t imagine where that would have gone instead…
Katie - oh your holiday is just around the corner - you will have a wonderful time!
Linda - definitely taking your advice to heart. Exercise, exercise, exercise… They don’t want to start radiotherapy, if the moving range is not good.
My surgeon injected a blue dye into my arm - the idea seem to be that the ‘arm’ lymph nodes are then blue and he will avoid taking them out, whereas the ‘breast’ lymph nodes are being removed. It may help reduce the potential occurrence of lymphodema, but apparently it’s not proven. I am sure somebody mentioned a blue nipple before, was that for the same reason? Has anybody else had that procedure?
Rexi xxx
Hi Rexi! Is your husband getting the house all sorted for when you get home,?! Or are you actually superwoman and have already unpacked etc? Sounds like you’re doing the right thing - taking the opportunity to chill out and relax! Hope the food’s good.
I had full lymph node removal and both breasts removed. Funny how different surgeons do things differently. I was quite pleased as am very squeamish so not sure I liked the sound of drains! And my surgeon also said there’s less chance of seromas with no drains, and I had no probs at all.
Only 4 rads left for me now and then I can get properly excited about Chrimbo! So far, touch wood, boob OK. A bit pink and swollen (but am completely numb since the op so no pain!) but apparently you keep ‘cooking’ (not sure that’s the technical term!) for a while after. I’m hoping it doesn’t get too bad as would like my first expansion of my implants before Christmas.
2 sleeps to go Katie! How are your burns?
Lorna - are you all mended now? You start rads next week don’t you?
X
Hi Guys - Ure right to try and enjoy the break Rexi , it will no doubt be hectic when u get home . Take Care and do the exercices !!
Stoes - I am nearly there , almost healed so i have till next Thurs so i should be ok. Im pleased u are nearly finished, a real milestone eh? We struggled to see this day coming back in May !!!
Love to all
P.S - If im not back on line yts because the house has blown away , u ought to see the weather here…eeeeek
Sandytoes,
Just nipping in from May girls! Saw your bit about rads. I was fine right up until a few days after they had all finished and then got very very burnt and sore with weeping open skin. Sorry all if tmi and you are all having tea!
Anyway tried lots of creams and dressings and nothing was working. Then was reminded how fab Manuka honey is topically as well as eaten and started slathering it on!! Miracles, within days it had all cleared up and looks a bit pink but v healthy now!
So just to remind you and anyone else, don’t forget Manuka! Hopefully you will be fine.
All best June girls
Wandyx
Thanks Wandy! Interesting how it can get worse after isn’t it! My onc said it would peak 10 days after and then would suddenly get better really quickly.
Oh well, what will be will be…!
Thanks for the tip about the honey. Sounds…sticky…! Will have to do it in private or my OH might think I’m getting a bit kinky and start having ideas. The dog too.
Hi All
Rexi - Glad your enjoying your “mini break” It must feel like chilling after your house move the week before !
Good to hear people finishing Rads … Sandy wa!! hoo!! before Christmas finish…
I am doing fine and healing well but found out results today.
My margins were not clear in two areas also 5 lymph out of 17 had Cancer. So I will be having the same boob op again next Thursday to try to get clear margins.
Not the best day for us …
Looking forward to getting a Christmas tree on Sat with the Kids and School play next week too before op…
Hugs
BB
BB. What a pain that you have to go back in for clearer margins - although this seems quite common with lumpectomies. Are you pleased with your mammoplasty in general? X
Hi Sanytoes,
I was very pleased with the Mamoplasty. It was a very neat job and healing so well… The consultant explained that the Analysis of the lump taken out shows that it has shattered(Sounded Dramatic to me!) What this means is that it has shrunk down with the Chemo from the original from 7.5Cm but as it shrunk it has left bits in the area it once took up.
Feeling better about it than yesterday. The most frustrating this is that I am busy healing here and it will all be undone on Thursday ! Grrr
hope all is well in Rads land.
Hugs,
BB
Yeah - I can understand it must be really frustrating. Grrrr… But good news that the chemo had exploded the gremlin!!
You’ll need to treat yourself to lots of Christmassy goodies!
BB , THAT SUCKS . !! However u healed well the first time so will again. I had 9 of 24 nodes still with cancer at op , i just thought well at least 15 were clear… At least they are away now and u will def have clear margins this time .
Take Care xxxxx
well I am all packed with 2 very over excited girls!
Got some steroid cream for the burns (hydroquarterzone cream) and miraculously all cleared up today!!
BB - Good luck for next week, how frustratng to have it all again but better out than in!
Rexi - welcome home, no more rest and pmapering for you now!
Lorna - good luck for starting rads next week and Sandytoes 2 more now?? congratulatons for next week
I wish you all a very Merry Xmas and heres to a Happy and most importantly Heathly 2012.
I will log in if I can while I am away
Lot of love
Kate xxx
ENJOY !!!XXXXXXXX
Kate.
Hope you have the best time ever !
Look forward to hearing about your hols when your back!
Hugs
BB
Hi girls
Have been AWOL for a while but keeping up wit everyone’s progress.I have started my rads and have the third one tomorrow and must admit I quite hate it.Not quite sure if it’s the actual treatment itself or the total inconvenience of going up and down to hospital every day that is getting to me but every time I think about it I feel my BP rising.Dont know about you lot but my times are all over the place and it seems like anything I asked for they have done the opposite.Im sure this is not the case but in my highly emotional state of late it feels a bit like that.And as for the pen marks drown all over me !!!,!,
Had a horrible afternoon on Friday .Got a call from my sons guidance teacher to say he had been fighting so up to school I go.It turns out that the guy he was fighting with had been bullying him calling him names etc for about two months and because of my illness he didn’t tell me as I had enough to worry about.In fact his teacher said he begged her not to phone me as I was going for radiotherapy and had enough on my plate.Fourteen years old and having all this to deal with well you can imagine how I felt.Anyway the school who obviously know my situation were very kind and are going to sort it all out.Just another worry to add to the list.
Anyway have spent the weekend decorating the house and making it all Christmassy.My oh comes home on Tuesday and we are growing a party on Friday so will hopefully be full of Christmas cheer.
Bertha b - really sorry that you need more surgery but at least you will be sure it’s all out so good luc
Rexi-hope you are recovering well
Katie have a wonderful holiday
Sandy toes and Lorna -hope you are both ok
Love to everyone else
Pam
Hiya,
My rest came to an end when I finally got home on fri eve ( op was on mon). They were reluctant to let me go as I was draining still loads - after it looked like I was following some textbook on wed morning when the fluid measured only trickles. a couple of hours later the bottle was up to almost 200ml! Some gunk seemed to have blocked the drain, got pushed out and it was a steady flow from then on… So much to 30ml in 24 hours. On fri they let me go home despite the, I don’t know, 150/180ml in the previous 24h?
They explained several times that the drains themselves sort of produce fluid, also a bit of fluid buildup can be absorbed by the body itself, it sort of has to figure it out.
It felt fine for the first few days at home, but I think I did to much ( cooking dinner, moving stuff about, i did rest too, honest, but it makes me feel like a lazy cow, when there is so much to do in our new house!) and yesterday I decided I need to do less - couple of places in my underarm scar are slightly bleeding :(. And I have the sloshing boob syndrome - freaky! So obviously there is fluid sitting around making noises! I phoned the bcn, who said not to worry until it becomes really swollen or uncomfortable. I just don’t exactly know, when that point is - will I know? How long can you hang around with this before it could become infectious? Does it become infectious?
BB - what a bummer - another op! Totally feel for you 
- it sucks. Another lumptectomy, right? Will it hopefully just be a day patient job?
I had my results this week too: got clear margins of 16mm, 4 of the 20 lymph nodes had cancer cells or scaring - which is pretty good, as we already knew about at least 3 nodes affected! The lump was still sizeable, despite some misleading info before that it was almost gone. But it’s out now!
Have good arm movement and am using my arm almost normally, but need to do more exercise as everyone says that’s the big downfall - to do less of it when it goes well.
Sandytoes - super - one more big step done!
Pam - awh - your son is so nicely protective, but poor little mite :(. It’s a huge thing for them. I only get glimpses in what’s going on in my children’s head, when I hear from other people that my children have commented on something, which shows how much they do think about bc, although they might not have mentioned anything at home.
Lorna, good luck with the radiotherapy!
Katie - enjoy enjoy enjoy!
Love to everyone else!
Rexi xxx