Starting chemo in June

[BerthaB]

Hi Girls.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts…
One week to go before my 3rd and I hope final op…
Did a full day of work today ( from home of course) felt good and dare I say it “normal.”
Both kids now back in School and Nursery.
Bought some Bras with pockets for my fakei
Hair is growing,I have short but “there” eyebrows now and eylashes are just starting to peep through.

Lorna happy days half way there on the Rads. Finishing is not on my mind yet but I hate all the fuss made of me at the mo!
funlady hope you get your surgery date soon .
Holiday sounds great PAM ! always good to have something to look forward to.

Sandytoes. - So Glad the specalist blew their theory away and you have some hope for the future. Your body is showing willing with your new years Day period too !!!
Go and demand your money back the tests were not accurate, they did not have any expertise and they caused you severe stress. I know it requires effort and energy which we all lack at the moment but give it a go. They can only say yes or no. (I can help you draft a letter if needed send me a PM.)

Hugs
BB.

[system]

Hi sandy toes
Great news from fertility expert.Never give up hope.My friend was told she would never conceive naturally and is now the proud mother of two both conceived the normal way.I am however in agreement with Bertha b.How dare they tell you your ovaries were obliterated when they have no expertise to back this up and surely the fact you had a period so soon after chemo disproves this theory.I too think you should demand your money back as I’m sure trading standards would be interested that they are advertising a service they clearly are unable to provide.Also the stress that they have put you through is unforgivable.It is bad enough going through what we have without people trying to make money out of our misfortune.
Much love pam

[worthks]

Hi Everyone,
So lovely to catch up on all your posts and happy and most importantly HEALTHY new year.
I got back on saturday and had the best holiday ever. Amazing how i now appreciate everything. I feel relaxed and dare i say it … healthy??
Sandytoes, so pleased there is hope for you and great news you started your periods, mine have not returned so i think its a great sign if yours have come back.
I had a blood test today to make sure my tumour markers count had come back down as it kept increasing during chemo but apparantely thats normal as the injections i was giving myself make the tumour markers count high? anyone know what im talking about?
hope everyone is ok, Lorna - when you finished - must be soon? woo hoo!
berthab - sorry you have to have another op, you’ve had 2 (or maybe 3) so last one will be a doddle! good luck!!
pam - you will have the best holiday as you will savour every second of it and chemo will feel like a distant memory!
rexi - so sorry to hear about your hospital stays, hopefully new year, new start and no more problems!
linda and everyone else, hope your feeling ok.
Lots of love katie x

[system]

Katie!! Lovely to hear from you. Can’t believe you only just got back! You’ve been gone for aaaages, you lucky thing! So glad you had a fantastic time and have come back feeling so much happier and healthier.

I know that I had bloods taken…but nobody spoke to me about tumour markers…!

I’m about to book up some holidays and I CAN’T WAIT!! (Although dreading wearing a bikini - have put on so much weight and with very tiny boobs now my tummy sticks out further than my boobs… Will definitely miss my DDs then…!)

X

[system]

hi girls
Well last dose of radiotherapy tomorrow and I can’t wait.Its been a long haul what with christmas and new year holidays making it drag on.My nipple is rather sore since I started the booster doses.Definately feel a difference between the two treatments.Feels like a bad case of joggers nipple without the jogging.Hubby comes home tomorrow after two weeks offshore so are going to go out for a nice meal and my first drink this year woo hoo.
Katie -nice to hear from you and delighted you had a great holiday.How did your skin cope in the sun and the pool?
Bertha b -sure your op is this week if so good luck.All my thoughts will be with you.
Love to everyone
Pam

[Rexi]

Hi Girls!

Every day is better for me - post infection :). The wound was leaking like a tap at new year ( double dressing soaked and leaking out), but since yesterday only half the single dressing was wet after 24h - what a progress! The hole has granulated, so its almost level with the skin area. The district nurses, who still come by daily, have been very good. I went to my GPs surgery last Friday and suggested that I could now be coming in every morning to get a fresh dressing, but they couldn’t accommodate that?! So I am staying at home in the morning and wait for the nurse to come to me still. I thought it would help to go there, but apparently not?
Anyway, It just has to heal please, proper, so I can start radiotherapy.

BB - I cross all fingers for you - the op is on the 12th, right?

Sandytoes - total shocker on that first ‘fertility expert’. What an inconsiderate idiot! I can barely imagine what you have been through emotionally - additional to the bc rubbish. Great big hugs for you and your oh and a little cheer for the reoccurrence of the periods!

Pinkypam - congrats to finishing your rads! And holidays to start next week! Sounds fab!

Katie - I agree with sandytoes - it seems like you have been away for weeks and weeks! How long have you been away for? Sounded like a great holiday. Wasn’t it weird to not be at home for the Xmas and new year time?

Lorna - you are almost done! Yeahy. Totally agree with you - I am bit scared of losing my treatment crutch, too. However, I still have the whole of the radiotherapy still to go - did I mention I am anxious to start ASAP, please…

Rexi xxx

[Rexi]

Oh - what’s this thing about tumour marker? Nobody has mentioned that to me either, nor has anybody taken any blood from me for it…

Bone density - I had a bone density scan last week - which has been the easiest of all checks/treatments to date - Low radiation, nothing hurts
My onc suggested it, since I have not had a period since July and with my age (41) and hot flushes, it could mean the onset of early menopause. Well, I don’t really mind in general, however it’s about 10y to early and it could raise the risk of osteoporosis earlier too. So as a baseline, I had this scan. They gave me a copy of the results straight away, just showing a graph indicating how dense my bones are ( left hip and lower back bones) compared to people of my ethnicity and age, and also within a red, yellow, green diagram. The good news is - I am well in the green area and above average - which is a good start check gets repeated every two years.

Lorna, how is work? Didn’t you start last week? On a phased return or full on?

[system]

Hi all, Hello Katie, u sound well and chilled, gladmu had a good holiday.

Rexi, I am not back at work, I was there 3 days in dec. however I am going back on 6th feb . I normally work shifts but will be mon-fri initially prob with reduced hours if I need it. Kinda dreading it now, I forget everything , so it will be a laugh if nothing else. NB …I am glad u are really dense , lol.

Only 3 rads to go, def very tender now but the cream gets slapped on and it does help. Tired with the early appointments, get up at 6.30 every morning …good practice for entering the real world again.

Speak soon

Xxxx

[supertrouper]

Bertha B - good luck for tomorrow xx
I am 3 weeks post mx and axillary clearance and still have a c cup sized seroma!

[system]

Hello Junies!

BB - hope op went OK and you’re not feeling too beaten up by all of these ops and have been OK getting your head round a mastectomy when you were expecting a lumpectomy the whole time. Rexi - hope wound is continuing to heal. Pam - great news that rads are done and Lorna - only 2 left…? ST - hope the swelling abates soon…

My excitement is that I had my implants inflated today! It was really weird - but nice to be slightly bigger. Am now probably a B/C cup.

x

[system]

Hi girls
Well finished rads on Tuesday and it now seems to be sinking in that I have no hospital apps everyday.I must say it is great to get back to some sort of normality.Have been cleaning and cooking and doing very mundane things but actually quite enjoying it.I think my hubby has some sort of secret celebration planned for tomorrow as we are going out and all my friends seem to have something on when I phone and ask if they want to meet us and my hubby insisted I bought a new dress when we were up town on Wednesday but time will tell and if he has I will act super surprised.Also busy getting stuff ready for holiday next week so it’s all go.
Bertha b hope everything went well with the op and you are recovering quickly
Sandy toes well done on boob inflation.I bet that felt really weird
Lorna are you finished rads today if so woo hoo
Love to all pam

[BerthaB]

Hi girls,

Out of hospital today.
Count was low but they went ahead with the op after boosting with an injection. It has been a busy 24 hours in the injection depatment my tummy is a pin cussion and ended up with 3 canula holes.
Felt fine in the morning but started being sick after bloods. think it was just the needle phobia but they put something in the Canula to stop it… being sick kinda hurts…

Sandytoes inflated… excellent great news…

Pam wow finished fantastic… and a holiday next week…

Katie, glad you enjoyed your holls

SuperT hope you c cup seronoma starts to clear soon.

Lorna 3 to go hope all goes well.

Rexi strange I am 43 but no-one has mentioned ostoporosis . My Grandmother has it, I will ask next time perhaps…

Hugs,
bb

[Rexi]

Bertha - so glad you are out (again)! Why is your tummy a pin cushion? I only got the injections for thrombosis into my tummy…
At Xmas time, I had a ladder of ever increasing blue marks up one of my veins on my right arm though, cannula in another vein. When they run out of space they started at the wrist - I can still see the shadow of that hematoma.

On the general upside in my current rather lazy life, I finally emptied the 3 removal boxes in my bedroom this morning - they have been staring at me since early Dec. Have not quite organised my wardrobe yet, but these were the last 3 boxes from the move ( lets not mention the 10 sitting in the garage and then there is also a full storage room, that requires emptying. I SO have to become more ruthless about STUFF). Anyway, it has been the most energy I have displayed in weeks

Pam - it sounds so lovely that your oh is planning this for you! And the holiday next week! So sweet!

Sandytoes, a cup size in one sitting? How many sitting will you have

SuperT - a C-cup seroma? Wowh! Hope it goes down soon! Mine was spread across a wide area, couldn’t see it week from the outside - but I have reported plenty about that

Lorna, must have mixed you up re work. Good luck for Feb instead
As I have been off since 1st Dec, which has been the longest since dx, I now can’t quite imagine how to fit it in again. Have become so lazy :). Well, one step at a time, RT first, then I ll have a think about phased return.
I was well positioned for a promotion next month, but bc put a stop to it. I will probably be considered for next year instead. I d like the recognition, but I am in two minds if I want to have the added stress that comes with it…

Have any of you read any BC books? I didn’t realise they existed until a friend mentioned that she has read a couple to understand better what I am going through, by reading similar real stories, their thoughts, treatments etc. I thought that was really sweet. Anyway, I have now also read a few in the last few weeks. So far, I quite liked ‘the c-word’ ( nothing like the American series of the same name). Sandytoes, there seem to be parallels to you - well without having met you

Rexi xxx

[Rexi]

Ooh, and I had my first haircut today - to tidy up the wilderness on my head. My hair looks neat and almost as if I actually may have wanted short dark grey hair, almost

[system]

Oh Bertha. Makes me sad thinking of you being sick because of nerves and everything you’ve had to go through. Done now. Definitely the final one. So crap what you’ve been through - especially as you were so happy with your first op cosmetically. Really hope you’re OK.

Pam - hope you’ve been practicing your surprised face in the mirror!! Have a fab time. You totally deserve it.

Rexi - yay to the haircut! I did read the C-Word and recommended it to other young women as it was such an upbeat, yet candidly written account…until she developed secondaries and now has only been given months to live. She is amazing and continues to document it all on her blog - but in the circumstances the book has lost the reassuring and upbeat nature it had when she was declaring herself a cancer survivor. Really sad.

On a positive note, i can keep inflating until I’m happy with the size! Going back for another top up in 2 weeks. Have told my husband that I’m in charge of this decision otherwise would be on danger of taking on Jordon-proportions! Have also booked 3 holidays for the next 3 months…plus a few nice weekend breaks over the summer months. Can’t wait! So nice to be able to plan things again and have things to look forward to isn’t it? Have frantically started exercising every day in a bid to shift the weight I put on during treatment now that I have the motivation of being seen in public in a bikini but not alot happening so far! Will see how I go by the end of the month before I resort to blaming the Tamoxifen!

Have a lovely weekend.

X

[Rexi]

Oh no, I didn’t Even think to see how the story continued. Off to her blog now …

[system]

Hi Guys- u all sound well…BB i hope ure getting there , this will be ure only set back !!! final…

I am going to the younger womans forum in Glasgow in March , looking forward to it. Though the laugh is i only just make it as i am 45 …hope i dont look like the mum to them all. I have met a girl from my town who is only a few years younger so she is going too , friendships develop in all circumstances

I have the darkest tan ever from radio , really tender under arm but only 1 to go , tues… so pleased. x

Downloaded war horse , so thats my plan today to read the whole book, bliss

Keep well girlies

xxxxxxx

[system]

Lorna, Was your last zap today…or were you skipping out today?? Hopefully your last one is done and more early mornings! Great that you’re going on the YWF. It’s very therapeutic to meet similar aged women going through it from a similar area.

Rexi - did you read the blog? Really sad…

X

[system]

ALL DONE !!! No more needs said…xxxxxxx

Let the walking begin…

[system]

Lorna-hip hip hooray get your boots on and get walking
Pam xxx