Angielav and Rach, hope your fathers get some proper TLC and hugs to you both with what you’re going through.
Ninja and Rach - your forthcoming surgeries, like Jude, I have been thinking of things which may help you. I still have not bought my first mx bra (5 mnths on) and haven’t got my proper prosthesis yet - been busy with the chemo. I found oversized short sleeved nighties that buttoned down the front a godsend as I struggled to get arm (and drain) into anything. I wore a halter-neck tied bikini top (and still am) which I pin the ‘softie’ into to stop the little houdini escaping (I once found it on floor in garden). I wore some of my OH shirts as looser fitting. I used a lot of baby wipes for cleansing/massaging the area post-op and slept with a cuddly teddy to keep arm elevated away from body at night in bed. Am thinking of you both as your next phase is upon us, the wait must be really hard for you both, I only had 4 days notice (was squeezed in) following my CT scan and surgeon appt.
Congrats to those losing weight - you must’ve sent it in my direction, have not lost/gained throughout chemo, but in last 2 weeks since finishing, I’ve put on 7lbs - I have had a lot of cake though…
SE’s for me seem to be getting there - mouth/tastebuds now back to normal, not much energy and fingers still incredibly sore - I’m off to doc’s later to get antibiotics, one nail is oozing the most foulest smelling gunk from underneath it, it really is awful and I can smell it when I’m eating and is putting me right off. Fortunately I have no temp (yet!) so avoiding being hospitalised for the time being. Rads tats brought a bit of cording back in arm, had last physio session today before Rads start (30th Sept) and am due back straight after too.
Wandy - glad your energy is returning… and I need to de-clutter too - some of my inappropriate wardrobe needs to go/be adapted…
Angielav, thanks for the link, I definately need one of those bracelets…
Jane - glad the rads SE’s are behaving for now, may it continue.
That was a heart, not a cornet. But if you fancy ice cream, lick away.
Spent the morning sleeping and crying then my DD came round to see me and to drop my repeat script at the docs - it’s a 40-minute round trip walk and I’m very wobbly just lately. Then again, it was a 60-mile round trip for her…but it WAS her idea.
I bought a size large nightie from TK Maxx that’s both stretchy and button-fronty a few months back, ready for the hossi. Then I have OH’s shirts to go at.
All my current tops seem to be either tight stretchy outdoor gear or low-cut and tight-fitting. Crikey, just slipping on a camisole won’t work to make that lot look right with a dodgy prosthesis.
I’ve got a cylindrical squashy pillow thing that was a godsend after the port surgery - I normally use it to separate my knees to cut down on inflamed fibro joints at night but it can be both boob and arm prop.
I’m just doing the earth mother bit and making sliced apple out of windfalls from our Bramley apple tree and freezing them in batches on an open tray so they don’t stick together when bagged up. I taught OH the tray-freezing thing at the w/e and he’s been slicing up and blanching a glut of cheap carrots on Sunday.
Now, to twist off and boil some fresh beets from the farmer’s market…
I opted for button up jamas for my MX … easy to get the jacket off after node clearance … couldnt lift my arms to get anything on or off!! Just been out for lunch with a friend who’s three weeks from giving birth … was very good … no wine and no pudding! It was interesting listening to all her SEs of pregnancy… very much like chemo … and as I’ve never had kids … all new to me.
Dad a bit ropey but they’ve found nothing from tests, scans and lumbar puncture… which is good but puzzling! Hope everyone’s having a fine day x
Large campo with choccie biccies on the side on their way.
Thanks for the apple info - I need to try something along those lines I think. Are you just slicing and freezing them without cooking? What do you do with them when taking from freezer - eat/pies? I usually pick, then make and freeze apple sauce or apple crumble (minus the crumble bit) and give the ones I can’t use away. Don’t know what variety my apples are, one baker and one eater.
I made my last batch of ‘black’ plum jam on Sunday - got loads of the stuff and no real recipes for them either - I’m not very good in the kitchen, my talent is limited to garden/greenhouse, and even that talent is a bit limited…
apples - last year I made apple & walnut chutney which was fab… Rick Stein recipe that i found online… Just had a cream tea… SO good for the weight!!! anyone want to share it? my top tip for hospital is to take ear plugs… seriously… it helps… and to accept morphine at night whether you need it for the pain or not, because it helps you sleep!!! I also found I could listen to an audio book (easy one) when I didn’t want to be holding a proper book, so I put one on the ipod… Hugs to those who feel fragile… Jane
Bev - I’m slicing, tossing in lemon juice and sugar to prevent them going brown and for a wee bit of pre-sweetening, and freezing as is. They cook really quickly in a microwave afterwards. They’re Bramleys so not for eating without cooking.
I still have half a large jug full of the slices, waiting for freezing.
Hi all. Not sleeping again. Well hacked off. Was hoping to get into a routine as start work again on 3 oct. Good news is have booked my flights to oz. Going for two months over xmas to see my sis. Cant afford it but …
All that standing up, apple-slicing, finished me off and I spent the evening stretched out asleep on the sofa.
Still waiting for the “finished chemo four weeks ago and feel loads of energy and swimming a mile and going to the gym” feeling.
I did manage to get by on only one dose of morphine (and lots of codeine) yesterday so that is prolly a start.
And I lost another pound but still feel as fat as a rat.
There is the solution for insomnia! Slice apples for a couple of hours.
I empathise with the “I’ve finished chemo and why do I still feel like rubbish” bit Ninja. I expected to feel human by week 3/4…wrong! However, I can tell you that now, (week 6/7) I am beginning to feel more like I used to. It’s not sustainable or reliable, but my legs don’t feel like lead any more, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel… so hang on in there, and be gentle with yourself!!! Moving house… slicing apples… heavens! hugs… Jane
With nine days to slice’n’dice, not sure that the progress will continue unabated, Jane!
Though I am looking forward to the:-
“recovering after Mx is much faster than after chemo”
and
“it’s a doddle compared to chemo”
parts.
We have visitors for lunch again on Sunday but OH is a marvellous cook so no pressure on me there - I’m just concentrating on making the cakes and puddings and stacking & emptying the dishwasher when we entertain these days.
Now, what else can I make with all our windfall Bramleys? I sliced and froze up a whole bucketful yesterday and today I’ve already been a-gathering but there are only ten new apples to use.
<domestic goddess=“” head=“” on=“”><br>
I think someone asked yesterday about the prep before I freeze them. The reason I don’t pre-cook them is because the frozen cooked mush is a solid mass that takes a long time to defrost. Frozen individual slices defrost in a twinkle.</domestic>
Just froze half of last night’s home-made carrot soup. Told you that OH is talented! Tip: Put freezer bag for fluids into a rectangular box, fill it using a jug, then freeze. When solid, remove box and the shaped bag is easy to stack. Re-use the same box; you only have to buy a couple of freezer boxes that way.
If you like chutney, the apple & walnut is lovely… I was aware that you have more hurdles ahead Ninja… I belong to the “mx was a doddle compared to chemo” gang… take all the pain killers, do the exercises and REST… Post anaesthetic/surgery weakness is different from chemo-grot…(for me) At least you know what you’re dealing with, and there generally aren’t any other unexpected side effects to bite on the bum when you turn your back (wonderful mix of metaphors or somethings there!) Do you have a date yet?
Ninja - windfall Bramleys? One of my neighbours puts her left overs in a basket at the end of her drive with some folded carrier bags and a hand written notice saying “help yourself” I am now thinking about apple crumble with either hot custard or ice cream. Roast pork with apple sauce mmmmm with a nice crispy bit of crackling. One of the best places I have found on the internet for recipes where you can search by available ingredients is food.com but you probably already know that!
ST - trouble with the “help yersen” idea round here is that all the neighbouring houses were, like mine, build on a former orchard…can’t even give them away!
Well, I can, to the house’s former occupant and to friends who regularly get a carrier bag full of hatpulls (as DD used to call them when she was tiny).
Jane - I’ve had quite a few ops before, though nothing quite so major as this one is turning out to be, so I’m used to the post-op grot. Though with 5 days in hospital, most of the worst will take place there.
We are starting to overdose on pork’n’apple, apple pie and apple crumble…hmmm perhaps an apple cake?
Thanks for all of the tips re: apples, I’m just looking down my garden and there seems to be plenty of windfalls - may need to get busy this afternoon… any recipes would be great thanks Jane.
Freezer boxes, I use old marg tubs so can freeze in one portion sizes.
I too am one of the ‘mx was easier than chemo’, but I only had a simple mx and recovery was much quicker than expected, I had more issues with the node clearance op recovery, even so, whilst hard work at the time, it was still easier to deal with than chemo. I remember moving fencing posts 3 weeks after as felt back to normal, fully fit and I was impatient - it was stupid, and I put my recovery back a week or so - be kind to yourself and I agree with Jane, rest and do the exercises.
One good piece of advice I’ve read on here is to start doing the post-surgery exercises now, so that you’re used to them (like second nature) and you know what your current mobility range is now - you’ve got a benchmark to work towards post-surgery.
Off to put kettle on and take antibiotics - so still no ‘chemo is finished’ celebrations here as yet.
Bev - I asked about doing exercises pre-surgery and was told it wasn’t necessary. I can’t do the post-surgery ones now as no-one has told me what they are!
They did say that I would be seeing a physio at some point after the op and that I must be ruthless at doing the exercises when told.
Ninja, not sure how to post a link (techno retard), but the leaflet I was given in hospital is in the publications section on this site, the only exercise I wasn’t allowed to do ever was the last one which involved a hand weight. You may get different exercises to do post-surgery, but you may be doing something along these lines too.
My physio saw me the morning after surgery and started the exercises that day, I’m still doing these and more exercises and am still going for physio (with a breast physio specialist) every 3 weeks still - chemo seems to really interfere with the internal healing (for me anyway) and radio will have it’s own issues I’m sure.