Hi harry duck
If you do feel you need some extra support or just to talk things through please don’t hesitate to give the BCC helpline a call. Here you can share ypur concerns with a trained member of staff who will offer you emotional support as well as practical information. The number to call is 0808 800 6000 and the line is open today until 2pm and then Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm.
Best wishes Sam, BCC Facilitator
Hi everyone…Just wanted to say thanks to Merc for messaging to ask if I was till around…hope you got the message back Merc! I have been following the posts since my first one about my scan a few weeks ago…I admire you all and my heart goes out to al of you - especially Harry Duck and your lovely new baby and all of you who are going through this for the second time.
Harry Duck - my BC nurse told me about someone who had been pregnant at 32 andhad a largebreast tumour which had already spread to her liver…the baby was delivered early so she could start treatment and now she is 37, the ‘baby’ is at school and she has no signs of cancer and ran the Mancherster marathon recently to raise money for cancer research…so hope that cheers you up as it did me.
Well just to say that I had my scan - and thanks to those who posted to reassure me. It was so much less traumatic than I had expected…I was just dreading going to Christies to become ‘part of the system’ there I think…and the meeting with my oncologist the day after went well so I now feel much more relaxed and am starting chemo (FEC-T for triple negative BC) on 30th May - so just squeeze in to the ‘buds’ group. I feel I know you all already so hope you don’t mind my joining in again at this late stage…I just have to get my scan results and then have a heart scan to see if my heart can withstand the chemo …fingers crossed.
I even got my wig in advance yesterday and was pleasantly surprised with the choice and appearance…
I hope you all manage to enjoy the weekend - SEs or not…and must say that it is useful to be picking up tips in advance…trying not to get too anxious though. Good luck and best wishes to you all.
Anni
Thank you Anni its so good to hear the happy stories. Glad you have stayed in the darling buds team! I have been on the first proper dog walk for 8 weeks and it has worn me out but felt good to be normal. The boys didnt run off either so think they must know im not my normal self. They often go off on their own for hours… Elizabeth slept all the way in her so called off road pram. She was a bit shaken at times poor thing. Rattles i love your wigs name! I must start thinking off one as she will arrive next week from germany. Maybe that should be my insperation. Thankyou Sam for that info i will use it im sure. Alesha im so pleased you dont feel to bad. What a relief.x Merc i hope you dont get the dreaded bug and have a fantastic night tonight.x Squeakymouse i hope you get all of the confusion/Admin sorted and if not sock it to em on monday…x Dogirl love the red hair idea bet it looks fab. Do you keep doing a double take when you walk passed a mirror? Is your user name because you have woofers or am i well off track?x I hope everyone is having a good weekend even if the weather is not what we would expect in may. Roast chuck for tea and a glass of sav blanc me thinks xxxx
Harryduck - hope you are feeling a bit better now than when you posted earlier. I was thinking of you all day but I am an engineer not a trained counsellor and a bit cr*p with words so did not want to say something that might make you feel worse! I have used the BCC helpline people and they are very good and you can also email them if you find it difficult to speak on the phone.
Take care
Squeakymouse xx
Squeakymouse thankyou for your post i am feeling lots better thanks. I really do go up and down so fast. I think its a combo of baby blues and this s****y thing. I did not have time to process any of it at the time. I found a lump and mentioned it to the midwife on friday 16th march she sent me staight to the GP with 3 children in tow (im a nanny) and then had my first hosp thurs 22nd they told me there and then after scan mam and biops. Told to go back the following week for path results. But baby would be staying put and i would be having Chemo whilst preg. I was 30 weeks at the time. Went back Wed 28th to be told i was staying and get myself upto the mat unit for my first steriods and i was having a baby tomorrow WTF… Quick cry then mad panic i needed to change hospitals fast. We lived 40 miles from the hosp i was at and needed to get to nottingham and fast ( we live 30 miles from there but i wanted to be somewhere with SCBU and breast centre) The Mcmillan nurse sorted it within 2 hours and i had to be at notts city the next day to meet the obst. Que telling my poor boss i am not coming back for the foreseeable. Poor children i nanny for lost their charley overnight! Had a C section on fri 30th march 14 days after finding a lump! I then lost the plot 4 days after giving birth and cried for a whole day. Begged them to let me out of hosp and left my baby in SCBU to come home. Then spent every day In the SCBU with Elizabeth. That was a whole rollercoaster of its own. Anyway met my surgeon and onc the tues after i had elizabeth and felt very reassured that they were in charge of my treatment. So 5 weeks on my SCBU rollercoaster a week at home with my beautiful daughter then Chemo. Its only now that i feel better that its all hit me i think. I will be fine. I just couldnt process it at the time there was to much going on. I am so glad i found you lovely ladies to help travel with along this journey. This probably is not the right place to write this and sorry for the extra long ramblings but feels good to write it down.
Thanks buddies for the advice re constipation- will give the prunes a go!! I’m trying to eat lots of fruit and veg and fibre anyway but not enough it seems. Rattles your hair down the loo story made me laugh loads, thank you!!! Had a lovely afternoon of shopping with my 10 yr old daughter getting her kitted out for Portugal next week- spent far too much money and spoilt her rotten and it felt great!!! Well if Im not going we’ll save some money on all the ice creams/crepes/beer/wine/meals out that I won’t now be indulging in, saving a small fortune probably!!! Hope Merc and Harryduck you are feeling happier now- its such an emotional seesaw, isnt it? Squeakymouse - I hope they sort out your appointments etc. I’m sure they’ve not forgotten you, just being incompetent! Anni- you’ll be having your first juicing when I’m getting my second one so we can hold virtual hands ! Hope all us buds enjoy the rest of the weekend, much love and cyber hugs to all, Em X
Harry duck u write as much as u want, that’s what the site is for, use the site for what it’s intended for, helping people like yourself, u’ve been thru so much, what with Elizabeth and now this nastiness, keep smiling and all will be well 
Harryduck,
You are one very brave lady and I feel humbled that I am only dealing with the treatment for BC and my children are grown up. I had a beautiful card from my eldest daughter in which she says she really believes that God, or our higher power only gives to us what we can handle in one day so if we have a bad day have faith that you can handle it and it will pass.
On a lighter note if any of you have seen the film “Exotic Marigold hotel” there is a phrase in it that “everything will be all right in the end and if its not yet all right then its not the end” So we all have to keep the thought that we will get through this and come out of treatment and be OK eventually.
I am awaiting the 2nd Feccing treatment on the 23rd and trying to remain calm and relaxed about it. Merc- I think you are one day ahead of me so good luck for Tuesday and maybe our SE’s will be better this time. The trouble is I now expect to be sick so I am sure I will think myself sick even if there are other drugs. They say they will give me Emend but reading other posts there is still terrible nausea and I think I’d rather vomit. The things we talk about!!
I must be a bit rubbish at this because just wrote long post and lost it! 
Rattles you really have me giggling :-0
I am doing cold cap so still have hair on my head for as long as it lasts, not sure if i’m just kidding myself along,
Terrified to wash/touch/brush hair on my head while under arm hair stays stubbernly in place.
Really not looking forward to next Fec on fri 25th as last one (because of cold cap) took four and a half hours followed by three days and nights of sickness and head aches
Tried to reply to you Merc but didn’t seem to manage, still don’t know what i’m doing.
You are great support to everyone in the May 2012 thread, thanks.
Luv viv x
Rattles there you go again!! I was watching The Witches on the tv with my daughter, especially the scene when they are all in the hotel, with their wigs off, didn’t say anything but thought that will be me soon, especially as my face neck and back seem to be errupting in massive spots!! /? 
luv viv x
Hey Viv do u think we will have to same powers as the witches? Lol, how cool would that be we could zap anyone into frogs etc, that would be soooo funny, :-))
Hi Merc,it was so nice to read your comment.You have really lifted my spirits,thank you.
Ihave to go for my pre asses on mon the 21stmay,wich is my birthday then start my chemo on wedensday.
take care.
Donna xx
Hi …just wondering if the cold cap causes the headaches or is it the chemo? Anyone had success with the cold cap? Just wondering about giving it a try but not sure if I can face extra SEs…
Hi Anni,
I was offered the cold cap but decided against it as my onc advised it would not be effective against the mega high doses of FEC-T I am having. However you might be on lower doses or different chemo - has your onc suggested it would be worth trying?
Not sure whether any of the other ladies here have tried it or know anyone else who has.
If you do decide to try it, you probably need to let the hospital know as soon as you can because you will probably need a longer appointment than standard chemo.
Squeakymouse
Hi Anni, all I know about cold cap is that it’s a temp of about -10, and has to be worn before, during, and after treatment, and it does cause headache, I opted not to have it, sorry cant be more help
Hello lovely buddies, to Donna and anni whose posts are the only ones I can see as I write this message and when I go back, I lose anything I have written!
Glad to have made you smile. Laughter really is the best medicine.
Donna, make sure you enjoy your birthday. You will no doubt feel very anxious about starting chemo but even more reason to celebrate!
Anni- I think the decision to use the cold cap is a personal choice: main disadvantages are that its freezing and uncomfortable, you have to have it on for a while, both before and after chemo, so its longer. And it may not work.
Squeaky mouse - we must have been writing our posts at the same time yesterday as when I clicked on the post button, yours was there and I felt terrible about not having responded. I know it is hard to feel confident and safe when you don’t feel like you, or the team around you are clear of the plan. I must admit, I thought Herceptin came along towards the end of the chemo, only as that is what has happened to other ladies I have come across. I think you have to not be scared to self-advocate and push for things to happen- not easy when you feel fragile and vulnerable.
Merc - hope you had fun last night and it cheered you up. Harry - I am going to PM you (or try to) so look out for my message. Vivibell- my skin is terrible too!I
I share what so many of you have said, which is the awful dread of next week and going through it all again. It is spoiling my weekend and making me cross becuase I want to enjoy it!!
Hair coming out in handfuls now- too much to get Velma out of her box. OH explained to our daughter that this is a good thing as it shows us the special medicine is working. Such a good thing to say, gave him a big kiss. Hope this cheers you all on as much as it did me.
Lots of love, Rattles x
Rattles will keep my eyes peeled x
Hi to all the buddies. Just popping in after a weekend away. I’ve been to Clitheroe in Lancashire for a training weekend with GirlguidingUK who I volunteer with. I only booked onto the weekend on Wednesday when I decided that I felt OK to go and there was a spare place. I’ve had a brilliant weekend and laughed so much - eaten lots of yummy food. Back to reality now and my 2nd EC on Weds 23rd. Have to go and have bloods done on tuesday. Hair on head starting to fall out now - so that’s day 18.Julie
Thanks ladies for the advice on the cap…will have a think. Hope you have all had the best weekends possible and good luck to those of you having another chemo session next week…
Hello Buds. I hope you all had a good weekend. I have had two great dog walks and some visitors so a good one for me. I am a little lost as to who is doing what this week. I know Rattles has Chemo on wed and me on Thurs. What is everyone elses plan this week?