You highlighted it very well there PTB about the solution to the problem being the thing that will actually make us feel ill!! Big old pill to swallow isn’t it but like everyones saying lots of support, hugs and giggles here along the way to get us through and we will get there.
I’m off wig shopping next week so it’s good to know that some stars have found them to be better than own hair. Mannequin head I bought freaks me out a bit it’s living in the bathroom at the moment so hoping i don’t forget its there and scare myself if I have to pee in the middle of the night!
Samjs the male suggestions did tickle me- men ay ha ha!
Hoping you all have nice Saturdays whatever you’re up to
Hi all , I’m due to start 8 FEC-T on the 4th September
I’m 49 - well 50 on Wednesday and a widow . Still grieving my husband and now dealing with this finding it all to much .
Can I join the group , would love some company and someone to chat to if that’s ok
Helen x
Hi Helen, we would love to have you join the Stars. I am so sorry to hear your news but rest assured you will get all the help and support we have to give. We all have a battle ahead and we all have different stories to tell but one thing is for certain we are all holding hands to keep strong so we can fight our way through it. Don’t feel you are on your own. I’m sure everyone will agree we are all here ready and waiting if you need us.
Signing off now. Goodnight Helen and all you brilliant shining Stars. x
Just a quick update
I’ve been spying on the Maisie’s and Penn who does their list is having a nightmare getting it to appear correctly on their forum, I’m going to wait till she sorts it then she can tell me how to do it! The moderators are looking at it for her but with it being a bank holiday it may not be sorted till next week! Keep sending me your details and ill get something started in word ready to post when I find out how! Xxxxx Barbs
Hope you all slept well, I didn’t as I was drinking with friends and alcohol sleep is never good for me. I am so making up for all the times I will not feel like going out once the chemo starts. I am social butterfly and I think I will really struggle with the limitations that chemo can cause. My MiL has told me to start some sort of project for when my immunity is low to keep me busy.
Welcome all new Stars. Helen, we will all keep you company, don’t worry.
Free prescription card- the hospital gane me the form when I was first diganosed. Can’t understand why dental can’t be added to it especially when it affects your ability to work so you are likely to have reduced pay at some point.
Ladies you chould have a dental check before chemo starts I picked up on this from other groups. I had mine a couple of weeks ago. The dentist said the healthier you mouth is prior to chemo the better. Was told to use floss, mouth wash etc daily. The mouth really does go through it as the chemo kills all fast growing cells and we have those in our mouths. If you need any dental treatment this should also be done prior to chemo because of the risk of infection.
I have a wig and several purchases from Annabandan as I expected to start chemo in August- The wig I brough was £7 off ebay and is fabulous- not sure the NHS one I will get which is worth £80 will be any better. My hair has gone from shoulder length in May- to shortish layered bob. I am having the length cutt a bit more today. Gradually getting short in the hope I don’t have a complete melt down when I need to shave it!!
Boob update- I forget (ridculous I know when all I have talked about for 2 weeks is the flaming leaking boob.) Both holes have plugged themselves (fingers crossed). No need for my dad to call the plumber or OH to get his felt and gas gun out!
Like you barbs I missed out on a trip to London for my bday in June, I wanted to go up the Shard. Also lost two holidays, Turkey and Portugal. I am having a mega party next year as we are getting married. xxx
Hi there Stars, Bank Holiday weekend and it’s already rained. Typical. Good news Sam and Nikki that your appointments have finally arrived. At least that’s another thing you can stop fretting over. Like you Sam I booked a dental check, going Tuesday so that will give them time to sort out any problems I might have. Because we really need more problems don’t we? Lol. You are right though, treatment should be free. Luckily because I live in Wales I don’t pay for prescrptions so that’s one thing I won’t have to sort out. Today’s the day for the haircut and tomorrow I am going to treat it to a colour just so it looks ok while I still have it. Shoulder length hair down to short bob today. Also having my wig reshaped slightly. Could almost get excited about it all if it wasn’t all so bloody awful. Luckily my son’s ex partner is doing the honours for me so at least we should be able to have a laugh about it. Today is also the day we have chosen to tell my darling little Grandaughter about forthcoming events. Not looking forward to that one bit, but as she will be there when I am having my hair cut it seems an appropriate time. She will absolutely love my wig because I have bought one almost the same colour as her hair. Think there maybe tears today, mine not hers. I have no doubt she will take this all in her stride. She is a very bright four (almost) year old handling Type 1 diabetes and that doesn’t phase her one bit. So hopefully she will handle this too. Talking about parties, that’s one thing I will be missing this year, her birthday party. Boy, like the rest of you,will I make up for that when all this is over. Re being lonely Nikki and Helen my o/h works away from home, has done for over 35 years and is right at this moment so I understand what it’s like to be on your own. He hasn’t managed to be around much since my dx and possibly won’t be in the months ahead and I do feel very alone sometimes,but I have a daughter and son who are absolutely wonderful and of course there is this brilliant forum. Anyway this posting is rapidly turning into a novel. love and hugs to all. x
Seroma really getting me down now, had it drained once since surgery but CS doesn’t want to do it too often cause of infection risk. Really I’m not a wimp but I’m fed up, it’s sore, it feels like I’m carrying a house brick under my arm, arm movement not only hurts but is now limited & & & I’m just fed up. Anyone got any advice? Please
Nikki sorry to hear of your probs with seroma I had it too after my first lumpectomy had it drained 3 times, I went and had reflexology and she did a lymphatic drainage on my feet don’t ask me how it worked but honestly I’ve had no further problems with it, the lump just disappeared overnight! I’ve carried on with it once a week and even after I had to have a further 2 ops including am MX it never came back! I’m lucky my friend is a reflexologist but I understand you can get it for free at your local hospice if you have a critical illness! Might be worth a try, I’m the worlds biggest skeptic but I’ve found it great! If nothing else it will relax and destress you!
Yay Nikki and Sam AT LAST!! Just waiting on my start date letter…STILL grrrr! Sam glad boob is behaving too gosh you won’t know yourself hehe! My birthday was June too…the 1st what’s yours? Awesome that you’re getting married next year CONGRATS ?? that’s something brilliant to look forward to? Ru having the works? (Big white do) when I got married to my lovely OH we went to Key West in Florida jus the two of us (both been married before…complicated etc) it was lovely but very different to the first one! I think stars we should get to know a bit about each other not just the cancer bit as I know there’s more to us all than that! So ill start…I’m 50 (shhhh don’t tell anyone) although I truly believe I’m only 30 I don’t feel grown up enough to be any older. I work full time in a bank one of the big four…boo hiss I hear you say, sadly I’m one of the little people no big fat banker bonus for me! I’ve been married twice got 4 children (only gave birth to 2) between me and the OH , they are all grown up now and are brilliant. All left home but visit lots and one daughter just lives near which is bliss. Got a mad cat called Timothy. My dad was in the army and I always said I’d never marry anyone in the forces…then did it twice wtf? OH now out of the Airforce and is a photographer and also a country house estates manager. We live in Lincoln after travelling all over the world, we have lived in some mad places such as the Falkland Islands! Oh yes and I LOVE watching crap tv program’s, if its got the words soap,fat or reality I’m there! My brain has been fried already so I’m not worried about chemo brain LOL that’s prob enough to be going on with Barbs xxx
A little about me. I am 46 and like you Barbs still feel about 30. I live in Northants with my partner of 6 years, my two sons (21 and 19) and his son and daughter(22 and 14). We also have two boxer dogs and a cat. I am a primary school teacher and have been for 10 years. 14 years ago I was a hairdresser and decided I wanted career change so off I trotted to college to get A levels and then Uni. I love my job, it is so rewarding and every day is different. I taught years5/6 for 9 years and for the past year I taught year1/2. I was gutted I wasn’t there for the last half term with them. I love lunches with friends and OH and we have quite a good social life. We both love Ska and reggae music and once a year put on a charity ska night in memory of a friend. This year the monies raised are going to a local breast cancer charity. My diagnosis came a month after my mum’s diagnosis with BC. I checked myself about 10 days after she told me she had it and I found a lump. I thought I was going mad and making the whole thing up but every time I checked it was still there. So it has been a bit of a year for our family!! But we will get through it. xxxx
Samjs- glad your boob has stopped leaking thank goodness, lets hope that’s the last of it!!! Can’t believe both you and your mum have been dx so close together thats rough are you having the same treatment??
barbs- thanks for tip on shaving head. Hope you enjoy the lakes.
Nikki- Sorry you’re suffering hope you get something sorted with seroma soon I’m going to try reflexology for mine next week so will see if that helps me as still having drained twice a week nearly a month post op, however not too painful anymore.
Its nice to get to know all of you better, sounds like you lead very interesting busy lives. I too am a social butterfly.
I’m 28 a nurse, was diagnosed a day after my birthday in July, so missed out on my first weekend away without my little one since she was born damn it!! Will be making up for that next year hopefully. Only one in my family with bc so hoping i don’t carry faulty gene.
I live with my husband and 15 month old little girl who had heart surgery this feb for a hole so not enjoying 2013 family wise either. However she has been fine since op so that’s a blessing.
Thinking I will take up painting as hobby if se’s aren’t too harsh- something my little one can join in on too. Love watching a bit of trash telly too to switch off after busy days.
Enjoy your bank hol weekends stars whatever you’re all up to.
Thanks for all the hugs & advice - i will deffo try to find if someone local does reflexology.
I’ve dosed myself up, had a small Smirnoff ice & eaten half a tub of Haagen Dazs Baileys ice cream so feeling much better for the moment.
Ok so about me.
I’m 49, divorced (for the 2nd time, 4 yrs ago), have 2 daughters aged 25 & 16 the 25 yr old is married with 3 children with another due in October, I’m pig sick that I’m not gonna be much use to her this time around.
The 16 yr old lives with me, is lovely but a typical teenager.
I work full time as a financial controller. I went on annual leave 18th July , joined my family in Spain for a relaxing holiday to power up ready for this fight - surgery has kept me busy since my return but but now I’m bored & we’ve got what? another 3 or 4 months of this? so I’m definitely gonna need a hobby - have no idea what though. I’ve always worked so am at a complete loss as to what to do with my time. I’m not really into soaps, can’t stand BB , I like a lot of American tv, csi, ncis, re runs of friends, action & adventure films - god this is beginning to sound like a dating site lol
Take care xx
Hazey, me and mum are having different treatments as we have different diagnosis. Mum had DCIS intermediate I think. She had to have mx as it was so large, RADs and is now on Antrozol(spelt wrong I am sure). I had high grade DCIS, IDC grade 2, lymph node involvement and vascular invasion. I ahve had two WLEs a third op due to a haematoma which they removed and an aspitaion for seroma. I am having chemo, RADs and Tamoxifen. Mums treatment, whilst it was a more major op, has been straight forward. But I feel like she had to get it for me to find mine if that make sense. If I hadn’t of found it when I did, god knows where it would have travelled to by the time i did. So mum says, So I saved your life! And yes she possibly did but not in away you would wish on anyone. xx
Blimey samjs sounds like you’re both going through it in different ways, strange how its exactly the same time. Like you say sometimes it takes someone to be dx with this for others to start checking themselves and at least you did and acted on it so now you can kick its ass xx
I hope you dont mind me hoping over the fence from the August group, its just that my first cycle of FEC-T will be on the 30th August and i have been reading the posts in this group out of curiosity.
Anyway , I just wanted to eco what Hazey has said about being more breast aware as a result of friends/family members having experienced BC
I didnt feel any lump but I did have a very slight indentation on my boob.
I wasnt concerned about it but knew from my own mothers experience 3 yrs ago that it needed checking just to be on the safe side.
The week of my appointment I finally felt what I thought was a pea size lump. I was shocked to discover on the day of tests that in actual fact , I had 2 lumps in same breast and positive lymph node biopsy. now I say to my girl friends , any change in breast , however slight, go get it checked out. we know our bodies and only we will be visually aware of any changes with or without feeling a lump.
Have to say how different people approach having bc. My mum initially didn’t want anyone to know except immediate family. I was the total opposite because I wanted it to make everyone I know more breast aware. I didn’t think things like this happened to people like me and when I was diagnosed I thought, if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone. So all my friends have have become avid boob checkers!
Helloooo from the lovely Lake District ? having a fab mini break lovely to be “normal” mind you it’s been so hot I’ve had to take the bloody softee out but what the hell…IM ON HOLIDAY yay! Don’t forget if you want to be added to the list of stars PM me that way we will know who’s up for treatment and when ! Hope you are all having a great bank holiday weekend xxxxxxx Barbs
Hi there Stars, what’s been going on here. Really does look like we have turned into online dating but so nice to get to know you all better. I’m with you Sam and Hazey, the more people we can make aware of this the better. When my sister was dx 11 years ago she only told her husband and went through a lumpectomy and mx before she even told her kids Although she was told it was unlikely this was in the family guess what happened. Here I am suffering the same anguish, but I am not afraid to share my experiences. My battle hasn’t even properly started yet but if everyone who knows what is happening to me passes on this info to others then hopefully more of us will become breast aware. I always thought I was but unfortunately “Damion” caught me totally by surprise. Glad to hear you are having a fab hol Barbs. Enjoy the freedom while you can. Hope everyone else is having a great bank holiday. Good luck with the treatment Jo, we will be monitoring your progress very carefully I have no doubt as we all follow along behind you, and don’t forget Tracey I’ll be right there with you. Goodnight shining Stars. xxxxx
are you having the same treatment??