hi Murphy. Glad there is someone my own age no offence ment to the younger ladies. im 52 got 4 kids 31, 31, 28 ,25 and a adorable 6year old grandson. no pets but hubby buy’s treats 4 the 3 cats that live next door so they spend a lot of time in our garden lol. i thought i would be starting chemotherapy about same time as u but got to have heart scan first. im not sure yet about how a feel about a wig. se how i go there r some lovely scarfs around so might stick with them. not sure how my grandson is going to react so far we’ve only said that I’ve been poorly and bless him he’s been great with it all. it broke my heart when one day after my opp when he said Nanny where does it hurt ill kiss it better. anyway im going on now. let us no how wig shopping goes. take care everyone have a good weekend. suexxx
hi jingo you r more than welcome to join are group. im going to b very honest with hope u don’t mind. I’ve read your post and it brought me to tears. u have been through so much and still have more to deal with. i no we r all different but it put it into perspective what im going through. i take my hat of to for battling on with this horrible disease. im 52 with 4 kids andl one grandson. im not clued up on all the abbreviations so bare with me not great at spelling either lol. I’ve had lumpectmy mine was 3.5mm but had cancer in one lymph node hence chemo and rads . got infection in wound and have to have heart scan so im not starting chemo just yet but told will b Oct. hope we can all help each other here. sue xxx
Afternoon
Sue I have to agree with you Jingo has been through the wars and it does put everything into perspective.
This forum is a godsend as we can talk to people who understand what we are feeling and I feel like all I talk about at home is the “C” word and nobody understands.
I am 47 with one daughter (24) and three stepsons (32, 29 and 22) also three grandchildren (4, 4, and 10mnths) these keep me strong. The granddaughters both four are facinated with my scar and as for the presethis or softies these are just amazing, got to laugh at them.
Also could do with a list of what all the abreviations are, I struggle with texts from the kids x
Hi
Here’s a link to some abbreviations which may help:
breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-information/glossary
Best wishes
Lucy BCC
Hi ladies . I’m starting chemo this coming Friday eek ! I’m 51 married with a 13 yr old daughter a dog and a welsh pony which I share with my daughter . I found my lump by accident 1.5 cm grade 3 hormone pos . Clear nodes but needed 2nd op for margins (lumpectomy ) I normally work full time but currently off sick although will work from home if I can during chemo . Can’t wait to start chemo as every ache and pain worries me at mo ! I also have rheumatoid arthritis and can’t take my normal meds so that’s flaring up too ! I’m hoping the steroids and chemo drugs will zap that for a whole too ! I usually take a low dose chemo drug once a week via injection so I wonder if the fect will be a stronger version if that . Going to try cold cap but as I have v long thick hair I’m going to get it cut first . I’m going to keep the hair as my friend does hair extensions and I may be able to re use it later …bizarre ! I hope we can all become good pals and support each other . Love , and best wishes to you all x
Good evening ladies, I’m a bit worried, I got my appointment through for my heart scan this morning and it’s not till mon 29 sept. My date for starting chemo is 24 sept!!! I’ll need to phone first thing Monday and hope they can change the appointment and fit me in before my chemo, else the chemo will be delayed and I would be so upset as I’ve psyched myself up for it next week. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Wig shopping today went really well. I’ve gone for something completely different to my own hair. I didn’t want folk I know thinking I was trying to disguise the fact I was wearing a wig, and being uncomfortable about about it. I also got some nice scarfs - like you sue I intend wearing scarfs most of the time. Mel and debtex, I hope the cold cap works for you both, the hair thing hasn’t really bothered me all that much, although I’m keeping my fingers crossed I don’t loose my eyebrows and lashes.
Jingo, I am really sorry to hear you have already been through so much, as the others have said it definitely puts everything into perspective. I hope we will all be able to support one another through this horrible horrible process. My friends and family just don’t get it a lot of the time, so having you ladies here to go through this with and bounce things off is just the best.
Love and hugs xxxx
morning Murphy sorry to hear about your heart scan that’s the last thing u need is to be delayed like u say uve prepared yourself for that date. i still haven’t heard when mine is yet. was looking on line yesterday and they have some lovely scarves with matching scrunchys to keep scarves in place only £6.48. glad your wig shopping went well.
Debtex hi and welcome. sorry that u have to join us with this horrible disease hope we can all b here to help each other. im with u on the aches and pains side of things its very worry at times. good luck with cold cap hope it goes well for u. good luck and hugs for ladies who r starting treatment this week. sue xxx
Hi sue,mi phoned first thing this morning and left message on answer machine. Someone phoned me back and said they have a cancellation in radiography on Friday 26th (my original appoint was mon 29th). I said that was still after my chemo was due to start. She said to come up tomorrow for my planned day before chemo appoint with oncol and see what they say. Some docs will let you start chemo a few days before you have the scan she said, it’s just up to the individual, otherwise my chemo will get put back to next wed (1 oct). I am really really disappointed, it so work in with things to have it this week (the main thing being Xmas as I have a 9 year old).
I know what you mean sue about feeling scared but better at the same time when you get your date for starting. I was exactly the same, just wanted to get started now.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Thank you very much to Sam for passing on your experience to those of us starting out on this blinking journey. It’s great to hear from folk who have come out the other side.
Will let you know the outcome tomorrow of my appointment. Fingers and toes crossed please.
Hugs xxxx
Hi ladies
So sorry to see you having to go through this, can i echo what Sarah & Sam have said, i too am an October Optimist from last year and it does seem a dim and distant memory now.
Its not an easy path to go down but it is doable, i was out driving the day after chemo and doing all the things i normally did unless my body told me to slow down. That is definitley the key - listen to your body and drink loads of water it really does help fluish the drugs through!
Do as we did and set up a Facebook page, there you can post pics, we all did of the various stages of hair loss and re-growth and you can ask each other all those (what you may thinkg at the time) are silly little things, but having others going through it with you is a great help.
Please feel free to message me if you have any questions that i can help with. You will all get through this, it is the fear of the unknown that gets you to start with.
Love and hugs
Sally
Murphy1963, don’t worry about Xmas, your chemo unit should manage you get you in with plenty of time so Xmas day comes & your side effects are minimal. If you are having 3 FEC first try & get your ore Xmas chemo at least ten days before Xmas as that way your side effects will have gone in time for you to enjoy Xmas as usual xxxxxx ?
Hello ladies,
Just been reading all your messages for the day and hope you all had a good weekend.
I called the hospital this morning regarding my heart scan as I didn’t want a delay for chemo date (1st oct), they said I would probably get it on the Monday when I go for my pre-assesment and not to worry, easier said than done.
Can anyone tell me if there is a way not to pile the pounds on while going through treatment, I have a feeling if I loose my hair and get fat I will look like Matt Lucas (no offence Matt).
This is going to be a long week waiting for the circus to begin but it is good that we are all their for one another x
Hi I’m an October 13 girl just popping in to send you all love. This time last year I was only a week away from my first chemo, now I’m two weeks away from meeting up with some of the wonderful ladies I met on this forum. This is a brilliant forum - use it, there are no silly questions, and a lot of support from your new friends. Now I’m back at work full time and my hair is getting cut on Friday. It’s scary but not as bad as you may think with the support from everyone on here. Xxxx
Hi Ladies I had my first FEC chemo today so I will be going over to the October thread.The infusion went smoothly come home with a bag full of different tablets, now about 4 hrs later feel very light headed and have aching legs also feel sick. So off to bed early for me and will see what tomorrow brings.
hi zelda.
hope u get a good nights sleep. make sure u drink loads of water they say it really helps. let us no how u r in the morning. suexxx
Hi everyone , good luck tomorrow murphy , hope it goes well . I’m not far behind you starting on Friday . Having my hair cut later and have booked in for a look gd feel better session too ! I’m supposed to be going to a horse show as my daughter is competing the day after chemo … Not sure that’s goin to happen… if I can’t go my non horsey husband will go with her helped out by some of my horsey friends and I will have to text instructions . ! Bit sad that might have to miss occasions like this for a while. Really nice of the ladies from last year to get in touch with some positive support thanks so much and well done for getting through treatment . Hugs to everyone xx
Feeling very ill since I had the first Fec I was very sick could not even keep water down let alone any tablets, had to call the district nurse out in the early hours for a sickness injection Still sick this morning and still have a bad headache .Hope things slowly improve good job my husband had the day off today.
Hi zelda, just to re introduce myself, I’m a Oct optimist from 2013. Just to let you know, I was vomiting for 13 hours after my first few. You get to know how to handle this the second time round. I found drinking water after being dunked was impossible, however I drink 2 litres a day and have done everyday for 5 year. So I recommend that in between treatments I would drink as much as possible. Also drinking flavoured water is sometimes doable. When I left the hospital after my first treatment they told me not to my anti sickness for over 12 hours. However that went out the window the second time, I told them as soon as that feeling crept in. As it’s easier to prevent it than to treat it. (if you know what I mean ). Like I say this is only my experience but hope it helps. Sarah x
Good morning ladies, I’ve been to the unit this morning and my chemo is going ahead tomorrow at 2.30 - yikes!!! My appointment was with the pharmacist, I’ve got my emend tablets, 1 to take an hour before chemo and the other two to take thu and fri morning. She said I’ll get another two or three concoctions to help me too so fingers crossed I’ll be ok. So sorry to hear you’ve been so I’ll zelda, I hope you feel better soon. Let us know how you’re getting on xx
Debtex, that’s a shame you might miss your daughters event. You never know though, you may be really lucky on the se front. I’m frantically trying to drink as much water as possible today hoping it’s going to help a bit tomorrow. Hope you like your new hair cut, mine is shoulder length so I won’t be doing anything to it until it starts coming out.
I had a lovely foot massage at the unit today and have booked another session for my next pre chemo Tuesday. Oh and I’ll be having my heart scan on Friday. I had an ECG last month before my op and everything was fine so oncol was happy for me to have first chemo before the scan.
Next stop this morning was my GP surgery. I got a letter on Friday to say I was due smear test so checked with my BCN and she said to have it before chemo so they squeezed me in this morning. Fingers crossed that comes back clear, that would just finish me off!!!
I’m prattling on, off to have some lunch then take my dogs out for a good wander. Jack is 15 yrs and Murphy is 8 months.
Speak soon, love to all xxxx
Hi sue - thank you for the welcome. My breast surgeon suggested CT and Bone scan as a matter of course before chemo. Usually she said she orders scans if more than 4 nodes involved but as pathology only found 6 nodes and 3 affected thought both scans would put my mind at rest. Re. the Picc line - yes my veins are very deep apparently so finding them is a faff and not always successful so Picc line will be so much easier. It was a 10 minute procedure, not painful at all. Has to be keep dry at all times, so got an attractive sleeve to wear in shower and I have to flush it once a week which is easy. Hope that helps. Julie x
hi Julie yes that does help i only had one node involved so that explains it . thank u.
MuRPHY i really hope it goes well for u tomorrow let us no how u get on.
ZELDA sorry u r going through rough time with it. hope things settle down for u. hope every one else is ok. suexxx