Hi
Sorry i have not been on for a while but i could not type as my veins are so painful of the inflamation from the chemo.
Hope you have had a nice christmas and you have ahealth and happy new year .
When do you ge your next chemo?
Take care Poppet
Hi Poppet,
Sorry to hear about your veins. Will they stand up to another bout or will you be looking at a line?
I had a nice Xmas, next chemo is on the 30th so will be a quiet new year for me. When’s yours?
What did Santa bring you?
xx
Hi
i think they are going use my bad arm as i don’t want line in if i can help it.
Hows your back doing?
My next chemo is 9th jan and then the 16th and thats 1 cycle
I got the usual pj, smellys but more perfume this year not creams are bath, chocs which i have managed to eat.
I did read your thread on smells and it is strange as i had to stop using my usual soap powder as it made me feel sick as every time i smell it i can smell the chemo ward weid are what.
What did you get? did you enjoy your dinner been made for you?
Poppet xx
Hi Poppet,
At least one arm is still standing up - ish! Both my arms were looking dodgy last time and my veins are still sore so not sure how they will fare on tuesday. To be honest much as I don’t fancy a line the horror of stabbing and leaking I had last time with 3 to go I am thinking it wouldn’t be too bad.
You say I cycle - how many do you have to have and what does one cycle involve? You seem to be being hit more than me. Is it the epi or cmf that you have to have every 9 days? I am on 3 weekly cycles for my kimo so don’t really know many other cycles? What was your cancer/grade etc if you don’t mind me asking? Receptor status etc? I’ve probably asked you before but we have had a dinner party tonight as I am soaking up as much alcohol as being on anti biotics and chemo for 2 weeks and them chemo on Tues I am only able to have a glass of vino from xmas eve until tom eve so have been making up for it -
(surprised I can type to be honest - our BFs (who happen to be our next door neighbours came round tonight and I cooked french onion soup with gruyer croutons, pork tenderloin wrapped in smoked bacon with mash, savoy cabbage and a cider jus and Nigella’s girdle buster for pud) came round for dinner and we have drunk a fair few bottles of rather expensive red wine and dessert wines). Everyone else has gone to bed as have work tomorrow (being policemen etc) or lightweights and I am still here as wanting to make the most of now as know I will be poorly New Years Eve!
My smell thing has died down somewhat as my wound has cleared up nicely and a large bit of dead tissue fell off when I had my wound dressed today so only have a teensy bit of dead tissue left to be dissolved and then we are looking at getting it to heal from the inside out and as its only about 1 to 2 cm deep I am hopeful it will heal quickly from here on and skin will grow on it rather than more surgery or stitches!
My mum didn’t cook the best Xmas dinner as she is only used to cooking for her and her dog but she did a fabulous starter courtesy of waitrose.com and a nice pud followed by individual chocs such as motorbike chocs for OH, fairy ones for youngest, spiders for 16 year old son etc (my daughter’s job it turned out was dressing the table etc but she had a big drama about it and won’t ever attempt xmas dinner for 6 again apparently! LOL!).
All in all a very nice xmas, boxing day and saturday. Have my BF in whole world (fellow BC sufferer and soul mate) coming round tom night for xmas drink and laugh before I have to stop on the alcohol and saturate myself with water for bloods on Monday and kimo on Tues!
xxx O, x
Hi
You sound like you have had a really nice xmas i looking forward to new years eve because i will feel better by then as xmas was a bit low key to the norm with me just having chemo.
But our xmas dinner was really nice and i stuffed myself i took extra antisickness and thought i might as well enjoy all the food and sweets because if i am going be sick so what.
Daughter gone home to day but she coming back weds night for new years eve with partner, son and his partner are stopping until the 5th jan i am from a big family so all hitting us at new year which makes a change as we are normal treking around i get to be waitered on i am going open the wine then i cannot wait as i don’t get next kimo until the 9th plenty of time to have the alcohol through my veins beats chemo going through them.
I was dx with grade 2 ductal 3 out 17 nodes infected hormone recpt. the cmf is given on day 1 and then day8 and two week gap i have 8 more to go then rads and hormones.
xx enjoy your winex
Hi Ostrich
hope your chemo went ok and you are pulling around.
poppet
Hi Poppet,
Chemo went okay, only took 3 stabs to find a vein! Managed to drink and dance on New Years Eve but paid a bit yesterday. Just normal chemo uck now - slimy mouth etc.
Did you have a good New Years? Did you get much alcohol down you? It seems you have had a lot of chemo weeks and weeks worth! Poor you with such a long stint! I can at least say I am 4 down with 2 to go and can see the end! Hooray!
I don’t have to have rads either thankfully as whole boob gone (reconstructed at same time) so will just be hormone therapy for me. I was dx grade 1 ductal 18mm with 1 out of 9 lymph nodes and strongly oestrogen and progesterone receptive.
Ostrich, x
Hi
have had agood new year but i felt a little bit low on friday so we went out to try bring me up i think its the thought of the long streatch of chemo trying.
Started to re plan the garden on paper for the spring for when i am finished treatments its needs a full changde around
Looking at a holiday or a long weekend a way in march for oh 50th as we cannot do what we had planned so i am trying to keep active as everyone going home and hubby goning back to work back to ben in house on own.
Not long for you now are you going to be doing your nvq you mentioned after the hols
poppet x
Hi Poppet,
Sending you hugs to try and cheer you up re your stretch of chemo coming up and time on your own, ((((((((((()))))))))))))))
Hubby has gone back to work today, son and daughter are hiding under the duvets hoping I don’t go and wake them in my “well, let’s get used to it cos tomorrow school/college begin again” way. I might leave them for another 10 minutes!
I can’t wait for them to go back to school etc in some ways as its been a long few weeks with them all home but in other ways I have loved living in this bubble of no work, school etc with them also!
I think its really good to plan things for this year. I too am planning loads and aiming for 2009 to be the year when I get a new normality rather than live in this cancer reality although like I said parts of it (like me being at home for the last 3 months) have been nice!
I am out for posh lunch this week with husband as its his birthday on Weds, dinner Thursday night with friends and husband for his birthday, am off to rehab for intensive physio etc a week today, off to London for weekend with hubby and friends at end of month, off to see War of the Worlds in June for anniversary (treat for hubby rather than me), off to Iceland in June with my mum, off to see Riverdance in December and thats just whats booked!! Am planning to go to Turkey to see my Dad in May and hoping to go to Centre Parcs in April time! Phew!
I am also hoping to go back to work in March once chemo is finished, if I can fit it in!!
Re my NVQ I am going into work on Thursday to do some work on it and will try to do so every 2 weeks until chemo finishes so hopefully in March I don’t have too much to do to get signed off!
xx
Hi sorry i have not been on for acouple of days but had a little bit energy so been out and about
You certainly have a active year good for you we are still plannning hoping to go to south france in May when finished treatments and we are going take our long weekends away like we used to. Hopefuly taking OH to see Rome as hes always wanted to go and me and my daughter have been. But after that not sure but i like to get up and say lets go here where OH needs plenty of warning (boring live for the momment thats always been my attuide)
I am at the point of making a descision whether are not to go back to work are do some re training i am a Manager of a big store and i only went there when the kids were little as it fit in with them 23yrs later still there and i would like to do something else as i am sooooooooooo bored with it.
Got the dread chemo on friday they had take blood from the top of my foot so now its not only my arms that hurt but have alovely big blk and blue foot
going give chemo in affected arm until veins behave as i really dont want a line in and more surgery.
Take care
poppet x
Hi Ostrich hope all is well with you x
Hi Poppet,
Sorry I haven’t been on for a while. Was pretty busy the week of the 5th Jan what with it being my hubby’s birthday and kids going back to school. Went away to the police rehabilitaiton centre Monday this week and only got back last night.
How are you doing? How did your last chemo? How horrid for you that they have to take blood from your foot! Eek! I had to have chemo in affected arm for 3rd FEC as veins in good arm were not playing ball and whilst they initially got into one vein it began leaking so they had to change arms. I wasn’t v happy about it but by my 4th FEC good arm veins had recovered enough (mind you they had a bowl of hot water waiting for me when I arrived and the sister in charge of the dept armed to find a vein - only took 3 goes!). I have my 5th FEC on Tuesday so only one more to go after that, hooray!
I’ve always wanted to go to Italy but seem to have booked too many holidays this year to be able to afford to go there this year - next year!
My OH hates going to places he doesn’t know and would gladly go to the same campsite in france that we went to 3 times! Keep having to tell him that until he went there he hadn’t been there! He also changes from a very “in control” person to a jumpy, insecure person whenever we are at airports etc, its very weird cos he’s never like that at any other time!
Had really good physio at my rehab and disappointed I couldn’t stay for the next week but had to come back for chemo but my arm movement is now 95% of what it used to be so thrilled!
xxx
Hi so nice to hear you are doing ok.
Had my 2nd cmf on Friday they are using my surgery arm but have reduced the chemo to stoped irrating the veins but now have nerve damage in my legs but the good news is my blods are right up they are better than when i started chemo and i have so far little side effects on cmf just nausea and bad head.
Its good that you have getting 95% movement back in your arm.
It strange but my Oh like that when we go away he has us at the airport about 4 hours to soon and he runs to get on the plane with elbows out you would think we did not have a seat. We used to offten take the mini cruise over to Bergen and he was always first on the ferry we had cabin so what was his race. But in every other situation he is very calm.
Keep up with the physio and i am pleased you sound very upbeat.
Take care Poppetx
Glad to hear about your bloods and the consequent lessening of side effects, you were suffering horribly before. Not good about your legs though - will the nerves repair and if not what will that mean for you long term?
Hi
How you feeling? I am not sure about legs i think its tempory but as long as my chemo is doing its job hey ho we put up with the se.
Have you been up to anything at the weekend. i am finding now xmas is over and i am getting into some sort of routine that this stay at home thing is not to bad.
Going speak to bc nurse about a course that started in my area for bc patiant is doing palites as i used to love swimming and i am unabled to i need to think of some gentler way of exercising i must be the only chemo pationt on my ward thats putting weight on lol.
take care
Poppet x
Poppet, I got weighed yesterday before my 5th FEC this arvo and I have put on a stone since my dx!!! *sob* Its all this sitting on my bum and steriod induced snacking and lack of exercise! Am intending to take up running after my last chemo as thats what lost me weight before (not that I can run much further than to the end of the road and back but its enough to get my heart pumping and me sweating so it works and I get a little bit further each time)!
Had a quiet weekend having been away last week and as I am off to London on Friday for the weekend. Hoping I don’t feel too rough after chemo today. Spent 3 and a half hours at the hossy yesterday just to get my bloods done and see the Onc for 2 mins to say “yup, I am fine”! Have spent today drinking gallons of tea and other (non-alcoholic) liquids and wearing gloves in an attempt to get my veins to play ball later but it seems to have had the reverse effect as they are barely visible now!
Hi
hope chemo went well how many have you got left now you must be nearly there i bet you are pleased it a long road we travel i can not beleive how fast it all going.
Think about doing some clothes shopping at the weekend as all the clothes i have are for thin people with long curly hair not fat people with the short fuzz i have so going cheer myself up and spend my xmas money.
My hair is growing fast now on CMF so have quite a covering i keep checking it out in the mirror like a little kid with anew toy.
Running you are brave i can just say manage a fast walk with out huffing and puffing i do think energy creates energy but you never know how much to push yourself at the momment and know one gives you any guide lines i think they should give some sort of exercise plan that you can do with out causing yourself any injurys as all our muscles and bones are under a lot of stress.
We will try anything to get our veins up i was like you gloves jumpers the lot heat pads but this time it went straight in getting bloods was a diffrent game now deceide to have them took at hospital as have been having them at Dr surgery but they had me so sore this time and i past out the first time in my life and i have had some needles in me with one thing and another.
Take care x
Hi Poppet,
Chemo went well - veins played ball and it went in first time - not like getting bloods out on Monday. Feeling v tired now as rushed around this morning doing housework and cooking cos I’m supposed to be off to London on Friday and intend to spend tomorrow charging my batteries.
I hope you have fun clothes shopping - I went on a spree before xmas and have lots of clothes I feel comfy and smart in for my stay at home wardrobe. I too have hair and am overjoyed and keep checking it out as you do - currently a kiwi fruit but hoping to be a gooseberry soon!
Running is something I intend to do after my 6th FEC but don’t get me wrong - I can at best run 1/4 of a mile before cancer so will probably struggle to reach the end of my road, let alone back, but it tires me out and improves my fitness and weight loss like nothing else - its easy to improve and it doesn’t matter if you cant run very far.
Sorry you had such a rough time with your bloods - passing out is horrid - you don’t know where you are or what is going on when you come round! I passed out after my core biopsy and then threw up everywhere and had to be wheeled out in a wheel chair! I then passed out and puked about 2 days post surgery when my blood pressure plumeted (and I tried to hard to have a poo!). I haven’t fainted before that apart from when I had my coil removed about 16 years ago (v embarressing as it was the first time I met the GP and when I woke up on the table naked from the waist down with a strange man leaning over me I panicked for a minute!!)
xxx
Hi
Hope you have a brill time In London
I had a chuckle at your coil experiance.
I have took to going for my walks again to build up my stamina so by the summer i might manage to do a fast walk i really miss not swimming as it not stressful on my joints.
Are you having hot flushes mine are getting really bad on a night time OH shoved the thermoter in my mouth last night because i was sweating so much i started shouting at hinm it the hormones i think then he relised thats what it was .
xx
Hi Poppet, glad to raise a smile 
I am having the worst hot flushes at nighttime! Nothing during the day but in the small hours I keep waking up covered in sweat! After my surgery I had then around the torso area and now they seem to be my shoulders and head! The other night I was so soaked I had to mop myself dry but then tried to go back to sleep and couldn’t because the sheets and duvet were soaked and freezing! My bedding is in an awful state! I haven’t mentioned them to the Onc or anyone yet but am dreading tamoxifen! I have heard there are two brands of tamoxifen, one more expensive, and that the more expensive one is better for fewer Side effects and one of them being hot flushes! Tried a chillow (permanent cold pillow) that you are supposed to sleep on but its sooo cold I freeze trying to get to sleep! Have also tried a food diary but can’t seem to pin them down to anything in particular!
Returned from London yesterday tea time but was bushed so didn’t get on. Had a great time with our friends but was perhaps a little too early after kimo to be going away. Supped ginger beer all the way up in the car and sweated somewhat as determined to wear wiggy all weekend and not go bald. Arrived about 12 on Friday and then decision taken by the other 3 that we would check in to the hotel and not return until bed! For some reason this FEC I have hurt in places I didn’t know it was possible too. Whilst I didn’t feel any more unwell than normal all my skin, muscle and bones hurt so much that I couldn’t be touched without it causing me agony! Felt fine other than normal kimo effects except when I tried to move or someone touched me. My breast bone, back of my neck and top of spine, stomach were worst and what with the feeling sick, kimo head and sludge mouth I had a rather painted on smile more than genuine when they decided we would stay out!
We went to the City for hubby’s BF to buy a suit and then wandered around Spittlfields Market before heading off to St Katherine’s dock and having a drink and food. We then went on a Jack the Ripper walking tour (hubby’s BF’s wife’s birthday treat (!?) around Whitechapel before heading to Brick Lane for a curry. (Yummy cos I could taste it!!) We got back to the hotel at about midnight and I have to say I was shattered. Got up yesterday and went to Greenwich and stood on the timeline before wandering around the markets there where hubby brought me a gorgeous ring, sold silver and made from an old teaspoon. Sounds odd but it is gorgeous! Still ached in countless places but no temp so goodness knows what it is. GCSF perhaps though that normally only affects my bones in my legs.
Got home at teatime yesterday and I immediately changed into my slobbiest pjs and curled up in front of the fire with a glass of vino (1st I could manage that tasted like vino) and a slice of pizza.
Aches and pains have gone pretty much today so has sludge mouth so just going to slob in pjs and catch up on housework and catch up with 16 year old son home for weekend.