hey
julie. u make me laff, and have such a briliant way at making me feel relaxed about the whole journey. be ace fo ryou to help put with people that are starting on cemo. and it makes good things come of this situation we are all in.
thanx for the cemo list, it seems long, but it well worth reading girls. so thanx for sending me that and posting.
x
Hi ladies
Hope you don’t mind but I could do with a mental hug.
I was hoping to start my chemo next week, so we’d be about the same time but I saw the onc today and it’s going to have to be delayed -possibly for a few weeks. The swelling from the node clearance has been a b***er. I’m still having to have the seroma drained (they took off 500 mls again today) and they won’t start chemo until it no longer needs draining. The appointment / start date had been fixed and I’d mentally geared myself up and now I just keep thinking when will it start and whilst I’m waiting what are all those wandering cancer cells doing.
Reeb
hey reeb. im so sorry to hear yoru news, but at least they are getting the fluid sorted. not nice you got geared up to start. hope it ont be to long, and yoru still in our gang, so dont worry xxx youll have hair longer than us!! lol
kazx
Hi people, hope you all well…thanks for the chemo tips, it’s amazing how differently it can affect different people and it’s good to have tips beforehand
love to you all, I don’t come on here every day as sometimes I just don’t want to think about it, head in the sand and all that but sending you all love
xxxxxx
I’ll give you a hug Reeb and hold your hand. I think i may be in exactly the same boat as you. Without knowing it, you may have answered a question. I had surgery 4 weeks ago and i’m still filling up. Mine was also 500ml and getting very uncomfy. In fact the seroma was as big if not bigger than my remaining breast. I wondered if they would start my chemo while this was going on, and i’ll be prepared for it to be a NO ! At some point we’ll be able to join in and probably be around the same time.
Take care
Minny
Minny and Reeb - I’m so sorry if this delays things for you, but I’m sure you’ll be on the pink road soon enough. (((hugs))). Could you explain to me what ‘seroma’ is? It’s the second time I’ve heard it now, and I’m guessing that it’s fluid that still accumulates after the drains have been removed? Does everyone get it? I go in for mx next Friday - and I know i can ask at my pre-op, but I’m useless at remembering the ‘right’ questions (even when they’re written down!).
Thanks, all of you.
Sophie xx
Sophie its a collection of the straw-coloured serous fluid either in the flap space or in the armpit area after mastectomy and /or node clearence.The fluid is normally drained away through the lymphnodes and glands but sometimes collects causing a swelling and pain because it pools in the tissues having no where else to go .In my hospital they dont remove the drain untill its draining 50mls or less in 12 hours.It doesnt happen to everyone and does eventually get re-absorbed but often needs draining untill it subsides.I fortunately didnt have this but its important to take the painkillers and do the shoulder excercises and massage aqueous cream into the area post-op to use the arm as much as possible ( but without heavy lifting) to try and prevent it but unfortunately it still sometimes occurs and can delay start of chemo. xxx hope this helps Julie
Girls you must read this old chemo post which i can definately relate too it had me crying with laughter xxJulie
breastcancercare.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=10215&p=465791#p465791
hey girls.
im so sorry this can delay your treat,ent. but your still part of this thread as we have all have dx, and surgery around the same times.
pink hugs all round xx
Thanks so much for the hugs - much appreciated
Even though it’s been less than 24 hrs it’s already filling up again. They’re not going to drain it until next Friday as they’re trying to force my body to find an alternative route for the serious fluid so god knows how big it will be then. Like Minny it was larger than the operated boob - I could be in danger of walking lop-sided by next week! I didn’t have a drain in at the time of operation. My surgeon is very reluctant to use drains (infection risk) and had done some studies which showed that it didn’t make much, if any, difference as to whether you develop seroma or not - seems to be a luck of the draw thing provided you do the exercises etc. It’s just over three weeks since my op.
Anyway I’ve been Christmas shopping today as I decided I need to get it organised as soon as possible otherwise the OH will be responsible which could be disasterous but it was fantastic to do all the shopping and have someone else carry all the bags - afterall I mustn’t carry anything!!
Thanks Julie for the chemo post, definately something else to look forward to.
Take care ladies
Reeb
Hi poppy and girls
Just wanted to say I had my drain removed today but was in 2 minds as had a lumpectomy first then this mastectomy and with the first op my boob swelled & went green!!! BUT so far so good and no build up of fluid and very little seepage from the drain site so keeping fingers crossed my body will help me out this time (seeing as how badly it seems to be letting me down generally!!!0
I have my second results meeting next Fri 12th then should be starting chemo sometime after this but hopefully not too long as will be 8 weeks since first diagnosis by then and I’m not sure how long they can leave it til the effectiveness of the treatment is affected. I saw something about up to 12 weeks but not sure if that’s from diagnosis or from surgery & if you have more than one surgery ??? my head is spinning now??? - breath deeply
Just want to get cracking now as find the waiting hardest (like most people) - I add my thanks for the chemo post - I saw it before but didn’t save it so am glad to have saved it on this thread now. Just fully expecting to get chronic munchies from steriods now I know about this. had no idea they gave you these & now realise why nurse laughed when I said I hoped I’d loose weight as she realised the opposite is liekly to happen!!!
Anyway - hope all nasty fluids get drained to their proper places soon & hugs to you all
XXXXXXXXXXXX
i am scheduled to start 8 chemos on 18th November (4 FEC to begin) I am really scared - more by all the pre chemo scans and tests (bone tests/scans etc) cos i mentioned i had had back ache - than getting on with treatment - i’m scared that it has gone elsewhere in my body
IM glad you found us on this thread littleangel . I know its a worry waiting for all these tests and results but i think we also focus on every little ache and twinge thinking the damn thing has spread i did aswell when i have backache then forget ive been like pickfords removals helping my daughter move house( so no the wonder)i think we are more aware of things like when i have a headache its never just a simple headache xxx and thats only natural take care Julie
hey pinkies,
just got in, went to a bonfire. had a laff, as i have hair for about 2 week, and i was saying i wouldnt have had to worry about my hair smelling of bonfires if this was in a couple of weeks. lol.
one of andys girls wanted her hair checked for nits as there is the usual outbreak at school, and i said check mine, and she said yuou wont be able to get nits soon as they cant live on a bald head. lol
today, i started to put togther my cemo reserves!! sherbet lemons, i only said id started. lol
glad to see we have a nice bunch of us on the tread that are all around the dx, mx and cemo same dates. all from different parts of the country , shame as we could have had a cofee morning.
i hope we can all stay friends during this pink journey, support and help each other. and any tips to help each other.
share jokes , good news , as well as your concerns, worrys, and tears
pink hugs here also.
kaz xxx
HIya
We are cheapskates & watched our local display from our garden as it’s just across the road. I don’t mind fireworks from afar but after a rocket flew straight at me when I was about 10 I’m a bit scared of them & Sophie doesn’t like the noisy ones so we whimped out from going to the actual display!!!
I went out in to town yesterday for the first time with my “falsie” and with a bit of poking and rearranging it looked quite even with my other one. Think the key (as ever with boobs!) is a good fitting bra. If everything is kept in and firmly in place it looks OK. When I got back & took it out I was worried about how hot the skin was underneath then realised DUH! that of course it was as it had virtually had it’s own personal duvet on top all morning!!!
we all went to the docs & got flu jabs in prep for my chemo. don’t know if anyone else has done this but I read it’s a good idea to get it done before you start as your immunity will be compromised. Hubby has one anyway as he has mild asthma & we asked about our daughter & they said to do her too to keep it (hopefully) out of the house. She literally made a run for it when she realised she’d be having an injection & hubby had to grab her to stop her running out of the surgery. & she has no idea she’ll need a booster in 4 weeks as they do young children with 2 smaller doses. He has bravely volunteered to take her as I get too upset!!!
re booked my hair cut for Tues & will also re book my dentist to be as prepped as I can be.
Read a really funny thread on here about chemo & WIND!!! - I’m already currently in training on that one as am taking pain killers that play havoc with my bowels so am on senna every night to try to keep things moving. just feel like an old lady - especially when the first thing the district nurse said to me was “and how are your bowels Mrs Bearpark?”
Hope everyone is “enjoying” a reasonably nice Sunday. I’m having trouble remembering what day of the week it is
Hugs XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi Little Angel
Forgot to say I totally know what you mean about being scared of all the other tests. I think it’s so normal to imagine the cancer has gone somewhere else & that at the end of all this *r*p no one can say - right - you’re all clear - go and get on with living your life now. I think we’ll have to accept we will always wonder if/when it will come back/get us but maybe in time the fears will fade in to the background & we will get back to some semblance of “normality”
Some of the threads and comments from others who have gone through this & been clear for a few years are so helpful and one day that will be us reassuring other newly diagnosed people. Like any truly horrible life changing event one of the best healing things is purely time. we would love to bypass this & find a “quick fix” but generally time really does heal combined with love and understanding support from other people.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi Girls
So glad you mentioned about the flu jab. It was on my list to ask about when I saw my onc last week. However the brain was not in gear and forgot to look at my question list! Wondered whether to ask my GP so I’ll phone them tomorrow as the underarm bulge is ballooning nicely so I expect they’ll have to drain it again on Friday - so another delayed week.
Agree with Kaz it would certainly be good for our group to keep in touch
Take care
Reeb xx
flu jab
i was also wondering about and thought id mention it tuesday, but it think ive left it too late now as i start a week tommorow.
good you went out jo, with your falsey, my mom said her chest felt hot when she tok hers out, but to be honest i couldnt tell she had one in, and most people dont look that close at your boobs. well there are a couple of blokes at work that stare lol
sunday is nice,we have been the park., however i thought if i do this in 2 weeks when i have shaved my head il be freexzing. lol
enjoy your eve pinkies xx
I wonder if i can have a flu jab after chemo and Rads i asked staff health at work but they said they would have to check it was ok. and how long after treatment i could have it
Poppy at least its the time of year when you can wear a wooly hat xx ha ha
hi ladies:))
hadn’t even thought about flu jabs, husnabd always has one so will just send him earlier:)))
Been to bakewell and found a bell today:) my little girl suggested it, so i can ring if i need anything:)) it was very cold, cant believe how the weather has changed, and in my positive mode am quite glad that i will be all snuggly warm while i am getting mended, i can kid myself that it will be better than it being glorios sunshine outside, every cloud!!!
kerry x