Hi Carrie
You are bound to feel a bit lost as treatment comes to an end. There’s a great paper by one of the team at Leeds which outlines all this, and it’s very reassuring. I’ll try to send it as a PM.
Glad to know that the skin stood up to rads well - I am assuming the the healing problem was resolved?
I finished on 21st May and skin has been fine, only a bit pink maybe twice. Have used masses of aqueous cream, which seems to have done the job - and am still using it as I am now swimming every day, and chlorine has not been a problem. I hope for recon early next year (can’t face it just before Christmas, which would be the first date after rads), so will continue to use the cream in the hope of keeping the area ready for surgery.
Weme, Allanah, Chris - tiredness sometimes hits me when I expect it least - and I was told that the combined effects of chemo, surgery and rads would take at least 6 months to recover from, and some people take a year. I suspect we all have previously been highly active and busy, and the impact is even greater when we have to slow down.
Hugs to all, and hope for much more positive future.
Mujum
Good to hear everyone starting to get on with things.
It has turned out my rash is skin mets. Has taken a while to get my head round things and I’m not all there yet. Currently waiting for a CT scan to check for any other mets and to start a new chemo Capecitabine to try to get it under control. I’m hoping if the CT scan doesn’t show anything else and the new chemo works I’ll still have a good few years to go and can have a fairly normal life.
Oh Gail, I bet that was a shock! 
I’ll keep everything crossed for CT scan. I hope the new chemo sorts skin out. Hang in there! - (and all the other supportive phrases that can be sooo annoying but are meant with the kindest intentions!?!)
xxx
Gosh Gail, I’m not suprised you are still getting your head around your latest news. My fingers are crossed for you getting a good result from the CT scan.
You sound very philosophical, which is a good approach. I truly hope all goes well and send my very best wishes. Please keep us up to date.
Thinking of you,
Take care,
Libby xxx
Oh Gail what a shock it must have been for you. I will be thinking of you and please do keep us updated on how you are getting on. I am still not feeling to hot despite having finished the rads on the 9th May. Going to see the doc next week to have a chat and see what he is thinking.
Hope all you other April ladies are doing okay and have very little or no side effects to cope with.
Love from Alanaa and Fat Cat xxxx
Hi all
Gail, sorry to hear your news, fingers crossed that CT scan is clear and treatment works well. I have my 6 week post treatment check up this afternoon. I am managing to work full timesince finishing my rads but I am still working mostly from home, it makes the day aboîte shorter not having to travel into work. I’ve been feeling really tired over the last few days though, Ido hope things aren’t catching up with me.
I hope everyone else is doing ok.
Weme x
Hi everyone
Firstly, I’m sorry to hear your news Gail. You certainly sound as if you are being pragmatic but you will also have 'moment’s and it must be hard to get your head around. I’ll pray your scan is totally clear and your new treatment is effective. We’re all behind you, I’m sure. Well done , you.
Carrie, I would think you are more emotional now largely because you are now having more time to think about your situation, rather than concentrating on getting through the treatment. Also, there is an element of ‘grieving’ too, I think, as any ‘change’ has a loss too. You’ve had a difficult and stressful few months I imagine, so now it’s time to let yourself catch up on your emotions.
I do hope everyone is managing to make headway to getting your lives back together.
I’m on the verge of a new ‘era’ and imaging myself as a chrysalis about to emerge as a butterfly. I have had it easy compared to most of you but it’s still something I have yet to deal with properly, emotionally, I suspect. My very elderly father was deteriorating and getting so frail and weak while I was having treatment but he didn’t know as I didn’t tell him. That was hard, of course, but I couldn’t burden him with that. Anyway my father passed away nearly 2 weeks ago now, I’ve almost done all the arranging and organising of his Crem and Thxgvg which has been very time consuming and so I’ve not really had opportunity to grieve for him, nor for me having had breast cancer Hence, on the verge of a new life now. It will take me some while before on an even keel, I think.
So, I wish you all the best. You’ve been brilliant support. I’ll pop in from time to time to see how you are doing and to see what support I can offer to others going through the same, eh?
Thanks for being there
Julie
Gail. sorry to know you are facing this, but I am highly respectful of the way you are doing it. Hope you get good news soon.
Julie, what a good daughter you have been - but do try to let go, or it will hot you even harder, later. Your dear Dad would not want you to try to be superwoman when you need emotional outlet too. I hope you can grieve for his loss, and the stress of having had BC and all its attendant uncertainty. Great that you can see a new life ahead, though, that’s what we all have to try to do.
Weme, hope the 6 week check up was all positive - I have mine the week after next …
Carrie, glad that the article helped. Libby first sent it out so she should take credit!
How is the fatigue, folks? I have felt fine generally but sometimes it hits me that I don’t have the energy I would normally expect. But it IS good to have completed treatment.
Hugs, Mujum
ChocDrop so sorry to hear about your father, but glad his suffering is over. It’s good that you’ve got things to organise as I’m sure that has helped you to cope, but after the funeral, take time to grieve for him and to react to all you’ve been through yourself. Get some decent rest and try to remember the happy times.
I’m mostly over my rads fatigue - I think!. I’ve done 3 weeks of my phased return to work. Tues & Thurs the 1st week, and Mon, Wed, Fri of the next 2 weeks. Now I’m doing Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri for 2 weeks and all 5 days for the last week before we break up for 6 weeks for the summer hols. It’s a hectic time of year and all the rest of the staff at school are exhausted, so I’m trying not to mention my own tiredness!!
I’m very aware that I have less energy - and patience! - than before, and I have to prioritise, so I that I can manage to get the important things done. The tiredness still decends like a leaden blanket every so often, but it seems to be getting less frequent. I just have to stop and ‘go with it’, as my BCN says, when the fatigue hits.
I seem, so far (don’t like to tempt fate!), to have escaped any hot flushes or aching joints even though I’m on both Zoladex and Tamoxifen. My ‘six week’ check up is not until 24th September, partly because I have to see my onc then for REACT trial, but also I think because she is on holiday in August and will have a backlog of appointments to catch up on! I’m not too worried (most of the time!) 'though, because I had a thorough check-up before starting the REACT trial.
Wishing you all well and hope your ‘return to normality’ is going to plan. Gail, I hope things are going OK for you. We’re still thinking about you!