Hi Linda, I did fecx6 so no docetaxel for me. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the neutrophil count, mine were always ok but I was told they can change from day to day. Hopefully they'll be ok for you tomorrow 🤞🏻I cold capped through all my treatments even though my hair was quite thin on top and I had really bad cradle cap by my last one. I was worried that they may tell me I couldn't continue but was told they never stop anyone who wants to continue with the cold cap and some people had continued despite hardly having any hair left.
Thank you Jil for taking the time to reply. As you say it's unlikely to be anything, but I suppose they have to cover their backs as well. My dentist said to me that he knew it would make me feel anxious once he'd said it, but he was 99% certain it's nothing, but this would also mean I could be seen quicker because he wasn't sure what was the best treatment route, so he needed a 2nd opinion. I suppose the feeling of anxiety doesn't easily go away once you've had a cancer diagnosis x
Feeling a bit anxious-had a swelling on my gum which came up after chemo. Went to the dentist, who x-rayed it, said it was an infection and gave me a course of antibiotics, but said it would have to be removed-said chemo had found a weak spot cause I'd had root canal treatment there before, which needed re-doing or other options. Lump went down with antibiotics, but yesterday I noticed it had got bigger again and managed to see my dentist this afternoon. Put me on antibiotics again, but referring me to the hospital via the cancer route! He said he's 99% sure it's nothing and a cancer lump wouldn't reduce as mine did, but this way will get me seen sooner and he'd like a 2nd opinion on the best treatment as there are three options.
I know there's only a 1% chance it's anything serious, but I keeping homing in on that, which is silly really cause if I was told I'd got a 99% chance my bc wouldn't return I'd be jumping up and down with relief! xx
Linda, I had my chemo at Medway hospital (Kent) Luckily my daughter was with me when I was told I couldn't continue with the cold cap as I was able to get her opinion as well-she agreed that my hair looked too thin on top. I did lose quite a lot of hair when I was using the cold cap, but I managed to disguise it by wearing a hat and as I still had quite a bit at the front and sides, it didn't look noticable, especially as it was Winter.
I'm not sure that I lost all my hair completely once I'd stopped the cold cap, although my daughter said that I did! I used the cap during FEC and stopped using it during T, but my hair seemed to start growing back fairly quickly whilst I was still having chemo.
I haven't used the Lush bar that helps growth, I didn't seem to need to. I've got quite a bit on top now and my hair is thick. (I finished chemo in March) Only problem is that it doesn't seem to have a style and I think I look like one of the Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz x
I don't know if that is correct or not Linda, but the same was said to me on my 4th session and I had to stop using the cold cap. I was told it would stick to my head and be very painful x
Sometimes Sue, it's a bit hit and miss! Seem to be getting recent one's now, but texts people sent during chemo are somewhere in cyberspace!
Thanks for pm xx
2 weeks today ladies! Although I need to pm Sue otherwise I will only be with you in spirit! I haven't a clue where we're supposed to be meeting or what time!
xx
Hello ladies! Haven't been on for a while as I've been camping in the Lake District. I can definitely recommend camping to relieve the hot flushe, they were pretty good whilst I was away but I came home and they're back with a vengeance 😟I dont think the heat heat is helping 😱
Buddyfan, those pictures were beautiful and the dragonfly one is definitely a contender for the country file calendar!
Mishy, Jencat sorry to hear about your troubles with returning to work. Hope you can both get something sorted soon.
Kirsten, well done! I need to sponsor you. I'll do that in a minute 🙂
Just over 2 weeks until the meet up. I'm so excited 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
Mishy, thank you for taking the time to reply to me. It sounds as if you're going through a nightmare at the moment, I hope you manage to get something sorted soon. It doesn't seem fair that you're not receiving any wages or that you might not receive redundancy pay either.
I've not been sleeping well either, which as you say, doesn't help our recovery x
Thank you Jill and I'm sure you're right, once I'm back after a couple of weeks, I'll probably be expected to cope as if I haven't been away! I need to get it sorted asap because of the school holidays coming up x
Thank you all for your advice regarding my work dilema, it's really appreciated x
I discovered today that I had a message on my phone from the Macmillan work advice team, so I'll get back to them on Monday and see what they've got to say and I also need to phone my chemo onc anyway to let her know that I've now been discharged from the radiotherapy onc and now back in her care, so will also mention this situation to her. I spoke to a work colleague last night who was off sick last year and she said that HR made her do 3wks at 50% and then 3wks at 75% and she was only absent for a month, not 11 like me!
I can't afford not to work as I'm on my own, but another option I've wondered about is reducing my hours permanently. I'm 60 next August (that feels a bit unreal!) but I could probably take my work pension now. It's not worth much, so taking it a year earlier than I intended might not make too much difference and it might be worth it physically and mentally. Another little job for Monday maybe?!
I need to sort all this out asap as school finishes on Thursday, plus I'm getting stressed and not sleeping well.
On a positive note, I didn't see my usual onc yesterday, his replacement was Greek and gorgeous! (and lovely) I was a bit disappointed he didn't need to examine me! My YD said she felt like asking for an examination too! xx
What lovely pictures buddyfan and how nice to have all that at the bottom of your garden and all that wildlife too! I agree with Shi, your dragonfly photo is beautiful x Which part of the country do you live in?
People can be very insensitive in their questioning sometimes, they probably mean well, but it can come across as intrusive. I was at a bbq recently and somehow my bc came up -I'd got plasters on some of my nails trying to save them and someone asked why! Wish I'd thought of something witty like I'd been in a wrestle with a shark! People I hadn't even met before were asking me if I'd been given the all clear, which I haven't yet. I think your idea of emailing your guests before your music do is a good idea, as you say you don't want to spend the day discussing cancer. Hope the day goes well, hopefully the weather will be as nice as it is today xx
Well done Reeboot, hope it goes well this evening xx
My 'secret' spot by the river. No one can see me from this bank and only sheep the other side.
Thank you very much Jill, Sue and Cassie for your help x
Had a long chat with my friend who I'll be job-sharing with last night and she's very supportive and understanding-I've asked my Head if I can swop a day/pm with my friend to have counselling and she can't see a problem either because she's in school 4 days a week, so it's not as if I'm even asking her to swop on her day off. Also had a cuppa with one of the TA's who had a cry on yesterday pm! Both are saying I need to put myself first and maybe I shouldn't return yet.
Occ Health haven't been mentioned, but I'll look into that Jill, thank you. I have phoned Macmillan and one of their specialist teams will be getting back to me . I'm also going to phone my union and see if they've got any info. I've got an onc app today at the hospital where I had my radiotherapy (and where I'm hoping to have my counselling) so I'm going to speak to the Macmillan workers there as well and see if they can give me any advice and info about a phased return.
Didn't sleep very well last night thinking about it all! I think the conclusion I'm beginning to feel is it's maybe best to try and get back to work in Sept, but I'll probably speak to my Chemo Onc about only returning for one day a week until I've finished my counselling, because emotionally I don't feel I'm ready just to go back. I haven't been in a classroom for over 9mths, but I'm going to be launched straight into class and a more difficult job than the one I left as I didn't have the responsibility of my own class prior to having bc. I'll only have another adult with me until lunchtime (even though I've mentioned and given my head an info leaflet about my neuropathy) and returning without possibly the counselling I feel I need-one of the reasons I want it isn't just to talk about the cancer, but feeling anxious about returning to work after such a long gap!
Got an app with Radiotherapy Onc today, feeling a bit anxious about that too! I'm becoming a wreck!
Thanks for the virtual hug Sue, it'll be lovely to have real hugs with everyone soon xx