Starting Chemo in December.2012

[Border_Collies]

Good luck for tomorrow Hamley - hope all goes well for you and you don't get up at 5.00 am for nothing!oro
Well done with the swimming Cybele and thanks for producing the blog.
Hope you're feeling better Lisalouw and getting some energy back.
Maire - sorry to hear about the uncertainty at your place of work. You really don't need that at the moment.
I had my final Rad today so that's me done and dusted in that department. I have been using Aloe Vera Gel throughout and the senior onc. was amazed that my skin hasn't even gone pink, let alone sore. I was beginning to think the machines weren't working properly until he showed me all the coloured pictures of the inside of my breast with hazy lines going through it. A picture for each of the 15 rads. He did warn me that I'll carry on cooking for a while and whilst he doesn't think it will happen to my skin warned me that you can still get redness and soreness for up to two weeks after rads end. Haven't had any real fatigue, just fed up with travelling each day. Have to see him again on 30th May and my chemo oncologist Friday week and then my surgeon. It will seem really strange not to have my life ruled by hospital appointments for a while.
Hair is growing well and the thinnest bits are thickening up nicely. Still got dry mouth and sore eyes when I read or use computer etc. Will have to speak to onc about it.

[Mindy63]

Good luck Hamley. Hope all goes well.

[mandyp]

Hamley - Good luck tomorrow - no doubt you are well prepared....
The big thing is to sleep well if you can. xxxxxx

[hamley]

Maire, I just heard news of my company too, they are going to close down at the end of the year if we don't achieve impossible sales targets!! I'm not going to think about it for now.
Lisalou, I hope you're feeling a bit better, the only way is up from here.
Cybele, I've really enjoyed your blog, but I understand your need to move on from it. I've met a lady who started chemo in March and have suggested she reads your blog perhaps a couple of days in advance of herself so she can she how it went for you. I'm sure it will help her through.
I'm supposed to be going in for my first mx tomorrow and had my bloods taken for it yesterday with the intention of the BCN confirming I am OK to go ahead today. However, they left it until I chased them at 3.45pm to advise me that their telephone and computer systems are down and they can't see if my bloods are fit or not. So, I just go in tomorrow and see how it goes. They forget that it means getting up at 5am to be out of the house for 6am to get to the hospital for 7.30am just to check if I'm up to it. It's easy for them but VERY frustrating for me and my OH.

[Mindy63]

Cybele-sorry to read the last of your blog but hope you'll keep us all updated on your progress on here.
I'm now well back into the swing of things at work but life doesn't stand still and work is still full of uncertainties (threatened closure) so feeling less upbeat than usual. Feel the need to look for something new but now is not the right time.

[Cybele]

'In swimming goggles, no one can see you cry': the final daily post on http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/

[Lisalouw]

Happy birththday Marie and cress have a fantastic holiday xxx
im on day 5 of my 6th tax , not feeling great , start my antibiotics and the injections tonight for my immune system , I can't wait to have a little bit of energy again, I seem to be getting aversions to even more food and smells now as well , I've also got my fingers crossed my tooth keeps calm as I really can't face an extraction as well as more surgery in just over 3 wks , boo, roll on summer eh ladies , love to you all ,Lisa xxx

[Jayne_m]

Hi Caroline

I completely understand your need to move on - my recent holiday in Lanzarote was just the stake in the ground that I needed to move from ongoing treatment to some kind of normality, in fact I found that I very easily slipped into holiday mode and completey forgot that I had been through treatment for cancer (except for the daily reminder as I slapped on the factor 50 as I had just finished rads!!).

Since being back, l am slowly but surely getting back my strength, have started the 5 day 2 day diet as recommended by Michelle Harvie (cancer nutritionist) and am getting back to a normal pattern at work. It is a great feeling that there is a normal out there albeit a new normal (tamoxifen has its own impact but that is starting to settle too).

I have really enjoyed your blog and hope that you will feel like giving us an update on your holiday to Turkey!!

Good luck for the rest of your treatment, have a wonderful holiday and thank you for the entertainment!

Jayne (Pumpkins) xx

[Cybele]

'Moving on': today's post on http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/

[mandyp]

Happy Hols Cress and Happy B day Maire.
Lots of love to all
Did post an update earlier today..... will wait to see if it appears before rewriting.
All ok here in East Yorkshire.... rads going fine.....
xxxx

[QueenDrama]

Cress - you go girl and have some fun!

Hamley - how did it feel to drive again? Im petrified incase i drop off !

Maire - i think all bc ladies should have extended birthdays. or be like the queen and have 2!

QD x

[Border_Collies]

Have a great holiday Cressida - celebrate like crazy and don't even THINK about health problems!

[hamley]

Have a great holiday, Cress. Have a couple of drinks for us too!
XXXXXXXX.

[Cressida]

Happy Birthday Maire . Celebrate like mad. Keep it going. I started my birthday celebrations yesterday and I will keep them going until at least the middle of the week after next. I have to celebrate on behalf of thoese, like Keri, who don't get anymore birthdays. I think we all need to.

Cybele - just get in the pool and float, or swim, or splash - just enjoy it. No plan or "target" required.

Love to everyone else - off on hols soon. See you all in a week or so, xxxxxxxxxxx

[Cybele]

'Goodbye to all that': today's post on chemonights.blogspot.co.uk

[Mindy63]

Well. That's me taken 6 of the little pills and not much to report. No more meltdowns. No increase in flushes-just the same level as chemo had produced. Bowel a bit sluggish (sorry). I think it takes a couple of months for the side effects to kick in so can't be complacent. I am a bit more tired than usual but the upside of this is I'm sleeping better at night. I think chemo must do something to the sleep centre in our brains because I had been waking earlier and finding it hard to go back to sleep. This was def. not the steroids. The steroids didn't affect me at all: no carb cravings, no hyperness, no sleep disturbances. One thing this chemo has taught me is just how different we all are in our reactions. I found the blood test results quite fascinating. It's amazing the shenanigans our bodies get up to to try to achieve some equilibrium. Any way on that note I'm going to try and give my wee body cells a helping hand and to that end have joined the local gym. I have no intention of doing things with machines but will be visiting the lovely pool as often as I can to shift some weight and to generally enjoy floatiness.
The sun is shining and I'm off to meet an old chum for lunch-yet another 50th birthday celebration. At this rate I'll still be benefitting from this birthday well into the summer.

P.S. Cressida-horrible news about your friend. And shocking too. As soon as you think it's safe to go back into the water something else gives you a start and reminds you how awful breast cancer can be.

[Louise_BCC]

Hi Sand

Sorry you're having problems with missing posts, it is an ongoing problem which the team are looking into.

Can I ask that you contact us via email to the Moderator with the following information. This will help us track down the problem:

-User name

-Thread which you posted on

-Estimated time of your post

-Any additional information you might be able to supply

The Moderator can be contacted on: moderator@breastcancercare.org.uk

Kind regards.

Louise, Facilitator

[Guest user]

I posted yesterday and it has gone missing. Anyone else having same problems?

[Cybele]

'You‘ll believe a cat can swim…': today's post on http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/

[hamley]

Mandy, how did the rads go? I can't get in my jeans either so I've rejoined Slimming World to try do get back to my pre chemo size before the next weight battle with Tam. I need all the help I can get.
Cress, I'm so sorry to hear about Keri, she sounds like fun. But don't let that stop you from celebrating your own good news, I'm sure she would have been pleased for you.
Lolly, have you had your last chemo yet?
Maire, I think you did the right thing driving off without your children, I bet they couldn't believe it. You did make me laugh but I bet it wasn't funny at the time.
Cybele, I saw my PS yesterday and the BCN who works closely with her. Helen (BCN) thinks that the weight gain relating to Tam is mostly through comfort eating and perhaps the ladies not even realising that's the case, but I read somewhere that 10% put on weight, it didn't say how much on average. I'm relying on Slimming World and I'm taking up swimming after my second mx. I can't think who has made me think of that idea, Cybele Muse perhaps!
QD, I with you on washing out the chemo, I've washed every item of clothing I own and I've been leaving the bedroom window open even in the cold weather to get rid of the chemo smell. My OH wants to know how long this is going to take. I've thrown my 'chemo outfit' out now too.
MZ, it's difficult to think that any new cancer is good, who are they kidding?
Shellebelle, I had a WLE and ANS before chemo, which isn't the same as your surgery but I find that my armpit is still mostly numb and the area between the two scars often aches and I have a slight swelling under my arm, none of which they are worried about. I did all the excercises suggested until I got full movement so now only do them once a day, but the area still feels restricted. I'm assuming I'll always feel differently there but I'm getting used to it, it could be a lot worse.
Lisalou, congrats on finishing your chemo.
I drove my car for the first time in months on Wednesday when I went to meet up with the BC ladies from Shropshire. We had a lovely evening and it was so good to be able to speak to people who've been there and done it and come out the other side happy and confident. I hope it'll be the same for all of us.

[QueenDrama]

maire - pose with both!!!
MZ - boo to new lump

love to all. my mom is coming home today!

qd

[Lisalouw]

Cress so sorry about your friend , my heart goes out to all close to her , it's just horrible it really is , I hate the frigging disease I really do , all my love xxx
ive just got back from my last tax and C , feeling knackerd but I was before anyway , seems like we all suffering from fatigue now the poisons have built up in our system , I'm just waiting on the meltdown now that a few of you have had at the end, at least I know what to expect , I have my appointment with breast surgeon in a wk and I should be having a cavity shave in 4 wks depending on bloods , I had one unclear margin left, then I'll start radio 4 wks after surgery , I'm sorry I've still not been able to read all your posts properly to reply and give some support and I may be out of action now for abit , sun is my worst day when the steriods are leaving my system and everyone irritates me , it horrible feeling grumpy and bad tempered , and then the guilt comes on after because of it , boo! It's a bugger, thinking of everyone and sending all my love and big hugs to anyone feeling rough or down , will post soon xxx
cybelle I read your blog every morning with my coffee and toast , I look forward to it , it's fantastic , I honestly don't know how you have managed to string sentances together , you have done brilliant xxx

[shellebelle]

Lolly, is it your last chemo today? Good luck xx
QD - Mum is home and well in herself, still have to go back to clinic next week for results of the tests they did to find out why she was bleeding into her stoma bag.
For everyone else, having good days, bad days and complete meltdowns...... much love to you all xx

[Guest user]

Forgot to say, my cancer as yet did has not been a re occurrence. I got a brand spanking new one. The onc says thats a good thing as a reoccurring one is worse!!!!
I just think I have 2 to worry about instead of 1.

[Guest user]

Cress - great news, you should definitely be leaping up and down. Enjoy your Jersey holiday, let's hope you get plenty of sunshine, you should do, as they say the sun shines on the righteous We all seem to have had the dreaded Meltdowns after our last chemo sessions, just a relief valve mechanism I expect, plus with all the s**t we've all put up with over the last few months, it's not surprising. I think we all deserve a big box of choccies and a baileys - and to hell with the diet! Off to have first herceptin without chemo tomorrow, my left ankle has been swollen this week, never happened before, plus my left eye has been leaking constantly, also my legs feel like lead a lot of the time, so will be interesting to see if these se's continue whilst just on the herceptin, though I'm supposed to start taking Letrozole at the end of the week, so not sure how I will know what se's are through what!! Did manage to go to lawn bowls yesterday and played for an hour and a half, it was good to be out in the sunshine (for a change), though I think I overdid it a bit as I have been a bit stiff since - typical that mx was on right side and I'm right handed!! still good to think that I can still enjoy my hobby. Good luck to all having any treatment this week. x

[Guest user]

Hello
Have fallen way behind with all the posts. You have all been busy lately.
On day 12 radiation today so on the downward slope. If the machine does not break down again, another stage will be over friday week.
I had lots of problems last time after FEC with cording in my arms as my veins were so worn out. It went after a few weeks of treament and massage.
This time I have a portacath. Other than how ugly it is, I do have to say it made my life much easier during chemo and now I still have it in for herceptin. My veins in the 3 years never recovered.
Just started week 3 on tamoxifen and so far no problems but still early days.
The weight gain is a complete pain. You have to work twice as hard as anyone else to get the weight off as your body metabolism has changed.
Onwards and upwards.

[Mindy63]

Hey Qd I'm happy to pose too. With or without wig?

[Pammyx]

Cybele- loved the fat lady swims seriously you should publish what do you do for a living?

[QueenDrama]

Maire - i meant post!!!!!!! x

[QueenDrama]

Hi Ladies!
My what a lot of posts to comment on!
Cressida - my heart went out to you regarding Keri. celebrrate the fact that you knew her. fab that you have no secondaries. Hope the cold is better and have a fab time in Jersey.
Mandy P - hope you feel better soon!
Lolly and Lisalou - have you been done yet?
Border Coliies - well done on hair growth!
Sand - what is letrozole and how does it differ from tamoxifen?
SP - enjoy the hoil
Maire- I loved the story of you driving off!!! Make the family sit up and take notice is what I say! 17 ye old boys in my experience will rant and rave at the slightest provocation! Well done on your 50th ! please stay and continue to pose. its really useful having someone "in front" as it were, as you pave the way for the rest of us.
Shellebelle - any news re your mom?
Cybele and Hamley - thank you for being so honest re emotions. On Monday I lost the plot and sobbed for 2hours. that night i had horrendous nightmares. my oh said i was howling at 2am. yesterday i woke and all i could smell was chemo. the bed stank of chemo. it was lovely here so i stripped the bed to the mattress. (i sprinkled baby powder on the bed and son vacuumed it an hour later) I washed and dried 6 loads of washing. all the underblankets, mattress protector, pillows etc were washed. the duvet went to the laundrette. it was absolutey lovely to wake up in a non smelly bed! I also sorted out all my now not needed medication. I have a big bag to return to the pharmacy next week. they will probably dump it all - they can . I just dont want to see it. I also removed anything from the bedroom which screamed "chemo". a good day. I have paid for all my activity today. have barely ventured from the sofa but at least my bedroom is a chemo free zone!
QD

[Cybele]

'It ain’t over till the fat lady swims…': today's post on http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/

[Cybele]

We'd better not have the party on a riverboat, as our combined weight would probably sink it...

[Mindy63]

Cressida-'No evidence of secondaries' def sounds good to me but I get why your not punching the air with your dodgy arm.
You can save the jumping up and down for our party!

[Cybele]

Cress - Very Big Hug xxxxx Keri sounds lovely. That is so sad. And so hard for you to deal with this news just as you're starting to lift your head above the parapet. And it's a scary memento mori for us all trying to survive this horrible disease.

Mandy - thank you xx Hope you feel a bit better by the time you start rads. I can't get into ANY of my jeans now, I'm wearing stretchy exercise wear from GAP, and look like a watermelon on legs. A giant watermelon with a head. It's going to be acutely embarrassing when I put my swimming cossie on and get in the pool on Monday..

Cottage cheese awaits. Much, much cottage cheese - I've decided to go for a retro cottage cheese and Ryvita approach, only with the modern addition of hot pepper sauce. That makes cottage cheese almost interesting. Actually, this is a good diet recipe:

Put a layer of hot pepper sauce on the bottom of dish, and spread cottage cheese on top. Then put layer of chopped crunchy salady stuff on top: celery, baby tomatoes, cucmber, radishes, cress, whatever. Then mix it all up together and eat with Ryvita or oatcakes.
I actually LIKE eating this, honestly. Which is just as well, as I'm going to be eating it for lunch every day for the next six months or however long it takes me to find my waist again -right now I don't have a waist, I have a CIRCUMFERENCE.

I gather Tamoxifen makes people put on weight, so that sounds challenging. But what is the mechanism? s it like the steroids, giving you an increased appetite, does anyone know?

Love and hugs to everyone, especially those who are still having needles stuck in them. Actually, I've lost track of who hasn't finished yet - I know there's someone. Lolly, is it you?

Maire, couldn't stop laughing over your account of driving off in a rage and leaving the kids behind. I think if we all put together our rage right now, we could generate enough energy to fire up the National Grid for a while.

[lolly123]

hi cress sooo sorry to hear about Keri, i always ask in my head wyh ME when there is so many horrid people in the world, i am sure we have all aked that question, cant think of anything that will make you feel better but sending hugs to you and hope to meet up soon.
Lolly
xx

[Cressida]

Morning ladies,

One day one of my chemo I met 36 year old Keri. She had a different cancer but we were both on day one of chemo. She took the p*ss out of my frozen hat and we had such a laugh. Later we were next to each other in hospital and held raucous "tea parties" until we got told off. We both shared a wish to take the p*ss out of cancer and deal with it that way. I last saw her at radiotherapy - she had had every chemo known to man and wanted to try radio to make sure she got her money's worth. Unfortunatly we were both too unwell to meet up again and kept in touch by rude texts.

Yesterday, I finally decided I should celebrate having no evidence of cancer and we cracked open a drink. Then Keri's dad called fom the hospice to say she won't make it through the night. She died in the early hours of this morning. I am so angry with f*cking cancer. I can't imagine how hard this is for her family. I know it is not all about me, but it has really hit me hard. I feel like cancer is really trying to tip me over the edge.

Sorry to dump this on you lot, but I felt like you would understand.

x

[mandyp]

Cress. Truly good news on scans. Don't beat yourself up that you're not jumping up and down. It is a great result but I think the big challenge now is to live each day. Enjoy the moment and try not to live in fear of our lives for the rest of them. We've all been poisoned within an inch of killing us and I believe that whilst most of us had a pretty rough time with se's and you in particular had your moments, our bodies will take time to recover. Not to mention our sanity. Im nearly 4 weeks from last treatment, start rads on Thursday and quite frankly feel sh**e. I ache all over, I have a headache, im crying a lot and worst still can't get in my jeans!
So big hugs. And such good news.
Cybele. Can totally relate how you're feeling too. Your blog has been both entertaining and refreshing. Your humour has often made me laugh out loud. Pammy is right; you should get it published.
Big hugs all.
Xxx

[Pammyx]

Just read your blog it is soo good and describes everything accurately you should get it published as a contrast to everything that is a sickly pink

[Cybele]

Cress - great news re scans xxx


'Tarred and feathered': today's post on http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/

[Cressida]

Hi,

Well, it seems that the scans show no evidence of secondaries and I can't have any more "precautionary" chemo as it would probably kill me. So, I have been sent away and told not to come back unless I get any illness that won't shift after 1 month or, if I manage to grow any lumps, then I can come back straight away. I have an appointment in 6 months - she said it would normally be 1 year but, as I had such a hard time, she wants to give me a good check up in 6 months (by this I think she means shoving her surprisingy boney fingers into my armpits and poking about until I swear or cry).

Everyone thinks this is good news. I think that I think that this is good news too. Trying to absorb it. I do, of course, still have my genetics results to come, and I still have an arm that does not work as it should, and I still need a pharmacy of controlled drugs to get through the day. But, it is all getting slowly better. Apart from the genetics thing - that could be a massive spanner in the works. I need to re-read the article I posted the other day (anybody read it?) and try to recover.

Thank Gawd for the holiday in Jersey, I keep saying to myself "this time next week, I will be in Jersey". Please let it be sunny, or just not cold and wet.

Should I be jumping up and down???

Cress, xxx

[Border_Collies]

Well I've obviously got cast iron veins then. Had every chemo and every blood test in the same vein and never experienced any pain or soreness whatsoever. My mum always said I was a tough old boot!!

[Mindy63]

I think the only way to cope with meltdowns is to reassure ourselves that they are the most sane response possible to our recent agonies. Today I sat in the car waiting to take oldest and youngest child to school. I didn't want to take the car because walking is the only exercise I get but my son had an exam and was running late. So I stormed into the car blasting the horn several times to get them to hurry up. When they didn't appear I drove off. I was only going to drive round the block but I just kept going till I got to work. Leaving them to deal with their lateness themselves! My youngest is only 10. My poor husband-who was sitting eating his cornflakes in his dressing gown when I left (day off) had to pick up the pieces. I am fully expecting indignant son to storm in and blame me if he fails his exam (he's 17). Incidently he was late because he missed his shower slot this morning-youngest was in-all her fault too apparently.
I arrived at work (early!) feeling a mixture of anger and guilt and worry. The worry was because I'm thinking "sh*t was that me or the tamoxifen?" At the same time I'm thinking that I've gone through a lot and am due a moment's rage.
So, Cybele, cut yourself some major slack. Your blog has been both entertaining and helpful to others and most probably therapeutic at times for yourself. You deserve a break and time to lick your wounds....(but don't stop writing it for long!)
Meanwhile, Cressida, I await your news and hoping it's positive.
SP-Enjoy the sun. I really think it's what we all need just now.
LisaL-Hope the 6th Tax is your last. Will be good to have another cracker this side of the line along with Shellebelle (hope your mum is ok SB)
Hamley-Give yourself some of that slack cutting too. Lots of highs and lows this side of the finishing line too.

[Cybele]

Hamley, thank you, that's very reassuring. xx

I seem to have turned into a complete basket case this last week, to be honest. Spent most of yesterday crying. At the moment I just burst into tears when anyone speaks to me about anything at all.

Was completely unprepared for this. Starting to feel a bit better physically now, but my emotions are all over the place. A startling amount of rage keeps surfacing, at unexpected moments over stupid things.

And having spent the last 125 days diligently writing the blog every day, even in extremis, I can't do it any more. Not properly. I promised myself I would keep posting until I go swimming next week, but now I just think 'F*** it, what was I trying to prove, exactly?'

My brain has gone on strike now. Actually I don't want to do anything, very much.

Hope you're all feeling better than me << Oh God, could I BE any sorrier for myself?? (that was me channelling Chandler in Friends. I loved Chandler)

[hamley]

Cress, good lock with your onc.
Lisalou, good luck with your last chemo, you're nearly there, hooray!
Shellebelle, sorry to hear about your Mum. Congrats on your last chemo I hope your SEs aren't too bad.
Maire, I had my last chemo below my thumb because they didn't want to use veins that had already been used. I agree, it was very sore when they did it but the vein hasn't been a problem since. The only vein I have a problem with is the one from FEC 2, I wonder if it's because the chemo nurse spent a considerably longer time doing it on that occasion. Apparently if the chemo drugs go on your skin it will irritate and burn, it's no wonder our veins are poorly.
Bordercollies, I was told they didn't do the crook of the arm thing for chemo because they didn't want to spoil the veins for taking bloods.
QD, good luck with the scan and surgery meeting for next week.
Cybele, I hope you're feeling better today, I know how tough it is, I've cried more since finishing chemo than during. I had a complete melt down in front of my OH on Sunday, I was actually howling but couldn't stop myself. I don't usually do the emotional stuff in front of him because it makes him worry, but I just lost all control. Please don't feel you're on your own or that it's just you, we're all here for you.

[Wendy56]

Cress hope all goes well thinking of you x x

[SP0]

Hello all, quick update from me...
I haven't been on for a few days, as I'm off to Spain for a post chemo short burst of sun (hurrah!) and in my wisdom(?) arranged some building work to be done while I'm away. I overlooked the amount of work that would cause me in preparing for it, and having not had the relatively normal 'week 3' this time, really strugged!
I too have been an emotional wreck, made even worse by overloading myself (see above). I met a woman yesterday while having my herceptin who's done 6 FEC & has another 2 to go! We thought it couldn't get worse!!!
I've also had a cold and a nose that won't heal from the scabbing, and the dreaded post-chemo constipation piles - which also won't heal!
So I'm feeling in very good company. Sympathy to all. Waiting to hear from my onc "what we're going to do about my ovaries now". So then I'll know whether either tamoxifen or another drug, or keyhole surgery to remove them. I don't know how he decides which, but will update next time when I find out.
Hoping the sun in Spain will lift me out of the low mood that's lingering, but have been told to expect it to take a few months to shift the exhaustion.
Sarah.x

[Cressida]

Morning ladies,

Quick hello as I am off to see my Onc, wish me luck.

Veins - Border Collies - they start low down your arm so they can work their way up if they have to. Your nurses must have been very confident that they would not knacker anything in the crook of your arm as they would have had to go to go to your legs/feet. That can be painful.

Nice to hear from Shellebelle and Lisalou. Hello!

Right - off I go to face my fate.... (am I being a teeny bit dramatic?)

xxxx

[Lisalouw]

Hello ladies, just a quick one to say I'm lurking and will catch up with everyone soon, I'm due hopefully , depending on bloods my 6 th tax and C on thurs , also having paraffin wax treatment tomorrow on feet for neuropathy , I've also been feeling so tired with shaky legs and quite low mood , we all been through so much , anyway have to love you leave for abit as my son wants me make pizza and ice cream out of play doh, catch up soon xxx

[shellebelle]

Hi ladies. It's been a while since I posted last and that was when I was feeling really rubbish. I think I just had really bad fatigue at the time and chemo nurse said bloods could have been lower than I have had before too. Just when I started to pick up my mum was taken into hospital and spent a week having various tests. She came home late Friday and still don't know what diagnosis is but she has to go back for test results in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, today I got my final dose of chemo and all went without problems. Didn't have long wait, good vein found straight off and all done and dusted in less than 2 hours. Got my first box of Tamoxifen to start in 3 weeks time (urgh). Waiting for scan and plan for radiotherapy now and for side effects of chemo to kick in towards end of week and expect them to be the worst - anything less will be a bonus.
Sending out love and hugs to all, especially to those who still have a bit longer to go x x

[Mindy63]

Qd-Fingers crossed for you for your scans and surgery. Really hope Mr Lumpy is a shadow of his former self.
Bc-All my drugs have been given via veins in the back of the hand. At one point they tried to give it via a vein below my thumb. That was bl**dy sore. The nurses did say they could move up my arms if need be. Not sure why they don't try that first but they must have a good reason.
Today has been a 'back to reality' day for me. Tamoxifen no2 has been popped and its been back to work after the Easter holidays.
I went back to balloons and bunting to celebrate my 50th which was very cheering. I'm now more than 9 weeks post chemo and almost 3 weeks post rads. I think I feel just about back to normal-apart from the baldness! If I start to feel rubbishy I will def be able to say its the Tamoxifen.
I intend to hang about here to report on life on the other side and to cheer you all on.....and of course there's that summer Christmas party to look forward to.
Cressida-Please don't let your onc fob you off. He/She better have a reassuring plan of action for you!