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Hi ladies
Great News Bev - you can look forward to a very big celebration this weekend - enjoy 
Lisa - back from hols and another one already planned - a girl after my own heart! Hope the next one is less pre-teen sulkyness and more aren't-we-having-a-great-time-ness. Hope work is not catching up with you too much and you are in good form.
Carole - lovely to have had so many visitors this summer - hope they are helping you out as you've only just recovering from a major op - make sure you let them know!
Lily - lovely to hear how the babies are doing and the ones that are still cooking! I expect you are having a lovely summer break away from teaching and getting to see them a lot.
As to my chemo it should be happening at the end of the week. 3 weekly as before, but a whle host of different SEs to cope with - or so I have read. I've tried not to read too much about them though as you never know who has suffered badly and who hasn't so it's difficult to say how I will feel. I may or may not be putting much about it on here but may have a moan from time to time - I'm sure I will! And, if I'm even more quiet than usual don't worry, as you know ffrom before there are days when you don't even want to communicate let alone chat about it. Lots of hospital appointments again this week but hopefully all checked off and ready to go - or as ready as I ever will be.
Have a good weekend everyone - I'm not expecting mine to be as good!
Nicky x
Hi Lily
I'll have to have a go at that button - can't see it at the moment but I'm probably not looking in the right place. How lovely that people follow us, hadn't really thought anyone would but as you've said, anyone is welcome to join in. As they can see it's not a highbrow thread 
, just chit chat.
Wow - your slice across the neck sounds severe! I only have a tiny scratch on my collar bone so I guess we didn't have the same thing. That is healing fine and I've just taken off the paper stitches they put on to hold it together - otherwise known as steri strips (so I have no idea why they told me I was having paper stitches!) A lot of brusiing to the boob but they said it would spread downwards, which it has, not a lovely sight at all.
Yes, I did see the same Prof as last time and this time he didn't scare me as much! He had a very detailed report and copies of the recent scans so he didn't need anything else. What constantly surprises me is that nhs hospitals don't share data - only those in the same trust - how odd and how wasteful for printing and time wasting! In fact (without jinxing things here) he said he thought the liver mets would be ablated with the chemo - so here's hoping. I have an echo this week and an extra appt at the heart hospital at my request. Otherwise expect to start later next week. Lots of appts up to then though so it will really ram it home. I'm not going for anything drastic for the wiggy look, just a good copy of my current hairstyle so I can pop into local shops etc without facing a barrage of questions or stares. Otherwise I will wear other coverups that seem so much nicer than last time. As to the breakfast I have no idea how you ever did that each time! I don't think I will be changing my habits but we all rememeber how sweet toothed we all got - or I did - the rest of you had a sweet tooth beforehand!
so ta ta for now and hi to Carole, Lisa and Bev - hope all is well with you.
Nicky x
Hi Dr Lily
In answer to your questions, no, it was under a local anaesthetic and a mild sedattive so awake throughout! All over and done with in about 15 mins and I also have two dressing sites so although it's not a central line it does go into a main vein - or maybe that is a central line? Annoyingly the top, smaller scar/cut is on my collar bone just as my seat belt sits on it. A bit ouch at the moment and I'm also getting used to the lump, also as my seat belt cuts across that as well, hmmm. Having said that they did explain that the shorter the catheter part and the less kinks in it the better it would work, so siting it firther away from the middle isn'r so successful, especially as I will (hopefully!) have it in for long term use rather than just eh chemo cycles. My second opinion went well and backed up what the local team said but, as there had been a question from the local team about my acceptability (on criteria) for the funded drug the Prof was able to say that there shouldn't be a problem as a precedent had already been set for someone in my position. Now just have to make sure the funding request gets in before I start chemo, which is due to happen next week but watch this space. Sleeping is fine but, like you found, I doubt I'll ever sleep on my front again 
Most of my tops are OK as well which is good as I thought it would be very obvious (and it is if it's exposed) but it's not that noticeable unless you're staring at my chest! Had my 3rd (yes, third) chemo chat yesterday but really to find out the differences this time around which was useful. Hooray, no boiling of water now - I used to hate that and it was only something our area had to do due to micro organisms sometimes appearing in our water supply but I guess they've sorted that out now. Plus a visit to the wig and hat lady! Quite happy with wah't now available as there are some much nicer designs in jersey material for the coverings so I think (I hope) I will look quite glam and not a bad hair day in sight! So, a very medical time this week, last week and then from next week onwards but I'm approaching it in a positive way as a means to get Herceptin and Pertuzamab rather than a desperate attempt with chemo.
Other than all the medical stuff I had a lovely day on Tues with ED as she had bought me a voucher for afternoon tea for Mothers Day and we hadn't got round to using it. So, we put that to good use and did a few other girly things which we both enjoyed. She's off work this week doing her first bridesmaid duty of the year, the second one is a bit later on. It's lovely for her to have been asked but, boy, do all the extras add up! Hen do's, hotel stays, nails, shoes and thats without her having to get her hair and makeup done as she can do those herself. Just as they are saving for their first house, which they are hoping to get moving on in the next few months. Busy, busy, busy!
We were lucky with no tree or buildings damage last weekend but it was very windy and very wet at times. Just needing some bits of outside tidying up to be done at the moment so busy getting a few quotes in before the bad (worse?) weather arrives and nothing will get done. All bits we can't really do otherwise we would - and save the money for something better to spend it on!
Hi to everyone else, hope all is well with you all.
Speak soon
Nicky x
Hi Nicky and Lisa, sorry that you didn't manage to hop on a plane somewhere but at least you've had good weather to enjoy at home. Our weather has been a bit changeable, up until yesterday quite warm and I managed a swim for a few days but yesterday and today it hasn't been that warm, either in the pool or out! Hoping for some sun for our visitors, son and grandson first, then niece and her family for a week and then our ED's family so looking forward to all of that.
I might not be able to post much in the next couple of weeks as busy with visitors, but will probably pass by just to check on you all.
Lily hope you had a superfragalisticexpia................. can't remember how to spell it - holiday Love to all xx
Hi ladies
Sorry to have missed your departure Lily - around here they are still at school until Wednesday so I thought you wouldn't be off so soon. No wonder you were panicking about the packing. I just thought you were planning too far in advance LOL. By the time you read this I am sure you will be back and I hope it was a lovely relaxing sunny break - but very hot if I remember where you were off to correctly - phew
Hi to everyone else. Not much going on here except trying to keep cool as the temperature rises. Glad I've not started chemo just yet, sitting in a hot chemo ward pretty much all day is not my idea of fun for every reason. I am waiting for my portacath appointment to come through before starting but if there are lots of delays due to holidays I may see if I need to start and then get it done. Not got an onc appointment until next week so I'm not worried about any delays as I'm still on the Capecitabine but will want to get on with it fairly soon, just to get it over and done with as well as obviously hoping it works it's wonders.
Hope you are all OK and we'll keep this going until Lily returns with stories to tell - all good ones I hope.
Nicky x
