Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Anna, am hoping to be there Tuesday as long as I can get sitter for Mary. Start my rads tomorrow so that should be fun !! K x ... View more

Hi, start rads on Monday and have to have 20 sessions so roll on 9th July !! Find out on 22nd June if I need to have my ovaries out as a precaution as can't go on Tamoxifen due to having a blood disorder. Will all depend if I a menopausal or not. Thought I would try to make you laugh again Sandra with my total panic discussion with onc at last chemo. I found a lump under my arm around the scar from the lymph node extraction just the day before my last chemo and started to panic. Get to chemo and onc comes in and asks how I am. Told him I had very achy bones and was a bit concerned. He replied that it because of the injection to keep my white cell count up so felt a bit silly. Then I told him I had found another lump and was very concerned so he asked me to undress so he could check it out. He had a good feel under my arm and then asked me to show him where it was so I did. He had a feel and then with a grin told me it was my rib !!!!!! Told him I didn't have one the other side so he replied that with them taking 24 lymph nodes out there was not as much flesh therefore skin was closer to the rib. To say I felt a total Pr*t is an understatement but we all had a good laugh about afterwards. So you see this really is an adventure and fun and laughter can and will be had on the way. Will be thinking of you tomorrow Sandra. K x ... View more

Sandra, you are so not a wimp. It is scary stuff but you will come through it. I had tearful days but your positive attitude will help you so much. Had a tearful episode yesterday when I went to rads scan. Broke down when they started talking about tattoos to help them find the right place every time and I just lost it as I have always hated tattoos. Now have 3 and they are so tiny that I really don't know why I made such a fuss but we never know when the tears will strike !! Will be thinking of you K x ... View more

Hi all, have been reading the posts since the start and just thought I would post a comment to say that although the chemo is pretty awful at times it is surprising how quickly the time goes and how easily you forget. I had some bad se's but even now looking back I can say it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and certainly not as bad as the fear of the unknown. I completed my chemo 3 weeks ago and start rads on Monday next week. Have loved the funny and poignant stories and wish you all the best on your adventure. I look at the rads as the final part of my adventure and hoping that come the end of summer it will all be over for me. Keep positive, it will end. K x ... View more

Been for my planning scan today. Feel a bit like a Blue Peter exhibit with pen marks, tattoos, sticky back plastic, wires. Only thing they didn't use was an old washing up liquid bottle !!!! Bit surprised as thought I was having 15 sessions and now been told I have to have 20. Also onc has decided I can't have Tamoxifen as risk too high for me due to blood disorder so had blood test to see whether I am in the menopause. If not then it's out with the ovaries !!! He has told me I can go ahead with op on Thursday and still start rads on Monday so that's a bit of good news for me. Hope everyone is OK and your last chemo's don't knock you too much. K x ... View more

Back from hospital now and specialist was very cute. Not sure it was that enjoyable having my bits examined by him especially wearing blue gloves but hey the joy of this crap !! He thinks it is probably a cyst but have to go in Thursday for surgery and a full girlie bits scan as long as oncologist says it's OK when I see him tuesday for my CT scan pre rads. If not then I have to wait till rads is over and then some time to get my strength back which would make it late July. Really don't want to wait that long. Now going to have a lazy day and Mary is cooking curry for tea. Enjoy the sunshine everyone. K x ... View more

Back after a few good days in Skegness. Ended up on the beach yesterday and now have a red face then white where bandana was on !! Managed to get appointment with specialist tomorrow so picked up letter from GP today ready. Obviously opened it and read that lump is 8mm well at least it's smaller than breast lump but still very worried. Hoping he will just say I am a hypochondriac and bugger off and get on with life but not convinced it will work that way. On the good news front have found 3 underarm hairs so celebrating !! Karen x Louise - know exactly how you feel as had the same with them thinking I had meningitis when it was neutropena. Glad you are home again and hope you get well soon ... View more

Teresa, I really do know how you feel and I too want to bury my head and pretend everything is fine. Have only told a couple of people, well except for this forum !!) and both have said "sure it will be nothing". Strange but I heard those words 6 months ago and it was bl**dy cancer. Hope it has disappeared but even then you would worry where it had gone !!! I think we should be given our own carpark space at the hospital for such time as this. Am off to Skegness with Mary for a few days today so will be catching up on the posts on Friday. sure there will plenty to read. Will be thinking of you and keeping everything crossed. Hope everyone is ok and enjoying the bank holiday Take care K x ... View more

Suzanne, Unfortunately the lump is nowhere near my boob. It's down below in my other lady bits area !!!! Have got to wait till 11th June to see the specialist then take it from there. My GP says the lump will have to come out so now worrying that may delay my rads or maybe they will wait till after my rads though not sure I can cope waiting that long. Have my ct scan on 8th June so going to talk to oncologist about it then. Can't believe it's rained all day here. Where has the summer gone ?? Take care all K x ... View more

so my upbeat post yesterday has come back to bite me. Found another lump today and it scared the hell out of me. Went to gp today and he has referred me for more tests. thought I had beat this and now back on the rollercoaster of tests and another operation for a biopsy to see if this new lump is cancerous. When will it ever end. Scared doesn't describe it. K x ... View more

Hi all, well 11 days since last chemo . Feels a bit strange knowing that part is over but still got rads to look forward too !! Throat infection much better so can shout at the kids again. Thought I might give you all a laugh with my major worry..... the day before my last chemo I felt a lump under my left arm and starting having a major panic also have had really achy bones for weeks so decided to talk the the onc about it. When I told him about my bones he said that was normal due to the growth factor injection I have to have each time. Felt a bit stupid but the best is yet to come..... told him about "the lump" and how worried I was. He had a feel and , this is the pathetic bit !!, told me it was my rib !!!!!! Explained that it didn't feel that way on the other side so he reminded me that by taking all my lymph nodes out my flesh is closer the the bone on that side. I felt a complete plonker but we all had a good laugh about it. Do think this cr$p disease is making me totally paranoid with every ache and pain becoming a big worry. Looking forward to a week in Skegness with Mary next week before my rads planning meeting on 8th June. Take care and hope everyone is feeling OK K x ... View more

Anna, just checking it's still on for Tuesday 25th. Been having problems with facebook so thought I would message you on here !! K x ... View more

Feeling a bit more upbeat today and so far se's not too bad. Arm swollen and veins ache but I know that will go soon. Hope you are all OK and good luck for tomorrow Erica and Louise. Louise - have a shedful of ironing and only about 3 hours away from you so see you soon !! Jayne - thanks, rads are for either 15 or 20 sessions and have planning session on 8th June. Hope you feeling Ok K x ... View more

Darcyb was in your position late last year and felt I would never cope with it however had my last chemo yesterday and now only have rads to go. Am alot older than you (46) but don't think age makes it any easier. Have 3 wonderful kids and was very worried about the effect on them. Was terrified about losing my hair as it was very long but actually when I decided to have it shaved off it felt quite liberating. Have a wig but rarely wear it and usually just wear a bandana but have gone out without it several times. My friends say they don't see me as a person with cancer and no hair, just as me which is great. The kids are used it too and they have coped so well. There have been days when I have felt so down but on the whole I have stayed very positive believing that it is just one of those things that life throws at you and am so glad I found it before it was too late. I had a lumpectomy and then lypmh node clearance as it had spread. The first time I went to the Dr she told me it couldn't be breast cancer as I had no lump!! So glad I persevered as knew something wasn't right. We all have a journey to get through and the support on this site is fantastic. Keep doing your exercises they do really help but even now I have a numb part on my arm and do get pain. The onc told me that is the nerve ending knitting back together. Take care and wish you well Karen ... View more

Well it's over. Was very painful and got very emotional. Thought I would feel like celebrating tonight but actually feel quite down. Onc nurse told me it is very normal to feel down at the end and not to get stressed about it. Should be starting radiotherapy about 15th June. Also have an issue if periods start again as unable to have the injections to suppress ovaries due to blood disorder so would have to have my ovaries out instead. So don't want another operation !!! Suzanne - hope the se's aren't too bad this time. Have sent you a message re book as it sounds like something I should read. Take care all and hope chemo goes ok for you all K x ... View more

Hi all, last 1 tomorrow but still not looking forward to it. Still get nervous everytime. Been very emotional since last 1 but not sure why. Keep convincing myself that every ache or pain is a bad sign !! Hope chemo goes well for everyone over the next week. K x ... View more

Hi all, had a lovely day in London yesterday with my daughter doing a photo shoot for breast cancer care. Hit Oxford St after for a little retail therapy. Last chemo on 17th May and really looking forward to a partial return to reality as have rads to look forward to !! Just want to get back to a normal life without hosp appointments and se's Hope you are all keeping as well as possible. k x ... View more

Louise, understand how you feel and it is totally crap. Makes me really angry when people belittle what we are going through. dreading my return to work interview which will happen shortly. On a positive note Mary and I went to london yesterday to do a photo shoot for breast cancer care. Had a great time and met some lovely people. It's quite odd as when I was told I needed chemo my dread was losing my very long hair and yet yesterday posed for photo's with no wig or bandana. Just think what the hell this is me right now and if that is is problem it's yours not mine. Last chemo on 17th and can't wait to celebrate a partial return to reality though have rads to get through. Saying that I know you have surgery to get through so feel slightly guilty that my journey is nearing an end when you have so much more to get through. When will the sun shine again !! K x ... View more

Mrs mc I know exactly how you feel. It would be so good to get a guarentee after all this. I also worry that it will come back but guess we just have to stay positive and believe that we have beaten it. The way I am trying to look at it is that come mid August it will all be over and I can get my life back again and I am going to go forward with the attitude that if it does come back I can still beat it. Someone told me at the start that I was a statistic not a victim and although that sounded strange at first I can now see the relevance. Hope tomorrow goes well for you Hugs K x ... View more