Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Jill,   Not really possible for me to have a dog,i live in a flat, ok its my own flat, not rented but dogs not allowed in our lease, cats ok, some have indoor ones, i dont agree with  indoor cats , not dogs though but in a flat i wouldnt want a pet, not big enough and no private garden.  I adore my friends dog, and she knows i do  but  she has a bit of a mental block about me walking him. Ok its in the city surburbs where she lives, but there is a little park round the corner from her house, but no im not allowed to walk him.  hes a working cocker and he does pull a bit, but im sure id be ok but i cant persuade her.   Yes Norfolk and Norwich is a decent hospital, we have a dedicated Cancer centre,where they do everything.and apart from the first surgeon i saw who scared me rigid talking about chemo, losing my hair, and what would all be like, and wanted to change my op date to week later, the breast cancer care nurse, phoned me later after id seen him, luckily my friend, the one i dog sit for was with me, and she took over phone as i went to pieces,she got quite shirty with them and said i lived alone and she felt i wouldnt cope witth the delay,  I then got a new surgeon and earlier date and from then on ive no complaints at all,. great treatment, pleasant staff  and no inappropriate remarks like you and Dawn. Both very uncalled for  And of course i didnt need chemo so first surgeon was wrong.   Junex.     ... View more

Hi Dee,   O is tomorrow the polo, hope weather good sounds a bit iffy in S east but did get out today didnt it.   Are you going alone if so brave girl,  Hope you meet a rich handsome man,lol   Hows the taxmoxifen going. Apart from the sweats im ok.  Have felt bit tearful today, but often feel down at weekends as coupled up friends all have other committments so normally spend it alone, definitely need more single compatible friends here but god knows where to find them as ive said Norwich is a very couply place And mon have to go to the dentist Grrrr. still ive pretty good teeth for a 60 plus, all intact and in pretty good shape.  Tues my old schoolfriend coming over, we are have a look round shops then having a meal out Carluccios probably our favourite shes doing well after her ovarian.and wed back to sitting my friends dog, he is a sweetie, love him to bits.   Keep us posted on the polo.   Junexx ... View more

HI Jill,   O that wasnt nice , Like Dee my hospital the Norfolk and Norwich has a separate cancer centre,everyhtng there and quite pleasant place. Goodness i thought all hospitals would have had everything together,Its not usual Norfolk is ahead of rest of UK but it is a teaching university hospital s maybe thats why. I had my hysterectomy in one 20 miles away on the coast where i used to iive not such a large one and have to say Norfolk and Norwich superior   Going to the pub good ;plan, sure helped make you feel better.  June ... View more

Hi Sheena,   And goodnight to you.  I think weve had cancer, we certainly didnt want it and if youd have told me id get it and id behave so normally and not get totally downbeat and full of doom and gloom i wouldnt have believed you, ive found myself behaving in ways i never expected i would as all of you do,  Possibly living alone has made us stronger people who knows,   And there are worse things, read about the woman who wanted to go to Dignatas cause she had motor neurone disease, younger than me,  i thought yep there are worse things than breast cancer. Junexx  ... View more

Hi Mael,   I do agree i prefer our board, sometimes i find myself getting quite depressed with some of them, as you say forced positivity, mixed with resignation  not always good, We all seem to be dealing with ours in same way, and that i prefer.  When i ws first diagnosed i went on Mcmillian site, it made me feel worse,there was so much downbeat stuff i found it depressing,  This site is so much better, we do all seem to carry on behaviing as normal as possible, I honestly think that helped me cope better.  Junexx ... View more

Hi Dawn,   Good news,  Know what you mean "that lympth nodes clear" is lovely but then you do start feeling a bit guilty if lymth nodes and margiins are clear. when others have so much worse   I did,  I said that to one of the ladies in out local "big C" group, i felt lucky cause i had clear nodes, margins and only needed rads and taxmoxifen,  She said dont, youve still had cancer, yes it may worse for others, but NEVER feel guilty.  So ive always borne that in mind.Cancer is cancer.   Possibly you night have to have hormone tablets, but it must be a relief, so pleased for you,   Junexx ... View more

Hi Sheena,   You fell over a dog, a large onelol  it must have been as b ig as you,  pity wasnt captured on You Tube, you could have been an instant hit.  Seriously could have been nasty, glad you ok.  I s;lipped over other night when out for a walk,i had converse on so god knows how, think slipped on some seeds fallen off shrub on pavement. and i realised i was falling on my operated boob, ooops, kind of twisted my body so didnt sctually knock it and was wearing a denim dress and cardigan so was protected,  The friend i dog sit for lectured me, said as  she lives quite near, you should have phoned me, i said god no picked myself up and dusted myself down, im a tough old bird. But nice to know she cared and could call on her, she said i always can, good if you live alone.  Junexx ... View more

Hi Sheena,   Yes they can get whatever they want out if its legal,lol  i just think i loathe tattoos, ok if 20 you might do it as you are young and impressionable, but why would any middle aged woman want to ink her body i cannot understand, Friends of mine have got them, even my 73 year old cousinlol but we dont discuss them cause they know i dont like them,i never liked them on men let alone on women.  junex   ... View more

"Hi Mael,   Dont worry they are so tiny you wont notice and they fade,  I dont want to upset anyone who has them but im sorry i hate tattoos and i was a bit concerned,  but no they are barely noticeable.  Thats one thing i hate about summer, massive women in sleevless tops with loads of tattoos, not a good look,  God when i was young if you had tats you would have been on the road to damnation,I could imagine my mums reaction if id have come home with one,lol.she thought the heighth of depravity was having piercings, to this day ive only one hole in each ear, common was a word my mum used a lot. as mums did then, and nicely brought up girls didnt do !common" sometimes now when wear something i find myself thinking my mum would have said it was "common"lol.But of course my mum was generation born during great war and life was a whole lot different then. Actually on whole her and my dad were quite liberal parents for their generation and i didnt have lots rules.  Junexx ... View more

Hi Dee ,   I m not om anti dpressents and honestly apart from  the night sweats and last night slept just with sheet, seemed lot better ive few side effects to,  Sometimes get pain in my  left thigh if i sit on hard surface for too long, but have been on since Feb and can honestly say no other  problems,. But i took HRT for years with no side effects, which is why i stayed on it so long, which is probably why i got breast cancer, and there starts the story.lol   june ... View more

When will you know Dawn, hope good news, it is a very anxious time but at least you are rid of Billylo, Keep us posted junex ... View more

HiKim,    Im on Wokhardt.  I take mine before i go to bed, so any side effects come when asleep, but of course so do the hot flushes,  Last night i just slept with a sheet over me as muggy,seemed to help so will con tinue.By morning i feel fin e, so guess it works for me.  and if that is all i have to concern me ill live with that, as some seem to have so many effects,  June ... View more

Hi girls,   Id suggest Norwich its a nice city and an attractive one, but ive lived here 6 years and sometimes it seems as boring as my old small coastal town.  I dont think anyone would find it exciting, sure it hasnt the edge of London, Glasgow or Edinburgh, Ok its got nice shops, a few nice resturants and we have the Sainsbury centre, good exhibitions on there sometimes. But it sometimes feels very uncity like, no vibe, also its couply and ageist and not a great place for mature singles.   I always felt more of a city girl and always wanted to live in one, but sometimes with Norwich, i dont feel its real city at all, it often feels strangely like a small town with better shopslol . Maybe if you live in them other cities the same, but i dont think so, Its a Norfolk thing i think.   Junexx ... View more

HI Dee,   I will look forward to lunch at Ivy Dee, although i dont think ill be as lucky as you and meet a dishy american.lol   Dont know whether its the weekend and not much planned , or the humid weather, but ive been feeling bored and of the "ive survived cancer now what. persuation"  I need a purpose but what, i really dont know what to do,.  ive lived in Norwich for 6 years, worked here for 6 before that and i dont know many people apart from odd neighbour and mostly people i worked with.  Ive had several attempts at making new contacts, but all have failed miserably,. I just think its cause Norwich is such a couply city, and people tend to associate with people they have known for years, and their families. Single people rarely get invites and if you want to meet people you have to get involved with these social groups, which ive tried but they seem very clicqy and hard to break into. When i was going through my treatment i thought once better everything would be different but actually its the same as before, i feel at more of a loose end, cause i feel ive been given a second chance, . and i dont know what the hell to do with it.   Junexxx   ... View more

HI Dee,   Enjoy the drinks,  boho today was my no alcohol day so i had M&Ssparkling grape juice, not bad and it seems similar to wine.  But obviously not as good, but a good alternative.   Head of Drama, thats ideal for our book, movie, play you can producelol,Are you going to National Portrait gallery to see that Audrey Hepburn exhibition, it looked good.Saw a deal where you could go to La Caprice for a 2 course meal and entry for 35.00.   I like the "beautiful boobies" i find myself looking at mine and thinking goodness they are not bad, for a petite woman, and they are quite firm for an over 60,  i dont think i really noticed them much before.    Have good weekend.   Junexxx. ... View more

Hi Dawn   Au reviour Billy, did he crylol.    You seemed to have had a good day, it was lovely here in Norwich  not too humid. but hot, sat in my friends lovely garden with her lovely dog,  and we had to go indoors as too hot.    Hope enjoyed meal.    Junexx ... View more

Hi Sheena,   I do seem to sometimes have to get up to pee but i think thats cause my night sweats make me thirsty so i have a drink of water which i have by my bed.hence the loo. No problems in any other direction Sheena glad to say, as i do have a slightly sensitive stomach, raw veg have to be careful with.not too much,   I did stop taking the tablets i was prescribed for osteoporosis though, as they were def affecting my tummy. i thought one drug is enough.  Ill deal with osteoporosis risk in my own way.  Junexx ... View more

Hi Dee,   Interestingi ive been mulling over this feeling different business and yes it does change you having cancer, I know our living alone with it helped me.  My friends were great especially as many of them have been touched by C themselves, ones mum died of it, then her mum in law had it, another friend has gene, another had ovarian same time as i had breast, But living on own with it is different, and you helped me through that.Im not sure how im different, im still very feisty, but i dont moan as much, one one of my friends told me that other day,lol   I said well no im grateful im still here. still with boobs and hair.and ive even gained half a stone, which i lost when had my hysterectomy 7 years ago, i was a bit too thin, im very petite but you can be too thin.    My follow up was 3 months to see oncologist ,so its in aug. wonder why mine that long, but guess thats a good sign for me.  Then ive mammogram next Feb. .I thought id be constantly worrying about it coming back but strangely enough im not, whats point, ive as good a chance as anyone it wont, clear nodes etc, on tamoxifen,no point, just get on with life.  such as it is,   Junexxx ... View more

Hi dee, I yes probably easier in London but i do live in a city, but sometimes it doesent seem to help.  I have tried these social groups but they are very clicqy and i cant get on with them,tend to be lot more women and any men always go for the ones more your  age than mine.  iv e never been that successful with men, to be honest, but did think maybe now older without the raging hormoneslol  might be easier but doesent seem to be, Men rarely come into my life im afraid, socially, Norfolk is a very coupled up place, and it isnt that good for any single older woman.  I know a 49 year old whos been divorced years and never met anyone else, and a friend my age whos been on every dating website since her divorce 11 years ago, shes still on own, unlike me though they have kids,grandkids.Sadly many Norfolk women seem to be prepared to settle for anything, in trousers, they are not choosey so standard of men quite low and us who are choosey get left out in cold.  Sad b ut true, I need to socialize more with single people b ut that seems very diffcult, its hard to meet them im at a bit of loose end trying to see how i can.  As said ive friends but all coupled up.   Also as i mentioned single people dont often get asked to social events here, that doesent help.       So take your chance if all seems well, what have you got to lose,   Im still getting damm flushes, but is supposed to be cooler tonight  so maybe wont be so bad, evening primrose doesent seem to have stopped them but could be worse without them,  I am glad to have a double bed to myself, i can find a cool spotlol   Junexxx ... View more