Breast Cancer Now Forum

Bloody hell, Mooney. That's really crap. (Sorry, that was an unintentional pun).    I hope you get out out today and feel ok.    I'm off for my fourth EC. Looking forward to hearing from those of you venturing into the unknown. We've all got your backs.   Ali xxx ... View more

Hi everyone,   So lovely to be back and following how you all are getting on. Sorry for the long silence. It's been a mix of things, mostly just time. I've had my 3rd EC, one more to go next week and then on to T plus Herceptin and Perjeta. I've been fine again this round. Spent a lot of time in Manchester, our house sale went through at last. There's a huge amount to do, we've already made 12 trips to the dump. The seller left all the old furniture in, and it was an HMO, so 5 beds!    Apart from that, I've been able to see our grandson in between and to get a bit of work done. I'm very lucky.    Ok, so most of you are going onto T before me. You're the scouting party! I'll make sure I check in, and wish everyone huge luck. Take care, hope you're all doing something nice this weekend.   Ali xxxx ... View more

Honestly, I'm not. I've been lucky with side effects, but also I'm so excited to have this house that I'm on a massive high.    There will be plenty of lazy days ahead for me    xx   ... View more

Just popping in. 3rd EC on Wednesday and I'm feeling ok. Probably as well as the first two rounds.   We've come to Manchester to start work on the house. Yesterday afternoon we made the kitchen and a bathrooon bearable and threw out the carpet from the room we are sleeping in. Camp beds last night, but I crashed out at 9.30 so was fine. This morning we've removed a bed, a sofa, two wardrobes and lots of other stuff. Three trips to the dump. Having a little rest then we are off to screwfix with a huge list of things we need.    I can't comment on men and cleaning. 6 years ago I stepped up my career, while Chris became a house husband. Have to say he's pretty good. I get ironed sheets and a house cocktail every Friday. (Although not last night!)    Great news about biopsy, Robin and glad the BOB is getting sorted Jackie.    Love to all   Ali (definitely moth eaten and honestly rather grubby)    xx ... View more

I'm probably not the best person to ask as mine is still languishing in a drawer. My 'children' who are all grown up, think we should let the cats have her. I'm pretty sure they think she's a squirrel!   Other people have said that a stand isn't needed, as you can use an upturned vase or even a full two litre lemonade bottle. I bought shampoo and conditioner from Amazon, much cheaper. I think I paid £10 for three things. And baby oil seems fine for the scalp. I don't think £40 is a rip off, but I think you could spend less.   Glad the kids were ok with the hair. I've been barver about being bald in public this week, even if it's only in the hospital.   Cheers   Ali x ... View more

Oh dear, I think this is quite common but lots of concerns coming out now as we go through. Scotty thanks for asking about the T, I'm trying not to think about it as I still have another EC to go. I'm supposed to be teaching three days from day 5 after my first T so I'm going to get some cover for the middle day in case I'm very tired. Jackie you poor thing. I laughed at your choice of epidural though. Hopefully they'll blast you with things to get your white blood cell count up while you're there. I used a gentle shampoo while I had hair left. Now I'm just wiping it with a flannel with a bit of body wash. A nice moisturising one. I'm also oiling it at night. I happen to have an expensive facial oil that I bought but never got round to using, but when it's finished I'll switch to baby oil. Mine is white too, but I'm very pale so it doesn't look too.bad. Sorry to those of you who are feeling rough. I've just been quite lazy, but feel ok. I don't seem to get a buzz from my steroids, just a bit of a headache. Off to Manchester tomorrow to start work on the house. Maybe I need extra steroids! Love to all Ali x ... View more

Yup I was going to say a sleep cap. I've got a thin cycling hat for wearing under my helmet in cold weather, which is good too. I have to take all my steroids at breakfast. This probably explains why I sleep through until 4am! Ali xx ... View more

Hi, Robin. I'm good thank you. Went well, running on time for once. Only moment was when I went in to book my Look good, feel better workshop and they told me the first space was in July! Not much help to me.   I really think you should look into getting a PICC line. I'm sorry, I can't remember if you're having 6 or 8 rounds, but even for the remaining 3 it would be worthwhile. Phone your BCN and tell her what happened. You might have to push, although Guy's were fine when I (sort of) insisted.    Hope you feel ok otherwise. And that everyone else is doing well.   Jackie, how's the bottom?    Love    Ali x ... View more

Thanks, Beedot. Yup the new house is in Manchester. We rent a place in London and will keep that on (although a smaller house) because I work in London for roughly 6-8 days a month. The house in Manchester needs lots of work, so a lovely distraction from chemo   Al x ... View more

So ebim, Herceptin and Perjeta are targeted treatments for cancers that are HER+. Well done Mooney, you're the cancer queen. Despite the typos! Night all Ali x ... View more

Hi, Ebim. I'm actually on EC rather than FEC (different approaches in some areas). But I have to have 4 EC then 4 Docetaxel. So you will overtake me before I'm finished. I think it's 4 + 4 because mine was described as very aggressive by my surgeon and oncologist 😒 Then they told me off for using the same word! So now I say I have an assertive cancer! ... View more

Yup, good luck Mooney.    Ali xx ... View more

Ouch, Jackie. One of my sons had a pilonidal abscess when he was a teenager. In the cleft of the buttocks. It was horribly painful and I really feel for you. Glad they were on the case there though.   Suze, sorry to laugh, but that was a great story.   Yup, I've got chemo 3 on Wednesday. I've fasted before the other two and have been very lucky with ses. I am doing 48 hours on water, tea, coffee and miso soup. Then I won't eat on the actual day, but will have breakfast on Thursday. But I do fast regularly so the actual process is fine for me. My onc was a bit sniffy, but I'm happy to do it anyway. But despite that, I haven't lost any weight. Still, I guess I might have put it on otherwise.   Our new house went through today, delayed from Friday. So I'm hoping to be uber well this time, as we have a huge amount of work to do. Have ordered industrial quantities of disinfectant, rubber gloves, dust masks etc.   Ali x     ... View more

Blimey, Suze. I'm 55, so they'll probably give me lavender water and talcum powder. Maybe I could lie, I wear Urban Decay and Chanel so I'd be jealous too. Ha, I sound ungrateful now and I haven't even been yet!    I really understand why some of you don't want to be bald in front of others. I think it helps that I'm a massive extrovert so don't mind being looked at. I told my daughter I was going to write a swear word every day on my head. In eye pencil. I said I'd go through the alphabet and tweet them. A for arse, b for b**ger, c.....She said she'd never speak to me again if I did. 😂 ... View more

I haven't worn my wig at all. Poor Bex, I feel quite guilty. I'm fine with wraps for work, social events, plus a very thin cashmere beanie for just popping out. I'm pretty comfortable being bald in front of people I love. Close friends, my grown up children and their partners, Chris and my siblings. I would be bald more widely, but it freaks people out and I don't want them to be uncomfortable. Mine you I am very bald now, so I do look a bit alien.   I'm a bit more worried about the summer. Sunhats don't cover in the same way. I might have to do a wrap underneath. My chemo is until June too, so I'm assuming I'll be bald all summer.   I am so booking a LGFB workshop, I love a goodie bag. I'm quite good at makeup, but have a blank spot about eyeliner, so hoping my eyelashes hang on for a bit.    Hope eveyone is feeling ok. This is a very upbeat and measured thread and I feel proud of our January gang. I've got my 3rd EC on Wednesday. Sorry, I've lost track of who is doing what this time round.    Ali xx ... View more

I'm aiming to lose 56lbs 😒 This is what I lost two years ago but then put back on. I reckon I can do that in six months if I concentrate. Fewer absentminded nut snaffles needed! ... View more

Yup, you can keep everything private. So no friend requests etc.    I did nearly cry, but ended up laughing instead.   Ali xx ... View more

Scotty, do you Facebook?    Ali x ... View more

Thanks all. I quite understand the punching advice, but unfortunately you can't just kick people out the place they are living, if they refuse to go, without a court order. And I don't even know if the seller dealt with this properly. It was definitely an illegal HMO. My view is the seller is at fault. He will be covering our extra legal costs, our hotel bill and anything else I can wangle. I think he may be doing the punching, though, but that's his call. It's very annoying, but Chris and I aren't very stressy types, so after I'd said wtf more than once, we just concentrated on sorting it.    Luckily we only had a car full of stuff, not a lorry load. Anyway, we saw Dylan who is still lovely. And now we are having a glass of sparkling wine and in a rather nice flat in Media city. We've even got supper in the oven, I'm too knackered to go out.   I'm here on Facebook, happy to friend anyone.  https://www.facebook.com/alison.wride.1   Ali xx ... View more