Breast Cancer Care Forum

Hi lovely ladies,   Don't know if any of you are still checking this thread. I haven't for weeks, which must be a good sign?! I've finished all my treatment and have been given the 'all clear' plus a low chance of recurrance. I hope you're all doing well?   We're currently on holiday in Italy which is lovely after such a rubbish year. However, it's the first time my husband has really stopped since last September and I think things are catching up with him. He's feeling very low 😥. Anyone else's partner going through anything similar?   Much love to you all.  Gaby 🥰 ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,    I've been a bit quiet here, mainly because I seem to be spending my days travelling to and from hospital and waiting around for my rads 😒. I've got my last one next Wednesday and can't wait. It will be so nice not to have my days ruled by medical appointments!   Aley: the treatment itself is fine. What seems to take the time is positioning me correctly, plus the imaging which they have to do once a week. I've been getting a bit more tired and am a bit pink and itchy now, but I'm slapping on loads of E45 and that's definitely helping 😉. Compared with chemo, this is easy - but very boring 😝   Lisa and LittlePixie: you both look fabulous 😍. Jacqs: so glad to hear that things are looking up 😍.   Incidentally, don't know if any of have aching joints? I've been taking Omega 3 oil (yuk 😜) and probiotics which really seem to be helping. Am also having a blood test for Vitamin D and have been referred for (free) yoga sessions by my physio!   Gxx ... View more

Hi Jacqs, I'm at Guy's just waiting for today's radiotherapy, so just a quick message to say good luck for the op! 🍀👍😘 I'll be thinking of you! Hope the food isn't too awful 😉😬. Gxx 😍 ... View more

Hi you wonderful ladies,    I was so relieved when I read all your messages. To know that I'm not the only one who is feeling a bit low was just such a relief. Thank you 😍   Lisa: I'm sure your holiday will help. I can't remember where you're going, memory is still awful 😕. But time away from work and some relaxation will do you good, I'm sure. I'm partly relieved about work, but also a bit sad and apprehensive. I enjoyed my job (when I wasn't stressed 🙃) and am now going to have to find other interesting things to do, which is exciting but also scary. Anyway, I'm not going to start anything until September, when we're back from holiday.   Aley: I really liked your idea of a grown up gap year. ☺️ Time to try out new things! And I might follow your lead and speak to someone at Maggie's. Like you, I've used food and especially biscuits to get me through treatment 😅. So I've cut all sweet stuff out during the week, but am allowing myself a couple of biscuits at weekends.   Jacqs: gosh, you really have got a lot to cope with 😕 😍 and I hope your doctors can do something to sort things out soon. I had a few meltdowns yesterday and felt very emotional. I'm especially confused about this, as I felt quite strong during much of my treatment. Hang in there, Jacqs, we'll get through all this rubbish eventually 💪😘.   Gx ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,   Just wondering how everyone is doing? It's been very quiet here lately...   Jacqs: belated Happy Birthday! Hope you had a lovely day.    I've had 3 rads now and so far so good. I've got some slight tingling, but slapping on lots of E45 seems to help. Am also very thirsty and sleepy afterwards  , but nothing a glass of water and a cup of tea can't sort.   I met with my employer today and told her that I won't be returning to work. I was very apprehensive, partly because I thought I might burst in to tears (I didn't  ) and partly because I thought she would be very upset. But actually, she had half been expecting it and was just lovely. I feel so relieved to have got this over and done with and now feel that I can relax and start to think about a (different) future. Who knows what I will do, but at least I have taken this first step.   My mum said to me on the phone the other day "you can soon forget about all this" and I just blurted out "I'll never be able to forget that I've had cancer!". Afterwards I felt a bit bad, as she was very apologetic and I know she didn't mean to upset me, but really, I doubt I will ever be able to forget this past year, even if the cancer doesn't return (and actually, my oncologist has been very positive about that). Somewhere at the back of my mind will, I am sure, always be that worry, what if...  What's more, I really hope that all the small aches and pains which I still seem to have and which sometimes make me feel like an old lady start to disappear soon. Don't want that sort of reminder either. Sorry, that's a rather miserable end to my post, but I just had to get this off my chest, as it's been bothering me!   Have a lovely weekend, everyone.   Gxx     ... View more

Hi everyone,    Done 3 rads now and so far it's been fine. I've hardly had to wait around and only have a very slight tingling sensation. I do feel very thirsty afterwards and rather sleepy 😉😴. Also, my shoulders and neck are a bit sore, but that's always been my weakness and so I am doing a few stretches immediately after treatment in the changing room 😁. Tried thinking of beach and sunshine today, but that didn't work - I must have absentmindedly held my breath, because the radiographer asked me if I was breathing normally 😂. So I think I had better concentrate on the treatment next time!   Looking forward to a couple of days without treatment now. Have a lovely weekend, ladies. 😍   Gaby xx ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,   Thanks for all your support and encouraging words 😍. I'm feeling much more upbeat and managed to get through those few sad days, not least because of all your positive posts! ❤️ I h ad my first rads today and everything was fine. Had a bit of a wait due to a broken machine, but otherwise things went very smoothly. I tried to think of this as zapping any miserable rogue cancer cells and a step towards a much brighter cancer free future 🤩. Just need to remember to take some socks tomorrow, as I got cold feet lying on the bed 🤣. TW142, hope you had a reasonable start to your rads today. About the cream, I was told I can use anything gentle like E45 as many times a day as I want, so will be slapping that on before and after.   Gxx ... View more

Hi TW142,    Nice to hear that I won't be alone on the 15th 😏. I'm really hoping that rads won't be too awful, people seem to have quite mixed experiences. As for bras, some people seem to go without, but like you I'm on the slightly larger side and that's definitely not an option 😉. I've got a couple of M&S ones (not pure cotton 🤨), which were fine after surgery, so I'm hoping they will be ok over the coming weeks.   My moods also swing about quite a bit. I've tried to stay positive throughout chemo and surgery, but right now I'm feeling a bit low and empty. I've actually been given the all clear by my oncologist and feel like I should be grinning from ear to ear, but I'm not 🙁. I've just decided not to return to work, as my old job was very stressful and physically demanding (nursery manager) and although I'm sure it's the right decision, I am still coming to terms with what for me is a really big step. Sorry I'm going on a bit, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that our mood swings are not surprising given what we've been through, we've all had/got them, and we will get through all this rubbish 🤩 💪.   Gaby x ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,    I saw my oncologist on Tuesday and she's putting everything in place for rads to start on the 15th. As I am triple negative I will get a bonus week, lucky me 🤣, and will have 20 treatments. But at least that will be it - roll on a treatment-free summer!   LittlePixie: that ham looks very tasty 😋 and is presumably nitrate free?! I've just been to a talk at the hospital about diet etc and got dire warnings about processed meat and nitrates. 😬 Maybe papier-mache is the way to go!? 😁 Have a lovely anniversary weekend and congratulations 😍🤩!   Lisa: so glad to hear that your girls are messy 😉. My 18 year old's bedroom is a health hazard and although my 12 year old's looks slightly better, his room has some very dark corners that I wouldn't want to investigate too closely 😂! My daughter has just started her A Levels this week and has promised to have a clear-out once she's got through all her exams, but I'm not holding my breath on that one 😜.   Jacqs: I hope you're feeling a bit better now and that they can see to your heart asap. ❤️ You/we've been through so much this past year, I suppose it's not surprising that our bodies are protesting. It's great that you can dip in and out of work, as and when you feel up to it.   I'm going to potter about in the garden for a bit now. Just some light weeding (plenty of those around 😄) in the sun.   Gaby x ... View more

Hi everyone,  I've just been told that I will be starting rads on the 15th and so am joining you lovely ladies. 🤩 I've already had chemo and surgery (lumpectomy and SNB) and this is the last bit of treatment. As I'm triple negative I am getting a bonus week of rads, lucky me 😂, and will have 20 treatments. I've got my CT scan tomorrow, then just over a week before I start. Most people seem to find rads much easier to cope with than chemo or surgery, so fingers crossed 🤞. I've heard E45 works really well and that it's best to pile it on several times a day, both before and after treatment, but I guess the nurses will tell me what to do. I've been using Vitamin E oil on my scars, which has the advantage over bio oil of not having anything added but will check with the nurses whether I can continue to use it during rads.   It will be such a relief to get this over and done with. Roll on a treatment-free summer! 🌞   Gaby  ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,    We had a lovely and rather lazy Easter in the Midlands, me sitting in the garden while the teenagers and various uncles and aunts played 'French cricket' (I think this is a family invention!? It very energetic and everyone gets very competitive about it 😂). It was so lovely to soak up all that fantastic sunshine 🌞 and to see everyone so relaxed.    Lisa: you look absolutely gorgeous in that photo! 🤩 And you've got loads of hair, definitely cool 👍. I've decided to ditch all my hats and embrace my stubble. I've just had enough of covering up. Much to my surprise I've had quite a few compliments and only the odd puzzled look from strangers. 😜   LittlePixie: you sound so happy 😍. How lovely you're managing to do a bit of work again and a footstool sounds very manageable. But don't overdo it!   Aley: that's fantastic news!👏🎉😍 I agree, that image of the cancer in a jar is great 😄. I'm seeing my oncologist in 2 weeks and am hoping to start radiotherapy by mid May. The side effects sound manageable compared with chemo - we can do this last bit 💪.    My scars are healing well now, still have some tingling and stinging occasionally, but nothing too awful. Just wondering, has anyone tried using bio oil on their scars? A friend has recommended and the reviews I've seen seem good.    Love and hugs to you all.    Gaby xx   ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,    I had great news from my surgeon today: the chemo got rid of all the active cancer cells and all that was left for him to remove were a cluster of DCIS plus 7 lymph nodes. I won't need another op and am cancer free! 😻🙃☺️ I will still need rads, as I am triple negative, but that's OK, I can deal with that. Also had a great comment from someone at my local health shop: apparently my hair 'really rocks'! No one has ever said anything like that about me 😂🤣, so it's been a good day. 👍   We're off to see family in the Midlands for Easter. Hope it stays sunny. Have a lovely weekend everyone.    Gaby 😍😘 ... View more

Hi Everyone,    2 weeks since my op and I'm much more uncomfortable: my scars seem OK, but the area around my armpit is numb, I get a lot of uncomfortable stinging there and the movement in my left arm is not great. I'm seeing my surgeon tomorrow so will mention all this. I think it's all very normal, but I'm feeling rather tired and low with the constant discomfort. 🙄   Lisa: gosh, you've got a lot on! Don't overdo things at work. My memory is shocking and that really bothers me. I wonder why we're getting this now?! Have you seen a property you want to buy? We've been in our house for 18 years and the amount of junk we've accumulated is ridiculous. I had a clear out last year when we had the loft done and chucked out loads of stuff. Quite fun, once you get going 😀.   Little Pixie: I'd love to see a photo of your ham! My daughter is very keen on prop making and is starting a Technical Theatre degree in September, so I'm quite used to seeing odd bits around the house (we have a lovely spare brick wall she made 😉). Fantastic you've booked your holiday. I think we all need a good break and some sunshine after this last year.   It's lovely and sunny here in London. Hope you're all getting a chance to enjoy the sunshine. 🌞   Gaby 😘 ... View more

Aley, I forgot to say good luck with your results. I'm seeing my surgeon next week. Waiting for results is nerve wracking and I'm trying not to think about all that too much Fingers crossed we will both be OK! 👍🤞❤️   Gx ... View more

Hi Aley,    I was really relieved to hear that you're thinking about not returning to work. It would be a huge change for me and it's nice to know I'm not the only one thinking along these lines. 😍 Teaching is very rewarding, but I am very worried about returning to the stress and heavy workload. I'm also concerned about the physical side of my work. Right now the thought of carrying or even cuddling very young children, being unintentionally bumped on my boob 😣, and all the other lovely things like nappy changing 😂, really fill me with dread! In theory, as a manager, I should be able to opt out of most of these physical tasks, but I know that in practice this won't always be possible. I have looked at quite a few volunteering options and found a couple that involve mentoring young people (Prince's Trust) and helping parents with their children's mental health (Young Minds) that look interesting. I also considered doing something at my hospital, but I'm not sure - I might need a break from regular trips there for a bit! What sort of volunteering are you looking at?   Had another rubbish night. Sleeping on my back or right side, but I have to wake up to turn carefully and feel quite stiff in the morning. 🤨 I don't seem to be getting quite as many hot flushes anymore, but am considering having some acupuncture to sort this out properly. Has anyone tried that?   Gx ... View more

Hi everyone,    Just over a week since I had my op and finally had a shower yesterday 🚿😂. It was soooo nice! My arm has a few numb patches and my breast still feels tender (and it's still a beautiful blue 💙), but I've got much more movement (am being a good girl and doing my exercises regularly). Sleep is still a problem, but then I can't remember the last time I actually slept through, must have been last summer before I had my diagnosis?!   I know several of you have now gone back to work, which I think is amazing. I will have to wait until at least September, as I need to have rads and recover from that. I'm actually mulling over my options right now. I definitely don't want to go back full-time and am dreading the high stress levels of my job (I'm a nursery manager). I'm in the very lucky position not to have to work, but I need to have something to challenge my mind (or what's left of it  - is anyone else struggling with short term memory? Mine is dreadful 😂). Instead of going back to my old job, I'm thinking about volunteering for a couple of charities, which would enable me to use my knowledge and experience, but free me from the old stresses. I'm really not sure which way to go with this right now. Have any of you thought about a career change?   Pulapula: I hope you're able to to have your last chemo soon. Any delay right at the end is so frustrating, but you're almost there. And as you say, it's nice to have some chemo free time with the kids. 😍 I realised the other day that now is the first time since September that I am not having to take any medication and it's so nice. We've all had so much stuff pumped into our bodies - I'm sure it will take quite some time for us all to feel completely normal again.   Lisa / LittlePixie: my hair has gone into overdrive and seems to be growing like mad. 🤩 My daughter strokes my head whenever she sees me, as she loves the feel of it. Maybe that's what is making it grow? 😁   We've got lovely sunshine here in London. 🌞 Going for a walk with my daughter soon. Have a lovely afternoon, ladies. Gx ❤️💖💋 ... View more

I think you can just about see my stubble in that photo 😂.    Gxx ... View more

Hi lovely ladies,    Thanks for all your kind thoughts. Had my lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy on Tuesday and everything went well. I was first up on the surgery list, so didn't have much time to sit around and worry. I was home by 3pm, had a sleep then some lovely dinner (I was starving 😁) and actually felt surprisingly OK. Have been taking it easy since then and am now off pain killers. Just have to wait a couple of weeks for the results of the biopsy. Fingers crossed, margins and lymph nodes will be clear. I was quite nervous about the surgery, and the anaesthetic in particular - I suppose it's the fear of the unknown. But the hospital staff were very reassuring and kind which really helped. All done now anyway. 🙂   Lisa: I think you look far more beautiful than barbie! 💖😍 Children do come out with the funniest things! I don't have a wig. My hair is growing, but I haven't been brave enough to venture outside without a hat. I've told myself that it's still too cold for that anyway 😉. My daughter thinks my stubble is cool 😂😎, so perhaps I'll brave it once the sun is out properly.   Jacqs: I've also had a lot of aches in my legs following chemo. Oddly enough the beautiful DVT stockings I'm having to wear post surgery seem to be helping a bit with that. Maybe it's the extra warmth or improved circulation? I was also able to stop my injections a few days early, which seems to have reduced the hot flushes and might also have affected my legs? It's all guesswork for me really 🙄. Are you able to take proper breaks at work? Be kind to yourself and don't overdo things!   Gaby xx ... View more

Thanks Aley, and good luck to you for today! 🍀😘🤞Do let us (me 😀) know how you get on. I'll be thinking of you today. ❤️   Gaby x ... View more