Breast Cancer Now Forum

Thanks Jan. I’ve screen printed your messages and will send over to mum. The consultant came up with complan and I must admit, I thought we might be able to get something a bit nicer 🙂 I will have a look for the custard type dishes - I think my mums similar as in, can’t face eating loads so we need to find small, full of calories snacks. I also hadn’t thought about freezing pasta so I’m on that too 🙂   Thanks Jan and you take care too 🙂 xx ... View more

Hey Jan, thanks as always for your advice. Mum is 69 and before this was fit as a fiddle. The points that you have made are so helpful. We have a scan on Sept 26th and in the meantime, the oncologist said she needs to put on weight. So I’ve ordered some complan and got her a slow cooker - mums to weak to proper cook and it’s a 6 hour round trip between us so want to make sure she is eating. Hopefully with time, it will either get better or mum will get used to it and get a system to get about. I will just be happy as you say to get some stable time. As with the choices and it being up to mum, you and this group have taught me that. A while back, mum said she didn’t want to continue with treatment - I told her then, it’s up to her and I will support whatever she chooses. Thankfully after talking about the possibilities, she carried on and I’m glad she did but it’s her journey and her choice… fingers crossed for the scan.  I hope you are ok as you can be Jan and thanks, this really helps x ... View more

Hi Lesley… yes mum now has other treatments planned which is a herceptin injection every 3 weeks, once her chemo is finished. Mum has had 11 sessions so far, on a weekly basis and has done them without any break. Mum is 69 and was very fit and well before her diagnosis. Mum for the first 6 sessions, was tired and had some hair loss although wasn’t as bad, as I had read. I would say mild side effects for the initial 6 weeks. With sessions 6-11 it has affected my mums balance, extreme diarrhoea and fatigue for a few days which meant she slept most of the day and night following chemo. Hope this helps Lesley xx ... View more

Hiya Thanks for all of the info and suggestions. Andrew Johnson sounds good and will check Jess out on Instagram. Some others have worked so feels like it’s a bit trial and error but we will get there 🙂 thanks again xx ... View more

Hi Jan Thanks so much. I have just gone through all your recommendations. They genuinely will be really helpful and I think something my mum will do and benefit from. It’s also something she can do on her own. I really liked the music, Michael Sealey is good but I see what you mean with the talking a bit too much 🙂   I also looked at Wordle, that looks good and I think will be a hit with mum. I am definitely going to share you tube and all of the other bits. I can really see this being helpful and it’s something, mum can pick up and put down as she wants too. At the moment Wimbledon is a help/distraction whilst chemo treatment is happening, although we now have something else now for the last few weeks.  I hope you’re ok Jan and the digestive video. I’m sorry I can’t help you, like you help me but I’m very grateful. I hope today is a good one for you. I’m off to order some headphones. Take care xx ... View more

Thank you Kay, that is so useful to know. I will be reading more on what you have shared 🙂 Hopefully not to long until treatment like ERsO is available. Thanks again x ... View more

Hi Kay Yes, I took it as positive and looking realistic it could be available if the trial outcome remains positive. I think though as it’s immunotherapy - it could be used for other types ? Maybe I missed something, I will keep reading. X ... View more

Turn Emmerdale off 🙂 I am with you that this group is so helpful and just shows what kind people there are. I hope they begin your mums treatment soon. I found for my mums sake, the not knowing the plan in terms of treatment really tough. It was comforting once the letters started to come through with appointments. All the best x ... View more

Hi Cheryl I wanted to pop a message back as can appreciate your head is all over the place. My mum was diagnosed with secondary her2 + BC and some lesions on the liver in May. Mums treatment is 12 weeks of chemo with pallitaxel. So far, it’s been ok and we’re nearly half way through, there has been more good days than bad. These forums have helped me as the person supporting mum. I hope this forum helps you in some way. Thanks to this group, I have seen how technology and treatment has moved on - I think of my mums condition as a chronic illness- this is all thanks to the advice on this forum. I have found a realistic yet hopeful place. All the best with the next few weeks xx ... View more

Thanks so much Jan. Honestly your messages really help. Before I got this response, I screen printed some of your other messages last night and I’m going to send over to my mum. It’s honest but full of hope and I think will help my mum. It’s mums 5th chemo session today so I think it will help.  Luckily enough my mum is all about the tennis so won’t be going near Emmerdale. I’m watching it though and it feels very negative. Although I’m sometimes emotional and only just beginning to try and understand this situation although not taking life for granted has never been lost on me, watching this programme isn’t making me emotional.  It does feel a little removed from the modern world of treatment.  22 years is amazing - long may that journey continue, I shall be passing that on.   I will pass on the course and other pampering suggestions - they sound great. I have a feeling mum won’t fancy it but it’s all understandably changeable so it’s worth a shot. I have just ordered her some eyebrow stencils and I’m now going to order some magnetic lashes from what you’ve just shared. Hopefully it’s worth a try.  thanks for the advice on thinking positive. I really will take this on board. When she had her moment on the weekend and she said she wanted to stop treatment. I think she was surprised I didn’t force it - yet I just shared the reality of the modern world on options/ treatment. My mum asked me what happened with my father in law who passed away, about 18 years ago! This was an opportunity to share how different, how far more advanced it was and her eyes widened when I said a lot of people on this journey sometimes think of it as a chronic disease - I do think she has got some perspective - yet I am going to do my best to respect her wishes.  i go to some appointments with mum, more around the results - I’m there as much or as little as she wants and I go with it on the questions as she doesn’t want the long term info from what I can gauge and actually with all the types - it’s a very individual journey, that is hard for them to predict.  I did a lot of reading on TNBC, even from when I started to read in April until now, it felt there was a lot of time and research going into it and developments were happening with Trodelvy - genuinely think and hope , there is a lot more to come in this space. I do think a kitten could be a good plan if your other cat wouldn’t mind - I bet you’d love a cuddle if he/she didn’t keep bolting 🙂  Thank you Jan, I really appreciate all of your help and hope. I hope today is a good one 🙂 xx ... View more

I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to share. I’m supporting my mum, and she doesn’t share much. I totally understand that she doesn’t want to talk about it, but hearing your positivity and experience, has really helped - thank you ... View more

I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to share. I’m supporting my mum, and she doesn’t share much. I totally understand that she doesn’t want to talk about it, but hearing your positivity and experience, has really helped - thank you x ... View more

Thank you, Thats great x  ... View more