Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello Benchies! I've been in France for a couple of weeks, OH had to work there so I tagged along. Twas lovely! Might have to brave the main forum to ask advice re reconstruction. Skin has recovered after the urgent removal of the implant so now its on to the next step. I don't fancy another implant, nor having any muscle cut and moved so it's either stay as I am and use Gladys (doesn't everyone name their prosthesis?) or the DIEP flap option. Hmmm.... Am going to make myself a cuppa and read back to see what you've all been up to 🙂 ... View more

Sleep swimming, no, probably not a good idea - although if dreaming of swimming has the same health benefits you may be on to something! Finding money, woohoo! I occasionally find a fiver in an old handbag (or the posh going out handbag, tbh I have more handbags than fivers - there's probably a link!) and that feeling of unexpected riches is rather lovely 🙂 And yes, it's been bloomin cold here too! I assumed it was just me getting over the op, I've been huddled under a fleece blanket in front of the fire all week but if you think it's cold too then I can blame the weather. I'm struggling to get going again but my friend reminded me yesterday that it takes three weeks for the anaesthetic to be properly out of your system, not just one, so a snooze in front of the fire is perfectly acceptable. Black Friday, hmmm. Anyone find any bargains or am I being too bah humbug about it all? As a small, independent  shopkeeper it's a nightmare trying to compete with online prices at the best of times, maybe I'm just not in the mood this year? Good for electrical gadgets though and those strange technology thingummybobs my OH and son love 🙂 ... View more

Well, they don't know what's causing the bruising but pathology reports are clear so it's not cancer!!!!!!!! Woohoo 🙂 Im back in a month to see if my skin has calmed down and to discuss reconstructive surgery, sorry to dash in and out but I'm so tired and I suspect I might actually manage to sleep tonight.  Seem to have selected italics ..... Xxx ... View more

BCU have just rung me to go in this Thursday at 4:30. Hmmm. But, at least it's not long to wait.... ... View more

Upright again! Slightly tender but nothing too ouchy, if anything I feel less uncomfortable than the implant was. Please excuse the rubbish grammar, I'm sure you get the drift! So just waiting for my follow on appointment to come through, because although I didn't tick all the boxes for cancer there's clearly something not right - and there are lots of things that aren't cancer 🙂 hoping they give me a prosthesis too so that I don't scare my customers when I go back to work. Colic, poor babe, my son had that. I remember painting myself with infacol before each feed but that was 24 years ago, I'm sure it will be something different now! House sorting and clearing, yes, you have my sympathy! It took us eight months to clear my mum in laws house after she passed away in January, we still have boxes of stuff to find homes for...don't ever buy cocktail sticks , she bought them in trade boxes and we have enough to build a replica Eiffel Tower. Pain and aches and pains, awful, can really make you feel low and the worry of what may or may not be causing it doesn't help - in fact you're all going through it at the moment in one way or another, so sending out HUGE BENCHLAND HUGS to you all!!!! Xxxx   ... View more

Morning all! Sorry I've been quiet of late, step mum finally had her heart op after three cancellations for emergency patients, she's feeling so much better 🙂 Ive had lots of appointments to try to work out what's causing the dark bruising on my recon breast, basically I'm a mystery! They're removing the implant and the skin tomorrow, my surgeon says she will "just have a good look in there and see what's going on ".  Cue all sorts of mental images involving my surgeon rooting around my ribs 😄 apparently the implant is showing signs of reaching the end of its life (I'm not sure I chose the right term there....) so has to be removed anyway, it's not leaking but the surface is wrinkling . I'll be flat on that side for a bit but I'm more bothered about what's causing it! ... View more

JCJ if you're still in Mach pop into the c**p and look for Tregoes chocolate waffles. They come in a small square box of 6 and are quite the most delicious thing to enjoy with a cuppa while relaxing. Life doesnt always play fair, sometimes simply ''it is what it is' . We Benchies are used to adapting and finding pleasure in the small and everyday joys, and chocolate waffles are most definitely in that category x ... View more

Ppppeter the Ppppenguin  has survived several culls of outgrown toys/gadgets/clothes and occasionally hangs out with (knitted) Hump and Dink 🙂 Step mums op has been delayed for the second time due to staff shortages, it's rearranged for next Thursday. Fingers crossed its third time lucky. Hot here again, although I've just sat outside for a couple of hours with a few candles and a very nice cognac so I'm not complaining! 😄 ... View more

Hi Benchies *waves*. So sorry to read about Mum Katie, I hope they can sort the immediate problem of feeling faint and dizzy out really quickly because I imagine that's making her feel pretty groggy - never mind the BC and other nasties she has to face.  JCJ our favourite restaurant in Mach is Number 21, have you eaten there? Not cheap unfortunately but very nice. We used to visit Mach and Aber often when son was at uni there, there's actually  a fab pub for meals on the drive from the Midlands to mid Wales, somwhere around Halfway House just before the Welsh border called The Windmill (it has a sign saying ' start stopping stop here ' or similar ). Sons recommendation for food in Aber is the butchers at the bottom of the High Strret for meat cobs, or Backyard BBQ . I think he ate solidly for his time at uni 🙂 Step Mum has heart surgery this week, a replacement valve. She's worrying about it although her surgeon says its routine. A brief respite from the heat here, higher temperatures threatened again by Thursday. My hot flushes have resurfaced too but I'm blaming the weather and lack of swimming pool with cocktail bar , which is my usual coping with holiday abroad temperatures 🙂 ... View more

I used to take my cat to a local cattery, because every time I took her the owner would talk to the cat first -"hello Chloe my sweetheart, you are so beautiful, did you miss your Uncle Mick? I've got Radio Two on for you because I know you like it, and those treats you like..... Bye Mrs H. See you in two weeks. Now precious, off we go, let's get you settled. ...." she was spoilt rotten! ... View more

Yellow wellies....I've got a lovely pair of yellow shoes with white spots on them, I call them my spotty dotties. Please don't tell me I'm the only person who has nicknames for favourite shoes?? 🙂 ... View more

Yay, well done Katy!! Excellent use of betterer 🙂 White coat syndrome, oh yes....why does even the mention of the dreaded machine make my heart pound? I nearly failed chemo trial active arm because of it. There are a couple of things that help if your pressure rockets because of the syndrome - one is to look down at your feet, admire your shoes, wiggle your toes and just think about your feet. I'm not making it up, honest. My yoga teacher told me about it and it helped. The other is to keep talking and chatting to someone so that you're distracted -preferably a good friend with very silly jokes 🙂 ... View more

Ladies, I think you'll find the correct term is "feeling a bit more betterER".   🙂 Anyway, I'm glad I'm glad you're feeling better !! ... View more

Happy new year!! And, Hello Delly 🙂 I stayed up to see the new year in with friends, and yes, I'm sorry -one of the fireworks was ours! In years gone by we've welcomed the new year from their hot tub, watching the fireworks overhead. Now older and wiser, we nipped outside for the one firework and then back in to the fire and Jools Holland 🙂 ... View more

My lovely friend Brodie Bear has just been dx, I'm hoping she'll be able to find Benchland..... ... View more

Always wear the ball gown girls, and the tiara, and the pearls. After all...... Why not? We have washing machines to get rid of splatters! Congratulations on excellent news Mary, relax now. And FF, ah well, great minds think alike 🙂 ... View more

Silly pressies under a fiver... We do a similar thing at our Christmas eve party for friends - we buy a gift for the opposite sex for under a fiver and then everyone picks a parcel out of the bag. One year all the girls chose the same things as their gift for a bloke -washing up liquid, rubber gloves, and a dishcloth..... ... View more

Stealth ninja Xmas shopper here! Mil (bed bound, and currently a little confused) has asked me to do her Xmas present shopping -no problem, I know the sort of things she likes to buy - but she'd like me to get my present from her, and keep it a secret so it's a surprise for me on Xmas day. Errr..... 😄 ... View more