Breast Cancer Care Forum

Evening Buddies I see that 6 members of a family can now meet with social distancing so hoping Lily and Nicky can at last see their children and grand children? Lily our dogs have been raw fed for over a year now, they love it.   I order from a frozen food supplier and collect once a month.   We did buy a second hand freezer to keep their food in.   A raw food diet mainly consists (for ours) protein mince, offal in liver, another secreting organ which is usually a bit of kidney, bone as in duck necks (it can be quite scary at first to hear them crunching away, but it's excellent for their teeth, and as long as bones aren't cooked, no problems). Sometimes when we can get them they also have quails, usually sawed in half as one whole one is too much, sometimes tongue, sometimes brain.   It just depends on what I can get.   They also have a frozen sardine each day (Aero won't eat them if thawed) this is for their omega 3.  The amount they have each meal (x 2) depends upon the dogs weight.       As a treat when they go to bed at night they also have a day old chick, complete with organs etc.   Sorry if too much information.  For your poodle, if you have a whizzer/liquidiser you could put all the food in and whizz it down to liquid.   I do this when I make them a bone broth, all the bones of a cooked chicken, but slow cooked and liquidised to form a paste which sets and ours absolutely love it.   You could try all the different ingredients blended down until she is able to eat bigger bits.   Bones need to be crunched for the teeth cleaning.Hope that helps but don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.  It can be a bit of a hassle, but I wouldn't go back to "ordinary" dog food now. Ours also eat a variety of veg and fruit.   Congratulations on your new addition. It will probably be a while before she gets used to it. Sorry to hear you still have some family problems.   I speak to my Mum every couple of days via whats app, which is good as I can show her around our home and garden, and all the pets.   Our veg plants are doing really well and we've had to take the polytunnel down now as temperature is just too hot at nearly 30 degrees for the last week. The pool is up and running but at the moment only the dogs are swimming, it is still a bit too chilly for us.   I will post a photo of Aero in the pool. As for what we can now do/not do, we can go out freely without filling in any forms but are only allowed to travel within a 100 km distance.   We have to wear masks in shops and other places.   Restaurants and cafes will open next week but with a limited number of people and social distancing applies. Mr P returns to work next Wednesday which seems to be ok for the moment. Nicky you must be relaxed about seeing your girls soon, although being in the ultra vulnerable group do you have to hold back for a bit longer? Has your tummy eased up a bit?   I remember taking ginger, and also peppermint in water to help digestion. Lisa, where are you and how are you? So that's it from me for now, weather is gorgeous at the moment, in fact a bit too hot. Take care and stay safe, Love Carole xxx       ... View more

I'm pleased you enjoyed the photos Lily, how are you and your family doing? I'm sorry your Mum is suffering a bit. My mum keeps saying she can't go out as they have to stay in. Now she hasn't been outside since the day she arrived. Where is the logic in that?. I think in her mind she remembers the shops she used to walk to more than 3 years ago, but forgets she can't do that now as she's too fragile and doesn't live near any shops now. Dementia is so sad, but today she mentioned how you never forget your babies when they were born. So it's all same here, our confinement has finished and in the supermarkets things are back to normal.  I had to mention to two people on Saturday to "respecter le distance " as they came too near to me for distance". So, it remains for me to say how much I hope you're all doing well. Love Carole xxx ... View more

I'm so sorry it's been a while since my last post, where does the time go?   Nicky you've been having a rough time, what with in laws, funerals to be arranged, and postponing your 2 chemos. Will you ever find out if it was Covid 19 that caused the death of FIL?   It has been reported that broken heart syndrome is a definite cause of some deaths, strangely it happens to women more than men. If ever there was a bad time to die it must be at the current time. Lily I'm sorry to hear about your Aunt, and the situation with your Uncle must be an enormous worry for you, being the primary carer. We are still in lockdown, although I have noticed that there seem to be more shops open than before.   I find this quite worrying, how can normal life ever resume?  I always wear a mask when I go out, only a home made one but better than nothing. I also carry a small bucket, water and soap to wash my hands after every shop. I am desperate for a hair cut, how about you ladies?   Mr P left for work yesterday, a long journey for him as the only way he could go was via Calais/Dover.  So a 10 hour drive this side, and then a 2 hour drive UK side.  Hopefully by the time he returns there will be an easier way for him.   So, after such a long time his absence has hit me quite hard.   Never mind, it's only 2 weeks. I personally don't know anyone who has, or had Covid. ED who works in a Care Home has had some deaths. I'm quite worried about her as she is "frontline".   Our Son and SIL have both been furlowed.  Our region in France had a panic a couple of days ago when the government published a latest map showing our area as being in the red.   In fact the figures were wrong and we are in green which is good. Phew. Boy did they have to apologise for the error. To end I'm adding a couple of bird photos.   A woodpecker and a hoopee, both are one of a pair that we see every day in our garden.   On that note, take care and stay safe.   Hoopee   woodpecker and a tit   ... View more

Hello ladies, Nicky and Lily my heart goes out to you, you're both very much under pressure and at the moment I don't know what the solution is.   Like you Nicky, when we walk the dogs we usually don't meet another person so from that point of view we are safe.   However, our shops are generally packed and although people try to keep a metre away it does become very difficult.   So I wear a home made mask which gets washed every time I've worn it and we carry water, soap and kitchen towels in the car so every time we've been shopping we can wash our hands.   Just to make sure we have also got some alcohol wipes.   There isn't much more we can do to protect ourselves, and yes even it's not for food there are household items that need to be bought.   For my hands tomorrow I am starting physio sessions, my diabetic dr thinks it is capsulitis of the finger joints which is a common problem for the shoulder in diabetics, so it makes sense it could be the problem with my hands.   I hope this is a solution.   We haven't seen YD for weeks, except by video calls, she is worried if she visits (and she's not really allowed to at the moment) she may bring it to us.  She is managing to keep working via video calls, and has applied to be a teacher of English.   Mr P returns to work on 6 May.   TBH I am dreading it.   Life in isolation is hard when the two of us are here but on my own..... When we go out we still have to complete a document in case the police are about.   On a positive note we decided to buy a small polytunnel, and have been busy sowing seeds and plants.   Hope to have cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale, potatoes, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and broccoli.   With green veg we always have a problem with the cabbage butterfly, the caterpillars completely shed the plants.   So hoping having a polytunnel will prevent that.   I speak to my Mum almost every day but conversations with her are becoming more difficult.   She is so forgetful, chatting is always repeated.  At the moment she is complaining about the food, being bored because she can't go out but she forgets that she never went out anyway.       Well take care everyone, stay safe and hoping chemo isn't too unkind for you Nicky. xxx     ... View more

Hi buddies We are now in confinement for another 4 weeks until 11 may. It has to be done I think even though getting a bit much now. This virus has to be stopped somehow.   Stay safe buddies and hope you had a nice Easter even though not seeing children and grandchildren xxd ... View more

Gggrrrhh. Just lost quite a long post. So in brief we are all ok here. Mr p doesn't need an op just physio. All physios are closed atm so he is doing exercises as the surgeon said.   My hands are still pretty useless, they also need physio but all closed for now   On the positive side of lockdown we've discovered loads of box sets on iplayer, like Life on Mars and Gavin and stacey.     I'm currently watching Contagion on Netflix,  with today's crisis it is very accurate.   Does anyone wear masks when out? We are unable to buy them here, so make do with scarves. I did a homemade mask from YouTube but it needs tweaking slightly. Enjoy easter buddies and stay safe. XXX ... View more

Nicky i am so sorry to read about both your losses, at such a difficult time as this. I speak to my 93 year old Mum every day, often repeating the same conversation but I would be devastated that I would not be able to go to her. Also with you having to go through your treatment at such a distressing time.   Big hugs.   So how are you Lily and Lisa?      I was due to visit the children in UK last weekend but of course that was cancelled so I thank the wonders of technology for at least being able to see them when we talk. It's also been weeks since we've seen YD.   She is doing all her teaching via video chats, she's very worried about the Covid situation, well we are all worried about it but she's staying put as much as she can.   We are allowed out to go shopping, medical appointments, exercise but close to home, 1 km and only for an hour. We have to complete a declaration saying the reason why we are out.   Lockdown has been pretty tough but thankfully the weather has been good so lots of gardening done.   Mr P is not returning to work today, not because of Covid but because he found out last week he has broken 3 bones in his wedding ring finger.   This injury was actually done in January but as he didn't want to take time off sick he left it.   Consequently our local dr thinks he's left it too long and nothing can be done for his painful hand and finger.   We are seeing a hand trauma specialist tomorrow to see if it can be repaired.   Silly man, not going to sort it out back in January!   Lily and Nicky, are your husbands like that?   Well, that's it for now, but I wish you all to take care and stay safe.   Love Carole xx ... View more

Hello buddies I'm isolating myself, can't really do much else really as we live in the countryside.  I have neighbours but rarely see them. We have to carry a piece of paper explaining the reasons to be outside of home, you have to tick a relevant box and if asked by the Gendarmes to provide it then you show them.   It has got to be done because this virus seems uncontrollable. As I always have a cough I wouldn't be able to go by that so am taking my temperature twice a day.   To think that 20 days ago we were in Spain when there was only a couple of cases of CV, look at now, 2nd country with cases behind Italy.   No diagnosis for me except fibromyalgia.  My Diabetic specialist thinks my hand problem could be  capsulitis, apparently it is often seen in the neck and shoulder and hands.   This has never been mentioned before so I have a prescription for physio, but of course physio is out of the question at the moment.   Have a good weekend all and Nicky I hope your new chemo regime is kind to you?   Love Carole xx ... View more

Hi ladies, I hope you are all avoiding the c virus?   We had to cancel our planned trip to Italy, it just wasn't worth taking the risk. So many tourist sites have closed that we had planned to visit.   So we are now in Spain and have been to Roses, Tarragona and Zaragoza. Tomorrow we make our way back to France. It's been a good trip, with loads of walking around the cities. Lots of exercise. Mr P had a nice 60th birthday.    Lily what an awful time with your tooth problem. I know we all fear our dentists, so just to say hang on in there buddy 🤔 🤞 🤞 🤞 .    Otherwise love to all xxx   ... View more

Just a quickie. Lisa we used Staysure. They cover pre-existing conditions.   Nicky, I'm so sorry that you had to have another liver biopsy, I'm sure they're not nice. But, on a positive perhaps the results might open up new treatments? Hope so and my heart goes out to you with  cyber hugs. Love to you all xx   ... View more

Hello buddies How are you all doing? I hope that storm Ciara didn't cause any damage to your houses or gardens?   We were lucky, just a bit of wind and rain which hasn't stopped for days.   I was in hospital last week for 3 days.   I still can't say I have an auto immune disease as the hospital blood tests say I don't, but my local lab has said 3 times that I do with a high positive.   So the hospital is double checking my blood again.   I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  The pain specialist said that it could be as a result of cancer, chemo, tamoxifen, radiotherapy even after all these years.  So I am on anti depressants and gabapentin.  My hands are still as bad so I think I'm going to have to learn to live with them like this.   Lily yes, our youngest granddaughter is walking now. She looked really cute on her birthday last month.   In a couple of weeks we're off to Italy for a few days.   Lucca, Florence, San Marino and Rome are our destinations.   It's to celebrate a big birthday for Mr P.   Well that's my news for now, hope you're all ok?  Love Carole ... View more

Hi Buddies Lily, you have a big one coming up ???? Well your plan of lots of little breaks and seeing all your family sounds a wonderful idea. £3000 for an implant? My goodness that's steep but, if it were me and it's a front tooth I think I would try everything to have a tooth, will they take payments over 6 months or 9 months?  It sounds like your Mum is behaving well at the moment. Nicky how are you getting on? I hope your CT scan results showed improvement or at least nothing new. The place that you're looking at for your Mum sounds just the ticket as she is still quite independent. Lisa have you managed a trip away recently? I still have no confirmation of my tests, and yes Lily the next visit is to do the same thing.   They mentioned giving me a dexa scan as I've had so many broken ribs, and in fact have another episode now, x ray today to confirm or not but on examination my GP thinks they are broken.   They will do a CT scan because of this persistent dry cough. So at the moment they are planning to give me a bone strengthener called Aclasta, and if they strongly believe I have Sjogrens Gougerot they mentioned a drug called Plaquenil, which is in fact an anti malarial. I broke down in tears yesterday with my doctor, she's prescribed morphine patches for pain and Cymbalta which is an anti depressant, and also is known to help pain. I had weird thoughts through the night and don't believe I slept at all. Hope this gets better as I get used to them. It was my birthday last Saturday so we went out for a lovely meal, and last Friday our youngest granddaughter was 1.   Time flies. Take care love Carole xx ... View more

Hi to all   How are you all?   Hoping you all enjoyed Christmas and New Year with your families and friends. It seems a long time ago already!   I'm still waiting for results of all the tests I had in the hospital.   Last week I had a capillaroscopy which wasn't at all painful or unkind, basically just looking at my hands under a very fine microscope.   He couldn't find any signs of vasculitis or vascular disease, so this is good news but still leaves me wondering why I can't use my hands and fingers without pain.   The auto immune disease they are looking for is called Sjogren Gougerot, and another name for it is the "dry" disease.  The lip biopsy should confirm this, but I've joined a forum for this actual disease and found that people have all the symptoms but still don't have confirmation. I'm back into the hospital for another 3 days 3 February for more tests including a CT on my chest.  One thing I did learn from the last tests that as well as broken ribs I also have a broken bone in my spine, thoracic area.   I have no idea how this happened.   The good news is that YD, who is now 25 has been accepted by the Civil Service in France (can't think what it is actually called) as an official interpreter.   She also applied for official translator but they're saying she hasn't got enough of a diploma!   Typical really as French bureaucracy goes.   With Brexit about to happen as a translator she would be able to give an official stamp to things like birth certificates, marriage certificates etc.   Apparently 5 people applied for translator/interpreter and only 1 got the accreditation for both.   She is hoping to appeal this decision, but in the meantime can go ahead with being an interpreter.   Our ED finally passed her driving test, it's only taken 25 years to do it! Son's family have all gone down with a sickness bug so I'm hoping it won't affect any of you.   Our doggies turned 2 on NY day and are still bouncing about the place causing havoc. Mr P has been home since early December I'm sure going to miss him when he returns to work on my birthday.   Enough from me, how are you all? xxx       ... View more

Hello dear buddies.   Sorry for not posting much but I've logged on purely to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and to all your families.   I'll catch up when time permits after Christmas.   Have fun and enjoy love Carole xxx ... View more

Hi all, thank goodness for 4g. I'm in hospital, likely to be 2 nights/3 days. Thought I would be going home tomorrow but no. So far I've had a blood test with about 7 vials taken, some sticks stuck into my eyes to test for dry eyes, results of this 15% in one eye, 10% in other. A sugar cube in the mouth which didn't want to melt, in the end we got to 8 mins so we stopped. Conclusion dry mouth. Then they checked inside my mouth and decided to do a salivary gland biopsy, ouch this was uncomfortable. They couldn't find a gland, or it was too small so they're going to try again on Wednesday. So I'm feeling like I've done a few rounds with Mike Tyson. Hope everyone is ok? Xx ... View more

First part posted    2nd part. Hope everyone is ok?   I'm in hospital for the auto immune tests on monday and Tues. Wish me luck and hope they give me a treatment.    Feeling very down and it's not right this time of year xxz  ... View more

Evening everyone  I've just finished watching Strictly. Was pleased with who won but won't say in case you haven't seen it.   Our weather is very wet. Today we've seen new lakes on what should be fields/land. Even ducks finding a new place to swim. Incredible weather 0     ... View more

Aw nicky that's so kind of you, given what you have to bear. My last dexa scan in Feb seemed ok, but when I see the rheumatology dept this month, for my hand problem, I will mention about bone strengtheners as I think I might need some help. Radiotherapy to both sides may have weakened them? Anyway, the first day of December, time really does fly.   I'm looking after the shop for 2 days this week. It boosts my morale to help   Love to all xx ... View more