Breast Cancer Now Forum

Great to see this thread is still active, life surely goes on I hope for all of us.   We have now aquired a puppy (Rhodesian Ridgeback female) her name is Nala and it is a different type of life having a dog. I am sure a lot of you can relate. But good to see some of the veterans o this thread.   Not long left to our 5 year anniversary, which for triple negative means a fantastic prognosis, so it would be fab to get there unscaved     Take care everyone Flossie ... View more

Hi lovely July 2014 ladies,   It's fascinating to read all your posts, some sad and most happy and normal, that's what life is like...   My surgeon has brought my mammo forward and after 4 weeks waiting, got the results and all is fine 😊 3 years yippee !!!    The statistics for Triple Negative get better after 5 years, so counting down now.   Has anyone tried to get critical illness insurance after their breast cancer treatment and did you manage to? I am going to try about December time, my financial adviser says that they normally won't consider it unless you have 3years from remission i.e end of treatment.   Have a great weekend all xxx Flossie     ... View more

Hi July 2014 ladies,   Not sure how many of us keep visiting regularly, my last post was last year around May, so I wasn't an example myself.   The truth is probably trying to get on with life and feel normal as well as really busy all the time.   Since my last post we have had an amazing yachting holiday in Greece and have finally managed to get our back garden landscaped. Only plants waiting to go in April and next doing the front garden and driveway. Hubby turns 50 this year, so I am planning a great garden summer party and we have planned a trip to California and Nevada for September. Our son went to Uni in London and visiting every 3 weeks which makes us look forward to something special regularly. Like I said, trying to make the most of every day and enjoying life.   I don't know how to feel about every cancer news on TV though, they keep on bringing up news about cancer causing foods, alcohol is likely to increase the risk, so I almost feel guilty when eating or drinking although I have always been really aware and eating a very healthy diet.   Wednesday it's the Internationa Women's Day so I hope we are all blessed and live a healthy happy life with our love ones for many years to come. Strangely, I have my breast surgery appointment on Wednesday and I am anxious, I still have quite a lot of pain in my breast which doesn't let me forget, I am tempted to ask them to bring my mammogram forward, just so I can get this worry off my chest    Love and hugs to all   Flossie xxx     ... View more

Hi All,   Gill, I'm with you there, I love having breakfast in the sun, but nobody else likes eating alfresco, so Saturday morning I dragged my little one on the patio and enjoyed some relaxing mother daughter time with a great breakfast.   It's good to see our results coming back clear, my mammogram result just arrived Saturday morning, really happy    Enjoy summer it's nearly here    Love and hugs, Flossie xx ... View more

Hi July 2014 ladies, lovely to see how you are all doing. The meeting idea is fantastic, it will be something for all of us to look forward to and almost like writing history. I am in Essex, so London is easier, but also prepared to travel, as travelling all the time for work... Going to Turkey next week, but I have travelled to Chile for the first time and seen the Andes, felt like a tick off my bucket list, thank you work LOL.   I am yet to receive my mammogram invite, not sure how early they are sending it, but must say I'm dreading the mammo because of the tender breast. Any idea if they can offer a scan instead?   Flossie   ... View more

Hope all went well Karen, keep us posted. Lots of hugs, Flossie xx ... View more

Merry Christmas to all of you lovely ladies. I hope you all had a fantastic time as did I and family. Hubby and I celebrated 10years of being together with a special dinner at the Shard in London, what a treat...   Luckily bone scan was clear yippee!!!   In answer to your questions about weight/exercise I have been exercising since last January starting very very small, with only able to do a minute of low level cross trainer and although only going to the gym a few times a week, I have improved my stamina greatly despite the aches and pains; doing mostly cross trainer, planking and weight machines for toning legs and arms. Weight is towards my highest, but not as high as during chemo thank heaven... Still in the healthy BMI bracket... And the greatest news, my temporary menopause is finally over    I am reluctantly not cutting my hair and apart from a very slight trim I had in July, I am going to bear with it till I can at least straighten it up into a bob then let it grow as I love long hair or long-ish...It does have a wave still and I keep on dying it although I have no greys. For the work Xmas do, I had been pulling back the sides with bobby pins and teasing the top so it looked like it was all the same length and styled. No need for hairdresser    Enjoy the New Year with your loved ones and let's hope it will be another year that we can smile and get on with living live with the understanding of how precious it is.   Love and hugs,   Flossie xxx             ... View more

Hello again,   Sounds like you are all just enjoying day to day life which is fantastic.   Cath congratulations on the new arrival, you must be beside yourself    Like many of you I am just trying to get on with life, but as someone said, you never stop worrying. I have taken myself to the BCN who asked for a surgeon appointment to check on my pain in my affected breast. Unfortunately I couldn't see my regular surgeon and the lady I have seen has referred me to have a bone scan #worried... Has anyone had one yet and why are they giving me this, I was more expecting to be given an MRI scan of the breast ?    Otherwise, feeling well and active, hair nearly long enough for a minuscule ponytail LOL   Take care and look after yourselves    Love, Flossie xxx ... View more

Hello to all of you lovely ladies   Just thought I'd look to see if anyone posted since my last post and see that the same faithful LOL. It is so nice though to hear from all of you, it feels like a secret family which had been supporting and understanding me so well during those awful times.    In response to breast pain question, I have so much pain in my surgery breast, but only when touching it. My opposite shoulder though is stiff and painful, no idea why, but cannot be bothered to worry about.   Like one of you said, just live life and not live in expectation of medical events.   Take care of yourselves and your loved ones,     Flossie XXX ... View more

Hi Hbunny, Just came inside from soaking up some sunshine while it lasts. My nails and toenails have all fallen out and grown out now. Fingernails started falling around 4 months after finishing chemo and toenails around 6 months. I remember that some were stubborn and did not look like they wanted to grow, but they are growing underneath. They grew really weird for a while all ridged but they smoothed out in time and now they're all fine. I guess it's different for everyone and depends on your diet. I did take some sea kelp tablets for a short period of time, only one tablet a day. Love, Flossie xxx ... View more

Hello July 2014 ladies,   I cannot believe it has been a year since we were all going through the joys of chemo SE's and baldness. Hair growth is really good now, I am also taking Nourkrin twice a day and plan to do so for another 3 months, just to be rest assured  I have given myself all the chances possible. And I have a fringe too, yippee!!!   I hear some of you are still going through recon etc. and cannot imagine what it must be like. I saw my surgeon on Wednesday and he has checked both breasts and thinks the pain is normal in my operated one; lots of scar tissue he says, but nothing abnormal, Very short appointment, I guess this is a waiting game now, keeping positive until next time in March I will see the oncologist.   Periodwise, they have not returned yet, so still dealing with menapause symptoms at 42 not nice...   All the best to each and everyone of you    Love, Flossie xxx       ... View more

Hi Ladies,   I see this thread is going strong still and so are you.   I feel a little guilty for not logging in often enough, but I have been getting back to normality, as I am sure a lot of you did too.   Finally went on our Hawaii holiday last month and it has been an absolute blast. We've been very active there: diving, hiking, helicopter ride, parasailing, snorkelling and swimming every day. We were all very tearful to leave Paradise Island and come back to reality. I felt so blessed for the opportunity, hubby and I adore travelling and the day we were back have started planning our next trip    Back to England and AS levels results for our son: all A's in 4 subjects (Maths, Law, ICT and Economics), very proud parents and happy boy, he can now apply to some of the best universities.   My mammogram results were normal luckily. I believe I am due to see the oncologist in September for routine check-up, not sure what to expect. I live with the hope of no reoccurence as I could not bear the chemo again. Lots of hugs to all, Flossie xxx ... View more

Hi Wendy and Everyone else,   Have been really looking forward to Thursday for my mammogram and I was having so many mixed feelings, hubby accompanied me but he was not allowed in. But, they say 2 weeks for results, as they have 2 specialists analysing the pictures in minute detail separate from each other to make sure no changes. So if I don't hear anything this week it must be good news, as the radiographer said that if there is anything worrying they will contact me straight away, otherwise roughly 2weeks for report. Fingers crossed now. The radiographer herself said that her husband was going through cancer, so I felt her genuine empathy.   Great to hear Gill that your results came back good,  I truly wish that all of us will never have to go through this experience again, I feel ripped off of a number of things, but not dwelling on it as it will not help me get over it. Last night I did it !!! My daughter and I walked the 7.5 miles Midnight Walk for St Helena Hospice in Colchester, in memory of my neighbour Allison (she was diagnosed a few months before me with terminal pancreatic cancer and died a cople of months after finishing her chemo). I saw a lady that was possibly a chemo patient herself doing the walk and I was so moved and impressed... I could not have walked up the stairs during chemo, let alone a long exausting route.    Anyway, exams are in full swing, only 3 left after half term then hopefully teenage depression and stress will go away    You are right about not wanting to talk about cancer anymore, but it feels soothing that we can still get the support on the forum. I too think that I had a bad dream and often it does not feel real that I went through it for nearly a year. Started to take Nourkrin for my hair and also had blood tests as I may have an underactive hypothiroid. The GP wants to rule this out before more in depth examination for my very dry eyes.The dry eyes started in 2011 out of the blue, but this year they have got worse. Not sure I asked this before, but anyone going through menopause due to chemo? Any advice?    Love Flossie xx ... View more

Hello July ladies,   Wow, so many threads since last time I've been on the site. I am glad to hear that most of you seem to be doing well and going through follow-ups, I have just had my mammogram letter, it's booked for the 21st May. Nearly a year since my surgery, it feels so distant, but definitely changed me , I cherrish each day and don't worry so much about little things, I've learned to enjoy my family time more and more. I became an aunt for the third time last week, my only sister had a little girl and she is lovely, we may go and visit them for christening mid June, they live in Transylvania.   Our son is going through exams, he is in 6th form, so very stressful time for him, but we are encouraging him to relax, he is putting so much pressure on himself to try and get into Oxford.   Glad to hear about your hair growth, I am absolutely obsessed with it, I am not sure it is as thick as it used to be, so have decided to take Nourkrin, anyone else doing the same? Mine isn't curly, but more like fuzzy and no real shape, and yes, it does grow out rather than down at the sides... can't wait for more growth, don't like it short at all. My eyebrows and eyelashes grew back quickly but eyebrows not very thick, so still have to use my eyebrow pencil. Any tips for eyebrows growth?   Not watched the Lisa Lynch programme, what channel was it on?   Anyway, focused on getting really fit at the moment, gym and swimming as much as I can fit around work and home/family, but I am keen on doing the midnight walk and maybe race for life, just feel like it's so important, I didn't use to feel like this before.   Take care of yourselves and your loved ones and enjoy each day      Love, Flossie xxx   ... View more

Thought I'll put a little post to say I do get to see your posts and I'm glad that everyone is trying to get back to normal or even doing things that they've put off before the diagnosis/treatment.   We too are doing the same, we went to the boat show in London last week although not having a boat or boating, but you never know... Holiday was booked months ago, this year we are going to Hawaii for a fortnight, can't wait  if anyone has been, what tips do you have for me? Not getting a puppy yet, my husband is a huge doglover but I freak out thinking about the mess they must leave behind and not ready to give in just yet.   Fingernails are looking horid, but kind of learnt to live with and eventually they'll grow properly. The hair isn't too bad, I've decided not to wear my wigs anymore, apart from work, but only for another week or two as I am totally fed up with the wigs by now. I've started going to the gym and can see some of you did too, as my fitness levels were so low, gradually I seem to be getting my energy back, the only thing is heart rate is going up to 170 on quite a moderate exercise level. Foodwise, the taste is fine, but don't seem to be in love with food as much as I used to be and hate it, I am eating as I feel hungry or need to make sure I keep onto my meals. Anyone else feels the same?   My oncologist appointment is on 25th March, not sure when my mamogram etc will be.   Take care and lots of hugs xxx Flossie ... View more

Happy New Year to all of you brave ladies !!!   It has been a different year end for our family, went over board this year and spent lots of relaxing time over Christmas, as well as lots of money oops  For New Year we booked a Hilton in London and went to watch the fireworks and did not have a care in the world, very unusual, as we normally do a low key at home type of thing and fall asleep way too early.   Triple negative has its worries, but let's not let it drag us down, as my hubby says, we'll cross that bridge whe we come to it and pray to God that never will  On a good note, like some of you, eyelashes and eyebrows are coming back which will help us looking human again and hair is growing slowly, still too fluffy to expose, or it's just me being too vain... I am fedup with wigs, I have three now, two of which have seen better days, they tend to tangle at the back,  just want some normal hair   Love and hugs, Flossie ... View more

Finished my rads on 23rd December, just in time for Christmas. No more treatment for me yippee as I am triple negative. I do feel for ladies that have not yet finished and will pop in from time to time to see how you are all getting on. What next once we're done with treatment? I guess a lot of ladies are asking themselves? What is the answer?   Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year, you all deserve it after a year of trials and tribulations.   Lots of hugs  Flossie xx ... View more

Well done CathC and slyolddog for finishing your rads, I guess you won't feature here anymore which will only mean that you are getting back to living 🙂   My new wig has not been worn yet but I will start this weekend. It isn't a replacement, more like an addition to my collection, now I have 3.   3 more boosters and then off, can't wait    Love to all    Flossie xxx ... View more