Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi ladies.   Popping in again from my August 14 thread & have just been reading through your posts. Undoubtedly lots of concerns & questions...just exactly the same as myself & the lovely ladies I journeyed with a year ago.   Re cold capping - I had long hair & took the difficult decision to choose a short cut in preparation for the cold cap. It wasn't the nicest of feelings. I found the first 30-40 minutes & the last 20 minutes the hardest. It does mean that you're in for an age longer than your chemo but I really thought it was worth it. My hair did shed after my 2nd chemo but it only thinned in patches (luckily I had plenty of thick hair which covered the patches in the main).  Here's a tip....take some boiled sweets to suck whilst ' brain freeze' kicks in. Keep occupied.....if you have a chemo buddy with you take things to look at/do together. There'll be some times when you yourself don't want to speak but tell them to keep talking you through it.   Keep some flavoured ice cubes in the freezer at home. My mum bought me frozen pineapple & mango cubes...they were just nice to have to freshen my mouth if I felt a bit yuk after chemo. Ice lollies another handy thing to have in stock too.   Make sure you take your anti-sickness drugs even if you don't feel sick! & drink plenty of water.   Hope this helps you along for now & good luck to those of you starting treatment over the next few days!!.   I'll pop in again soon to see how you're getting on.   Sending hugz. Bevster xxx ... View more

 Hi ladies.   Just thought I'd pop into your thread to wish you all luck. I formed the 'treatment starting August 2014' thread so am a year on from where you are now.   I am Cancer free but still have ongoing treatment. Had chemotherapy & radiotherapy. Now having herceptin every 3 weeks & am on tamoxifen for 5 years. Yes.....they threw the whole lot at me but I figured the more treatment you have hopefully the better chance of keeping the bloomin disease away!   I also cold capped & although my hair did shed, I managed to retain most of it (in a short style).    Just to give you something to aim for.......a few of us from our August 2014 thread met up just this Saturday gone....we had champagne afternoon tea at The Ritz which we had promised ourselves when we felt rubbish. It felt great to be a year on & actually doing it!!!!    You'll go through so much together on here....I know I've made some very special friends for life on this forum.   So I wish you all well & will pop in to read how you're getting along. Stay strong ladies..... You can do this!!!   Sending love.  Bevster xxx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘.    Cake sale raised £81 👍    Sending love to you all 😘    B xx ... View more

Nice one Jannie!!! Great news. Congratulations on your silver anniversary too. Sending love xxx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘   Sorbet....well done hunnie 👍💕    GGee - thanks for those wonderful words xx   Best wishes to lady grey...please pass on my love.   Jannie - my goodness...how awful you're still waiting on your mammogram results!!! That's appalling hunnie. Fingers crossed that no news is good news. Sending hugz 😘    Quick update from me......had a fabulous week in Puerto Banus, Marbella with my wonderful OH. So lovely to kick back & chill for a week of quality time 🌞😜    Just wanted to let you know that tomorrow I've organised a cuppa n cake fundraising event at work with monies raised to come to this fantastic cause...Breast Cancer Care. Will let you know how much I raise.   Bidding you all a restful eve. Sleep tight all. Love n hugz B xx 💕     ... View more

Thank you ladies!!! 😘 xxxx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘  Hope you are all doing well & staying strong. I did the 5K Race For Life today. I did it for all of us!! 😉 It took me 35 mins & up to now I've raised £790 for Cancer Research 👍💕  What a difference a year makes!!!  Sending love n hugz to you all 💕 B xx ... View more

 Hi Nicki - Such sad news. I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Dad. Sending a huge hug 💕    Well ladies after a 2 week wait I've got results of my mammogram......... "Entirely satisfactory" ......I'm hanging my hat on that as another hurdle leaped!! I cried.....with relief!! 👍    My race for life training is going well.....not so much this eve tho as I sit here with my large glass of wine awaiting the delivery of my Chinese...lol 😝    Sending love to you all 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘    Hope all of you who have had mammograms recently are doing ok. I expect now you have the awful waiting game for results?! 😞 I've got my mammogram on Tuesday so am apprehensive & not looking forward to it at all. My BC nurse did say to expect an unnerving time pending results so have got lots of things planned to keep me busy. Does anyone know how long the results take?    Eileen - hope you're doing well.   Charity - yes I'm doing the Clumber Park race for life. It would be great if we could meet up & say hi ☺      I set myself a nominal fundraising target as everyone has been so generous over the last year & am absolutely chuffed to say that my target has been well n truly blown 👍 I am now 'in training' as am determined to RUN the whole 5k if I can!!! 😝    Sending love n hugz to one & all 💕 B xx ... View more

Well it's a year to the day today since I found my lump!! What a year!! So to celebrate the passing of a truly horrible 12 months I've registered to take part in Race For Life on 21st June which will be a year & 2 days since my op! #gonnabeemotional 😘 xxx ... View more

Morning ladies 😘    Eileen - Hops you're doing ok hunnie. All best wishes for a speedy recovery. Sending hugs!    Thanks Sorbet. Thankfully I have a week off this week so am going to enjoy some relax time whilst OH at work & then maybe I'll be company when he gets home instead of falling asleep on the sofa 😝    Jannie - Nothing curing the night sweats for me! Still suffering disturbed sleep every night too.   Wishing you all a decent day. Hope the sun is shining for you all 🌞    Sending love 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘  Here I am..... So sorry I've not been in touch for ages. I've just been catching up on all your posts. Goodness.....theres been lots going on ladies. Some great progress news & some still rather testing times for each & every one of us.   Eileen - have you had your op now? Hope you're ok. Sending hugz.   Apologies I need to re-read the thread again but I am thinking of you all.   Not doing too bad myself. On my 2nd week of working full time now & am completely knackered! 😝 It's so difficult when everyone says you're looking well but its the makeup hiding the dark bags under the eyes....lol.  Had a wobble today.......one of my customers asked why I'd been off work so long & it took me by surprise that I broke down in floods of tears afterwards!!!  It just goes to show i'm still some way off normality but cannot let this get me down.   On a positive I've just got back from the gym which, despite being shattered, does make me feel better. Need to shed some pounds now & get fit.   Sending love to you all 💕 Keep posting!!  B xx     ... View more

Thanks ladies 😘    Charity - I totally agree. It's far harder going back to work than I'd ever imagined. Make sure you don't overdo it!! I have regular reviews with my line manager & did have to reduce my phased return plan as I was just exhausted. This week I'm doing 5 days but 9.30 til 4pm so am monitoring how i am as full time fast approaches. Feeling ok this eve but will be tucked up by 9pm 😜 Rock n roll lifestyle eh...lol.    I had a trial session of reflexology yesterday. It felt ok whilst having it & I really did relax & close my eyes eventually. I thought I would sleep well afterwards but I had the most vivid dreams. Not sure if this was due to the reflexology or just coincidence 😕    Anyway think I will try the reiki maybe next time....will keep you posted.   Take care everyone. Love n hugz 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘    Hope everyone is doing ok & feeling well.    Mel.....well done hunnie. Good for you!! 👍     Feeling well myself other than the restless nights sleep due to the hot flushes. I hope they'll subside soon as disturbed sleep is just wearing me out.    Am off to the Aurora center at hospital tomorrow to schedule in some complementary therapy. Thinking of trying some reflexology &/or reiki. Has anyone else tried either?    Sending love to you all 💕 B xx ... View more

Thanks Nikki & Charity. Holiday was great..... Did more skiing than I expected & thoroughly enjoyed being out in the fresh mountain air. It was quite therapeutic in many ways. Pity we had to come home & step back into reality.   I have my second heart scan tomorrow as part of ongoing checks whilst on the herceptin. Will be radioactive again for 24 hours.....like a glow worm!! Lol ☺ So you see what I mean about back to reality....hospital visits galore again but if it keeps me on the straight n narrow, so be it eh! 😜    Love n hugz to you all. Keep smiling luvlies 😘  B xx 💕 ... View more

Good luck for tomorrow Jannie. Stay strong chick & let us know how you get on. Best wishes to Pete too. Sending hugz to you both 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘    Just checking in to see how you all are. Ok my end.....still struggling with the hot flushes & disturbed sleep but feeling better after my week away 👍    Sending love n hugz to you all 💕 B xx ... View more

Fantastic words geeG! Well said & thank you for sharing. Much love 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi Jannie - You poor luvlies. Hope your hubby is on the road to recovery & you can move forwards putting the last bleep**ty 12 months behind you ! Sending love n hugz 😘    Sam - my holiday insurance is thru NatWest Advantage Gold (it's linked to an account). I basically had to pay £96 to cover me for 12 months updating my medical screening so am definitely covered for anything BC related too.    Hope all you luvlies are staying strong. Sending you all lots of love 💕 B xx ... View more

Hi luvlies 😘    Thank you so much for your support & kind words. Am pleased to report that I'm feeling a little better albeit still tired. My line manager has reviews my hours at work & I've reduced the phased return plan for this week. Am now on countdown to my jollies! 👍    Have had a first session with a counsellor today so am hoping that I'll regain my va va voom once I get all my emotions in some kind of order. Early days but I felt I needed to vent everything I'm feeling to someone impartial & unknown. Will keep you posted on any hints/tips I pick up in due course.   Nicki - your plans for taking time out to explore & live a little sound marvelous!!! Good on ya girl 👍👍👍    With love n hugz to you one & all. Nite nite 💕 B xx     ... View more