*TAMOXIFEN* the 5th

[MaryAnnSingleton]

in case we forget and find ourselves at 1000 - here's a fresh new thread !

Interesting to read about these other side effects going on. Haggis - have you had a bone scan at some point? If so and it was clear that should confirm your thinking on the likely cause ie post-chemo aches?

I had whole body scans before starting chemo and everything except head was checked. (I don't know why they don't check brain as well?)

Purplefish - so sorry about the diagnosis but your mum will get moved quickly into the system now and it does feel a bit better when you know you're getting treatment IME. The first few weeks after diagnosis are the worst I think, although the different stages all have their challenges.

I feel pretty yuk today. Due to the steroids I didn't sleep till 0630!! And perhaps I shouldn't have had the pub meal as heartburn is worse than ever today. Still, DH and I are going to the local Arthouse cinema that we like (In Manchester) to see a French film tonight. There's a cafe attached and they have very light nibbles which should be the right thing I think.

Personally I think that poo photo should be destroyed!! Myy DD now hates it if I ever mention her slightly weird ideas from her earlier years!

Hope everyone else is feeling OK. Thank good ness I only have about 5-6 more weeks of this yukkiness. Going to eat a few more Rennies now. I'll ask to have a reduced steroid dose next time. PICC Line is holding up very well though, which is great. I love Lenny

Kurri, sounds like a great afternoon watching air show. Post pics, JR sounds delightful.

Purplefish, so sorry to hear BC's confirmed. I'm sure they'll check about her liver. I know I had full bone and CT scans and it was a huge relief to have had them. Things will move quite quickly for her now I'm sure. Keep asking us anything you want to know. I always found knowing what to expect at appointments helped me through - takes the fear out of it somehow as you feel more in control. Has she got someone to go to all appointments with? That's pretty key I think, as she'll find it hard to take everything in.

Haggis about farty kitten and the chilli beans. Sorry you're so achey, but the arthritis thing sounds reassuring. Hope it is that in some ways as at least it's not forever. Seems absurd you have to find it on the net rather than the medics tell you about it though. Go make a fuss, they're supposed to reassure us not fob us off.

MAS, that's so sad about the card. A good reminder that we're lucky really. Can't imagine how you'd remain standing having to watch your child go through all of that.

SR, steroids are strange aren't they? Finished mine yesterday and even though I hate them, am missing them a bit, as am so tired today. Just walked to Farmers market and came back armed with Beetroot and Curly Kale. Have no energy to know what to cook though, so have piled them in the kitchen as a non too subtle hint to DH. I have to work this afternoon, then a friend's birthday party, though I'm imagining I'll last only a teeny bit. Still, not so bad two days after chemo, so am quite happy really. What film are you going to see?? Hope you don't feel too yukky to enjoy it. Oh and hooray for Lenny from me too.

• yes you're right, even I can't keep a poo photo for that long. It will be wiped (ha!).

watching the airshow

checking out a cable

cuddling up on my lap

flaked out

the puppy is so adorably cute !!!! I'd've been hard pressed not to whisk him away

and forgot to say - hooray for Lenny from me too

Great puppy photos KK! I am not a doggy person but these are indeed very cute!

Smee - hope you're lasting out without steroids. I slept very well all night last night thank goodness!

The film was Le Refuge and yes we enjoyed it. We also had a perfect meal ie one plate of delicious mezze shared between DH and me. That was enough and lighter meals are better as far as heartburn goes. This also meant I did not feel guilty having a slice of strawberry and blackberry sponge afterwards!

Today is another light meals day as DH and I both need to reduce our calories. We are finding it a bit easier with just the two of us as DS needs lots of pasta etc. So while he's having a ball in S Africa, we can be a little leaner!

Aw, he's adorable. Not surprising you nearly kidnapped him Kurri.

Glad you're through the Steroids SR. Sleep's kind of helpful isn't it?! Strawberry and Blackberry sponge sounds rather essential too.

wail..........so i went to the dentist for a check up on Thursday- all fine and dandy -£58 for that and a couple of x rays - and tonight a bit of filling breaks off....bugger

MAS how annoying!! Is it just the filling or the whole tooth that's crumbling? Am hoping it's the former..

O dear, teeth are such a problematic field! Sorry about that filling mAS.

Smee - yes sleep does help. Still very low enerygy here but have made a list of things I hope to do today! Hope you're OK.

We are going to do a trip on the Gondola on Lake Coniston when in the Lakes as that will require no energy from me! If I'm a bit more energetic by Wednesday I will try the walk as well - but its 4 miles so not sure how far I'd get as have given up walks at the mo. This is the first time during chemo that I can't get myself together to walk so its a shame. Am planning to paint a door today instead. Its had undercoat on for about a year and no top coat.

Zero energy here and incredible aching legs/ arms. They did warn me to expect it, but still. Have plotted a trip to the cinema later for DS, as that way we can still do something but I can sit. Fingers crossed I can get that far, as have promised now..

Coniston sounds lovely SR. Walking depends on the weather I'd say. Just enjoy whatever you can easily manage and promise yourself that next time you'll skip through it. That's what I decided to do on Hadrian's Wall. I determinedly marched like a Roman for a while, then realised I was being stubbornly daft.

it's the one that crumbled before and was patched up -remains of tooth seem solid enough -gah ! appointment next week.

Coniston outing sounds lovely SR but don't push yourself for the sake of it. Enjoy the cinema smee

How annoying about the tooth MAS, hope its not painful.

Coniston sounds lovely SR, but take it gently. Same goes for you Smee - it is so frustrating when you want to do things but your body just can't. But you are both getting through it very well Hope you enjoy the film.

I've woken up with a sore throat and no voice (some would say that's a good thing). A friend phoned and I was just making barking noises at her, she eventually said 'stop trying to talk, and just listen!)

It is also my Wedding Anniversary today - 28 years, and never a cross word

happy anniversary KK - 28 years is very impressive - v sorry to hear about sore throat though..
Tooth doesn't hurt,thank goodness,just a huge nuisance

Gah indeed to teeth MAS. Very boring.

Congrats on 28 years Kurri. Am mightily impressed. Were you childhood sweethearts then? Are you doing something suitable indulgent?? Even with no voice, it sounds like something that needs a bit of decadence to me..

Toy Story 3 = very good distraction from chemo fug. Can highly recommend.

Unfortunately not childhood sweethearts Smee , we met at university.

We might do something later in the week, although we only really do the big ones now!

Did you see the 3d version of Toy Story? DD and I were thinking of going (despite both being grown ups!) but can't decide which version to go for.

2D at local flea pit and wonderful it was too. Bonus of 2D is that everyone else is at 3D so you get the cinema to yourselves. Definitely good for grown ups. Go I'd say.

Am still impressed by 28 years. We're nowhere near that.

aww,I want to see Toy Story 3 - ds and dn went with grandparents to local tiny cinema to see it...

Hi everyone...just want to run this past you. My brother keeps texting to say he is worried because mum is just lying on the sofa and she looks unwell. I have said that I actually think it's more to do with the stress she is most probably feeling atm and the worry of waiting for tests/results etc that is leaving her drained.

I said that once Friday is out of the way (another day of tests) she will know what is happening and how she will be treated and hopefully will feel less helpless iyswim and that if she is still lying on the sofa in 2 weeks time, then I will worry.

What do you think?

I think you're probably right purplefish - the waiting for results is truly horrible and she probably just feels like curling up and retreating into herself. I am sure once she has her treatment planned she'll feel more in control of things. Will be thinking of her,and you.

Been on hols / getting on with RL / feeling a bit low so not been on MN much. Need to do loads of catching up but a skim read shows me you've been wibbling on about poo and scabs. Nice.

Will read properly and contribute more fully soon.

Big to you all!

I had a race today with one of my 7yo who was getting a bit cocky about how fast he can run........

I was wearing ballet pumps that are too big, I fell over my own feet and skidded along the Tarmac path......... Ouch........ Lesson learnt, tomorrow we are back to playing with playdough!

Ouch RWU! That'll teach to flap about in over-sized ballet pumps!! Just hope your immunity is good at present to deal with the grazes.

Welcome back Pennies - lovely to see you and looking forward to hearing more.

Purplefish - am so sorry about your mum but I have to say I also retreated into myself at that stage, so yes, I think you need to give her a bit longer, and she needs the results to know more about what she is dealing with.

KK - Happy Anniversary for yesterday.

Smee and anyone else with low energy - isn't it yuk. My legs are like lead. However I painted both sides of a door yesterday (long overdue job) and today am supervising the gardener who is at last doing my raised bed. For those interested, I've also decided to get a thing from Homebase which is half greenhouse/half shed! (A structural mermaid?) This will keep me amused for years and also means we have half a chance of red tomatoes next year, rather than green tomatoe chutney which is looking very likely now!

Purplefish - I agree with everyone else, I also retreated into myself and curled up on the sofa/bed a lot at this stage. Of course mention how she has been feeling to the consultant, but the stress when you are waiting is almost overwhelming, so many thoughts are going through your head, its very hard to function normally. And its very hard for you and your Brother as onlookers to know how to help, it really is just a question of waiting it out until you get the results and know what will be happening with treatment. Lots of good wishes to you all xx.

RWU - sorry to hear of your self inflicted injury . Hope you are recovering now, the burning question is are you a faster runner than DS, despite the fall?

How did your exam go by the way?

Nice to see you Pennies, sorry you've been feeling low, but looking forward to catching up with you

SR the half shed/half greenhouse sounds good, (and also a bit like a super hero), You will enjoy your raised bed when it is finished, - much easier to maintain I find.

I've got the piano tuner here at the moment. have had to shut myself in the kitchen with the dog as she has taken a dislike to his tool case and has been rushing in to bark at it. (I have been looking embarrassed and muttering, 'she's normally quite well behaved' but he didn't look convinced.)

Waving back to Pennies - lovely to see you back. Was worried you were maybe in a heap somewhere. Apologies for scabs and poo stories - I think those were both me.

Purplefish, I retreated too. Hard to fix on anything when it's all looming over you. Only thing I can think of which might help is to maybe call one of the Macmillan nurses. www.macmillan.org.uk/HowWeCanHelp/TalkToUs/Talktous.aspx
They might be able to advise you or your brother on how best to help. I'd bet Friday seems a long way away still for her.

RWU poor you. That'll teach you to take on a 7 year old. May I recommend sock fights? Hugely therapeutic and v.hard to injure yourselves, even at full throttle.

SR, a Structural Mermaid languishing in your garden sounds wondrous, as do red tomatoes. I have only green too. Aches not too bad here today, but my stomach is horrible - sort of agitated if that makes sense and the ongoing headache and lack of ability to taste anything is beginning to bring me down. Not sure how long it lasts on this drug as this is the first cycle of it. Very confusing, as at least on last lot I knew when I'd pick up again.

Kurri, hope tuner man's gone soon and the poor hound can relax.