*TAMOXIFEN* the 5th

[MaryAnnSingleton]

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

smee- i have an endless supply of sharpie pens to 'decorate' their car with i'm waiting til we move then the proverbial will hit the fan

tee hee..

On the pain in the ribs front - I think a lot of aches and pains is pretty common, so try not to panic especially as smee says, if it is intermittent. Much easier to say than to do, I know.

Don't forget the prawns in the engine or secreted inside the car, RW. May be hard to achieve, but very satisfying.

Am loving the idea of boob themed cupcakes at the boobwake

not too hard to achieve cakes- their car is left unlocked permenantly

can we pls have pics of boob themed cupcakes!

Right, their solicitor has gone away 'for a long weekend'and will be back in the office on Tuesday... fecking fantastic timing huh!, so far i have not a clue when i shall be officialy owning this bloody house- could be wednesday next week or half past a quarter to sometime on the 3rd day of the passing of the moonlight builder is booked up with jobs until the 27th Sept, half term is mid october which is when we want to move- that gives him 3 weeks (give or take) to strip and replace kitchen and two bathrooms- not possible is it? Blardy solicitors! mine has just charged me to speak to him apparently i could have talked to his airhead secretary for free!

Start on Monday, Smee, and finish at Halloween. I dont mind really, can't be anywhere near as bad as that 'orrible FEC. I can hardly bear to think of that red stuff now, barffff. Thnx for all the rib pain reassurances too everyone, I am not really worried, but just wish would go away! I don't think it's IBS, but do think I have had similar aches n pains all my life that didnt even register in my consciousness in the preBC era. Oh how messes with the head! I was warned about this on day 1 though.

I vote prawns in the car engine RWU. Frustrating re wait and solicitor. But revenge is a dish best served cold so enjoy the anticipation!

And happy happy birthday MAS, virtual hugs from Belfast x

Enjoy the forced 'long weekend' RWU - do something nice instead. (Buy a large bag of prawns so they are ready in the freezer)

cupcaked - the red stuff still gives me the eebie jeebies too. I'll never forget the sight of all those massive syringes lined up in a row (puke)

Ditto Cakes. Nevr evr want to see that sight again. Yuk.

Ditto re red Epirubicin from me too! I could hardly bear to see other women having it even after I'd finished. I now understand why some people are sick ON THE WAY to chemo.
But Lennie helped me a great deal, as long as I kept my eyes away from other people's hands etc in the ward.

Hey, smelly prawns sound fantastic. Go for it!

I feel slightly yukky today but am also very happy due to having taken last Cycloflu etc tablets this morning- yay. We are planning bbooze for Sunday when I'll feel more like enjoying a bit of sparkling. A friend (who had Pagets' type of BC about 8-10 years ago and is fine) has sent me a little BCC sparkly pin as a 'graduation present' which I think is really kind and thoughtful.

OK, my German friend has cooked a beautiful pudding so I will muster energy to make a salad to start with.
The pudding seems to be a sort of bread and butter pudding but with layers of apples and flaked almonds - yum. Diet will have to start next week.

RWU _ hope you can leave the stress out of your w/e despire all that is going on. I suppose you could manage with the kitchen done, then bathrooms could be one at a time after the move? Lovely to have a new house to be in soon.

WE've had a bright, sunny but cold day. It was very nice in Chester. Have a good w/e.

Thank you fort birthday greetings !! have had a very nice day so far and now i can get to computer i find lots of posts to catch up with !! (dh working from home so we could go to Italian cafe for lunch)
Lalaa bought me a Cath Kidston cake stand so I will arrange your virtual baked goods on it- I have some fondant fancies too :-)

I made boob-ish cupcakes for my strawberry tea (not intentionally mind)- there were jelly sweets on top of the icing which looked a bit like nipples -only green or orange or yellow - cherries would be perfect !
Oddly enough i was thinking that my breast still ached from time to time and I think it is my rib underneath which is tender - I am sure this is rads damage - I have been poking it today. Love to all and have a good weekend xxx

Happy birthday from, me too MAS

WE EXCHANGED!!!!!!! Today at 4.55pm..... We actually exchanged...... No we really exchanged it's ours, defiantly and unequivocally ours!!!!

Vendors stamped their feet and wanted it done TODAY, so one of the other parners took it on, we got a call at 3 to ask us to get our arses down there pronto!

SHIT! I have to move....... There's too much stuff to move!!!! We're completing in two weeks because there's financial stuff tied to the house by the vendors so their sol need to settle that with the deposit ( I think )

yay RWU !!!! exciting and scary, but great news ! it'll all be fine and dandy,and just imagine- lovely new house,lovely new neighbours

in case RWU has sore head in the morning YAYYYYYYYYY! There is a God! Or did the pope fix it for you?? (joke! Not the forum for it here but think some of us are beginning to recognise that there is more to the Catholic church than the clergy..)

Uuurrrrgggghhhhh, haven't slept a wink- feel poo!!!!

..... Maybe it was all a dream? ...... Definatly NOT a dream, phew!

it's real ! you're moving !! rah !

HOORAY for RWU!! Not long to wait then. I hope your entire family will muck in and do everything for you. Everything!

Italian cafe sounds fab MAS. Boob-cakes too.

I have had a nice walk today, then a rest tho didn't sleep, and am now going to the cinema to see the film based on Posy Simmons' cartoon - can't remember the name of it just now I have loved Posy for many years, and as its raining seems the right choice.

DH is in Cambridge trying to sort DD's room out for her ( some basic furniture was required) as a surprise when she gets back from Sweden. We thought it would help as she has an exam in about 10 days. Just hope she will like it.

I don't have sore rib so far but under-arm is still quite stiff and I have to continue exercises otherwise it gets worse.

Still eating lots of tomatoes here and today I weighed myslef. Haven't dared for about a month. I am exactly the same weight today as on 1 January! I'm OK with this - need to shift some but can start that now I'm off chemo. And before Tamox! ie in the next 2 weeks Will try.

YEAY and YEAY again, RWU. Now go buy those prawns before you forget in the rush. I feel exhausted just thinking about moving house, so am not surprised you're flaked out.

Your cupcakes sound good, MAS. I'm plotting a few wobbly jellies too.

SR, weight sounds good. Is it definitely harder to shift on Tamoxifen then?? Let us know what the film's like - might go see it next week. I saw the film about Joaquin Phoenix last night ('I'm Still Here', or something like that. Very funny, though how anyone can even vaguely think it's true is beyond me.

Got some friends coming round tonight. Was going to cook, but think I've been overdoing it, so we'll order a take-away. Am torn between Thai and Keralan food. mmm...

Both sound fab - which did you go for? Or both??

Weight does seem harder to shift on tamoxifen, there seems to be quite a bit of fluid retention that goes on - none of my rings fit anymore, I keep meaning to ask if I can take diuretics, but always forget. maybe next time.

Yay and double yay for RWU's move. Lots to do, so little time, but (hopefully) many rellies to help. And shiny new neighbours the other end.

MAS - i have the sore rib too. I really do think it's rads related.

SR - same weight as in January is a GOOD result.

Hooray for the move RWU, hectic but exciting, thank goodness you are getting away from those neighbours

I got back from my trip yesterday - Hamlet was wonderful, I loved it, John Simm was just brilliant. When we arrived in Sheffield at lunch time, we went past the theatre on the way to DD's house, and J.Simm was sitting outside a cafe eating his lunch, so we had a bit of a gawp at him, he's very good looking but as DS put's it 'a bit of a scrawny bugger'. He also signed programmes for the boys after the play (and they asked him to sign them for me and DD as we were a bit shy to go to the stage door) and he was very pleasant and chatty. A nice man and really very fragrant and clean

The Crucible is a gorgeous theatre if anyone gets the chance to go there.

I went to a talk on thurs. on menopausal symptoms on after BC. Asked about water retention Cakes and the nurse said it is a common menopausal symptom, (so I guess she meant caused by the menopause the drug activates rather than the drug itself if there is a difference there) She said eat a good diet and exercise is about all you can do to help yourself, but to mention it to the doc. and they might be able togive you something.

She also said weight gain was probably as much related to the whole process of treatment (being less energetic and active, losing your sense of taste and then eating lots when you get it back, steroids etc. etc.) as much as the tamox. Basically she said it's not inevitable you will gain weight on tamox., but if you are a person who does tend to gain weight easily you are more likely to. So no miracle solutions really. She said always ask your GP, never think you have to just put up with menopausal symptom, and diff. drugs give different SE's.

Also aching joints typical of menopause.

She also mentioned The Daisy Group (I think that is the name) for younger women affected, said it was good for emotional support for women who've been pushed into a much earlier menopause than would normally have occurred. In case that's of interest to anyone.

Sorry for the long post, - wanted to pop down those things before I forgot them! Hope everyone has been having a good weekend, I am a bit shattered after the train journeys, but really glad I went

Oh and I missed your birthday MAS, so a belated many happy returns - hope you had a lovely day

Glad Mr Simm is both fragrant and nice, and that the play was good, KK! Thanks too for asking - and reporting back - about menopause symptoms, it really is a bugger, isn't it. Some days are better than others, I feel about 85 today.

Stil ploughing through my report, I don't think I am improving it really.

KK - trip and Mr Simm sounds great !
I forgot to mention that ds and I went to see cute kittens yesterday and have reserved one - a pretty grey stripy girl-she is a Maine Coon/siamese cross...very excited !

When can you have her, MAS?

Well, fragrant handsome men and Hamlet and kittens- what more could a woman want?

Thanks for your helpful Post KK. I have an upset stomach today so am hoping might lose a lb or 2. I can't wait for my taste and mouth to get back to normal. My mouth is dry but I know I'm lucky not to have had nasty ulcers. Its juts that despite drinking loads I wake up at 4am with my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth!

Having a friend to stay is helping me to take up daily walks again. That's good.

I really recommend Tamara Drew for a good laugh. Despite the fact I seem unable to recall the film's name (aasked ticket lady for 2 tickets to Drew Barrymore please!) it really is fun. Especially if you have always enjoyed cartoons by Posy Simmon as I have for about 30 years! Haven't lauighed so much for months.

Yes I heard about that other film and the debate about whether its true or not.

middle of October thinking of names

That's not long! How exciting! Stripey cat names, I bet there are some great ones. Do you favour proper people names for animals, or animal type names (my friend called her dog Sprocket which is weird, but sweet, and it suits him)

SR - not long now: keep remembering to breathe.