**TAMOXIFEN**the 6th

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

Hurray for MAS for organising us. Without you, we'd be lost in a void, am sure.

KK, must have crossed posts. Sounds like you've had a brilliant time. And blimey from me on the mountain, am ridiculously impressed. I walked up an escalator yesterday and thought that was heroic.

ooooh, i like this place, its all new and clean and tidy ........... and the sofa is comfy

flu jabbed - in and out in seconds ! hope everyone is ok -rainy and grey here.Am off to meditate,then do some work. Dh out buying ingredients for proper ragu - my parents are coming to supper,though mum not well,so might just be dad.

You've reminded me to get my flu jab MAS - I missed the open clinic when I was on holiday, so will have to book one.

Sorry to hear your mum is not well, hope she feels better by tonight. Ragu sounds good - we are having the other half of an enormous veggie curry I made last night, then off out to see DS's play.

Have a good weekend everyone.

hope you enjoy the play KK and the curry !
Mum is very weak-it has really knocked her out-she has v bad rheumatoid arthritis and any little thing makes her very frail- I find it hugely difficult to deal with as she has always been incredibly active up until a few years ago-I worry for my dad,who worries about her (he is very fit and very active) We are looking up stair lifts now

It all touches issues i'm dealing with with grief,mortality etc so it does upset me. I also feel pretty useless. Will send some ragu over to her - have shown dad how to do the washing machine !

Oh I am sorry MAS - I didn't realise how poorly she was, that must be very hard for you. Sending her and you lots of love xx

thank you KK - it's silly to think that a coldy thing can make someone so poorly -that's rather the shocking bit

Hello all, hope everyone is having a good half term. I'm just bumping us really because we've dropped of the first page (shock horror ).

Had a really good time at DS's play on Saturday, he was really good (I know I'm biased, but he got a good review in Plays International as well - they called it a high octane performance and praised his directing).

I'm feeling reasonably pleased with myself because I've written a couple of thousand words this afternoon, - small steps but it's a start.

How is your mum MAS? I hope she's feeling a bit better today and managing to shake of the cold/virus thing.

oh well done KK ! am very glad that ds has had such praise for his directing & acting- you must be very proud.
My mum is much better -still a bit frail but much brighter.
Ds didn't want to go to the cinema today and was happy to spend the entire day drawing !

My niece has her operation today- so please think of her and send good vibes her way. Rather insensitivily they are putting her in a bed on the maternity ward
Please let it be 'just' a cyst and nothing more and that they can save her ovary.

Oh loads of good vibes coming for your niece MAS, I hope everything goes well (in fact looking at when you posted she may have had the op by now), and it is just a cyst.
Yes it is insensitive to put her on the maternity ward - how awful. Hope you are bearing up, - try not to get too anxious (hard I know)

thanks KK - have just emailed her mum to see if any news-
have had nice lunch with my parents and DB and SIL - discussing practical ways to get help for my parents -SIL amazingly helpful about all this-think we can get things moving ! Mum much better too.

Dropping in amidst half term madness to say hello. MAS, I'm wishing you only good news about your niece. I'm thinking of her - no use, I know, but I've got everything crossed. Hope your mother's on the mend too. My father's similarly afflicted; very hard to watch someone who was once so strong become frail. Not sure there's a way through that one, other than to be there for them.

Kurri, great to hear you enjoyed the play. Must be so nerve wracking to watch him. Brilliant he pulled it off then.

Won't be about for a few days, as we're off to Grandparent land, but Cupcaked I think this is your last week of Rads, so a bit YEAY from me! Hope you have a teeny bit of energy to celebrate.

Have a lovely time in grandparentland smee and thanks for kind thoughts about my niece -am sure it all helps !
And yay too if it is cupcaked's last rads

Have a nice break with the GPs Smee, and another yay for Cupcaked,- you'll be glad when it's finished. Hope you hear some new soon MAS, and glad your mum is on the mend.

Hospital phoned today to say they've had a cancellation and can do my hernia op. next week. Eeek. I wasn't geared up for that (thought it would be after Christmas) but it will be good to get it out of the way.

eek, but good to have it out of the way !
News from SIL - all went well,cyst and small bit of ovary removed,so there is part of one left and that makes me think that it is prob. not cancerous ? or am i being too forward ? I guess they have to wait for pathology,but so far so good.

Congrats on the DS's review KK, you must be very proud of him. Good to get on with the hernia op, no eek required, it will be fine. MAS, fingers crossed for good news, and I also hope your mum is picking up.

27 done and 3 more days of rads to go, so so glad to be getting out the other side of this. Bit tired tho not like chemo tired. My face is more or less back to where it was, thank goodness (I had lost some weight with mouth ulcers on chemo and it caved in ). Herceptin starts next week but it is a breeze apparently. Eyebrows are pretty much back to normal. Eyelashes about halfway there. Hair about 0.5cm on top, and I love it, my mum says it feels like a gosling! Though friend's dd aged 7 says I still look 'scarey' so won't be going out without the rug for a while yet. But that's fine, I feel just great compared to end of chemo :o

hooray cupcaked !

I'm pleased it went well MAS - and fingers crossed for all being fine .

Cupcaked - it's great you are so near the end of rads - you had a lot if I remember correctly? Herceptin is not too bad at all, - I had one or two probs,- but think they were actually due to my then undiagnosed thyroid condition - everyone else I know who's had herceptin has been fine on it .
And it doesn't take too long to have the drip - about an hour (including the general faffing with setting it up). My DD loved my fluffy haired phase - kept wanting to stroke my head.

I'm not too worried about the hernia op. just wasn't expecting it so soon. It's done via laparoscopy, and only a day procedure, - so I've had worse! Must check I have some respectable PJ's

Yes today is the 28th, KK, and 2 more after this this. 30 is a lot, don't know anyone else who had more than 25, and some have only 15. Glad to hear positive herceptin experience. I had my underactive thyroid diagnosed 10 yrs ago so shdnt bother me now.

MAS, it must have appeared benign on the scan so that's why they didn't take the whole ovary. Hope she gets confirmation soon though, waiting for results can seem interminable, as we all know.

Am sooo tired today despite lovely early bed last nite. Ate 2/3 of m&s cake on own yesterday in anticpation of running a mile this morning (carb loading!) but it just ain't happening, it's been a duvet day so far. But rads calling so off we go again... not for much longer tho :)

Hope u all enjoying halfterm break with kids. Lovely crisp sunny day here in Belfast. Nearly lovely enough to make me feel bad about duvet. But not quite

I'm very impressed with your running CC, its one of those things I always quite fancied doing, but never quite got round to. (lazy in other words). Good luck with today's rads, and a duvet day is no bad thing IMO.

Saw my oncologist this morning for a check up, he reassured me that my terribly achy legs are nothing to worry about, (I'd been panicking slightly) but suggested I talk to GP, (he seems to think it's a bit of arthritis.) If any one has any tips for achy legs please pass them on. I do rub them with Massage stuff from the health store which helps a bit.

Having a quiet half term here. DS and girlfriend were coming over for a fireworks display next week, but he's just realised he's working in the evening that weekend, and anyway I'm having my op. on the 5th. DD was coming home on the 5th for reading week, but now thinks she might have too much on.
So just me and DH pottering around like old fogeys

glad onc was reassuring KK and a quiet half term sounds very nice ! Thanks too for reasurance about niece cupcaked Her mum says that nirece is managing to walk to the loo and feeling less fuzzy - the op tidied up the remaining ovary- the cyst was sitting on top of it 'like a helmet' she says- it took 3 hours.
Have been to vet with Celeste as i found blood in her tray- on her poo-he says it is fairly common in kittens,but she has some antibiotics-am to keep an eye on her for next few days and if it persists to go back with a sample..she is eating and drinking and behaving as normal and seems happy-just mews a bit when actually poo-ing -poor baby. Needless to say I was really worried,imagining all kinds of scenarios. horrible day really as so much to do,counselling-which is drawing to an end (3 more sessions) mindfulness practice,ds to have hair cut ,vet and then Mindfulness session (which was very good). i didn't get any work done and want to finish and post 3 pieces by tomrrow - arghh !
DS and DH off to Notts. to stay with MIL until Sunday, so am going to be alone- nice in some ways, but it feels a bit odd as we always all go.

I'm pleased niece is feeling a little better MAS - that is a long op. - it will take her several days to get the anaesthetic out of her system. I hope they have her results for her soon, and all is well - from what you say it sounds promising. Fingers crossed.

Sorry Celeste has been a bit poorly, it does feel panicky when pets get ill, FWIW, our little dog has had the blood in poo thing a few times, and it's cleared up fairly quickly with AB's - I think they pick up bugs fairly easily. But good that she's eating well and happy.

Mindfulness sounds as if its been a really good thing for you, and well worth the effort.

I'm trying to clean up the house a bit, and thought I would cook and freeze a few things, so I don't have to bother with cooking when I've just had my op. (DH would do it, but he usually works late and it would mean a very late meal if I left it all to him.)

DS and GF coming over for lunch on Sunday, so that will be fun, and DH and I are going to a sort of lunch party thing on Saturday.

Hope everyone is fine today, it has been quiet here during half term

my goodness- niece home from hospital today !
I have done mindfulness yoga practice today and it is really good- 45 mins- feel quite stretched !
My Crue counselling is coming to an end- have had more than I probably should, but i need to tie up the ends-am really stuck -I think I might like to have some kind of ceremony,or something...I feel it is time to finish and the counsellor has been great. I will make a thank you card for her- do you think I should make a donation or something ?
Your weekend with ds and gf and lunch thing on Sat. sound fun KK- enjoy it

Hello ladies. First of all a million apologies for jsut disappearing off the scene. Came back from London exhausted then we have had a string of visitors and although I lurked a few times I just never got round to posting. Anyway I realise I am not going to be a regular poster so I just wanted to thank you all for your support over the last year or so and wish you all the best in the future. May be pop in now and the to see how you are all doing.
Best wishes
Haggisdoodle.