**the 7th Tamoxifen Thread **

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we are...

worried40 - you will just take off your top and bra, and they will very probably cover the other breast. please don't worry about this aspect - everyone is very kind and respectful of your dignity. You will lie on a bed and have to raise your arm over your head, they will probably scan the area first so they know exactly where to take the sample. From start to finish it takes about 15 mins.

I wish you lots of luck with your appointment, - please come back if you have any other questions

worried40, I had to strip to the waist and put on a hospital gown, so definitely no worries on the hairy leg front. And Kurri's right, come back if you want to ask anything, however small. We've all been there, so we more than understand and want to help. Fingers crossed for you.

Happy Boxing Day to all. Hope you're all having a wonderful time. The last of our guests left just after lunch. Was great fun, but am mightily looking forward to just me and DH on the sofa, watching tv with left over treats.

Happy Boxing Day Smee and everyone (Is there an 'eaten too much' smiley?)

and from me too (cold Christmas pudding today- yum)
Worried- have replied to you on your thread- please don't worry -they will be very kind and gentle- I am dreadfully shy about exposing any part of my bod and always try to hide behind anything to hide my modesty.

Thanks itskurrriiiiistmas, smee and MAS.

Hi all!

Happy whatever day today is - eaten too much to care. I hope you all had a lovely, lovely family time and over indulged: you all deserve some down time and treats.

Our play went well (and EXACTLY as originally written with no improv by me or dh) and we spent yesterday at the beach in Bournemouth. Lovely. Especially as there is a pretty acceptable restaurant right on the pier. Yum! I think I need a bread and water diet for a few days.

Worried 40 - the very best of luck with the needle biopsy. Do not worry about any aspect of it, your dignity will be preserved to the utmost, and hairy legs will remain your secret. The thing that takes the sample makes alarming sudden noises, so be prepared for that as it can interrupt your efforts to pretend you are somewhere else. You don't say when it is taking place, but do let us know how you get on.

MAS - If you are about at all I have emailed you about some work. let me know what you think when you have a mo...But don't worry if it is not feasible.

ah,saw this after emailing you Cakes

Hi all and Merry Christmas. I have lost track of the days. Dh has got, and infected me with, a horrid tonsilitis (sp?) so he has not been able to speak since xmas eve. We both went to the gp today who is amazed the dc haven't had it. Anyway that is why I haven't been on. I hope you are all enjoying a over indulged xmas. I have lost weight over xmas as a result of this, so woo hoo, I am 6 lbs lighter, and I needed to be.

Worried - I also had a needle biopsy earlier in December and I only had to strip to the waist, so hairy legs are fine. How are you doing? I am sorry to have missed you joining the thread.

Cakes - well done on the play performance. Was the director happy?

oh poor Sparkle- it seems and endless round of horridness. Hope dcs keep well.
Love to all for a happy and healthy New year

Well done on the play Cakes - I'm glad you pulled it off to the director's satisfaction

Sorry you have tonsillitis Sparkle - it's horrible, I hope you've got something from the doc. to get rid of it.

DS generously gave me his cold! - but I don't feel too ill atm, mostly just runny nose and sneezing.

We've been celebrating DD's 21st birthday today - I can't believe my baby is now a grown up but also I have made a large chocolate cake and stuck maltesers and choc, buttons all over the top (not quite as sophisticated as RWU's cakes, but fortunately DD doesn't mind what it looks like as long as it involves chocolate )

I'm going to the GP tomorrow, - my twinge in my abdomen has got quite a bit worse and is very painful. I am keeping fingers nothing major has gone wrong - I really don't want more surgery.

I hope everyone had a lovely family time at Christmas, are we contemplating NY resolutions? - mine have got to include losing weight I have eaten far too much over Christmas.

oh good luck tomorrow KK - hope it's nothing bad,just the bits settling (friend had an oophorectomy and everything inside kind of 'collapsed' into new place and was painful- she is fine and dandy now)
I have a cold,my first in absolutely ages despite being among snuffly ds and dh...had pain in my arm and neck for a few days and headache,so I guess it was that..' bad' arm too -have been scratched by mum's cat and Celeste on that arm too but am sure there are no ill-effects. Off to mils tomorrow- would rather stay here though.

Sorry to hear about cold, tonsiliitis and your new pain KK - hope the GP will sort it out quickly.

I've also eaten far too much but we had fun! DD and her boyfriend have left today but we're going to join my SIL and her family for NY which should be nice. Yes main resolution will be around health and weight.

Meanwhile its our 22nd wedding anniversary tomorrow.

Happy Anniversary for tomorrow SR have a lovely day.

Happy Anniversary SR ! and happy bday too to KK's dd

Happy Anniversary SR - and a fab birthday to KK's grown-up dd. Fortunately you are never too grown up for chocolate.

KK I hope the doctor's goes well and you do not need more messing about: I do think things need to drop back into place or find new places to be after surgery. Also internal stitches hang about for a while and then cause a bit of havoc when they finally start to dissolve. Hope it is all fine.

Resolutions will be weight and health related here too. I had lost a pound or two but am sure they are now back on, and have been joined by a few mates . I feel a bit of a bloater, that's for sure. Dd wants to go swimming later but the only place open hereabouts is one I hate - there's a shallower pool you can't get moving in (she likes it because it has a mahoosive flume) or a more business like pool that is WAYYYYY too cold for me: so I imagine I will be standing around in my cossie rather than actually doing any exercise.

SR - what a bummer about the tonsilitis. I hope the GP was able to give you something to help (and that the dcs don't get it, of course). MAS - I hope the cold stays mild

If I don't get back on for a day or two, a very happy New Year to all of you: and may 2011 be healthful and happy for all of us.

Well not much progress at the doctor's - I've got to go back in two weeks if it's not any better. She thinks it is either the bowel catching on the mesh, and being irritated by it, or a pulled muscle perhaps. But she said the bowel feels very prominent.

Meanwhile she has decided to clear my bowel out with lactulose in case it is sluggish after the operation (hooray what fun! TMI)
And I'm not to do anything at all (apart from mild walking from room to room) - so I may die of boredom, and I won't be able to start back at my exercise classes next week

So that's the fascinating story of my innards - watch this space for updates

Cakes - I daren't weigh myself, (I think it will be like that old joke, where the talking scales say 'one at a time please' ) However we can all encourage each other in our dieting in the New Year

Hope everyone is feeling OK today and the tonsillitis is on its way out Sparkles, and the cold holding off MAS, (mine is on its way out - it wasn't a very bad one).

Hope you are having a nice relaxing anniversary SR.

Yes Happy new year to one and all, if I don't get back on before then.

The thought of your bowel catching on mesh makes my legs go a bit funny . Sorry it's going to be a boring couple of weeks but the lactulose may help with the weight plan a bit Any way I hope it is a pulled muscle and it'll put itself right.

I am off to haul my lardy backside to the pool, but as I said, I'll mainly be standing around getting cold and fed up. But the diet etc starts here. This very moment! (I have had quite a fattening lunch )

In other news - MAS is going to to me a picture of the family for Mum's 80th! She did me a smaller picture of dd for Christmas and it has gone down extremely well with young and old, so thanks MAS!

Picture sounds fab Cakes - your mum will be chuffed to bits, MAS's work is beautiful (hope she doesn't mind me talking about her behind her back)

Hi there. We decided to go for a Wedding Anniversary walk! So we';ve walked 6 miles with the Ramblers this morning. Had never been out with them beofre but their Association's idea of a Winter Walking Festival is a good one I think so we wanted to try it out. Its well over a year since I walked 6 miles so am quite proud of myslef. Meant I could have a big chunk of stollen afterwards too

KK - sorry about your innards (now that's not a phrase I use frequently). But I'm sure you'll be better soon.

Cakes - well done on going to the pool. I'm sure your body will have a Pavlovian response to wearing a cossie and lose a lb or 2 just from wearing it.

WE're going out for a meal tonight at the venue where I had my frozen party. Did I tell I did get a voucher from them eventually - for forgetting to serve the hot drinks?! So we're going to spenmd it this evening then off to my SIL's for NY. (Wolverhampton house, not Borth this time. They inadvertantly have 3 houses - long story.)

I can smell a sort of electrical burning smell - better go! (Maybe its just a hot flush )

Happy NY to you all. Have a wonderful time.

I agree with Cakes thought of bowel catching on mesh is, well weak knee making. I do hope you are all right Kurri. I am hoping for a pulled muscle for you, and I never thought I would say that to anyone!

Happy Anniversary SR, I think a 6 mile walk would kill me off, but I am very impressed you made it. You get to eat extra dessert for your special meal tonight, beacuse you have earnt it.

If I don't get on tomorrow. Happy New Year to you all. Thank you for getting me though the last few months of this year. I couldn't hgave done it without you.

Hello all. Thought I would pop in here to say hello but sorry can't 'chat' muchyet as still typing with just left hand. But have lots of Qs for you, hope u don't mind.

Had appt with surgeon on Weds. He checked my breast with ultrasound again and drew all over it. And after I had laboriously showered with one hand just that morning! Surgery booked for 13th Jan. Asked how I would be after it and he seemed to think most probs due to affects of GA, would be 'a bit sore' but would be 'up and about' by monday. Then the bcn on duty gave me a load of leaflets which i read that night and was . What a diff story! Lots of exercises to regain use of left arm?! Can't carry a shopping bag etc for 3 mths?! With my right arm not back to full use for some time (could be months, even up to a yr or 2 before regain full strength and movement) I am stuffed aren't I? Pls tell me just how bad my left arm is going to be - and do you all religiously wash dry and noisturise yr 'at risk' arm every day etc? Am feeling overwhelmed by amount of exercises, massaging, anti-lymphowotsit precautions! Prob physio for my right arm too. And have NO idea how i am to get to and from radiotherapy each day. It's a long way. I MAY just be 'able' to drive by then but am scared of driving with both arms below par. TBH only just started driving again at end Aug (passed test in 1986 but haven't driven since 1990/1) so have only driven for 3 mths in last 20 yrs! I know that's a way off yet and have to get thru surgery and snb results yet but can't help worrying.

Sorry for long rant. Those leaflets really put the wind up me.

Hello LimeJelly. Sorry to see you're here, but am sure we can help, so you're in the right place. Help us to help you more accurately though, as am a bit confused. If you're one armed already - have you had some surgery already? Also, is it a lumpectomy or a mastectomy you're having? And are you having nodes removed, as that makes a massive difference to exercises/ recovery etc. Let us know a few more details if you get a minute and then I'll try and remember lots and lots of advice. Don't worry too much though, as your arm will be okay. Mine is and I had my op back in April.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and all that. We're vegging with two very old friends and a take out, which is perfect as it's about all I have energy for and we have my brother, plus his kids coming for a riotous lunch tomorrow so that should be fun.

Sparkle, really hope you and DH feel a bit better now. You too Kurri. What a sod to still have problems with that wound. Hope it's better soon

Cakes, bravo on the panto performance, or should that be bravo on receiving no complaints from the director.

KK, congrats on getting your DD to 21. I honestly think parents should get some sort of present to mark the milestone too. Did she like her pendant?

SR, happy anniversary for yesterday and MAS hope the cold's gone by now.

Here's to us all for a healthy New Year. Got to run, we're supposed to be going out.

Hi Smee - sorry! I started a thread when i was diagnosed and spoke with kurrii and MAS so just plunged staight in here ! Slipped on ice and broke my right arm beginning Dec. Had op to put plate/screws in a week later. 5 days later got bc diagnosis (left side). Am to have wide-section surgery, they will reshape and move nipple - basically same op as a breast reduction it seems (am G cup). Will have sentinel node biopsy - armpit seemed clear on original ultrasound, hope it stays that way. Will need rads for 3.5 wks.
Hope yr rads are going ok - does it affect yr driving?