TAMOXIFEN thread number 8 ********

[MaryAnnSingleton]

just in case we run out of space !

Hi ladies,

I went to pick a wig today...oh dear! Most of them had fringes which I don't have, and didn't want anything too dramatic, as this whole process is dramatic enough. The lady helping kept wanting me to try on short wigs which were just not me. I took a friend for her opinion and we decided this was not the way to go! In the end I went for the only wig in my colour without a fringe. I am going to get a hairdresser to cut it to suit me, as I have bobbed hair. Its so hard. Did you lose your eyebrows and eyelashes? If so, how do you recreate eyebrows convincingly? I am rubbish with make up

Figgy - I hope all went well for you today?

To all those with birthdays - Happy Birthday!

Ooh lovely for the birthday people, one each

And a big bunch of for Figgy too - hope it went well today and you're feeling OK.

LGF I am going to look very strange indeed with no eyebrows or lashes as they are thick and dark at the moment. Plus I am rubbish with make-up too. May have to get some 'professional' help, have often thought a make-up lesson might be a good idea! That wig woman sounds a bit rubbish, good job you took your friend with you and stuck to your guns. Although, maybe a very long fringe would hide lack of eyebrows? or if long enough, eyelashes too? Hope you are pleased with the finished result, am sure it will be very much better once trimmed to suit you.

I had my chemo ward visit today. The room was quite chilly and again, disadvantage of private room is lack of people in the same boat to chat to, but chemo nurse said they allow/encourage willing people to 'visit' each other. Tried on the Cold Cap and pleased that one part of my body is deemed 'Small'.

I had an ECG too, and this found a slight arrhythmia which the cardiologist will have to look at. Hope he says it's nothing to worry about. Ugh, I am falling to bits!

Will need to travel quite a way somehow (not allowed to drive myself) to have the portacath fitted sometime this week, ready for...

....first FEC session due to be next Tuesday! Again, earlier than I was expecting, but good - sooner starting, sooner to finish!

And lovely photos Smee and Sparkle, thank you!

I'm just off to bed but before I forget will mention look good, feel better it provides make up classes for women undergoing cancer treatment. Check workshops to find one near you, and they are popular so if you fancy it, I would get you name on the list.

I'm not a make-up type of person but I felt really pampered when I did it, and as a huge bonus you get a huge bag of expensive make up, cleansers etc. as a gift.

I'd definitely recommend if you think it sounds your kind of thing - it makes you feel good at a time when you can lose a bit of confidence.

Hope today went well Figgy.

Am fasting for blood tests tomorrow morning - if I don't go to bed soon I might accidently scoff something

are fab !! thanks for birthday wishes for dh- do you know I really had to work out his age as I couldn't remember !
Limejelly and LGF -well done for getting through you respective ward visit and wig choosing. Hope figgyroll is ok.
Went to visit mum on my own this evening- it was nice,though the drive is pretty scary as it's so dark and very bendy. She was very interested in the meditation day,so I described it all !

KK - sorry- hope the blood letting is ok tomorrow

for Mr SR too !

happy birthday to Mr MAS and Mr SR!

And a happy St David's day to you all- sending virtual welsh cakes to everyone!

Happy day to you in Wales RWU and a special for dd ! x

Happy St David's Day

Happy birthday MrMAS and MrSR and happy being 3 day little RWU

Blood letting went OK, - total confusion about what tests were needed and what happened to the last lot. So the nurse said she'd take enough to cover everything - so hopefully I won't have to go back. I suspect I might have fasted unnecessarily (so am making up for it now ).

Also hope you are feeling OK Figgy, - have a restful day

love to all.

Aren't they sweet - Happy St Davids Day and birthday wishes to all those who are having a special day.

Sounds like you did the right thing LGF. I'm sure, with a nice cut more like your own, your wig will look lovely. I'm rubbish at make-up too so will look at that link later that KK posted.

Phew, what a day yesterday!! Got there at 8.30 and left at 5.00 Met a nurse (lovely Violet) who explained the procedures and showed us around then got hooked up. I had to give more bloods then had a saline drip first of all, then a steroid, then the Avastin which they put through really slowly in case I had an allergic reation (90mins) then glucose to flush it through, then something else before the Docetaxol which again went through really slowly as it was the first time. I was monitored every 15 minutes. I didn't need the ice-cap for the Avastin but only just remembered in time for the Docetaxol. It's freezing cold but not unbearable. I was given a gauze pad for each ear. It was changed 3 times and had to be left on for another 45 mins after the treatment ended. The chair was really comfy with a remote control, there was a telly above it, a chair for DH and a supply of sandwiches, crisps, tea/coffee and biscuits. The staff were all wonderful. I couldn't believe how busy they were. It's a brand new (one year old) unit with 4 bays and about 14 chairs.

I've come home with another appointment for Monday 21st March at 8.30 again. I like the early morning one. It should be much quicker this time as they will put the chemo through at a quicker pace.

I've come home with steroids to take today and tomorrow plus anti-sickness tablets and medication for constipation and another for diarrhoea (to cover all eventualities :) ).

Had a restless sleep and woke up with a headache and a slight backache (both in the side-effects list) but I'm hoping they'll wear off. I also feel a bit spaced out so will have an easy restful day.

Thanks for all your good wishes.

xxx

One under your belt Figgy - well done Take things easy.

well done figgy now take care and rest xx

My computer is playing up, I have written a post three times and lost it, now I have lost the will to write it again, o briefly

Happy birthday to all birthday people, may you be blessed with cake and presents.

Well done figgy for getting though yesterday. Take care of yourself.

I wish you all a sunshiny day, 'cos I have one and it is lovely.

and a for Figgy - hope you're feeling okay still. Brilliant to think you're onto number two. Am wishing you no icky side effects.

And Birthday cheer to MrMas and MrSR, and of course to little RWU with her confusing birthday.

Kurri, glad your veins co-operated. Are you still feeling better?

LGF, eyebrows are a weird one - I did lose mine, but not until chemo 5. I wished I'd taken a picture though, as I couldn't remember the shape well enough. Also found it hard to find an eyebrow pencil the same colour, so I'd say look for one now.

I went on one of those make-up workshops as am rubbish at it too. Definitely sign up soon as they're popular. Goodie bag's are fantastic- even if only to give bits to friends as a thank you for helping out. And LGF they do show you how to do eyebrows.

LJ, good that you've got your appointment and had your tour. I didn't talk to anyone really during treatment, as even in a shared ward the chairs were too far apart to do much other than say hello and share supportive smiles.

Here I'm failing to work. DS was up half the night as he has a rotten cold. Of course he's fine today and bounced to school. I am not so bouncy..

And just what is a Welsh cake then. I wouldn't know one if it was in front of me, but do like the sound - well it has cake in the title.

Happy birthday to all those 1st day of Spring babies

Those make-up sessions sound like great advice, I wish I had known about them. Give it a try, ladies on chemo, it'll boost your confidence no end. LGF - the wigs are difficult but I am sure it will be fine when cut. And really, the only people who are likely to notice a bit of difference are those close to you, who will know anyway.

I never wore my wig, but I can remember saying to my chemo nurse that i seemed to be the only one in the unit with no hair. She said 'How do you know?' and when I looked again I could see that some of them MIGHT have been wearing wigs. They really were very good.

Figgy, you haver the first one under your belt. And it sounds like you have a nice unit, and you are doing great so far. Well done you!!! That's one down. There's light at the end of the tunnel.

I have just been hypnotised. It was great. He reckons back pain is often repressed rage and sadness. I did not think I was enraged or sad, or even repressed, but my back does feel better than when I went in. I am definitely going again!

no weird voice ?

No, no weird voice - not today, anyway

I definitely have repressed sadness, not sure about rage, so maybe I should get me some of those.....weird voice or not

Actually at moment I would settle for a professional haircut and a cup of tea. See someone tell dh that I am not high maintainence, he on the other hand........

I can recommend it, sparkles. have a look at the guy's website www.ndhypnotherapy.com and see what you think. Not sure what you'll find as i haven't looked myself, but he was very good.

if all you want is a haircut and a cup of tea, I'd say that was extremely low maintenance. Rather like myself

Oddly, I have abandoned work and am ironing . This NEVER happens. Obviously I don't always work, but I never iron. Could it be just the first of many life changes? if so,, DH will be absolutely made up!

I am living in an alternate universe and have abandoned ironing to mn!

anyone?

Thank you. It is far a bit too early for wine, after all.

have a ?

I shouldn't ....but thank you I will. Feel slightly less guilty as now ironing and mning

Just had a weird moment where I clicked on the thread underneath this one by mistake and thought 'who are all these people?' - thought I'd lost even more of my marbles.

I'll have a and a (heard you rattle the tin )

Cakes its a shame you didn't know about the workshops. I only found out because we are lucky enough to have the Big C Centre - the hospital never passes on any info. You have to search for it which is ridiculous.

Something I feel slightly annoyed about, is that I was never offered a wig or any info. about wigs. Now I probably wouldn't have bothered anyway, but it would have been nice to have the choice. I also 'slipped through the net' regarding a prosthesis, and had to ring up and ask if I was going to get one - they were very apologetic, but you don't need that kind of nonsense do you?

Ooh that was a bit of rant - maybe I should go and do some yoga to calm down

I'm glad the hypnotherapy went well Cakes - IMO whether you've got repressed rage or whatever, if it helps your back it's got to be a good thing. (actually I think it would be surprising if any of us didn't have a bit of repressed rage in there somewhere!)

Sparkle you don't sound high maintenance to me I keep telling DH how lucky he is - I'm happy with a walk on the beach and a bag of chips - I'm a very cheap date (in case anyone wants to ask me out )