TAMOXIFEN 9 *********

[MaryAnnSingleton]

Starts here !

Hello again Pink - glad you came across. Honestly you won't drive us mad. The good thing about this thread is takes the drama out of it all. I found it ever so helpful last year, to be able to talk to women who'd come out the other side. Makes you feel less alone somehow. Nicely anarchic they are too. A few laughs definitely helps.

MAS I got very worried about our cat when he first went out. I'd bet she'll be fine though - she knows where home is, so she won't go far.

Kurri, you're allowed to be cross. I was miffed when DS went to Prague with his students in February. Moaned my head off and all he came back with was a packet of Czech Wafers. Any news on the Celeb yet?

Cakes, am doing a bit of work, then off for a swim - not so gentle nudge. Go get your goggles woman.

LGF, hope you got a good night of sleep in. Not long and then you'll be through to no.2. Soon flies after that. You too LJ.

Figgy, hope you're okay today too.

Hi Pinkstarlight. I also haven't seen your other thread but I will go and look so you don't have to repeat yourself.

I won't be around much today as i have a screaming work deadline, but I'll read your other thread before I go back to that. I just wanted to say, that it is doable, you just have to try to deal with one bit at a time, and try not to let your imagination run riot. We can help with that. Also, any question, no matter how you feel, just ask it. We probably already have, and we won't be embarrassed.

Cross posts!

But smee, I went yesterday . And did Pilates (a bit)

MAS, it must be so hard letting Celeste go out. I hope you manage to bite the bullet and do it without worrying too much.

KK - I'd want to go to Canada too. How long is it for? A large gift is definitely needed.

Pinkstarlight - let us know what your chemo drugs are, if you can. We've had a few between us, and the effects are different. x

Hi Pink, I am sorry you are facing this battle. I hope you are doing ok today. I have read your other post. The lovely women on this thread are a fantastic source of support and knowledge. I hope it helps you.

MAS You efforts are admirable to keep Celeste safe, but she will climb that fence soon, rather like the chimney. She knows home now, so she will be fine, and if she finds a dog the other side of the gate, that might put her off too. Give her a chin rub from me.

All the virtuous exercise and weight loss should be inspirational to me. I have not fallen off my chocolate wagon, but have not lost a jot anyway. No exerices this week though my knees and hips are very painful at the moment. I am hoping racing btw two schools will shift some excess pounds. DD1 doing very well, ds has severe pain today, and is very miserable, school have kept ringing me to update me as we desperately try to keep him in school.

Sun is beautiful. Washing on the line. SPRING!

It was The science minister (Willetts) - yawn. And he didn't even visit DH's place - it was the neighbouring institute on the same science park. So massive anti climax. Maybe just as well though - DH isn't very complementary about the science minister

I'm not sure how long Canada is for (it's not until August) probably a week. I might try to lose weight so I can cram myself into his hand luggage Smee - wafers sounds like the sort of present I get (I once got a hair scrunchy from Germany because his visa card wouldn't work - or some such feeble excuse!)

It is a lovely day here - really warm - I've come in from the garden because it was too hot - greenhouse is like a sauna.

I hope you manage the deadline Cakes - I'm sure you will - make sure you are well supplied with FBS's.

I hope everyone is OK today - and the chemo ladies are not feeling too tired or yukky.

Welcome again pinkstarlight

x-posted Sparkle - I'm glad DD is settling in, sorry DS is in pain today - I hope he feels better soon.

Sorry I've not been back for a while, still busy with all the plans I made to occupy myself when I didn't know when my appt would be.

Those of you looking for contacts, I use these www.daysoftcontactlenses.com/GB/CountryHomepage.aspx and they are very cheap, but I've been really pleased with them. Before them I was using daily disposables by Acuvue and I can't tell any difference between them. They are about half the price though so when I was pregnant and had really sore, dry eyes I would even put a new pair in at lunch time if I had a da out planned where I really didn't want to wear my glasses (sounds v extravagant now I've typed it, but it was cost effective and I HATE my glasses!) Anyway, sales spiel over now!

I'm going to bow out of this thread now but I just wanted to come back and say how much your help and advice meant to me. Knowing that if I had been given bad news on Tuesday that you ladies would have helped me through it made the worry easier. That being said, in the nicest possible way, I hope I don't have to come back! . I wish each of you all the very best with your treatment and dx and I will think of you all often. You're bloody stars!!!

Waving goodbye to SallyScuttles. Been lovely having you here, but am ever so glad you don't need us anymore.

Kurri, David Willetts is a bit of a let down. Looks like a fish and is about as interesting. Your DH's gift tops mine - a scrunchy?!

Cakes you get extra smug points for going swimming and not boasting about it. Hope the deadline is met.

Sparkles, great to hear that dd's settling. Not good to hear about DS. Can't imagine how you cope with all of his problems. Have my fingers crossed for him to start to feel better. Why are your joints so painful?? Is that a long term thing. Really hope not.

I swam, then sat with a friend outside a cafe in the sun, sipping latte. Felt very European and decadent. Better do some work now though.

Is anyone else hooked on 'The Killing'? I'm scared someone's going to tell me the ending, as am a bit behind..

poor ds sparkle
sally- thanks for contact lens link...and am glad we helped get you through the anxiety of waiting...hope we don't see you here again !!
VIP v disappointing then !

Celeste had a walk and came in of her own accord- everything spooks her (the dogs on either side will ! as will a visiting cat)
Last night our neighbour spent ages calling his cat in -they don't have as flap- it worried me that I might not get Miss C in- am planning to keep her in at night. I wasn't like this with my Wilfrid-but he was a bit older and was a rescue cat- he roamed about all over the place (in London) but always came when I called. Celeste usually does too.
Sop beautiful here- my quince tree has lovely little leaves coming out !

MAS, I kept Nin in at night for the first six months after we let him out. Now he just comes and goes as he pleases. Seems to work well, even if he does wake me up at 3am to say 'I'm back'. Sometimes he's just like a teenager.

Pink, meant to say about Iron levels, it really is worth eating iron rich foods to try and keep your levels up. I didn't want to put that on the other thread, as that woman on there was very insistent. She's right in some ways, as if you do get seriously anaemic you'd need a transfusion or something more medicalised to get the levels up again. The key is not to let it get that low, and eating well really does help. So go gnaw on some liver [shudder emoticon from a veggie] Who was it on here who used to do that, was it SR??

Cheerio Sally - I'm so glad you don't need to be here anymore And now you've got through your appointment, you've got some beautiful spring weather to enjoy.

Well done all you boasters swimmers - I really need to get my carcass back in the pool so I can do my manatee impression.

Willetts is a let down (I think the term 'pea-brain' may have passed DH's lips ) and yes he does resemble a fish.

I'd better get something better than a scrunchy from Canada or there will be trouble - I have subtly informed DH of this

MAS - I am of your quince tree. We used to have one at our old house - it had lots of low branches and a very climbable shape - the children loved it, and it still happily produced quinces despite being used for adventures and dens

willetts and fish analogie

Sparkles waves bye bye to Sally. Good luck Sally

Never mind manatee Kurri, I think I would just sink like a stone if I got in the pool now. I have passed through the too stressed to eat stage into the so stressed have to eat everything stage. Ah sigh, tis my own fault. Had to stop my lovely friend today nad ask her if my reflection in her car window, was distorted or my true outline. She laughed and assured me it was distortion, but as she is partially blind at the moment, and a jolly lovely person her honesty in this matter may be slightly dubious. Still no chocolate has passed my lips though.

We have a quince about to burst into leaf too, too small to climb as yet though, will be good for the grandchildren

DS is having a lousey day. Boo. Have sent another round of complaint to LA copied to MP, was promised a letter was on its way to me earlier in the week, but still not arrived, fibbing so and so s. As I obviously don't have enough on my plate I have also started a complaints procedure against PCT for ds' medical care, following Diane Abbot's advice. Honestly I am not a naturally militant person, I explained the brief history to PALS yesterday and they told me to by-pass them and go straight to the top with their help as they thought level of care was so appalling. Slightly reassuring as beginning to feel I am a nutter.

Don't let dh come back with a maple leaf jumper kurri, unless that is what you really want

Cat stretched out asleep in the sunshine. Spring!!

Shall be gutted when cold weather returns next week

well done on starting the complaints proceedure sparkle - really hope it will help- quite right to go straight to the top !!
Celeste exploring the garden- has seen of mum's huge cat and met the Rhodesian Ridgeback next door - the dog seemed friendly but Celeste went all spiky-but seemed very interested ! So beautiful out - have painted my toenails (orangey red)

MAS at toenails, it is the weather to inspire the colour!

Yes well done on starting the complaints procedure Sparkle - don't let the bastards grind you down!

Toe nails sound snazzy MAS, and Celeste is getting adventurous

I spent the morning at keep fit (and managed to keep up more or less), Then I met DS for coffee - he'd come over to the City to shop for his DP's birthday.

He wants me to do some work for one of his upcoming productions - designing and making some large stage puppets - so I'm quite excited, it'll be hard work but fun

Tomorrow I'm going to a quiz and chips night - we came second at the last one - so am hoping to go one better

Hope everyone has a restful weekend

wow- puppets sound a great project -fab !
I couldn't quite face wearing my flipflops to show off orangey nails but I feel prepared in case I do.
Nice decorator is coming to fit Celeste's cat door this afternoon - I keep looking for her in the garden and she blends into trhe patio brickwork very well,so is hard to pick her out.
Had coffee with friend today at Italian cafe- asked for no chocolate on my cappuccino -and had a heavenly croissant- think I'd live on them if I could. On the way out I bought a rosemary and olive oil roll and an olive one for ds - truly yummy.

Well thats chemo number 2 out of the way...hurrah! 6 more to go...boo!!

It went a lot quicker this time. An hour from walking until leaving. I took a friend with me, and we chatted the whole time (and probably annoyed everyone else in there) :) The nurse made a better job with the canular, which also made it a much more pleasant experience.

All this lovely weather and my summer clothes are packed away :( I need to get them out but we are mid decorating our bedroom at the moment, so can't. Will have to cope with what I've got. I don't see my cats in weather like this...they just disappear for most of the day. I would love to know where they go??

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend xx

Well done LGF - two out of the way - and an hour is very good going!

You might not need you summer clothes for a little while - I think colder weather is predicted. But if you do go out in the sun remember hat and suncream .

Have a lovely weekend, take it easy xx

yay- well done LGF -take care of yourself now

Well done LGF, hope you are feeling OK. Don't think you'll be needing your summer clothes again just yet I'm afraid!

Kurri Am of your chips and quiz night, just my sort of thing! They had one at school recently but wasn't able to go. Jolly well done for last time and good luck for a triumphant outcome this time! The puppet project sounds exciting too!

Sparkle Well done for your active campaigning for your DS, what a great mum you are, and doing it all on no chocolate too! Really hope DS has a better day tomorrow

Did some clearing up of weeds I had left to dry today. Garden looking a bit better. We have a pond which has absolutely masses of frogspawn in it, looking forward to watching (at least some of) them hatch!

Yeay from me too LGF. Brilliant you're through to number 3. Sink into the sofa and indulge yourself tonight. I mostly used to take a friend with me too. She was delightfully irreverent. I think the nurses used to look forward to us coming.

LJ, which day's your second?? I know it's next week, just can't remember when.

Sparkle well done from me too. Sounds like a chance of something shifting maybe?? Really hope so. How was DD at the end of her first week?

Hope Celeste's happy with the cat flap, MAS. Seem to remember having to tempt ours through with treats. Took him ages to get the hang of it. He is lovely but a teeny bit dim. I have never ever painted my toenails. How can I have got to this great age and not done that?! I will buy polish tomorrow. You've inspired me.

Kurri, can I come and make puppets?! Sounds fantastic. What are you going to use and what's the play? Quiz and chips sounds like my sort of night. Hope you win.

My turn to run the after school cake sale today - always astounds me how fast the cakes disappear. Locusts would be left standing.

Happy weekend to all. for those who feel up to it. (I most certainly do.) And a little or even a lot of whatever you fancy to all others. We're taking DS on the big march tomorrow. Wish us no kettling. Am having major wee anxiety..

they will have portaloos en route maybe ? (though that doesn't help wee anxiety really) I know some people who are going too.
Good luck with quiz KK - hope you win.
Celeste hasn't figured out the cat door yet-I remember Wilfrid finding it hard to manage at first- but she's a bright girl so with any luck it won't take long.
Have a very lovely weekend everyone- am a bit sad that it might get chilly again...

LGF - yes well done re your chemo round and I'm really glad the nurse was more skilled with the cannula that bit freaked me out.

Pink star - welcome. I'll go and read your other thread before I say any more. Nut just to say I tto have found this thread hugely helpful. I was having treatment for most of 2010 but now am fine, and don't get on here much as I work full time again now.

MAS - sympathy re letting Cleste out - we'll be approaching that stage in about 5 weeks with our Orlando. Meanwhile he's having a whale of a time. House is covered in cat-entertainment features - wooly nests, scratching posts with mice attached, wands with creatures full of cat-nip, cardboard box he loves to hide in etc etc. I didn't buy all this - a friend donated some of it!

Thank-you for all congrats re my weight. I need to lose another stone tbh but the second one is bound to be more of an effort and I've started to slip in the last couple of days - because work is pretty intense and that makes me stay longer and then I start on the biscuits! However a couple of days of slippage isn't the end of the world is it.

Yay, spring has been feeling great this week hasn't it.

O and we've had our living room redecorated - looks very nice too! Bit chaotic everywhere till we restore order...

XX

Good for you Smee - jump up and down and wave if you think you are on camera. I wish you a kettling and wee-anxiety free day.

Cakes sales are a complete feeding frenzy (usually in IME teachers shoving kids out of the way so they can get the to the cakes first )

The play is James and the Giant Peach - puppets have to be the type you can put your hand in and move the mouth - I'll be making them out of fabric - big and bright so they can be seen. Along these sort of lines with sticks but I'm doing an earthworm, centipede, spider, grasshopper and ladybird.

I'm really looking forward to it - DS and I have collaborated before on writing projects - and its always fun working with him

Have a lovely weekend all