**TAMOXIFEN TEN***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

brand new shiny thread....our tenth !

that t shirt sounds ace KK and the oncologist sounds v helpful. Am just dashing by to say hello before getting on with laundry/ironing- had the nicest day today with my friend and dd- ds was really chatty and relaxed and we had a fab lunch with dh at the Pizza Express (helped by 2 glasses each of pinot blush- recommended-very refreshing !) Just seen them off at the station - I love seeing them-of all my friends I feel the most relaxed with them.
Tomorrow we're off to London- yay ! love to all,and special hug for topsy.

aww,bless little Cakes - I have seen v nice pictures of her before and she is v cute.

She might be a minx, Cakes but even sideways, your DD is gorgeous.

Kurri, your centre sounds so wonderful. Must look into that sort of thing - brilliant you've found it. Has DH braved the Hornets yet?

• MAS your day sounds excellent. I'm doing something similar tomorrow, and am really looking forward to it. What are you doing in London tomorrow then? I've just checked the forecast; looks like the sun will shine.

SR, did you get to the optician? Really hope you were wrong about the retina.

Sparkle, patio laying?! Blimey, am impressed. Three small children and cement sounds stressful ambitious.

Have no time to write to all, so am mostly just racing in to wish Topsy all the luck and virtual hugs she can carry. I've made far too many half term plans, so won't be around for a few days. I'll be thinking of you on Thursday though, Topsy. Come back to us as soon as you feel able.

Pink, Amber, LGF, Lilruthie, LJ and all others hoping you have an as good as you can do week.

Sorry if I've missed anyone. See you in a few days.

hope you have as lovely a day as we did smee
We'll start off on the South Bank -some lunch and I want to see the Tracey Emin at the Hayward- dh not keen and I don't think it's suitable for ds-they can look at the Festival of Britain exhibition..then off to look at tall buildings for ds-and we'll have early supper at either a Malaysian restaurant or Wahaca,the Mexican street food place (margaritas !! ) -well,that's the plan anyway.

Have a lovely day tomorrow Smee, you too MAS - sounds a great day out - I always get excited about going to London

MAS, get to the Hayward early - there were massive queues at the weekend. Festival of Britain exhibition's quite good, but tell DH and DS to pick up a Festival Map, so as not to miss the Giant Straw Fox. Have fun.

ah thanks KK and thanks for the advice smee

'morning all

How are you all feeling?

Hello Amber - you were up bright and early - how was the dizziness today?

I hope everyone is feeling Ok today

I'm having problems with leg and foot cramp, and read on google that it can be a SE of tamox. - anyone else have this problem?

Horribly yuk overnight but absolutely fine today apart from mouth feeling like it's been coated in carpet

Yes, I've had a bit of cramp on docetaxel so I think it might be a SE

Sorry you had a bad night - was it sickness or just general dreadfulness? But good you are feeling better today (apart from carpet mouth )

Isn't it quite here today? they've all gone off gallivanting for the day

I'm going to physio for my shoulder soon, - and then cycling home so hoping the rain holds off.

digestive problems of a sort I shall not mention here but I think it's all se's.

Cycling after physio? Blimey, doesn't that hurt?

Leg cramps here too, KK

I am wishing lovely days out to all who are having them, and love and fun to everyone else too. I am just dashing through to wish topsy all luck tomorrow. Half term is hell - i couldn't work becuase dd was on the pooter so I went to garden instead and she came to 'help'. So I left her with a doable task and came back in. now she wants it back again. Sigh.

Thank you all for kind comments about dd. She does not look anything like me, more's the pity (for me, not her ). I'll see if I can get a nice and not fat photo taken at the weekend, and then I really will post it

Normal ramblings will be resumed after half term (we have just decided to go to Wells next the Sea from Friday to Monday, and got a last minute booking. Hooray!!!!! KK I shall wave at you as we cross the border....

Oh Wells will be lovely at the moment Cakes., are you going to go out on the boat to see the seal colony?

Oh well I assume the leg cramps are normal then - I hate them - they make my calf sore for the whole day afterwards.

Oh dear Amber - I hope its all calmed down now. Have you got anything you can take for it?

It has taken me an hour and a half to cycle back, - it was so hot, and my shoulder ached and they've laid a new road surface and the tar and stones kept getting stuck onto my tyre - so very stop and start.

On the good side and old man cyclist gave me a miltary salute as we passed on opposite sides of the road, and I tinged my bell in reply

Physio has signed me off, because shoulder is improving so I just need to keep up the exercises. Carpal Tunnel syndrome she said she can't fix with physio so has referred me back to the GP for nerve induction (?) tests or injections (aargh)

Lots of love and luck for tomorrow Topsy, hope you are early on the list so don't have to hang around. xx

Yup, calmer now. Took some gumption that will probably cause the opposite reaction but never mind

Wells next the Sea is one of my fave places in the UK - wonderful!!

Thanks for all the good wishes .
Have just repacked my hospital bag .
So all I have to pop in it in the morning is my toothbrush and phone charger .

Don't think I'll be back on till after surgery , so all the positive vibes you have will be very much appreciated .

See you on the other side

Good luck Topsy!! Let us know what's what as soon as you can??

Go for it topsy. it's so much nicer on this side, we are waiting for you to join us.

Way to go amber. It is a bugger, isn't it. Woohoo for gumption

I think we may go on the seal boat, we have always been int he winter before. it will be nice to see it in its summer finery.

KK - nerve conduction tests are painless. They wire you up and sort of tickle your fingers electronically and measure when your nerves respond so they can see if they are affected. Good news about your shoulder, though, you must have been pretty conscientious about the exercises.

Oh that gumption's good stuff Amber

See you on the other side Topsy

I'm glad the tests are painless Cakes - I'm a wimp

just been on the phone to mum. Dad got up in the night and filled a saucepan with birdseed, the contents of a jar of coffee, honey and milk. Then put it on the hob and went back to bed. Mum woke up to the fire alarm and a strong smell of carbonization.

The birdseed has been hidden away now (last week he tried to eat a bowl of it with milk for breakfast - I suppose it does look vaguely like cereal) Poor old chap

Oh no. I don't know which one of them I feel most sorry for. Does your Mum have any social or medical help?

She has SS help Cakes (someone comes in morning and evening to wash dad and dress him/get him into his PJ's) and he goes to daycare centre twice a week, and on f my sisters lives very close and helps out when she can.

Mum is always so upbeat - she is just that kind of person she never moans. Just says 'honestly I can't take my eyes off him for a minute'

He tries to eat continuously because he can't remember he's just eaten, and doesn't seem to feel full. So everything has to be hidden or he'd make himself sick.

KK, goodness that's a worry. And a safety hazard. Sounds like social services might need to do a needs assessment fairly pronto?

I can't imagine how she copes. I know a couple of people with Dementia - they aren't too bad yet, but they are very hard work for the people they live with. Sorry, that wasn't meant to make you feel worse.

Its OK cakes - doesn't make me feel worse - I know the score when it comes to alzheimer's -it's a bastard.

O dear re the birdseed story - but yes I can imagine it looks the sane as muesli doesn't it.

Liked the T-shirts though! Especially KK's one!!

Like Cakes's DD pic too - but hey woman I think you said you were size 12 recently?? That is sylph-like so come on I want to see your photo!! And well done on the weight loss - is it continuing? Mine has plateuated - motiavtion has dropped at the mo. And dismal weather last Sunday brought on a massive baking session here - we're still eating the produce.#

Yes I got to optician's yesterday. He put those drops in that widen the pupil - then had a good look round and to my releief said although (TMI alert) the jelly has detachedfrom the wall a bit, it has not taken the retina with it- phew! He's referring me for a clinic appt but really only because thi is their standard procedure. So that was a relief. And no change in my prescription so hooray, no need to buy new specs at the mo - financial relief! So I felt quite happy handing over my £20 after fantasizing all the worst possible scenarios re my detached retina!!! Did I learn nothing from the BC journey after all?

Thinking of Topsy and sending positive vibes to all, esp those battling the chemo.