**T*A*M*O*X*I*F*E*N 11 **

[MaryAnnSingleton]

new thread here !

ha ha - poor Cakes ! we shouldn't tease...
KK - am checking your profile for graduation pictures
another blood test ? eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee- I daren't show my face in the blood letting department.

MAS I'm having problems with the down loading of pics. There were several and only one has arrived (from DH's dropbox). I wanted him to download them into another file so I could put them on my profile and restrict viewing to everyone on this thread, but he didn't [grr] so need to re do when he gets home. If any of that made sense well done

Stupid question number 367 !
Will my eyebrows and eyelashes fall out too ?
I have already noticed a loss in my nether regions , so there's an upside to everything

They will, topsy, they will

Both tend to grow in between cycles and disappear again a bit more radically with each new dose. So by the end you are left with very few. The upside is they come back very quick at the end and, in the case of lashes, like Bambi's.

fondant fancy anyone ?

yes - eyebrows, lashes, nose hair, undercarriage and armpits topsy, and face, arms, legs etc. but they do grow back well, and if your eyes get a bit dry they can give you 'artificial tears' drops to help.

It's just a question of getting used to the weirdness of it all. I remember being rather surprised when my lashes and brows went - you kind of don't think about those things

Yes please MAS, I'll have the yellow one if no one else wants it

has anyone seen those giant fondant fancies you can get - the size of a big cake but in the form of a FF. They look pretty good, - unfortunately I think you're expected to share them

yum

Hi all, haven't posted for a few days as I've been away. Sorry to hear of all the falling hair issues.
KurriKurri, I had the tram flap reconstruction and I wouldn't recommend it. It's a long process, two operations in one and really knocks you sideways. Even though it's nice to get rid of the belly, I wouldn't say it's worth all the pain and aggro. I had to have about another five ops to get it all right, including the nipple reconstruction, and this was by one of the allegedly top plastic surgeons in the country! Let's just say that if I'd had to pay for it, I would have asked for my money back.....
I just got back from a lovely long weekend away, only to develop a nasty case of cellulitis in my lymphedema arm. More antibiotics, grrr!

Columbia, I'm glad you had a nice holiday, but how annoying about cellulitis, - a friend of mine is just recovering from that in her mastectomy wound - it's very nasty, so I hope the AB's zap it for you.

tram flap is the front one isn't it? - I don't think I'd be able to have that, I;d have to have it taken from the back. the bit that I'm wavering over is the recovery time and what if it needs a lot of further ops. Sorry you had such an awful experience with yours

it says to share with 12 friends - bah !
Weekend Woman's Hour had a piece about reconstructions and talked to an oncoplastic surgeon and a doctor who had a reconstruction- think she had the one using back -apparently the tummy ones give better results but you'll see the scars which can be constant reminders (but maybe listen again to get it right- it was interesting) I was idly looking at post WLE scars online today and there was a woman with one pretty much like mine,with the dent in the breast too,apparently hers is regaining it's shape a bit more. (I am still waiting to hear back about website job-so am looking up all kinds of stuff)
I must now go and try to worm Celeste.
I went to vet to get worm tablets and flea stuff and couldn't remember my card number- so embarrassing,also couldn't tell them roughly how much Celeste weighs - I just tried to describe her as a small cat. gah.

Columbia horrid about cellulitis -really hope the antibiotics work quickly.

Kurri, are implants an option? That's what I'm doing. Lot simpler in terms of operation. Must admit, I wimped out and went for functionality! Get on a waiting list. My op's in September. We could recuperate together. I'm already planning on Mad Men box sets.

Columbia, you really did go through it, didn't you?! Sorry about the cellulitis. Hope the anti-b's kill it fast. Where did you go on your lovely weekend?

Topsy, my eyebrows and lashes didn't go until about chemo 4, so you might have them for a while yet. The nasal hair going crept up on me. I hadn't realised how important it is for catching things. Expect a constantly dripping nose anytime soon. [yuk]

Hugely relieved here, as DS had his morning with next year teacher today. He came out beaming, and reckons she's lovely, so phew. Can I have the other lemon fancy to celebrate? They're the only ones worth eating.

hooray for new teacher result !

Definitely hooray! Makes such a massive difference. If he'd hated her he'd have been anxting all summer. Cakes DS has the year thug in his class too. Your girl sounds far worse, but this boy doesn't seem to talk, he just kicks.

Good news about the teacher smee.

I am so sorry Topsy, I hope you ok.

at paper knickers, smiley faces, surprised surgeons and stockings. Yep no dignity left at all.

If I could rewind and choose my reconstruction again, I'd go for the implant. Much less aggro to do and recover from! Glad I never had the one from the latissimus dorsi muscle, because that's where it was hiding when it came back last year
We went to Hebden Bridge and Haworth at the weekend, as my nephew's dad and brother were visiting from Germany. Had a lovely ride up and down the line on a steam train, and lots of lovely grub. Luckily I only started feeling out of sorts on the last night, but we were just chilling in the house that night, so no worries.
I'd never thought about nose hair loss, the things you learn here, blimey!
MAS, what's WLE?

Topsy - I'd recommend at this stage you go to a hairdresser and ask her to cut all your hair to an inch all over - I did this from a recommendation on this thread. It felt much better and just came off in the shower afterwards - I found it really sore at the stage you're at now, and it was a relief when it had gone. have you got a huge variety of flattering head-gear ready?

Amber - really sorry about the lack of support you are getting - I think that sounds pretty crap really. Can you swap over to NHS - the support and hot-line available was good in my area (North West England)

KK - I am also eagerly awaiting photos - glad you had a great day too - sorry about your face though. I've missed on what is wrong with it......hope it improves soon. A friend of mine had a reconstruction recently which she's pleased with.

Cakes - extraordinary image of your opration now.....oh heck.Sorry to say that my back's gone into a spasm today for the first time in 18 months - hobbling round like Mrs Overall or the waitress in Two Soups....

MAS - hope your work gets good reviews

Smee, Pink, and all - hope you're keeping well.

Won't be here for a few days now with NZ friends arriving tomorrow early- hooray!

have a lovel.y time with NZ friends SR
Columbia -WLE=wide local excision(lumpectomy) Your weekend out sounds jolly and fun!
No word back from website thing yet...
Have seen Topsy's photos of hair and scarf on fb and she looks fab in it - I absolutely love the way you handle things-with humour and practicality-what a star - you also make your friends feel reassured I think,judging from how you write here and on fb.

Topsy, MAS is right you look great. How's the hair today? Is it still shedding at the same rate?

MAS, hope you get some feedback soon. Waiting's horrible.

Nothing much to tell here. Working (or trying to!) and SinL and DN have gone off to explore London. DN was delighted with her £20, which was lovely. She wants to go back to Camden Market to spend it. They spent yesterday afternoon there. Her first ever visit and she's hooked.

Seems to have slowed down today .
Am in a bit of an inbetween state right now . Hair is very , very thin looking and patchy . It's also making my scalp a bit sore where its coming out in clumps .

Should I just take the clippers to it and take it down to an inch ? Would that make it easier ?

I'd say so, Topsy. It's horrible when it's coming out in clumps. I remember crying whilst fishing handfuls out of the drain because it was blocked. Taking control might help - sort of empowering somehow. The soreness fades quite quickly though - or at least it did for me. You deserve cake woman. Passing you a chocolate mini roll.

am off to the shops so will buy you some sweeties...
Smee is right about the empowering thing I reckon- you'd be taking charge and choosing to cut it v short. I remember lalaa doing this.
Milk bottles ? candy sticks ?

topsy it might help if you clip it down short. IIRC mine fell out but left a couple of wispy strands which had to be shaved off. It is horrible when it falling out but once it is gone it feels OK and not sore any more.

hope you get news from the website soon MAS.

SR I hope the back spasm has settled - they're horrible.

I've just got a letter from the health centre saying my GP wants to discuss the results of my recent blood test with me, - but I can't get an appointment with him until next Tuesday [grrr] so now my mind is going into overdrive wondering what the problem is.

Chocolate mini rolls ---hmmmm

Ooh mini chocolate rolls ? Don't mind if I do . And I'll have a bag of pink shrimps and white chocolate mice from the shops please MAS

Am making bacon butties for the DC and I , anyone want one ?

Think I will get DH to help me clip my hair tonight . Get it over and done with . Its got to be better than the "Chernobyl" look I am sporting right now .