*** TAMOXIFEN * 12 ***

[KurriKurri]

Tada! A shiney new thread - get me with my fancy asterisks

DD2 (aged 27, good god when did that happen) is coming with me as Dh has to work and as the letter says expect the appointment to take around 3 hours he'd miss a days pay which we just can't afford. To be honest I'm glad, in a way, that he can't come as I'd spend the time worrying about how long it was all taking IYSWIM.

Another question. If the biopsies happen will I be able to wear my bra afterwards, if not I'm changing out of this pretty blouse methinks

yes I think you will be OK with a bra Earth, - although it might be an idea to avoid an underwired one. I'm glad your DD is going with you, having a bit of company does help Loads of good thoughts coming your way

Thanks Kurri, its not an underwired one thank goodness. Lord this morning is dragging

The bra should be fine, unless the suspected lump is on the underside, near the ribcage. Mine was, and I found a stretchy vest/tight t-shirt a better option for a few days. It's just that the band underneath can be a bit stiff, and rub on a tender patch.

I am glad dd is going with you. Leave plenty of time so you aren't in a mucksweat when you get there. Everyone will be lovely and make it as smooth and stress-free as possible. I am hoping for the best possible news. x

Thank you all - its nice to talk to people who know what its all about, iyswim.

Earth - mum says she is just a little sore today, so hopefully you wont be so bad tomorrow. I agree that the waiting is the worst bit. Remember to take a bottle of water/snack, because from past experience with my mum, it really can and does take hours.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and good wishes. Had a good night and feel a lot brighter this morning. DN has been and removed dressings and is pleased with what she sees. It seems any swelling last night has gone down and arm seems a bit less numb.

I expect you're already on your way, Earth, but just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you and hoping for a positive outcome. If you do need a biopsy, mine didn't hurt (and I'm the biggest wimp going). It was just the thought of it that tensed me up.

Sorry to hear your mum's got to wait so long for the results Whoremoangee. The waiting is the worst part.

Smee, did they enjoy their tennis. I think you might need to take ALL your very thick jumpers and wellies will be an essential. The weather is diabolical.

Ooh, Topsy, you're allowed to cry - it's compulsory.

KK, definitely ignore the washing up. I do. Enjoy your yoga. It's something I would like to take up when things are a bit calmer and I feel up to it.

Lucky MAS, off to London to enjoy the architecture. I love the Docklands area and the light railway and the buildings give me a stiff neck because I spend so much time gawping. Then in the City there's the mixture of old and new. I love the contrast.

Off for a and a bit of telly followed by a read.

Glad you are feeling a bit brighter figgy. It's not easy, and the fluid build up can go on for a while, which makes for swelling, numbness and general discomfort. Not nice. Treats and rest are the way forward for a while yet.

Smee - where will you be camping? I hope you have planned properly and it is somewhere with nice food and drink within easy reach. Two weeks of camping is very brave - I hope it is fun. I imagine ds will love it.

Can I please just sit in a corner with a and feel ill?

Absolutely, amber, sometimes it is the only way

At least it was a big hurdle over with, and that's a major blessing.x

Amber, am pouring you an ultra soothing Are you feeling same SE as normal, or is it something different this time?

Figgy, glad you're a bit brighter today. Fear not, there's now a pile of jumpers ready to go. DH will not be impressed. DS loved tennis, but told me he won't ever play again because I made him do it. Stubborn is the word that comes to mind..

Cakes, we're off to unspecified parts of France. DH has a mission to take us to a Medieval fort that they're building using only original tools. Can't remember where it is, but somewhere south of Paris. We'll float around from there. Not sure if it's brave or stupid to go for two weeks in a tent you can't even stand up in.

Kurri, I hope a domestic elf has taken over the pots while you were out and that yoga was soothing.

Hope Earth's got only good news. Still have everything crossed for her.

Meanwhile, am wrestling with my accounts. I think they're winning..

That's a relief, you stand a better chance of being Ok weather wise in France. The fort sounds interesting, I'd like to see that.

You guilt-trip me into doing my own accounts whenever you say you are doing yours. It's a good job you do, as they are always at the bottom of my list, I hate them

The tardy client has still not paid up, although their accounts dept swears they sent the cheque yesterday. I remain unconvinced so will not be doing their magazine until it arrives and clears

This is the fort, Cakes www.guedelon.fr/ A friend of ours has been doing some work there, which is how we found out about it. Totally up DS's street, but it does look amazing.

Too right to be stern to that client. Still on alert here, to go round and show my scars if needs be.

O France will be lovely Smee, I'm . This staycation lark is over-rated....still will help reduce our finances.

Huge number of posts to catch up on. Figgy, do take care of your wound. Mine was full of fluid and very wet - I got an infection in it. Do watch out for redness and any sign of a fever and if you get these insist on going back to your ward to get them to sort it out. I had to have a 2nd op to clear it all up and it took ages afterwards. But I hope you're Ok and just allowing yourself time to heal.

MAS -Hayling Island sounds great - I want to live by the sea again one day and both DH and I miss being on the coast.

Alos, our DD loved birding and we had 3 fantastic holidays organised by YOC. Two were just a few days based at Dale Fort Filed centre in Pembrokeshire. Absolutely brill - lovely young marine biologist kept all the youngsters riveted which I found very relaxing! These were at Eatser-times when DD about 8 and 9. Then another year we all went to Brittany and again the guide was excellent and organised nature-based activities - we were in a group of about 15 all based on a Euorcamp site. If YOC/RSPB still do these I'd highly recommend.

Can't beleive that woman on the beach who comment ed on ILGC's size- I would have cut her dead I think!! A real op top play a cancer card methinks....

Cakes and KK made me laugh about being man magnets. I don't think I've ever relied on my looks to magentise them so still keep on with the old personality charm approach (when I can be bothered )

Topsy - I hadn't appreciated that you had secondaries in your lungs. This may have been when I haven't been reading everything, so just wanted to say I hope your medics are managing everything well with you.

My NZ friends fly off tomorrow. We've had a lovely few days - had a nice party yesterday evening - I'll miss them all over again now - they're packing at present.

I'm very impressed with all the children-entertainment strategies. My 17- year-old DS has been doing well - lots of cooking and helping to look after guests - he's good at this now, which is lovely. He's off to a BBQ shortly, with girl-friend. I'm releived not to have to organise all the child-care for summer hols any more but I do miss those fantastic bucket-and-spade early times --so gorgeous even though exhausting too!

Same SEs but differently arranged and I think I'm just worn down at the moment.

I'm reading what people post, but just not up to doing more than waving in a slightly exhausted way, so apologies

Wavng to you Amber and hope you'll pick up soon. (I think you've had last chemo if I'm remembering right?) I'm sure things will settle and you'll start to recover - I finished chemo in September last year - onc said my energy would return to normal by Christmas but it started to improve noticibly in a month and I was pretty normal by the beginning of December. Hang on in there.

BTW - sorry Earth, I meant to say hello to you too. Hope you find the thread welcome - its been a great support to me. I had treatment last year (lumpectomy, lymph node clearance, chemo and rads) and am fine now. Things are tough for you but I hope we can help.

The fort sounds fascinating, Smee - right up DH's street.

Glad to hear you had a lovely time with your friends, SR. When do you think you'll see them again? I miss the bucket and spade days, too, now that my boys are older. We live by the sea and, apart from taking the dog for a walk, we never go on the beach just to sit and play, like we used to.

Amber, sorry to hear your SEs are getting you down. It's your last one isn't it? I found the effects accumulated and the last one for me was a bugger too. Just be kind to yourself over the next few days. You mustn't feel guilty about not posting either - I went a few weeks where I just couldn't muster up the energy to post and then, when I came back, it was lovely to be able to join in again.

I hope Earth is okay.

Has Littlegreenfrog posted at all? I know we were having our chemo at about the same time and wonder how she is.

I saw a mention of Hayling Island up above. I was supposed to take DS2 to a holiday camp there this week for a group holiday with about 90 others (all mums with special needs children/young adults) but DS1 took him instead for me so I could recover in peace from my op. What a star!!! I took DS2 last year and it was fab. They're having a lovely time - tonight's the last night. They've had a fun-packed week but I've missed them all the same. I think I am going to insist on a 'healthy eating regime' when they get home. I expect they've been living on all the unhealthy options this week but, heyho, it's their holiday.

Hi everyone! Just thought I'd pop in with updates on my Mum.
We went to her consultant appointment this morning. They feel that on balance Mum is not going to be a candidate fir chemo after all although the oncologist wil talk to us again and probably use the Adjunct online tool. Because of her age (78) they thought it may be too much for her. Even though the tumor was large (5cm) and had one lymph node involved as the cancer was only grade 2 and her2- then on balance they weren't strongly advising it. Ultimately it will be up to Mum to decide anyway.
Anyway even though she's had the mastectomy now they still said there were not clear margins so she will still have radiotherapy to help prevent local recurrence.
So it was good really and no nasty surprises this time. Think mum feels more positive

Hope everyone is well, I'll now read back and catch up on the news!

hooray for good results for Framey's mum - and we can certainly advise on radiotherapy when she gets to do that bit.
Am trying to catch up on everyone's posts- did you all help yourself to cocktails - I had a very delicious and refreshing margarita at Wahaca where we went for an early supper.

No news back from Earth ? really hope all is well.
Smee- have a very lovely holiday -fort sounds excellent
Cakes - yes,be very stern !!
Hope your wound is ok Figgy and arm less numb-and amber,rest up..
Will be thinking of whoremoanee's mum too.
We had a lovely day-I've walked miles and miles and seen every big building possible.(my hip is mega sore) Went on the DLR to Canary Wharf -ds in heaven (he borrowed our camera to take photos- millions of them)
I went last to C Wharf when everything was being built-it was quite different then-I really like all the shops underneath C Wharf tower. I insisted on finding the Jo Malone shop to try out the scents and dh bought me a bottle for my birthday in Sept, but has now said I might as well have it now -bless him-it's Lime,Basil & Mandarin.
Then to Tower Bridge to walk along the other side to the Design Museum and back to London Bridge to get close to the Shard (ds's absolute favourite building) then over L Bridge to the tube at Monument to Embankment and a walk to Wahaca...then back over Waterloo Bridge and home.
Ds had a terrific time-am very pleased

Hi everyone.

I might be having some chemo - doctors still deciding whether to treat me or not. What tests did you have done to decide whether they went ahead with you. Did they do tests to check all your organs first, or did they just go ahead with chemo?

If they did tests, does everyone get tested?
.

Good morning all. Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday, it was a draining day, very long.

I had a second mammo and got annoyed with the mammographer who insisted it was the pain free breast they had a problem with.

Turns out my sore breast is tip top, the pain free one is buggered however. Very strange.

I then had 3 biopsies 2 in the breast 1 under the arm. Another long wait followed by being called back in to see doc.

Poor DD2 had waited patiently in the waiting room and insisted on coming in with me.

Doc told me there are a half dozen at least areas of concern and although we have to wait for the biop they sent away his feeling is mastectomy.

I'm still numb and very sore and bruised somewhat so its taking some sinking in.

I'll be back later for much needed support. xx

Morning earth . Sending you some much needed hugs .
Limbo land is a dreadful place to be isn't it ?
How long till your next appointment ? What ever the outcome , we will help .
Keep posting , even if its just to say you are scared . You don't need to be strong all the time x

Thank you topsy. I have to see the consultant 23rd of this month.

I asked the doc yesterday what would happen, given I've no symptoms in that breast how long I could delay doing anything (wimp) but obviously he couldn't say.

Morning nittygritty

What's your diagnosis ? Sorry if I have missed that .
The tests I had prior to chemo were a bone scan , an mri , an echocardiogram , and blood tests .
The bone scan and mri were to see if there was any further spread . And also to establish a base line , so they could tell if chemo was working well or causing any damage further down the line .

Keep posting , what ever your dx and treatment plan , someone here will be able to help .

Honestly earth the mastectomy is not as bad as you think it will be . And if the surgeons feel mastectomy is the route to follow , then (for me anyway) getting it over and done with is the best thing .
My view was "get this thing out of me" !

Anything (and I mean anything) you want to ask , feel free . We will answer all questions , nothing is too "silly" or personal .