**tamoxifen the 13th**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we are- anticipating halloween

Good luck for thursday amber ,

am feeling ok I think -thanks..just doing drawing,so no exertion or whatnot.
Spider has been taken outside- he was called Gully,on account of being on the seagull.
Good news about your mum Framey- hope she is being liberal with the aqueous cream !
Am shoving biscuits in Amber's bag too.
Lots of good luck tomorrow topsy !
KK - will dd do deliveries too ?

ah and PTA - I was a PTA person all throughout the boy's primary school days- some of the people were scary but mostly it was quite jolly - I got to do the 'artistic' things. Am really,really glad they don't do it at secondary school though.

Topsy, good luck for tomorrow!
I don't think I need to worry about a scary operation -I can get scared enough just on some of the MN threads

What threads have scared you amber ?
I have precious few working brain cells at the moment too .....

Hidden it now...one of the ones on disability hate crimes. Ended up getting a bit tearful over past memories of what's gone on. Shouldn't go near them really. But it helps sometimes for there to be a real live example of things rather than it all being theoretical.

You ladies are so wonderful, you really cheer me up with your activities.

I am feeling a bit better better today, skin still yellow but no longer waxy. rang hospital but because my temp wasnt too high they just said monitor it. My HB is 90, so getting low. I am due a transfusion friday and transport issues means I cant get to hospital before then anyway. I slept most of yesterday, and eventualy realised that a lot of my lethargy problems is probably due to the fact that I am not eating enough. I keep picking at food but dont want to eat it and I think the realisation hit me last night that I am starving which is why I am struggling to cope.

re getting friends to help, and really bad at asking, and when I do, they seem to be too busy, or dont want to do what I ask them to do. They have offered transport but school runs cause issues with this, so in the end I am still driving myself everywhere, even though some days I feel I shouldnt be behind a wheel. Cancer society run free bus service but doesnt tie in with 9am appointments. I want to wait until I have had the treatment before I ask for too much help.

One thing that interests me, you all still talk of drinking wine. Is chemo and wine OK? I have really cut back and hardly drink anything, partly because it makes me sick, but also worried it will affect my liver/kidneys and know that the chemo will also damage all my organs. (Doctors frightening pep talk re treatment)

amber - unmumsnetty hugs to you . And cake and or

stars - it's quite important to try and eat . I asked if there was anything I should or shouldn't be eating , and was told to have what ever I fancied !
So this morning I fancied cheese and onion crisps and chocolate trifle for breakfast
As for the wine thing , I still have the odd glass . But must admit that it's no where near as often as it used to happen . I just don't fancy it quite so much . And during the week after chemo I spend most of my time sleeping thanks to the anti sickness syringe driver I have !

Stars, I definitely still drink a glass or two of wine. I have to balance the probability of more cancer with the probability of heart/stroke problems in the family. Red wine protects against the latter, and it relaxes me in the evening after a hard day's coping with autism and other disability stuff. My oncologist (one of the top ones in the country as it turns out by sheer accident) isn't bothered in the least what I eat/drink or otherwise. But I take a really good vitamin/mineral thingy, eat lots of fruit, veg etc, take lactoferrin supplements and generally make sure I get the right things in me somehow.

Topsy, thanks!!! And for you too...

Hugs from me too amber, - I think you are wise to hide the thread if it's bringing upsetting things to mind.

Stars - I didn't drink while I was on chemo, but only because I didn't fancy it. I have the odd glass of wine now, even though I'm on various drugs, my consultant told me that although loads of drugs say don't drink while taking, in fact there's only about two that it actually matters for, - they are just covering their backs. He reckoned that the benefits of a glass of wine to relax and cheer you up, far outweigh any disadvantages.

Actually when I was in hospital with neutropenia, and couldn't eat, he told me I should try pink champagne and caviar, but then he's a hospital consultant and doesn't live in the real world

You mean the pink champagne and caviar wasn't available on the NHS? Drat!!

You'll need to pop some in your bag amber

a hug from me too amber - am half asleep so must go to bed...book group tomorrow evening and I want to stay awake for that !
Hug to you too Iamseeingstars x

Seeingstars - I was also told to have whatever fancied and, for me, what i fancied was fruit, salad, and red wine. Or white. Or indeed pink.

If you want it, have it. A little of what you fancy does you good, and that's the official advice from my oncs as well. Though I'd probably resist the urge to take a bottle in with you during the isolation bit.

Thinking of you, and topsy, and amber - you go girls, and let us know how you get on as soon as you can.

Will have the tea on when you get back.

And now please excuse me if I lie down for a while I have just been to the opticians - need new glasses, including a different pair for the computer, and also new contact lenses. And the cost of all that has made me feel rather unwell.

As regards the PTA, smee - take a leaf from my book. Every time they wanted me for something I was up to my ears in work: I suspect I have annoyed our rather bumptious chairman so much she has bullied someone to take over. Yippee!!!!!!!!!!

yike @ opticians bill- it's always hideously expensive I know...

MAS you do know that Gully is going to come straight back in again, don't you? That's why I favour the rolled up newspaper option. I now it's not very kind but with things that size, it's them or us.....

If DH is in he insists on putting them outside - and I insist he walks a long way down the road before he lets them go. I have asked him to spin around a few times to disorientate them as well but there, strangely, he draws the line

stars, I mostly didn't drink on chemo, as I didn't feel like it. There's been a bit of research which says alcohol can increase cancer risk - who knows if it's right or not, but I now try not to drink in the week. (Completely failed last night, as a friend was staying and he arrived with a bottle!) Chemo does weird things to the taste buds, so whatever gets you through seems to be the wisdom - even trifle and cheese and onion crisps. (Topsy, you do make me laugh!)

Amber, have you packed yet? They'll be no room for PJ's amidst the biscuits if this lot stuff any more in.

Cakes, I would love to duck out, but our PTA only started up last year. I ended up as Treasurer simply because the apathy annoyed me! Also the woman who started it is lovely and I'd feel woeful if I let her down now.

MAS, Cakes is wise as Gully will be back. Me and DS put a bit of tippex on a spider's leg last year and then walked 50 paces down the street before releasing it. He was back next day.

Optician's bills are a shocker. I was lucky last time as my prescription hadn't changed. Cakes, have a and a . That'll cheer you.

Hope Topsy's back soon and okay.

I have just been for a swim. [smug!]

Ooh ooh, I'm going too, smee, so I'll join you in smugness!

How on earth did you put tippex on a spider's leg???? You must have got waaaaaay too intimate with it, and it must have been VAST

no sign of Gully's return,yet... I do check the seagull as I pass though.

Tippexing a spider's leg involved lots of shrieking. Go swim, Cakes. I wish you no lane hoggers..

Sorry guys I haven't been around,,,mind you if you are talking about tipexing spiders legs I am not sure I won't to know more at all and [scared emoticon needed]

Things a bit frantic here, all right though. Ds at home after he had another funny turn at school, but we are off to the hospital tomorrow for me to shout at consultant for a consultation

Hope everyone is managing ok especially those with treatment, ops recovery and tests. Sorry to be so far out of touch.

I'm baaa-aaack !
Chemo completed in less than an hour today .
Only 2 attempts to get the canula in today .

DH and I are out without kids having lunch .

Am eeking at the thought of tipexing a spider !

I also have (at home for a little afternoon snack) teacakes , crumpets and real butter

Who was doing the skrieking smee (apart from me at the thought)?

Speedy topsy, well done you, enjoy your afternoon snack. I am having crackers...boo..diet....although have lost 2lbs this week....yeah diet

oh poor little ds sparkle
Hooray for the return of topsy -that was nice and quick !