**t*a*m*o*x*i*f*e*n** number 14

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

nice to have my cousin staying - Haven't seen her since she made me climb pen y gent last October! Aunty stable being tube fed and doing ok. Talking quite well considering. Stroke ward seems very well organised. night night all.

Morning already. Need to train cat to open fridge for himself...

morning jane - v glad to hear that aunt is doing well

Morning .

Aunt sounds like she is doing really well jane .

Waves at mas , sniffs her for cheeselets .

My head is banging today , 2nd night in a row drinking wine is not compatible with me .
Doesn't help that DH is wandering round coughing his lungs up and asking me to "feel the glands in my neck , they are swollen aren't they"

I have put it off long enough , today has to be Tesco day . We have finally run out of everything .

Pig/dog is running around with a pink fluffy squeaky pig in his mouth , I am just praying the he kills the squeak soon ...

Oh and Ii almost freaked out and called the Oncology helpline this morning .
First pee of the day - bright red !
And then I remembered the bag of beetroot crisps I demolished last night ...

topsy - that pee must have been a shocker!

We've told FIL and dd and both have really taken the news well .

Monday, I have the sentinel node injection and scan, then wagons roll on Tuesday.

Have been a bit teary but I think that's healthy as I've been a bit numb and in denial and "super-coping" for dd's sake till now.

Going to potter in the garden and enjoy the sun...

eek at red wee !! ds used to eat huge amounts of beetroot and it used to scare me silly until I connected it to his consumption of the red stuff...
deescent enjoy the nice day and try not to be too anxious- we'll certainly be thinking of you tomorrow and Tuesday.
Am off to clean the floors then must work...
Hope squeak is soon deadened topsy and dh is feeling better !
There are some cheeselets left - dh was grumbling that those barrel things are only about three quarters full...

Morning all. hope you are OK topsy, - earrings sound lovely though. I bought some plain studs yesterday - my pierced holes seem to be closing up so thought I'd better make sure I always have studs in.

Sorry your grandparents are poorly, - these sort of bugs do seem to hit elderly folk much harder.

Old lady dog has a squeaky ball thing, with a furry tail attached to it, - it makes a horrible noise. - We call it the roadkill toy

Eek at beetroot pee, - DH had that once and freaked out too

jane - glad your aunty is doing OK, enjoy your time with your cousin.

Dee - I'm pleased for you that you've told family now, and they've coped well - its always a relief to get that particular hurdle out of the way. Good luck for tomorrow

MAS - your DH is right - they don't put enough cheeselets in the barrel. Hope you are feeling better today, and less bruised.

DS has just left, he and DD stayed up late playing some Xbox game, it was nice to see him. He gave DH a ider home brew kit, so they spent the evening setting that up, - while I watched strictly

ILGC - I'd love to wear a onesie, they look so cosy. But I feel they are probably not practical for someone who has to get up several times in the night to go to the loo!

Kept waking in the night with cramp in my leg, - very sore, - is that a tamoxifen SE - anyone else have problems - I've been getting it for about a week now (I suppose it could be an SE of the thyroid stuff I'm on).

Lovely sunny day here, hope everyone else is having a good one too

Ooh well done DeeScent. Bet you're relieved. Will be thinking of you tomorrow.

topsy, I did the beetroot thing too !! Had a nanosecond of panic until I realised. I do so admire you being able to shop. Not sure I'd have done a day on the High Street when was towards the end of chemo. You deserved that eclair.

mas, I'm going to add cheeselets to the shopping list too. You are a v.bad influence. Hope bruising's not too bad today.

kurri, your DS always sounds a tonic. Was DD about too - must be fun having them both back.

ILGC, how many more cycles does your DD have to have? She's doing incredibly to keep going at all. You never mention your own health, which is understandable as she's overtaken in many ways. Are you okay though?

Jane, d'you think she might apply to Leeds then? My DH teaches Fine Art, though his Uni have just ditched their foundation course. Good to hear positive stories about the stroke ward. How long will she be there?

Here I have the ultimate BC annoyance - a drain still in which doesn't drain. Found myself back at A&E last night, and they've now decided the drain's blocked, but wouldn't take it out as they're scared of my surgeon thought it inadvisable. So they've stuffed a massive lot of padding round the drain, gaffa taped it down and sent me home with a carrier bag of dressings for DH to do similar. Roll on Tuesday when it comes out.

DS and + I have just fumbled our way through his maths homework. They do it all differently these days - he had to teach me.

Kurri, xposted. I read your post as you strictly watching them setting up the home brew kit! Hope the cramps are a blip.

what a pain about the drain smee -grrr.
Not sure whether cramp might be a tamox. side effect- I haven't had it.
Cider home brewing kit sounds fun !!
Sorry about the cheeselets- is it 2 for one at Sainsbury's deescent ?

ah Smee that is because I threw in the curve ball of 'not using a capital letter'

that drain is being a pain isn't it?- will they let you ceremoniously burn it on tuesday?

Yes DD was around, they get on very well (and usually gang up to mock me )

Thanks for cramp info MAS, - maybe it is the thyroid then, - I'm seeing the endo. next week, so I'll ask him.

Right - I must iron some clothes, pull out some weeds, and finish my really boring book of Victorian Norfolk tales.

Hi all,have avoided bothering you all till now but getting worried and in need of support.
have appointment at one stop breast clinic on tues as I have a hard pea sized lump in my breast which I found about 6 weeks ago.3 weeks ago the gp couldn't feel it but went back last week and after saying "I'm sure its fine,just keep your family history check up at end of month" , she then had another feel and could feel it straight away.She said nothing else apart from I'll do an immediate referal .
Just got a feeling this one will need a biopsy,have had lumps before but not like this.It doesn't help that I've got a never ending ear infection atm.
What do you ladies think?
Should have said have lots of family history including my mum at 37 with BC.
thanks,l4k

kk cramp can be a sign of low salt/sodium levels . I prescribe twiglets and naice crisps < Dr Topsy nods wisely >

smee definitely reccomend ritual burning of or stamping on off bastard drain on Tuesday !

Well done dee for telling the family . My worst thing was telling my DC , but they are such resiliant little blighters really .

Just done the Tesco shop . So not a nice thing to do when you are hungover . Sitting in Halfords carpark waiting for DH to come out now . He is in there drooling over car porn , and I refuse to go with him

Then its home , unpack the shopping (hateful job) , drop DD off at a party . Then got to pop back into town and return a top I bought for DS yesterday , found stains all over the sleeves .

Then home to pick up DD for 5pm , and then make a roast ham dinner for tonight .
Guess that's another day without my afternoon nap !

X - posted 14k

One stop breast clinics are marvelous things . First thing you will probably have is a physical exam done by breast care nurse . Then a mammogram . Once they see the results of the mammogram (very quick) , they will decide whether to biopsy or not .
If they decide to biopsy , its very easy and pain free . They normally give a small jab of local , and biopsy via ultrasound so they can locate the lump easily .

Results will be back within an hour normally . These are just initial results , basically cancer or not cancer . It won't tell you type or grade normally .

Best thing I can advise you to do , is take someone with you . If (and that's a big IF) you get a cancer diagnosis , its very hard at that initial appointment to think of what to ask .

Keep posting here and let us know how you do .

l4K, sorry you're going through it all. You sound like you know lots already, but 9 out of 10 referrals are benign, so the odds are on your side. Even if it does turn out to be bad news, well pretty much everyone on this thread has been through some version of BC and are very much still here. Have you been to a one-stop clinic before? If not, I can fill you in on what will happen.

kurri/ topsy great idea. I will take matches to the clinic.

x-posted, I see Dr Topsy has beaten me to it.

Been for a walk down by the river and now waiting for sunday lunch to finish cooking.

14k sorry you have this worrying time.

Dee - good luck for the scan tomorrow and for tuesday.
Smee - aargh about the drain. Dd will def apply to Birmingham, Bradford and Leeds she has wanted to do art since she was tiny. Are there any other foundation courses you know of that you would rate?
Early days with Aunty but some considerable time was the phrase used. 6 weeks is one milestone mentioned.

jane, I will ask DH if he's got any thoughts on Foundation Courses. How brilliant she's always known what she wanted. 6 weeks is a long time for your poor Aung, but then if it gets her sorted and stops it happening again, it's good. Is she happy being there?

Thanks Smee. Aunty is quite calm now and the nurses and doctors have really gone the extra mile even explaining initial exam to absentee daughter via my mobile phone when we were in a and e. Aunty hadn't been to doctor in 15 years and doesn't hold with conventional medicine..... In private room and everyone has beenlovely. Thank goodness for the nhs:)

MAS

the deal is
Jacob's Cheeselets Caddy 230g
Save £1.15 was £3.15 now £2.00

which is good value unless it leads to a life-long addiction

l4K sorry you've got this worry but it's great you've got a quick appointment.

I've not heard of this sort of clinic - sounds a really good idea to take some of the anxiety away by having the result immediately. I had to wait a week for my result.

Have you got someone to confide in now, and who can go along with you to the appointment?

I hope it's good news for you on Tuesday.

14k - so sorry you are going through this worry,- I didn't go to a one stop clinic, but it sounds a fantastic idea, - at least you will have some idea what is going on on tuesday. I can't add much to the things everyone else has said, - I very much agree with taking someone with you if you can, - it helps if you can.
Its just worrying, and waiting for the appointments thats so stressful for everyone. Will be thinking of you on tues.

jane - it sounds like a bit of a long haul for your poor Aunt, but at least she is in good hands, and as comfortable as possible.

topsy - we are so lucky to have a self styled medical professional on this thread - what dosage of twiglets and naice crisps should I take? - I think quite high would be safest

I am worn out now having gone weeding crazy for the last hour - but it is lovely outside, really warm.

Dh has just cooked pear hazlenut-crumble - any takers?

Let me know if you want it with cream or custard.