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

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

jane...hope you kitty comes back today.

figgy...hope you wasnt stuck in the air,must confess that thought made me giggle.

topsy...toothache is horrible if you cant get in your dentist quickly i bet your gp could give you antibiotics.

deescent...tattoos are very quick but make sure they have taken as i ended up having to have one of mine done again.

my hand has swelled again and hurts this time the hospital have seen it and been told its lymphedema,been arranged to see my onc tomorrow so he can refer me. i swear my left arm is cursed first clots then cording and now this so annoying.

smee...i hope they take those drains out today they done my head in.

Just wanted to say 'hi'. I was diagnosed with extensive multi-focal bc two years ago this November. Have had neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy and radiotherapy. I'm a single mum to a lovely little girl. For when you are feeling low, I can't recommend the Breast Cancer Care helpline enough, it's brilliant. I was also lucky enough to get referred by my breast care nurse to a psychologist who has really helped me through. It is impossible to stay positive all the time, and there are times when I want to throttle well-meaning friends who suggest that I have to be that way. But it does get a little easier as time goes on.

mbster...hi and welcome pleased to hear you have managed to get through your treatment and its now 2 years on sounds like you had a really good bc nurse. as for being positve your going to have your off days especially as you have been through so much.

Hi Mibster, glad you are doing well now. I hear the BCC site and helpline are very good, so thanks for the recommendation. Personally I find this thread the very best place to go to keep my spirits up, and I hope you'll stay and enjoy its support as well.

Pink I am sorry you have lymphoedema. What a complete git. I hope they can get you sorted, I think that exercises can do a lot to help. Keep us posted, I don't know much about it. Most of all, I hope you feel better soon.

Smee - hope the appointment goes well, and that you are feeling more normal.

And a great big Happy Birthday to Mr KK.

hands round feather iced coffee sponge. Think i may make some ginger biscuits later. Anyone for a ? I must go out on another cat hunt. Think a walk down to the river too as it looks really full from a distance.

Hello Mibster, - you have obviously been through a great deal in the last two years, but it sounds as is you are doing very well Its only natural to get the odd down day, - we all do. I hope you find the psychologist helpful, - I saw a counsellor and found it a very helpful experience. I've found BCC a useful organization too - I've been to quite a few information sessions they run.
I think the main thing is to grab help wherever you can to help you get through it all

Pink - lymphoedema - what an absolute pain, you have really been through the mill with that arm haven't you I hope the appointment goes well and they can do something to help.

Smee - lard arseing around is exactly what you should be doing, get those feet up and relax. Hope the surgeon gets those drains out for you, you'll feel much better when they've gone.

Don't work too hard Cakes - you'll run yourself ragged,

I have made DH's cake, I'm doing afternoon tea for him, - Coffee cake, little sandwiches, and home made scones with jam and cream. On with the elastic waisted trousers I think.

Cake for me please, it sounds fab!

I am sorry your cat hasn't turned up yet, what a worry

I'm sitting here covered in acrylic paint because dd's homework is running late and it has to be in tomorrow. Despite all my protestations that I wouldn't do her homework for her, I have just given the planet Jupiter another coat

Cross post KK - more cake in the offing, how fab.

I hope Mr KK enjoys his birthday tea (how could he fail?).

I always vowed never to do their homework for them too Cakes, - then found myself writing a poem about 'War' for RE at half past ten on a Sunday night, and knew I was on a slippery slope

and I xposted with jane - hope you have more luck with finding kitty today.

@ cakes !!
And the edible cakes all sound yummy !
What a bugger about lymphoedema pink -you've had rotten luck with that arm.
Hello Mibster - I used the BCC forums a fair bit when I was having radiotherapy and considering tamoxifen -some very lovely people on there.

smee glad you are feeking more buoyant! pink sorry to hear about the lymphoedema- my mum has it in her legs after an opperation some years ago. there are some good treatments so hope it can be sorted/kept under control soon. Hi Mibster, this is a nice place to ask silly questions of others going through similar things with a fair amount of chocolate. my breast care nurse is really good. Are you on tamoxifen or anything now? That reminds me - must take todays pill...

oops meant feeling obviously!

Hi mibster , pleased to meet ya . Haven't tried any BCC forums , will have a scout around them this afternoon and she what the craic is .

pink - your poor hand and arm , hope they can do something to help you .

smee - back to bed woman ! Maybe I will allow you to stay up for and cake if you are good .

I went back to bed (well fleecey blankie on the sofa) after the DC left for school . I slept for 3 hours ! I can't believe my capacity for sleep at the moment . I swear the chemo has chemically altered my DNA to part cat

Bubble and Squeak for tea here tonight . With brown sauce and baked beans .

I think I may need a large slice of cake for my afternoon tea , I see there is a lot of it floating about today .

Happy Birthday Mr kk , enjoy your afternoon tea . And don't forget us if you win the lottery ...

busy here this afternoon. visions of jupiter wearing a hoody :)

cakes...my cheeky son has been known to ask me to write his homework for him its not even like he gets the same homework as the other kids. of course i have to say no but its very tempting when hes getting stressed and hanging upside down writting.

topsy..i have hardly got through a day in the last few months without having extra sleep especially during chemo,when my kids asked me what the side effects for rads was i told them you get very tired they all laughed.

dont really know anything about lymphedema of course they gave me all the leaflets but i never read them just sort of got through one stage at a time iykwim.not sure i dare google as there always some worse case senario that i always happen to fall upon. same thing flared up the other week but went down within a couple of days so heres hoping extra exercise will help and will see what my onc says tomorrow.

we have salmon for dinner was going to do dill sauce with it but have just noticed it comes with its own dressing of chilli,lime and ginger hmmm not quite sure i fancy that.

oh just remembered just wanted to ask if any of you lost weight during treatment though i know a few of you have said you have put weight on because of the steroids.during chemo i lost a stone in weight i could understand it then because i struggled with food but im still losing very slowly 1b a week even though im now eating really well.

still acting like mad cat lady shaking box of cat crunchies. found a lot of cats but not ours yet :-(

I've definitely found the right thread with all this cake floating around!

Anyone for a hot choc ?

Hi Mibster - glad you have come through all that to the other side. Thanks for the mention of the helpline, could be useful sometime.

I've felt tired since my diagnosis last week and I haven't even had the op and rads yet! Just stress, I suppose and broken nights.

Had the ultrasound today which went fine but wondered if I should do some persistent exercise to strengthen the arm muscles in the week I have left before the op, so that it's not so sore post-op and so I will find it more comfortable to hold it in position for rads etc.

Stretch out the muscles a bit and get them used to that position.

Possibly over-thinking this...

Off to stir onion gravy and cook burgers.

Jane be careful, with all that cat crunchie shaking, part feline Topsy will be over expecting treats

Keep resting smee, topsy and pink. Pink I am sorry about the lymphedema.

Smee, by the way I so would have dared you to ask about extra buoyancy if I had seen your message in time, hope you got those drains out.

Dee - some of the post surgery exercises they give you will be geared towards holding that position, IIRC, one of the exercises is pretending to brush your hair, another is holding a towel behind your back (one hand over your shoulder, one up your back on both sides),another where you stand with your arm stretched out up against a wall and creep your hand up as high as you can while standing still. maybe if you had a go at some of those it would loosen things up pre-op

Pink - I lost 2 and a 1/2 stone on chemo, my appetite disappeared completely and I struggled to eat. I kept it off for a year until I got my thyroid probs. - with a lot of exercise. So I don't think weight gain is necessarily inevitable, but steroids and tamox. don't make it easy if you are a person who usually has to watch their weight. (as if it wasn't enough getting BC, we have to put up with getting fat too!)

How are you feeling today Sparkle?

Kurri I am Ok. Dh and i sat up late last night filling in his "online psyco questionnaire" as part of his application procedure, he was a bit down about it all. It is the first of many hurdles. I had my CT scan today, which was very uneventful, so we will see what happens with that. Ds has had a good day, we have to update his care plans and whatnots (oo another posh word, I like the word whatnot...I am turning into Miranda!) for school, so that is always a bit , but the new school is so positive and proactive it really is so much better than in the past.

Sorry posted before I meant... it is just that sometimes I have a bit of a head stagger about how life has turned out, and how I have to juggle things to keep everyone going.