**tamoxifen** number 15 ****

[MaryAnnSingleton]

can you believe it ??!!

Thanks Jane, in the whole scheme of bc the scar isn't really important I know but I just seem to be fretting thinking through every little thing atm as the results loom tomorrow.

Thank you all so much for your support and wise words. You've really carried me through all this (I'm an expat so no extended family or long-term friends around) and I am eternally grateful. I will stay on this board as I want to stick around to hear all the fantastic news that coming your way xx

Morning all. is made and toast can be made to order

Butterflies, fantastic news. What a relief for you.

I phoned the nurse in the oncology clinic yesterday about my armpit and she wanted to see me so I popped in at 2. She said it was looking perfectly normal and will eventually get back to it's normal colour (which you lovely ladies had already told me). She has given me an enormous bag of dressings but really wants me to take a couple of days off work, to wear vest tops and let the air get to it. So I've taken her advice and will take a few days off school. I am sitting here in my trackie bottoms, vest top, no bra - what a sight!!!! And we have Mr. Plumber here for a fews days replacing our boiler. So, no heating or hot water. I am staying out of the way and plan to watch tv, read and play on my laptop. I am steering well clear of the Halloween mini bars of chocolate that I bought for last night. We only had about 10 little'uns call round (with their mums lurking in the background) so there are loads of leftovers if anyone wants some chocolate.

Figgy, I hope your armpit heals up quickly - I've been getting the air to my snb scar too, I'm sure it helps. I have rads starting next month.

It's a relief when HCPs say something is normal isn't it even when it's painful etc. Makes it easier to cope with I find.

pranma...sounds like your going to have a fantastic holiday.

dee...i was given dihydrocodine and told to take them with paracetamol, i had seroma problems after surgery and kept having to have them drained i was told because i needed draining twice a week i needed something stronger.i got a bit worried about the way i was popping painkillers and the pain seemed to go on and on but one day i got up and after a while realised my first thought wasnt painkillers it was like the pain suddenly eased.

jane..oh no have you found that frog yet lol.

butterflies...your more than welcome,glad to har your sticking around.

figgy...lol do you mind im always sitting around in vest tops thanks to my hot flushes and my bra comes flying off as soon as i enter my house.but on the plus side i am wearing makeup as i have eyelashes again.

both kids went to different parties last night,dd2 went as a cat so had the pleasure of doing her cat makeup made a good job of it even if i say so my self.by the time i turned round to help ds do his soldier make up he had done his own lol his whole face was bright red with the odd black bit then his friends called so off he went came back quite annoyed every one kept calling him rambo.

Wahay!!! for eyelashes Pink that's got to be a nice feeling.

Butterflies I am so very, very pleased for you!!!!

Dee - am not sure about my node scar either but it's a lot longer than MAS's inch. I have noticed, though, that it has been very carefully placed in a fold of skin, which made it sore while it was recovering, but now makes it very unobtrusive in sleeveless tops. (Unfortunately the whole underarm shape has changed because I actually had a lot of nodes removed so short sleeved tops are a bit unwise, but if i wanted to wear one, the scar would not be an issue).

MAS - I am sorry you are having sore joints. Could the tamoxifen be making the osteoarthritis worse, do you think? Not much you can do about that for now, of course, but at least there may be a distant prospect of less pain in the future. I think it does make joints very achey....

Figgy - the vest tops and air will really help your skin. Even now (two years later) I have to revert to a vest top if I get sweaty - the skin on the irradiated side seems to have a bad reaction to the tightness of a bra-band.

Love to all.

eyelashes ! yay pink !!
I guess bones and aches are all part of the package of getting older and not helped by tamoxifen...gah !
Halloween choc -yes please- I have a stash of Haribo sweeties,if anyone's interested.
Figgy- glad that nurse reckons it's ok -I think because it looks so dreadful we get in a pickle. Good idea to have time off for airing.
butterflies do please stick around,it's lovely to have you with us.
Righto- am posting a picture then I'm thinking I may need to go and buy some crimson ink and possibly look at jackets -I don't really have one for the colder weather- a denim one which am not keen on any more and a purple velvet coat and a navy light spring jacket and that's it.

great news Butterflies - I'm very pleased for you - and its also good that they are offering regular checks for you. (and yes please do stick around )

Hooray for eyelashes Pink - it is a great feeling when they reappear

Figgy, I'm glad you got things checked - always reassuring to know that its all normal, and that you've got dressings and official instructions to put your feet up with snacks and DVDs

ILGC - sorry you are in a and e , - hope you're feeling better soon.

Dee - I had a mastectomy, and they took my nodes out through the same scar, so I'm probably no use to you - my scar goes right round to my back (with a rather attractive fatty flap on the end of it )

I was washing up when some little trick or treaters came round last night. They knocked, and I went to dry my hands but I wasn't quick enough, because I heard a little voice shout 'You've got to answer, I know you're there'

I love a good bag topsy, but I have to live with someone who says things like 'why would anyone need more than one handbag?' so its a struggle

I have a GP appointment at 5.30 to have injections in my hand/wrist - I really hope they work, it is so sore atm.

Love to all for a good day today.

ILGC - I, too, am very sorry you are in A&E. Hope you get out very soon.

KK - good wishes for the injection, even that sounds ouchy

Our local roads were awash with Trick or Treaters last night, much to dd's disgust (I won't let her go). The ones leering through the window at our pilates session didn't help much...

MAS - good luck getting a nice jacket. You know you deserve it

I got a lovely purple Jack Murphy raincoat while I was on holiday - reduced to £45. Total bargain!

Pink thanks I will ask at clinic if there's another painkiller I can take. The seroma I think is quite small compared to some I've read about and thankfully not too bulky and not getting in the way, so I have not rushed to ask about draining as I know it can complicate with infection.

Maybe at clinic they will tell me it needs doing though. Just don't want to delay rads by having the seroma

cakes, will have to wait and see how the scar "fits" under various bras. Personally I'm not too bothered what it looks like - I tend to cover up anyway but my scar is at least 2 inches plus long so I will have to ask why they cut down so far below the big X they marked and how many nodes they took out.

Although frankly I think if they say no further ops necessary, just book into rads, I will scarper pdq and not linger on the details. Maybe. Don't want to regret not having full debrief while I can.

Lovely sunny day here again - the Autunmal colour in the leaves and shrubs are fantastic, especially the Joseph's Rock sorbus I planted in the Spring.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pictures+of+joseph%27s+rock+sorbus&um=1&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=582&tbm=isch&tbnid=3hCAnTkpk_L1VM:&imgrefurl=www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/23/gardens-dan-pearson-autumn-colours&docid=eE_LFt7Ktx3bjM&imgurl=static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2011/10/19/1319019924996/Sorbus-Joseph-Rock-red-au-007.jpg&w=460&h=276&ei=6syvTsGnGZGy8QOr4OCaAQ&zoom=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">like this

KK @ 'why would anyone need more than one handbag?'

Do hope the injections are bearable and do the trick.

Ooh Cakes, you're as mean as me. I won't let DS go either, though we did have ghoulish games inside for a few friends. Glad to see you're back. Have missed you.

Missed you too, Sparkle. Glad you survived half term.

Figgy, a few days of rest sounds ever so sensible. Hope you enjoy it and don't get bored.

Butterflies, HOORAY!! Am so pleased for you.

• Pink, woo-hoo for eyelashes. Excellent sign you're on the way back from chemo nonsense.

ILGC, hope you're home now and sorted. A&E is never a good place to be.

Kurri, hope injections aren't too gruesome. What are they putting in??

MAS, you definitely deserve a new jacket. What a sod about the Osteo. Is it worth putting a new post up asking what others have been advised to do about it?

Waving to all others. Have a small mountain of work staring at me and the trick or treat choc left overs to help me through it..

Smee - its a corticosteroid (at least thats what google tells me! - it also had some descriptions of the procedure which unfortunately I read - will practise yoga breathing before I go in)

I would never let mine go trick or treating either (apparently I've scarred them for life - hey ho), one year DS's friend came round pretending to be innocent, but carrying a bag of rice. 'what are you doing with that' I asked 'I hope its not for throwing at people's houses' he looked very shifty and said 'No, I'm going to make a rice pudding'

dee that looks gorgeous-beautiful colour !
Thanks for jacket encouragement- bet I don't see anything I like though !!
I just got the impression that osteoarthritis was just something you can't stop - my fingers don't hurt unless you press on the bumps. Doc mentioned about having the bumps operated on,doesn't cure it but makes it look better (would only do that if it really looked awful and was impeding drawing. My mum can grip a pen properly any more- it makes me sad to see her wobbly writing.

at Rice Boy ! Injection sounds a bit yikes. Breathing is a v.good idea, and a treat or two afterwards to look forward to.

@ rice pudding !!
I never let ds go,but he quite enjoyed dressing up at home and handing out treats.
kk hope injections don't hurt and do their work

MAS, I think operating is the last resort with Osteo, but there are other things they can do. Some are drug related, but there's exercises and some dietary advice, which might help too.

I found this link helpful. Definitely worth a skim.
www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis_information/arthritis_types__symptoms/osteoarthritis.aspx?gclid=CI7KqfGrlawCFQEd4QodL3Gb6g

Morning All

Had a lovely lie in . Only woke up at 11am . < lazy trollop emoticon >

ilgc - hope you are feeling ok now and the temp has gone down .

butterflies - screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaam !!!!! Am so pleased for you . And yes , do stick around . You are one of us now , cancer or no cancer

jane - just lob the cat into the room , shut the door , and let the best man win !

Dee - I have a big old scar as mine is part of my mastectomy scar , it goes all the way round to my back .

figgy - glad you got the burns looked at and that you are taking it easy for a few days . Try not to scare the plumber too badly

pink - am so jealous of your eyelashes . I don't mind being bald , but I soooo miss eyelashes !

mas - go shop your little heart out . I have had a coat arrive in the post today . It is a red one . Haven't tried it on yet , so don't know if it's a keeper yet .

kk - "why do you need more than one handbag" ??? < thud as topsy hits the floor in a dead faint >
Good luck with the injections today .

Going out for lunch with my good friend today . DS going to the cinema with his friends . DD coming to lunch with me and my friend .
Suppose I should grab a quick shower and get dressed now , or I shall be lunching in my pjs

Sparkle hovers over topsy nervously waiting for her to come round.......

butterflies - Wow fantastic news, I am so so pleased for you.

ilgc - I am sitting here hoping you are feeling better and that tempertaure is down to normal again

Kurri - let me know how the injections go, I need to have some to or surgery for my carpel tunnel..... both hands...soon.....

Well unbelieveably my little dd2 has turned three (on sunday) how did that happen, she suddenly seems so grown up.

How on earth do you get a lie in until 11???

Despite my raging jealousy, I hope you have a lovely lunch, Topsy...

Belated happy birthday to baby grown-up sparkles!

happy birthday little Sparkles, hope she had a great day.

aw,happy birthday junior sparkles !!
smee will take a look at link- thanks so much... I wouldn't want surgery really-eek.
Can you lovely ones light a candle or send good thoughts to a fellow MNer (my dear friend BehindLockNumberNine ) Her little dog is very ill and needs lots of tests/treatment -it's horrendously expensive and they are heartbroken at maybe not being able to keep him if he does survive. Worse still is that her terminally ill father is not expected to live much longer and she's had to fly to Holland to be with him (only recently dx with lung cancer) It's so awful that she has all this at once and she is really lovely