**tamoxifen** number 15 ****

[MaryAnnSingleton]

can you believe it ??!!

morning topsy ! we're having lunch out today- a treat ! MIL gave dh some pocket money so we're wandering down to the nice bistro in town...hope am not too sleepy to do some work afterwards !

That sounds nice mas . Have a nice glass of wine (or 2) aswell !

Morning all.
Topsy, am sitting here wondering what tobacco onions are.
MAS, enjoy your lunch courtesy of mil.
We're having breakfast out then our usual weekend trip to B&Q. I swear they will give us our own parking space soon

They are crispy thin strips of onions with a vaguely smokey taste . Our lovely local butcher sells them ready made , just need to warm them in the oven .
They were very yummy .

We did B&Q yesterday . Ended up buying bird feeders and fat balls . Oh and we got some wallpaper samples . When did I turn into Middle Aged Woman ?

I have painted my nails chocolate brown . But only one hand . Can someone please come over and paint my right hand for me before I make a mess of it ?

Nails? Now you're just showing off

Bah figgy , had to take it all off .
Made such a hash of my other hand , it looked like I had dipped my fingers in poo

Lovely sunny day here if a bit cold. Cat bought another frog in this morning just as I was going out - fortunately dh on hand to rescue it!

Hi everyone! Yes I love those shoes too Topsy! I am not sure if I'd be able to wear the heel as i tend to stick to almost flat but they look very groovy and I envy people who CAN wear heels! (but not the ultra high ones as I just feel sorry for the poor toes and backs affected!)

Anyway - sorry have been away for a while - all well but busy due to work, a visitor for a few days, going to see my brother in Shropshire, going to see my DD in London and supporting DS with his uni applications. (He's got 2 offers and one interview so far, now which we're very chuffed about but still waiting to hear from Cambridge and Imperial - its early yet)

I am trying to reduce our credit bills - find I can make a bit of progress but only if I don't try to lose weight at the same time - it must require effport from the same bit of the brain - do you think? Anyway result is we've paid a bit off, but I'm a few lbs heavier!

Had a lovely walk today - in the countryside round Northwich - lovely sunny autumn day.

KK - sorry about your problems with hospital and also e-bay post issue - so annoying.

I am also trying to give some support to a friend with mysterious condition which is baffling her Drs. She is having a hysterectomy tomorrow and the Dr expect to be fix on a firm diagnosis after that, so fingers crossed. She's had a several weeks of thinking its ovarian cancer so very difficult time for her.

DD's job going well so far - she researches and writes artciles for a food trade magazine + website. I think she's getting good experiience, plus shes enjoying being in London, so fingers crossed that this continues.

I have been nominated for a MN pressie from the Christmas Elves - this is very exciting and one of your lovely friends must be behind this - so whoever it is, thank-you very much indeed - I am touched.

I hope you are all well and coping with treatment. Shoe therapy seems the best approach!
xx

hello SR - lovely to see you and hear your news. I'm glad DD is enjoying her job and London life. And god luck to DS with the rest of his applications (he's done jolly well to get 2 offers so far)

topsy - will DH do your nails (I get mine to do my toes, because I'm too fat to reach them he likes doing it )

Your shoes are lovely - esp. the red ones, I think I could walk in those with a bit of practice.

Hope you enjoyed your lunch MAS ( at MIL giving DH pocket money).

We've just done our grocery shop - went to ASDA - its a bit of a trek, but is so much cheaper than Sainsbury's so worth it. Looked at tumble dryers, - but decided we will order online (cheaper) I am going slightly crazy looking at tumble dryers, and feel an overwhelming urge to bop DH on the head every time he is mulling over the merits of various brands.

I need to plant out some winter pansies, but it is so cold, I can't face it so they'll have to wait.

good luck rather than God luck.

Who did it, own up. Who nominated me to the Christmas elves? Whoever it is please can I hug you. It is the nicest thing thats happened to me in a very long time

I start radio-therapy this Friday after a practice run on Thursday, what should I expect/hope doesn't happen, in the way of side effects please?

I am totally stuffed after a huge lunch and can barely move- it was sublime though..dh and ds had local wild rabbit to start -then roast beef etc for me and dh and wild duck for the boy and because their chips are the very loveliest ever we had to order a bowl of them (hot,crisp,salty,like proper french frites) then an Eton Mess to share and coffee,oh and bottle of merlot- am wanting to do some work,but maybe should lie down for a bit.
Waves to SR ! glad all is going well with dd and lots of luck to ds with applications - also hope all goes well with your friend.
earth well done for getting to rads stage- drink plenty of fluids and plaster on the aqueous- all will be well.
Now, work,rest or meditation ?

Eton Mess - now I'm very

rest or meditation, - it's Sunday

Earth - I can't recall what other treatment you've had, but IME the rads are a doddle compared to chemo. I had 15 rads sessions while still on chemo but still managed it ok, apart from a minor skin infection (which you do have to watch out for after the first couple of weeks of rads) and eventually I was very very tired - but I think that was the combo with chemo, IYSWIM.

Advice - ask friends to give you lifts - you do get tired but even if you're fine its nice to have the company esp if a bit of a trek every day as mine was. Friends ask what they can do to help and I found this was a great way to draw in that offer.

Also, avoid all scented stuff, use the cream every day, have either extremely soft underwear or don't wear a bra ( I opted for no bra - much comfier but depends on your size obviously).

The effect builds up and continues to build for about 3 weeks after you finish the rads. My really tired patach was about 2 weeks after completing the treatment.

My hopsital offered good physio classes which were helpful - just a couple but it helped me get the hang of the exercises.

Now, over a year later, my affected arm still stiffens up a bit if I don't go swimming or do a few exercises each week - they really help.

Good luck - its an individual thing - I have a couple of friends who were wiped out by rads but neither had had chemo - so its all relative and also depends how much radiation you have to have and how senstive your skin is. There can be a lot of waiting around - take a good book if you're on your own!

Hello SR, we do so miss you. Wish you were like MAS, Cakes and me, so worked at home, then we'd see more of you am sure. Good to hear your DS is doing so well with his offers.

Kurri about your dad. Does seem so basic to keep someone warm. Has she complained at all, or doesn't she dare?

Earth, I had rads, but it's a while ago now. Put Aqueous cream on from now if you can, but other than slobbering it on as much as you can I don't think there's much else to be done. It's quick, painless and after a week or so makes you tired. Any problems in terms of skin breaking down won't happen 'til the end, and might not happen at all.

MAS, wish I could wear shoes like that. I can't do heels because of my back. Went to an extraordinary party full of cool hip people last night and they all sashayed around in heels like that - made me feel woefully inadequate, not to mention old. Was mighty fun to see how the other half live, though the nicest new person dh and I met all night was one of the waitresses, who sussed we were veggies, and kept snaffling things our way.

thank you Smee - yes she has complained, - she's doing her well known impression of a small but ferocious terrier

Cool hip parties - why isn't my life like that?

I do so like the sound of your mum, Kurri.

My life's not usually like that either. Was a blip.

Thanks for all the waves everyone! I am in fact working at home a bit today, hence the updating!

BTW am reading VG book - A Fine Balance by Rohintan Mistry. Its set in India in 70s and very good. A friend recommended it to me years ago and I haven't got round to it till now but very readable and interesting.

Also read recently The Moment by Douglas Kennedy. Some slightly imperfect writing but keep going as its gripping.

And finally also read a good thriller by Sophie Hannah - hadn't come across her before but have joined a book-swapping group and a friend recommended it. Have now forgotten the title but think her books are generally good!

Hi everyone. It turned into a busy day. Saw an Uncle and Auntie I hadn't seen for ages - they drove over to see my poorly Auntie and brought her school friend with them. Cousin said she was really pleased to see them. :) Docs have started her on anti ds which helps. Cousin has booked her plane ticket home - I will so miss her. :(

morning all... jane glad to hear that auntie was pleased to see visitors- hope the Ds are helpful too.
BehindLockNumberNine's father died on Friday,so she is still in Holland helping her mum and dsis with funeral- so awful for her,I couldn't think of anything use
ful to say.

I did meditate yesterday but also worked, not a hardship as I was looking forward to doing the pieces.

Sympathies to BehindLockNumberNine , very sorry for her loss .

Morning All

Hi sands , good to see you . Thanks for the book reccomendations , I am always on the look out for a new author .

jane good to hear your Aunty is feeling a bit better , and sorry your cousin is going home . It's so nice having family around isn't it ?

It's back to school for my DC today .
DD is fine about it . DS is not happy . School swimming lessons start today and he really doesn't want to go . Will not say why either . He's not a good swimmer so we are thinking it's that .

Not a lot on for me today , a day of relaxing I think .
Any appointments for anyone today ? There is a surgery appointment for someone isn't there ? Please excuse my shocking memory !

Morning all.
Savour the first day with dcs back at school, Topsy. School swimming is not always much fun - I love swimming but at school there was a lot of waiting in line.

It is so nice having family round. As my cousin was one of the older ones and I was the youngest of my gran's 11 grandchildren, I didn't know her well as a child but now we are really close. I've sort of promised to visit her after my rads have finished but I will wait and see how I feel before booking a flight! After about 15 years of saying I would go, now the children are older, I've been two years running, so why not make it 3?

Hugs to all with appointments today. Let us know how you get on.

Drift's today. Hoping she's okay. Sending you virtual hugs, Drift in case you're sitting in one of those surgical waiting centres for your turn xxx.

jane definitely go on your trip. Give yourself a bit of time to recover, but book it now. Give yourself something to look forward to.

MAS, that's so sad about BehindLock's father, though he must have been suffering, so maybe it's a release too. Impossible to know what to say in those circumstances. I think all you can really do is be there if she wants to talk, and let her know you're thinking of her.

Back at school's excellent, Topsy. Maybe for DS the combination of first swimming and first day back's the problem. That idea of getting changed infront of everybody's always tricky too, though I suppose he must do that for games already. My DS is going swimming with school soon too, though he seems to have a v.strange idea of swimming lessons. Apparently they can wear pirate gear so long as they wear a swimming cap and there will be treasure..

Cold, wet and grey here. Kettle on if anyone wants one.

Drift hope all is going smoothly for you . I just nipped upstairs and lit the candle for you .

Smee - pirate swimming gear ? Mind boggling here