**TAMOXIFEN 18**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

oh my,we're starting our 18th !

Happy Birthday, Smee, Goodluck in your exams young MAS, welcome to Sun. New boob appointment for me today but only of the plastic kind - will be really interested to know how your reconstruction goes as I am sure I will be considering this in the future.

Hello Sun I had a lumpectomy so I'm no use on the reconstruction. I am on tamoxifen, take it last thing at night and haven't really noticed side effects though think the hairs on my chin are thicker! aargh!

Happy Birthday Smee Hope you have a lovely day :)

Hope the gcses go well today.

I lost a lb today, yippee. Off to gp soon and then into work to discuss return.

1in8 hope you get sorted with your new boob.

Happy birthday smee (why is there no cake emoticon?)

Time for a ? Have some moroccain cakes here, full of pastry and almonds and very pretty!

Morning All

Welcome sun . I have my appointment with my surgeon on the 20th to discuss reconstruction , so can't tell you much myself . But would be very interested to hear what you get told .

Happy Birthday Smee . 21 today , finally a grown up !

Last rads today . Thank goodness . Had to take painkillers and sit on the sofa for 15 minutes this morning before I could even move .

Great news about the clear margins Marmite . And take it easy at home .

Good luck with the exam today MASboy . Junior topsy is doing exams all week , but only 1st year ones so not quite in the same league .

Hurray for last rads Topsy :) boo for pain :(

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMEE !!! have a lovely day ! shall we meet for cake later ?
hooray for last rads topsy - grrr that it is so uncomfortable though
jane hope the return to work planning goes well
and thanks for kind wishes for junior MAS

and good luck junior topsy

Hooray for decent results and a ticket home, Marmite. Sit and don't do much, though - take any and all offers of help.

Ned - two things: I am so pleased you are getting loving support. Secondly - 'Fossick'. it is my very favourite, most splendid word. Though 'spittoon' is excellent too. Oh, and 'rumbustious'. I could go on ad nauseam but I won't

Topsy - last rads! Well done. Sorry it is so sore, but that will ease up soon, I hope.

Welcome to Sun from me, too. I like it when lurkers out themselves, it is so much friendlier. Dive in.

Positive vibes to all the juniors with exams this week. The very thought brings me out in a sweat.

Happy birthday, smee!!!!!

Happy birthday smee hope you are treating yourself nicely and being spoilt?!

Welcome sun I'm a bit of a new girl here, but good to see you. Sounds like you are a good way down the line, and able to give experience and advice to newbies like me.

Come on sometimes give me your best words! what does fossick mean? Clearly my iPad knows, cos it's not come up as spelt incorrectly. New one for me! How about "verisimilitude" that's quite a nice one. Or "pugnacious". Like that one too.

Fingers crossed for all people doing exams- good luck to all!

MAS have pm'ed you. . .

Topsy yay for last rads! Hope you're ok x

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Yes Topsy, 21, who'd have thought it?! DH is away until tomorrow, so we're moving my birthday to Saturday. Virtual cake on here though, obviously. Not sure what sort yet..

Topsy, you most definitely need cake - I will carve you a huge slice. Sounds so, so sore. Last one today though. Would fold you into a huge hug if I wasn't worried about hurting you. Hope Junior Topsy's not stressed about his exams. Last thing you need this week.

Hello Sun. Glad you've joined us. I've had reconstruction, but just went for implants. Fortunately not the Pip ones in the news. Had second mastectomy (preventative) in October last year, but Cancer one in 2010. I have a friend who's just through surgery and I'm pretty sure it was a diep. Make a list of questions and I'll ask for her take on it - she's lovely and I'm sure will have some thoughts! She's due out of hospital today, so it's very recent.

Marmite, hope you're on the sofa and feeling okay. Beware the post op dip. I couldn't wait to get home, but then the shock of it all hit. Apparently that's normal. Bit of luck you'll be abnormal and not be hit at all.

Ned, I reckon if they've said you'll have Rads, then you will. We're all different, but my team told me Rads was the thing which would give me the best guard against recurrence - mostly because apart from the lump, I had a lot of low and intermediate DCIS. They said Rads and Tamoxifen were more important for me than Chemo. I had everything regardless, but it just depends on your cancer and everyone's different.

MAS, have got my fingers crossed for DS to sail though his exam. What time is it? Hope it's morning for his sake.

Camel are you okay about tomorrow? Bet in lots of ways you can't wait. What time do you have to be there?

Sometimes, we have all the exams worry to come. Today DS's biggest crisis was if it was his turn to choose the game at playtime. Big huddle in the playground this morning to discuss it and he emerged happy, as it's not his turn, but will be tomorrow. So very sweet to see them all negotiating so fairly.

Favourite words for Ned: Oxter (armpit - not sure why, but it's a lovely word) and Frippet (frivolous young woman) Oh to be one of those..! In fact, I wish us all a Frippety day!

last rads topsy - well done you! - you aren't being wimpy - skin problems are bloody painful, but at least they'll get a chance to heal now. Good luck to junior for his exams.

Happy Birthday young Smee and many happy returns. You are right Camel, we definitely need a cake emoticon - I am imagining this as a large jammy dodger shaped cake .

Good luck to T MAS, am sure he'll do well.

Hope the sickness has eased a bit 1in8, and good luck with the new boob, - it is nice feeling a bit of weight on your front again.

Well done on losing a pund jane [envy[ - and good luck with talks at work.

Fossick is an excellent word sometimes. We had an old lady living next to us when I was a child who used to say 'vocketing' as in 'I don't hold with all that vocketing about', - I think she made it up, - maybe a cross between rocketing/vooming/vomiting - we've used it in our family ever since!

love to all.

oops - so slow I managed to cross post with everyone. Good morning Ned, and Smee - well done to little Smee- learning to negotiating is a very important skill in my book.

losing a pound jane not a pund. Sigh.

Ooh missed that. Well done Jane. A pound is a good start.

How you OneinEight? Hope those drugs have nailed the sickness. How's the tastebuds? That was something that always bugged me on chemo.

Hi all. on. Reading through and nodding in supportive way.

Where was that duct tape when I needed it? I should Not Have Ruddy Gone to that meeting last night. Was so tired to start with, and three hours of total utter dribble from people is three hours I just can't get back. Ended up in tears afterwards. They've had a very clearly worded email from me this morning about conducting meetings in ways I can't access, given how tired I am after all the treatment this last year.
Heart scan tomorrow to find out what herceptin is doing to it. Hmm.

Loving all these words!

Ned - Fossick means sort of digging through stuff to look for things as in - "I've been fossicking about in my knicker drawer and found these"

The word 'gusset' always makes me laugh, although I am very childish and easily pleased.....

Thanks for the lovely welcome and thanks for the advice. KK looked up the website which had interesting experiences listed. For those starting chemo I found the first week pretty dreadful but did manage to walk ds to school most days and felt pretty much back to normal for the third week. Did feel very weedy by cycle 6 and could not have worked. As they were keen for my surgery to take place I had a transfusion which perked me up! Didn't do cold cap and have loverly slightly mad chemo curls after having straight thick hair which I miss. Operation booked for Monday and so will let you know how it goes. Gather you need a tummy for this procedure, never thought it would be a bonus! Will let you know how I get on.

Loads of luck for the op sun, - the people I know who've had it have been really chuffed with their results

Strange about the hair isn't it? - Mine was very curly originally, and came back straight

Thanks for the encouraging words! I think I remember someone saying that chemo gives you a chance to try out a whole new hair style! Happy Birthday Smee, enjoy the cake!

frippety days all round, ladies! A fripety birthday for smee!

did the school run today- first one ever, as worked full time since DS started school. . . Felt a bit weird, bit DS very cute- "come on, mummy, I'll show you. We have to go through this gate, and I can leave my scooter by the wall. . . There's the bell, mummy, you can go now. See you later, alligator!"

Love "vocketing* Kurri. thanks for joining in the silly word game! You asked about my surgery- it's booked for Wednesday of next week. . . Absolutely can't wait, the waiting is shit.

Hope everyone is having a tolerable Thursday x x

I am baaaa-aaack !
Last rads done and dusted .
Saw the nurse afterwards and have been informed that I have a badly blistered armpit (nice)
You are never going to believe what I am wearing now .
She dressed the blisters , and then to hold the non adhesive dressings in place she took a pair of surgical pants (yes such things exist , who'd a thought it ?) , cut the gusset out , and put them on me like a crop top !!!
I have been sent home with a carrier bag full of ointments , dressings , and crotchless surgical pants !!!

(special use of the word "gusset" for sometimes)

ned have sent a friend request !
Hope everything goes well for you on Monday sun and tomorrow for camel
Ds had exam at 9 - so all over now !
I have many favourite words- I love 'cletter' which is to clean (got it from Cold Comfort farm) gusset makes me laugh too.