**TAMOXIFEN 18**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

oh my,we're starting our 18th !

Apologies for errors-tablet gets away from me sometimes

I think "Jack of all trades" most accurately describes my musical journey. . . I started off violin and piano, moved to viola in my teens and went to university as a viola player. Worked towards grade 8 piano and viola there, but never did exams. Did lots of singing there as well, in uni choir and chapel choir. Did lots of singing too, once I graduated, in local churches. Took a year out of teaching to do my MA in 2001, lots of singing and conducting choirs. I also play piano, alto saxophone, descant and tenor recorders and drumkit. I would probably class myself as a singer or a pianist now - haven't played viola/ sax/ recorders for ages. I can play about 8 chords on an acoustic, so I guess that's a good place to start on my new toy.

they are doing the sentinel node biopsy injecting blue dye thingy (goodness me, aren't I articulate tonight?! ) and then will test while Im asleep. May take out all lymph nodes if first one is affected, which I think is standard practice? Will have to wait and see, then I guess.

topsy and GeorgeClooney thinking of you both this evening. Big hugs

Yes that is usually the procedure - they take out the sentinels, test them and remove the rest if necessary, - so I think you will def. have a drain - they don't always have to stay in very long though - depends how much fluid you produce.

Wow - sounds as if you play loads of things - how fab - My DD finished her music degree this year, she also plays trumpet, and drums like you - do you ever feel as if your house is full of musical instruments?

MAS, ? Plenty for everyone?

at Kurri thinking I was at a trendy restaurant. I wish! Still was nice. She dip lots of dips and meze type things with flat bread. mmm...

Waving to Pranma. Lovely to see you.

Topsy, I really hope the day improved and that next week will be loads better. What support are your unit giving you? Have they given you some Flamzine cream? I used that a lot and it was fantastic.

Camel, great to see you through, though the 3 weeks is a bit of a shocker. E-mail you sent sounds brilliant. Bet that'll get them shifting.

OneinEight, Kurri's idea on pottering's a good one. I found even a small walk lifted me. Great that the sickness has abated though. At least that's something.

Ned, that guitar looks fab. Excellent thing to do - I taught myself to play the piano when I was having treatment. Am useless at it, but it was a top distraction as I had to totally concentrate. I couldn't even read music, but can now.

ILGC, sorry to hear you're blue. Must have been a huge effort and sadness to get through Christmas without your DH and January's tricky even without all you've faced. A friend told me that grief is harder in some ways in Year two, as everyone expects you to be over it all. I always thought that sounded like wise.

MAS, hope the funeral goes as well as these things can tomorrow. Will light a candle and also wishing your Dad courage for his speech.

Stars, are you out there and eavesdropping. Hope you're not too bad.

Marmite, how are you today?? Not overdoing it are you?

Waving to all others, as this is already a v.long post! I am planning a huge bath, with book and Moulton Brown bath suds a plenty. I got a bottle for Christmas.

You guys get flung out of hospital very quickly over there on the mainland . It's a standard 5 day stay for mastectomy over here . And if your drains aren't ready to come out by day 5 , then you stay in !
Then district nurses out every day for a week afterwards .

Am still feeling the pain tonight , but am feeling a bit more cheerful . Thanks for all the tips and hints .
Am not able to wear a bra at the minute . So am just covering myself in a layer of cream and popping a vest top over the top .
That was a good hint about keeping the cream in the fridge pranma , thanks for that .

Going to go on ebay now and see if I can order myself some wool for my "teach myself to knit" project . Going to knit lots of squares and make a throw . Thinking of lots of different blues and beiges .

Good luck for the funeral tomorrow MAS and for your pre-op appointment Ned

Smee are you on Ravelry yet? Lots of great projects, inspirations and ideas if you're getting into knitting.

I learned the hard way yesterday that, in addition to not signing any important documents with 24 hours of a GA, you also should not do any knitting that requires any basic counting. I knitted a sleeve for my cardigan and almost finished it yesterday then realised this morning I had done the whole thing with 90 stitches instead of 60, so there's a knitting tip for you! :)

Oops, that was supposed to be topsy are you on Ravelry yet?

thanks for kind wishes for tomorrow, I will think of you all wishing us well whenever I get anxious..I also have a cold so will be sniffing-bah ! Will be very glad when it's over. Love to all having treatment tomorrow or still sore.

MAS - I want to add my good wishes for tomorrow too, I'll be thinking of you all,

lots of love K xx

thanks kk xxxxx

Hey MAS thinking of you all today. Big hugs to you and your family x x x

(((((((((((((MAS ))))))))))))) hugs

Ned x x x

Positive thoughts to MAS for today .

Who has appointments today ?

And please don't be scared of rads because of my recent whinging . I got a longer dose than normal and really got blasted . And even with that my skin was fine till the final 4 doses .
So go and get your rads ladies

I have pre op today. . . Hoping will be OK, as going on my own. Sounds on here as if it should be just a formality.

mas lots of good wishes for today. We are there with you (iykwim). x

ned good luck with pre-op. I went on my own too and it was fine :-). Just another step closer! I was really looking forward to my op too (bit weird looking forward to major surgery isn't it ). also v relieved when all finished and lump-free.

topsy hope you're feeling better today!

Waving to everyone else. Will try to read up + post more later. Just having a .

xx

Morning all. Time for a

+ve thoughts to mas for today.

Ned - I hope you get on ok at your pre op. They noticed an infected toe at mine and put me straight on antibees but really it was a formality.

Ned good luck for today . Take a book with you , these hospitals tend to keep you hanging around a lot !

Grabs big mug of off jane , need it to get going today .
Just had boiled egg and brown bread soldiers for brekkie , was yummy .

Think I have my meeting with the surgeon about reconstruction on Friday , must dig out the letter and check .

Have a great day whatever you are up to .

Good-morning all. Well there is still sickness in the Eight household but this time ds's rather than mine. Never has so much disinfectant been used to try and eliminate crossi-infection although I have fallen short of immersing them in a dettol bath. They and I are feeling fine now and I can foresee a day of cbbc and pyjamas. Ned, hope your pre-op is fine - mine was pretty straightforward just a bit of passing around from one person to another. My nurse told me I was unlikely to have a drain at the pre-op but it seemend automatic to have one put in by the registrar. Given how much fluid came out I was glad I had one in and I only needed it for three days I think.

Last thing you need OneinEight is more sickness. Glad it's not still you, but whatever it is I hope it's not catching.

Jane why were they looking at your feet?!

Ned, am sure it'll be okay. I think of all appointments it's one that's relatively stress free. Still thinking of you though.

Thinking of MAS and her parents too. Bet they've already left, frosty drive to get there, but at least a beautiful day. Crisp sun and blue skies.

Missed waving to Drift yesterday. Shouts loudly as she'll be on the bus to rads. HELLO DRIFT.

Topsy, any change today? Hope so, but and fbs might help distract?

Trivia for the morning, what do you need in a perfect sofa? DH and I are having differences of opinion because he's got no taste but thinks he has

Sofas should always be tested by lying full length on them . If you cannot lie down full length on it , walk away ! This is my main requirement

Have booked an appointment at the GPs practice today , think I need a professional to have a poke at it . Will be heading up there at 12 , wish me luck !

Go Poke, Topsy - GP's have lots of sharp pokey things !!

Couldn't agree more with you on sofas. Might have to marry you.

I can't remember why they looked at my feet, it may have been in response to a question. I'd picked something up in the sea the week before and although I thought it was getting better they threw a right wobbly!

Perfect sofa - hmmmm I'm tall so for ease of standing up, I'd say much higher off the ground than ours...

do like the idea of pallets and matresses around the walls doubling as beds and covered in sumptous fabrics with loads of matching pillows as backrests (wonder where I got that idea?) But impracticable in most houses with radiators.

xposts. Agree about lying down to test length. Think thats why I liked the moroccan idea so much...

Sparkle rushes in delivering and generally showering everyone with fbs...

All fine in sparkle household, just everything taking so much longer than it should for some reason.

Hope all is ok with everyone

Good luck with pre op today Ned

Thinking of you MAS

Sofas have to be full length for falling asleep on. I like high backs so I can rest my weary head too. Futons do not work for me as the angle makies me slide off as if drunk....I Am NOT . well not at the mo anyway. My new one is full length, high backed, and with two recliners, so I can choose which way I will fall asleep on it every night.

Love to all, sorry am being a rubbish poster at the mo. Do you realise I am coming up to the 1st aniversary of my surgery? Where has the time gone.

Just had electricity company on the phone saying their billing dept had reversed our economy7 meter readings and as a result to sort it out, they had to ask me to do a load test. Won't bother to explain what that entails, except to say more time and effort than I have. Politely told them their problem they sort it, or else they could send someone out to support ds and toddler whilst I do it for them....hmm 10 mins later a phonecall back saying they have just swapped meter reading over! Thank you!

and whilst I am on the subject of others getting me more stressed than I should allow.... am fed up with a hand full of mums giving me filthy looks because I have got an allocated disabled parking space for ds at school. arents are not allowed to park in staff car park, few mums every day park where office can't see them, school has asked them not too as children walk through the car park to get to playground in the morning. But all of that is nothing to do with me, so why do they aim these horrible horrible looks at me? Have they really no empathy for ds' situation, would they rather have a disabled child so they can legitimately park in the school car park, cos I would gladly make that swap for ds.

Sorry to moan, but it really upset me today, and dh just shrugs it off, but he has always been more confrontational than me.