**TAMOXIFEN 18**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

oh my,we're starting our 18th !

Oh ILGC - what an awful time you have had - I'm so sorry.

How frightened and distressed you must have have been - I hope your DD2 is feeling a little better now, and that they can help her with the counselling. The loss of their father must be so very hard for your children.
Did your DH die very suddenly and unexpectedly? (don't answer if you'd rather not) I just think the circumstances surrounding a loss bring their own particular difficulties and sorrows.

I hope DD1 is recovering now, - is she out of hospital?

And well done to your DS, but bitter sweet as you say.

Anniversaries are so hard to get through, but I'm sure your Dh would have been so proud of his talented children and of the way you are all working through your grief together.

Much love to you all xx

Smee Was that having BC?

ILGC Oh my goodness :( What a rough time. I hope your DD improves.

That should've been "Was that before having BC?

ILGC oh that is so awful,for dd2 and you and your family - poor,poor girl. It must be so hard and seem so endless. Am sorry too that dd1 has been having infections - hope things are looking up for her. Bloody well done to ds though- your dh would be so proud,as you must be. Thinking of you all.
stars -so happy you're home- had been thinking of you this week- good news that the transplant is working - take care of yourself and I hope things continue well.

Stars welcome home . So glad to hear that your treatment has been a success . Take it easy for now and allow yourself to be built back up slowly .

Stars just bloody great soppy hugs . I can't believe all you and your family have had to endure this past year . How any of you are still standing is beyond admirable .

Hope everyone else is doing well this evening .
I am about to teach myself (via the medium of youtube) how to "purl" .
Wish me luck

Oh dear ilgc, so sorry to hear about your dd. Aniversaries can be so difficult.

Missing my Dad; I'm sleeping in my old room tonight. When I was little my Dad used to come in about now and turn the light off for me.

Topsy its a bit late to be playing with pointy sticks!

Oh, ILGC. What to say? Just want to wrap you and your family up in one big hug (and I'm not a huggy person)

Stars Fantastic to have you back home. Might I ask what it is you had transplanted Don't try and do too much too soon now, build up slowly and gradually week by week.

That second paragraph in my last post was meant for ILGC . Sorry , think knitting addled my brain last night !

Managed to learn Purl stitch last night . Am feeling very pleased with myself . Might try cable next

Last couple of yum-yums and one choccie croissant on offer today . Large mug of to wash it down anyone ?

What are we all up to today ? Anything exciting ?

Morning all - stars (sorry, I'm a newbie, so we havent met) and ILGC wanted to send out biggest hugs to you both, for different reasons. Hope today is OK for you. One day at a time is good advice, I guess. . .

I am having a quiet one today topsy - had lots of visitors yesterday and so am tired. Pain in armpit getting me down a bit - it doesnt seem to be that much better than a week ago, although i don't think its infected or anything, just v sore. . . and cos I'm probably being a big fat wimp. for me, definitely. Impressed with your "purl-ing" - is that a verb?!

Big waves for everyone else this morning too

Hi again
I had a stem cell transplant to treat leukemia but the recovery period is really hard, much worse than I expected. Really struggling with tiredness and eating but making huge improvements since I got home.

Hugs to everyone, you are all going through so much, it makes my woes feel very trivial

ILGC -I am absolutely , what an awful time you have been having. You are a strong woman to be still standing. Here's hoping for a better 2012. (You know me, I'm a namechanger following the Facebook thing)

Stars - what terrific news, I am so pleased that things seem to be working. We have all been thinking of you and sending positive vibes. I am sure you feel absolutely exhausted, so don't expect too much of yourself, too soon.

KK - your poor aunt. i too think the macmillan nurse is for support as she is elderly and living alone, rather than for any other reason. It'll give her an extra port in a storm.

[Brew] for everyone who wants one

goodness stars your woes certainly aren't trivial- you've had a really rotten time. Am so happy that things seem to be improving.

ned the underarm scar is sore for quite a while- several weeks sore in fact-keep an eye on it but if it's any reassurance that sounds normal- 'tis literally a pain though.

stars, as you are nowhere near trivial! Honestly you've been through way more than me.

Ned, the underarm thing takes ages to settle. Have you got swelling too, as that doesn't help. Remember that after surgery it's kind of normal to dip emotionally. You've been through so much in such a short space of time. All in all

Camel, I had first mastectomy in 2010 due to BC, then decided to have the other one electively (Oct last year), to reduce risk of recurrence. They weren't at all keen, but I talked them into it.

Sometimes, are you still doing that tax return? accepted. How's your DD now? Is she back to normal now terms well under way? And how's the little thug in her class?

I have just been for a swim, which feels good, though it means I've done next to no work. Better get on. Waving to all.

No, I'm not, I finished! HURRAH!!!!!!!!!!

Kept getting distracted by work yesterday but this morning I got to grips with it properly, and there we are. Nightmare, though.

Dd is getting back to her normal self, thanks, but we are still both a bit post viral and coughing a lot. She's on the up, though, thanks. I tried to get her a GP appt just to check out the cough and the shortness of breath she is still feeling but couldn't get one - i can, however, 'try again' on Monday Clearly it was a mistake to say it wasn't urgent, I only have myself to blame

Well done on the swim, I've done nothing in the last fortnight owing to the cough etc and I am missing it. Maybe next week......

On the plus side, I have celebrated finishing my tax thing with a new haircut so am feeling like a new woman

well done sometimes. A haircut is a fitting reward for a tax return :) I love getting my hair cut!

Thanks Jchoc - me too.

i don't look like a new woman (just the old one, with shorter hair) - but I feel like it, so all I need to do is avoid mirrors.

And my hairdresser is a right laugh, I nearly spat my drink over the woman next to me. Fortunately, I missed.

Oh, yes, I've often said if I were ridiculously rich, I'd treat myself to someone doing my hair for me every day
topsy er I think cable is a big step up from purl (as in, I can purl and used to knit quite a bit in the days when I had time, before I had children) but I've never attempted cable I always thought that was for experts
Stars that doesn't sound at all trivial to me. I'm a real lightweight compared with everyone else on here, but, as someone said, it's not a competition, and it's still come as a shock to all of us. We all get on and cope with what life throws at us.
Best wishes for anyone feeling low today.

My hands seem to have frozen into permanent knitting claws !
Have mastered knit , purl , and knit one purl one .
Time to put the knitting back into the bag for the rest of the day I think

Hello all - been out all day today, yoga then art group, - good fun. I am doing a pastel picture of Stonehenge atm. - Mind we do tend to natter rather a lot, so don't always get much done!

topsy and BFG - if you can knit and purl, you can cable - it is easy - you need a cable needle and a row counter and you are off. Its just a question of taking the stitches on the cable needle either to the back or the front of your work depending on the pattern. ON a simple cable pattern you will only be cabling about one row in six, the other rows will be ordinary knit and purl stitches.

topsy - I am at your knitting claws. The next stage is your fingers will turn into knitting needles - then you can wear gothy make up, get a spiky wig, live in a castle and call yourself topsy Knitting-Hands

:) at Topsy knitting hands! Just driven back from Birmimgham. Who ever called that car park an expressway should be done for misdescription, the rest of the journey wasn't so bad, I chickened out of the M6 and stayed with the A38+M1 and didn't see any wintry showers until Bradford. Really glad I didn't have to drive in snow!

Dd has a conditional offer (CC) of a Foundation Course place at BIAD and the feedback was that her portfolio was strong. So a successful couple of days away. And gave Mum a shower and hairwash this morning before the carers came to hoist her so that was good.

Hi jchocchip - glad to hear you had a good trip, all sounds positive for your Dd. You enjoy exercise don't you? how is it going? I'm looking forward to returning to regular swims after rads

Yes I've nearly finished my 10 mile swim challenge i set myself after rads, one more should do it! I'm half way through the nhs c25k too and managed two runs of 8 minutes today which felt really good - not sure I've ever done that before! Feeling fitter than I have for years, lost 11lb since just before Christmas. I started swimming directly after rads, my skin wasn't quite broken so plenty of aqueous and a dressing did it for me. Only did 10 lengths the first time but soon built up. Shame I'm back at work now, really, makes it more difficult to fit the swims in! Hope your skin behaves and you can go for a dip soon :)

well done to dd jane !