**TAMOXIFEN 18**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

oh my,we're starting our 18th !

Sparkle is he just overwhelmed by it all maybe? He's such a sensitive soul, so maybe it's just tipped him over the edge. I think at the v.least you need a fbs to go with the wine.

oh bless ds sparkle - definitely frame it,and poor love is probably overwhelmed as smee says.
Hooray for last rads on Monday backforgood -yay !
Dad's friend has pneumonia - parents are a bit distressed this evening - dad and his pal are like little boys together- they talk a lot and ring each other up during rugby matches to talk about it- please pray for him to be better.
Dad says the cottage is awkward (for putting in an ensuite shower room) He was an architect and I took the floor plans to show him on behalf of my friend- he was a bit underwhelmed by it as it's also on the main road.

am glad you got to the exhibition smee - I need to go to more-it's just not as easy as it used to be out here in Hampshire.

Fingers crossed for your Dad's friend MAS. I still think the cottage is lovely, although main road would put me off.

You are probably right ds is probably overwhelmed by it all.

FBS...what have I got......some chocolate buttons, some xmas biscuits....nope I think I will finish this glass and have a lovely hot chocolate, then collapse in drunken exhausted heap in bed, or on settee, whichever is closer at the time.

Yeay indeed for last Rads, backforgood. How annoying it didn't fall on a Friday. Seems a pain to have to wait until Monday. How's your skin? Hope it's okay.

MAS, will light a candle for your Dad's friend. Pneumonia's scary, but hopefully he's in the right place and they'll be able to help him through.

Sorry backforgood, missed out celebration for last rads on Monday....nearly there, a glass of something to celebrate properly?

Oh go on then - I prefer white but will forc down red if that's all that's here. My skin is now sore, (after me telling everyone how lucky I was that my skin didn't seem to be reacting . Itchy too. I asked the folks at rads today how long I should expect it to be sore for, and they said it would probably get worse over the next 7 - 10 days, then start to improve - is this true ? I was focussed on it all finishing with my last appt.!

No fear.....I have white!

I haven't had rads but I remember one of the others, either something, smee, kurri or MAS talking before about ways of calming the soreness, hopefully they will be along soon with the advice, as my has dulled my ability to remember anything at all.

Evening everyone. seems like a good idea.

Sparkle, I'm wondering what's making ds cry? Poor lad.

Amber, what a day you and DH have had. You've coped remarkably well, considering. I hope DH isn't feeling too groggy after his op.

Smee, I'm a bit at some of the cancer websites too. Very scary places. Glad you enjoyed the exhibition at the Tate Modern. DS1 and his gf went to see it.

Good luck for tomorrow Marmite. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly and you recover quickly. I second the drain bag - it makes getting around so much easier. Our hospital supplied them thankfully. Made going to the loo a lot quicker. Mind you, the first time I sat down on the loo I hooked the strap of the bag on a towel hook, got up, washed my hands and walked towards the door, forgetting the drains. Ouch!! Luckily the bag flew off the door and I didn't come unstitched.

MAS, hope your dad's friend makes a speedy recovery. I love the cottage you looked at today - very cosy and just right for a singleton. The garden is a manageable size and, by the look of everything, she could just move straight in - a big plus in my book .

Topsy, hope you're out of the doldrums soon and feel like posting again tomorrow. I go through phases like that too, I call it going into 'hermit-mode'.

Scar still playing up and the nurse has got me back to using the silver underneath the dressing. We have 4 nurses at our village clinic (they all do part-time hours) and I've seen all of them since I started having daily dressings since 14th Dec. I asked today about going once a month for a regular weigh-in and pep talk about losing weight and she agreed to see me once a month to monitor me. So no more FBS for a while.

I hope KK is okay - KK, if you read this, have a ((((((((((((((KK)))))))))))))). Just to let you know I'm thinking of you.

Lovely wee house that, I could so live there.

Sorry to hear about your dad's friend.

Am slightly losing track of who has appointments and who hasn't, so can I offer up a simple hello to everyone tonight, hope you have a nice weekend.

backforgood rads- my skin started to break down a day or two before the last session and then quite badly (black peely skin ! and weeping) I kept it as dry as possible and asked bcn for dressings -the name of which I forget-they were non-adhesive pads which I stuck in my bra to stop rubbing -did the trick and soon healed up. You can also put silk hankies in your bra too,as they are gentle.

BackforGood, definitely get them to talk you through how to look after the skin on Monday. If your skin does break down you'll need some specialised cream to help stop infection and also non-stick dressings. Definitely insist on having some if there's even a hint your skin's going. I failed to do that and got into a right old mess. A week-10 days sounds about right in terms of it working through and out the other side.

Figgy, that scar's amazingly persistent. How annoying it's still problematic. Good about weigh-ins though. Are the Nurses suitably fierce, so you'll be too scared to indulge?

Marmite, if you're still reading when they let you go home, if you still have drains make sure you've got a couple of spares bottles. I caught mine on a chair, and pulled the vacuum out, then ended up having to go to A&E to get a replacement late on a Saturday night. Sitting with the drunks and druggies wasn't the best way to recuperate.

Dig, you haven't got that much longer to wait now? Can't remember which day your appointment is, but remind us so we can be thinking of you. Hope you're okay and keeping busy.

Thanks for all the good wishes and advice - partic concerning drains. Smee and Figgy ouch! re catching them on things. Made my eyes water!

Am packed-ish and ready-even-more-ish. Feels a bit strange packing a weekend bag but only including pyjamas .

...oops hadn't finished there. iPhone is a bit too keen.

Scheduled to be in 3-5 days so will keep you posted.
Have a lovely weekend.
xx

Thanks smee it is Tuesday. keeping fine, only kind of irrationally petrified, rationally I know statistically chances are that I will be totally fine.

Morning all! Time for a !

Backfor My skin started to break under my boob and they gave me mepilex non adhiesive dressings which were vere good. I went braless or put an old silk shirt on under it. Started to heal once I started the boost. Hope yours heals quickly.

Hello, lovely ladies. Hope this Saturday morning finds you all well and with nice plans for the weekend?

DigOfTheStump, good luck for Tuesday
marmitesandwiches, hope it all goes well!
Amber, hope your DH is on the mend and you're a little less stressed today. Have some more
MAS that cottage is really cute! Would be great to have your friend nearby. Has she made a decision?

Ned, I was thinking of you all of yesterday and hope you're doing OK. Agree it seems a good sign they're doing a lumpectomy. Did you go to work yesterday?

I am moving this weekend and am very stressed about it! Firstly, because I'm moving in with my ex (we split at the end of 2010) and staying in my little boy's room - supposedly temporarily while I look for somewhere, but if the biopsy results aren't good not sure what will happen ? We get on pretty well, although not sure what living together again will be like and I wonder what his poor new GF thinks of it. Also, I was supposed to be moving next weekend so thought I would have more time to pack and be able to move some things this weekend at a leisurely pace, but had to rearrange everything because of the surgery next week.

Have any of you had lymph nodes under the arm removed? Not quite sure what I should be expecting afterwards. Apparently it'll feel bruised and sore, but not sure for how long. Guess I shall find out! My little boy will be at my mum's house (coincidentally, she doesn't know about the biopsy) from Friday afternoon until Sunday so am planning to just spend all of Saturday on the sofa and have ordered seasons 1 & 2 of 'Dexter' for that purpose. Spoke to someone who is a pathologist and apparently it'll take a full week for a report. They'll be able to tell if it's benign after 48-72 hours though. I had a whole bunch of blood tests on Thursday which, if they showed anything, would exclude lymphoma, but I somehow think I'd notice if I had either Toxoplasmosis or Glandular Fever! They'll also be looking for signs of infection/inflammation, however I had tests looking for that quite recently (November) and they were all perfect and I've had symptoms and the neck lymph node lump for longer than that.

(Hah, notice the really long post when I have plenty of stuff I really should be doing :) Back to the packing!)

camel -friend really likes the cottage and has made an offer, but she's looking at a few more next week- will be v lovely having her nearby

I had a few lymph nodes removed and it was sore and very swollen afterwards for quite a while- it's important to make sure you do the prescribed exercises afterwards though- I found cleaning the shower tiles effective ! The underarm area is still numb in patches 2 and a half years along.
Good luck with your move - hope it isn't too difficult .

marmite lots of love heading your way

Morning all.Camel, you have so much going on right now, your head must be spinning! Good luck for Friday. Does your ex know what's happening?

Can I ask those of you with b/c, and who found out via a lump, where your lump was? Mine is in my right breast, up towards my armpit, but still in the breast, but only just. And i actually think there is more than one distinct lump now, but am not sure. I can feel one rounder, smoother, larger lump, and one smaller, harder nobbly lump.

Morning all. Thanks for the thoughts. Keeping everyone else in mine too.
Shattered after yesterday and bit tearful. So much hospital stuff still - just relentless, especially so soon after radiotherapy and after herceptin this week.
Dig, mine was left breast towards the chest wall (allegedly, though me and the surgeon still have a difference of opinion over this which would take too long to explain).

Dig My lump was right breast near to nipple and close to the skin. Once I saw my gp I was very aware of it, but fortunately it was not long before I had my lumpectomy. Waiting for test results is horrible, worst part of the whole experience.

xpost amber not surprised you are shattered. Be easy on yourself today. DrJ prescribes fbs!

amber take care of yourself xxx

Oh lovely - fbs!! Yes, tried to have a really quiet morning, now going to look at carpets, allegedly. Don't want to look at carpets but can't argue with the logic that the sales stop soon and otherwise it'll be too expensive. Thank you folks xxx