**Tamoxifen** the 30th thread !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

Am wheeling the trolley over....

MAS Yes! None survived the journey back though

That sounds an amazing recipe copthall- don't fancy sharing it? And at pumpkins bigger than mini gig- she would probably try to climb them.

Ooh yes, I'd like that recipe too please, Copthall. My favourite is roasted squash and garlic with thyme pasta. Am sure it would work well with Pumpkin. Could pass on recipe if you like. v.easy.

MAS, has BCN called yet? Glad you rang them, hands sound so v.sore. Am jealous of your DS, as have never been to the Somme. A great Uncle fought and survived - quite a feat in itself. DH is taking his students to Berlin in February, so I might try and work out a flight for me and DS to join them for the weekend if it fits.

Gracie and Ned, ouch for the itching. Can't remember when it starts to get better, but it should be soon surely.

Sparkle, yes v.good luck tomorrow. Fingers crossed you get the job, though am sure if you do that will bring fresh challenges juggling the DC and all.

Must catch up with Fresh Meat. Current obsession here is 'Getting On'.

Still awash on the high seas of Eastern med and Italy. Holy Lands fab but scary thanks to now being a war zone! Yikes! Hugs to all. Back properly on Sat or Sun

Hope you are having a great time amber-as you are in Sicily/montalbano land, if you can smuggle fazio back in your suitcase that would be nice .

Dave lee travis arrested- did anyone else read interview with him in Sunday times a few months ago?

And yes please for that recipe smee

Glad you're safe, Amber. Sounds like an amazing trip.

Didn't know about DLT. Never ending all of that..

Squash & Sage Pasta:
Bit vague on quantities as have been cooking it for years so know it backwards. Basically, it's a fair amount of squash peeled, etc and cut into 1 inch cubes. Roast with a big glug of olive oil and half a dozen cloves of garlic (lazy way I do it is just in skins, slightly squashed) + salt and pepper for about 35 mins. Then add a fair few walnuts very roughly chopped and stir them in, roast for another 10 mins. Cook pasta (penne's good), while cooking the pasta, cut about 15 thyme leaves into thin strips. Melt about 50g butter in a small pan. Once butter's frothy put thyme in, stir and cook gently on low heat for a couple of mins. Mix pasta in with squash mix and stir in sage butter. You don't have to have walnuts, but once tasted with, never without again..!

Forgot to add that DH likes parmesan grated over the top. Having said that, he likes Parmesan on anything..!

smee My mouth is watering and v. annoyed I just bought some clams to go with our pasta tonight!

Recipe from Kiwiland courtesy of my gorgeous friend Shelley who I am going to see at Christmas

roast an ordinary sized Butternut Squash (or one eighth of a Copthall Pumpkin!) cut into large cubes, for around 40 minutes, until caramelised

For dressing heat quarter cup red wine vinegar and quarter cup sundried tomatoes together and leave to soak until tomatoes are soft then whizz with 3 cloves garlic, 1tblsp balsamic vinegar, half cup virgin olive oil. 1tsp sugar, salt and pepper.

Toss Pumpkin, one drained tin chickpeas (or equivalent) and 2tbsps shredded fresh coriander and/ or Mint in dressing.

Gigs Perhaps I should start a babygym. "Pumpkin Patch, the babygym with equipment that is nutritionally beneficial when chewed"

take care amber - love seeing the photos on fb !
No call yet from hospital...shall I just stop taking the last 3 doses do you think- give my hands a break...
Both recipes sound deliciously lovely !
smee we love Getting On too

Gigs Going to school in a certain Northern city we all knew certain celebs were dodgy and liked young girls, some girls found that quite exciting, some of us just knew to stay well clear. Saville was one of them but so was Keith Emerson of ELP and George Best. Emerson's name has come up in the papers but I suppose George Best is just too much of an icon. I have to say though that these excuses that the 70s were open season on young girls is rubbish. I remember some off the overexcited girls being most upset they had been chased out of the stage door by quite a few bands, including Led Zep, Deep Purple, Curved Air and Hot Chocolate ( apparently they heard the lead singer saying "Get these honkys out of here").

Just delivered, Sarah Raven's latest book on the veg plot Pumpkin Crisps!

MAS, I vote for stop taking them. for you that they didn't call back.

Copthall, will definitely try that recipe. I love things with mint in.

it's ok- nurse did call back and after making sure I've been doing everything possible (pyridoxine and lots of moisturiser) agreed for me to stop in case they get worse and it delays the next treatment. Am mightily relieved and hope they improve. I spent quite a time trying to undo my trousers to go to the loo- fortunately wasn't urgent ! They just look and feel so awful.

Mas I'm so glad. My first chemo completely floored my white blood cell count and I got a strep infection. It took them a while using the wrong antibiotics to work that out so for three days they were barrier nursing me with no white blood cells and an infection raging unchecked (that was 9/11 when I turned on the TV and realised I was lucky, it could be worse) My oncy conceded that getting the dose right is a very crude process, height * weight? and then calibration according to side effects. She did point out she should have realised it would be an overdose for someone with such long legs (I told you she was lovely and supportive ) I am sure you know this, but it did worry me when they kept reducing the dose and this reassured me.

Hi everyone, I'm glad you can pause on the drugs MAS while your hands recover, and fingers crossed (Mine rather than your's) that the dosage can be reduced.

My DS did a school trip to WW1 battlefields too - I thought most touching part was that they went to pay respects at the graves of the young men who'd been to the same school as my DS - so after that the names on the school memorial meant a great deal more.

Smee - great recipe - I'll definitely make this - is it thyme or sage though???

Topsy - I enjoyed your truly amazing horse story!

I'm a bit tired after a quiz night last night - I'm just hopeless about going out ion school nights...

Waving to everyone

SR, it's sage. Sorry, am clearly losing the plot.

MAS, glad she called you back and you can stop. I think it's normal for them to get the dose wrong. Mine was reduced too and I got the same explanation as Copthall, so it's a crude weight/ height calculation (in other words a guesstimate). The good thing is it means the drugs are having a strong effect, so killing the cancer am sure.

Frank, how are you today?? Hope arm's not too sore.

Just back from taking small boys to Judo. Think the novelty's wearing off, so not sure how much longer they'll want to do it for. Can't say I'm too sad, as it's a half hour walk each way and it's freezing in the hall too. Glad to be home.

lovely to see you SR Yep, onc explained the calculation is done by working out body area and it did seem a bit random (he did it on his iphone) -am sure they will reduce it as the hand thing is daunting- feet too- feels worse really now and I felt poorly this evening. Am sure thing'll look up soon.
Poor chilly smee- I do remember my afternoons in the karate place with ds.
Went to vote for police thing- took ds for advice on candidates.

My dd is an English teacher and,along with the History dept they have an annual trip to the WW1 battlefields.She tells me that when the pupils are there they take it in turn to read the war poetry we all know so well.Apparently every one of them is in tears.
MAS I am so glad you can give your hands a break,it sounds horrible.

I can imagine hearing Wilfrid Owen being read would be very tear making.
Was up at 4 to give him breakfast then back to bed as dh took him to school. Should be home between 9.30-10.30
Felt wretched last night with stomach unsettledness- am mighty glad to have been able to stop the medication so can rest a bit.

Mas I hope you feel better soon.

Waves to everyone!

Lovely day ahead, meeting with my supervisor, ( sorry I am a bit behind the dog eat my computer I went on The Long March ) and then the British Library, one of my favourite places in the world. The problem is stopping myself going off piste with all the amazing stuff there is there.

Hello all

MAS, I am glad that they have let you stop the drugs for a bit: I hope the hands and feet start to get better quickly now, and that the dose can be adjusted for next time. That and the upset tummy sound horrendous. As Smee says, at least it must be having a similarly profound effect on the bastard cancer cells.

Much love to you all. I haven't read through further back than this page as I am still frantic, but I am thinking of you. I'm planning to come in and catch up a bit over the weekend - hope you all have nice plans to excite - or at least distract - you. x

There is now very little I don't know about EU grants. No wonder I feel sleepy

How wonderful that they take the children there. Must mean far more. I can still remember reading those poems for the first time at school, but we were never taken anywhere. I hope my DS gets to do similar.

MAS, rest and more rest. Horrible to feel sick, let alone your problems with your hands and feet. Hope you're allowing yourself a day off. I know you find that hard, but maybe it will help.

How's the itchy girls today?? Hope not so troubled. And Frank, how are you? Still buried in M&S treats?

Better get on, lots of work..

Hi All

Just back from chaperoning DDs school trip to the library .
Think I got off lightly as half the class were playing in a handball tournament , so we only took 14 kids .
And teacher and I spent most of our time in the library staff room drinking tea , so that was nice !

Hoping my crochet hooks and wool arrive in today's post , am feeling a little crafty today

Mas please be kind to yourself . Treats and rest ordered today by Dr Topsy !