38th tamoxifen - waiting for summer in the bus shelter

[Gigondas]

New thread.

Kitkat glad you are feeling a bit better will need all of your tips soon, yes next appointment is with the onc they did say to chase them up if I'd not heard in a few weeks which is not very reassuring !
Smee and copt thank you I do have the preconception that node involvement means im doomed but hopefully not
On the plus side he did say I've healed really well after my op and recommended rubbing bio oil into the scars

malt sounds like you have a plan now. Bugger about the node but they'll throw everything at it, and any stray cells won't stand a chance. My tumour was 24mm and grade 3 too. Take it easy and enjoy the black cherry cider - is it Bulmers?! Very tasty, I agree. Hang in there, lovely, and give yourself time to get used to the idea of the next bit. Take one step at a time. And bollocks to the letting everyone down - be gentle and kind to yourself x x

Must head to bed - loads of love to everyone x x

kitkat hope they don't give me suppositories glad you are feeling better though.

malt Under the NHS pledges they have to start treatment within 31 days (and have to report statistics on this) so hopefully they won't be hanging around - I think they often do the "under promise and over deliver" thing.

31 days from today Betsy ? I need to get my hair cut, does everywhere offer the cold cap? At the moment I'm thinking I'd like to try it

Gah just lost my post.

Waves to all, hope you're having a good evening.

malt bummer about nodes but plan is good! :) another stage 3 here.

MAS is the Norwegian cream helping? It has really soothed the cracks between my fingers so I hope it works for you too :)

Whole lot of hair fell out earlier, I'm a bit annoyed it has lasted so long then decided to fall out right when the end is in sight! I'm emailing my bowel nurse about it tomorrow. Not sure how or where I can get a wig if needed. Thinking maybe one like this and for parties!

Goodnight all, sleep well!

malt I think it's from today (the "decision to treat" day) - more info on pg 29 here

Glad that you have got your plan in place Malt. It is a pain about the nodes and clearance but you can handle it. Feel free to be pissed off though as I know it isn't the result you were hoping for.

Gig, sorry you are in pain. Hope you find a solution soon.

I have been to the cafe run by yr 6 at ds school. He was being a waiter. Because when I go in the sun my face becomes a mass of freckles everyone told me I was looking really well.

I had tickets to the Beverley Folk Festival this weekend. I usually take the kids and camp, we have a brilliant time. I do hope I will be well enough to go next year. My parents are coming over to stay for the weekend which will cheer me up a bit.

PS - not sure if everywhere does the cold cap - it hasn't been mentioned to me yet (and I haven't asked as I don't fancy it anyway)

Crikey Ruby , isn't cancer bad enough without having to wear a Bonnie Tyler wig too ?

Just had a lovely giggly time in the garden with DH and pig/dog .
My sister sent a big box of her sins clothes over for my DS . And when DH took the huge cardboard box they came in out to the bin , pig/dog stole it off him .
Cue DH chasing pig/dog and playing tug of war .
Priceless

Hope everyone gets a good nights sleep .
I'm having a cheeky vimto to celebrate Malts clear margins !

Night All x

My hospital didn't offer the cold cap , but my last chemo was a while ago .

I always thought id end up looking like bonnie Tyler in a few years ! Ruby that is a pain about your hair though hopefully it will grow back quickly
Trice I am a bit pissed off ! Shame about the festival, something to look forward to next year though
Cheers topsy !
Thanks Betsy for the link
Ned yes bulmers it's very nice
Night all and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being there tonight xx

Morning all
Meant to be ds sports day today but weather is looking rubbish so might be cancelled, hopefully!
Hope everyone slept ok? Me not so much
I have some questions but I'll save them for later as its early
What's for breakfast ?

I've had yogurt with sliced strawberries,grapes and banana (saintly emoticon)
I can't join node corner but do I get a special dispensation for mets ? mind you,can't be doing with Southern Comfort..
Hope rads are tolerable today gig and that the pain isn't so awful.
ruby the Neutrogena comfort balm is great - much nicer than Aveeno or horrid Diprobase stuff. Thanks v much for recommending.

malt just seen this in the news. If you wanted to avoid another op if might be worth asking if this is an option?
How are you feeling today?

gigs I hope rads go well today and bring some pain relief.

kitkat hope you aren't feeling too rough today. I think I'll be going back to my "this too will pass" mantra when my time comes.

Waves hello to everyone else

I had many, many nasty nodes. And I still have.

I have a good book to read today. I am working my way through rereading Dorothy L Sayers, Georgette Hever, Niago Marsh, Agatha Christie etc as recommended by book threads on here. They are so comforting to read and cancer free. As a plus my current chemo brain has largely forgotten who done it!

Betsy thank you I had seen that, my surgeon said it was better to take them out as then you could check them, I guess with radiotherapy how would you know if the nodes were clear or not afterwards ? But will mention it again after chemo

Mas sounds a very virtuous breakfast well done rice crispies here !

Sports day cancelled we had terrible rain last night it was like a film, coming out of hospital after bad news and walking through the car park in my summer clothes getting soaked and not caring then crying in the steamed up car ! We won't forget that in a hurry

Morning trice what do you mean you still have, don't they take them all out ? ( clueless here )
Books sound good I hope to get back into reading

betsy that was exactly how I coped, with that mantra, and viewing it all as something to get over with. Cancer is an inconvenience not a lifestyle.

Trice that list made me nostalgic Most were read under the covers with a torch at 2am. It was actually probably that, rather than dyslexia that made me a daydream at school what a great idea to reread. I did revisit Jean Plaidy to see if she could do the same job of engaging DD with the people in History as she did for me but discovered her writing was actually so crap it was annoying

gigs hope you had a better night and have the back pain under control.

malt ask away.

Off oop north in a couple of hours. It will be nice to get away from the smoke as my Dad calls it.

Ok questions
Should I get my hair cut now or wait till I get my appointment and find out if they do the cold cap here?
What do I need to do before chemo, I'm quite fat is it best to try and lose some weight ?
Do I need to go to the dentist ? Not been in at least 10 years, I know I know !
Can you drink on chemo ? Very important question

Hi Malt

Hugs from me.

Drinking - definitely

Dentist - definitely

Hair cut - personal choice, but I got mine done when it started to fall (usually 2 weeks after first dose IIRC)

Weight loss - don't fret on that one, it's a hassle you don't need

xx

malt I didn't get my shoulder length hair cut, they do say that shorter hair doesn't fall out as quickly because it weighs less but you still have to brush it so I don't really get that. I suppose when it did come out the mad witch look with a few wisps was a bit dispiriting before I shaved it all off. It would have given me a chance to experiment with a short look but it would also have been an extra thing Cancer had made me do, and I was very resistant to that, and I don't love the hairdressers . So I think it is a matter of personal preference

How people react to chemo varies on the weight front too, some put it on with the steroids etc. I lost two stone and I didn't have two stone to lose and ended up with the full emaciated look with jutting hip and collar bones. In fact I am fat now and should be more proactive about losing weight now but a bit of me clings to having some reserves

Otherwise stock up on good mindless DVDs and books , get your support networks in place for school runs, getting kids meals cooked (I really couldn't face food at all for a couple of days a month and when my friend was having chemo doing a family meal and soup (for her, she could only eat pea and lettuce soup) run was something I gladly did that made a real difference.

I have disgustingly yellow but strong teeth so it really didn't affect them but I would have thought it might be an idea if you haven't been for ten years to make sure you haven't any potential for abscesses when you immunity is low. My nails were shocking though.

Friends and I had bloody good dancing on the tables throwing our wigs and prosthesis across the room piss ups in our good week. I suppose our Sunday School teacher like Oncy would have been appalled, but I feel certain it is why we are all still here

definitely the dentist as chemo can weaken teeth and gums and also they can't do anything invasive during chemo as there's an infection risk. My dentist keeps an eye on mine every 6 months and has replaced broken fillings with semi permanent stuff but avoided too much drilling and no injections.
I hope you won't lose the taste for or choc or any other trolley treats ! You'll probably have a chemo chat with chemo nurse first and get told a load of stuff you can't eat but it's a bit like being pregnant.
I was told to boil all drinking water but it's becoming a drag and am sure it tastes different.

Boiling drinking water sounds a right pain. And am sure it would taste bad too. Bloody disease.

morning all - I had a terrible night - very sick and although that brought relief for a while it wasn't long before the nausea set back in. Am most annoyed as having been told to drink loads I don't think I have kept any of it down. Will def see if onc has anything stronger for next time.
Feeling a bit better this morning and have managed a piece of toast but only just bearable.

MAS - boiling drinking water - goodness that's a step too far.

MALT - I agree with the mindless DVDs or downloads and books - you def need stuff that doesn't need to much effort to follow.

Morning all,

I forgot to say yesterday I have some chocolate fairy cakes for the trolley, they have white chocolate chips in and chocolate butter cream. Super yummy if I say so myself. Just had one for elevenses.

My hair is calming down a bit and bowel nurse seems convinced I won't get bald patches, just thinning, so I think yesterday's panic was a bit unnecessary!

MAS glad you like the cream, I always feel very responsible when I recommend something! Boiling drinking water sounds like a nightmare.

gigs hope you're less achey today and that rads go well.

malt also get your activities for chemo stocked up. I was told to see the dentist before chemo for a check up, also saw the hygienist to make sure everything was lovely and clean to reduce infection risk :) all a bit pointless as my teeth have gone brown, seemingly from the Difflam I've been using

kitkat sorry you had such a bad night, can you phone your nurses for more anti sickness before next time? I have these which I wore when the nausea was very bad, I don't know if they definitely helped but they did seem to.