Tamoxigang -the 39th thread ***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

cooee ! we're over here - just in case the current thread hit 1000 without our noticing Bring the trolley !

We're all holding your hand malt and whatever happens I've discovered I will always have some lovely t'internet friends holding me up. I'm pretty much a glass half full girl but this disease (sod it) sometimes slurps

Afternoon All

Good luck Malt , I'm sure you are there already . But I'm another one here holding your hand c

EMIN we were looking for you !
And there you were being all dramatic in your ambulance
Crikey , that must have been scarey !

I've just been out sweeping broken glass up off my road .
Bloody recycling men !
Obv couldn't handle the reduced amount of wine bottles in my recycling bin , so they smashed what was in there all over the place

Pig/dog is nose pressed against my living room window , growling at a murderous carrier bag he can see 100 yards away .
I'm going to have to go get it and put it in the bin if I want any peace , aren't I ?

Blimey, Malt I can see why you're stressed. What on earth was BCN doing. Surely the appt was on the system if the letter was sent on the 8th. She only had to look when you called her. I wish you a smiley, reassuring Onc. xx

Kitkat, will keep my fingers crossed for no more sickness. The science is v.interesting I think. I was a bit like HND, Copt and Betsy, so decided I needed to know everything, to the extent that my Onc asked if I was medically trained. I do get why some people go the other way though and would rather not know. Such a v.hard line to tread.

Earth hello. So glad you're home, but my that sounds grim. Are they going to reduce your dose, or do you they think you were just unlucky?

Gig, am piling Montezuma chocolate buttons onto the trolley just for you. Sounds like you need a cheery distraction. Be weird if you did trust your body after all you've been through, but remember you are bionic now, and once recovered will be invincible.

Waving to MAS. Will be thinking of your DS later. Hope he doesn't get too nervous.

Hope DH's dinner goes well tonight, Copt. That's quite a marker isn't it?! Does he get a carriage clock?

Ruby, hope you're okay today, or at the very least not too bad. What did your nurse say?? xx

Sorry I've missed posting to loads. So busy atm, have only just grabbed some lunch. A rather divine left over herb lentil salad that I made last night as had a friend round. Might hoover up the bite size wispa chunks in the fridge to compensate.

Drama queen is back !
Saw the onc and her assistant? Both were lovely and reassuring and kept talking about chemo being an insurance policy etc
My surgeon had panicked me by telling me I was having 7 to 9 sessions but they laughed and said why did he say that? It's 3 FEC T and 3 TAX
Very apologetic about the late letter the same happened to 3 other people today !
Still not got a date to start though as next I have to have an appointment with the chemo nurse who will show me around and go over more stuff and give me a blood test. Chemo is Thursdays so they think it will be the week after next, they like to start within 12 weeks of surgery !!!
Talked about the cold cap which I'd like to try
Am much calmer and more reassured now
Sorry for earlier you should have given me a virtual slap !

Also she said she wouldn't recommend I worked through chemo but nothing to stop me going in to help out a bit if I feel able and don't stop going out, shopping etc !

Yay - that sounds reassuring and doable. Like the cold cap and bit about being able to work as I know those things had worried you.

Glad it's out the way .

Phew, well done Malt. Another milestone. I had 3xFEC/ 3xTax. Think a few of us have had that. Ask anything you want. Nobody will slap you!

Thanks
Have decided to take the kids away to the seaside this weekend before it all starts

Brilliant idea.

well done Malt. Now you have done that visit you will be fine and when you talk to people in future you can say 'my oncologist' which I still find quite amusing .

and you got FEC-T which most people seem to get so you know they know what they are doing - this is one of those cases where you don't want to be special if you can avoid it.

Now you must try to enjoy the next 2 weeks - you have no more news to worry about so enjoy the sun before you go all sun sensitive!!

welcome to the FEC-T gang malt

Glad you are feeling a bit calmer, at least things are moving now. Good idea to go away and enjoy the time before chemo starts.

smee He'd better bloody not. We already have a watch from DHs company, it has cows on it and edelweiss on the strap, I used to wear it for a laugh until the trophy alpha wives commented on how nice it was and I realised I was inadvertently wearing a status symbol I do hope we are not going to get a matching clock......

malt that all sounds positive, and nice for you to have so many chemo buddies

Feeling very left out of the FEC-T gang, I had FAC. It's interesting that when I was treated you only got T if you were Her 2 Neu and most people only got AC as A was seen as the most powerful drug for BC. I only got the F because the onc felt that given the chemo didn't hold out much benefit for me it would pay to try F, though it was regarded as old fashioned, just to widen the chances. Now E has apparently replaced A because it has fewer side effects and F and T for everyone is on trend...... So the chemo spa has trends!

I also discovered whilst just reading about this that A had antimalarial properties, and it is actually true that prior to chemo I was irresistible to mozzies (pale skin, most attractive blood group) and since chemo, they don't bother me!! So we can add that to the benefits of the chemo spa!

TOPSY goondogs has always barked at helicopters passing overhead, and chased them up the garden but now in his old age he has decided aeroplanes are also coming to get us. They take off over Twickers in this weather, one every 15 mins routes directly over our garden, it's bad enough that they are climbing on full thrust without a mad dog chasing them all the way up the garden barking at them, it is driving me demented....Do you think Heathrow Air Traffic Control would re route to give us some peace?

Just back from Hampton Court with more goodies. Some nice gardens. the Macmillan garden was nice enough but it actually has head tilters in it . They are shameless about it "Macmillan professionals are represented by 2D mirror-like figures made from stainless steel, tilted slightly forward so they reflect the plantings in front of them." They are not just tilted forward their heads are definitely on the side as well What with that and the people who sell the wheelie boxes everyone buys to put their plants in, and trip me up, making them all pink this year for Breast Cancer Awareness it has not been good, for my Cancer tourettes

malt glad appointment went so well :) and yay for a weekend at the sea!

smee no word from bowel nurse and didn't get a chance to chase up today, think I will leave it as skin has recovered now, it's usually only really bad for a day or two, and hopefully it is chemo related rather than op related so won't happen again! lentil herb salad sounds amazing!

Bit of a rushed day here, was just leisurely getting ready for my course when had a call from hospital to say I'm having my blood transfusion tomorrow if I can get there for a blood test in the next hour so had to nip in and have that done on the way to the course. I'm glad it'll be over so quickly, means next week should be completely appointment free :)

Today's course was really enjoyable, lots about pacing and dealing with fatigue from treatment and sleep problems etc. I will have a look through my notes and see if there's anything useful to post later :) a woman approached me as she was worried her cancer had spread to her bottom but I'm not sure what she wanted me to say and made me quite uncomfortable tbh! Lots of questions about how I was diagnosed and telling me her bowel symptoms then she asked if my bowels were all okay now

Chemo side effects are calming down so just a bit tired really! :) I was worn out by all the excitement so had a little sleep when I got back!

EMIN lovely to hear from you but sorry you've had such a nightmare time of it lately! I hope you're on the mend now :)

HND yay for new dishwasher and impressed at your plumbing skills! Take it easy when you get the chance though

topsy at carrier bag!

On the whole information thing, I'm usually very scientific so I was surprised at myself for not wanting all the information, but I also knew none of the statistics were very relevant to me anyway! kitkat you're right, definitely best to not be a special case! I had this fear that I would become overwhelmed and you can't un-know something so I made sure I didn't know too much before I felt ready as I was coping quite well with it all and some people were worried I was deluded, which made me worried I might be, so then didnt want to give myself a breakdown or something I now know all there is to know about my cancer and things but I don't really think about it

Anyway I've rambled on enough! Hugs to those who need them, waves to those I've missed and love to alllll x

I'm left out of the FEC-T gang too as I'm only getting the FEC bit.

Good that yo have that appointment out of the way malt - I found that once you are DX every letter form the hospital throws you out of kilter - so don;t worry about feeling a bit panicked. Its good your team are nice and reassuring, - great idea to get away for the weekend before it all starts - have a lovely time, hope the sunshine continues for you

Hope Mr Copt's dinner goes well tonight, it sounds as if after the initial apprehension, he is starting to embrace his retirement now good for him.

Hugs for EMIN - so sorry you have been in hospital with infections, - they are a bugger. But you were absolutely right to phone for an ambulance - can't believe the ambulance people gave you a hard time - hope you are feeling much better now you are home.

Hope Gigs and Ruby a bit less uncomfortable today, and getting plenty of rest.

Good luck to T for his recital MAS - am sure he will do brilliantly. DD is playing in a choir concert at an old people's home tonight - which she always rather enjoys because the old people love to join in the songs, and really enjoy themselves.

Waving to all

I'm in the XELOX gang all by myself! although MAS and also I think trice? are on the XEL bit :)

copt at head tilter garden! We talked about them on course today, I was confused for a mo and thought a member of the tamoxigang must be there in secret but seems to be a universal complaint :)

Well I think anyone who can boast of at least one of the letters in FEC-T in their chemo can be associate members of the FEC-T gang too, so that's both of you copt and kitkat :)

(and anyone who doesn't have any of the letters, but has listened patiently to members of the FEC-T gang moaning on about their FEC-T can be honorary members, so that's everyone covered then )

Evening All

Ruby you should have shown the nosey moo your lovely baboon red bottie
Nosey cow !

Malt you are on the way now .
I was going to be a FEC/T girl but ended up with just FEC .
My Onc was very amused that I called it FEC (feck) and not F.E.C .
Feck is a much favoured replacement of fuck over here
I felt it was appropriate ...

Gigs how are you doing today ?
Did you have another nice afternoon nap ?

Wotcha kk

Copt are you not joining DH at his dinner ?

My DH had a film crew outside of his work all day .
So he spent his time sending me pics of cast and crew .
That's him finished work till Tuesday .
They close most businesses down for the 12/13 of July over here .

Spaghetti bolognaise for dinner tonight . With big salad and garlic bread .
And wine . Lots of wine .....

Topsy why didn't you get your T?

Heck ((huge hugs)) to emin at the shouting match, just what you need when your gp has called an ambulance. Not.
I'm not in the chemo gang. Strong +ve tumour here so just rads and tamoxifen for me.
Hope the dressing change was ok gigs
And malt finally got to see your onc, hurray.
Bit cooler here today so no need to go to work in my pants a la topsy !

Thanks for the support
She didn't give me any scary statistics either !
I'm ER positive which is why I will have the tamoxifen but then something else was negative so I wont have herceptin ?

I didn't get my T cos I'm a weirdo kitkat !
After I had my first chemo , they got my first ct results . That's when we found out about my lung secondaries
So they decided that I should just have the FEC .

Then I got a post op infection that triggered spontaneous remission .
No more treatment since then . Just 3 monthly cts !

I'll have you know I'm wearing a dress over my pants today !

It's one or the other malt
Tamoxifen or herceptin .
I'm going to be a herceptin girl , eventually !

hmm Topsy you definitely are wierd. Thing that'll put you in a category of your own!!

Evening All. I've been to work today though spent as much time travelling as at work as I'm a long distance London commuter. Anyway it made me feel good - though my back aches.
Can I join the FEC-T sub group even though my treatment is T-FEC?