***Tamoxigang - thread number 40!***

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

Hello all! New thread as we have almost filled the last one. Help yourself to chocolate chip muffins from the trolley! :)

Betsy Not sure we want a sick corner - reminds me of terrible cross channel ferries where you feel sick because you see others looking sick! We shall have to distract ourselves so we think of anything but sick! Any good distractions?

Thanks lily that's really useful think I was similar in that I had chemo on the Thursday and it was the next Monday to Friday I really felt worst. We'd love to go away again for the weekend but really can only do it next weekend so I'm going to wait and see how it goes. Peak district is only an hour and a bit away so were thinking about there. Ideally wed go the next weekend but dh has a vasectomy
Hope you and Betsy feel better soon you've tried the usual ginger, sea bands etc I'm sure

Awake ! Probably steroids ! Hope everyone else is asleep
Feels a bit chilly too for 1st time in ages going to snuggle down and try and get back to sleep

I'm a bit cold now too. Was too hot earlier what with the cat being so pleased to see us. Hope you got back to sleep malt.

So Im not the only one awake!

Very impressed with minipigeon - well done in getting through all the obstacles and a perfect 100%

I had more biopsies yesterday - looks like what was one small lump in the breast is added to with numerous small lumps and if biopsy comes back at cancer its a complete mastectomy and chemo - its a bit of a rollercoaster this cancer malarky. Still at least I will lose a few lbs.

Speaking if which, am sure its been discussed before, do any of you follow a particular diet. eg: avoiding dairy or anyhting like that.
Seems to be all sorts of conflicting info.
I want to lose some weight as ma hideously overweight and want to lose some before surgery next month.

Also treated myself to some new make-up.

Got back to sleep thanks
Naughty cat Jchoc !
Foo foo sorry to hear that when do you get the biopsy results ? I haven't changed my diet, try to eat 5 a day and be healthy but also have what I fancy.
I've read on other sites about people who have given up alcohol, coffee or dairy but unless the doctors tell me different I'm carrying on the way I am

Not up to anything today just got a friend and her dd coming for coffee this afternoon. Good job really weather is shocking we've had really heavy rain this morning

Gigs if you're reading hope you're recovering
Betsy and lily hope you're feeling ok this morning
Mas when are you going swimming ?
Love to everyone else x

foofooyeah I try and only eat organic dairy, and olive oil, as I read that the various harmful chemicals are fat soluble so more of a problem in fatty things. I also eat some organic vegetables. I read Anti Cancer by David Servan-Schreiber and I try and follow some of that. My rather sceptical oncologist tells me the only proven advice is to eat five a day and exercise I don't avoid dairy as I read that it actually appears to protective against bowel cancer. Also I'm trying to balance survival with quality of life and I don't want to give up my beloved cheese and then find out the cancer is back anyway :) sorry about your biopsies, cancer is rubbish!

gigs I hope you're feeling stronger, good news about snack stash! I hope the beardy medical types aren't pestering you too much.

kurri lots of hugs to you and old lady dog :( I hope you successfully ambushed her with he drops!

malt glad chemo 2 went well! I went out less as chemo went on, especially last couple of cycles, but more to do with tummy issues than anything else. And tiredness. I felt so much better on days when I did manage to get out though so would recommend going out as many days as you feel able, even if just a little walk round the block :)

jchoc you were awake early, hope you managed to get some sleep :)

lily hope the antibiotics kick in soon and help you feel better :)

shooting well done to little pigeon, that's brilliant! is definitely in order

Love to all x

missed a whole day as this gallivanting is exhausting ! Hayling Island yesterday which was great.
Hooray for clever and fab little pigeon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and fab news from hnd
Hope you are feeling ok after chemo malt
Hugs to dear old lady dog kk
and hope gig is making a good recovery.
Sorry to be so brief...really need to catch up xxxxxxxxxx

apologies to everyone that I've missed out- will resume normal reading and posting when dh is back at work.

Hi foofoo I went on a 'healthy' diet when dx and lost a lot of weight by logging everything with myfitnesspal.com app on my phone. Wish I could be that motivated again. I was awake early but still lazing around. Not back at work until Tuesday so will drink and eat
Glad you have been gallivantimg mas, always nice to have change of scene :)
Luffs you all xx

Gigs hope you are enjoying your stash and getting some rest despite hospital.

cake didn't work :(

Morning All

If any of you see me on the Internet after this post , please kick my arse !
Queen of Procrastination here , I should be packing and cleaning the house .
We leave for holidays tomorrow morning , and I have packed nothing !

All of this is not helped by the fact that I am barely sleeping again .
I'm going to take my sleeping tabs on holiday with me . I don't like taking them when DH is at work , as I feel like I may not wake up for the kids .

Prob won't get to post for the next week as holiday destination is a 3G black spot !

Hope everyone is doing well .
Gigs have you started tunnelling out yet ?
And Malt glad to see yesterday went smoothly for you .

(Slips a special treat to Old Lady Dog)

Morning all, hope the wakeful on steroids and wakeful for other reasons folk managed to get some sleep eventually.
Hope everyone is feeling OK today, - Gig any news from the Important Beardy Ones on when you can make a bolt for freedom? Hope you are a bit more comfortable today.

Foofoo - hello again - I didn't cut out dairy, although I do have friends who have done so, - I think there seems to be conflicting opinions on that aspect of diet. I have seriously tried to reduce my sugar intake, - loads of sugar is definitely not a good thing, and since I finished my treatment, I have been fairly diligent about getting regular exercise and keeping fit (I wasn't very fit before, but I've joined classes as I find I am more motivated if I am committed to going to something, and I walk cycle and swim regularly).

It would probably be worth asking your onc. or your breast care nurse about diet - because some hospitals do recommend certain types of diet, - there might be a nutritionist available at the hospital to give you some info.

With regard to losing weight (I am in the same boat as you, as I need to lose some for a reconstruction operation) I find trying to go for a walk everyday and getting into a routine of doing that helps. You will almost certainly lose some weight if you have chemo, (not that I'm recommending it as a diet - but just bear in mind because you don't want to lose too much) regarding weight loss diets I have found low carb types diets + exercise work best for me, but I'm slightly hesitant about any suggestion that you go on any major kind of diet when you have a lot of treatment coming up, you don;t want to feel weak or unwell from dieting. I'd say go for healthy eating - lots of fruit and veg., fish a couple of times a week, etc. But I honestly wouldn't get to hung up on the weight loss thing - you will probably find you lose a bit just through stress and anxiety with appointments, waiting for ops, treatment etc - I know I did. There a few 'eating well if you have cancer' type books out there - worth a glance at amazon to see if anything takes your fancy.

Berries, - esp blueberries and red berries are supposed to be good, as is ginger, very dark chocolate (the 85%+ cocoa stuff) and I have also been told a glass of red wine is good - but you might want to check that - may have been wishful thinking on my part!

Phew - sorry for essay - hope you can manage to wade through my wittering

It is my 31st wedding anniversary today - DH appears to have forgotten (although he does leave for work early and I'd only just woken when he left so he may be waiting until tonight - he has previous form for forgetting though so I won't hold my breathe)
If he turns up empty handed tonight, I shall cut myself a large bunch of flowers from the garden (actually I think I'll do that anyway) and I shall eat the bar of expensive chocolate I bought him, and look at the card I bought him!

Happy anniversary kk. Definitely cut yourself some flowers and leave his card/ choc by them. If he appears empty handed just give him a biro and get him to write on the card and share the chocolate! Men!!!

Happy anniversary Kurri, 31 years wow ! Hope dh has remembered !

Still can't see the cake, anyone else ??

Happy Anniversiary Kurri - you have a year on us as we have our 30th in October. We were planning a trip to Rome but may have to go somewhere closer at home ... though we will plan for a special trip once current treatment is finished (does it ever?)

I've realised that part of the reason I felt so poorly this chemo round is that I have probably not been drinking enough. Yes, I realised that at the time, but motivation to get up and get more exciting water to drink wasn't great. Anyway, I'm going to invest in a new smart water bottle and a new smart water jug that will sit on the table reminding me what I should be doing!

I remind DH in advance of birthdays and anniversaries, as he has the usual forward planning difficulties that go with his autism brain wiring (brilliant new research out this week on it). But it is blimmin' annoying when people forget, aye. Happy happy Anniv, KK.

No special diet here. I just eat healthily where I can.

DH and I have both managed to forget our anniversary and now it tends to be a race to see how early one of us can manage to remember. I have even managed to remember ahead, buy card and present, and then forget on the day. However I have an excuse as I 'm dyslexic, with DH it is an issue with romance......I have no such issue. Soooooooo

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KK that is cake if it doesn't work, that emoticon seems to take the cake is naughty thing a bit far.....

gigs [spade] [bucket] [file] [other implements to effect an escape] How are you feeling, hope the shortbread is building you up and the drugs are good. Hugs.

foofoo I agree with KK that I would focus on eating properly during chemo, your body is under assault and does not need it coming from any other directions. I lost a lot of weight during chemo and got dangerously close to having no reserves, although I think some people put it on, especially if given steroids. I did actually see a nutritionist and got advice on diets and supplements. I also found this book www.amazon.co.uk/Breast-Cancer-Prevention-Recovery-Diet/dp/0140283951 very useful. A lot of books especially Jane Plants one on dairy are very dogmatic, I think she actually says Wensleydale sandwiches will kill you, and that put my back up where as Suzannah Oliver is a nutritionist who had Breast Cancer herself simply offers up the Science and leaves you to make up your own mind. The things she writes about hormonal balance rang particularly true for me as I have had problems all my life and my Cancer was highly Estrogen positive. I did some serious dietary stuff, only organic, water out of glass bottles etc. for a few years but gradually the bad habits have crept back in !!!

In fact my long term SE of treatments is low bone density, in spite of calcium supplements throughout, the protective effect of Tamoxifen and eating dairy, I might be in a worse position without the dairy.

That is the problem with the dogmatic approaches, we don't have one Cancer we have many and the causes are complex and different from person to person so a one size fits all dietary approach is not necessarily the one that applies to you.

I binge drank throughout chemo as friends and I found a good binge and chance to behave badly and throw our wigs and prosthesis across the table was good therapy. And we decided champagne and chocolate were vital to quality of life.

I also exercised throughout chemo (I was always a gym bunny)

Good thing is that nutritionist who was otherwise a bit woo did say that as long as 70% of your diet was good you could go to the dark side for cake chocolate alcohol etc for 30%

Betsy I was like a Victorian lady swooning left right and centre during chemo, and that got worse towards the end. KK and I both have swooning stories. It does take it out of you.

Malt I got out as much as I possibly could. When I picked up the bad infection that was from someone on the opposite side of the table at Sunday lunch but for the rest of my cycles I went into the DDs schools etc. without picking anything up. If they find your WBC counts are diving enough to put you in danger as mine did they will give you injections to boost your count over the vulnerable period. My now normal for me count of around 2 is regarded as making me vulnerable to infection but I can't stay home and worry all the time. As far as mood is concerned I think walks / exercise are vital.

Thanks for all your congrats for little pigeon, it is lovely to see her looking so confidant for a change.

First day of not tour guiding / bracing for results so enjoying a bit of a chill day.

Happy Anniversary kk
That's one heck of a long marriage wonders kks secret of not killing him as my DH will be deader than a dead thing by the time we've been married that long

Congrats to Mini Shooting , what a relief eh ?
My lovely nephew got his results and has now been accepted to study medicine , so we are all thrilled !

In hairdresser with Mini Topsy .
She's having her first grown up haircut .
Sob ...

topsy - our secret is that we don't speak, and avoid each other as much as possible

Actually I'm not really bothered about him forgetting, - he forgets a lot of things, it's just with him going through his self-confessed being a bit of an arse mid life crisis, I read more into things nowadays and am thinking 'is he deliberately ignoring it?' - but in reality I know he isn't because that would be devious and he just doesn't do devious.

I shall make us a nice meal tonight and wish him happy anniversary, and he will clap his hand to his head and say 'I thought it was on the 17th of September'

Congrats to your nephew - that is very well done, where is he going to study? (friend of DD's has just finished her intitial training at Imperial in London, and is now doing her hospital placement work, - she works very hard and has very little time off, but seems to love it.)

ASDA substituted some weird smoked cheese for some cheddar I ordered yesterday. It is making the fridge smell like a barbeque. I have become strangely addicted to it, even though it is not very pleasant (and probably very bad for me)

malt I've tended not to go out much the first week - but only because I feel so awful - so necessities only like nipping to the post office to post a parcel. After that I've played it by ear and pleased myself when to go out any what to do - I have been avoiding anything with lots of folks in an enclosed space, especially if grem-riddle monsters children are involved though.

foofoo I have lobular cancer and multiple tumours (discovered after MRI as mammo & u/s not showing clearly what going on) lobular cancer seems to be the sneaky little bugger of breast cancers (my lump "appeared" over a few weeks as a hardening at the side of my breast - but it had most probably been there for a number of years) I've been looking at the book pigeon metioned (based on her recommendation - it's a good book :) ) and also this one but more for after chemo/surgery/rads - at the moment on chemo I'm eating my "normal" diet which is fairly healthly mediteranian style in the main - with the odd treat thrown in :)

kurri - happy anniversary :)

Gigs hope you are feeling stronger every day :)

pigeon I like the idea of of being a swooning lady grin far better than saying I'm feeling whoozy. It seems to last the same time every cycle so far - I always start to feel better from the Friday after (today - hurrah!) - although who knows what the T will bring.

lily I hope you are feeling better today?

topsy - - just following your instructions grin go get packing for your hols :)

hope everyone else is okay - puts tea and doughnuts on trolley

Thanks all for anniversary wishes

betsey - that looks a good book, have added it to my wish list (along with the one Shooting recommended).

All the best people swoon - I had several incidents of swooning, and several of 'legs buckling under me' - not a good look! DH used to haul me to my feet with a long suffering sigh

Happy anniversary kurri.

Am doing ok but between surgery, blood loss etc get pretty weak and tired. Also signal patchy in posh chokey so not always easy to post.

Had bunch more scans today as I think second op is likely and probably next week but won't know for sure til mon/tues.

Am reading and trying to follow but apologies if miss out and don't keep up. Hope that sicky corner isn't too busy today.

How you doing malt? I agree with what kurri said about going out etc on chemo. I think how you feel is best guide.

Have a fab holiday topsy - am glad you aren't on here and clearly packing up.

for little pigeon - am so pleased for her and you pigeons. has she stopped mediating and hit the wkd yet?

You are all welcome to sneak in to my small balcony and share what is left of my choclit after big gig visited this morning. I will be honest that she preferred seeing and playing with the moveable bed rather than chatting to mum. mad badger baby mini gig stayed home as Its a two man job guarding her in a hospital and I am not quite up to it yet.

Love to you all

Hi gigs lovely to hear from you and it must have been great to have a visit from big gig :) sounds a good idea about leaving mini gig at home I can just imagine her causing chaos bless her ! Shame if you're going to need another op but if it's going to help your mobility and pain it will be worth it
I'm fine thanks, just tired. Have started my downton abbey box set which im really enjoying though dd says I'm sad in the way that only teenage girls can !
Betsy glad you're feeling a bit better
Topsy how's the packing ?
Love to everyone else

Not sure what I fancy for tea, after all this healthy talk :)

hey gig !! lovely to see you...
We've been out again,this time to walk at the Vyne...very humid outside but walk was nice-sat on NT deckchairs and ate ice cream.
kk happy anniversary to you - eat the choc anyway,you deserve it and from me xxxx
I am a swooner,usually when blood is involved but have done it all over the place.