*TAMOXIGANG* All the fours...44!

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

Apologies for the bingo reference, couldn't think of a witty title but the other thread is very nearly full.

In honour of our new thread I have piled extra apple pudding on the trolley so tuck in :)

I wonder if Metformin will be for TNBC ladies - we don't currently get any further treatment other than the chemo/surgery/rads.

My BCN suggested Trendco and I know people on here also recommended it, not sure where I went wrong.

Wig shampoo and conditioner and a good gentle brush.

Thanks Amber!

Morning all

Back to work for me today

Tiny sorry you didn't have a good experience. I found the Trendco shop really good. I think buying a wig is difficult because obviously none of us want to lose our hair. I know I shed a few tears when I had the first wig put on BUT I think what you say about the wigs seeming shiny, could just be how you see it. I thought the same, but then walked around with my chosen wig on, and when I looked in the mirror while stood in natural light. Even I suddenly realised how real they look! The only thing that stood out for me, was the fact the wig had no grey hair!! I have lots!!

I do know what you mean about some of them drowning your face! I found that. More so because I am used to wearing my hair up and out of the way. So in the end I opted for a longer, thinner wig. Which was much better.

The other thing you could do is look on line for someone who customises wigs? Or maybe just go to another shop. Maybe it's like everything, some wigs are better suited to some than others. But you will find something that you like and feel comfortable in. Good Luck xxxx

malt hope you are starting to feel more human.

handbags don't think I have seen you on here for a bit. How you doing with the SE's? I think it's this week that you have your next Chemo? If it is good luck, hope it goes as well as it can xx

Hope everyone else has a good day. Xx

tiny - were you measured for your wig?

I'm wondering if you are a petite size which is why you feel like a normal size wig is swamping you?

(I didn't get a wig in the end, but did loads of research. I have the opposite problem with a 60cm head - not much choice for large wigs!)

Thats a good thought betsey. I also went to trendco and was told that could cut wigs. sorry you had rubbish time. To be honest though I wore scarves mainly.

Dh off to New York for few days so just doing him a shopping list.

Morning
Really hope you get on ok at work today :)
That might be true Betsy. I'm wondering if tiny was just unlucky and got a rubbish wig advisor
Gigs you need m & ms in all the different flavours they have over there!

Enjoyed I'm a celeb last night think joey Essex is going to be good entertainment. Laila had breast cancer in 2001 and is obviously still going strong :)

Morning all, just checking in to say hello and wish techno well for surgeon appointment today.

Tiny hope you get your wig sorted soon. Lots of good advice here. Looking ok is so important to morale I think. I was sent home from hospital in a ghastly bra post-MX and reconstruction. My boobs were all over the place and looked awful. The drain added to the overall effect! Fortunately a dear friend was able to buy me a bra the next day which helped me feel like me, and I felt so much better.

I'm nearly 3 weeks post op now, so drain was out a while ago . Scars are emerging from under the glue and crusty bits (sorry, tmi!) and are looking quite neat though it's odd having no nipple and I still have the blue dye from the lymph node op.

Hope you are going along ok betsy and good luck to really back to work.

Waving to everyone else and also hoping handbags is ok.

We have a new kitten after our beloved 20 year old cat died 2 weeks ago. She's very cute but hisses a lot and doesn't seem to know what the litter tray is for so it's going to be a day devoted to house training for me!

Will pass that on malt (dh refusing to do big Disney store for kids as still scarred from last time he went ). agree that i am a celeb looking good - Matthew looks like he might be voted in for trials if keeps up his fretting!!

New cat sounds cute but sorry about your loss- even if you know they are getting on, it's still hard.

Yes gigs she pre-dated the dc and was a connection to my mum who died in April, so a lot tied up in that little cat. She was a lovely companion and never any trouble. She died the day I got my good results from the breast tissue report so an emotional day for us. Ds sobbed and he is a tough 16 year old so that doesn't happen very often and upset me more than actually losing the cat. He's besotted with the new kitty even though she's a bit antisocial at the moment :)

It's been quite a year and I won't be sorry to see the end of it.

I didn't really know Matthew before, don't watch the wright stuff but he wasn't how I imagined
Marshy hate to tell you but my boob is still a bit blue and my op was in June ! Sorry about your cat, they are great mine has been good company for me recently

Finally starting to feel a bit of energy, just little things like I haven't gone back to bed, am wearing something other than leggings and have tidied up !

Malt, I thought the blueness was a bruise as I didn't realise I still has that bit of skin after the MX - d'oh!

Glad you're feeling a bit better today.

Kitty is looking at me like I'm the enemy - tis very amusing Will be giving lots of TLC to win her over

Hello everyone

Just checking back after my surgeon appointment and to thank you all for your hand-holding and kind words. I am booked for my day-op a week Friday. There'll apparently be a lot of hanging about before hand, getting the wire in, then off somewhere else to have the node dye etc, then waiting in the afternoon for my 'turn'. I'll be out back home by the evening but stupidly, I was suprised that I'll need ... a couple of weeks off work. I had naiively thought I could perhaps go back after a day off or so! Already worrying about how I'm going to fit in daily rads on a fairly long drive to the hospital, but I must not jump ahead too much and just keep one day at a time.

tiny - I am sure these early emotions will be indelibly etched on my memory. Time seems to have stopped - whereabouts on your journey are you and are you able to come to terms with things? I hope you are making progress with your wig selections?

Marshy thank you for thinking of me today. I hope your house-training goes well today with the kitten! That will bring joy to your house.

malteserzz it sounds really good you're noticing some changes in your energy. Upwards from now on!

Afternoon all.

Back in bed

Had MRI this.morning, was going to work but too cold and tired so came back to bed instead

gigs pop some Clinique and Benefit on the list for me please.

So that's a plan then techno Are you feeling ok with it, well as ok as you can be?

Yes, the time off work is a bit of a shocker particularly going into this feeling perfectly fit. Everybody is different. I kept going until I had the initial diagnosis confirmed and then took docs advice to go off sick as I spend most of my time providing advice and support to junior colleagues and could barely support myself as I was so knocked for six. I'm lucky that I have good sick pay and a very supportive boss.

It has contributed to that unreal feeling though, being plucked out of the usual routine and contacts although I have kept in touch with work.

You will need some time to recover after your op but hopefully will be feeling ok quite swiftly.

Sorry to hear you're feeling yuck foo foo and hope cosy bed is doing the trick.

Hope everyone is feeling ok today. I'm psyching myself up for chemo round three on Wednesday. Looks like I might be having something else added into my chemo as my colorectal nurse sent me some info over the weekend on the two monoclonal antibodies that can be used to treat my stomach tumour. The onc had mentioned that they would use them if the histology was ok, so it looks like it is. I just hope it doesn't add to much more time to my day. My chemo days are long enough as it is.

In other news, DD2 is rolling around the floor like a lint roller and I really need eyes in the back of my head now. I can't believe it, I think she'll be crawling soon, but the other 2 crawled at 8 months and she's 7 months, but she can't sit up yet!!

And the washing machine is knackered it broke when I was in hospital and the earliest appointment DH could get for the engineer was today, he finally turned up just after DH had called to say he would get DS from school and the drum is kaput, so he ordered a new one, but the earlier date his system would let him book to fit it is 27th November. That will be nearly a month with no washing machine, not good with 3 children 5 and under. Luckily I had bought some disposable nappies for taking on chemo days for DD2, as she is usually in cloth and I am not washing one by hand!!

I have noticed that my hair is starting to thin now, which is a side effect of one of my chemo drugs, but wondered whether any of you didn't bother with a wig. I love hats and scarves anyway and would probably buy some really cheap dressing up style wigs, just to add some fun to the mix but I don't fancy splashing out for a 'grown up one'

Keep strong everyone

Yes, I think so, Marshy. I'm glad they've fitted me in quite soon, actually, as the other date which was mentioned was half way through Dec, on DS2's birthday - I had to decline that one! After the op, it will be another wait while they analyse the tissue and nodes. I'll be looking at rad sometime in the new year, I guess. Just wondering how to put all this to the DCs ... and planning how and what to tell my boss, tomorrow. Do you think it's okay to say something like I'll be going in for 'surgery' and will need 'follow up treatment' later which will mean I need time off? I'm crap at that sort of thing, but I'm not sure I want to/need to give the full, gory details ifswim. Or maybe I should just bite the bullet?

Yes techno things do tend to happen quickly which is good but does mean it's a whirl to get your head around.

Telling people is a tough one, and very individual decision. My dc are older teenagers so I told them everything that I knew for definite, which was generally pretty positive but kept all the if, buts and maybes for my dh and one or two trusted friends, and here of course. That seemed to work. I found telling friends and family the hardest as they were all so shocked and upset, but the support I had was immense and really made a difference to me.

With regard to work, I was completely open with my boss from the outset but I have known her a long time and have a good relationship. She has been very understanding. I work in a healthcare setting so you would hope that would be the case but not necessarily! I think people tend to take this kind of issue very seriously so you may find openness works in your favour but I guess it depends how much you feel comfortable with that and how ready you are to share what's going on.

Hope you get a relaxed evening - you could probably do with it.

Thank you Marshy - hope your kitten in settling in well - how's the litter tray training?!

I've told my boss everything she needs to know all through my treatment - starting from my original mammogram/ultrasound. She has been very sympathetic and I have kept in touch with work as much as possible. I've gone into work part time and worked from home and have generally kept in the loop.
My boss then told people outside my immediate work group on a need to know or when asked basis. Last week a couple of people e-mailed me to say they had only just heard and sent their very best wishes ... and I was diagnosed in June!

I told work everything from the start too, mind you I work in a small school in a small village so everyone would know everything whether or not I told them

Glad you had such good support Lilymaid and that you were also able to keep work up - so good for the morale and carrying on as much as normal. I've a feeling I'll just come out with it tomorrow and say it, straight, like. I will play it by ear and go with my instinct on the moment.

I work in a large school, malts! Did you find it hard to tell your Head?

No not really I told him from the start and he's been supportive, I've been off work for 6 months now and miss it so much