*Tamoxigang Christmas Party* - 45

[Tiny100]

Morning All!

We're nearly in December, so let's get the festivities started.

[adds mince pies to the trolley]

Morning all-

Really- very aggressive is just a stupid phrase, take no notice. Radiotherapy is very precise (within a couple of millimetres)- they do planning to make sure it hits lumps not organs so please don't worry. Hope today goes ok and you can get back to your parents ASAP.

Weather grey and bit windy but not so bad here malt so enjoy the visit.

Goodness - I found mindfulness very good (have apps) so hope rubyS links works . Ruby lovely to hear from you.

Waves to everyone else- back to my coffee as mini gig was being nocturnal again.

really - I've just been through rads planning, it is very precise as gigs said - don't forget a lot of what you read online will be old stuff and based on rads given using older-style machines that just "zapped stuff", the modern linac machines are incredibly accurate. "Very aggressive" probably just means grade 3 - mine was grade 3 as were a few on here, it's just means they make doubly sure they give it a good blasting with everything in the cupboard.

malt - enjoy your trip to ILs

goodness - I hope you fine something that helps sleep, sounds like you have lots of things to try, so fingers crossed.

well it's really windy today (our town was on the news earlier, where the reporter had to shelter behind a wall to stand up!) - glad we don't have to go anywhere.

Goodness this is the yoga sleep CD I have.

If you're interested in meditation I can recommend Headspace the app is free and comes with a ten day programme, ten minutes per day.

really I was copied in on a letter from onc to GP saying I had extremely high chance of recurrence, but they told my family 40% which isn't my idea of extremely high! :) I think these phrases lose their meaning for the oncs as they use them all the time so they don't realise how worrying they are.

Waving to all x

Thank you, Run Run. Amazon link one now on its merry way to me. Tried to find the Headspace meditation app but can't. Could I truly me you (sorry) for a link to it?

Waves to All!

Really - A grade 3 tumour is considered aggressive, as too are some types of BC e.g. Triple Negative. Both myself and Wee have TNBC with grade 3 tumour(s) - hope I got that right Wee! The good news, according to my Oncologist, is that aggressive tumours respond really well to chemo.

As to radiotherapy, I haven't had that yet, but I do know that I need it. As far as I know at this stage, the laser will be aimed at my neck not my breast, (despite tumour being in breast)! This is because the lymph glands in the armpit drain into the lymph glands in the neck. Can you contact your Oncologist to share your concerns? He/she should be able to put your mind at rest.

Good Luck with chemo - I have just to the halfway stage and it is a good psychological boost. Bet it is not as good as starting your last one though Foo - yay for the last one!

I am off to Dorset for a few days and don't think I will be able to get on-line. Just wanted to wish Malt all the best for the 30th and to say that I will be thinking of you.

Ruby - Good to hear from you - thanks for all the links for relaxation etc, I will be back to read in detail when I have more time.

Goodness - Ruby has put a link to Headspace in her post. Hope you manage to get some rest soon! x

Thank you, Tiny. I hadn't noticed that link. Wonderfully helpful, Ruby. Thanks - tonight I'll be listening to somebody else's voice vs my own rambling thoughts. Looking forward to that ;)

Goodness I really hope it helps. Even if you can't sleep, if you can at least relax your body will be able to rest and hopefully that'll make you feel better. The exhaustion just increases anxiety. I'm naughtily posting this from my iPad in bed despite it being my no screens before bed hour but am listening to some delightful choral music through my sleep phones so I'm sure that counteracts it a little...

really sorry I forgot to say good luck earlier! I hope chemo went well.

Love to you all. It really does get easier, I promise. I finished treatment in July and I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting towards a new normal. I would be there already if it weren't for the bowel issues dragging on

I'm rambling away now. I've taken my fabulous pre-bed amitriptyline (nerve blocker) and it makes me slightly woozy...

Anyway, I hope everyone is feeling as well as possible x

I slept until 7am! I slept until 7am! I slept until 7am!
I fell asleep while listening to Headspace but it obviously helped. Amaaaaazing. I'm so happy. Thank you all for your myriad of suggestions! Currently listening to an old mediation CD (chakras, healing, steps going down to 'a relaxing place'). Nice. Had been too stressy to think of putting it on and these pillow speakers save my DH from being disturbed. Happy days.

Hi all

Thanks for the calming messages!

So dose 3 done! BUT oh my goodness what a day!

Arrived at the hospital a little early so stopped for a hot choc and muffin (good job I did) booked in for my 1.30 appt. Sat in waiting room watching the films on tv. 2 films later I am still waiting! At 4.30 I finally get called in to what I can only call a 'mad' house! 3 days worth of patients with only 6 nurses!

My nurse was clearly NOT enjoying her day! But then as they were due to finish at half 4 who could blame them. Having said that I wasn't exactly having a great day either! I hadn't eaten since that muffin at 1 because when I asked if I could nip out for a sandwich I was told that if I was called in I would miss my slot!!

Anyway nurse gave me the Chemo, then was supposed to clean and dress my PICC line! But instead I was told it looked nice and clean, so she gave it a quick wipe and then stuck the dressing on! (next person to change the dressing won't be happy as I think they will struggle to remove the dressing without pulling the line) She was just in too much of a hurry! Then she asked if I needed the anti sickness drugs, and I did so she brought them out and started to tell me what to take, then said 'oh you've had them before, you know what to take' and just gave me the boxes!!

So then I had to get down to the Pharmacy before it shut (5mins to go) I'm on the 6th floor! Got there just in time to pick up my injection for tomorrow!

Left hospital at 6.30 still haven't eaten, and have missed my booked train home, so plan to go to station eat then get next train!! On the bus to the tube station, I see one of the other nurses who was in the area I was in. She asked about the treatment and I mentioned that I change drugs next time. She said have you been given the steroids to have before your next dose! I said no the nurse said the oncologist would give them to me! She then sat and wrote the details in my Chemo book, while on the bus!!

Other nurse hadn't filled anything in my Chemo book! She didn't give me my next appt, or tell me if she would call or if I needed to call them! No times/ dates for PICC line flushing. NOTHING!

I can only be thankful that this was dose 3, because if this had been my first experience of the Chemo suite, I don't think I would want to go back!

Then just to top my day off the train was 1hr and 35mins late!! But that's another story!

But my positive from all this is I AM HALF WAY THROUGH! Yayyyyyyyy!!

Sorry that was soooo long. Hope everyone is else had a better day!

Xxxxxx

Glad you slept well goodness life is much easier to deal with after a good nights sleep xx

Gosh really that sounds awful I know it's Christmas time but they should still make sure they have enough staff on. And to not write anything down or tell you about drugs etc is shocking
Glad you're half way through though !

Goodness I'm glad you slept better

Ruby glad to hear you are getting back to normal whatever normal is

Were at the inlaws having a lovely time, going for a walk to the sea soon

really that's awful! Glad you are at halfway point though. Are you switching to Tax next? I had my halfway point Mon prior to Christmas. I'm over the worst of it today. Even if I'm being total lazy bones and still in bed messing around on my iPad...

goodness - glad you slept through :)

really - I had one of my chemos in the Aug BH week - mad house as they were trying to fit five days worth of patients into 4 days, I don't even want to think what five days worth of patients into 3 days looks like! But half way already, fabulous :)

I second ruby's comments on getting easier - my last chemo was 11/10 (surgery 11/11) and I'm starting to feel a lot more "normal" again (right in time for rads to start next week )

malt - hope you enjoy the walk, we are talking kids to beach after lunch, will do us all good I think (no wind here today, which after yesterday's battering is a relief, loads of trees down, fallen chimneys and roads blocked, but as it's in the North it's not newsworthy!)

Really, oh my goodness what a shocking day . I'm really sad to hear how shoddy your care and treatment was. Are they usually so overwhelmingly busy that even the medical bascs are skimmed over?

goodness the previous two times they have been lovely. The nurse I had for dose two actually remembered me and stopped to chat before she left, which I thought was lovely of her.

I am going to complain in the hope that it might make them rethink their organisation skills, over these periods. I felt sorry for the staff, but also for the patients. We are going through enough stress and drama, without dealing with the extra upset.

Yes I'm onto Tax next for 3 doses, then I am done Well the Chemo bit anyway!!

Hope everyone has a good day. I am not moving from the sofa today! (other than for bathroom visits ) xx

Had a lovely walk this morning on he beach, especially nice for us as we live about 3 hours drive from the sea so it's a bit of a novelty for us ! No wind here and it's lovely and sunny

Glad to hear that it's usually better than that for you. You've enough to contend with without running to the pharmacy after chemo, not having eaten all day - with a line that's not been cleaned properly. Hugs!

really we'll be tax buddies so. I start tax on 13 Jan. You'll be finished before me though, as I've 4 sessions of it.

Morning all

malt a walk on the beach sounds lovely. My parents live 20mins from the coast, and I love walking on the beach, especially in the winter! So peaceful and a good place to think

Mom sounds like we'll definitely be Tax buddies! I have my first dose on the Friday of the same week (I think). So will be keen to hear how you get on! I keep telling myself that whatever happens and however rubbish it MIGHT make me feel, it is only for 3 doses! 4 for you!! The end will soon be in sight!

I am feeling okay ish after dose 3! Heartburn and feeling tired, even though I slept from 9.30 til 8.30! Although did disturb a few times. But other than that okay.

Hope everyone else is doing okay!

Xxxxxxx

People keep asking me for New years resolutions. I can't plan beyond "staying alive". Although I have signed up for a millinary course to make daft hats. So perhaps my resolution is to remain animated while wearing a daft hat.

Good luck with the tax Really and Mom.

Malt - beach walk sounds lovely. Being by the sea makes me feel small, which I really like.

I'm dreading the 'How was your Xmas holiday?' chat outside the classroom door. Seriously. Do I say lovely - which it was.0, on the surface of things? Or be honest and let people know I'll be out of action soon and will appreciate any and all offers of help (school runs, TLC if DS seems not to be himself). Don't want them to ask him questions though as that might worry him. He's only just turned 6. WhadoIdo?

Really and mom if you have any questions about tax do ask, I admit I found it hard but I don't know if that was the cumulative effect of the chemo or because it was tax

Trice love to you, think how far you have come on since the summer I wish you good health in the new year and the hat course sounds fun !

Goodness I wouldn't say anything to acquaintances till you know all of the facts but that's just me. Have a word with ds teacher if you think he might be upset though

Hope everyone else is ok on this windy cold day !

I had good news today, of all the nodes they removed from my underarm none showed any signs of cancer so just radiotherapy to go for me now !

Called consultant's secretary. They have the results ... But she can't tell me. I'm sure that this is normal practice. I've an appointment tomorrow (second opinion) and have asked for the results to be sent to that guy. They have done and said that the consultant will call me today, after 4pm. Wondering whether to go for a second opinion just when the RNOH team have gotten together to discuss their 'care plan'. Not sure. Confused. Frustrating to know that results are in but that others know and I don't. Anyway, I'm thinking positively about it. Just The Op I'm dreading.

Sorry to intrude . Does anyone have any experience of chemo in tablet form ? dm is having 5 weeks of radio plus this starting in a few weeks. She seems to think she will be able to carry on as usual but am concerned about any side effects, short and longer term, being worse than she currently thinks. Any tips please?