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Original poster

**Tamoxigang heading towards hearts and valentines - thread 47**

990 replies

BetsyBoop · 07/02/2014 10:40

roses are red
violets are blue
sugar is sweet
but cakes are better

OP posts:
honeybeeridiculous · 11/03/2014 13:13

really dad got his rad times at his planning session, he got the whole of the 6 weeks of times, different times every day! Earliest is 8.20, latest is 16.30, so far (6 days in) he's only had to wait once, and that was because of machine maintenance
They actually seem very organised!
Hope yours goes smoothly

Handbagsatdawn · 11/03/2014 13:29

Afternoon. Hurrah for the end of treatment Malt, although I can totally understand the sentiment of not feeling like celebrating. Am sure it's a funny feeling to have at last been cut free, particularly after the intensity of the rads. I have only 7 boosts left now, so next Thursday is my last one. My skin seems to have held together well after 3 weeks of whole boob rads - just a bit pink. The radiographer who reviewed me today said she thought my skin looked in excellent nick, so that's good!

No so my portacath scar though - my GP had to open some of it up yesterday to remove some of the so-called dissolvable stitches which clearly haven't dissolved and are causing the wound to stay inflamed and sore. I hope she's done the trick as that is my worst and most visible scar out of them all!

Right am off for a walk before school run craziness, have a good day all x

malteserzz · 11/03/2014 18:35

My rads were usually on time, think I waited half an hour once but that was unusual. Felt sorry for the people who we're relying on the hospital transport as they had to be slotted in amongst those of us with appointments and waited hours to be picked up to travel to and from the hospital. I did wait ages when I had to see the consultant and have my boost planning though.

Handbags you will be finished before you know it. It is strange to finish after all of these months, well apart from the tamoxifen

Im back to work next week, phased return I'm both excited and nervous !

MomOfTwoGirls2 · 11/03/2014 20:46

Ah malt that's great that you return to work next week! I bet the children will be delighted to have you back.

malteserzz · 12/03/2014 08:09

Hope so mom thanks ! Smile

Wren48 · 12/03/2014 18:46

A quiet day here today! I hope that's because everyone's been enjoying the little bit of sunshine. I am bone weary today, but will pick myself up and take myself out to dd's school concert. She has promised that we will hate it.... I'm hoping for a bit more energy tomorrow as I've just bought some plants that need planting..

foofooyeah · 12/03/2014 19:51

wren hope you feel a bit more energetic tomorrow.

I had a nice lunch with my Mum and sister today.

the bad bit of skin on my boob as been a bit 'weepy' last couple of days. Surgeon said she would revise it when I go in for node clearance so not too worried.

Reading all the rads info with interest as got that to look forward to in due course.

malteserzz · 12/03/2014 21:02

Thought you'd all gone on holiday without me or something !

Wren hope the concert was good and you're less tired tomorrow

Foo foo glad you've been out for lunch, are you feeling any better in yourself ?

honeybeeridiculous · 12/03/2014 21:16

Well, DF had Rad number 8 today, then this afternoon, all of a sudden he felt really tired and feels pain when he swallows, thought it might be abit longer before he felt some side effects so he is abit down this evening, I guess this is normal?
He's been so upbeat so far Sad

foofooyeah · 12/03/2014 21:26

Evening malt yes feeling much better thanks. Resigned to next lot of treatment, and feeling less sorry for myself Grin

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 13/03/2014 07:10

Hello all. So had my results and care plan yesterday. I have invasive lobular cancer - two lumps. Oestrogen receptor positive. Didn't know yet about her2. I have opted for double mx ( I don't want to be sat in the same seat in 10 years time having the same conversation). Then chemo and rads planned will take me up to the end of the year! My consultant was incredibly gloomy, felt as if he was hiding bad news from me but the lovely BCN says he is always like this as he hates giving the diagnosis. I also had a further biopsy on my lymph nodes, I guess the result if that will be important but won't find out until next week. Told my DDs. One of them openly upset but actually quite looking forward to the prospect of the additional attention. She has a lovely group of friends, I let a couple of them know yesterday so that she will get lots if support from the moment she gets to school. The other one doesn't want to talk about it and is already a bit belligerent and angry over the whole thing. Anyhow at least I can start making some plans. Working from home today and hoping to sneak at least a pleasant half hour sitting in the sunshine.

malteserzz · 13/03/2014 08:12

Honey sorry about your DF, I didn't get SEs till later but then everyone is different

Bigger buns at least now you have a plan though it's not a road any of us would want to take. I had invasive ductal so I don't know much about lobular. It's horrible thinking how long everything will take but it won't all be treatment you'll be able to do nice things too, days out etc.

amberlight · 13/03/2014 08:29

biggerbuns So far so good, with what they've found. Well, as good as such news gets, anyway. My consultant was also very gloomy when he told me the news. I'm still here three years later and doing fine. I think some of them just do their Special Gloomy Face, like your BC nurse says. Keep us 'in the loop' on what's what. The difference in survival between ductal and lobular for yours so far is only 1% difference, so that's just technical info for the team and not anything for you to be especially concerned about. There are good family resources through Macmillan etc - they may be able to point to you support for your DDs as well as the rest of you? Brew ?

RahRahRasputin · 13/03/2014 09:16

Just popping in to say hi as malt mentioned the thread had been a bit quiet. It's RunRunRuby but I've namechanged as I've stopped running for now as it could be putting quite a strain on my pelvic floor which is extra important given my surgery.

biggerbuns I don't know much about breast cancer but amber has read lots and uses special calculators and things so if she says it's good news, I'm sure it is! Of course you'd rather have the better news of it all being a terrible misunderstanding and there being nothing wrong but it's all relative :) honestly take no notice of the gloomy surgeon. My whole team acted surprised that I'd survived between appointments Hmm and my bowel nurse sent me a long 'reassuring' email about living life in the moment, take each day as it comes, don't think about tomorrow etc. Hmm I think they just lack tact and interpersonal skills sometimes, which isn't so great for people who spend their whole day at work giving people results and administering unpleasant treatments.

I suspect as nurse says, it must be rather horrid to have to tell people they have cancer every day Sad but of course they should learn to handle it better as it's much less fun to be the person on the receiving end of the news!

It's a bit overwhelming when you realise how much of your time the treatment is going to take up, but it will go quicker than you think, and you will have lots of good days in between the less good ones. And having a plan always seems to help people feel a bit more in control of it all.

Sounds like a perfectly normal reaction from your daughters. Have you spoken to their school? It might be helpful for their teachers to know in case they are emotional during the day.

Anyway, all the best.

Waving to everyone else, hope you're all doing well Flowers

foofooyeah · 13/03/2014 09:22

Morning all

buns your treatment plan is similar to me. But mine was in different rider, I had chemo before op. I have done the chemo and bilateral mx but have to go back now to gave lymph nodes removed, if they are biopsying yours and they need to go they might do them at same time as mx. Which will save you another op.

On a lighter note does anyone use Sainsbury for home grocery delivery? They seem to employ giants! Last 2 delivery people have been well built and at least 6'4 and today's was a lovely lady of about 6' tall. At least I don't feel bad about asking them to carry to through to the kitchen Grin

foofooyeah · 13/03/2014 09:26

my whole team acted surprised I'd survived between appointments

I just snorted out some tea when I read that!!

weebarra · 13/03/2014 09:58

Love the gloomy face drs! My oncologist is very straight which suits me great. My pet hate has to be the head tilt though. Was in for chemo yesterday (5 to go, yay), and bumped into a lady who lives down the road from me Sad . She is about my age and her DD is roughly the same age as my DS2 (3). I don't know her well as she works full time, but we had a chat. Would it be nice to take some frozen spag bog and my mobile number round to her? She literally lives a minutes walk away.
Got the impression she was still pretty shell shocked.

kitkat1967 · 13/03/2014 10:15

Golly yes weebarra - that would be a lovely thing to do - especially if that was her first chemo (you being an old hand and all that!!).

malteserzz · 13/03/2014 10:40

Wee I think that would be a lovely gesture. Who was having the restaurant food delivered during chemo was it wren ? Excuse my bad memory !

smee · 13/03/2014 12:16

Arf at head tilting medics. Grin

Waving to all - been ages since I was here. Just wanted to say to buns that I've had double mastectomy so any questions feel very free to ask. I had first through cancer, second elective. I was diagnosed 4 years ago and fine and dandy now. Slog and a half to get through the treatment, but odds are on your side.

Weebarra, taking spag bol round sounds like a lovely idea. Smile

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 13/03/2014 13:19

Thanks to all of you for the positivity and I had a chortle at rahrah's comment too. Perhaps we should write a guide. amber that is exactly what I wanted to hear and was too afraid to ask, particularly after the response of 'do you really want me to answer that' to something that turned out to completely unsinister and mundane - perhaps he was just frightened of boring me! And yes I have contacted the school. Both tutors were brilliant and mailed back within a few minutes even though it was late last night. I had to advise dd2s tutor that a hands off approach was required. The right breast mx is elective, I didn't want to be in the same place in 10 years time, couldn't get the consultant to understand that kept telling me that it wouldn't help my immediate survival, to the point that I thought he thought it wasn't worth spending the extra 10 minutes in surgery as I wouldn't be around in 5 years for it to be a problem!

amberlight · 13/03/2014 14:59

biggerbuns, for what it's worth, he's darned right. A personal choice by people, certainly. But doesn't make a ha'porth of difference to your chances of a good long life if you keep the other one. You have a very good chance of success, at the present point.

Wren48 · 13/03/2014 18:08

biggerbuns, I also have a gloomy oncologist and, for that matter, a gloomy surgeon. You never ever want to hear your oncologist tell you how brave you are. Rahrah, I totally agree that they should get some training in communication skills!
It was me who got the restaurant food, malt. Well remembered! The offer is still open to us, but we've almost stopped using it as after a while we just wanted to be charge of our own food. We also have a freezer full of food from kind friends, which is fantastic. As someone who has gratefully been on the receiving end, wee, I think it's great to offer food.

malteserzz · 13/03/2014 18:55

I remember being jealous wren ! Though I can imagine it got a bit much after a while. My friends having brought me any food round, only chocolate and wine which was very welcome of course !

Been shopping today, bought some clothes for my return to work and some more earrings, sparkly hearts half price in new look I can't resist earrings these days

Mummywheel · 13/03/2014 18:57

I agree the offer of food is always gratefully received. My OH has just walked in from work with a delicious lasagne made by the wife of one of his colleagues. It came at just the right time as I had my second chemo yesterday and the last thing I feel like doing is cooking a meal when feeling nauseous.

My BCN described my consultant as being focused Hmm I guess it must be difficult when you have bad news to tell patients on a regular basis.