**Tamoxigang counting down to Easter eggs- thread 48**

[BetsyBoop]

throws some hot cross buns on the trolley

I'm hoping to get an answer to my question here:

forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/t5/Living-with-breast-cancer/Rib-Pain-from-Radiotherapy/td-p/376297

Thanks kitkat yes I finally get a break! After alot of discussion I decided to take the watch and wait approach to the liver issue! So Monday will be the last of the main treatment

I think both my body and mind, are more than ready for a rest from all this! Xx

Really it's good to hear from you sorry it's not been a great week again but finishing on Monday is great ! X

Awesome Really! Done, dusted, boxes ticked - time for some 'you time '. I hope you have some nice plans. (As a heads up I actually felt worse for a couple of weeks after rads than I did during, so don't despair if you don't feel great straight away.) I hope Monday goes smoothly - just not having to deal with your hospital on a daily basis will be a good thing I am sure!

Now, does anyone know how Pickle is doing?

Great news Really - a total break sounds great. Have you got any nice plans in the pipeline or is it more work for you?

I have an end of treatment party/Macmillan night in arranged for Friday Then have a week off work during half term, where I will probably head home to my parents for a bit of TLC! Then it's back to a 5 day working week for me! Hopefully! If I'm up to it!

I'm really looking forward to getting back to 'normal' if that's possible.

Then I will think about booking a holiday!

wow - lots to look forward to then. And 'normal' is very good - I'm thoroughly enjoying it at the moment .

Great to hear things are going well for you kitkat Xx

Woohoo reallyreally :-)

And kitkat love it that you're enjoying normal life!

Morning all

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Quick question for everyone who has had node clearance! Do any of you wear a medi alert bracelet? I hadn't even thought about it, until I read about it on another forum!

Hi really, I've just had node clearance and a medi bracelet wasn't mentioned, although could see that it would be useful. I had no idea about the long term ramifications of the node clearance and so hadn't realised that I should have blood pressure and bloods taken from the other arm - neither had the night nurse on the ward After the op! That was rectified.

Hi BiggerBuns you really should of been given the info on the problems that 'could' arise from having node clearance! I had the same issues in hospital, of having to request they take blood pressure from my right arm! I was questioned each time, why they couldn't use the left?????

Medi alert bracelet wasn't mentioned to me either, but I think it's something they should mention.

I think I am going to get one. Hopefully I will never be in a position where I'm unable to tell medics not to use that arm, but you never know!

Sounds like a good idea really I haven't had node clearance although I have had 4 nodes removed from right and 2 nodes from left so have bloods and chemo through left arm.

Thanks for the information Yotty thankfully the bruising has just about gone now. Looks like it was caused by gripping too tightly onto the mower.

Hi all and welcome to the newcomers. You will get an immense amount of support here. Not been around for a while - having double mastectomy with node clearance on Tuesday! Re blood pressure etc, I was told that as I'm having nodes removed in both arms, I will need BP and bloods taken from my legs!

Bigger buns that's terrible that you weren't told about the implications. I don't have a bracelet, think if I had been in a car crash or something and unable to speak up then lymphodema would be the least of my worries

ha - like your thinking Malt.

and yes wee - when I was told I 'might' have had something in the other breast i was told I would have to have bloods and BP from my legs (fortunately in my case I was clear on 1 side). Also if you get 'pumpy' boots on your feet and legs after your Op it's going to a right performance . Good luck for Tuesday - it will be great to get it done and out of the way.

Morning all, was run over by the Tax truck last week and brain still fried.

really hooray for end of treatment. I am sure we were diagnose at a similar time. I still have to go through rads.

The cold cap was my nemesis. I cannot see one without heaving. Even typing the word makes me feel a bit sick.

weebarra good luck for Tuesday. I had bmx in Feb and node clearance in March and am now fully recovered and fighting fit. Well I would be if it were not for the extra chemo asking me tired.

That's what I was thinking malt But then I thought what if I passed out and medics were called. Nothing serious but I ended up with lymphodema for the rest of my life!? I would be annoyed at myself, especially if I could of prevented it! I might be being paranoid, but after the issues I've had over the last 9 months. Think I would rather be over cautious xx

That is true really, I will be thinking about it today now ! I do wish Id caught mine earlier and not had to have the node clearance as I do find being extra careful with that arm a pain

Weebarra I hope it all goes well on Tuesday another step out of the way

Should get dressed I suppose !

Really- glad you can look forward to planning something nice.

Weebarra - good luck for Tuesday. Will be thinking of you.

Foo- hope you can get over the tax side effects soon.

My boys have come back which is lovely. Have already separated two fights so all back to normal here

Hello again all, I've been doing a lot of thinking in the last 48 hours, some very scary thoughts and some more practical ones. I'd like to ask opinions on a pressing issue re holidays. If dates go to plan I should finish a three week course of radiotherapy one week before we are supposed to be having a holiday in Menorca ( 7 days, private villa). The consultant and nurse both said on Friday that we shouldn't cancel anything yet. But from your experiences, would you really go abroad so soon? I'll be having a lumpectomy first on 31 May. Will I feel ghastly, would it be scary to be away from medical help, could I cope with the heat? Any opinions welcome, plus I'm also aware that my existing travel insurance may not cover me anymore. Or, would lying down in the warmth for a week be ok?

I have many more questions but at the moment we have a holiday balance looming and I don't want to pay it if its a crazy idea. Thank you.

Um, we're going to a villa in Mallorca the day after my rads finish. No one has said I can't! I know I'll only be 6 post bmx but again, as long as I'm very careful in the sun, I should be ok.

I went away 5 weeks after rads and was fine, it took a couple of weeks after they finished for my skin to heal so you might not be able to swim. We have annual travel insurance and I think it was an extra £80 when we told them about my breast cancer, around that anyway

The main problem will be delays in treatment, a lot of us have found that things don't always run smoothly and you end up waiting longer than you expect, also I was told 3 weeks of rads then it changed to 4 so you won't know exactly when you are finishing. Sometimes the machines break down and you have to miss a day and add an extra one to the end. Mrs if you have a lumpectomy they don't always get clear margins the first time and you might have to go back to have more taken away

Worried that I'm sounding negative, don't mean to and for some people if does all run smoothly of course ! If it does then you will both be fine

All valid points, thanks. It would be a bit much to expect all dates to be adhered to and I only have a week to play with. I'm thinking about our daughters really, they're going to have a lot to cope with and I'm reluctant to take this away from them too. I feel guilty enough already but that's a whole other issue.

I'm interested to know how I might feel too, you mention skin healing, could you explain more please?

I do understand, we had to cancel 2 holidays last year :( I cried a lot on the days we were due to go, the kids coped much better actually !
It's a bit like getting bad sunburn with rads, mine was worst underneath my boob and apparently that's typical as it's difficult to get the air to it under there and it rubs. So my skin went red, then peeled away and I had gel and pads to put on it while it healed- which it did in a couple of weeks. It's just a bit sore/ uncomfortable and best not to wear a bra