Tamoxigang thread 49 when Sumer is y cumen in and we get out the Pimms

[Lilymaid]

New thread!

He's amazing with the children. I have absolutely no doubts about his ability - he'd totally manage and would have lots of family support. He's not really a negative person usually. I think things are a bit topsy turvey because I'm meant to be starting the clinical trial next week, but might not be now. At best I'll just have to start it later than planned but not sure whether the drugs company allows that. Hopefully will find out today.

I've remembered that the clinical trial doctor said to me (as I sat sobbing in his office) "you're not a dying woman." Must try and remember that the expectation is that I'll recover.

Just waiting for a district nurse to come and do my dressing. Surgeon has requested for this to happen daily as I'm on bed rest. A nurse called yesterday and managed to make me feel like an inconvenience when I asked if she knew roughly what time she'll be round. She said they don't give times as they expect house bound people to be at home all day. I get that, but sometimes I have to go to hospital appointments. If I want to have a shower I need to do it shortly before the dressings are changed, because they're not waterproof.

Big hugs, Becca. As Malt says, lots of us are in similar situations diagnosis wise and not planning to go anywhere anytime soon. Forget the diary idea (unless you want to do it, that is...). When you feel so ill it is much much harder to feel positive about recovery - that's natural, but it doesn't make it real. Fingers crossed that you can get on the trial; these new drugs definitely sound promising. And I really hope you can enjoy your daughter's birthday.

Hello becca, you've com to the right place and remember those words from the clinical trial doctor. My surgeon said words to the same effect and I think of that when I'm feeling particularly worried.

nelson just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. I hope you're feeling better and have sorted things with your DH.

wine you've stolen a march on me with stating the rads. Your hospital are obviously quicker off the mark than mine, I'm waiting for Monday.

A question about tamoxifen. Some of you have mentioned taking it for 5 or 10 years whilst I have been told 2 or 3 then a switch to something else ( can't remember the name of that). I know recent thinking is 10 years could be the way to go. It's too early in my treatment for chasing this down right now but I am wondering.

Thanks all yeah,we've had a chat and it turns out he was just really worried and expressed that in a rather clumsy way. God love him,he tries to deal with it as well as he can.
Had my nuclear injection today,joy,last 'sheep dip shower' this evening and then I'm going in first thing tomorrow (7.30) for my op.
Feeling ok,hope I'll be this calm tomorrow .......

I spoke to the trial nurse this morning and I can delay the start of the trial, which is good news. I have to go in and have photos of my wound done to show to the research team. I'm sure they'll enjoy seeing that - it's pretty manky!

Nelson best of luck for your operation tomorrow xx

Great news becca, and you get a trip out too to relieve the monotony!

nelson have you managed to get some help sorted so your will be able to rest after your op?

Just caught up with thread.
Wee glad you are having a lovely holiday.
Wren, mummy and Mrs hope rads go quickly for you and the creams do their job.
Pickle thinking of you
Foo hope you can get sleep and your foot becomes less sore. Are you on docetaxol?
Nelson good luck for tomorrow.
Becca welcome and am glad the trial can be delayed. Keep thinking about what the doctor said. Ups and downs in emotions are only to be expected. Everyone here is fab at 'holding hands' when we have the downs.

Just had official conformation from doctor today that my lump is 6mm by 2mm now from 12 last time so the horrible FEC was worth it. Docetaxol on thurs.

Good news from my oncologist. We're going to continue the Docetaxel although at a reduced dosage. I'll then have GCSF injections on days 2 - 4 to stimulate my bone marrow. I will also start Herceptin with the next cycle.

In other news, my hair is disappearing at a rate of knots. It's going much more quickly than it did last time on FEC. I'll soon be charging 50p a time to rub my head for good luck.

ZombieHugs™ to all.

Thank you all for good luck wishes and becca great you've had some positive news!
mrsrhodgilbert I have had to cancel lots of bookings but have been able to hold on to some regular guests for during the week who have happily agreed to do their own (cereal) breakfast in the morning. I am leaving everything ready (they have a fridge for milk and juice already) and have bought them a kettle and a cafetiere.
I have 2 teenage children who are very willing and able to help with the clearing up and everything ( and DH ofcourse) and they will have 3 days for all the room changes so that should work out ok.
Off to pack (expected to stay in 1 or 2 nights). Any last minute tips?

Thanks Speedy and good to know FEC has done it's job.

Today's rads went much quicker than yesterday, only had to wait 5 mins It appears that I now only have to have 15 sessions as the amazing Tomo Therapy machine does the booster bit in the last week with my usual radiotherapy. So that was a nice surprise!

When I took my first Tamoxifen this morning I noticed that I have 3 different brands in the box. Not sure that I am happy about that

Hope your rads went smoothly today Wine and you start soon Mrs

Welcome Becca hope you heal soon so that you can carry on with your treatment.

Only two weeks to go malt for your holiday and well done.

Good News Zombie

Good Luck for tomorrow Nelson will be thinking about you.

That sounds good nelson. I'm pleased you have reduced your work load and will be able to rest. I'm sure your family will fuss around you although if your teenagers are like mine they'll probably forget quite quickly that you need a litte TLC!

No tips I'm afraid, I had a different op as day surgery. Afterwards I would say do your exercises but take it easy and expect the anaesthetic to knock you out or a few days. I think others have suggested headphones to get some peace. Hope it goes well, you'll be fine.

Ear plugs and an eye mask are essential for hospital stays!

After lurking for a while I think it's time to join this thread.

As an apparently healthy 41 year old I was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Easter. Since then I have had surgery to remove the lump along with a sentinel node biopsy followed by node clearance.

Tomorrow I have a follow up appointment where we will find out how many lymph nodes were affected. We have already been told that I will need chemotherapy and then radiotherapy but I'm dreading tomorrow - so far every appointment has delivered bad news - from the initial GP who referred me, to the first appt at the breast clinic where we were told that the lump was almost certainly "not good" through to the SNB showing that the nodes are/were affected.

Generally I've felt pretty positive but right now I'm feeling scared/worried and just a little fed up (to put it mildly!). Just hoping tomorrow brings better news but in the meantime I have a glass of wine (with a little bit left in the bottle as long as DH doesn't get there first!).

Welcome, Lady. Sorry you've reason to join us.

Best of luck with your appointment tomorrow. We'll all be thinking of you.

Welcome Lady if you have been lurking you will know of all the great advice and support you will get here. Is there anything particular you are frightened of hearing, for most people at this stage it is the news that you will have to have chemotherapy and everything that entails, although it sounds like you already know about this. I think the early stages when there is so much, new, unpleasant information is so much worse than when you have a treatment plan and can focus on that. I have just started chemo, in the second week, feeling really well and am so busy that I keep forgetting I am 'ill'. I know I am probably one of the lucky ones.
Hello becca sending you lots of healing vibes for that pesky wound. Being bedridden must be the toughest thing for morale but you have had lots if good advice about that.
Good luck nelson with the op, do do your exercises - I didn't and has taken far longer than anticipated to get movement back in my arm. The housework you will undoubtedly will pick up again will actually probably help.
Good news on the shrinkage speedy and to everyone ploughing through their treatment and crossing off the days to normality.
Just to bring the tone down, I have a question. On day 13 of first chemo cycle. No obvious loss of hair on my head but pubic hair is definitely on the move, did anybody else have this go first, and what was the subsequent elapsed time for head hair to start going? I'm at the point that I almost want it to start to get that bit over and done with IYSWIM.

bigger buns, my head hair hung on until after my second chemo, then fell out in one go (hair soup in bath). Everything else had started to thin by then. Oddly, since we're on it, I'm now six weeks since my last chemo and everything is growing back. Everything that is except pubic hair, which never did more than thin but is now falling out big time.

Best of luck for better news today, lady. For me that process of worsening news was like falling down the rabbit hole, but it does stop eventually and I hope that today is a good one for you. Let us know.

Hi lady, I've always found the limbo periods of not knowing really hard. Once we found out of the full extent of things it was a bit easier because at least we knew what we were dealing with. All the best for your appointment.

biggerbuns it's great to hear you are feeling so well on chemo so far. My head hair mostly came out 10-15 days after second chemo, but it has not all gone and i now have a thin 'halo' of hair over my head after 3rd bout. It's doubly annoying because scalp is too sensitive to shave, but it feels unpleasant under a hat or scarf. Rest of body hair is thinning, but nothing dramatic.

Best of luck nelson and lady and indeed everybody.

Hi just briefly popping on to say Hi.

Welcome to the newbies! Sorry you have found yourself here, but you will find a fountain of knowledge!

biggerbuns I lost all other bodily hair! before the hair on my head! Annoyingly it's the bloody leg hair that grows back the quickest too!!

I just wanted to share something with any of you that are struggling with hot flushes and night sweats! I have been using the Menopause Magnet for just 4days, and in that time I have gone from having loads of hot flushes during the day to just one or two! The flushes have also gone from me dripping with sweat, to just being hot and maybe a dot of sweat! Plus at night I have had 2 good nights sleep, with minimal waking! I was waking every 2hours!!

I don't know how it works, and maybe it's all in my head! But it has made a dramatic difference to me. Best £25 I've ever spent

Lots of Love to all xxxxx

thanks for magnet tip really, it sounds like a dramatic improvement.

Welcome lady. Hope appointment went well.

Really- glad the magnet is working.

Hi to everyone else. Gearing myself up for tomorrow. My nails are now a very fetching shade of very dark purple so hoping they won't fall off now!

Thank you for the welcome. We had our first piece of good news today! They removed 9 nodes and they were all clear!! Very relieved right now - for the first time it feels like we've moved in the right direction.

So now it's more waiting for an appointment with the oncologist but for today I will celebrate - while wondering how life can change in such a short space of time so that the thought of starting chemo can be considered good news.

Great news lady

'Morning all. Ladytubbles, welcome from me too. Very glad to hear of a good bit of news for you. All helps. Your odds are very good with that info.

Becca, good news - they have found two 'wonderdrugs' that are astonishing the melanoma specialists. I was talking to a melanoma expert from the Royal Marsden a few weeks ago and she was delighted, because it means much better odds for even the most eyebrow-raising cases now. So I think it'll be OK. [not a doctor - just someone who reads their materials every day for years]