Tamoxigang thread 50 with summer sun, sangria and maybe even some sand

[foofooyeah]

Welcome to thread 50 .... Yes FIFTY.
Lots of us are rising 50 so rather apt!

Good for your dd, Marshy; she will have an extraordinary time and she's the right age to be doing this stuff. (Bet you don't mean it about the accountancy)

You're not pathetic Marshy. Having to go through multiple surgeries is really hard.

My consultant just called with the results of the scan I had on Monday. He said I've had an excellent response to the vemurafenib and I've only got two tiny (2mm size) bits left now in my spleen and somewhere else I can't remember I'm sat here sobbing big happy tears. It's by no means the end of the road as the drug only knocks it back, but it's the first GOOD news I've had since this all started! He said they've not seen such a good response for some time.

This bastard cancer is not going to get the better of me!

Not pathetic at all Marshy, it is very hard this whole thing. And yes, it's "only" DCIS but it's still fecking cancer.
Great news Becca!
I'm feeling down as it's coming up to my birthday, and a year since diagnosis. Been some year!
My wee sister is in a psych inpatient ward just now too, not for the first time, but in large part this time due to the whole BRCA thing .

No, not pathetic Marshy, it's more surgery which is a big deal, and your DD is soon to be off adventuring which is difficult. If it helps, I cried on my GP this morning, we should all be allowed to cry whenever we feel like it, the whole thing is bloody awful. On a lighter note, you'll be pleased to hear that you inspired me to clean my kitchen floor this afternoon

Beccajoh, your news is FABULOUS I am delighted for you, hope you will be having a nice or 2 this weekend and kicking back.

My brain has decided that I have secondary in my ovaries. Oh yes, I know I've been scanned and tested forever and told for certain that it's not spread, but I have some pain in my right side which my brain tells me must mean I am dying. I hate you brain! I did however have a long chat with a friend who went through this 10 years ago - she was incredibly supportive. I also have an appointment with HeadStrong next week to talk about headgear options for chemo - has anyone else done this?

Sending everyone nice relaxing vibes for a great weekend

Hello again everyone
Thanks for supportive words - it really does help.

Becca your news is fab! So so pleased for you and about time you had some good news.

wee my area of work is psychiatric inpatients. I hope your little sister is getting good care and a safe place to recover. Tough for you all I should think.

elporto I'm happy to have inspired domestic goddessness, well a clean floor anyway. Sadly I'm not carrying it through as we are having takeaway tonight and my ironing pile is mountainous. Completely sympathise with brain linking to phantom pains. I had an unexpected letter through this afternoon for an ultrasound of my right armpit for next Tuesday. It immediately began to ache! I spoke to BCN and she said it's just routine preoperative stuff and the doc doing it will tell me her thoughts there and then. They are not expecting to find anything....but there is always that little voice of doubt isn't there.

Fecking cancer indeed!

becca, that is such great great news; I am really happy to hear it.

elporto, I'm glad you've got a clean floor. And yes, those phantom pains and worries are really gruelling to go through. But you've been tested and it was clear; that's the truer reality. I did the headstrong thing. I found it really practical and helped me get my head around scarves and headgear and things. I remember feeling a bit sad when I did it as it made the hair loss/ chemo thing feel very immediate. But here I am nearly a year later with a respectable crop of hair, even if rather greyer than before.

wee, I'm sorry your sister is having such a tough time. That must add to the strain for you all.

Afternoon all
We went out for our curry last night. Should have stayed in with a takeaway as we found ourselves seated next to a group of 4 doctors including the gp who put my coil in a few weeks back and the one who will be taking it out next Weds. I was and it put me right off my balti!

Expecting family round in an hour or so partly to say bon voyage to dd. We booked her Morocco flights last night for a week tomorrow from Gatwick.

And you know that pelvic pain I'd been having? Miraculously much better today. Would that be to do with having ok scan results do you think?

Hope everyone is having a good weekend

Becca that's great news really pleased for you :)

Marshy do you think they recognised you ?!! Bet dd will have an amazing time in Morocco.

Wee sorry about your sister hope she's getting some good help

Hope everyone's had a good weekend, quiet one here. Doing an extra day at work tomorrow,not used to a 2 day weekend lol

Malt I think one of them did although she was seeing me from a different angle from the last time we met.

Just treated dd to the last roast dinner that she'll be having until December.

Chilling out before a week full of appointments.

Waves to all, it's about time I came out the shadows again!

I seem to go into hibernation mode for a good week or so after my chemo and then I guess I'm just getting on with things and don't end up coming on here for a while. I guess that has to be a good thing though.

Elporto, hope your are feeling a bit more positive now. Have you heard any more about your chemo or when it is likely to start? I remember just wanting to get going with mine but now I wish I could have out it off for ever :-(. But it's best to get on and get it over with I think.

Becca, I'm so pleased that you got such great news, that is definitely something to be pleased about :-)

Wee sorry to hear about both your own news and that of your sister. Fecking cancer indeed!

Marshy, how are you doing now? Whilst I would love to think dd would be able to go onto university one day I dread the day I have to help her pack her bags and leave home. I hope your pre op went ok today.

Myangels, how are you doing post op? Hope you're recovering well.

So I'm 2 cycles down out of 8 and so not looking forward to next week when I've got to go through it all again. I'm ok this week although getting tired more easily than first time round round. I've been back at work and everyone there is being so lovely to me. Even my arse of a boss seems to have had a personality transplant and just wants me to take care of myself and get well. Consequently he's not given me much work to do some I'm going to do short days while I can and make the most of working from home.

My hair is pretty much gone though so I am going to get what's left shaved off as it's really annoying me. Did anyone else suffer with an itchy, tender scalp and if so what would you recommend to help ease the irritation? I'm hoping once the odd strands have gone it will be easier to rub something in.

I've got loads more questions but don't want this it be all about me! But just to give me something to think about, has anyone one been on paclitaxol, and specifically had it every 2 weeks? I'm just trying to get a feel for the side effects and whether I've got to put up with dreadful nausea with it. I think I can just about cope with the nausea from 2 more cycles of EC but am struggling to get my head around 6 more cycles of feeling so ill. I had Emend this time round but other than stopping me retching it didn't really make much difference.

That's it for now, hi to everyone and good luck for those having treatment or getting results this week. Hope I haven't missed anyone out

Marshy, that really made me laugh, absolutely 7 shades of awkward to be sat next to that group at the curry house! Poor you.

Minty, so glad to see you back

I am still waiting for a date to see my oncologist. It should be Thurs or Fri this week but I am getting tetchy to find out when, as I just can't cope if it is pushed another week. Just desperate to start treatment and get going especially as I noticed it's now 8 weeks since surgery, and with all that lymph node involvement I need to get on with being poisoned! My phantom pains have now moved to my spine... I am trying to stay sane with some limited success.

For the first time since diagnosis I went out socialising on Sat night - it was lovely to see all my mates but I'm afraid there was a fair amount of ranting on my part and also a bit too much I really needed to let off some steam and my friends were wonderful. I have also been for a jog and for a swim this week which has made me feel normal and healthy, a feeling which I realise will soon be in short supply.

Tomorrow I go to a 'look good feel better' session (freebies! I knew cancer would have an upside), has anyone done one of these? Any good? So by the weekend I will be around 200% chicer than I was before, what with this and the HeadStrong thing

Not done the LGFB elporto as now that I'm done with chemo and rads along with hair growing well feel that I might be a bit of a fraud if I did. However I have heard really good reports about it.

Minty once I shaved my hair off my scalp felt so much better.

While on the subject of hair I was wondering if anyone dyed their hair sooner than the recommended 6 months post chemo. The grey is now beginning to drive me nuts!

Waves to everyone

Yeah for socialising Elporto :-). I'm determined to make the most of my good week and am organising a night out with my girlfriends on Thursday and hopefully might get to squeeze in a night of proseco with the neighbours too!

I haven't done a look good session yet but am up at the hospital tomorrow so will see if there's a date I can book onto.

I forgot to say that I've got an ultrasound tomorrow to see if the lump has shrunk. I know it has most definitely shrunk, it's not a patch on what it's was 5 weeks ago but it will be good to see it officially. My only concern is that the lump had changed the shape of my breast so that it was misshapen with a very obvious dent but even though the lump is significantly smaller, the dent is still there. There was a suggestion that the lump was attached to the skin so I'm wondering if this is the case? Hope it doesn't make survey in the new year more tricky.

Mummy thanks for that. I'm figuring it's got to be better when there's no hair at all.

I asked 7 yr old dd at the weekend if she would be ok if I shaved it off. She wasn't too keen so I said do you think I will look like an alien? This caught her imagination and she was saying she would paint my head green, stick loads of google eyes me and add a couple of stalks with eyeballs on top! So I guess she might get used to the idea :-)

Great news Becca and sorry to hear about your sister wren.

I had Paclitaxel weekly Minty and didn't suffer any nausea at all. I did get very tired towards the end of the 12 treatments, but no sickness/nausea at all (unlike the FEC)

I had my hair dyed by the hairdresser after 3 months mummy and it was fine - couldn't stand the grey either!

Minty, I bought some Moo Goo scalp cream (which did help) and got a small tester tube of scalp soothing shampoo from them. I dont need them anymore so if you'd like them, PM me your address and I'll pop them in the post.

I've also been hibernating as I'm back at work and although it's really lovely to be back and we have a super class, I am totally exhausted!

Although I'm not feeling ill, I honestly think I'm tireder than when I was having chemo (it doesn't help that after a year of being germ-free, I've caught a cold and so feeling snotty too!!)

Elporto I have been on a Look Good Feel Better session. Good fun. They give you a big bag of make up and skin products from a wide variety of makes. You can't choose what they give you but it seems to match your skin tones. They then go through the whole cleanse, tone, moisturise process followed by how to apply products properly.
I haven't posted for a while as I have been on three back to back holidays (from which I'm slowly recovering!) This week I am back to work ... So up early and home late and no coffee and toast while watching Homes under the Hammer.

Look good feel better is great, loads of freebies and a great confidence boost

Look good feel better is great. I didn't used to wear much make up at all, but I'm much more confident about things like foundation and eyeliner now!

Thanks all, sounds like a resounding thumbs up for LGFB, I am looking forward to it!

Lily, your holidays sound lovely, glad you had such a good break

Wine, the start of term must be horrendous! My DD2's teacher looks permanently shellshocked at the moment, how many days til half term??

Ah no! My lovely MIL has just been diagnosed with stomach cancer. She will start chemo almost immediately.
Poor DH, me, his dad and now his mom, all diagnosed with cancer within 15 months.

And my poor DDs. I have super strong genetic history regarding cancer on my maternal side. And now both their grandparents on DHs side have cancer too. And FIL lost a brother and mother to cancer.

So their genetic history will be even worst than mine. This makes me so sad.

Oh Momof2 I'm sorry to hear about your MIL :(

Momof2 that really is awful news I'm so sorry

Sorry to hear about your mil Momof2.

Lily - how fabulous to have all those holidays, you need the work to make a good contrast. I have a friend who was on Homes under the Hammer. She had a brilliant time. She still lives in her house in the middle of a cemetery. It is fabulous for the children!

Mom, I'm really really sorry to hear that. You must all be reeling, and no time to recover from the shock of one thing before there is another.

Elporto, I completely get your anxiety to get a date for chemo and get on with it. It feels horrible. I think anxiety about starting each treatment - but especially chemo - drove me the closest to insanity I've come in this whole process. But I did find out that there is good research to show that there is no reduction in chemo effectiveness if started anything up to three months after surgery and in fact there's not much difference with even up to six month's delay. Surprising but true.