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!

Afternoon all, not enjoying this back to work lark .... it takes up far too much time. But it does make the weekend seem like the weekend again.

Just realised in an earlier post I mentioned 'Winston's wish' ... I actually meant 'Daisy's dream' Gah, middle aged post chemo brain.

All ok with me apart from Rads burn, but even that is easing up now.

Hope MRI goes ok elporto

Youngest son has woken up with an unhappy tummy and been sick again! He was absolutely fine yesterday and kept wanting to go to school but was off for 48 hours. He is supposed to go to cub camp today but is now very sad as he can't go. I can't understand why he has been sick two days after the last time.??! My friend had him yesterday while I had my Herceptin injection so hoping it isn't something he will pass on. Better go he is unhappy as his tummy is hurting and would like a hot water bottle.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Hope he feels better soon speedy there are a lot of bugs going around

Elporto hope the ADs do their job and you feel a bit brighter

Marshy glad DD seems to have settled in ok

Waving to all, like foo foo busy with work and stuff (which is great after wiping last year out with chemo and everything else) but do think about you all often x

Thanks malt. He is now feeling a bit yucky again after perking up all morning.

Hope ADs are helping elporto.
Minty and buns hope you are feeling ok.
Marshy. Glad things are settling well for your dd.
Foo and malt hope work isn't too manic.

Thinking of everyone else.

Have been up again with ds being ill again. This has been three times with 48 hours in between each episode. Going to phone doctor and get some advice. No school again but know he will be perky and wanting to eat and play in a couple of hours. Spent yesterday running around at the park. Will be disinfecting again today instead of spending day with my sister!

Hope everyone has a good day.

Morning all :)

What a pain speedy, think you're right to call the doctor just for some advice you must be fed up of it. Hope it's all cleared up soon

Hope everyone had a good weekend

Sorry for the silence, I've been in my post chemo pit of yuckiness and despair. Starting to feel a little better but will probably be a few more days before I turn the corner. God I hate this bit of the treatment.

But, my tumour is shrinking fast, am just waiting for an appt through for them to insert a metal marker otherwise as the oncologist put it, they won't be able to find it soon! I have to be grateful that the drugs are doing their stuff.

Rahrah, thanks for all the great tips. I was switched from domperidone this cycle to cyclizine (I think) and that seems to have worked better although I slept a lot more than before. I've got Lotus biscuits as dd loves them and I never say no to a salty snack so that's good to know.

Elporto, I hope you were able to enjoy your weekend away and that you get the all clear from your MRI. Will be thinking of you tomorrow and hope you don't get hit by too many side effects. It could be grim for a few days or you may get lucky, fingers crossed. Have you got childcare sorted for the rest of the week just in case?

How are you doing speedy? Hope ds is feeling brighter and that he hasn't passed anything nasty on to you.

Foofoo hope work is going well, must be strange having the concept of weekends back in you life! I'm managing to work for about a week and a half between chemo cycles at the moment but to be honest 'work' is a bit of a loose term as I'm not doing much. It will be strange climbing back on the full time band wagon at some point next year.

Marshy, hope your dd is settling in well and you're able to keep in touch with her.

Morning to malteserzz and everyone else :)

Hi all
Feeling a bit weird today as I have my mx tomorrow. I have to be at the hospital for 7.30 am. Haven't packed my bag yet though I think I have everything I need. Woke with a bit of a sore throat so hoping that won't be a problem. I have to go to have the sentinal node injection into my boob this afternoon. Can't say I'm looking forward to that :( Trying to stay calm and composed.
Hope everyone else is ok. Minty sorry to hear you have been feeling so yuck and hope it passes soon. Same for your ds speedy. Elporto sending good wishes for this week.
Waving to foo and malt

Hi all, I've been trying to get on with normal life a bit but I do keep looking in.

Elporto, I'm sorry you are continuing to feel so stressed out, totally understandably. It all seems to be drawn out for you, I hope this week you get good results and things get going.

Speedy, your poor son, it sounds very strange. I hope he doesn't have another sickness bout after this and you don't get it too.

Buns, good to hear from you and I hope your mums ok at home. Is your cold better, I've just had a lovely one from dd, still coughing?

Minty, is that two treatments down now, or three? Great news about the tumour shrinking.

Marshy, have you had the sentinel node injection before? I was terrified but actually it was fine, nothing like as bad as I was expecting. I'm still blue from the dye and my op was in May, I wish it would go now.

Foo, how is your rads burn? I hope your skin has remained intact. At least with the weather being cooler you can keep your skin out of the sun. Is that the end of treatment for you now?

Sorry if I've forgotten anyone having a particularly bad week. Amber hasn't been around for quite a while, do we know if she's ok?

Marshy I can't offer any tips or support re surgery as I have that all ahead of me still but good luck this afternoon and I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Really hope it all goes ok.

Hi mrs, good to see you popping in. I'm 3 rounds down out of 8. I'm generally able to keep quite cheerful and positive (probably still in denial about it all I think) but the week after treatment really puts me in a black hole. Something that I'm sure everyone here knows all about. I'm not at work but have no energy to do anything so just sitting around getting bored. Hate it

Hello all and thanks for the good wishes and hand holding.

Marshy, HUGEgood luck for tomorrow, I hope it all goes smoothly and you make a swift recovery. I'll be thinking of you at 7.30 as you go in I think you're meant to think happy thoughts as you go under so that you wake up happy at the other side

Minty, you are nearly halfway! The SEs sound fierce but it's good to hear there are good days too in between.

Speedy, hope your DS recovers fully and manages to shake off the illness. Awful when they are sick.

Foofoo, I cannot imagine being back at work, I hope the adjustment is OK. It's been so nice just pottering round my local area, doing the school run, sorting out the house... I never saw myself as much of a SAHM but perhaps it is my calling

Talking of which, I am frantically tidying the house and batch cooking before my first round of chemo tomorrow. We had an absolutely perfect weekend at my parents house - went to a ceilidh on Sat night and danced my socks off! which might be my last chance for a while. And I have not cried for almost 4 days! my oncologist clearly did an amazing job as I feel a lot better, or maybe it's the psychosomatic effects of the ADs...

Just a quick question about cold cap - my onc recommended it but minty I think you said it was just too uncomfortable to bother with. I only have short hair anyway, so is it worth it?

Elporto, I tried it but hated it. They switched caps halfway through, so my head got even colder and I was desperate to get it off! It didn't work either as about 2 weeks later it started falling out :(. I feel much better having shaved it off though.

So glad you had such a great weekend, there will be more of those to come. Sounds like the ADs are doing their stuff, as mrs has said, this has all been so drawn out for you, it's no wonder you've been having such dark times.

Lots of luck tomorrow

Marshy hope all goes well tomorrow, will also be thinking about you x

Amber is fine, she's on holiday lucky thing

Elporto I cold capped and didn't find it too bad, yes it was cold ( obviously ! ) but not unbearable and I had a hot drink while it was on which helped. I still lost most of my hair but it did come back quickly. Had my last chemo in November and had enough hair to ditch the wig in January. It's very much personal choice though. I'm so glad you are feeling brighter !

just popping in to say had last rads appointment today .not sure what i feel at the moment.sending best wishes to everyone going through treatment it been the longest eight months but this thread and all the wonderful ladies has been my lifeline .thinking about everyone with still away to go .

Marshy. Good luck tomorrow. I found that the sentinel node injection was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Like Mrs I am still a little blue but whether I will still have that bit after my op I don't know.

Minty great news that the tumour is shrinking but sorry you feel horrid. Am so with you on the side effects but now 3and a half weeks after my last one I can see the light. Yesterday I realised I didn't feel sick all day!

Elporto. Hope it goes well tomorrow and you don't suffer with too many side effects.

Mildmay. Fantastic that you have finished rads. I can imagine it is difficult to know how to feel. I have found that now chemo had finished everyone expects me to be bouncing around whereas I spent a few nights sobbing and feeling very strange and scared.

Waves to Mrs. Hope you are doing well.

Ds seems to be better. Has eaten well but is a bit tired now. The doctor said if it carries on so it is a whole week then to take him in.

Just dropping in to say 'hello'.

I have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm set for surgery on Friday and then the chemotherapy starts a few weeks later (something I'm not at all looking forward to). I've also got two young children (aged 4 and 2) and I'm hoping they aren't too affected by it.

This thread is very helpful. If you can all get though it, I'm sure I can too!

My thoughts and best wishes are with everyone who is also going through and affected by this.

Hello ssaver. Sorry you find yourself here but you'll get lots of support.

marshy hope all goes ok tomorrow. I honestly didn't find mx too bad, just pleased to get rid of it.

elporto I have enjoyed being off work, filled my days no problem. Have a serious coffee habit. My family enjoyed me being home too.

Welcome to ssaver

mildmay hooray for last Rads !! Well done.

Cold capping is worth it if you can bear it. I managed it for 5 out of 6 cycles ... Hated it more each time. Finally on 6th session I couldn't bear it any longer. Hair started falling out 2 weeks later, but did grow back quickly.
When I needed more chemo later on I couldn't bear it. Hair fell out and is much slower to grow back. Even if I see a cold cap I feel physically sick.

Big wave to everyone else

Morning all :)

Ssaver sorry you find yourself here but welcome. Please ask us anything, nothing is off limits and whatever you're feeling someone will have been through it too. I was terrified of chemo, didn't know anyone well who had been through it and imagined being in bed for months. Pleased to say that it wasn't as bad as I thought, obviously not nice but it's doable and you do get good days and weeks when you can go out and do nice things. The good thing now is that they have so many treatments for side effects.

Hi all
Sorry for being a stranger (laptop being mended so have to manage with pesky tablet keyboard), have been keeping up with the posts, but couldn't let today go past without sending best wishes to elporto for first chemo and marshy for her op, and a welcoming hello hug to ssaver. And big hugs to everyone else too of course...

Have my first appt with the oncologist next Monday, any ideas for good questions to ask?

Wishing everyone as good day as possible xxxxxx

Good luck today Marshy and welcome ssaver.
I saw the gynaecologist yesterday and will be getting the ovaries and tubes out at the end of October. I'm getting massive menopausal symptoms anyway so I don't know if there will be much difference!

Marshy, I really hope all has gone well today and you're not too long in hospital.

Ssaver, sorry you find yourself here, but you're in the right place for support and advice, these women have got me through some dark days.

MyAngels, good luck with your onc appointment, I found mine incredibly reassuring. I was mainly interested in what they were going to give me, how quickly I could start and how to prevent SEs as far as possible. My onc is very straight talking which I really appreciated, and I was also very clear with her (and with DH) that I don't want anyone using the word 'prognosis'. She didn't - she talked about treatment and cure I hope yours will be the same.

Talking of which, I had my first round of FEC today, it was fine, DH came with me which was very reassuring and the chemo ward at Barts London is brand new and very nice indeed with lovely distracting views over the city. I am home now and feeling not too bad, a little lightheaded and tired but I expect the SEs will kick in properly over the next few days. I have a bewildering array of anti-nausea drugs to take, let's hope some of them work!

Wee, I meant to add - how are you feeling about the upcoming op in October? You sound pretty sanguine, and if it helps my friend who had hers out said it was not too bad in the grand scheme of all the awful things we have to go through. Lots of love, however you feel in your head, it can never be ideal to have surgery with 3 little ones at home xx

elporto its odd after first chemo ..... You sit there waiting to feel different and are v conscious of any changes.

wee sorry to hear you have more surgery ..... But good if it will make you safe.

Elporto - you'll be glad that milestone is out of the way - I was only ever sick after my first one and then they threw all the anti-emetics in the world at me!
Life really went on as normal and I didn't realise how tired I became until now - 6 months after and I feel normal again.
I am very happy to be having my oophrectomy, it's keyhole and means there's one less bit of me to get cancer!
We've also just booked a wee weekend in Copenhagen for the end of November, so something to look forward too.