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!

[mintyneb]

Good luck today really, hope you managed to get back to sleep!

Thinking of you too elporto

[elportodelgato]

Good morning Really, I worked up thinking of you today and will continue to do so til you can post your news. I hope so much that it is good good news and this is the end of treatment for you.

Minty, you sound like you have been through the mill this last weekend, I'll PM you later on xx

So, today at 2pm I find out what variety of breast cancer I have and what they are going to do about it. Everyone seems super keen to operate tomorrow so barring disasters I need to also do my hospital bag (any top tips?) and say a not-so-fond farewell to my traitorous left breast. Will report back later. Now I need and up to face another day.

Hope everyone currently cooking with rads manages to stay out of the sun, and we all have a good day.

[Nelsonwasonce]

really and elporto,best of luck! You will be in my thoughts today
mrsrhodgilbert thank you for asking after me , how are you feeling today? I am 3 weeks post op today (time flies).I am doing really well,wound healing great and almost full movement in my arm.I have been driving since a week and my ironing is getting on grand too.
The only hurty bit is where the expander is 'scratching' the inside of my boob and where my bra puts pressure on the tube that's attached to it on the inside.
I have been able to see my horse a few times,handle him and do some if his care which is very important to me.
Am now awaiting results on Tuesday as eventhough there were no invasive cells found in any of the breast tissue,SLN biopsy has been send to a specialist in another hospital for second opinion as there was a "suggestion of micro metastases and as specimen was huge (100mm of intermediate and high grade DCIS) any micro invasion in breast tissue may have been tiny".
Trying not to worry too much about that one....

[mrsrhodgilbert]

Hi nelson, back from rads. It does feel a bit like being cooked. My skin is quite red now, it looks like I've had a template over me. The feeling inside is bizarre, it ranges from quite painful to tight, to feeling like there is intense pressure inside. Also some random stabbing pains today. The radiographer said they will assess me on Friday, my last day and maybe offer stronger pain relief. If I wasn't going on holiday next week I wouldn't be too bothered, but these symptoms can last for a few weeks after treatment to its sensible to go away prepared. I don't think they're too common, so I wouldn't want to alarm anyone and certainly manageable. I'm fairly tired now but the alarm is going off at 5.50 very day for early rads.

I thought you might be more than two weeks post surgery now, where is the time going? How lovely to be seeing your horse again, that must be great for switching off from everything. Sounds like you are giving the doctors something to think about, waiting is awful. If everything is ok when do you expect your reconstruction to be?

[Nelsonwasonce]

Not sure about the reconstruction timings mrs. They are talking about doing some inflating of the expander next week. It's all pretty sensitive still though so can't bear the thought at the moment. Once they have finished with the expander I will get the implants (other boob will get seen to at the same time) but that will deffo have to wait till after my holiday as I don't want any complications while I'm away from home.
Make sure you get your pain relieve sorted out before you go away. My friend who had rads said the feeling of her skin is that like when you've got a massive graze,really sensitive to touch with a low-grade constant pain humming in the background Hope you get some relief soon

[weebarra]

Mrs, my surgeon also suggested getting sorted out with some anti-biotics for holiday,just in case of infection. Also because of my risk of lymphodema I had to take them if I got a mozzie bite. Didn't need to but handy to have them.
Onc v pleased last night with the rads, now have to be referred to gynae to get the ovaries oot. Hope the appointments go well really and elporto.

[reallyreallyworried]

I FINALLY GOT THE ALL CLEAR it's been a TOUGH TOUGH year, but I have finally made it

To all of you just starting out on your journey, keep going, it's a long tough road. But you WILL get to that happier place soon xxxxxxxxxx

Thanks to everyone for their continued support, if it wasn't for this site I wouldn't of gone through with the surgery! So a huge THANKYOU xx

[mintyneb]

Really that is FANTASTIC news!! I'm so pleased for you. I just can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be in your shoes right now.

WHOOP WHOOP!!

[Wren48]

Really, that is excellent, excellent news. So pleased for you. Have a proper celebration now.

[weebarra]

Wonderful news really! We have been doing our journey at the same time and you have done brilliantly even when you've been going through crap.

[ljny]

Really what fantastic news! I'm so very happy for you.

[MomOfTwoGirls2]

really super news!! Does that mean no cancer cells found in liver?

[mrsrhodgilbert]

So pleased to hear that really. It's fantastic to hear some good news coming through and people getting through this horrible thing. Lets hope you gain strength and recover from your op a little more each day now, without the background fear of more treatment.

[mrsrhodgilbert]

Thanks for the tips wee, I will speak about all aspects of skin and pain on Friday when I finish. I was wondering about skin break down and infections, probably too much but suddenly being out of the country seems a little scary. I'm sure it will be fine, it's only a week and not until next Friday.

I didn't realise you are facing further surgery, this is to prevent ovarian cancer presumably? Goodness me, will that be this year?

[weebarra]

Yes, ovaries and tubes out because I'm BRCA2 positive. Think it'll only be a day case though.

[elportodelgato]

Hello all,

Really, I am so so SO delighted to hear your news, you sound like you're walking with a new spring in your step, congratulations!!

So: I have got grade 2, stage 3 invasive ductal cancer in one breast only and the nearby lymph nodes. They are going to do surgery tomorrow afternoon, removing the breast tissue, clearing the lymph nodes, and reconstructing the breast at the same time with an expandable implant. I'm sure I will feel like I've been hit by a truck though my nurse assures me it's nowhere near as bad as childbirth and I will get some good painkillers - can anyone please corroborate this for me?! I've never had surgery before and feel quite apprehensive.

The surgeon and nurse are both being very encouraging about us still going away to Australia in around 2.5 weeks time assuming I am recovering well, so we are planning for that. I am going to show my kids the 'Mummy's Lump' book tonight, now that I know for sure that it's not spread elsewhere, I feel I can read it to them with a bit more confidence.

It may be a week or so before I can check here again, so lots of love and luck to you all, and thank you a million times for getting me through the diagnostic stage: you were all right, it IS better when you know what you're dealing with

[mrsrhodgilbert]

Hi elporto, a plan at last and it sounds like surgery many others here have gone through, but not me so I can't really comment on that. I think I can say though that its not as bad as childbirth! Good luck with everything tomorrow and I hope that truck doesn't hit too hard. I'm sure others can advise about that.

Have you thought about travel insurance for going away so soon afterwards? I really don't want to rain on your parade but you need to make sure you're properly covered still and tell your company everything. It took a lot of phone calls for my cover to be agreed for one week in the Med two months after surgery. You will give the underwriters something to scratch their heads about.

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, well done for getting this far with your sanity intact.

[Nelsonwasonce]

really what fantastic news! Bet you can hardly take it in?
weebarra that sounds tough....
elporto good luck tomorrow. I had a mastectomy and expandable implant 3 weeks ago and I'm back to driving since a week and can almost do everything again at home and with my horse (apart from riding ).
I felt fine after the op just had a massive howling session after I first came round. You may get hoisted in a tight Victorian looking bodice after a day to keep everything in place.Have been wearing a really good sports bra since a week as you have to wear support day and night for about 6 weeks.
I have so far only had the SLN and a couple of others out though not full clearance which,as I understand it, will take longer to recover from.
How long are they keeping you in for? One night stay here.

[reallyreallyworried]

Great that you now have a plan elporto Good Luck with your surgery tomorrow. Hope it all goes well. Xx

[weebarra]

Full clearance does take a bit longer - I had bilateral mx and full clearance on both sides but was still able to get into arms above head rads position two weeks post op.

[elportodelgato]

Thanks all for the good wishes, and thanks mrsrhod for the heads up on travel insurance, something for DH to wrangle with next week while the DC are being spoiled by the GPs

[ljny]

Does anyone know how much Moo Goo is needed for 4 weeks of rads?

I need to order by post, and after seeing the shipping charge, I'm trying to get it all in one order.

Thanks!

[wineoclocktimeye]

FAB news really

Good luck tomorrow elporto at least now you know what you are dealing with. Quick tip for hospital stay, don't forget earplugs and eye shades!

ljny I bought the 120 and had to get more after 3 weeks of fads (forgetting, of course, that you need the cream for x weeks afterwards so I would certainly get the larger one. Also, have you checked if they have a stockist near you? I managed to get mine from a shop cos the postage was quite expensive.

[wineoclocktimeye]

Fads? Rads obviously!

[weebarra]

I got the big one, I'm three weeks post rads (15 fractions for me) and there's a wee bit left.