**Tamoxigang thread 51**... no more sangria, but maybe some mulled wine!

[MarthaCostello]

Hello all,

The old thread has nearly run out so I hope no one minds me making a new one. And am I allowed to mention the Big C... Christmas?! our last thread was started in July so I reckon this one might take us into December.

In honour of that, I will lay out some mulled wine, mince pies and I have wrapped myself in tinsel.

A warm welcome to jomidmum, but sorry you've had to join us. No one wants to be in this club, but this thread is a rather nice place to be. Wishing you a speedy recovery from your op, and hoping the pain eases soon.

Massive hugs to beccajoh

A big yippee for Marshy, what utterly fantastic news.

Sitting on the paranoia box for ConsiderablyBiggerBuns, I hope your MRI results are good - when will you hear?

Waving and sending love to everyone else.

I wonder if seeing as we are on a new thread, it might be worth just giving a bit of history for new posters? I will put mine anyway, and then others can if they want to. I am coming up to two years since my bowel cancer diagnosis (grade 2, stage 3c, T2N2M0R0). I had major bowel surgery and six months of chemo.

All I have bought for Christmas s the pudding!

Just sending out a shout to becca Hope your coping? Be good to ear from you.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and SEs are minimal for all. Special thoughts to becca, hope you are doing ok, we are all rooting for you.

I have been squirrelling Christmas bits away for a while (Ds2's birthday is in December too so need to be organised). I did need to go and replace the chocolate selection tin which 'accidentally' fell open

Am feeling a bit down tonight so maybe my chocolate tin might accidentally open . Good idea wine.

I've bought nothing for Christmas but we are going away for it so presents will be minimal !
Speedy chocolate sounds a good idea

Where are you off to for Christmas malt?

I made good progress on kids stuff, mostly from Amazon.

We are both from large families and decision was made a few years ago to only buy for God Children and our parents. Makes life so much easier!

For those undergoing treatment, Internet shopping is the only way to go ... And loads of ready prepared food. Next Christmas will be back to normal service! My DC will be home for Christmas (DS1 from other side of world) so I am looking forward to a few days of the family together even if it means board games going on well into the night.
My scan results showed no spread of cancer and bone lesions nicely repaired. So I can feel a bit better now after the awful wait for test results. Hope all those midst chemo/recovering from surgery have as few SEs as possible and that those awaiting results get good news!

I'm going to Tenerife :)

Lily your scan results sound good, what a relief

Great news about the results lily, what a relief.

Very envious malt, lovely to have some windier sun to look forward to.

Happy Sunday to everyone else.

Windier???? Meant winter!

Malt we thought about Tenerife last winter. Sounds great. I'm confined to the UK whilst on oral chemo so a trip to the Orkneys in May is possible for us but not quite the same thing as lovely winter sunshine in Tenerife! Have fun!

Results sound really encouraging lily splendid news.
I am almost finished shopping for any kids in the family but haven't got a clue about the adults. I tried to introduce the children only rule last year and failed miserably. Ended up frantically scurrying around on Christmas Eve to make a stocking for my 2 childless brothers as felt guilty about them for Christmas Day.
Still waiting on my rad appointments, will chase again tomorrow. I think his promise of all finished by mid December isn't going to be kept. Got a definite covering of fluffy hair on head, eyebrows also showing signs of recovery but eye lashes finally all fell out this weekend . Luckily I am quite proficient with falsies.
Hope everyone is feeling okay.

Good news Lily.
Malt that sounds wonderful.

Very sleepy here so bedtime it is. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

lily good news about scan results x

I have never been away for Christmas .... Have to try it one year.

buns hope you get your rads appt sorted soon. If your just having 15 then good chance of getting them done mid Dec if they pull out their finger ! Have you had the initial sorry cant remember the proper name but where they scan and tattoo you?

Great news Lily, and it sounds like you will be having a fabulous Christmas.

I'm looking forward to mine. Lots of fun things planned. I am going Christmas shopping in York tomorrow. I hope the credit card can take the strain!

Enjoy your day in York trice, very wise to go on a Monday. We were there on Sunday last week and I needed my sharpest elbows to get through the crowds.

Lily, that is brilliant news

Malt, you lucky thing getting some winter sunshine

Trice, I LOVE shopping in York! I hope you manage to buy stuff for other people and not just yourself...

I am coming out the other side of FEC 3 and I think it's actually been better than cycle 2 in terms of exhaustion and my mood, hurray for that. It's my birthday on Wed and I am definitely going to be up and about wearing my best headscarf and going out for a long (boozy?) lunch with DH. Yay!

Also, inspired by this thread I have just emailed my extended family to gently let them know I won't be doing Xmas gifts this year, what a relief. Now I can just focus on making it as magical as possible for the DC.

I bet York is lovely at Christmas

Elporto glad you're doing ok and well done for biting the bullet with the presents, bet others will be relieved the pressure is off too

Lily I'm sorry you can't go abroad, that's why we're trying to cram as many holidays in as possible as you never know what's round the corner, plus dd will be doing gcses next year so we won't be able to go away again till they are finished

Still thinking of Becca x

Talking of Christmas presents, my lovely bil as just been diagnosed with cancer for the second time. He had bowel cancer about 16 years ago but after surgery he has been well since. This is a different cancer and be will be starting chemo very soon, then surgery and rads. His wife doesn't drive and I want to tell them not to struggle to get presents for us this year. But how to express that without sounding like we've written him off, which we certainly haven't?

It's one thing as the patient to say I'm not doing presents this year, is there an unpleasant difference to say please don't worry about getting us presents this year?

Lily, wonderful news for you, I'm really pleased.

Elporto, great that you haven't been knocked too much this time. Long may that last.

Buns, hope you get your rads soon. They seem able to get people started quickly and I'm sure everyone has their eye on Christmas in the dept, keep hassling them.

Malt, I prefer not to think about that corner.

Morning all.
Managed to walk to the hospital and back although they decided not to expand me today! Have to go back in a bit for an echocardiogram with contrast. They better not push too hard!

Buns- glad your eyebrows are making an appearance but it's a pain your eyelashes have gone. Hopefully they will make an appearance soon.

Glad this cycle wasn't quite as bad elporto. Well done on sorting out present issue.

Mrs- that's a tricky one. Sorry to hear about your bil. Personally I wouldn't mind someone suggesting that as I would take it as you saving me from having to think about getting things on top of the chemo. I wouldn't think you were writing me off at all.

Trice- hope you are having a lovely day shopping.

mrs I think it is fine to suggest they don't bother with xmas presents.
I would probably just say something Like 'Hope you don't think I am being presumtious (but I would spell it correctly) but please don't bother to get us anything this year. I know you have a lot going on, and there will always be other years'

See, like the way I ended on a positive!

I like it Foo; good way to put it.

Is there room for a little one? Ok, not so little since I have consumed my entire body weight in chocolate since diagnosis...

Plenty of room, though disappointed you've eaten all the chocolate! Have some and
We'd all prefer no one had to join us, for obvious reasons ... but we are all very friendly, so feel free to vent, ask advice etc!

Hi saveme, I think I saw you on another thread, welcome (if that's the word). This thread has literally held me together through some bad bad times so do rant, vent, chat, whatever x

I may have eaten my own body weight but luckily my friends are very generous so there are still a few soft centres left to share and maybe a toffee one if you're lucky...

Thanks for the welcome. I lurked for a few days like a teenager with a crush but thought I'd better say hello before you spotted me and I went red.