**Tamoxigang Thread 52** With virtual tea, cakes and chat for all with cancer concerns

[Lilymaid]

We were almost at our 1000 post limit for Thread 51 - hope the title is OK but wanted people to know that we aren't just about people on Tamoxifen but for all with cancer concerns!

Excuse typos!

Still, what sort of reconstruction have you had? I have implants and have been told that mammograms won't work so I have six monthly appts and can ask for an ultrasound if there's anything I'm worried about.

Hello everyone who is new. I hope you get to leave us soon, but in the mean time we'll all do what we can to help.

L and Harumff, sorry that you are here but hopefully will be ok. I had a mammogram and am 33, not sure why 35 is too young? I had all the tests at the clinic, and the surgeon told me that day that it probably was bc. Got the biopsy diagnosis 1 week later. I then had a three week wait for chemo to start.

Boobz, my chemo went well and I am feeling much better than expected, thank goodness. Just some mild headaches and a little sick this morning but that's the worst of it. I have been out today and then had a nice afternoon nap.

Friends and family are doing meals for us for a few days, so I don't have to cook, yay. I didn't have much appetite yesterday but back to normal now.

Hope you are all having a good day.

Hello All, pleased my birthday plans sound fun, I would actually be chuffed to bits if any of you wanted to come, the more the merry-go-round as far as I am concerned and many of you know far more about what I have been through over the last 12 months than some of my nearest and dearest, unfortunately we are talking about the devon/cornwall border so lovely for a holiday, not so good for a meet up. I am up for a London meet up. Someone needs to suggest a venue and a date and we need to go for it!
Welcome L and harumff let's hope your time here is short lived, but please pull up a chair and make yourselves very comfortable for as long as you need us. I was another who was diagnosed on the day of my Breast clinic appointment although I didn't start to feel in control until the biopsy results were back and my treatment was planned.
hotchoc glad you aren't feeling too bad, one down.
bssh any luck in the downstairs department yet?
still I had my one year check up following BMX the consultant just had a quick grope around, obviously nothing to squeeze between the mammogram plates, but I haven't had my reconstruction yet so would be easier to feel any problems.
boobz hope you are safely home in Italy and enjoying some warmer weather than here in drizzly Cornwall.
Best wishes to everyone.

Thank you so much ladies for sharing so much knowledge. I had no idea that they sometimes give a cancer diagnosis on the day. I'd assumed they could diagnose many benign conditions there and then but thought they waited for biopsy results before confirming a cancer diagnosis. I'd planned on going to the clinic alone (I don't deal well with nervousness when other people are with me) but I'll take DH with me now just incase. My appointment arrived this morning for the 19th so now the wait begins.

Can I just say how amazing I think you all are? Despite all your diagnoses and treatments you still find the strength to carry on with normal life whilst supporting each other. And you still have enough left over to hand hold the undiagnosed despite knowing that so many of us will be able to breath a sigh of relief and forget we ever had anything to be worried about. Thank you to each and every one of you, you're truely amazing.

Evening all,
Well I queued for an hour this evening to vote and the queue was even longer when we drove past the polling station at 10pm. I have a day off work tomorrow so may see if I can stay up to watch some results.

Hi to new posters. Warm welcome and in the nicest possible way I hope you aren't here long but hope you find it useful if you find yourself staying for a bit.

Still I had my second mx with implant recon in Sept 2014 and have a follow up appt in Nov this year. I've already been told that there are no more mammos for me and I was expecting a bit of a feel around from the consultant and maybe an ultrasound if she feels anything which I sincerely hope she doesn't! I too had extensive high grade dcis in both breasts.

Re a meet up, as a starting point, how about lunchtime on Sunday 7th June in London? That should suit boobz and mom around chemo and surgery and also accommodate those of us at work, especially malt who I imagine would find it hard to get a day off in the week as working in a school. London seems to suit most though I have no idea re venue but would suggest not too posh or expensive and convenient for Euston or Marylebone if poss as that's where I would be arriving!

Whadya think??

L - glad you've got your appointment through now.

I'd take someone with you if you can? Much as I wasn't told 'you have cancer' at the first appointment, it was pretty clear I had with consultant's telling me 'it's not good news' and to 'expect the worst'. I had also looked at the consultant's notes (naughty!) which had B5 written on, so on my walk to the mammogram, researched what that meant.

Har - I know it's easy to say, but please try not to worry about the fibroadenoma. I had one picked up on the ultrasound, and despite the other malignant lump, I was given the option of having it biopsied so they must have been pretty confident that it was a fibroadenoma otherwise I would have had no choice.

Hope everyone else is ok? I've been up since 4am this morning - I'd like to say it's because I'm very intelligent and taking a keen interest in politics, but really it's because I find out today whether I'll be having chemo or rads so can't sleep!

Hello wino, quite a day for you and I can quite understand why you are feeling nervous. I think this appt is almost the worst one, waiting to find out the plan. But somehow it does get better afterwards. Fingers crossed for you.

Hope it goes well today Wino.

Good luck wino, if that's the right thing to say.

Bit of a funny thing happened to me yesterday - I went to see my Italian GP to give her my treatment plan and generally fill her in on the last 2.5 weeks in the UK (I hadn't seen her since she told me it was cancer back on the 26th March) and I told her my WBC count was 0.6 and that I had injections to give myself. She obviously said "don't go to any public places and stay away from crowds..." which I was expecting.

So DH and I head to the Israeli National Day bash at a swish hotel later that evening (probs around 500 people!) and am queuing at the buffet and DH spots my doctor! He's like "eeek, don't let her see you, she'll tell me off!" - she sees us of course and comes over with a "I didn't expect to see you here!" a big smile and then tootles off (try to imagine the super-hero costume maker from The Incredibles - she is her double!) and I am left trying to not act sheepish.

Was a lovely bash though, and then we went for a drink in Harry's Bar and drank aperol spritzes in the 30 degree evening air, not talking about cancer. Was fab.

I may struggle to do a lunchtime thing on the Sunday 7th as it's DD2's birthday party on the Saturday so would only be able to fly that Sunday morning... I could probs get there for 3 or 4pm though, if it doesn't finish early?

One year ago today, in the horrible Friday afternoon clinic I got the results of my biopsy and found out I had cancer. This morning I called my breast nurse to see if the results from my mammogram on Tuesday were available yet, not wanting to wait for a letter. They were and everything is looking fine. What a relief, I had a little blub and I'm going to open a bottle of something fizzy tonight. Thank you to all of you who have comforted, educated and supported me over the last year. It's been difficult but it would have been a hell of a lot worse without you all.

Huge CONGRATS to you mrs - brilliant news.

Best of luck for today Wino.

And congratulations mrs, enjoy your fizz!

Congrats mrs! So pleased for you.

Congratulations Mrs and may it stay that way!
If you haven't already seen them, you may enjoy these Empathy Cards preferably attached to a bottle of bubbly!

Is anyone else on the YBCN Facebook group?

Lily, one of the ladies at work sent me that link only yesterday! I think they're much better than the usual 'get well soon' cards

Boobz, quick answer is no, I don't even recognise the initials! Sounds like you've had a lovely night out this week, typical you had to bump into your GP though. I think you just have to do what feels right for you. I have always taken the view that cancer has taken up so much of my life but I'm not going to let it take all of it.

Mrs, that is such fantastic news, what a milestone. Enjoy your fizz :)

Wino, good luck with your appt. whatever news they give you, you will get through it and we'll be here to help you along your way

Lthewife, I was told at my first appointment that it was bad news and they hadn't even done the biopsy at that point let alone had the results back. I guess some lumps are just quite obviously bad when viewed on an X-ray or ultrasound. I hope you get good news though and you only have to be a temporary guest on this thread.

Buns, your birthday plans sound fanastic, something really memorable. I've no idea how I will celebrate my half century when the time comes, I might have to take a leaf out your book :)

Hot choc, good to hear you're out the other side of your chemo and lovely to hear that friends and family are rallying around you. It makes such a difference.

Harumff, hope you're not here for long either but it is a safe place to be of you need to stay

My friend died yesterday :(, he leaves a big hole behind him. DH had his own visit to hospital on Weds as it looks like he's got two cancerous moles that need to be removed. I've hassled him for years to get them checked out especially after poor beccas passing but it took his friends terminal diagnosis to finally get him to go to the GP. So something good has come out of something so awful

As to a meet up, I can be free all day on the 7th June and can make my way into London. Would be lovely to meet up and have a proper chat even if it's just with a few of you. Apart from my SIL I've not really met anyone going through BC treatment

As to plans for meeting up

I'm so sorry about your friend Minty. How fucking awful. Truly sorry.

mrs so pleased for you, fab news

So sorry to hear about your friend minty

I've just found out that I have to have a hysteroscopy next Tuesday morning so a bit down about that.....

Minty, so very sorry to hear about your friend, words will never be enough I know but thinking of you. Hope your DH is dealt with quickly.

Marshy, oh dear, sometimes it seems to be never ending, no wonder you're feeling down. I'm sick of hospitals and procedures, hugs to you, can you have sedation?

I dunno mrs. Gynaecologist has referred me for the hysteroscopy directly from the gp referral so I haven't had a chance to discuss it with him though his summary letter to me did say to contact his secretary if I want to see him. Not much point as the procedure is on Tuesday morning - being seen under the 2 week wait. I think I'll just have to grit my teeth and get on with it. It was flippin horrible last time.

I just think sooner or later my luck is gonna run out, y'know?

Apologies, just feeling a bit sorry for myself. I'm finally up to full time hours at work next week, getting myself established again, and now this and no lovely nurse to talk to and put it in perspective.

Minty I am so sorry to hear about your friend. :( (virtual hugs.) Is your DH coping?

Fab news Mrsrhod. Enjoy the celebrations.

Hope that you are ok Marshy. Please keep talking to us. X

Boobz I think that I'm on that group on Fb. I joined something like that a week or so ago.

Minty I'm so sorry to hear about your friend - I'm gutted for you, especially with everything else going on.

Mrs - you must be delighted! Fingers crossed many of us will be joining you on the same course.

What a weird rollercoaster this is, despair for one poster and celebration for another and all from the same bastard thing.

Thanks for all your kind words for my meeting today. I feel a little bit bad (?!) in that it went really well. I had 2 cancerous lumps removed, with a clear margin, no nodes involved and I don't need chemo but start radiotherapy in about 6 weeks' time. I'm really pleased with that but now feel like such a fraud being here with 'diet' cancer.

(But trying not to get too political, I shed a tear today when I saw that the new government will be immediately scrapping the Human Rights Act - a truly grave moment)

Oh marshy, you poor thing. I'm a total wimp and I would certainly be asking for sedation for something that had been so difficult last time. Please be kind to yourself and get all the help possible. When I called for my results this morning I spoke to the bn who has been away on maternity leave. She read through all my notes, including the pelvic scan ones and was really sympathetic. I definitely would talk to her again, it's all part if the same thing, yours might be equally happy to talk about it. Or if not her maybe one of the nurses at breast cancer care, they must hear a whole load of concerns that are not directly breast cancer, it's all related. I would recommend them, really.

Wino, you sound like you have pretty much what I had last year and I remember feeling similarly guilty. Some wise soul on here told me not to be silly and a breast cancer diagnosis is horrible thing, regardless if type. Plus, not wishing to put a damper on your good news, you still have treatment to come and weeks and months ahead to get your head around what has happened to you. A year on, with good news today, I am still a bit of an emotional wreck at times. You're not a fraud.