The Lacies are back for cancer support thread 56 - all welcome!

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Hello again, and welcome to our 56th thread. Some of us have been here ages and others have just joined. I hope you've all made it safely over to the new thread.

An extra special welcome to anyone who is lurking and feeling a bit shy. We are all quite friendly and we definitely don't bite, so please do say hello if you'd like to.

All are welcome here. We started off as a breast cancer support thread many years back, but all cancer types are welcome and at any point in the "journey", even if you haven't yet been diagnosed. We have all had different experiences but there's almost certainly someone here who will understand how you are feeling.

Our previous thread is here.

I have started the new thread a little early, and I will explain why in a moment.

sleepy I'm glad your transfusion went well and you feel so much better for it
fresta I'm so pleased to hear you say it feels like a bad dream and not a real experience. I have 3 more days of rads, then no appointments for 3 months when they'll check my hormone levels. I've only been on tamoxifen for a couple of weeks and all seems reasonably normal...
I decided to take a couple of weeks to recover from everything before going back to work, also the radiotherapy has made wearing a bra impossible which would also be awkward in the office! The dr has signed me off for 2 more weeks post rads which takes me to my scheduled annual leave, so back to work and new normal in September hopefully. No one batted an eyelid, and I suspect it's just me feeling I ought to go back as soon as the treatment finishes, but as DH said - if you're talking about being sick, you;ve got the Big One, no one begrudges a measly 2 weeks extra to get yourself back together after over 5 months of cancer treatment. He has a point I suppose.
Waves to everyone else Sleep well all.

Evening all.
Fresta and pepper it must be good to get to the end of treatment and have a break from all the appointments. OH have advised work that I may well be off for over 9 months and it will be very difficult to get back to normal after so long but I will do a gradual return eventually.
My scalp has been itching for the last few days - does this mean my hair will fall out soon?

So glad to hear you're doing so well, fresta, have a fab summer with your dd.

Also glad to hear the transfusion had such an instant positive effect, sleepy, hope the rosiness lasts!

Pepper, I took a fortnight after rads too and it helped - time to rest and get out of hospital mode. Maybe there'll be some sunshine to enjoy.

Chewing, not sure about itchy scalp but maybe good to be ready if it happens. Hope you're doing ok.

Leslie, do you have many more rounds to go in this chemo bout? Hope you're feeling as well as can be and being as kind to yourself as you are to all of us here.

Waving to all.

Morning everyone
Chewing I have heard people say their scalp became itchy or tender just before their hair went. I'm at the other end of treatment and sporting a number 1 and I find my head is quite itchy. Yesterday I got caught in a rain storm on my way to rads without a coat or umbrella. I knew that it would be horrendous walking round all day with a soggy headscarf so I whipped it off and walked through the rain bald, and stayed bald in the hospital because I was still wet. It was ok, and no one stared.

Hi all, I hope you're having a good day. I had my surgery yesterday. Surgeon said no surprises and took some lymph for testing. I was doing very well until just now and had a full panic attack. Very scared right now. Anyway will get further results on Friday hopefully.

I'm sorry you're feeling scared motherlondon . Very understandable ,surgery is after all very dramatic and I think we try hard to be brave going into it and collapse afterwards .

Also the anesthetic and pain killers can really mess your mind up .I had a couple of full blown panic attacks after surgery ,they would happen if I nodded off and on waking the first thing I'd know was all the monitors going off and loads of staff round me .

I do hope someone is there when you're panicking . Virtual hugs .It honestly does get better .

Thanks Ginger. Was able to have a cry with my sister. Not the last no doubt.

It's weird isn't it. I am generally fine but have random moments of panic.

And I cry when I tell people - random people, like the woman assessing me for my disabled blue badge. Poor woman!

Must try and come on here more often, looks like I have a lot of catching up to do!

mother I'm not surprised you've had a bit of a wobble, you will have been holding so much in and the deed is done finally. I hope you have an uneventful recovery (to borrow a Dr's phrase) and clear results.

mysilly well done on braving the bald look, must have been nice to have the rain on your head :-)

chewing my scalp got very itchy and tender as my hair was coming out. It actually drove me completely mad but after a while it settled down and was fine. Well done on wig shopping, sounds like you had some fun

pepper I actually took 3 weeks off after rads (think it was because it took me neatly to the end of a calendar month) and found it such a good decision. I was still feeling tired but it gave me a chance to try and catch up with things.

fresta sounds like you've been really busy. Cancer can put your head in a spin in terms of what's reality and what's not but at the end of the day cancer is cancer and we all have 'scars' of some sort to deal with. Hope you have a lovely holiday next week.

sleepy good to hear the transfusion worked it's magic. I had one a few years back for something else and it really made a difference.

So I've spent this week shopping for cheap sports bras and big comfy knickers in preparation for next week! I had to go for my pre op today. Saw a lovely nurse but when I said it was my second diagnosis in 2 years she said 'are you an anxious person, worry about things a lot? Or have you had a lot of stress?' . So she firmly believes in a reason why people get cancer - not sure she should be sharing it with patients?! It's all starting to feel very real now and a bit scary. Looks like I'll be in theatre all day and then staying in for 5 nights after. DH is going to take DD to Ireland for a couple of days for a wedding whilst I'm in which I'm pleased about in a way as she's only 9 and very aware of what's going on. Not looking forward to not having any visitors while they're gone though.

Hope everyone is having a good week

I found sports bras bloody useless. Might have just been me though.

I get angry a lot. Maybe that's why I got breast cancer.

. I feel your anger, I'm so angry too. Anger wins out over tears every time right now

Oh I'm not angry about the breast cancer. I think I have probably brought that on by my general crossness and wine consumption.

There was an article a few weeks ago in the Guardian about new research concluding that stress doesn't cause breast cancer. I will see if I can find it :) but Exit you definitely didn't bring this on yourself

mother sending you a big hug. I'm glad you could lean on your sister. How are you feeling? I agree with ginger the drugs and GA can also have emotional impact. Fingers crossed for your test results, and I hope you are recovering well

pepper definitely worth taking a bit of extra time to recover. If nothing else, it would be a pain to overdo it and have to take time off for exhaustion or stress in a few weeks!

Fresta lovely to hear you are enjoying the summer hols! I could never really get used to the fact I'd had cancer. Even now I often forget the bastard is back. We all react differently, but as long as you don't feel like you're in some sort of denial, I think that the forgetting is rather a good sign :) life will never be exactly the same, but I found it went almost back to normal once treatment was over. Have a splendid time in Cornwall :)

chewing my scalp is itchy and tingly too. It started shortly before my hair started to fall out. It's driving me mad. And I must look like I have a rampant nit infestation

dinster thank you :) I am being gentle with myself. Perhaps too much so sometimes! I feel great at the mo thanks. Next chemo is tomorrow. I don't know how many I am having yet. Probably at least twelve, but it depends how well it is working. How are you doing?

minty good luck with surgery preparations. Nurse sounds like a twit. Do you have any friends locally who could visit while DH and DD are away? That does sound like a good distraction for DD.

My oncologist is pleased with my progress, especially the lymph node shrinkage and my delightful scabby face rash I will have a scan after my sixth chemo to see how things are working. I am putting that out of my mind because the very thought of it terrifies me! Chemo tomorrow. My bag is all packed as I will probably be there all day. I ought to get to sleep really. Goodnight all

I actually already posted the article on here, but I will post it again just in case you are interested minty and Exit: Stress and trauma are not causes of breast cancer, research rules

And wine?

😄

Everything in moderation and all that isn't it good for the heart?

Yeah.

Leslie, I remember you posting the article. I would love to know what caused my cancer (Although secretly I blame it firmly and squarely on one person - my old arse of a boss) but in reality I doubt I will ever know. Having a nurse blaming it on a character flaw or similar is not really on.

As to hospital visits I've lined a friend up for the first day I'll be on my own and I've been totally shocked by my parents who've said they'll come down the second day. They have a lifelong dislike anything to do with London so it's big deal. Also they're not much good on the caring side of things so it could be an interesting visit!

Hope your chemo went well today and you're not laid low for too long

I had half a litre of fluid drained from my right lung earlier. Then I was sick and fainted like a wuss. I have more breathing capacity though.

Then I had chemo but the learner nurse accidentally pulled my picc line out by an inch because it got stuck to her glove. I hope it doesn't need redoing.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Evening everyone,

sleepy I was told there are markers on the line so they can see if it's in far enough or not .

abit sorry to hear you are still going through this alone , I'll join whoever sent your partner the virtual kick up the backside !

Hope everyone is having good days

Evening everyone. I got my call for my first annual mammogram yesterday, it's not until the middle of September though, so happy to live through the rest of the summer in happy denial before reality bites.

Lesley, hope your chemo goes well and thanks for reposting that article, my personal belief is that my breast cancer is hormone related- excess oestrogen! I have always suffered with very tender lumpy breasts and other premenstrual symptoms every month, and very regular periods quite close together, all of which were coming back with a vengeance before I started the tamoxifen. My cancer tested the maximum for oestrogen receptivity too.

Sleepy, that sounds a bit grim, but hope you feel better now.

Waving to everyone else and raising a glass of for those who fancy one- it's full of antioxidants and my oncologist virtually recommended the odd glass of red during chemo!

Evening Lacies
Lesley hope your chemo has gone ok and that you are now getting some rest.
mother and Sleepy hope you're both feeling a bit better
Fresta interesting about the . My chemo notes state that I should avoid alcohol
I have had an uneventful day really and am now off to bed. Night all.

Popping in briefly. Chemo went well, I think. Now attached to my pump for next 40 hours or so.

Sleepy ouch!

Will reply properly tomorrow as I'm running low on brain power. I hope everyone is fast asleep

Hello lacies back from a great holiday but quite knackered ! I see I have a lot of catching up to do and as soon as I can I will read what has been going on while I was away. I can say that I only thought of cancer about 70% of the time which, though not ideal is good enough, considering there was so much to remind me of it especially medicine taking and the fact I was not as fit as I used to be when climbing or walking or joining in the activities with DC. I am seeing my oncologist beginning of the coming week ( just to go over the last test results and talk future tests etc)
Hope you are all doing well? See you again soon when I have at least caught up with the latest.

Hi royal glad that you had a great holiday
I too am seeing my oncologist for test results early next week. Fingers crossed for both of us.