CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 65 - for anyone with cancer or waiting for cancer tests (pets welcome!)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Good morning everyone,

Welcome to the new thread, and the club that nobody wants to join. Our previous thread is here.

Anyone with any type of cancer is welcome. And we will hold your hand if you're waiting to find out whether or not you have cancer at all.

If you've got a loved one with cancer then you can get support here.

Please feel free to reintroduce yourself so we don't all have to remember from the previous thread!

All the best for today Keepcalm. I'm sorry you've had such shitty news. It sounds like they're on it like ninjas.

Hello new people. I didn't know there's a "proper" cancer thread. This is definitely the best place to be.

I've started my radiotherapy. 18 zaps to go, then I'll be done in time to celebrate turning 40.

keep calm

Can only echo what everyone else has already said. Thinking of you today

Morning @KeepCalm cancer really is the shit that keeps on giving more shit isn't it.
Words aren't enough but I'll be thinking about you today. As I tell my kids, if there's still a plan we're ok.

Thank you ladies. I'll admit I cried for the first time last night as I took my first dose of steroids. It just really hit home that this is it & there will now never be a treatment free time for the rest of my life.

Pathetically self indulgent I know 

The medication has made me slightly shakey & rather wakeful OR it's just the realisation that this is actually happening.

My mum passed over 10yrs ago for the first time in a long time, last night I really just wanted my Mum 

Pathetically self indulgent I know

No no no no no. And no.

You have had the floor pulled out from under you. Less than 24 hours ago. Self indulgent you are definitely not. All the hugs.

@Namechangeforthiscancershit thank you. I'm normally pretty strong but right now I feel like I can't even catch my breath (oh the irony!)

The wifey I saw yesterday is shit hot. I knew there was something wrong before I walked in so when she started talking I just said ‘spit it out so we can make a plan’ (DHnearly fell off his chair)

So she did. And we have a plan and she promised me that if there are any difficult conversations to be had she’ll have them with me but for right now I’ll be here for a while yet.

She’s a mother of 4 with her own 15yr old DD so she KNOWS this isn’t about me but my DDs

She sounds fab, as do you for managing to be so direct. Sometimes you just want the plaster off ASAP.

As ranout said, while there is a plan that’s what we all focus on. When they told me about my lungs I had it in my head that treatment would just stop and my oncologist looked at me like I was slightly nuts as there is so much they’re still doing. Yes it’s definitely weird thinking there probably won’t be a time without treatment for me, but I’ll take that over no plan any day. If that makes some sense.

Minnie I haven’t been on the proper thread but I can’t imagine it’s for me tbh.

@Namechangeforthiscancershit thank you. I'm sorry you're here but am selfishly glad to have you for the virtual hand hold.

Time to pull myself together and the kids are slowly getting up.

Hope you all have a good day  and cheers to us all

KeemCalm hand hold is always here. Have the best day you possibly can.

More hand holds here to be had. I've no idea what the proper thread is, but this one is the one for me too

keepcalm

If it’s any help at all to today I had my first docetaxel dose on Wednesday and so far no bad side effects and I’ve been up and about. Hand hold from me too.

KeepCalm, I think this is the most dreadful bit (it has been for me, anyway)- I've felt a LOT better with a plan in place that I've got no reason to think won't work. It is early days for me too- they only told me it had spread a few days ago.

I think my first question was "Is it still worth me getting new double-glazing?"

And you're right, it's about the kids, isn't it? I've got two girls, and I want to keep going for them.

Keepcalm it's likely you'll have so many months of treatment and then you'll get a break from it and then start it again. You'll have plenty of "good days" and there will be times when you don't even think about the cancer and just get on with stuff.

Have you managed to tell your family? I found that the toughest part of it 

Leslie how are you? A quick thumbs up if you're too busy to type? I'm getting a bit twitchy that you haven't been on here much. Hope you're ok

Hello all

No need to worry TQ and purple. Obviously I post here far too much - it has only been about 36 hours since I last posted!

I'm visiting family and the signal here is a bit rubbish.

KeepCalm good luck this morning I'm another with lung mets, though bowel cancer.

LadyMaryC I've had a couple of gastroscopies. They will tell you what they have seen, but they might need to wait for biopsy results to give a definite diagnosis.

I will post this now before I lose signal. Waving to everyone else. I hope you have as nice a Friday as possible

Ahh there you are! You can get back to enjoying your family now. I get far too invested in the regulars on here 😁

I'm so glad I found this thread. Hope everyone has as good a day as possible xxx

Good luck this morning keepcalm. Thinking of you

Have a good Friday lacies. I’ve been to DD’s spring fair today and managed to have a nice time and not think about the C (for a while anyway). Outings like that just exhaust me now though so early night I think.

Good luck KeepCalm

Completely understand how you feel (Another incurable here) and your post most definitely wasn’t self indulgent! You’ll go through a gamut of thoughts and emotions for a while so just be kind to yourself.

I don’t want to speak for anyone else but I bet I’m not alone in saying that we’re much stronger emotionally than we think we are and we just pull it together somehow.

Take care x

Treatment all finished and all fine so far. Nurses most lovely  I shall take them cake next time 

keep calm

Glad you are home and all went well.

I am sure the nurses appreciate the cake! I sent my husband out to get some this week as we were on the ward for the best part of 2 days. The nurses work so hard it’s literally non stop for them

Xx

Glad today went as well as possible keepcalm and you most definitely have not been self indulgent with your thoughts. I think you have permission to wallow if you need/want to anyhow. I agree with aimless I think we are a lot tougher than we give ourselves credit for sometimes.

bitoffun at the double glazing comment! Also congrats on your upcoming wedding in the new year.

Have a great time away with your family Lesley, did you end up having a mini break ranout in the end? I've got a friend coming to visit for some of half term, so am looking forward to that. I haven't been anywhere since my diagnosis yet. We will hopefully manage a few days out. I meet my surgeon next week, so need to work out what I want to ask him.

I hope everyone has a good weekend and those who have just had chemo stay side effect free

Been to curry’s and Tesco. Had lovely chat with friend and came home to two bunches of flowers.

Early night to make up for no sleep last night but kids are all good and I appreciate it might be adrenaline but am delighted how ‘ok’ I feel

Thank you all so much for your kind thought.
I have the kids off this wkend before school starts on Monday again so going to try for some gentle autumnal outdoorness lol

Glad your treatment went well keepcalm and glad you’re feeling ok too

I hope you’re enjoying your time with your family Leslie

Are you having a mastectomy noodles? I would be interested to know your questions for your surgeon if so as my surgery will be coming up too in a few months.

Bit of a rainy miserable day in Melbourne today - but I’m feeling ok and children are being very cute so lots of reasons to be cheerful. Have a lovely Saturday all

Morning @Simmi1 sorry to hear of rain. I haven't even looked outside yet as still dark here. We had the most amazing sunrise yesterday so hoping for the same again today.

Hope you all have a great Saturday, am still feeling fine & slept well. I just have sort of 'heavy limbs' if that makes any sense at all?

Am sitting pondering whether I contact my biological mother or not. It's not going to be an easy decision but hedging more towards doing it rather than not . I have a strong urge to know a medical history now, more for the sake of the DDs than myself. What's coming to my table has already been laid out but if I can TRY to help with theirs then that's what I'll do.

Morning everyone,

simmi I do not know yet what my surgery will be for sure. They anticipated removing just the lump and all my lymph nodes from my left arm pit prior to chemo and a mastectomy has not been mentioned at all yet. They put markers in my lump and the obvious affected lymph node incase chemo shrank them so much that the surgeon couldn't see them. It probably depends on the size etc of the lump after chemo is done, but I will be asking if it could be a mastectomy & look at my options & which he recommends to proceed with.
At the outset he said I would probably end up being one cup size smaller on the breast he operates on, so I am expecting it to be a lumpectomy and node clearance. I have read that they can pinch a bit of fat from another area to put into the breast & wonder if my wobbly bit over my C section scar may be able to be used here.... Every cloud and all of that!
I had a sizing ultrasound a couple of weeks after my 1st chemo and it hadn't really changed size, I have had no further sizing scans, just consultants who have manually felt it a few times. They say it is smaller, but I have no idea by how much yet. I have done 6 chemo's now and have one more to go in just under 2 weeks. I guess I will have another US before they operate.

keepcalm beautiful picture, it was a glorious day yesterday by me. I went to the coast with my dog for some fresh air and it was bright blue skies with hardly a cloud. I can imagine there is a strong urge in wanting to know your medical history to help your daughters in the future. Will they do any tests on your tumour to assist with this too? I'm glad you are still feeling ok following docetaxel. My first lot was worse for side effects than the following two, so if you do start getting any, don't worry that every round will be the same.

Have a good Saturday lacies