CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 66 for those with cancer or awaiting cancer test results. Rant, rave, laugh, cry, joke, scream - whatever gets you through the day.

[TwitterQueen1]

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 have a loved one with cancer you can get support on a different thread here

For old and new posters it's very helpful if you (re)introduce yourself in your first post with a summary of your diagnosis (chemo brain is a real thing and my memory isn't what it used to be!).

Purple hope they get you sorted soon.

KeepCalm they told me that the steroids for Docetaxal are in part to prevent a reaction, and not just for sickness. The fatigue is draining isn't it? I got home last night and slept from 7am till 5.30. Don't feel sick now thankfully.

Good luck keepcalm !

Yes, Christmas shopping is my fave. I have two boys to buy for. I've already got my 4 year old a bike and a karaoke mic thing, and my eldest (almost 14) wants his room revamped and made "fabulous". I think IKEA will be hit hard for that!

Also, does anyone else get the m&s Christmas food? I might not feel like eating it, but the deserts look so pretty.

@purpleunicorns that's truly shite. I hope they have you down to sort first thing.
Think my Docetaxel kicked in yesterday, major aches from the ears down! Luckily I bought the extra strong paracetamols and had one at 4am. Think I'm going to keep myself dosed up today. I also had a heated wheat pack last night and they helped. I think it was @WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo that recommended heat. Must remember to keep really hydrated too. I'm a bit rubbish at drinking, unless it's wine! 
For all of you with chemo today, you'll be fine. It's hard to get your head round but I think it gets easier to accept. And it's hopefully one round down.
Xmas lists are being compiled here too. Menus done, gift lists on the way and presents beginning to be bought. I'm holding back on some as Black Friday is surely upon us!
I went back to crocheting yesterday, think I'm going to have to send my DH out for more wool!
Carry on with the shopping ladies.
@Pandoraslastchance how are you doing?

I get the M&S Christmas food. The pine cones are lovely, very rich though. I've ordered the fillet of beef for Christmas Day and a piece of turkey for the DC, as they prefer it fools. I've been fantasising about the beef, really hope I'll feel like eating it. The only thing I'm planning to cook from scratch are the roast spuds, but I can farm that out if necessary.

Ooh I saw those pine cones and they look ace! My last chemo pre Christmas should be the 18th so I’m really hoping to be able to enjoy some Christmas dinner!

Last year they included the pine cones in the dine-in offers a few times before Christmas so I got them then and froze them. Hopefully they will do the same this year.

M&S Christmas food very timely here this morning. I normally order from there but I’ve told husband Christmas is in his hands this year and I’ve just woken up to confirmation email that he’s done the order!

Husband has coeliac disease so looks like he’s ordered everything from their gluten free stuff.

My last chemo is scheduled to be 19/12 so hope I am well enough to eat some!

I’ve got a provisional date for surgery of 14/01 and now been told I will be having radiotherapy after that. Don’t know for how long or what the side effects are but doing my usual and trying not to look too far ahead.

Hope everyone enjoys their Christmas shopping for children. I have a 24 year old step-son who will be more than happy with cash in a card! I’m sure my husband will get a few things as well so h has a few presents to open.

We always have to have turkey as step-son won’t hear of having anything else so I don’t bother asking now!

Mrstraveller my last chemo is 2nd Jan (all being well) with surgery in early Feb. They have told me that I'll be having radiotherapy daily weekdays for 3-3.5 weeks.

Crap purple you aren't having much luck. You would have thought they'd be able to sort a canula .

Just got my results and CT scan clear and CEA levels still low . Great relief. Now just got my lovely colonoscopy to get through and I can hopefully forget about cancer for a while.

for everyone. I shall certainly be having a large one tonight. to everyone having chemo.

That's great news Tayto! You absolutely deserve a very large .

Purple are you out yet?

That's brilliant news Tayto! Lots of for you

No TQ I'm still here I need 2 more lots of IV antibiotics and then 2 lots of blood in the morning as they won't do the blood overnight as they don't have enough staff incase I have a reaction to it. I didn't even know having a reaction to a blood transfusion was possible I'm hoping to be out before teatime tomorrow

Great news tayto. I’m always happy to raise a glass of gin in celebration 😉
purple fingers crossed all goes well and you’re home tomorrow evening.

Oh @purpleunicorns that's guff sorry to hear it.

All went very well today. Am feeling really good and went for my gorgeous reflexology appointment. One of the wigs they ordered for me has come in to so have had a wee giggle over that as well.

Then home for cheats tea of pizza which the girls can make before DH goes to night shift and I get the bed to myself!

I have a chemo on 21/12 so am hoping to be super organised but work about to seriously ramp up for festive season and the manager I employ is on A/L for 2wks now

DH will be in charge and they'll just need to suck up not having 15 homemade puddings (I always over cater, occupational hazard lol)

Hello everyone

Sorry I'm never going to manage to catch up with you all so will just send to those having a shit time.

purple what a bloody mess I hope the antibiotics get it under control soon.

Good luck to everyone having chemo. May the side effects be minimal. And don't suffer in silence if they're not.

I'm home now. I have to have an oxygen machine at the moment. Apparently the tubing will go anywhere in the house but I haven't tested it yet it's a bit of a scary step really. Hopefully it's just temporary for now while I shake off the last of this bug. It feels like I've taken another big slide down that slippery slope though!

Leslie

So pleased to have you back and to hear that you’re home. We’ve all missed you I think!

Hey, hope everyone is well. Purple sorry to hear that you have to get all that treatment, I hope it's not too bad.

Glad your chemo went well keep calm

My chemo went well too. I feel rather sick now though. I can take more anti sickness meds in a couple hours. Oh and my pee is bright red! They warned me about that though!

Also got my PET scan results - stage 2! So that's good news! Although it's spread an awful lot since my first CT - they called it a lot of "bulk". Normally after chemo, I would get radiation therapy, but I can't have radiation, because the cancer is around my heart and some major blood vessels and they'd get too damaged. So the chemo better bloody work!

Tattoo congratulations on the good results!!

I meant tayto

Welcome home @WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo x

All very positive at my oncology appointment today. Met the Senior Registrar (doesn't look like they've appointed a consultant yet since mine retired a couple of weeks ago) and she was lovely. Seems very confident that the hormone regimen will keep everything under control for a long time, and DP came with me this time, so he was able to ask questions and was reassured to hear a relatively positive prognosis (well, as positive as 'incurable' gets). I had a couple of injections and got sorted with some new post-menopausal anti-oestrogen drugs. They re-prescribed my lovely oramorph, and I was home by six and cosy in my pyjamas!

Glad you're home again Leslie I can imagine it has felt like being on the slippery slope down. Hopefully it will feel a lot more positive when the oxygen machine is surplus to requirements again.
We've missed you, welcome back

purple you really don't do things by halves. I hope they get on top of the infections and you are home again 2mo

tahiti that must have sounded scary to hear about the location of the cancer, as you say the chemo had better bloody work. Glad it went well today.

tayto great news & bitoffun

I hope the aches & pains have calmed down ranout I have had 2 hot water bottles in bed since my chemo and they have been brilliant.

I hope everyone has a good night & feels as well as possible x

Yay! So glad you're finally home Leslie and I'm sure the oxygen is only temporary until you're feeling better. Hopefully you'll have an amazing nights sleep now you're back in your own bed

No chance of me getting out before at least Sunday as my temperature has started spiking again and the won't give me a transfusion until it's stable. Plus I keep throwing up

Tahiti stage 2 is good! Well not "good" good but much easier to treat. I'm sure the chemo will kick it into oblivion and you wouldn't need radio anyway

Good luck to anyone waiting for tests/scans. I have been reading but I've forgotten who said what

AHH I think I cross posted, welcome home leslieknope !

Bit of that sounds really good, glad you and your other half were reassured.

Noodles it was slightly scary for a second but I was more like, "WOW LOOK AT MY BRAIN! THAT'S SO COOL. DOES IT LOOK LIKE A GOOD ONE? DO YOU THINK I'M CLEVER LOOKING AT THAT? CAN I SEE THE INSIDE OF ITOHMYGOD THAT'S EVEN COOLER!" (It's the first time I've seen my brain on a scan haha!)

Purple stage 2 is indeed good. I feel lucky. I'm sorry that you're having a shit time of it in hospital. I'm willing your temperature down from over here! X

Ah @purpleunicorns that's shite :( about your temp and throwing up. I hope you're managing some sleep overnight.

I came on here to say am feeling a little shaky this morning, I don't think I'll bother complaining about that all things considered in the grand scheme of it!

Three of my friends announced yesterday they're running a marathon in my name next year to raise money for cancer research. Am rather overwhelmed! They're ladies I met in MN over 10yrs ago when we were all pregnant and on an antenatal thread. About 15 of us have stayed in touch, have a private FB group page and have meet ups as often as possible. They're all truly lovely. MN really is the best place sometimes. I'll admit I rarely post these days having been a MNer for 12yts, but am very glad to have found you all 💜

I'm almost scared to delete the app to download and get my smiley faces back A's goodness knows what my password is lol

@WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo so good to hear from you. Let's hope the oxygen does what it's supposed to. Bet your happy to be back in your bed.
@noodles44 what a rubbish time your having at the moment, lots of good wishes your way and I really hope your feeling more comfortable soon.
I'll catch up with everyone else soon