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!).

Evening ladies.

I've been reading the thread but haven't responded. all round. It all sounds pretty shite at the moment.

I hope your all snuggled up, have all the meds you need and are comfy and cozy.

Fingers crossed chemo for me on Wednesday. We have a swishy new chemo bus, and I've a seat booked! I'll post a photo on Wednesday if I manage to board it!

Let's hope tomorrow is a better day for us all.

I survived Hamley's !! We had a fab time, the kids were about the best behaved they have ever been. I got fleeced for 2x build a bears (complete with fancy outfits) but it could have been much much worse!! We had a well earned Wagamama's afterwards in Covent Garden.

Sorry to see so many people are feeling low and have been in a&e.

Leslie How frustrating with the delay of the tablets and another possible infection. It is not surprising you are feeling down, I hope the AD's kick in quickly and you notice some improvement.

Aimless I am sure it is the little things that take you by surprise that knock you for six. I'm glad you are focussing on the positives, which I bet isn't always easy to do. I'm so sorry you are in this position, keep up the Pollyanna approach where possible. Whatever helps really.
On the note of dying your hair, mine has just started growing back and my head looks like a fluffy tennis ball at the moment & my had is soft and fuzzy.... And silver!!! I was blonde before, but with a fair few highlights and a really pale wash in wash out violet wash over it, so silver could have been my natural colour before and I just didn't realise. My wig is a brown one, so it feels like it is such a contrast... Not sure I am ready for a silver/white head of hair though!

Steven I have breast cancer, but have not experienced any thickening. Try not to worry too much as you have got the ball rolling for an appt at the breast clinic next week and hopefully they can put your mind at rest that it is not anything to worry about. We are here for a handhold in the meantime if needed. The waiting for appts can feel like a very long time when you are worried. Distraction worked well for me and I did some decorating to keep me busy...

pandora cellulitis sounds like a further insult. I hope the bus journeys go alright, as the others have said, is there anyone you can ask to take you? Or hospital transport? That sounds a lot yo manage on your own for a procedure you are worrying about. I don't think I am nearby as don't recognise the place you are going to, but am in SE, if I can potentially help with a lift, PM me. I have an appt 2mo for an echo too, but not until 3pm...

TQ the tree looks lovely. I intended to do mine yesterday, but still haven't got around to it. I love the multi coloured lights

I hope everyone has a good night & is feeling as well as possible. X

Do you actually have chemo on the bus ranout?! That's a bit of a novelty :)

iVampire I hope you don't need to switch treatment good news about the cyst. And good luck with the symptom diary!

KeepCalm I hope the co-codamol is helping :)

Namechange thank you. I'm trying to be :)

Sorry, cross-posted noodles I'm glad you had a good trip to Hamleys :)

I do actually have chemo on the bus @WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo ! I think they can also clean picc lines as well! Hope you are feeling as well as you can, and ordering shoes while your eating icecream and crocheting!
I was mindlessly crocheting at the weekend and one of the cats has ended up with a scarf and hat!

A literal actual bus? With wheels that go round and round?

I thought this was some sort of metaphor!

leslie swooping the drug might be the best thing to do now. I have a complete cytogenic response (no crap in bone marrow) so no-one is unduly worries about me. The molecular response they were aiming for is level no greater than 0.1% after 1year, I was 0.4% at 10 months and they took the test again last month (after just over a year on treatment) but it takes forever to get results (as they have to send it to another hospital which has more sensitive kit, grow the cell line and then do absolutely state of the art counting).

Results should be through in about another 4 weeks, so allowing for Xmas weirdites, I have appt booked for 5 weeks time.

So my silver lining is nothing scheduled over Xmas!

I think a brown page-a-day diary needs to be added to pressie hints list

Your Hamleys trip sounded fun Noodles. Wagamama sounds like the perfect end to the day. Did you go for the whole day or after school? DS 3 wants to see The Nutcracker wotsit that’s on at Westfield White City. Thinking of making a day of it on Friday and telling School he has a headache or some such. I know it’s frowned on but don’t fancy going when it’s busy.

BTW, promise you that when they’re too old for Build a Bear you’ll walk by it wistfully. DS3 is 12 now and I always ask him if he wants to go in. “No, I’m good.” he says rolling his eyes. One of these days he’ll call my bluff and we’ll end up in there choosing a sound to implant in a My Little Pony or whatever character is a la mode.

Did not know you could have chemo on a bus. Assuming it picks you up, you have your treatment while it drives around picking up other local patients for their chemo then drops you back home again. It sounds brilliant!

The lacies on the bus go....

(prize for best chorus)

Wouldn't it be lovely if you could have a nice little scenic tour of the local attractions whilst sitting on the bus..... though maybe not for those with tricky cannulas!
The lacies on the bus go snore, dribble, snore...

Pandora do you have a local volunteer centre? There will be someone there who can drive you. I hate to think of you having to take 3 buses there and 3 back again...

Leslie I don't think there's anything I can say to make you feel better, but I wish I could... . I have to crochet to stop myself thinking.

Leslie - Really sorry to hear you’re feeling like that. I really hope the anti-depressant works quickly as it should make you feel a little less hopeless.

Have you got or are you able to get hold of a wheelchair just so you could get out for a coffee or get all wrapped up in a snuggly blanket and have a friend push you around a park while you drink hot tea from a flask.

There’s a lot of joy to be had from nature. Feeding monkey nuts to the squirrels or throwing seeds to birds and knowing you’re making their lives a little better and that getting out from the same four walls just gives your mind something else to think about.
It’s a distraction but it can help.
I’m in South London, if you’re nearby and want to have a coffee with a fellow Pollyanna? Have discovered that Costas Christmas ginger wreath cake is delicious and I will buy you a big slice

Re the ginger cake - For those with funny tastes due to chemo it really is quite gingery and does taste of something.

and to everyone. I’m reading posts at the moment. I’m in a bit of a post chemo fug. Am also on the prescription strength co-codamol. Don’t know how I managed without it. It makes the worst days less awful.

We went up on Saturday Aimless it was busy, but more of an orderly queue the entire way round. The heat inside Hamley's was more energy sapping! It was really busy walking around London though, despite the rain/drizzle, the lights were beautiful on a Regents Street. Winter wonderland is on at Hyde Park and there were announcements about avoiding tube stations due to this. A friend came up with me for the Hamley's part and then met her hubby and a few friends for Winter Wonderland & said it was so busy they didn't stay there as the crowds were awful. I would go on a Friday as it will only get busier as Christmas approaches.

I am sure you are right regarding missing build a bear wen they grow out of it. We have a sparkly reindeer (who has been named Crystal) and a turquoise bunny (named Candy) eldest DD is gutted as her creature's birthday is the day after hers (not the same one) but they have little hearts and the smell of rainbows inside (they had to do a ritual with the heart which ended with a kiss that they loved & followed the instructions very seriously before it went in) and they are wearing suitably jazzy clothes with a wish list of other outfits that they apparently "need" they have hardly let go of them, so a definite hit.
I am not far from South London if you fancied a Costa or dog walk? I only have this week before my op, otherwise it would be New year once able to drive again (& Xmas/NY house guests have gone home!)

I too thought it was a metaphor ranout rather than an actual bus! i hope it goes ahead (& that the chairs are as comfy)

Aimless. I also try and look forward to the "positives" of not being around for ever, I don't have to worry about my pension, losing my job, seeing people I love get old and ill (although I feel really selfish and horrible about that one and I would rather be around to look after them if I could) I get to get all my affairs and funeral plans in order to save other people the stress of it and I generally appreciate the small stuff now. Oh and I have no hair so no need to bother with the effort of styling it every day Silver clouds and all that

Pandora PLEASE ask about patient transport I hate the thought of you doing that journey on your own I know it won't be cheap but how much would a taxi cost? Or please ask someone, a neighbour/friend. I know we all hate asking for help but if anyone asked me I would do it and I'm sure if it was someone else you would do it for them too

Hope you're feeling a bit better today Keepcalm, I know it feels like it at the minute but you won't feel like this forever

Ivampire there's an app called the poo app to help track your poo it might be handy for you

I'm intrigued by the chemo bus Ranout! Does it pick you up and drive round giving you chemo and then take you home? That sounds fab! I hope they have food on board. I do nothing but eat in the chemo ward. My credit card hates Marks and Spencers in the hospital

What are you crocheting TQ? I finally got round to making loads of squares for Candy's Hugs and I've just realised I can't post them until January, hopefully I'll make a few more by then. At the minute I have a zoo of animals that I've made, no idea what I'm going to do with them!

Leslie I wish I lived closer to you. Like Aimless says if you could just get someone to get you out in the fresh air and go for a coffee will do you the world of good. Or are there any local Xmas markets to have have a look around? Maybe help get you feeling a bit Christmassy?

Glad you enjoined it Noodles. I also have a tennis ball head if it grows back enough I think I'm going to dye it pink or purple

and for everyone who needs it. I wish cancer could just give everyone a break over Xmas

It didn’t even occur to me there would be an app for it. Silly me really - it must be a variant of rule 34 if you can think of it, it’s on the internet!

Indeed there are several - has anyone actually used one? The one I’m looking at now is a fairly all-encompassing one aimed at tracking IBS symptoms, coyly named Bowelle. Anyone know it?

Purple I've done a whole Chernobyl blanket, which is now at the back of the airing cupboard (I have to put that in writing because otherwise I will forget where I put it...). I'm now working on a whole Candy's Hug. It's very satisfying putting all the squares together - I don't know why I didn't do it before. I spend ages planning how to coordinate the colours and the patterns. I post photos of my squares on Woolly Hugs

That is impressive TQ! It must be so satisfying to complete a whole blanket. I'm rubbish at knowing which squares to put next to each other and I haven't even attempted to join any together so I think I'll just make squares and post them to the professionals to sort out

Purple - I hadn’t even thought about my pension, or lack of! You’re absolutely right about appreciating the small stuff. You start to notice more around you - Maybe because you’re forced to slow down but a small thing like a baby smiling at me makes my day. Previously I‘d have thought “Yeah you’re cute now but when you’re screaming at 4.00am...”
Please please please can we have a photo of your craft zoo?

Noodles - Would be great to meet for a coffee! And of course anyone that fancies coming along very very welcome. I’m on the outskirts of Croydon (The Surrey side near Purley) - perhaps there’s a halfway point between us that’s easy for you to get to? Would it be ok to leave it till January though? Am social butterfly this week and meeting friends every afternoon then off to do the Nutcracker Experience thing on Friday.
How are you feeling about impending op?

TQ - It must be so satisfying to be able to produce something beautiful but practical from a bit of wool or yarn.

Hello to MrsT and iVamp - Hope you’re feeling less fuggy MrsT and that your bowels are behaving iVamp.

Hope all is well with you Leslie Sending hugs. x

Hello lovely lacies.... this is a slightly weird one... hope I'm allowed to post it.
I posted regularly on here when I had breast cancer last year and you were all brilliant.
I rarely post these days as I'm done with treatment... but I always read and think of you so much. And so thought of this thread to hopefully give someone a lovely day.....
I'm also a journalist and my editor at a woman's weekly magazine wants to do a treat day for a woman with a stage 4 diagnosis for her and her children. I will happily organise the treat with you...so something that would properly excite you... but your story would feature in the mag. Entirely up to you and really hope no one minds me asking. I'm hoping it's a nice idea...!! Please pm me if you want to discuss it further...

Ooh Noodles would this be any good for you and your DC? You offer people so much support on here and you deserve something nice. Sorry I forget who else have children. I do but mines 16 and it's not cool to hang out with me in public

Aimlessly (as well as Noodles how about you for Freddie's offer?

Freddie- What a lovely idea!

Thank you for thinking of me TQ but my youngest DS is 12 and my other two boys (Well men really but they don’t seem it to me) are in their 20s! There’s no way they’d want to appear in a magazine! Unless it’s a gaming magazine of course

Also, if I can think of anything I’d like to do then we just do it (I’m easily pleased - Carols by candlelight is my current yearning). Would be lovely if someone who otherwise might not be able to have a fun treat day with their DCs goes along. It’s such a lovely idea and someone will have a wonderful time

Hey lacies,

Unfortunately I didn't qualify for hospital transport and the volunteers only drive the radiotherapy car. None of my family drive.

But I made it. I'm on the coach back home. I'm so tired, I honestly cannot continue like this and I'm going to beg for a blood transfusion as I'm symptomatic, short of breath, tired and pulse is faster than normal.

I'd like the smug chemo nurse to "go for a walk every dat" with an hb of 86!!! I'm out of breath halfway up the stairs to the bathroom.

@Pandoraslastchance
How about you and your girls?