Cancer support 67. Waiting for tests, just diagnosed or needing a handhold through treatment

[purpleunicorns]

Welcome to the 67th cancer support thread, the previous one can be found here.

If you're looking for advice, have any questions or just need some support while you're waiting for test results or treatment to start then pull up a seat and make yourself comfortable. You can rant, cry or scream if you need to but we do have some laughs along the way

No questions are silly so please don't feel embarrassed about anything you want to post. The chances are at least one of us has been there at some point!

There's a whole variety of people with different cancers at different stages and nobody goes unanswered, the people on here are amazing (even if I do say so myself ) and they have been a massive support to me over the last year.

If you have a friend or family member with cancer then there's a support thread for you here with lots of practical advice to help you support your loved ones

At the beginning of each thread we give a brief summary of who we are and what we have to save us trailing back through old threads

Here's mine: Im 35 and was diagnosed last October with cervical cancer, despite chemo and radiotherapy I found out in June that it had spread and I'm now having palliative chemo to keep me stable. A scan a few weeks ago showed that there was no new growth after 4 lots of chemo. 2 more chemos to go for me so I'm hoping it stays that way

Thinking of you all. Not too much to say - have found this Christmas and New Year a bit strange and felt quite detached from the whole thing for some reason.

Sorry for those feeling rubbish - it is such a bloody rollercoaster and Christmas is so full on so the combo isn't great really...

Leslie I hope your naps are nice and relaxing and you are enjoying your gravity blanket - I had to look it up after you mentioned it and it sounds lovely! Looking forward to your reviews...

I’ve also looked at a gravity blanket on Amazon as hadn’t heard of them before. Interested to know whether it helps with relaxation/sleep as that would be most useful at the moment.

I had to sleep on the sofa bed last night as I was too weak to get upstairs. My lungs are really struggling - I'm coughing a lot. I'm not sure if it's a bug or a blip from overdoing it or just the next step in my demise. I'm very tired. I'm sleeping much of the time, in between coughing. I'm thinking of you all, but I don't really have the energy to reply to posts at the moment.

noodles good luck today

Waving to everyone else x

Waves back, Leslie. Big hug.

I have a weighted blanket, which sounds like a gravity blanket but mine is fleece. Mine is a wee bit too big & heavy. I might get a smaller one in time but I do find it very relaxing.

Leslie thinking of you. No replies needed. I hope today feels a bit better.

Leslie - I often lurk on here since my cancer scare and consequent brief spell on this board a couple of years ago. Many of you were so kind to me but for some reason you really touched me. I'm sorry you're so ill right now - I think of you often and wish you peace and strength.

Don't need to reply Leslie - just know we are all thinking of you and sending you strength and hugs

SuperMoon has put into words what I feel .

So many lovely people on this thread - so thoughtful and funny ,strength to you all .

Sorry you are feeling ill at the moment Leslie. Sending love and hugs xx

Hi Leslie thinking of you too. Sorry you didn't make it upstairs last night. You've got us all looking at gravity blankets now.
purple how are you? Are you out yet?

@WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo as the others said, don't reply just rest.
If there's anything we can post to entertain you, let your mum type x

:) you're all so lovely. The district nurses are coming out to visit me today and they are going to arrange a hospital bed for me. I've been sleeping propped up on lots of pillows so it should provide more support.

My gravity blanket is very cosy.

ranout my mum is a complete technophobe so that would probably be harder work than typing myself!

Hey ladies. Happy new year.
I'm sorry I've been awol again. I've found the whole festivities quite hard and often caught myself wondering if it's my last one or how many more I'll have. It made me sad to imagine my little girl without me on Xmas day and because of that I've cried a lot.
I'm sorry for such a miserable post.

Lovely Leslie I'm sorry you're feeling so weak, you remain so positive and so lovely. I hope it's just the cold in your lungs and you find yourself a bit stronger soon. The hospital bed is a good option I think.

Waving to everyone and hoping nobody is as miserable as me!

Thanks Leslie also echoing what the others have said, rest up & no need to reply. Sorry you are feeling so rubbish & hope the bed, pillows & blanket help.
My Mum is similar & any texts she sends need much concentration to decipher as she generally doesn't put her reading glasses on to write them either, so there are lots of joined up words of gobbledygook!

Leslie hospital bed sounds like a great plan. Your mum’s typing not so much! If we get any indecipherable messages though then we’ll know she’s got into your phone!

addle and dulche it’s really tough isn’t it? You know you should be making the most of all the lonely family time but all these intrusive thoughts keep appearing. Plus if anyone is nice to me I immediately think that they think that this is my last Christmas. I just want to be treated normally. But with no washing up duties.

Hugs and waves to everyone

Leslie glad the DN are helping .

In addition to my knowledge of small plastic boxes I am a great collector of pillows as I have to sleep propped up .
I tend to have a nest of pillows all around me ,

I find a D shaped/half roll memory foam pillow invaluable for behind my head ,balanced on top of my other pillows . It feels very much like leaning on a person and I find it very comforting .

www.amazon.co.uk/Medipaq-Memory-Cushion-Virtually-Position/dp/B004JW154K/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_201_img_1?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforum-21&refRID=PKK0XNGAMV3DJT8HE64F

And when sitting propped up it's good to have something under your knees ( the half roll also good for this ) or to prop your feet against to help prevent slipping down - but I expect your bed will have a "knee break " position .

But the DN's will know all this ,they'll hardly be expecting you to rely on advice from random internet users .

Oh Dulce I am sorry you have felt so down. I have had similar type feelings, I think it comes with the territory, but you are not alone (if that is any comfort?)
I feel like a different (& more pessimistic) person now where as before my glass was always half full.
After leaving my ex a few years ago i seem to have had something fairly major to deal with each year. Everyone has kept saying the next year cannot be as bad, but each one has been worse! I have felt quite sad for much of the festive time, but have had extended house guest visits and am recovering from my op plus shingles, so am trying be kind to myself & not over think stuff. to you. I think the mental side of being ill is just as debilitating if not more than side effects from chemo and getting over operations.

Just a quick one to Leslie I hope the hospital bed is cosy... and I'm thinking of you...because I think you're bloody marvellous!!! Xx

leslie Sorry to hear you are struggling, I hope the hospital bed arrives soon and you can play with all the controls until you're comfy.
Big hugs.
I'm in bed too at the moment, my last zoledronic acid yesterday has wiped me out today. I didn't even get up to work from home!
The one thing this cancer shit has taught me is that if your body says, lie down till you feel stronger, then that's what I do. Work will survive without me.

Hugs to everyone struggling physically or mentally. Christmas is a nightmare for highlighting anything that’s not 100% rosy!

I went back to work yesterday so managed to pretend that I didn’t have any problems. My head in the sand attitude has only lasted until lunchtime today- I have just been told my follow up appointment to get the biopsy results is tomorrow morning. So now have the complete terrors. The in-laws have just arrived so I’m trying to have sensible conversations while my brain is just one long swear word.

No TQ I'm still in hospital, a Macmillan nurse is trying to get them to change my syringe fentanyl into patches so I can go home possibly tomorrow depending on how my kidneys behave.

Thinking of you Leslie and I hope you're feeling a bit more comfortable

Sorry for being a bit AWOL I just haven't got the energy at the minute

Sending love to everyone

Leslie you were so kind to me when I first got diagnosed with breast cancer & I haven’t been on here in a long time. So sorry that you are currently struggling. I hope you get your bed soon & im thinking of you. Sending lots of love & hugs to everyone dealing with this absolutely shit disease. Take care.

My bed is here. And I have a pressure relieving cushion to sit on on the sofa too. I just want to scream and throw things. I don't want any of this to be happening. But who does?!

purple I hope they sort that out so you can get home soon

Popping in to hold your hand Leslie whilst you scream and shout all you want.
I'm glad your bed has arrived and I hope you manage some proper sleep.

I'm also sending hugs to purple and everyone who has need for one

Wow that was quick with the bed. You have lovely nurses (as you 110% deserve)

Have you managed to get the controls sorted or is it currently throwing you all over the place?

I think you can definitely throw a few things.