Cancer support thread #72 - come in, we're here for you

[Bloodybridget]

Welcome to the new support thread for anyone who has cancer, at whatever stage of treatment, is worried about symptoms, or is waiting for tests or results.

This is the place to worry, moan, ask questions, share experiences and good and bad news, and celebrate milestones!

If you've got a loved one with cancer then your best place for support is probably on the Life-Limiting Illness board.

Our previous thread is here

Current members, please do introduce yourselves

[Borntobeamum]

Brassica Thank you for asking. We had a wonderful holiday, though lost 2 days due to the hurricane. We laughed and overwrote all the sad memories of December.
For a while au felt ‘Normal’ and my old self, which was lovely. I came home to a letter invite if me to meet my genetic counsellor in A few weeks. Will see how that goes x x x

[meercat23]

Bridget Your shopping trip sounds great and I am just imagining your GC's delight at receiving their parcel.

Trumpton I wish that your news had been less mixed. Great that the lymph nodes are clear but not so great that further surgery is needed. I second WTF's advice to take as much time as you kind to decide what is best for you. Meanwhile you do still have plenty to celebrate and I hope the fizz was enjoyed by you both.

Tarscout that sounds like a tough journey but good to hear that you are out the other side.

[WTF99]

I'm in hospital
My temperature started to go up last night and the chemo helpline insisted I go to a&e. I've got an infection so on iv antibiotics. Got to a ward at 5am. Hoping I can go home later if bloods show improvement.

[Trumpton]

Oh WTF99
So sorry to hear your news .
I hope you get home later . Sleep was in short supply here last night and the fizz gave me fearsome indigestion .

[meercat23]

WTF. Oh No! That is just not fair. I hope the antibiotics work really fast and that you start to feel better as soon as possible. Meanwhile you are in the right place.

Trumpton. That's s shame that the fizz left you feeling uncomfortable. I hope you have some time today to catch up on rest.

We are off out today to meet up with some old friends of my DH. One of them is being treated for prostate cancer and is taking oestrogen. That gives him hot flushes. I am taking Anastrazole to reduce oestrogen . That gives me hot flushes!! We plan to compare notes. Sometime all you can do is laugh (a bit).

[Bloodybridget]

Oh WTF really sorry you are poorly and in hospital, don't expect you've had much sleep if you didn't get onto a ward till 5am. Hope ABs work fast so you can go home - and that you are being well looked after. Is the hospital far from where you live?
TARSCOUT thanks for sharing your story, treatment sounds grim so it's great to hear you are out the other side and never get stressed!
Trumpton, mixed results but as Brassica said, your team are obviously confident that the mastectomy will nail it. Hope you can reach a decision re implant/reconstruction that you are happy with.
Born, so glad you had a great holiday, welcome back to the world of letters and appointments . . .
meercat am just imagining your chat with DH's friend: "I soak through my pyjamas every night!" "Your pyjamas? I have to wring my sheets out!"

I'm still feeling Tiggerish (finally pooing properly again which is reassuring). Sent an email this morning to friends who are travelling, in which, I realised afterwards, I described my little shopping expedition in the sort of detail they provide re their round-the-world trip.

[Skap]

WTF oh no! Did you have t wait a long time in A&E? Did you feel ill or was it a random temperature check? I hope the ABs work soon and you can get home asap.

Trumpton That's not the news you were expecting I'm sorry. Does it mean no chemo as well as no radiotherapy? If so that's good from the cancer point of view. The surgery decision is trickier. I am flat chested so there would be no question for me. For you I guess it would be a longer recovery in the short term if you went for reconstruction now. If you didn't go for it now you'd have two years of it hanging over you. On the other hand you may decide you can manage without recon. Some women have a reduction on the healthy breast, would that be an option?

meercat have a great day out. I would like to be a fly on the wall with the hot flush discussion.

[WTF99]

Thanks for good wishes all.
I've been feeling like ive fot a cold for the last few days, on top.of the side effects, so had been keeping an eye on my temperature but it had been fine. Last night it started to creep up, and when it hit 38 the chemo nurse was very clear that I should come in. Turns out I have a uti as well, so no wonder I was feeling crappier than usual.
I got to A&E at 10.30pm and at 2am they decided I wasn't going home as needed iv antibiotics. Finally transferred to a ward at 5am, but a spare bed in one of their treatment rooms as no actual bed available. I'm currently in a corridor on the ward. I think the hospital must be jam packed. I had a big whack of meds when I got here as well as what they gave me on arrival at A&E. I'll.be getting a blood test later which will.hopefully mean I can go home. If not I guess they'll give me s proper bed!

[meercat23]

WTF That doesn't sound very restful at all. I hope the blood test comes back with good results so you can go home.

[Trumpton]

Don’t know about chemo yet . I am ER- but still waiting on HER2 . Consultant obviously not guessing either way at moment .
I think as I am 36ff I might well be offered reduction in healthy breast .
Oh boy ! Just too much to take on board at moment .
@meercat23 if you feel a flush starting give him a hug !

[ILoveDolly]

It's me! Emperor Ballpitine lol I think I have two different MN accounts somehow. Anyway. Thanks for your kind words, I am seeing a nurse today to talk about it.
WTF hope they send you home with good news.
Trumpton - there is always such a lot to deal with. Nothing like this journey for forcing you to contemplate horribly weighty issues.

[Brassica]

Hi everyone, and echoing the wishes for WTF to get a swift release from hospital so you can get better in comfort at home. Being stuck in the corridor sounds highly undesirable.

Trumpton, did you have a gut reaction when they went through your options? If one of them seemed to jump out a little more than the others, I’d be inclined to go with that. The longer recovery time wouldn’t necessarily bother me if I was choosing as I guess you’d either have it now or later (if you chose to delay), but the primary question of whether you opt to reinstate the boob feels more like the one you’ll have an instinctive view on. I’m glad the lymph situation was all fine but sorry obviously that you’re facing yet more surgery. Hope you enjoyed your well deserved fizz before the indigestion set in! 🍾

Bridget the shopping trip clearly gave you a real boost and it’s lovely that your GC will get some treats!

Thanks for giving us a story from the other side Tarscout and even a positive view that it can improve your outlook on life. It would be nice to come out of this with similar as I’m a bit of a stresser when in work mode.

Welcome Izzy, sorry to hear about your diagnosis but hope you are doing ok getting to grips with it.

Welcome back Ignatius too, you were MIA for a while understandably but I’m pleased you got all the treatment done. How have you found the return to normal life?

Thanks for asking how I am Bridget, the answer is not bad at all. Feeling better and stronger as the week has gone on, so I am cautiously optimistic that bloods will be ok - but I’ll only know tomorrow as we always do them on the day. So we shall see!

[WTF99]

They're letting me out as bloods and obs all returned to normal after 3 lots of iv antibiotics. I'll have some tablets to take home as well. Crossing fingers my temperature remains normal. My throat is certainly less sore. I can't wait to get into my cosy bed. I think ive had about an hour's sleep in the last 24 hrs.
Being on the oncology ward has been an interesting experience and not one I'm in a rush to repeat although the staff have been very good. People are completely obsessed with their illness which I get cos there's some very poorly folks here, but it's just so draining. Looking forward to a bit of normal tonight.

Brassica Im so.pleased to hear that youre feeling perky and really hope that you get across the chemo finish line tomorrow. I'll be rooting for you.

[WTF99]

There's also been a visitor here all day who's full of a cold .....why would they think it's ok to inflict that on everyone??

[Skap]

Brassica Hope you've got that bottle of champagne on ice even if it doesn't taste great you can enjoy the effect.

WTF glad you're going home. The powers of antibiotics, much taken for granted. I naively thought that visitors, and especially those with germs, would be kept to a minimum on an oncology ward. One of the things I hate about hospitals are Other People's Visitors, closely followed by Other Patients grumpy old woman

Trumpton You've had a long wait for the HER2 result. Mine came back after the first biopsy within 10 days.

Bridget your little shopping trip sounds a treat. When will you see the GCs again?

I have chemo pre-assessment next week and a muga heart scan. I will try cold cap but assume it won't work and my friend is going to come wig shopping for me. I've been told I will definitely lose all body hair, eyebrows etc.

[Bloodybridget]

WTF so pleased you can go home (are you there yet, or waiting for discharge notes/meds?). Hope you have a very long sleep tonight!
Skap am hoping to see the little DGCs in early December when one of them has a birthday, they live in Scotland. Got a message from their DM just now to say the parcel had arrived and they were very pleased! AMA about being bald (it certainly speeds up showering, but gets a bit chilly at times ).
I have a stye, boo. Quite uncomfortable.

[Brassica]

What kind of wig look are you tempted by Skap? A new look or as close to your real hair as possible?

If my experience is typical, eyelashes and eyebrows held on for a good long while but did succumb in the end. I have about 14 lashes left and about a third of my eyebrow hairs left. Grimly hanging on! The body hair disappeared really fast, I only shaved my legs and armpits once after chemo started.

Good luck getting out ASAP and enjoy your cosy bed WTF xx

[WTF99]

Just back....exhausted but very happy to be home.

[catnidge]

Wow, so much had been going on!
wtf99 what a time you've had of it. Waiting in A&E is never great. Horrible that someone visited the ward with a cold, people don't really think. Hope you manage to get a little rest now.
trumpton seems like your results have given you so many more things to think about. Hope you get the support to make your decisions.
skap I hope you find a colour and style you like.
tarscout you've certainly been through the cancer tumble dryer. Good to hear about the positive changes.

Sweet dreams all

[MustardScreams]

Hi all, just checking in finally. The thread dropped off my TIO and kept forgetting to update.

I was diagnosed with mucinous breast cancer at 30. A rare but treatable cancer that is usually only seen post-menopause. Had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago and starting radiation in 4 weeks or so.

So lumpectomy went well. Wound is still weepy in the armpit though which is annoying. BCN has checked it and no infections though which is great.

No lymph node involvement! I cannot describe the feeling when they told me. I’ve been waking up at 3am and going into dd’s room and just hugging her and crying (not great I know) because I’ve been so bloody terrified of it having spread and not being able to do anything.

The tumours - they found 2. 1 was 2.4cm and the other was 4mm. The big one was directly behind my nipple and behind some glands which is probably why it didn’t feel that big. Huge divot in my boob, but that’s the least of my worries right now.

15 sessions of radiation starting in 3/4 weeks. Not looking forward to it, but excited in a weird way. I just want to get it done.

How is everyone else? I will read through the thread now and catch up with everyone.

[SnowsInWater]

Oh poor you wtf that sounds like a nightmare. Glad you are home safe now.

Trumpton I had a double mx back in August and because my cancer is inflammatory immediate reconstruction wasn't an option. I could go back in a year or so but tbh the idea of putting myself through more surgery (and expense) at a time when hopefully this will all be behind me is not appealing. I have decided to stay "flat and fabulous" despite the fact that my boobs were quite large. There are a lot of support groups out there if you think hearing about others who have made the decision to reconstruct/not to might help?

Skap I know there is something I wanted to say to you in response to something you posted but I'm damed if I can remember what 😂

I had my last radiotherapy session today, yay! I can now have a whole three days off before I start taking Femara (I am ER+ and post menopausal). I have decided that the side effects can't possibly be worse than anything else I have been through so refuse to stress about it. It is exactly six months and two days since I started active treatment with Chemo. It has certainly been a journey! For some stupid reason I thought flying to Canberra this afternoon to join my DH for the weekend would be a good idea. All I really want to do is go to bed and try to sleep but at least I won't be responsible for anything domestic for a couple of nights which is nice, hugs to everyone I haven't mentioned x

[Trumpton]

@MustardScreams welcome back.

I too had a lumpectomy and sentinel lode removal 3 weeks ago and my armpit has been the worst thing about it . The lymph built up behind it and burst during the night . It lost 50ml in a 24hour period ( I was fitted with a bag to collect it ) and eventually I had the wound restitched and although still sore seems dry.
Hurrah for clear nodes .
Seeing breast team again today as I will need mastectomy as too much DCIS to save the breast and I need to decide if I want reconstruction or not .
Hope we all have a good weekend .

[Trumpton]

@SmowsInWater.
I think because I am 36ff in a good bra that there might be trouble matching weight /size of breasts. Which brings in the option of reduction on healthy breast .

Always wanted smaller norks ....moral ...be careful of what you wish for !

[MustardScreams]

@Trumpton that sounds horrendous. How are you healing up now? Mine definitely wasn’t that bad, but it’s still so bloody painful and weepy.

Hope your appointment with the breast team goes well today.

[meercat23]

Brassica as you haven't posted today Unless I missed it) I hope that by the time you get back you will have completed your last chemo. In which case, Yay!!