Cancer support thread #74 - come in, we're here for you.

[Hippiechick162]

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 iswww.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/3760336-Cancer-support-thread-73-come-in-were-here-for-you

Current members, please do introduce yourselves smile

Thank you @Hippiechick162 and @peaceanddove for the kind words and image. It's a difficult road we tread. Give it another couple of weeks I will be half way through chemo.

Hello everyone, and welcome to our new members. This group is an unbelievable source of support, help, knowledge and kindness. The initial wait for answers and a plan is horrendous, and this group got me through the worst of it, when I was struggling to talk about it in real life.

I've just got out of the Christie (again!) - had horrendous "dire rear", high temperature and tiredness. Feeling much better now, as part of the problem turned out to be severe anaemia (Hb dropped to 71). Had a blood transfusion and feeling a bit better today.

I've surprised myself during the course of my treatment, as I have (been forced to) overcome some of my worst fears (chemo, losing my hair, having a port fitted, and having to have a blood transfusion). This group has helped me through this.

People tell me how "brave" and "strong" i am - which i find pretty damn annoying. You're not brave when it's not a choice! But I have found out that I can cope with things when I honestly didn't think I would be able to - and this group has helped at every step.

Get my scan results and surgery date on Monday. Now that chemo has ended (except for the herceptin, which will continue to January) I am transferring my panicking on to having surgery . I will have questions.....(just pre-warning everyone who has already had surgery)

@citybumpkin it's horrid waiting to find out the stage, treatment etc. All I can say is that this is my third time in this thread (2012/13, 2017/18 and now) and it's lovely. I made 2 really good friends on here and I know that you will find a brilliant support if you want to share/ offload/ rant/ weep along with us. I hope the news will be the best it can be. Enjoy your baby now. Tomorrow can wait ( I know that's trite but it's true)

Thanks @Sooverthemill. Sorry to hear that you're back on this thread again. I don't know whats coming but am full aware of the various scenarios as I went through it with my mum for 5 years. Apparently her cancer wasn't the genetic type, or so she told me, I'm now having doubts. I've been through a lot in the last few years: dog died, mum died, IVF, dad died, pregnancy, single parenting, moving country and now this. I don't think I can take much more.

City, can you ask the Macmillan nurse about counselling? You really have been through the mill .

@citybumpkin don't know where you are but can you access support like Marie curie etc in the country where you live? Or use Macmillan forums based here in uk?

@Sooverthemill @BitOfFun I'm in The Netherlands. Hospital appointment tomorrow to see how bad it is and what to do next. I'm dreading it. We're due to see our GP on Friday for a meet/greet so in both instances will ask about counselling. Again its all too much. I thought I was strong but I really can't cope with this. We moved to start a new life, were excited etc but now... I can't get out of bed. I haven't slept. I don't want to think any more.

Citybumpkin I am sorry you are going through all of on top of all of the grief and change and upheaval you have been through. No wonder you are reeling just now. Many of us here have found that once you get a clear diagnosis whatever that is, and a clear plan of treatment it gets a little easier to get your head around it all and get on with it. Meanwhile ignore people who tell you how you should feel or what you should do.

Once you do know what is what, if it turns out that the lump needs treatment, there will almost certainly be people here who will have had the same or similar treatment who will be able to tell you about it and how they coped. Meanwhile this is a great places to come and just let out your feelings if that is what you want to do.

@meercat23 Thanks. Reeling and then some. Just when I thought life was going well...😞 My mum found her cancer late and it had progressed to her bones. I'm just thinking of every ailment I currently have and thinking its spread in me.

@meercat23 they were already speaking about chemo then surgery then radio at my appointment yesterday

@BitofFun I've been thinking about you today

Thanks so much- it really helps knowing that we have each other's back! I've just got home from mum's (where I had a wonderful MegaNap™) to share the news with DH: NO SPREAD TO MY JAW, hurrah!

I don't think I realised how much that worry was weighing on me. I'm so relieved!

BitofFun That is fantastic news. I know that you are still coping with all too much in relation to your jaw but so pleased for you that it hasn't spread.

Me too - so pleased to see that news @BitOfFun! You must be mightily relieved. Are they able to help with treating the cause and the pain you’re having?

I've read your story @BitofFun, I'm so pleased that you received positive news today.

That's great news @BitofFun, I hope that they can sort out what's causing the problem

Oh @BitOfFun that is fab news! Cause to celebrate. Now just to sort out what it is. Lots of love to you xxx

@BitOfFun yay!

@BitOfFun I am so delighted to hear your news!

Thanks everyone! I'm just so relieved, because it means I can continue on my relatively easy regimen of monthly injections and daily tablets, because it's still being successful at containing the spread.

I never thought I'd be so pleased to have osteonecrosis of the jaw . The infection has been treated, so I'll go back in a fortnight to see if the teeth I've got left in my lower jaw have stabilised enough to avoid removal. There will be dentures on the horizon, I'm sure, but the maxilla-facial consultant I saw wasn't amenable to taking out the healthy upper teeth so I could go for a full set of blinding-white Rylan gnashers .

BiOfFun fantastic news....so pleased for you.

Hooray @BitofFun, what fantastic news xxx

Oooh Rylan bashers, now there's a look @BitOfFun. You could team it with the poppy the troll wig my 5 year old daughter wants me to wear lol. So pleased for you xxx

Well, what a shit show. Really gutted. Turned up for my appointment to have my dressings removed and get pathology results. New boob looks slightly freakish because it looks like it belongs to a 18 year old lingerie model but is healing nicely. But my path results aren't back yet even though it's been 17 days. They only have the one results clinic a week and my surgeon is off next week so I now have to wait until the fucking 19th! The waiting is horrible.

Does anyone know if I can ring up next week to see if my results are back and if one of the breast nurses could tell me over the phone. I just want to KNOW!

So its stage 1 triple negative. Stage 1 is good but triple negative not so good. It doesnt seem to have spread to the lymph nodes. Plan is for chemo then surgery (type dependent on genetic testing) then radio. I still scared. Now worried about losing my hair.