Cancer Support thread #78 - Newbies welcome

[MrsPnut]

Welcome friends old and new, to the most supportive thread on Mumsnet. Everyone is welcome whatever stage you're at (fears, diagnosis, treatment). Introduce yourself and say Hi

Good luck to everyone having treatment this week. Hugs to all - especially if you're feeling rubbish (physically, mentally, or waiting for results - ugh

Ooh Thread Media Tart alert: I'm going on Talk Radio live in a minute. I must be the go to Cancer patient of the week !

@TopOfTheCliff My armpit is also numb to the touch. I'm having trouble sleeping because of the burning down my arm and back. I shall take your advice about not overdoing it and making the nettle rash pain worse. I was considering having a sneaky swing of the tennis racket to see how it feels but have put it away for a better time. Will try a warm hot water bottle on my arm.
@Miava Really pleased to hear your mastectomy has gone so well. I'm still wondering if I made the right choice going for a lumpectomy given how many problems I've had with this breast. Hope the cold cap works for you and best wishes for 24th.
@Bloodybridget The Patience Inn! This sounds just the thing, a comfy seat near the fire and a cream tea would be lovely

@TopOfTheCliff I turned on the radio straight away but I was too late!

@Livelongandprosper I didn't say hello to you earlier - welcome to the thread, which I hope will help you through. Also hope that you live up to your username!

@Bloodybridget Thank you for the welcome, and I shall do my very best to live up to my user name

@TopOfTheCliff once they've got you in for something they keep milking it! Which station (4?)- can probably catch you on iplayer.

@Livelongandprosper always a place at the Inn for a fellow Trekkie Can we have have a sci fi evening watching Trouble with Tribbles (maybe City on the Edge of Forever - oh stop me now...) and I can serve my splendid version of Klingon Blood Wine?

I had my LAST full chemo today. I shall be sick. But I will be sustained in the knowledge that it's done. Now surgery, radio and chemo-lite.

To celebrate - I have bought an electric guitar arriving tomorrow. It could be a year or more before my nails are really strong enough for my acoustic guitars (which I always play finger style - no pick). But an electric is a very different technique requiring a pick - and if necessary I've got left-hand finger guards. And tomorrow I will still be on steroids and ready to rock!

Dd is not impressed. She was reassured to hear it can be played with headphones.

@Acinonyx2 Let's have the sci-fi evening! I'll come dressed as a Tribble and I'll show you my Leonard Nimoy autographed copy of I Am Spock (be still my beating heart!) if you give me your recipe for Klingon blood wine 🖖
Hope the sickness isn't too bad this evening

@Livelongandprosper autographed copy!! I'll come as the baldy Borg Queen complete with port implant. How did you code the sign!?

Omg the Patience Inn sounds epic. Count me in. I've been vegi for 34 years but am considering bending the rules a little bit during chemo to get some extra nutrients in. Bacon sandwiches, hmmmm - very tempting.

Topofthecliff amazing job with the media circus. I haven't managed to catch you yet but hope to.

I've had a fairly eventful day. Had to get DH to shave off the wispy remains of my hair this morning as I couldn't bear to look in the mirror and do it myself. I still can't look at it - it's all moth eaten and awful. Managed to do a fairly natty job with a silk scarf after watching a couple of YouTube videos, but I am actually shocked at my reaction to my own reflection.
Currently still got a strong eyebrow and eyelash game but guessing they are also on borrowed time 

Then I spoke to my Haemotology team again about my breathlessness, which feels one-sided and which I think is due to the mass in my chest increasing again. I realised I hadn't made any mental provision for it re-growing, and it has really alarmed me. The team called me in for an assessment with my consultant, and he's put me back on steroids (which seem to be what's keeping a lid on it all). He's also brought forward my chemo so I'm being admitted tmw rather than Wednesday, and if the admin pans out may even start my drip tomorrow too. Then I've got a 5 day stretch of non-stop drip as an inpatient. I was hoping I'd get an isolation room again but sounds like I might not, and that's also thrown me a little bit as I had mentally prepared myself for a little solitary retreat (with a fridge for my own food, own bathroom etc). I find it so much harder to sleep on the ward, and trying to cope with any repeat of the discomfort/nausea/pain/digestive crap without proper privacy isn't a thought I relish.
Anyway, small details - I'm mainly glad to get cracking with round 2 and get it over with.

Acinonyx2 that is so exciting about your new guitar!! Have you had an electric before?

thereisonlyoneofme I've also been dreading my hospital stay but now it is upon me I just want to get it over with. That is hard for you about your dog not being around for a bit, though I am seconding that your own house feels AMAZING when you get out of hospital.
In terms of post-op support, do you have a Mutual Aid group in your area? If so there will likely be very willing volunteers who would get your shopping, walk your dog etc etc. Hopefully, as you say, there will he some sort of post-op care package put in place for you.

@Babamamananarama yes being on a ward can be tricky - let's hope you have some nice room-mates to make it worthwhile. And headphones and earplugs. And internet of course!

I've never played electric before! I've played acoustics (Spanish/classical & blues) for some time but I can see this will be VERY different. Probably sound like a cat dementor for a while. I've been listening to some 70s classic rock to warm up.

Did someone say The Patience Inn?

@Bloodybridget, I'm touched you remember. I always keep an eye on this thread and see you have been through some tough times recently. I'm impressed by the cooking and gardening, sounds like you and DP had a good time.

Everything you could ever want/need is at The Patience Inn. If you need a bike rack it is there. We do vegetarian food too!

The bar staff and clientele may change, but the warm welcome, crackling fire and comfy chairs are there for whoever needs them.

I am sorry to see so many new names on this thread, but am always impressed by the community and support found here. Ladies, you are all fabulous.

Pull up those chairs and have a

Yay @catnidge! I was hoping to conjure you!

Ooh @Acinonyx2. Will it be like Dylan going electric at Manchester? Someone in the audience called out, 'Judas!' Probably before your time. I'm a v old rocker who saw Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran live at a cinema in Cardiff before stadium rock had been invented.

Wish I were more musical. Next time, I'm coming back able to sing in tune, do accents and with longer neck.

@Babamamananarama you are much braver than me, I have had white wispy bits of hair for weeks but am not brave enough to shave it or ask anyone else to. My eyelashes went quite quickly after this but my eyebrows are mostly hanging on. I wear a scarf 24 hours a day but don't want to even see my head in a scarf, let alone scarf-less. I am sorry to hear you are unlikely to get an isolation room, it is so hard when you are prepared for one thing and then another happens. I will be thinking of you tomorrow

@Thymeout I might try this in your honour!

@Acinonyx2 oh, please! I'm trying to persuade dgs to style his lockdown fringe, now long enough to cover his nose, in a rockabilly quiff.

@Thymeout a longer neck! You slay me!
@Lubballoo did you get the drain out yesterday, and how's the pain? So sorry you have been suffering.
@Acinonyx2 congrats on completing last full chemo, and I hope you're not feeling too ghastly.
@TopOfTheCliff how was the radio interview? I don't suppose there's any way we can hear it now?
@Babamamananarama hope today goes OK for you. The breathlessness must be scary.
@Miava the upside for me of losing my hair was that I got lots of comments about having a lovely shaped head [preens]! You might find the same! But it's also true that one's head does get cold easily; lay in a supply of hats/scarves/turbans.
@thereisonlyoneofme do you/did you ride or have a horse?
@BitOfFun I've seen your thread about a trip - hope plans are progressing well!

I spoke to a nurse about my breathlessness yesterday and now have an extra phone appointment with a doctor tomorrow. Nurse also said I should have phoned the chemo hotline and it's not just for emergencies! So that's me told.

Sending good wishes to all x

@Bloodybridget I have had horses for nearly 40 years but had to give them up because of this bloody disease. Couldnt do the physical work involved. Have definitely felt the difference in my muscle strength !

@thereisonlyoneofme ah that is a shame! Not having the usual outlets to keep our spirits up is one of the hardest things isn't it? Can you still ride at all? If I had to give up my cats I'd be so heartbroken!

So now I've got this guitar coming and the parcel is on hold and I can't get through to a real person to find out what's happening. It's supposed to come today but I can't see that happening. I've said I need to toady because it's a present (well it is my birthday next week...) but really, I want it today because in 48 hours I'll be off steroids too ill to play. And yes I know I won't be able to play after surgery either but but....

@Bloodybridget yes just call next time!

Are people being asked to self-isolate before surgery? If so - how long for and does your household have to isolate ?

@thereisonlyoneofme oh what a shame!
@Acinonyx2 I do hope you can lay hands on your new guitar today.

@Acinonyx2 I had to isolate for 3 days prior to surgery (and we kept our kids at home for the week before too). x

@Miava 3 days is not too bad. Dd can go longer that continuously pugged into her pc.

@Bloodybridget the parcel of accessories arrived but the actual guitar is coming tomorrow! I'm displacing the steroid energy into my other new toy - a robovacuum cleaner. I think the point is just to programme them and leave them - but I like to follow it around with the remote and in any case we are too cluttered for the poor thing.