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

What is mets pain

Thank you - my ward is fine, there are three ladies who are well enough to have curtain open and who are all very nice and up for a chat which is a welcome distraction. Been hooked up for 9 hours so far to my main chemo and no bad side effects so FX the anti-emetic is working.
I've also had a chest X-ray today to see where we are at. It got quickly reviewed by the night doctor who I think is reasonably junior, but she said that the picture was a big improvement on my X-ray on admission to hospital on 20 Feb and that the large mass that was in my chest is not visible to anything like the same degree. So that feels very positive.

HC oh man I understand your disappointment about treatment being moved. It really does throw you when you've prepped yourself doesn't it? My stay here has extended from 5 days to 6 because of delays in starting treatment so I won't get home til Tuesday at the earliest. Minor in the grand scheme of things but the little things that are outside of our control really do add up.

Thank you all. I'm so desperate to sleep I've taken a Piriteze and 2 Nytol now I don't have to be up early for chemo.

@Babamamananarama oh lord, that is some extension. Bad enough when I had 8 days in after a motorcycle accident.

@MarthasGinYard big hug, praying for quick results.

Night all.

HC x

I hope I am going to sleep. I’ve only myself to blame. I am still resting my arm as I promised the nurses but I thought I would go for a nice walk with my friend on the beach. I walked about 5 miles further than I have in a year and loved it but now my legs are aching so much I can’t lie still. It’s such a balance between pushing to get fitter and damaging myself. It’s hard to accept how weak and unfit I still am. And I’m an idiot!

@MarthasGinYard met pain is pain from a metastasis which is the cancer spread from where it started to somewhere else. Bone pain hurts because there is no room for the mets to expand. Luckily there is palliative radiotherapy to shrink them away. Try not to Google as it will scare you. This may all be something unrelated. Sending gentle hugs x

@Babamamananarama Sorry to hear about your extended stay but good news about the initial review of your X-ray.

I'm now wide awake at 2.13am 🙄 I have noticed a pattern with my insomnia - the night following any "big" appointment information-wise I seem to wake up at 2-3am. Must be info overload/digesting it all. (Earlier today I have a 2 hour per-assessment at hospital talking everything chemo).

I hope everyone else is sleeping soundly and feeling well. I'm off to have a cup of decaf tea and watch some rubbish tv to make me doze off again.

x

Top

Thanks, I thought it could be that.

Good morning everyone

I came across this article on another forum and I thought it might be of interest here.

www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/7-things-to-know-about-the-covid-19-vaccine-mammograms-and-other-diagnostic-imaging-tests.h00-159459267.html?fbclid=IwAR2EMXLkxkBGIO39nY-AC_-Yiz2YiiZOwKh0q998uDt3m1onTH5ZIN8AuEU

I’m sorry about the length of the link but I’ve no idea how to do it any other way.

I’ll just read back now to see how everyone is 💐

I didn't get much sleep last night as I've got chemo today & was up late fiddling around with a made-up superhero costume for DS2's comic relief day at school. We'd totally forgotten it & he's grown out of all his superhero onesies so had to grub around in the craft supplies. Hence I was glueing glitter & sequins at midnight. Probably will go to chemo with glitter on me

Bad night all round then!! Me too and I have a mild sleeping tablet from the docs, but after a trip to the loo I was away down the rabbit hole. Should have just got up!
Thoughts today with those having chemo, results or anything else.
@HauntedDishcloth I hope you sparkle like a strictly contestant for your chemo session today and more importantly that your wee one loves the costume.

@Miava I am the same after any big information appointment but for me, it means I don't get to sleep until about 3am. Then I tend to sleep for most of the following day.

Hello all
Thanks for the nerve pain tips. I ended up on the phone to the hospital in the early hours of the day the took my drain out, any movement of my arm or torso was agony (took me ages just to get to my phone, trying not to cry out and frighten the kids). They agreed I could take extra doses of the pregabalin which helped until I had an appointment later in the day. Once the drain came out the acute pain was completely resolved, such a relief! I had two drains with my first surgery which were no bother at all, in fact I kept forgetting they were there, so was just really unlucky this time. Now quite sore an swollen but I think recovering ok. I'm at the hospital currently, waiting to see the surgeon for my lymph node results. Nearly an hour past my appointment time so far and the waiting area is full so I think it might be a while yet! Not complaining, still so glad treatment is unaffected by covid.

@HauntedDishcloth I am very impressed by your last minute rustling up of a super hero outfit! (Am relieved our school seems not to be doing any kind of dress up for RND, world book day was enough for me!!)

HumphreysCorner I hope you got some sleep and chemo goes ok

Haunted lol at you sparkling and glittering all over the hospital. Maybe we should make it "a thing"

Miava and Fizzy it's weird but I'm the opposite. I get comfort from my appointments. It feels like something is being done or an end worked towards. I find my anxiety increases the further away I get from appointments. I am quite odd though.

lubba glad you've got your drain out. Here's to a smoother recovery now

My manky reproductive tract, which is not only trying to kill me, is giving its last huzzah with the mother of all periods. I had loads of plans for today and it's beautiful outside but I've taken to bed with a hot water bottle, 3 dogs, some painkillers and a small, fat cat.
Roll on radiotherapy so they can blast this fecker.

Going in for my debulking op on Monday. Dreading the actual op but also being in hospital and not being able to sleep because of the toing and froing and noise. Would I be able to take one of my sleeping pills every night or would they not allow ?

@thereisonlyoneofme

I’ve been wondering how you are. 😊

The day my situation started to unfold I was prescribed a medication to calm me down and help me sleep. To be honest I wouldn’t have coped without it and when I went into hospital I was allowed to continue taking it. I’m not in the UK though.

Just take the medication in with you and discuss it with the staff.

Will anyone be able to pop in and see you?

I really do wish you well.

Gosh this forum
Has had so many newbies since I was last on. Sorry you're all here but as you'll already know it's a great support.

I'm now halfway through chemo. Just started cycle five out of eight planned for colorectal cancer. I've also turned 48 since diagnosis. Lucky so far with side effects but fatigue is debilitating me a bit.

Sorry to read @InOtterNews hasn't been back here. Very worrying Has anyone heard from her?

Sending love to all you warriors and strength to cope with whatever stage you're at.

Just wanted to check in. Xxx

Hi all

Us non sleepers. Doesn't help not sleeping so hugs to us all.

Am currently building this cute greenhouse which is time consuming and fiddling but still don't sleep.

Spag bol for tea, just want to roll on to a week today for my next chemo.

HCx

[Image removed by MNHQ as it contained personal information]

Fiddly

badeyebri I'm the same - my anxiety increases the further I am from appointments and decreases massively after contact when I feel more like I know how things are.

Hi @gillmoregirl, lovely to see you! Glad go hear your side effects haven't been too bad with the chemo. I think of you whenever DD and I watch GG!

@BadEyeBri hope the almighty period is over very soon. I think chemo has thrown me into early menopause and I can't say I miss them, just what you don't need right now I'm sure. Glad you've had what sounds like excellent company and hope you're starting to feel better.

@HumphreysCorner love the greenhouse!

@thereisonlyoneofme will be thinking of you on Monday. I think I'd take the meds in and see what they say. I didn't find nights in hospital as bad as I'd imagined, hope you find the same.

@Bloodybridget hope all goes well with bloods etc tomorrow

@TopOfTheCliff I know what you mean about struggling to find a balance activity wise, I find it very hard to get it right. Your long walk with friends did sound lovely though!

I had a good appointment this morning. The pathology came back showing they'd taken another 14 lymph nodes and just the original 3 nodes had cancer in as best can be told (I was worried they'd have found another dozen). And the surgeon drained off some more fluid so I'm more comfortable too. Relief all round.

@Lubballoo GG the best series. My DD and I loved it. Lovely to watch together. Good to hear your appt went well and no new nodes. Xxxxx

Anne1958 Thanks for your good wishes. Unfortunately we are not allowed visitors in hospital because of Covid, which actually Im Ok with
as our hospitals tend to allow visiting all day and its so disturbing if you are trying to rest

@thereisonlyoneofme I have my debulking operation for OC in a couple of weeks and am so worried. I will be thinking of you on Monday xxx

marthasginyard how are you doing today, how’s the pain?

Thinking of everyone waiting for an op or treatment

My gynae appointment is on Tuesday. Hopefully won’t have to wait too long for biopsy results.