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

Hello all,

I’ve beennAWOL for a bit but had my double mastectomy. The surgery went fine but the afterceffects did not. I reacted badly to every pain med with severe dizziness, nausea and drowsiness. Spent 6 days in hospital (should have been 1-2). I’m home now but still very wobbly and sore. Please excuse the typos and lack of individual replies, my head needs to clear.
I should get the pathology results next week.

Some good news reports here - so glad you are in less pain, @MrsPnut, and that your tumour has reduced so much, @HauntedDishcloth. @Miava, hope you can get the PICC more comfortable. @Nonotmenori hurrah for finishing active treatment, congratulations!

I just had oncology phone appointment, my bloods were so bad on Saturday that they'll probably cancel the final chemo. So this coming Monday would be the last one. Then I'll have a scan, and if clear start on PARP inhibitor.

@Percivalthebabyspider sorry to hear that you have been having a bad time, hope you make a good recovery now you're home.
@Topofthecliff that is hard, to be suddenly "retired" when you haven't been able to see your patients or colleagues for so long. But I do wish you a long and happy retirement [goldwatch]

The last few weeks have been horrible but I'd just like to share a lovely thing that happened today.
I was dismissed by my previous GP practice the day after my cancer diagnosis because I'd moved out of their catchment. My fault I'd forgotten to re-register but the lack of empathy stunned me.
I managed to register with a new GP and they pushed my registration through quickly and sorted out my Covid vaccine. DH had his registration phone consult today. The GP said oh you're BadEyeBri's husband, given the treatment she will be having soon you probably could do with having your Covid vaccine. He then organised for DH to attend the practice and get vaccinated within 45mins.
The kindness of that Dr will stay with me a long, long time.
I'm hoping everyone here gets a little shot of human kindness this week

Hi I was on here in November with a new diagnosis, I was clear at Christmas in round two but just home from the "insurance" round which ended up being particularly hard.

I have had over 200 hrs of Chemo and it's been really tough. Now I'm home I'm just eating well and resting.

I think my advice to anyone is take a day at a time, you are going to have good days and bad days. Just keep focussed on tomorrow, it maybe a good day

@BadEyeBri that's a wonderful story about your new GP. Doesn't it make a difference when they go above and beyond?

@Bloodybridget it really, really does. When DH told me I did a wee tear or two. Just the relief of something good happening.

What a relief, BadEyeBri! I'm really pleased for you.

Sorry I've been MIA for a week or so- I've been focussing on a thread I've got running asking for viable Bucket List suggestions given my point in treatment, and I didn't want to derail what happens in here. Forgive me, because I still care very much about our gang!

BadeyeBri I’m so sorry that happened to you but how lovely of the new GP.

BitofFun I’ve been thinking of you and wondering how you are.

I’m having some really off sensations along the wound line, buzzing on and off like an electrical current, doesn’t hurt, it’s just uncomfortable. Also feels very ‘ropey ’ under the skin up near the collar bone where they ran the drain tubes. I’m assuming this is all normal (as far as that exists)?

Morning

@BadEyeBri It’s amazing the difference having a supportive GP practice makes. Ours is brilliant and not just through my cancer diagnosis but in the years before doing shared care for my ulcerative colitis.

@littlebillie I hope you recover from this round of chemo quickly.

@BitOfFun I hope you get to tick things off your bucket list.

I have a date for surgery!
I had to see an anaesthetist yesterday because they wanted to assess my risks for surgery. They passed me to be operated on at either hospital and I had a phone call in the afternoon pulling my pre op forward by a week and saying the op will be on 7th April.
I am having a lumpectomy, mammoplasty, axial node clearance and reduction mammoplasty in the other breast.
I’ve got my pre op this morning then seeing the surgeon to do the paperwork.

@MrsPnut amazing. After all the leg work you've had to put in to this. I hope everything else goes well. My hat's off to you

@BitOfFun and @Bloodybridget I've spent the last few weeks reading through the older support threads and I'd just like to express my admiration for the both of you. The way you have coped with your own illnesses and taken time to support others. Phenomenal.
BitOfFun I hope your road trip is glorious

My treatment starts on Monday. Here we go! 6 weeks to hopefully control over the bastard tumour inside me.

This cancer treatment really is the gift that goes on giving. I had my 9th Herceptin yesterday (halfway!) and my first Zolendronic acid infusion. The nice nurse warned me I might feel flu-ey and indeed I do. I am Shivery with a fever of 38.1 and aching limbs. It really is two steps forward one step back. Ah well it’s been a duvet day for me.
Before anyone shouts Covid I had a negative swab on Monday and no contact with anybody.

@BadEyeBri I second your appreciation of BOF and BB. They are wonderful generous souls xx

Regards to all and good luck with treatment

Oh shucks! Bracketing me with the amazing and phenomenal BoF!

I have had masses of support here too, it's really helped me all the way since diagnosis. And now I'm close to finishing chemo and moving on to the next stage of treatment, I will be leaning on you all pretty heavily, I reckon.

Bridge you lean away, I've long arms and big shoulders, we'll catch you on the bumpy bits

Morning all, hoping everyone is doing ok today.

I have had the new post-chemo gift of INSANE gas/bloating over the last day. I looked and felt like I'd been pumped up to 9 months pregnant with a bicycle pump. It ended with ectoplasmic level vomming last night of I think the entire day's food, I had honestly never seen anything like it. So I'm resigned today to flopping about in bed and taking it very easy as I'm into my nadir period now for the next few days. Feels rather cruel that food - which has been a huge pleasure to me over the past few weeks - is now also causing me torment!

babamaman and Topofthecliff I hope you’re both feeling a little better now.

I got a call from the surgeon today to say pathology results are in and he wants to see me ‘to discuss’ so the anxiety’s shot up again. I’ve also developed a seroma on one side and while it’s fascinating watching myself turn into a human water balloon I’m hoping it doesn’t get too big. Oddly enough, that side is fairly painless, it’s the other that is sore and tight from the surgery.

I hope everyone else is doing as well as can.

Morning, thanks for the advice re timing of radiotherapy. I'm back at the hospital this morning as I have a seroma which needs to be drained for the 2nd time since the painful drain was removed. I think this might end up delaying radiotherapy now anyway. I'm no good without a plan, need to learn to be more zen somehow.

@BitOfFun your road trip (or trips!) sounds like a brilliant idea, hope you're really enjoying planning it. I've only ever been to that part of the world on the way to the boat to Ireland, it looks incredibly beautiful.

@Percivalthebabyspider sorry I somehow missed your post when I posted! Totally understand the pre appointment anxiety - I found my surgery team seemed to always prefer results/discussions to be face to face, so maybe it's the same with you. I'm with you as a fellow human water balloon! Albeit now a little deflated and more comfortable after my hospital visit earlier.

Hello! Feels like I have missed loads of developments recently. Glad to hear some people's treatments have been going well - and commiserations to those who are having a hard time. @BadEyeBri so glad to hear your GP story - it's lovely when people go above and beyond to help.

I have been having chest pains at night ever since my last chemo. I have spent two weeks ignoring them but finally called the chemo team today who sent me in to ambulatory care. I spent five hours having various tests (including many attempts to get blood out of the veins in my hands - in the end I begged to be allowed to go to the cancer unit so they could get it from my PICC). Anyway, apparently I have slightly raised markers for either heart problems or clots. I have a CT on Monday and in the meantime I have to inject myself with blood thinners over the weekend. On top of everything I have a stinking cold. I am so thoroughly fed up. I feel I have reached my threshold for being poked and prodded - I just want everyone to leave me alone!

Anyway, hope everyone has had a better day than me. Enjoy the weekend sunshine, all!

Ugh, @AlbertCampion so sorry to hear that - I completely empathize with being fed up with being poked and prodded. And a cold makes everything worse. Glad to hear you've got the blood thinners, though, and that they're going to take a closer look - better safe than sorry. Hang in there!

@TopOfTheCliff hope you feel better soon (I was my illest ever after that blasted drug and I'm just not going to have it again - although my nurse is trying to talk me round...)

@Bloodybridget hope the new regime is kinder to you.

@MrsPnut exciting to hear you will be getting the surgery hurdle over quite soon!

@BadEyeBri nice to get some medical kindness - it does make a difference. I sometimes think of that line: I'm not a number - I'm a free man!

@Babamamananarama it seems trivial to complain about it but I do also mourn the loss of food as a pleasure rather than the enemy.

@Percivalthebabyspider surgeons here are always in person - even though onc is often by phone. Must be 'a thing'.

@Lubballoo it is one of the smaller miseries - things just not going quite to plan.

@AlbertCampion well that is totally tedious! I'm sure you are well fed up - I would be totally fed up (I'm well-experienced and quite expert in being totally fed up). Do get people to get use your blasted PICC! (I now get bloods from my port in the chemo suite and cannulas done by the expert people upstairs otherwise). I deeply sympathise with the feeling of having had enough poking and prodding - even if it's meant to be saving you.

I was just wondering about heart monitoring as it's supposed to be every 3 months if you're taking Herceptin but I only had it done once before the start.

I'm just recuperating and gearing up for surgeon on Thursday - I don't have a date yet - even my BCN was [shocked] so keen to get that pinned down so I can really get into worrying about it..... Should coincide nicely with dd's yr 11 assessments

@thereisonlyoneofme talking of which.....?

and @Miava how is chemo uno going?

@Acinonyx2 thanks for asking - essentially I'm feeling sorry for myself. Actual chemo and the cold cap caused no problems. First night I was very headachy and nauseous. Day after I was ok and then today I feel odd. Nothing I can put my finger on but not right and feeling very sorry for myself. Have now taken my last steroids so worried what the weekend holds as I've heard mixed things. Just the reality of this is my life for the next 6 months is making me feel sad.

I hope every one else is ok x

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if any has heard from theresonlyoneofme?

I really don’t know what to say on the thread as I’m not going through anything like all of you are but for some reason I need to be here and the other forums I use as they’re such a comfort.

I do think of you all everyday and I’m sending love your way.

That sounds shite, Miava - can you distract yourself with an activity, or find an inspiring blog/ amazing detective series/ compile a few film lists for your every mood?

I find that setting myself a challenging but achievable project really helps. Currently that is working my way through a retail-sized box of 48 Cadbury Crunchies.