Cancer Support Thread 85 - Hoping for a positive 2023

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Starting a new thread as the old one is almost full.

Welcome one and all, this is a thread for those with cancer and those who are awaiting tests for cancer. We offer support, a place to rant/vent/cry and ask questions without judgement. As always maybe we can do a quick who’s who at the start of this thread for newbies.

Heres hoping for a positive 2023 for us all.

So it’s (hopefully) my last chemo on Thursday and I want to get the team there a present to say thank you for everything they’ve done for me. It’s a small team and they’re all so lovely. I can’t think of what to do though. There’s the obvious chocolates/sweet gifts but I gave them chocs at Christmas and I kind of want to do something different but I don’t know what. Does anyone have any ideas?

We always liked teabags and coffee. A lot of the nurses stay away from chocolate and sweets (not me). Hand cream is good maybe a bottle of the Nursem one for the desk?

@WorryMcGee how about a basket of fruit? We loved that at the GP surgery. Hooray for last chemo !

I’ve been doing my research. It seems I am being offered a treatment with little evidence for its effectiveness, that I may or may not need, and with no way of monitoring whether it has been effective. Also unpleasant side effects and impaired immunity. But it’s a security blanket and if I don’t have it I might regret it later. Hmm I might as well ask a crystal ball 🔮
You know I’m going to say yes, right?

PS I sneaked into the hot tub last night and nothing bad happened! Woo!

@WorryMcGee , I bought a variety box of chocolate biscuit type sweets, like crunches, timeouts etc. It was from Amazon and seemed to go down well with chemo and radio nurses each time. When my DH died, I bought the ward M&S chocolate biscuits, mainly because there was an M&S on site!

Thanks everyone 🙂 I went in for bloods today and clocked a nursem hand cream in the office so someone beat me to that one! A friend suggested a pen so I’ve got them all one of those with ”thank you (name)” on and some miniature heroes chocolates 🍫

Well I’m back from my afternoon out. The Radiotherapy planning scan was interesting and fun and the breath holding was quite easy. They used my tattoos from last time round and still had my measurements on the system. It will be two or three weeks wait now for treatment.
After that I went to see my friendly oncologist who was so kind I kept welling up. The stats suggest that a course of Capecitabine will reduce my chance of dying of cancer in the next ten years by 50 percent. That’s a no brainer and she agreed I could wait until after my cycling trip in April to start. Hopefully by then I will be feeling a bit more robust. I’m pleased at the outcome and my BCN was right I feel better having had the conversation. Now I need to crack on with getting fitter as my wounds have pretty much healed. I shan’t worry about my weight as they don’t like you to change shape during radiotherapy ( that’s my excuse anyway)

How’s everybody else holding up? Waiting for results is sos stressful I know.

Oh I’m really pleased for you that you have a plan and will get away. My lovely GP emailed me today to see how I’m getting on. Honestly they’ve really stepped up I can’t believe they are thinking about me in one of the busiest practices in North London. Of course I’ve told myself that it’s because they must think I’m dying and I just don’t know it😮 I went for the second of my second cycle today. It was fine but very busy and I kind of got put into an over flow chair which was on a funny angle so I felt quite odd. And then I had a stern word to myself saying how lucky I am to be there. Christ how is cancer lucky? I still feel like it’s all a dream. I’m looking forward to downing a couple of Zopiclone tonight and putting my blanket on.

Trivial question in the grand scheme of things but @EachandEveryone when you mentioned putting your blanket on, do you have one of those heated throws? Reason for asking is I'm a huge bath monster...my happy place is a hot bubble bath with a book (and some mini eggs) but I have my surgery on Thursday and so baths will be off the agenda for a while. I'm wondering if a heated throw (plus book and mini eggs) could be a close alternative. I keep going to order one and then getting overwhelmed with the choice. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Have you ordered the shower proof arm cover? They are great. No mine is an electric blanket I couldn't be without it. My sofa isnt the biggest otherwise Id be tempted by a over blanket they do look good.

A hot bath is the one thing I am really missing - very jealous of @TopOfTheCliff venturing in the hot tub! I've had massive problems with my wound healing (nearly six months now!), but the heated throw is a brilliant idea - I shall treat myself.

@Atreus Hope your surgery goes well, but don't make the same mistake as me - surgeon didn't put a drain in the wound, but I felt great and didn't rest as I should have done. I think these two things contributed to a hematoma that caused problems when I had the radiotherapy. Just do as you're told, chill and give your body time to recover!

@TopOfTheCliff - I'm so pleased you have a plan, and feel more confident about the benefits of Capecitabine. It's easier to put up with side effects etc when you know the potential benefit is high, I think.

I am still frustrated as no progress on the RT planning, in spite of the intervention of my BCN. I do, however, have an in person appointment with medical oncology at the end of the month which I assume is to get me started on Abemaciclib (new drug for high risk primary ER+ BC). I feel lucky to be getting it - it was only approved last year and trial results are encouraging. Causes diarrhoea for most patients though, so perhaps it's good to not be starting anything else while that is (hopefully) settling down.

@Atreus . I have heated throw from Lakeland which I mainly use while WFH during the day. I have managed not to put the heating on during the day at all this winter, and I've really been feeling the cold during chemo. Would recommend. And much easier for reading than the bath!

Like @dotty2 i have a Lakeland blanket and use it for chemo & wfh. I also have something like this (but mine isn’t as nice as this one). I cold cap and use ice gloves & socks too so really appreciate being wrapped up toasty everywhere else during my session (and afterwards at home too).

Thanks so much for the heated throw advice, I've just ordered a Lakeland one. And @ajandjjmum thank you especially for the post-op advice/warning...I'm really not good at taking things easy and was already thinking about how soon I could get out hiking again...but really do need to make sure I give myself time to recover properly.

@Atreus I’m another one that can’t sit still but my wounds have finally healed after 4 weeks of doing nothing. I usually walk cycle garden decorate and lug stuff around so sitting doing crosswords has been torture. Even going for walks seemed to chafe my axillary wounds.
Today I went on the Look Good Feel Better course and it was so much fun! The other ladies were great and the goody bag was worth about £400. Here’s me looking good and feeling better! I even took my headgear off as the room was so hot. Highly recommended!

You have a lovely face and that lipstick's a great colour on you.

@TopOfTheCliff - you look amazing. Positively glowing - glad it made you feel better too. I really enjoyed my LGFB workshop too and would recommend to anyone who hasn't been - it was a nice, friendly environment to meet other people in the same boat. Sending positive thoughts to everyone today x

Wow @TopOfTheCliff you're looking fabulous

If you need a reminder, I'm still at the wound clinic twice a week, and it's nearly six months after surgery! I wish I'd have sat still for a couple of months.

Great photo @TopOfTheCliff - you look relaxed and happy.

@TopOfTheCliff you look amazing! I loved the LGFB session- such a warm experience and fun playing with makeup. Would recommend it to everyone.

@ajandjjmum thank you...this is exactly what I need to hear (but I'm so sorry you've had to go through this). I'm seriously going to need some strategies to stop climbing the walls...maybe it's to time to finally embrace Game of Thrones.

@TopOfTheCliff you look fabulous!

Had my mammogram & ultrasound last Thurs & all seemed OK. Had punch biopsies last Fri (for dimpling). Was told 'come back on 10th for results'. Had 8am voicemail to say 'please call'. Finally just got through & plan is 'pencil in 12 this Fri but they'll call me by 10.30 to confirm if results available'. ? Weird? I also asked whether my stitches are self dissolving or can they remove / do I need a GP appt (takes weeks & they are v tight & 'tuggy' already so wearing bra 24/7) but they 'weren't sure'. I'm sure it's fine & very very minor in scheme of things so sorry to post but no one in my RL knows about this atm.

Hi @medianewbie. I can't help with the stitches (though agree it seems weird that they don't know either way) But on the results, I imagine it's that they always do results clinics on a Friday, and they initially thought yours would take 2 weeks, but they are hoping to get them through in a week. However, they aren't sure if they are going to be ready in time - hence the call by 10.30. They might need to be reviewed at a team meeting before your appointment. I had timing issues myself around my biopsy and surgery results, where it's been uncertain whether they would be ready in time for a team meeting, and so whether the appointment could go ahead. It's tempting to try and read good or bad news into things like changes of appointment time, but it's probably safest to assume nothing, and try to keep an open mind. Easier said than done, I know.

@ddotty2 I know all you say is true but its good to hear it Thank You x . I lost my Mum & my (long distance) Partner to cancer last year & my Mums experience was horrific so that's 'lurking' for me I guess.

@medianewbie if your stitches are below the surface with nothing visible they will dissolve. If they are tied at the surface with threads dangling they need to come out. Ring the BCN team and ask if they can take them out.
It sounds as if the team are hoping to give you results as soon as possible but aren’t sure if they will be ready this week. It doesn’t mean they are better or worse they are just trying to spare you the anxiety of another week in limbo.

Looking lovely @TopOfTheCliff!

@medianewbie I know the waiting is awful but as @dotty2 says you can’t read anything into an earlier appt. I’ll keep everything crossed that your results are good news.

@Atreus hope the nork support shopping was a success. Wishing you well for the surgery tomorrow and will be thinking of you. Let us know how you get on.