Cancer Support thread 88 - virtual rage room currently empty, virtual collective afternoon tea - all welcome!

[LemonDrizzle10]

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Oh good luck with the MRI @beatingtheodds .

Last one I had the music featured 'staying alive' by the beegees. Not sure that was in the best taste really!

@ClashCityRocker see if you can throw a cream scone at the wall and get it to stick.

I’ve just had a call from the PIP department about my application that I made back in January.

Afternoon everyone 🙂

I'm having an exceptionally slow day today - I've done some washing and pots, taken down the sparkle curtain thing & sat crocheting. I've finished a giant blue dick, with ears, for one of dd1's friends 🤣 & done 2 rows of a top for me.

Think I'll be off to bed very early tonight - I'm off for a cuppa and to see my friend's dad tomorrow. I haven't seen him in 4 months & he's lovely. She rang me earlier & he's baked for the occasion 😊

I'm off for a catch up now, I hope you're all keeping ok.

@lucysmam maybe you could make a line of them to sell to primary schools for sex education classes. Without the eyes though as it may confuse the kids😂😂
Seriously though I do admire anyone who can crochet it's not in my skill set. I get so frustrated with it I want to stick the hook in my eye!
I can knit and I'm making a baby cardigan at the moment I need to get on with it baby will be a teenager before I get my act together x

what did they say? I had a phone interview last week. I am starting to worry now as my salary half’s this month

@EachandEveryone I was told they were processing my application now and I’d hear in the post in the next week or so. I was asked about my treatment past and future.

MacMillan were really helpful & sorted my entire PIP claim within a week or so, if it helps anyone.

@Lisdeflores funnily enough I do often make display props for work (nursery), not sure they'd want a giant blue dick though 🤣 Dd's friend loves him - he just needs to get there now, that's for dd to sort. I think her friend will probably come here for a brew.

I hope your MRI went ok @beatingtheodds. The idea of them terrifies me!

@CoachBeardsJane did they manage to find something for your pain?

@Remaker I'm glad you've got your own room - I don't think I'd be wanting to share given the circs.

@Ikeameatballlunch I get the having a moan to get to the answer thing. I quite often realise the answer half way through moaning 🙈

@TopOfTheCliff I hope you're safely bubble wrapped while your dh is away 🫧

(Sorry for the post in 2 halves - it was easier than remembering who posted what, brain is mush today & I'd have got it wrong 🙄).

A tentative hey from me to everyone in this thread. I've been on lots of different forums for phases of my life but didn't expect to be joining this one.

Was told today that I have a potentially cancerous tumour that they think is coming from my ovary. I wasn't worried when they were using words like "cyst" but now it's a large, complex tumour and my tumour markers are apparently high. I'm 31, with young DC and thought I'd had my "share" of cancer for now at least. I've got to wait on an mri and an oncology appointment.

I had a grade 1a melanoma removed a few years ago but it didn't feel as scary because by the time they told me what it was, it was already removed. Have got a beaut of a scar though as the surgery was done during covid (luckily, I think) and my wound got infected but nobody would see me 🤦🏼‍♀️

Reading these posts has put my situation into perspective, both the reality bits and the upbeat parts so thank you and I'm sorry you're all here too.

Hi all. Another question from me as I go through the stages of surgery recovery. Got prescribed codeine for my armpit pain, which is allowing me to sleep. Finally.
It is also making me to turm my obsession from armpit pain to the state of
my diep reconstruction. I have a lumpy ridge in the underside of my diep breast. Has anyone else had this at this stage of the healing process? Could this be where the flap has been stitched to my chest wall? Or have I developed loads of fat necrosis? I emailed the plastics nurse but no reply. Will have to try again but interested to hear in the meantime what has been normal for others. I expected the breast flap to be relatively smooth and soft, like my pre-surgery abdomen, not lumpy in places..

Yes they did, I've got a lots of pain relief on board now and I'm
So glad.

Welcome @Crimsonbow let’s hope your stay here is short and you get a benign diagnosis. But there is a wealth of experience here so ask anything you want and feel free to moan and argue if you need to. Just keep away from Google. Once you know more what is going on you will feel better. Having a treatment plan helps a lot.

I managed to get to my lovely woo yoga class today. Lots of nice stretches for my tight upper arms. There were three new BC ladies who had escaped without chemotherapy but were still recovering from the trauma.
I’m trying to keep out of trouble while DH is away. Tomorrow I am catering for 60 at my sports club with my DD so will spend the day resting. I hope he gets back to help me out or I may inflict grievous damage on him!
Hope all are well and scans went okay.

I had a partial flap reconstruction on 31/5, alongside a 'clear out' of the original wound which had broken down, and lipo transfer from my tummy. My scars feels very lumpy and the whole area feel tender, but not painful. Hopefully this is all part of the healing process. Immediately after the op my boob was very beautiful, but there are very clear dips again now - not too worried, aesthetics was never a huge concern, so for the moment I'm just watching and waiting, much the same as you are @isaxx. Can't wait to have a bath though!

@CoachBeardsJane glad they have got you on some better meds, that sounded horrible.

@lucysmam love the pic of your beautiful DD in her lovely dress!

@Ikeameatballlunch well done for letting the GP and nurse know how you're feeling, asking for help is the first step, sounds to me like crying on them and being open that you are struggling was exactly the right thing to do. Keep pushing for all the support that's out there 💐

@FairyWren7 I'm a bit behind you- waiting to hear if I need chemo before I have a mastectomy- so will be watching for those answers about nipples too! I hope you get some useful info from your surgeon.

Can't remember where I'd got to on the last thread with updates. It's boring my end, am waiting around on the Prosigna test to determine if I need chemo. I have got my head around that now after a week of feeling oddly discombobulated about it. Felt like I had braced myself for chemo and emotionally committed to it and then suddenly that was being questioned all over again- like leaning into a fierce headwind that suddenly stops. Obviously if I don't need it then great, but I also don't feel like I can be happy about that prospect, as I still might need it! My tiny brain can't cope.

@Crimsonbow welcome to our lovely thread, so sorry you find yourself here. I have stage 3c ovarian cancer and am happy to answer any questions you may have. I do know that your marker can be raised with cysts and benign ovarian tumours. I'm wondering if you've had an ultrasound by your description. Scans like US and CT can be deceptive - what they believed was a massive left ovarian tumour for me was in fact an 18cm fibroid. I do understand what a dreadful worry it is and hope you get your MRI and oncology appointment very soon.

Thanks for the support everyone. I got out of hospital! Just 5 days in the end but felt longer.

I’ll catch up on everyone’s news after I hopefully catch up on sleep.

Thanks for the welcome.

@Fantasea that's good to know, thank you. The GP had my results first and was very reassuring about it - my something 125 blood test score was "acceptable" in his eyes and he called the lump a cyst. But then the gynae was much more concerned, said she wasn't clear if it was ovarian because it's so big, that the tumour was complex and that the bloods were actually "borderline". So I spent the weekend relieved and then felt floored by the gynae yest. My result was 32 I think. Borderline is better than way over I guess. And yes, it was an ultrasound for the images.

It's a relief to have somewhere to chat. Trying to just carry on with kids, friends and my family. And DH is so worried I don't want to add my worry on top.

Glad to read you're out of hospital remaker that sounded really rough.

Hi all - totally lost the thread of this thread, I was burying my head in the sand re all things cancer waiting for my surgery. Welcome to all the newbies, sorry you have to be here but hope you find it a source of support, I know I have.

Surgery yesterday went well, bit of an allergic reaction to the contrast dye but nothing too serious and I feel fine - tired, bruised and sore but nowhere near as bad as I expected. Taking it easy but have done my arm exercises like a good patient. Now just need to clear up the confusion about my follow up appointment which nobody seems quite sure when it is.

@bringonyourwreckingball good to hear that your surgery went well yesterday - good to hear you’re feeling better than you thought you would. That’s a double win.

Thanks for the reply @ajandjjmum . I guess things can change over time. Waiting to see if my diep boob ends up looking more natural or even less so. I think my expectations were too high. Just looked at the best results pictures and assumed that would be me. But, my natural breasts have always been small so I guess there is a limit to how good/symmetrical I was going to look after unilateral diep. The slightest difference is more visible when breasts are small. Not as forgiving as big boobs. I just need to be more realistic I suppose.

I've lost track of the thread and who wrote what - apologies. But, someone asked about retaining nipples. I chose to sacrifice mine on the ground that my PS said the scar would be bigger and have to go upwards in my case (because of location of chest blood vessels) if they kept the nipple. So, now I have a round scar instead just where my nipple was. I am looking forward to having it reconstructed in a few months, so as to be able to go braless as I used to. Any other questions about diep, happy to answer, though I am only 2 weeks post op. New issues pop up every day.

@bringonyourwreckingball good to hear surgery went well and that you are doing your arm exercises. I am doing them diligently too but must say I am finding them torture. My armpit is in agony. Swollen lump where the biopsy was taken and massive tense cord. Still can't get my arm up beyond 90 degrees.

@isaxx i’ve definitely got off lightly so far - full range of motion on the arm with only mild to moderate discomfort. My operation was much less invasive than yours though, and I’m only 24 hours in so not counting my chickens just yet.

Hi @Crimsonbow I am sorry you are here. Your situation is similar to mine, I was diagnosed stage 3a ovarian cancer (low grade) last May age 36. It’s such a shock.

Once you know more you may feel better, are they planning anything other than an MRI? I had an ascitic drain while waiting for debulking which they biopsied and found low grade cells so I was more prepared. Sorry you find yourself in the terrible place I was a year ago.

@Crimsonbow I just saw your marker level was 32. That is borderline. Mine was much higher on diagnosis (420) so fingers crossed for a benign cause for you!

I'll be back to catch up when I've had a shower but, in the meantime, can I have thoughts on this wig? I was only £8 on shein to see what blonde looked like but my girls are quite keen 🤣

@lucysmam looks lovely! I got through using cheap wigs from Amazon and really rated them. Plus changing style was quite fun.