Cancer Support Thread 89 - the best thread that no one wants to be on.

[LemonDrizzle10]

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I second that @Florabritannica . There are some lovely warm kind people on this thread and always someone to pick you up if you are feeling low.
@FairyWren7 you are in the thick of it at the moment. I remember so well the hassle and disappointment of wound infections, seromas, a fistula and eventually a horrible scar but it passes, you will reach equilibrium and start to move forward again. Be gentle with yourself.
I wasn’t patient enough and did too much too soon last time. I think second time round I was calmer and didn’t try to start lifting weights or cycling too soon. I think it helped also that I am a sports mad tomboy and don’t really mind too much about my appearance apart from being overweight because it slows me up.
I’m following my DH on his long distance event now. He started tonight and will reach us sometime on Tuesday morning and finish on Thursday if all goes well. Dear man, he is quite bonkers but I love him. I get notifications when he completes each stage. I feel quite lucky in comparison having a warm comfy bed to sleep in.
Sending strength to all
Top

Hi, I’m really sorry if it’s not ok to post this here just let me know if not. I’m a 31 yo female and for the last three/four weeks I’ve had a red/purple bruise-like splodge on one breast that’s been darkening and expanding. It’s now much bigger than when it first appeared. My doctor saw it last week (it’s got worse since then) and was like it’s not a cyst and it’s not a boil, I don’t know what it is but I’ll see you in September and refer you to the breast cancer one stop clinic then (I’m in the uk). I’m tempted to ring in the morning and ask for another appointment because this thing is just getting worse all the time and I’m worried about inflammatory breast cancer but I feel like I’m mithering. What would you recommend? Thank you!

@lonelightlilith if you aren’t sure what it is. Get it escalated. Be assertive and get it looked at. It may well not be cancer but either way it needs treating. You could go to a and e that might help bypass the waiting. Best wishes.

@TopOfTheCliff Thanks Top. Wise words as ever. I’ve got another appointment tomorrow. In the meantime I need to stop worrying about it all but I feel miserable which I think under the circumstances is normal.

And I’ve finished watching Succession so need something to watch in the evenings to take my mind off it.

@lonelightlilith Don't wait until September. Get it looked at asap. Hope you get it sorted and that all is okay.

Welcome Lone I would get that looked at asap, not sure what it is but best to get checked.

@lonelightlilith welcome to the thread nobody wants to join. I am a retired GP and if you told me exactly what you told us I would send your referral off now. Can you use econsult to message the surgery? Or email the reception? If not then even passing a note in would be enough to trigger a Response. I arranged my whole initial referral by econsult and never even saw the GP as it was lockdown time.
Remember 9 out of 10 BC referrals are benign so the odds are greatly in your favour. They won’t mind referring you just for peace of mind. Meanwhile try to distract yourself or use the Calm app. It will all work out in the end.
All quiet here. My friends are all out on their bikes for the day while we wait for DH to pass us. I am chilling on the goat farm.
Sending strength to all who need it
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@lonelightlilith Agree with the others posters. Get it checked for peace of mind as soon as possible. That said (and don't take this as a reason not to escalate), there are many things it could be that are totally benign. I had a red splodge on my breast 5 years ago and went to a one stop breast clinic and it turned out to be nothing. After the appointment, I tried to think of what might have caused it and realised it was probably due to a blow to the breast. My partner's elbow knocked into me while we were on holiday (in a tiny attic airbnb, with very little space, so we knocked into each other quite a lot! One particular such knock, I remembered was right in the spot where the splodge was). It faded eventually, though took a little while. It looked kind of like exploded spidery blood vessels under the skin about the size of a 1 penny coin. Another option (my partner's suggestion, given where we were on holiday) was a jellyfish sting. There were quite a few people around us where we had been swimming with jellyfish stings in various parts of their body that looked kind of like that too.

Morning everyone 🙂

I hope you've all had an alright weekend?

@lonelightlilith I would go back & firmly tell them you'd like a referral now, not in September. Hopefully it's nothing sinister but clearly needs checking out.

I annoyed my tooth again last night 🙄 Still hunting for a dentist to look - the BCN who I've been speaking to is ringing this week so I'll chase up their referral again & keep trying myself. I'm trying to find somewhere that isn't miles away since I don't drive - the best place for me is literally 2 mins from work but not taking on NHS patients at the mo, then one in town only taking referrals from other dentists, and another in town that don't seem to answer their phone ever 🤷‍♀️ The third have an email address so I was thinking I might try email but not a clue what to say 🤔

The weekend's been fairly quiet here. I spent yesterday making a birthday crown for my friend's 50th at the weekend, and altering dd2's school trousers. Took me quite a bit longer than I actually thought it would. I can't decide whether to add a rhinestone "50" to the crown, or leave it alone. I'm not overly happy with the crown in places - I clipped my seams a touch too close to my stitching, but it's fine really, just me being fussy.

Today is clear the airing cupboard day - once the girls get up. I'd have started sooner but the peace is actually so nice. I think I'll cut the rest of my felt for the apron too & maybe cut the apron itself. We'll see how far I get.

Distraction at its finest 😊

I had a restless night. All of a sudden Ive started sweating again but worse than before the front of my tshirt was drenched so much so that Im wondering if I got up during the night and had a glass of water and missed my mouth🤔

i have an MRI tonight on my liver so of course Im thinking that the sweats are related to it. He said it was a small uptake and that he is just making sure. I dont know. We seem to spend weeks playing the waiting game. Although I cant knock my treatment I do wonder whether buting private insurance in your thirties is a good idea.

@EachandEveryone right there with you with the symptom spotting. I wish I could go back to the halcyon days of say last year when every slightly odd thing my body did I could shrug off without thinking 'is this because of xyz' and get on with my day.

Are you menopausal at all?

I've also pondered private health insurance - although that horse has well and truly bolted now! The treatment I've had has been excellent, but the wait for scans and results has been agonising especially at the might be something/might be nothing. Waiting for a liver scan myself on something that the consultant was adamant would be benign - if he's so adamant why am I having a bloody scan then?! Although really I'm glad they're checking it out.

First day back in the office for me. Went fine, I'm only doing half days for now. Was kind of weird being back though, quite bittersweet.

Ypu and me are very similar as I am the same having a scan even though( he doesnt think it is anything. He also thought the chemo would work because it was going so well so now I just think the worse. The nurse who I havent spoken to for months was quite pessimistic too when I rang her which then made me laugh the mardy sod. The good news is my man has wrote me a letter to say I can have all the massages which is great as Ive paid £80 upfront for one a# Im going to Lost Village this weekend. The music will be unbearable for me but Ill take all the hippy sound baths and massages😃

The Lost Village is just down the road from me @EachandEveryone I’m intrigued by the idea of it and would love a peek at the site but not enough to want to go!! Enjoy the massage.

Oh it’s full of gorgeous posh youngsters having fun. It’s very beautiful and expensive but these kids do t seem to drink a lot 🤔. There is a cabin in the woods that just place Motown etc which is where we will be. Im looking forward to it.

Evening everyone...quick question. It's 3 weeks since my final chemo (TC) and I've suddenly got massively watery eyes. They're not red or sore, so I'm pretty sure they're not infected, but I have constant tears running down my cheeks and keep having to explain that I'm not upset/crying. Anyone else experienced this? And did it sort itself out by itself or any advice how to make it stop?!

Atreus For me hayfever tablets helped. My eye issues did resolve but I still have like sinusitis symptoms down 1 side of face a year on from chemo. Only time it goes is in sauna or steam room. GP recommended beconase for that but doesn't do that much.

@Atreus I had it with Herceptin along with the dripping nose. I now have it with Capecitabine. They have got a bit sticky and glue together in the mornings. No infections just excessive watering and irritation. Sigh…
At least my feet and hands are good.
I am enjoying France, overdosing on coffee and croissants! DH came through on his ride, just 36 hours more to go. He’s happy anyway.
Top x

I was told it was to do with the loss of eyelashes and nasal hair - mine came back very fast but I did have this sinus thing since chemo.

Glad you are enjoying France Top I am off with DD to Mauritius on Thursday and new kitchen being installed from tomorrow. Feels like getting life back again.

My week seems to be improving. (Don’t speak too soon!)

Had more aspiration done yesterday - 75ml out from the left and leaving the right side alone as it doesn’t hurt and that’s where I’m having the radiotherapy. This still seems to be billed under my chemo card so that’s good.

First radiotherapy went fine, trialing creams to see what my skin likes best. Back again this afternoon. Just feel tired.

Had coffee and cake with a friend yesterday and will do a days work tomorrow all being well.

It’s school holidays here in a couple of weeks so I need to think about what I want to do for next term. I think I need to take my time. I could go back to my old job, continue doing supply, try and get a new contract so I’m employed over the summer or what was the original plan before the cancer shit storm - apply for new roles in a different field. Decisions, decisions! I’m grateful I get to make a choice.

@TopOfTheCliff France sounds lovely - which bit?

@Silkierabbit good news about your kitchen. We had put down a deposit on ours just before all of this but got it refunded. I’m now thinking it’s not worth doing on this property for us. But our kitchen is so old and the oven is horrid. Give it a few months I think before we make a decision.

The sun is out here and it makes a real difference!

Glad you week is improving fairywren I found radio very easy after the rest of treatment and good to be close to the end. We also stopped all house projects during treatment which was the right decision. Now getting back to them and its good to see work being done. The prices have gone up a lot though with inflation and workers returning to Europe. A lot of it is almost double a few years ago. But now you can get good quality tradespeople who before were permanently booked up. I am glad to be getting our kitchen done but less sure if we sell we would get the money back but at least it makes houses much easier to sell. I found the 3 months after chemo you could get waves of effects hitting (think it was the post chemo, radio and Tamoxifen hitting together) nothing too bad but I wouldn't have rushed back to work. I could swim almost straight away though.

Hi all, hope you’re all doing well. Just wanted to check in on the thread and see how everyone was feeling! @TopOfTheCliff hope you’re having a wonderful holiday. @Silkierabbit very jealous of your new kitchen, sounds lovely. We just had a new gate put on which I am excited about, think a new kitchen would send me over the edge haha.

I am currently slowly recovering from a wound breakdown after APR surgery which has set me back but I have avoided further surgery so far so really hoping that continues. I don’t know if anyone else has struggled with healing but apparently protein is really really important for healing so for those who are due to have surgery make sure they don’t fob you off with the usual hospital rubbish and try and get some additional protein in if possible! I am forcing down protein fortisips but I am pretty sure even protein shakes for sports etc would be useful. The tissue viability nurses keep drumming it into me so I thought I would share in case it is useful to anyone else.

So sorry you're going through this @Brunonononooo . I had a lumpectomy for a very small breast cancer last September, no drain and I didn't rest as I should and developed a large hematoma. The surgeon was happy for me to go ahead with radiotherapy (although the oncologist was not!), so I did and the wound broke open. Took six months of twice weekly visits to the hospital and further surgery to heal - so frustrating!

The good news is that I am now starting to get my life back together, and replan all the cancelled trips.

I was told to take high dose Vit C and multi-vitamins, which I am still doing. Maybe it helped?

Really hope that your extra protein helps and that you recover asap. Being told to rest etc. is not what you want to hear - have to say though, I'm still using it as an excuse not to do the vacuuming!

I’m having a lovely time in Brittany pottering on my ebike and swimming in the Lac de Draennec. Feeling very happy to be active and feet holding out. I have a bonus week off treatment now too. Just fretting about DH out pedalling in the heat still.

@atreus, I've had a really sniffly left nostril, but not watery eyes. You know like when it feels like it wants blowing, but doesn't blow? (Maybe that's just me though 🤣). Hayfever tablets seem a sensible solution to try!

Sounds like you're having a good time @TopOfTheCliff , good to see your feet are behaving themselves!

@FairyWren7 I went for coffee and cakes with friends yesterday too (work colleagues who have been my biggest cheerleaders). The host has a lovely old dog, and another brought her cockapoo 😊

@Silkierabbit very jealous of your new kitchen! We could do with a new one here (I'd hazard a guess this one's from the same time ish as we moved into my dad's current house - so early/mid 90s). It's falling to bits and smells odd in places. No chance the LL will replace though - still trying to get a leak in the bathroom fixed, 7 years on 🙄. Contractors don't tend to listen to female tenants even when their reasoning for where the leak will be found is sound & is literally the only place that hasn't been checked 🤷‍♀️ Because the LL tells them "under the bath", they all look there & come up with...well...no leak. I roll my eyes sooooo bloody hard every time!

@Brunonononooo I hope your recovery continues well!

@ClashCityRocker you may have already updated & I've missed it - how are you getting on?

Not much going on here - been sewing bits for my Hansel and Gretel apron today, finishing off a smaller project, and a half look at my Christmas lists for the girls. They're very short this year & I have warned them there won't be loads to unwrap since going to the Eras Tour is costing a fair bit. I've worked out a reference for each era for my outfit too...just because 🤣 & have a hairbrained idea to crochet a lime green balloon dog in reference to a song, and see if I can get someone to take him travelling to the next show.

@ajandjjmum oh poor you that sounds like you really went through it as well with six months of healing! I am glad to hear you’re getting back on track now. They have warned me maybe 12 weeks of dressings or I might have a vac dressing if the wound is suitable which I think would be weird but apparently speeds up healing a lot. Thanks for the tip about the vitamins I will ask about that as well. Willing to try anything at this point!

@lucysmam the apron is looking amazing!