Cancer support thread 91 - don’t borrow tomorrow’s worries

[LemonDrizzle10]

New thread

@Tilllly I kept being bombarded with adverts for Highborn which is a natural range of skin serums produced by a lady who had Breast Cancer and started up the company afterwards. I cracked and bought some half price . It is quite expensive but really luxurious. I feel very special. Ironically my hair and skin are great and making me look much younger while my joints make me feel about 85.
I had a lovely yoga session today. I haven’t done much else but I am Very chilled.

It makes me happy to see so many "fuck it" moments going on here 😊

I am trying to talk myself into a new Christmas tree atm...it would make me happy but...well...£150 on an artificial tree??

No annoyances here today - I learned about music in literacy, and me and my bud can ping pong on the piano as we want to (what shall I kidnap dd1's keyboard to learn first 🤔🤣) And he is responding to simple requests without a meltdown/me stood over the top of him! And he sat unsupervised for a while, while I pottered about the room! I'm well chuffed with this, and celebrated with 2 of my five a day (also had a sensible salad for tea, banana, pumpkin muffin, and watermelon!) 🍷🍷.

@Tilllly I vote puppy! And lots of pics too 📸

@lucysmam I would never give up my real tree even though DH has a fir tree allergy. We go together to the Christmas tree farm for hot chocolate and see the reindeer and choose our tree. It is one of our favourite traditions. I love the smell and the look and everything!

@lucysmam I'm pro-artificial tree as long as it's great quality (but vehemently anti-fake lawns, just for the record). And get some new baubles, too, I just ordered some from La Redoute that are really beautiful.

I'm taking the retail therapy extremely seriously.

Also I'll start putting up Christmas decorations this weekend. They need to go up early so I can enjoy them before my surgery, right?!

@weegiemum I get my liver biopsy results on 7th December so we can count down together.

@Tilllly yes you deserve a puppy! I would have been lost without my cats this year, they bring so much comfort. And of course everyone here deserves everything they want!

@KentishMama they certainly do need to go up nice and early so you can enjoy them before surgery!

We've had the same artificial tree since just before dd2 was born (literally about 3 weeks before!) & it's starting to fall apart a bit, plus it's flocking came off long ago. I feel bad for thinking about it though & apologise to the tree as we put it away, every bloody year 🙈

@TopOfTheCliff that sounds wonderful 😊 Unfortunately, I don't drive, so things like that aren't really do-able (unless I could bring a tree home on the bus 🤔).

My results are back. Grade 3 IDC. Still waiting to see if I’m HER2 positive but negative everywhere else.

Staging next.

Now the wait of hoping it hasnt spread

My oncologist said I needed 5 days of radiotherapy over a week but I may have to wait 6-8 weeks for it as they are so busy. 14 weeks later I was given my 5 dates.
Day 1. They couldn't position me correctly so I couldn't have it.
Day 2. They couldn't position me correctly and I couldn't inhale enough air so I had to start from scratch and have another CT scan.
Day 3. I got as far as the hospital car park when they phoned and cancelled my appointment.
Day 4. Hurrah! Had my 1st radiotherapy
Day 5. Hurrah! Had my 2nd radiotherapy
Day 6. Appointment was cancelled
Day 7. Hurrah! Had my 3rd radiotherapy
Day 8 & 9. Weekend so department closed
Hoping to get this over with as soon as possible. It's bad enough having the damn cancer without dragging it out for so long! Rant over.

Uff that would do my head in @1Strawberrycat !

We've done almost all of the pre-Christmas BIG CLEAN downstairs today. House looks so much better for it & we chucked a lot to say I only did the kitchen fairly recently! I'm relaxing with a large wine now and hoping the tree I want is on sale/maybe reduced at The Range tomorrow 🤞

Main presents for both also sorted, I've got a basket of stocking fillers to check out, and made plans to meet dd1 in town on Monday for the rest.

A productive, and pleasing, day here 😊 The girls' dad commented that I seemed happy too 🤣 We're cleaning ready for ALL the sparkly things, course I am!

I should add; I am good at secretly buying with the girls stood on top of me - their nanna always used to pull faces when I bought things with either of them in tow but they genuinely have no idea until I produce a "mum bag" at home 🤣

@Liaaaa sorry to hear of your diagnosis but you are in good hands. They know how to treat this cancer and you will be okay! Hope the wait isn’t too long to hear the plan. It will be much easier once you know that. Meanwhile rant away on here. We understand!

Hi there. Please can I join? I got my confirmed cervical cancer diagnosis on Friday. I’ve got a CT scan booked for Tuesday but they can’t get me in for an MRI until 13th December but I did get put on a cancellation list. After that, I find out whether I can have a hysterectomy or if I need radiotherapy/chemotherapy.

It’s been a pretty emotionally draining 36hrs telling family/friends. Keeping quiet from the DC for now though, they are 12 and 10. Once I know the treatment plan then I’ll work out what to tell them.

I was sort of expecting the diagnosis from what they said at the colposcopy but it still feels like a huge shock.

Sending best wishes to all going through similar, and to those further down the line.

Hi @Yorkshiregold - sorry you're here. This thread is great for support. I think there are others here with cervical cancer, I I was originally diagnosed with endometrial and then a tiny spot of ovarian was found when I went for a second opinion. I had a total hysterectomy, so my cervix was removed along with everything else done laparoscopically, recovery was about three weeks off work, and actually I feel as though I've got off pretty lightly compared to the surgery other people I've had for other types of cancers. I had chemo afterwards. We all share the experiences though of having to tell family and friends and coping with the day-to-day stuff and people's reactions, so there's plenty of opportunity to get advice, and let off steam! You might have already read in other peoples posts that this initial bit of diagnosis and making treatment plans is one of the worst times psychologically, once you know what you're doing, you can throw yourself into that and get on with it.

@Yorkshiregold I'm a year out of CC treatment so give me a shout if you've got any questions.

The waiting for a treatment plan really is the worst

@Yorkshiregold sorry you're here. Hope that you manage to get a cancellation. Agree that its really hard telling people, although mine was bc, I've just had a lumpectomy a couple of weeks ago. Like you I didn't tell my kids until I had a treatment plan. The waiting is so hard though, sending hugs.

@Liaaaa @Yorkshiregold sorry you're here but welcome to the most supportive thread. Waiting and not knowing is awful. Hopefully you will have a plan soon and a swift start to treatment.

Write down any questions you have before each appointment and do not feel rushed out before you've asked them. (At my last appointment I felt like the consultant was multitasking. He injected a dye and was supposed to call me back in after 15 minutes to check how far it had travelled in that time (relevant to assessing lymphedema), but basically lost track of time and did not call me back in until 45 minutes later. When I came back in the room he clearly had scans up of someone else on his computer). Consultants are pressed for time and may rush you, forget to mention something or try to do multiple things at once. So, remember to keep ttack of your plan once you have one and to advocate for yourself. You will be in good, well-intentioned and highly expert hands. But, I recommend checking everything (letters, etc.) and asking all the questions you may have.

I thought I would pop back and update.
I'm grade 2, stage 2, as it's spread to three lymph nodes. Not sure of technical term but all hormone responsive, slower growing (which they said they were surprised at given my age, I was told to prepare for it to be aggressive).
I can have an op to remove it without needing a masectomy, then chemo and radio to "mop up" as they described it.
I still feel very up and down but so relieved to know and between still feeling a bit scared, so very grateful as I was expecting so much worse.

Thinking of everyone else who has had news this week. It is such a shit club to be a part of but so reassuring that there are others going through it too. We're not alone.

A big hug to you @Yorkshiregold
This is the worst bit, tests and waiting

I'd prefer you not to be here, but if you have to be, this lot have kept me safe and sane, and we are all here for you

That's a good outcome @youdontneedtopoo

It's crap but on the crapness scale, good

So you'll soon have dates and plans, and you can keep busy in between

I've caved and started on the oramorph

So fed up of being uncomfortable and non stop coughing

Really wanted to avoid it, because I am a bit scared of the side-effects or getting addicted

Apparently, some people hallucinate, I was holding out for George Clooney bringing puppies

Hi everyone, I'm back 🙄. I've been keeping track with this thread but didn't feel the need to post after my BC lumpectomy, chemo, and radiotherapy finished nearly two years ago. But this week my worsening back pain got so bad my GP sent me to A&E and I have a tumour in a vertebra which is collapsing under the strain. Now waiting for a referral to a specialist spinal oncologist at the RVI in Newcastle and after starting to feel quite positive I'm now back at square one with uncertainty and fear. Ugh.

@Tilllly I've been on oramorph all week. No George Clooney and I have a puppy at home, but I did get pretty constipated. Am now celebrating the small victory of passing a small brick hard poo - high jinx for a Sunday night eh?

Oh @SewingBees I am sorry you had to rejoin us. I remember you as I was finishing treatment for BC no 1 when you joined before. I’m just through treatment for BC no 2 so I can totally relate to your horror at being dragged unwillingly back to cancerland. On the plus side you still have lots of treatment options to control this bastard spinal tumour. Have a free session in our virtual Rage Room if it helps. It’s bloody unfair and you are entitled to be upset. How long will you have to wait to see Dr SpinyOnc?

Thanks Top, you were an inspiration when I was going through this the first time, keeping us entertained with your sailing and cycling stories and generally making us all feel like there was an end in sight. I'm so sorry that you're also back in Shitty Cancerland.

Appointment should be within two weeks so not too long to wait. But I know nothing about metastases so don't know whether to be seriously worried that this is the start of the end or not. Doing my best not to catastrophise.

@youdontneedtopoo at least now you know what’s going to happen. Have they given you a timescale? If the op is before Christmas then you will be recovering over Xmas before chemo which is a bonus rather than plunging straight into chemo like I did,

I am pondering whether to push for my mammogram before Xmas and my hip replacement or leave it till afterwards which will be mid February at the earliest. It occurred to me that if disaster struck and it was abnormal it would bugger up my hip op so maybe best left for now even though I really want it sooner for reassurance. I’m seeing my oncologist this week so am planning what I want to discuss. Tumour markers and when to resume exemestane are on the list. I also want to make sure they don’t go telling people Capecitabine is an easy ride because it really is hard work!

Generally I am feeling the benefit of all the yoga sessions. Very chilled and positive and looking forward to recovery. I recommend it to you all. Om mata Kali!