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

[LemonDrizzle10]

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Oh and you MUST eat. Your body needs protein. If you've no appetite, can you try some homemade soup? You could do a big batch and freeze portions
Chicken noodle, tomato?
BBC Good food has some nice easy recipes
And MacMillan have a cancer cookbook for when your appetite is poor

be.macmillan.org.uk/Downloads/CancerInformation/LivingWithAndAfterCancer/MAC11688RecipesE0520150202.pdf

@Tilllly Thank you - yes they’re always your baby - it’s a relief he’s OK as last time this happened they were really worried about his heart. I think a list will help me to stop feeling so overwhelmed. It has before but sometimes you can’t remember what you normally do to help. I’m glad your feeling better and hope you continue to. Hope you get some sleep tonight too.

Get that list done

So satisfying when you're crossing things off, even as you add 3 more

I hope so 😴 I'm getting about 5 hrs at the moment

If anyone is awake can you help me not go on a drug-induced shopping spree! 😂

Surgery was today and I now have a bionic back. I'm pain free at the moment but high as a kite. I was utterly stoned all afternoon and enjoyed it in a weird way. Not so bad now but still a liability I'm sure 😂😂😂

So I've had a delightful evening in A&E. My oncologist was concerned about my blood pressure so told me to go to the GP. Saw ANP this afternoon who said it was so high I had to go to A&E.

First nurse didn't know how to take blood from my PICC line. Second one did but was unable to put the dressing on the end of the lumen.

Then after 5 hours I saw a doctor who rather worryingly took a lot of convincing that she couldn't put a blood pressure cuff above my PICC line or on my other arm that has had lymph nodes removed.

Then she told me she had no idea why I'd been sent to A&E.

So that was good...

Well done @SewingBees

I can't help on the shopping. I have terrible 3am sprees after my chemo infusions.

It's always fun to see what turns up!

Arrgh Twig what a nightmare :( Did BP go down and did you get home ok?

@TwigTheWonderKid How utterly frustrating. Are you home now? Did they actually do anything in the end or was it a complete waste of time?

I'm tempted to look for something for my husband. If I buy something utterly random and tell him why he'll be highly amused. He's been an absolute rock, which given that we're in the process of separating is a testament to the amazing person he is.

Yes, so she reluctantly prescribed me some medication which she said the GP should have given me, (despite the GP telling me they couldn't) then she dumped me in a tiny space in Majors to wait for the meds with 10 sick people none of whom were wearing masks, despite all the nursing staff having gone to great lengths to isolate me all evening. So I had to speak up and tell the new nurse I wasn't comfortable and she was then cross with the doctor for having left me there.

And I have to go back today to get more meds coz the pharmacy had run out... yay!

@TopOfTheCliff if you are around can I please ask your advice? The ANP and (useless) hospital doctor I saw yesterday told me I need to buy a home blood pressure monitor. I can only have a cuff on my lower arm below PICC line or ankle. Could I there get one of these wrist ones or am I better off getting a normal one?

Hi @TwigTheWonderKid and sorry for the ridiculous muddle you in. The wristband machines seem a bit unreliable to me as they give wildly varying results. The cuff one is more versatile and you could use it on your ankle more easily. Take the pressure at least three times as it will be higher first time for some reason. You are aiming for a result below 150/90

Thank you @TopOfTheCliff that is the most useful, reliable, reassuring and succinct information I have had from a medical professional in the last 24 hours!

So would you recommend ankle readings rather than lower arm? They do it in my lower arm on the chemo unit.

Sitting here really nervous, I have my results from my lumpectomy appointment this afternoon and I'm frankly terrified. This has been so awful with all the appointments and procedures (I've had 4 biopsies with this plus the operation) and they're still saying malignancy is "possible", but I should get the answer one way or another this afternoon! Not coping very well.

@TwigTheWonderKid Sorry you had such a rubbish experience. Hope your blood pressure settles.
@weegiemum This really is the worst bit. Soon you will have answers and knowing is a much better place to be. Make sure you take a notebook to write things down as you won’t remember everything. Will be thinking of you this afternoon.

I know that once I have a plan I should be fine, it's been the "2weeks" that's finally got to me today, every time I see a doctor I get told "we'll see you again in 2 weeks" and this has been going on since the start of October I think so I'm getting pretty fed up of it now!!

Luckily dh is coming with me, I need a bit of help with my wheelchair (totally not cancer related separate condition) and he's also a GP so can ask any questions I don't think about.

Going to try to eat some lunch!

Yes - the waiting, waiting, waiting is awful and you must feel stuck in the initial two weeks for months now. I’m glad you’ve got your dh with you - I found it helped to not be alone. Maybe write down any questions you have - it can help you to feel a bit more in control. Take care x

@weegiemum making an assumption but are you Glasgow? I'm on the see you I 2 weeks stage since October waiting on surgery.

@Whatevershallidowithmylife yep, I'm in Glasgow!!

Well, it’s worse than it might have been but also better! I do have breast cancer but they’re pretty sure they got it all. I’ve got an appointment with the oncologist on Tuesday to discuss radiotherapy. I’m feeling a bit stressed out now but it’s good to know one way or another and we can go forward now towards getting better! Thanks for all your support, it means a lot xx

@weegiemum I’m sorry it is cancer but glad that you now have a plan and have an appointment soon, after all the uncertainty you’ve suffered. I’m in the middle of radiotherapy at the moment and it’s been OK. Hope it goes as well for you too.

@Tilllly I’ve made that list and feeling better for it! Thank you for your kindness. Hope you’re OK today.

Sorry about your update but at least you know what you dealing with now. I had 28 sessions of radiotherapy at the Beatsons in 2017 - the staff there are all lovely. I'm technically Forth Valley but ended up Glasgow Royal for surgery (still waiting on a date). Not breast cancer for me - rectal cancer. Loads of help and advice on here. Ask anything and everything x

Hello all! I'm (finally) all caught up with the thread. Sorry some of you are having a rough time 💐

@Tilllly I hope you had a good night's sleep 💤

@weegiemum I'm glad to see they've hopefully got it all, and that you have a plan.

@TwigTheWonderKid sometimes I wonder if these qualified professionals are actually in the right job 🤔 I mean in a "did they skip that day to head to the pub?" kind of way 🤷‍♀️

@TopOfTheCliff I did not know that about taking bp three times - they only ever do mine once & then moan it's too high. The only person who's ever requested it be done several times was the oncology reg who I've never seen since that day.

I'm no further forward with anything 🙄 but I have had a prod & poke of the lump in my right breast (as you do) & it feels different - no longer rock solic lump, rather it's now like a hard piece of plastic if you sort of pinch it (I hope that makes some sort of sense!) so presumably the Abemaciclib/Letrozole/Goserellin cocktail is doing something.

Do any of you have any suggestions for lack of sleep? Literally the only side effect I have seems to be insomnia - presumably hormone related. It's making me a bit crabby 🙈

Oh, almost forgot - Dr "Denies" has written to rephrase his letter that wound me up. Only taken how many weeks 🙄

Anyway, how's everyone's Christmas plans shaping up? I've bought a comedy large tree 🤣 It looked smaller in The Range <oops> but is actually about 7ft tall plus topper! Shopping's almost done here - just a few bits to pick up at the weekend & dd1 wants to go to town for something for dd2 on Monday, after work and college, but I've just had an email about a meeting regarding my 1:1 on Monday (or Maybe Tuesday - she's written Monday 12th in the email) so may need to change plans.

Hi everyone
Glad to find this thread.
Just had my 2nd chemo for breast cancer and despite the cold cap I now look like Uncle Faustus from The Addam's Family.
I swear I have poached eggs under my eyes.
I do not look my best.
Did anyone else find that their hair hurt when it came out or is it just me being odd?
Wishing you all luck and hugs for ongoing ops and treatments.