Cancer Support Thread 92 - Christmas Happy Hour at the Patience Inn 7pm tonight 🎄

[LemonDrizzle10]

Old thread nearly full!

Happy Christmas everyone. Thank you for all your support this year. Loving the cats and rabbits - so cute. Choco can’t resist a container - always makes me smile! Won’t wear a Christmas hat though…..

Morning all!

I hope you all have a lovely day, whatever form that takes...I'm just waiting for dd1 to vanish so I can get out three forgotten presents 🙈 oops!

Chemo pup in her new coat.

Merry Christmas to everyone on here, sorry to those it's a difficult time for. Here is Floof in his hamper.

Merry Christmas Floof 🐱

My 3 are over excited with new toys and treats
And smell of the turkey!!

I was reflecting on some really nice gifts from DH but it's dawned on me, these are things I've suggested over the year 🤣
But since I've forgotten my suggestions, still a win 🤣🎅🏼

Thanks Tillly Your DH did better than mine. Came on 23rd and said he didn't know what to get me so I suggested an item and ordered it myself. He did pay and collect it but wrapped it at around 1.30pm today. 🤔Still at least I have what I wanted. His aunt also gave us money for him to buy things for us and I chose all those too. He is cooking Christmas dinner though and generally lovely.

I’ve just been reading the “Hands up if you’ve had a shit Christmas” thread and it makes me grateful. I may have had a horrible year but compared with last Christmas when we had Covid and I was bald and fat this year has been wonderful. I have hair and enough energy to cook and serve the Christmas Dinner and I quite enjoy washing up too. The DC and their partners from three continents have all got on beautifully and made me laugh a lot. One pair are very loved up and keep sneaking off together which has been hilarious. Not a cross word in the house!
The DC have given me the paddleboard I asked for which is a great motivator for 2024. Tomorrow I will see my extended family which will be lovely. There are worse things to endure than a course of cancer treatment. Unkindness, meanness, loneliness and far worse on that thread above.

Good morning everyone 😊🤗🎄🎁🧑‍🎄

Are we all bright eyed and bushy tailed?

I'm in bed drinking mint tea, am going to shower and try a brisk walk - the dulcolax has not helped... I'm v uncomfortable and look pregnant 😂

Good morning @Tilllly

I have the almost opposite problem. A week into my Capecitabine always has an "interesting" effect on my digestive system. Going to the loo is my hobby this week.

Hope the meds and walk get things moving for you.

Think I'm going to hunker down on the sofa and catch up on Call the Midwife with MiL this morning.

Not sure which is worse @TwigTheWonderKid !

I was given something for diahorrhea (sp) but the morphine has made sure I don't need it!

Morning @Tilllly ! Bright eyed and bushy tailed here. I've been looking at some of my new books & making notes for next year, with a cuppa, in my kitchen spot 😊 . I've even got the washer going with dd2's bedding since she put new straight on it yesterday! I hope your walk helps 🤞

@TopOfTheCliff you're right - I had a brief read of the start of that thread yesterday. It sounds like you're all thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

I'm just about to take my seven million tablets for the day & make a coffee. Then I'll consider the washing up & decide what to do with the day - crochet, or paint, or more of my new books?! 🤔 oooh or bath with my new bath pillow? Might save that for a day when I won't be hurried along though - we're off to Panto tonight & the girls will both want to shower early.

Have a good day all x

I'm tired just reading that @lucysmam 😂😂

🤣 I'm not the best at sitting still & doing nothing much 🙈

How was the Panto @lucysmam?
DD and I went to see Peter Pan today: it was good but nothing will ever beat the Panto with Brian Connolly a few years ago - I was laughing so much I cried!

@LemonDrizzle10 we've just got home now. It was the best one they've done (imo) for a few years but nothing beats last year's audience participation song where me and dd1 were the only ones in our section singing and dancing 🤣 We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

hope everyone had a nice Christmas, I had a really nice day but woken up to lots of rain this morning- hopefully it’ll turn to snow!! I’m waiting on immunotherapy plan for groin lymph node cancer - they were going to operate but have decided not to but not sure why. Anyway they are sending me for a mri of my head/brain but no one seems to be able to tell me why - anyone know what the reason might be?

At hospital

Chest infection no eleventy billion
Still constipated but they've given me something now - movicol?
My tummy hurts more than my chest!

Oh... and suppositories

They're kidding... the size of them

Am clenching!!

Oh @Tilllly you poor thing, sadly I am an expert in constipation. The movicol will work but you might need to take a few doses and wait a day or so. The suppositories are more instant though so you should be feeling a lot more comfortable soon, I hope so, constipation is so painful. I know what you mean about the size though!

That's useful to know @Fantasea thank you

I assume it's the morphine causing it, tho don't understand why the morphine isn't blocking the pain of it

I've been astonished at how uncomfortable I am and how bloated - it was dungarees or nothing today - it's horribly painful and makes me feel generally yuck

I feel pathetic moaning about it, heartburn, nausea - but these are the things that are felling me, not the chemo / immuno, the minor irritations

I don't think I help myself- I try to sort it, get over the counter stuff, put up with it. And so far, none of that has worked! And pharmacists are really strict, mine sold me dulcolease but wouldn't give me anything else!

Right, I'm doing it.

Am big strong brave woman
I can do this

<<<clenches>>>

Sending you ... er ... softening vibes, @Tilllly ! Hope the medication works its magic.

I'm planning prison break #2. The lumbar drain is currently clamped, the packing has been removed from my nose 6 hours ago, and nothing is leaking. White Blood count us back in range. Antibiotics are being discontinued.... If I can manage an uneventful night, they will take out the drain and let me go home tomorrow!

@Tilllly it is likely to be the morphine causing the constipation and interestingly, it doesn't stop the wind pains for me either. The pain is due to trapped wind and it's horrendous, the worst pain after my surgery. I've got Laxido (which is Movicol under a different name) and lactulose syrup on a repeat prescription. Both absorb water into the bowel so make the stool softer, they don't make you want to go like a suppository does. It might be an idea to take the Movicol regularly as long as you are on the morphine as the problem will persist otherwise. I have taken lactulose most days with the addition of Laxido when there is more of a severe blockage for nearly 3 years now due to being on constant chemo. It sounds like such a minor ailment but I have cried with the pain.

@KentishMama hoping you will be able to go home tomorrow!

Thank you, @Fantasea !