Cancer Support Thread 93 - The Thread for the Dread and the Not Yet Dead? Everything you need to know about Cancer but didn’t want to know

[LemonDrizzle10]

Shiny new thread.

[Florsilvestredelcampo]

@LemonDrizzle10 mines a coffee and hot cross bun.
Intro bit! 53 yr old diagnosed with Fallopian tube cancer in 2020. Chemo, surgery and then 18 months of Avastin. 2022 first reoccurance chemo then Niraparib. At the moment CA125 creeping up so I'm awaiting a scan to determine next steps.
Thanks for the new thread x

[LemonDrizzle10]

Hot cross bun for the win! Good choice @Florsilvestredelcampo

[TopOfTheCliff]

Thanks @LemonDrizzle10
Can I have a cup of tea with the last of the Victoria Sponge in the cake tin?

I am 63 and indestructible!
First cancer was triple positive BC in June 2020, qualified me for six sorts of treatment including chemotherapy surgery radiotherapy immunotherapy hormone blockers and Zolendronic acid infusions. Dislocated my ankle during chemotherapy but fought back to fitness by 2022.
Cancer no 2 was triple negative BC on the other side in August 2022. Chemotherapy surgery and radiotherapy then six months oral chemotherapy “just in case”. No cancer gene mutations, I am just unlucky!
Now recovering from planned hip replacement which has been a great success so far. Most useful tools have been yoga, mindfulness and exercise. Also I have a fab DH who feeds me and makes me laugh.

Today I went and inspected the Leisure Club at a hotel up the road. (Woo I can drive again!) It is cheap but a bit run down. There is a nice swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna and a scruffy gym. I think it will fit the bill for six months and there are fabulous views and a coffee shop in the hotel. I’m going to join on Monday I think.

[Icanneverthinkofausername]

Really silly question, what did everyone do about eyebrows when they fell out? I've already started chemo so too late for microblading, I'm useless at make up so not sure doing it myself is an option. Has anyone tried those transfers or stamps? Or can I go get a lesson somewhere?

[LemonDrizzle10]

@Icanneverthinkofausername a local makeup lady says she teaches people to use stencils for eyebrows.
I’m absolutely shite at applying makeup.

[TopOfTheCliff]

@Icanneverthinkofausername I am useless at makeup but I bought a Benefits brow kit and practised using the leaflet/ stencils. I enjoyed trying out different styles with a brow pencil. Ming the Merciless was one of my favourites. The town I live in is famous for the extreme brow and lash efforts of the permatanned youngsters so nobody turns a hair.

[Lostmymind11]

35yr old single mum to a 5yr old. Diagnosed sarcoma in 2022 on my colon. Had a bowel resection to remove it, no treatment needed. All clear until yesterday when i found out it was back but this time in my liver. Waiting to have an MRI and PET to determine if i can have surgery or not

[KentishMama]

Fantastic thread title, @LemonDrizzle10 !

Intro:
August 2020, aged 39: grade 2 stage 3 ER+ PR+ HER2- IDC breast cancer with 5 affected lymph nodes. Lumpectomy, level 1 node clearance, dose dense EC + Paclitaxel chemo, 15 rounds of radiotherapy. Now Zoladex + Exemestane.
December 2023, aged 42: grade 2 skull base chondrosarcoma. Endoscopic endonasal resection + 2 more big surgeries to fix a cerebro-spinal fluid leak with fat and fascia lata grafts. Sepsis, and a bunch of other complications.
No known genetic link between the two cancers, just shit luck!

[KentishMama]

Ok, I'm kind of depressed typing out that intro.

To cheer you all up, let me tell you how well my return to health eating is going: I fasted till 11am (trying to get back to intermittent fasting), then had the hugest veggie breakfast/brunch at Bill's. Promised myself to only eat fruit the rest of the day... But I just shared a not-very-small cheese and grapes snacky dinner with DS and then... ate half a tub of Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup.

Tomorrow is another day, right?!

[Whatevershallidowithmylife]

July 2017 rectal cancer,28 rounds of radiotherapy and chemotherapy pills. May 2022 rectal cancer returns- ileostomy. May 2023 cancer shows up groin lymph node- surgery proposed but cancelled due to pet scan showing spread in pelvic area. On immunotherapy Novilumab - 2 sessions so far.

[Whatevershallidowithmylife]

@Icanneverthinkofausername I used the transfers - bought off ebay - quite impressed!

[SewingBees]

I'm having banana bread thanks to this afternoon's baking efforts.

I'm 51, live in a beautiful part of Northumberland with my 7 year old daughter, husband and 2 dogs.

Breast cancer first diagnosed 2021, had lumpectomy, chemo and radiotherapy and a good prognosis. Hair has grown back mega curly and I can't be arsed to dye it anymore so it's fairly grey. I like to think it's chic but it's probably just shit.

Mets to the spine found in November 2023 after I suffered spinal collapse. Thought it was a slipped disk, but no, the cancer was back. Major operation to insert rods and pins and I now have perfect posture but can't walk very far yet. Now one month in to taking Ribociclib, Letrozole and Denosumab for as long as they keep working. No idea on prognosis, should have a better idea in a few months.

[SewingBees]

@Icanneverthinkofausername My sister bought me a lovely Charlotte Tilbury eyebrow pencil and we had a right laugh trying to draw in something that looked symmetrical and vaguely realistic. It did make a big difference to my appearance once I got it right. I still use it on the very infrequent days I wear make up, because they never really grew back fully.

[Pacifybull]

March ‘20, pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ - lumpectomy. September ‘21, invasive multifocal pleomorphic lobular cancer, same breast - lumpectomy, followed by mastectomy. No rads or chemo. ER+. I take Letrozole. Nothing else.

[EachandEveryone]

56 year old Im a nurse in North London. Had a lump in my groin lymph node after having covid and thought it was just from that. Had loads of tests and scans once the biopsy showed scc in two lymph nodes. Alas no primary found despite three monthly scans. Started chemo January 2023 then had radio. Went back to work three shifts a week 10-1800 and have applied for partial retirement. Appointment last week showed a good response but i have bilateral adenopathy I dont really know what that means but dr is hoping its just inflamation from Radiotherapy.

i still think its happening to someone else.

[demivolte]

Hi all, I'm 41, diagnosed last autumn with stage 1 grade 3 hormone negative her2 positive breast cancer. Have just finished 6 rounds of chemo (docetaxel, carboplatin and phesgo) and am having a mastectomy next month.

I veer between feeling really lucky it's been caught/treated early and upset that it happened in the first place.

On the subject of eyebrows, I made it almost to the end of chemo before they decided to fall out. Some days I don't bother with make up, on the days I do I've been drawing them on with a brow pencil and hoping for the best.

[TwigTheWonderKid]

Excellent thread title and good to see you @LemonDrizzle10 !

Mine's a large dry sherry (been watching too much Miss Marple again!) and some olives please.

I'm 54, live just beyond Wimbledon with my husband and 2 boys aged 15 and 18 (older one at uni) and cat. I work for a charity.

I had breast cancer in 2022. 5 months hormone therapy to shrink the lump then lumpectomy with 2 lymph nodes removed, 1 cancerous, 1 not. 15 sessions of radiotherapy no chemo. All good.

Then diagnosed last summer with a completely unrelated and incredibly rare cancer which started in my appendix and has spread to my colon, bowel, ovaries and peritoneum (abdominal lining) Therefore stage 4 and not a good prognosis. Have just had 8 rounds of CAPOX (Oxaliplatin infusion and Capecitabine oral chemo) which has shrunk some tumours, in the hope I would be suitable for a very, big surgery but have been turned for that so currently off any treatment and waiting for next scan in April.

[thesandwich]

Hello all- thank you for the new thread. 64, diagnosed aug 21 with grade2 stage 2 er+pr+. Lumpectomy, chemo, radio and drugs.
plans for recovery impacted by dm’s failing health and passing last year- plus all that brought.
trying now to improve fitness and find a very new normal. Plus ways to use my brain ! Anyone for a chocolate colin?
@Icanneverthinkofausername have you looked up look good feel better workshops- in person and on line. Brilliant free sessions with lots of tips and lovely goodies! Also Boots have Macmillan trained beauty staff.

[Icanneverthinkofausername]

@thesandwich

Hello all- thank you for the new thread. 64, diagnosed aug 21 with grade2 stage 2 er+pr+. Lumpectomy, chemo, radio and drugs.
plans for recovery impacted by dm’s failing health and passing last year- plus all that brought.
trying now to improve fitness and find a very new normal. Plus ways to use my brain ! Anyone for a chocolate colin?
@Icanneverthinkofausername have you looked up look good feel better workshops- in person and on line. Brilliant free sessions with lots of tips and lovely goodies! Also Boots have Macmillan trained beauty staff.

Ooh I'd not heard of those feel good sessions but there's one really close to me very soon. Off to ask the mother-in-law for a babysitting favour.

[Catunderling]

Hi all, I'm 37, brain tumour grade 3 astrocytoma. Surgery has apparently removed all active tissue and I'm referred for radiotherapy. My neurologist and surgeon were expecting low grade so obviously it could be worse and I'm glad surgery has gone well but's a bit of a surprise.

I don't want to get into life expectancy and prognosis at least yet. I hope it isn't insensitive but can I ask how these things are managed by the oncologist once it's known what they're dealing with? As in will they just come out with it?

[SewingBees]

@Catunderling I've been asked by oncologists if I wanted to know prognosis, but I've also had them just tell me. If you don't want to know I think it would be wise to say so up front when you have an appointment.

[Catunderling]

Thanks! Really good call. I can always ask later on.

[Shityshitybangbang]

Hi I’m 51 years old, with a 13 and 11 year old.
Diagnosed in August last year with colon cancer, cancer all removed. Nothing spread. Chemotherapy for three months due to unwanted cells. All positive.
After a routine scan on my discharge from hospital, something was flagged up with thyroid. Sent for a thyroid uptake in Halloween. 4 days before Xmas phone call to say there was a mass on chest. So monitoring it just now to see if it’s grown since Halloween. If it has, I’ll need to get it out. The consultants don’t know what it is, they think it’s been there for a long long time. Will explain my upper back pain Iv had for a years.
sorry i keep telling my story, it’s good to get it out as im so scared.

[Shityshitybangbang]

The oncologist and consultant says this isn’t a new thing and been there for a long long time. But I these tumours are very slow growing.

[TwigTheWonderKid]

Hi @Catunderling when I was initially diagnosed when asked I was given a prognosis for if I had no treatment. Since then I've had 8 rounds of chemo but have been turned down for potentially life extending surgery so am I now on wait and watch with my next scan in April. So I guess I should ask now but part of me doesn't want to know...I also think there are so many variables that they don't always know and can be reluctant to tell you in case they are wrong.