Cancer Support Thread 96: It’s nearly Christmas - get the sprouts on.

[LemonDrizzle10]

New thread - old one nearly full!

How’re you doing @ememem84 ? Are you managing with the side effects? How’re you doing on the tiredness front?

You're powering through @ememem84 nearly finished! I hope you've not had too many side effects?

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic @BatshitCrazyWoman im doing ok. Bit of an itchy sunburn rash between the boobs but nothing too bad. I’m tired. But not fatigued. I’ve been signed up to an exercise programme with the hospital and have been walking loads. DH and I are here in London so we’ve been doing stuff we wouldn’t do with the dc.

we walked 8km round Kew the other day. Lots of fresh air and walking!

have a massage at the hospital at 10 this morning. Another perk of private patient!

Sounds like you're coping really well @ememem84 . Not a great reason to be in London obviously but I think springtime there is the best season. 8km round Kew is amazing!

I can't wait to get this last chemo done and move on to radiotherapy, I know it's not easy but there's no way it can be as bad as the chemo.

8km round Kew! That's bloody amazing @ememem84 .I'm still struggling to walk further than the end of our lane. I've an appt for a radioactive tracer injection today, and DH is having to come with me as the distance from the carpark to the clinic is further than I can walk on my own.
Surgery tomorrow- a bit nervous but it's another step along the way.

@frostyfingers im doing my absolute best!

I’m 8 weeks post surgery and about 12 weeks post chemo. It was relatively easy! All on the flat and we took our time. We spent all day there and treated ourselves to a rather lovely afternoon tea!

Best of luck with the tracer injection.

I had a massage at the radiotherapy centre. It was NOT the relaxing aromatherapy massage I was expecting. The lady worked out all the knots on my back neck shoulders and glutes!

Ouch! I was going to say enjoy your massage @ememem84 sorry it wasn't relaxing! I hate massages, so I had reflexology when I was having chemo. Oh and a reiki session. Not sure about that but I'd never had reiki before so I thought I'd give it a go as it was free! Well done on the walking.

I had reflexology too whilst going through chemo. Never had it before. Game changer. I honestly believe that it helped me get through it.

home. Flight landed about 15 mins early. Annoyingly on the landing I knocked my headphones off the middle seat and they went scooting off up the plane! Found them though. Phew.

exhausted now. But going out for dinner with the kids. Pizza by the beach. Then bed for everyone.

Hope that the surgery went well @Poledra
I am currently feeling shit from the final docetaxel chemo - my teeth hurt, my hips hurt, everything tastes horrible, and I just feel so tired! Can't wait to get through this and start feeling better.
I made myself feel bad yesterday by reading the wrong forums (first I googled 'when will I feel better after chemo', which led me to other threads, and then eventually to 'how can you tell whether chemo is killing you' - not a helpful topic to read!).
But today has been a lot more positive. And I have even done a little bit of cleaning and tidying which is making me feel like things are going in the right direction. (So much hair to hoover up, so much hair in the plug holes... I'm hoping that soon the shedding will stop!).
I keep worrying about work and how I will get back to it. But I think I can see a path - will need to take things step by step. I'm going to book my 'moving on' course in London (for a few weeks' time) so that I can practice commuting!

Oh yes - and thank you to those who suggested alternative treatments! I did make contact with 'Your Cancer, Your Choices', and they thought that acupuncture, mindfulness and massage could all help, so I think they will book me on to some of these when there is a space. Sounds really good.

Surgery went well, thanks, @breastcancerpanic . My right breast is now considerably higher than my left - she didn't stint on the promised uplift!! DH was a little taken aback when he helped me get my bra back on after a bath today 🙂. The recovery seems to be going OK so far - certainly a damn sight better than chemo. You can recover from things so much better when you can at least eat and drink to help your body to mend. I'm still a big fan of my afternoon nap though.

Glad youve done your last docetaxel - it really is a vicious drug!

I need to tell someone a secret!

my sis literally just told me she’s pregnant. Due November. I’m going to be an auntie!!!!

im literally so happy for them. They’ve had a few struggles with pregnancy. But so so so happy for them!!!!

Ooooh that’s wonderful news @ememem84 ! Thank you so much for sharing. 😀🌼

Lovely news @ememem84 You must be done with your radiotherapy now (or soon)? Another milestone.

So exciting @ememem84 ! Glad your surgery went well @Poledra , I can’t believe it’s 6 months since mine, the scar area is still quite sore which surprises me but I have a check up with the surgeon in a couple of weeks so will find out if that’s normal.

Hope you’re feeling less awful @breastcancerpanic , blood test for me tomorrow with results due Friday - I’ll be amazed if my white blood cell count is high enough, but pleased if it is. The last go was dreadful but I just want to get this one over with. At least I can enjoy this Bank Holiday, might get some gardening done!

Fingers crossed that your bloods are okay @frostyfingers

I have physio today - and for some reason I thought it would be a brilliant idea to treat myself to a beauty treatment afterwards at a place I've been to before, which means having physio in the London Bridge area, then getting on the tube, then walking for 20 minutes, all on the hottest day of the year so far. But it will be nice to do something normal! And I won't be rushing as I've given myself plenty of time.

Lovely news @ememem84 !
@frostyfingers Keeping my fingers crossed for your blood test results, and hope you enjoy the bank holiday weekend!
@BatshitCrazyWoman sounds rather lovely, given that you can wander at your own pace! Hoping you have some nice tree lined avenues to walk down for shade.

Last radiotherapy today!!! Then I’m traipsing from South Kensington to Heathrow. 40 mins on the tube in the heat. Ick. but needs must.

I cannot believe I’ve done all of this. Had a cry yesterday. Because of the amount of shit I’ve been through since august when I got diagnosed. It’s insane.

but. I did it. I got through it.

Well done @ememem84 !! You’ve done it. I remember you from posting after your diagnosis, wondering how the F* you were going to get through. And you’ve done it

I found it quite (very) hard to hear how pleased I must be, how well I’d done/looked and how it was now ALL BEHIND me. And being congratulated, which I found v weird, is there a Hallmark card available?

It was a good year before I felt more like a pre-cancer version of myself, with cancer now in a box, with a lid on it, in the corner of a dusty room in my head. I know it’s there, but I don’t go in very often.

Be kind, gentle and patient with yourself. You’ve been through a rough time, the treatment is a physical assault which takes time to recover from, and as you know all too well, diagnosis and treatment messes with your head too

I’m off to Uzbekistan in a couple of weeks which is a highly symbolic trip. I’m over cancer. I’m going on an adventure.

Hope you have a lovely, relaxing BH weekend Enjoy your family, look forward to being an auntie

AND you got through. You did it!

I found it quite (very) hard to hear how pleased I must be, how well I’d done/looked
This is really interesting @GrannyGoggles . A very lovely friend gave me a lift to a hospital appt yesterday and he was telling me how great I was looking etc. But I look like shit - I have no hair, I'm fat, my skin is rubbish and my fingernails are falling off. I know he means we'll but...

Congrats @ememem84 , I hope you're managing with tiredness etc.

Fingers crossed for bloods @frostyfingers . You're certainly running the marathon version. Glad you've a BH weekend to look forward to - and one that might not be torrential rain for once!

@GrannyGoggles , as ever, I'll take inspiration from you. Uzbekistan sounds incredible. I was saying to DH yesterday that the trips we've been talking about for years need booking or aren't going to happen. He is 70 in 2 years and the insurance will shoot up for him - mine is already further loaded.

Totally get what everyone means about comments meant kindly. They fall badly with me but I guess I'll have to get used to it and to not squishing people with my reposte. I mean to move forward with hope, but feel that it's going to be on my shoulder forever (as the risk for my type recurring is not one that disappears after 5 years).

Enjoy the sunshine, all, if you can.

You got through it, @ememem84 I cried in the changing room after my last radiotherapy session 😳 I was surprised, I'm not really a cry -er and have just stoically plodded through my treatment. I don't really feel celebratory - just exhausted.

@ememem84 That must be the most amazing and weird feeling, to have finished after all the stress and strain - like you I was diagnosed at the end of August last year and am aiming for a mid July finish, taking into account useless white blood cells and other hold ups! I said to myself when I was told that it would be a year which seemed unreal at the time but obviously isn't.

Thank you @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic - never thought I'd do any form of marathon, but you're right this certainly feels like it, how are you getting on? @Poledra I know exactly what you mean about the comments, it's such a tricky one as to be honest I think I would probably have said something similar before I had cancer, and assume I was being encouraging & helpful. Should roles be reversed I will think very hard about what I'm saying!

As ever @GrannyGoggles you hit the right spot with your words, they are very encouraging. Enjoy Uzbekistan, it sounds very adventurous indeed!!

@GrannyGoggles as othrrs have said you’re words have hit the right spot. Thank you.

I have a plan to properly take care of myself. And my further recovery. DH is on hand and is currently meal planning and cupboard auditing. We’ve beeen away for about 3 weeks so ran the cupboards down before we left. The kids stayed with my parents at their place. DH is on a mission to get me eating way better and to help
me in my mission to lose more weight.

I am so so happy to be home. Had a glass of bubbly in the lounge at Heathrow today and then another on the plane. Am so so happy to be in my bed. And to see my kiddos. And to be in my garden.

ive just been outside with the kids. It’s been raining. But we danced in the rain. It’s been super hot here too so a nice evening rain dance was silly and fun and cooling.

@GrannyGoggles insaw an Uzbek restaurant in London yesterday wierdly. In Piccadilly I think. If you’re around the London area maybe try it? I was on the no 9 bus from Charing Cross to Hammersmith and it drove past it!

have an amazing adventure!

And thank you to the rest of you lovely lot for the support and kind words and support. Xxx