The Great Recovery part 4

[TopOfTheCliff]

Time for a new thread. Welcome aboard!

You may have finished active treatment for cancer, be in remission or NED. You want to look forward not dwell on the past. You know you ought to be eating well, exercising more and picking up the threads of your old life. Join us and share the ups and downs of recovery. We understand!
Here are some resources we found helpful:
The Mountain Lion
https://www.cancerpal.co.uk/post/what-it-s-really-like-to-receive-a-cancer-diagnosis
Peter Harvey on Psychology of recovery:
https://workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf
Resources from Penny Brohn:
https://pennybrohn.org.uk/our-approach/resources/
Breast Cancer Now Moving Forward:
https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/support-you/moving-forward
Get your Oomph Back with Carolyn Garritt
http://www.oomph.london/home.html
Charity providing treats for cancer patients:
https://somethingtolookforwardto.org.uk/
Exercise is good for you:
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/exercise-cancer-patients
Any more suggestions? Post them below
There is also a thread for those suspected to have cancer, or newly diagnosed and facing treatment, and also a thread for those with Stage IV cancer who want to talk to others in the same boat.

Don’t worry @Littlecaf I have actually enjoyed AIBU and found it helpful. The weirdos don’t bother me, and I don’t mind hearing a different opinion. Once in a previous life somebody stalked me on MN and identified me and threatened to expose me. That was very unsettling! And my ex husband did a weird reverse during our split up when he posed as a wronged wife and got lots of sympathy. I haven’t posted anything about cancer that I wouldn’t stand by if it was in the papers.
Yesterday I was out with Cake Lady and she was being really friendly. I think inviting her to my party has helped our relationship! This is just as well as we are part of a group trip next week. I think I am fit enough to keep up now.
Your MRI trip should be interesting. Knowledge is power, remember!

I am going to spend this wet day removing the last of the books from PILs house. Also I am seeing the dentist which is lucky as I only have half a tooth now. This was the expensive one that had the root canal filling so luckily it doesn’t hurt. More expense to come! Life keeps moving on and it isn’t boring.

@TopOfTheCliff pleased that you found AIBU entertaining! And pleased you have made up with cake lady. I once identified a good friend by accident on here, and found out through looking at her posts she’d had a fourth son without anyone knowing! Who’d had thought it. Not like she made it the fourth one up or anything!

I got triggered at my hospital blood test this morning. Had to repeat to myself the whole drive there “you’re not going for chemo you’re not going for chemo”. Cried on the nurse. Nearly cried on the nurse this pm too who did my Zoladex. Anyway, DS has football training tonight. Always a great leveller, standing in the rain in a muddy park is usually guaranteed to take your mind off whatever is going on in my life!

hi!

i didnt read the AIBU - but who cuts someone else's birthday cake? (unless you're the parent of the birthday kid....)

i get a nice bit of PTSD when i go to oncology now for my zoladex injections. i was worse the second time - because the first tine i looked at the needle. that thing is bloody HUGE (and i don't have any needle issues!)

trying very hard to regulate my diet to see if this helps with the tummy issues on the abemaciclib and letrozole.

also went for my first therapy session today. just an intro session really - getting to know the therapist- she seems nice. straight talking, a bit sweaty. i think we'll get on well.

i told her about all my medical "adventures" over the last year and she said "oooophhh fuuuuuuuuck [my name] you've been through it a bit huh]

Day 2 of bathroom project completed and they are back in 7.30am tomorrow. Currently everything is out of the bathroom upstairs but things go in tomorrow. Ordered tiles today which DH collected with the silkies as he was picking them up from their holiday home so they got to visit 2 different B&Qs and he sent me pictures of them there. Vanity etc arriving tomorrow too. Its now gone from just changing floor to pretty much whole bathroom. Its interesting to see history of house as they do it though this bit is in the extension.

Sorry hospital was difficult. I am fine visiting hospital now but after treatment I really did not like going but the appointments do reduce a lot and in time you feel better.

I’m going to check out your AIBU @TopOfTheCliff . No surprise someone has found serving food at 8pm objectionable and missed the point entirely no doubt! Sorry about the tooth, I lost a bit off a filling, need to go to the dentist but I’m sure they’ll find other things that need doing and cost me a fortune.

@MrsPengiuins love the thought of your silkies on a little shopping trip - did they get a ride in the trolley?

I’m not too bad about going to my own medical appointments but I did struggle taking my mum to her follow up appointments. It’s a different hospital to the one I went to and the cancer clinic is in the basement (so no windows) and on the same level as the morgue FFS. Anyway she’s about to turn 90 and has decided to stop attending the appointments. Which is all fine and we support her apart from the fact that she is telling everyone that it was too much stress on me! I do have a sibling who lives in the same suburb as me so if she was actually worried about me (she wasn’t) she could have asked him to take her. She just wanted an excuse to stop going.

So far no bad news from any of my tests. I’ve had an iron infusion and patiently waiting for that to kick in and give me some energy. My latest theory is the psyllium husk I was taking to alleviate diarrhoea is impacting my iron absorption. So I’m going to take it two hours after dinner and then we’ll do regular blood tests to monitor my iron levels. If they drop off again I’ll have a gastroscopy. I have an appointment with a dietitian today to try to work out an eating plan that is suitable for someone with elevated blood sugar and cholesterol, low iron and no colon!

Glad the news has been good for the tests so far @Remaker I think the silkies only did a regional tour of B&Q car parks, this is one picture DH sent me.

Work has already started here on bathroom day 3.

That is a brilliant picture, @MrsPengiuins Chickens in a pet carrier have a particular vibe. We have had some very characterful ones in our time.

@TopOfTheCliff I saw your AIBU and thought no, you’re not, but also wondered about cognitive decline in cake woman.

We are on our last few days of our SW hol. Ds (who has his own long term health condition) has been in the sea surfing most days and my mum (having lost dad last year) is having a wonderful social time with us. Glad we got away to our special place.

I'm back in to work next week, part time. It feels like a more serious return than seeing clients from my home office, as I’ve a few school visits too. Must ensure I’ve something professional that fits as I’m still a different size after chemo. Let’s see how it goes!

Sorry about hospital difficulties and teeth. It’s blimmin non stop and we deserve to have a life of lovely chilledness.

@ememem84 I’ve had some interesting conversations with my (now retired) aunt and uncle about the Zoladex needle - they both were chemical engineers working for AZ/ICI on the drugs development in the 1990s. My uncle said they had so many trials of different needles that delivered the depot pellet deep enough with the least amount of pain and bruising. And that’s what they ended up with. I said it “bloody well hurts!” They’ve got lots of trophies in their study for the development of Zoladex & tamoxifen including one for the actual bloody Z needle! I’ve been giving them direct feedback, albeit 30 years too late!

I’m WFH today then taking the DCs to see their new puppy - DP and I decided to do something positive and we’ve wanted a dog for ages. Our neighbours breed black labs so we’re getting one of them - keep going forward as my SIL (who also had BC) tells me regularly!

Sympathies to everyone with tooth problems, I'm joining you. I've got a dentist appointment on Friday and think I'm going to have a crown fitted. My dentist suggested an Onlay as an alternative but it would cost £800, which is a lot more than I can really afford to pay. My teeth are the bane of my life, sigh.

Ooh @Littlecaf we need puppy pictures!

My tooth has a temporary filling now which should get me through next week’s trip to France. I’m going to join Denplan before anything else needs doing. Good luck on Friday @MissMarplesNiece

I think on reflection that Cake friend is quite neurodiverse and now she is aging some of her behaviours are becoming more pronounced. She pulls out her phone and thrusts a picture in front of you and asks if you know what it is. The last one was a statue of Paddington Bear, but before that it was Oliver Cromwell’s death mask! She is coming to France so we will have lots of opportunity to observe her behaviour and work out what is going on.

Having cancer is not something I would ever choose, but there are neurodegenerative conditions that I would fear even more.

Ooh @Littlecaf how exciting about your puppy. Definitely need pics. I have an 8yo lab cross (actually a labradoodle but moults and looks more like a lurcher now) - as a pup she looked just like a little lab. I got her in late August 2017, so Facebook has just been reminding me of the wonderful puppy days - treasure them! (Although I'm sure I'm seeing them through rose-tinted glasses a bit!)

Glad you got your tooth sorted @TopOfTheCliff albeit a temp fix, but great to see you through France. You are being kind and supportive of your ND friend I think. The Oliver Cromwell death mask made me laugh! As did your AIBU - I started reading it not realising it was you and as I read thought could be this Top - she had a birthday party on Sat after all, and she does have that one friend?! Then looked and saw you were indeed OP! I also found it funny how some people were so incensed at the 8pm supper serving.

Well I had a great start to the week with a visit to Bravissimo for a bra fitting and bra buying. I was a little nervous about it, but the young woman who did the fitting and suggested bras for me was absolutely brilliant. And I came away with the nicest non-wired bra I've ever seen - comfy too!

No luck with expediting my head lesion referral on nhs - have booked a private consultation just for a further opinion about urgency, might it actually be a wart. Doesn't mean I then have to go on and spend on full treatment. Perhaps I can just wait for that after all.

Thanks @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic Glad you are having a nice holiday. Hope return to work goes well.

A new puppy sounds lovely @Littlecaf I got our 8.2kgs Maine Coon cat during chemo and he has been brilliant.

Hope dentist goes OK @MissMarplesNiece

Enjoy France @TopOfTheCliff

That's good you have a private consultation and hopefully will give some reassurance @PaperbackWrighter

Just ending day 4 of bathroom work stage 2 - they start early at 7.30am. Its ended up almost everything has been redone. Currently just the bath is in, the sub floor, all plastered, and tiles around bath / shower are done. They did want to reuse our old toilet but I definitely wanted to change the seat and could not get one same size and shape so we now have a new toilet which I prefer anyway. Not sure if it will get finished tomorrow, they are talking about being in next week and toilet going in next week. I am trying to negotiate the toilet in asap.

Just back from holiday in the Azores which are absolutely beautiful and the week was lovely in the main. I’ve come to accept that anything but the simplest holiday always generates a bit of angst with the DDs. They both get a bit stressed when travelling and take it out in grumpiness if anything is even slightly unclear (did we get off at the wrong bus stop? Are we supposed to wait to be seated? Etc) I am trying to accept that’s the price we pay for the pleasure of their company! I ate too much and treated myself to a bit of booze (I usually don’t drink post cancer) but we did do a long walk every day and I was pleased with my fitness levels. And I checked my work email when we landed on the outward flight and found out I’d got the freelance contract I interviewed for and have a second interview for the part time job I applied for. So I feel much happier about the work situation too.

Good to hear everyone’s updates. Hurray for comfy bras, bathroom progress, birthday celebrations and new puppies. Boo to the post cancer and general hospital appointment crap. I’m a bit miserable about a lymphoedema appointment on Monday. I know I’ve put on weight and my arm is a bit more swollen than normal. But I also know both will improve in time and I don’t want to live a life where I can’t go in a thermal pool on holiday or eat pastel de nata for breakfast once in a lifetime…

I love the azores @Dotty2 Glad you had a lovely time there. I would love to visit more of the islands. Congratulations on getting a job offer.

We are on day 5 of bathroom stage 2 and the end is in sight but don't think it'll be today. Its looking beautiful. We had originally just planned on replacing the floor but whole lot has been done. It is so much nicer. I had planned on going to Wisley for the flower show this weekend but will need to see how bathroom is progressing - they have mentioned being here tomorrow to each other and need to supervise cat and also says online tiles on floor need 1 to 2 days before use and if we go out / in garden DS will be straight in the bath. Its worth it for a nice bathroom. Its also been good we've been here as we've needed to alter plans several times, normally to add more things and have needed to order things. Now only the bath and a small radiator are being reused and everything else is new. It was done some time ago we think though looked barely used before we arrived but dates from 1990s or so and also seems to have been a DIY job as they uncovered tiles from 1970s under the 1990s tiles. Not heard back from hospital re DIEP2 but not urgent. Did get some money through yesterday which was good timing with bathroom being done, I had just spent £1,000 on new things - mainly vanity, new sink, new taps and it covered that. They have got stuff everywhere though - DDs room, upstairs corridor, bathroom, living room, another bedroom, in a cupboard so think there will be a lot of tidying and checking they have taken everything soon. They are good at hoovering at least.

Glad you’ve had a good time @dotty2 and congratulations on the work! We were supposed to be going on holiday next week, But DD’s grandad is still hanging on in there, and we decided that either way, whether he had died or was still alive, we probably wouldn’t be having a great holiday, so we’ve cancelled. I’m actually pleased to be honest, I could really do with the time just at home to rest and relax and take stock of things. I’ll see DD at some point either up north or she’ll come back home, I would like her to come back home as she hardly ever comes back, I usually go there as it’s a change for me.

I had a boditrax scan at work this week, I was green for everything, and my metabolic age is 15 years younger than my actual age. No idea how accurate these things are, but I will take that!

Hope you get to rest @SierraSapphire

Nearly finished on the bathroom with day 5 complete though still at just a bath in and atm flooring is setting. One of the builders is back tomorrow and says he will finish everything. We will see but are getting close. Need to be very careful with flooring for a few days not to get it wet but hoping we can get to Wisley on Sunday. Think we need to be here tomorrow to supervise cat as the builders tend to leave windows open and also the cat needs to stay out of the bathroom. Hope they take all their stuff, masses of things here at the moment all over our upstairs and parts of downstairs.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Twas my birthday today and we’ve been for a lush lunch and massage at one of the Pig hotels, curtesy of my DB. Was lovely. Now feeling very full!

Next week I have a barrage of medical appointments, but this weekend it’s football then a Prom concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Keep going forward folks!

Happy Birthday @Littlecaf. That all sounds lovely except medical appointments

Day 6 of bathroom finished and all the vital parts are done - toilet in, vanity / taps / sink in, bath and shower in. Hopefully finished on Monday.

Lovely day at RHS Hyde Hall on Sunday - they seem to have improved it a lot and lots of lovely flowers and had a cream tea then got takeaway Toby carvery. Another 2 days of bathroom work since but key things are all in, not sure when will be all done, lots of finishing tasks.

Not heard back from hospital re DIEP2, in no rush but may chase that.

I’m in France with my buddies. I was really strong today so am looking forward to tomorrow! It’s such a joy to be well and strong! Never take good health for granted.

That’s wonderful @TopOfTheCliff I go next week and am hoping for strength to keep up with the fun. Tonight I’m in London, ready for the first face to face training course I’ve been on in years. Today I was back at work properly at last too (away from the home office).

DIEP2 first appointment has just come through for Monday - was expecting a much longer wait but its good. Presumably a very long waiting list and I am 50/50 about whether to bother as it looks good enough already and I am early 50s now.

Monday is going to be super busy though - the young builder did his last day on our bathroom yesterday and the father is currently on holiday and due in on Monday. We also have keyworker in that day though she is only 10 minutes and at a very different time so easy to work around. Have been told not to use the shower until after Monday's visit which is a bit challenging as DS turns the boiler off so shower over bath is way we get hot water as its electric. Everything else essential is working brilliantly and looks great though we need to paint it this weekend too. Odd thing is I thought father one said shower was fine to use after Saturday and we used it like it was on Sunday and Monday with no issues other than shower screen not back so used in the bath. Was hoping to do more gardening before weather turns as well. Beautiful at the moment. And I ordered new radiator and mirror to be delivered - I went for delivery within 2 - 7 days thinking could save £20 but now everything is due for Monday hoping it arrives before then and not on Monday. DH in France on Tuesday. Delivery company were great last time.

Enjoy France @TopOfTheCliff and @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic

Monday sounds like a very busy day @MrsPengiuins!

I've not posted for a while and am sorry to read some of the updates, and I hope everyone waiting for results gets them quickly and with good news.

I'm almost two years since diagnosis and a year since finishing treatment now. Some days it feels like cancer is receding and other times it doesn't, particularly around appointments. I had a brain scan a few weeks ago due to dizziness which was normal, happily, but a bit stressful at the time. My scar is a bit painful from time to time as well.

As others have mentioned my social media feeds are always full of stories about cancer, adverts for hair growth products promising miracles, and recently adverts for private full body scans (which would be a terrible idea in my opinion!).

I had a brachial plexus MRI scan on Monday for the nerve pain in my arm. It was an NHS one but at a private facility and was an odd experience. At all the NHS ones I’ve had the staff have carefully checked me, and the answers to the questionnaire (tattoos, metal implants, operations etc) and helped me lie down, given me a little safety chat/panic button. This one was nothing like that. I felt like I was inconveniencing them. No checking of metal objects, or help onto the scanner table. They put a cage thing over my head and she just sort of plonked it on like she was locking up a dog. The scan was long (35 mins ish) and there was no explanation of this. Just a warning not to move or they’ll have to start again. But it was almost like a threat “don’t move or we’ll have to start all over again and nobody wants that”. No changing room either. Was such a weird experience. Results hopefully next week.

Anyway have been to work today and felt totally normal. Which is a nice feeling. Now just to lose the 2 stone I’ve put on in a year.