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.

@TopOfTheCliff

Sorry I didn't mean to post that!

I'm feeling very meh at the moment. Having the injections in my right boob ATM for the expansion, need a few more then one last surgery to replace it with the implant. I'm so sick of hospitals 🥴

However, compared to this time last year I've come a long way - I looked at my diary for 2024 and I was going for daily radiotherapy last March! I've also been back at work for nearly a year, can't believe where the time's gone. Ditto the gym, I'm 10kg lighter than I was last March.

It's been tough with the bloody Letrozole and Zoladex, the side effects have been horrendous 🙃 Also have to have Zometa infusion every 6 months. Joint pain has subsided but hot flushes 🥵🥵 FML 😅

Exercise helps, I run 7k every day and weight train 4 times a week but it's harder now, I feel like an old woman without the oestrogen 😴

Hi All,
Nice to see some newbies and returners who were here before!

@TopOfTheCliff lovely news about being a gran!

@Remaker good luck with your interview

I had an appointment at the breast clinic yesterday - it didn’t make me happy. First there was a woman filing her nails next to me in the waiting room…

It turns out that the consultant thinks my left expander has popped and the saline has come out. The only bright side about this is that it may bump me up the list quicker. However no timeframe, his secretary is off sick. I’ve decided to get implants - this may be a quicker surgery. I’ve had 7 surgeries on my tummy area and I don’t like the idea of a big scar and numbness. Or eight weeks recovery - but who knows when it will happen. @PollyCreo I know how you feel…

Some good news I had an interview for a library role and have been shortlisted. However I have many tests to get through before I get the job. Verbal, numerical, logical, personality whatavyou and a fitness test.

I think it’s unlikely somehow but at least I was shortlisted.

I can’t plan anything…It’s frustrating.

Glad the recall was clear higher up the thread.

I had a break from exercise for two days due to a pain attack on Sunday/Monday and it made me feel quite awful. I went back yesterday and my body feels a bit better.

Best wishes to all. Be lucky!

@FairyWren7 I'm sorry to hear that, I've had so many problems with one of my expanders too 😫 KOKO 💪xx

@FairyWren7 Congratulations for getting shortlisted for the job - hope you sail through what sounds a lengthy, intense selection process, don't doubt yourself! Sorry to read about your frustrations with your surgery. I think you're right to avoid a big scar and numbness if you can - my middle looks like a road map and I hate it. There is also numbness where nerves were damaged - it's a very strange feeling.

@TopOfTheCliff Fab that you're going to be a granny 🙂

I had a sort of epiphany moment this morning when I was doing something that needed a bit of brute strength and I managed it easily. The thought "I am strong" popped into my head. I usually think of myself as being quite weak and feeble. That weight training is paying off.

@PollyCreo and @FairyWren7 it is easy to understand your reluctance to submit to yet more surgery. It’s a tricky balance of investing time and energy you can ill spare to gain a long term benefit. I don’t think there is one correct answer to this as we are all different.
@MissMarplesNiece what a lovely moment of realisation! You are doing so well. I remember you first joining us on the thread and you were at a very low point. Newcomers should take heart from this! Time and persistence pays off!

I am not getting too excited yet about the DGC as it is such early days but it is so lovely that DD is now nearly 7 weeks pregnant and well.
On the flip side DH fell down some steps yesterday and smashed his face and knees. He could have broken his neck and died 😳 We were both rather frightened but he seems intact if a bit bruised and shaken. Life is never dull these days.

Thank you for your reply @TopOfTheCliff , sometimes we just need a little perspective ❤️

Sorry to hear what happened to your DH, how is he feeling now? X

Oh my goodness, @TopOfTheCliff Very sorry to hear about your DH. Hope he is doing ok.

I’ve had a stressful week. A tricky remnant of my freelance work to get finished alongside new job. And DH works for NHS England which is being abolished as of yesterday. He actually thinks it is probably the right thing to do but obviously brings a stress we could do without on a personal level. I could practically feel my cortisol levels rising yesterday. What do we all feel about stress and recurrence risk? I am struggling with the additional pressures of more challenging work tbh, but we may need the additional £. Or at least, I would like to relieve more of the burden from DH. More positively, I have managed to swim 4 times and I do feel it helps with stress.

Lovely to have you DD home Sandwich Mine is back this weekend until Easter.

Sorry about your DH Top Hope he's on the mend now.

Sorry about your DHs job Dotty. Well done on the swimming. I do worry about cortisol / stress being linked as only risk factor I had but who knows and I tell myself there's no point stressing about stress. I just try not to think about things just live in the moment in a la la la way and generally forget I ever had cancer. I have been very busy at work this week, which I have loved, but quite tired and next week is similar. Also having things for DS and am nervous about that as he hates it and can just be endless pointless meetings but am concerned with the disability coming though thankfully we have money. I am just working to end of April unless it gets extended, whatever is fine with me. Been swimming today and did 100 lengths.

Getting DD tomorrow but she's off to a Formula One thing then back with us on Sunday and looking forward to catching up on all her activities and my trip abroad.

@TopOfTheCliff that sounds very scary- hope dh is recovering.
Thanks @MsPenguins - have a lovely time with dd.
My dd got back to her flat late at night to find workmen had left a great big hole outside the front door of her flat! She’d been away a few days- fortunately she managed to manoeuvre in and they were v apologetic the next day!
@dotty2 sorry about your dh and stress.

Thanks for your kind concern folks. DH is bruised and sore but being stubborn is refusing painkillers or rest as usual. Just like his late DM! We have been appreciating being alive which is good.
@dotty2 sorry about the uncertainty for your DH. I am sure the NHS will still need managers, but they will be shuffled round and redeployed which is trying.
It would be lovely to live in a bubble and avoid stress but that is never going to happen. I guess we have to optimise as many risk factors as we can to reduce recurrence and accept an occasional cortisol burst as part of life. I certainly find my yoga sessions reset my sympathetic nervous system like the lady says.
I had a lovely afternoon on my boat finishing off a maintenance job involving inhaling glue. She looks very smart but it is far too cold to go anywhere yet.
@thesandwich that is bizarre about the hole. Presumably the workmen didn’t think anybody would come past it.

@TopOfTheCliff Hope your DH gets well soon and you can both enjoy being grandparents.

I had my first Occupational Health assessment through work this week. I’ve been off nearly 9 months now - it seemed just to be a formal way of finding out where I am in my treatment and what changes I might need to enable me to return. Although the assessor did say that he was going to inform my employer it was unlikely I’d return in the next two months because I’m waiting for radiotherapy. I could have told them that myself!

This weekend DP has been away and I’ve been solo parenting. Lots of kids football including an all day event yesterday where I knew most of the spectators & kids. Was actually quite fun catching up with people and I totally forgot I was suppose to be a cancer patient. Felt great but exhausted when we got home. The most normal I’ve felt for 9 months!

@Littlecaf that sounds like a full on fun weekend! I found my stamina took a long time to grow back anywhere near normal. Even now it is like my battery suddenly runs out and I have to go and recharge.
DH has bounced back from his injuries and gone off on a long bike ride. Thank goodness! While he is out I have been for a shorter ride (which was freezing), been for a walk with DD and DDog, loaded up the dustbin, put away a lot of tools and sorted out a garden storage box. I have also been tackling a really tricky job for my sports club allocating duties. This is making a lot of people behave badly arguing with me and has been quite stressful. I am surprised at how rude normally nice people can be!
I can see how much more I am able to fit into my days now, and it is a pleasure to have more energy again. I have done too much recently and my right arm hurts with nerve pain, but it is worth it!

I'm idly watching Surgeons: At the edge of life and they are doing a DIEP flap procedure on a young woman with breast cancer I think. It's amazing!

I’ve avoided watching medical things but I might watch that - thanks

@FairyWren7 I’m sorry to hear about your medical concerns, I hope there’s a plan in place shortly! Congrats on being shortlisted sounds like quite a recruitment process.

@TopOfTheCliff yay for impending grannyhood I hope all continues to go well for your DD. Sorry about your DH’s accident, get well soon Mr Top.

I hope your stresses are easing @dotty2

Lovely to hear about all the nice times being had with our Uni kids. DD is coming home for the weekend for a friend’s 18th and a family lunch as my brother arrives tomorrow from the US. It will be the first time we’ve all been together in 6 years.

DD is getting a coach here on Friday and I’m going to drive her back on Sunday. I bought her a beanbag chair for her room and only discovered after I had ordered the main part that it was impossible to have the filling delivered. So it will be me, DD and 400 litres of bean bag beans in the car. I’m going to spend the night in Canberra and drive back Monday. It’s my last enjoyment of total freedom as I got the job! I’m going to be the editor of a local magazine. I’m delighted.

Well done @Remaker that sounds like a great job!
I had a win today. I led a club bike ride for the first time in five years. I had a lovely supportive group and we rode up a lot of steep hills on a short ride to the seaside. It feels great to be getting back to pre cancer levels of fitness at last. My DH was very proud and came along to take photos and did a nice FB post about it.

Congratulations on the job Remaker

Well done on bike ride Top and lovely your DH is very proud.

Glad you had a lovely time with DD Sandwich

Glad you had a good weekend LittleCaf

Very busy at work and DD is back for holidays and talking constantly about rowing. She was chatting until about 2am then singing around 6am then off to our nearest river to meet people about rowing, seems to be rowing on Saturday and then rowing camp. Have heard nothing about the course. Went swimming again. DH is proudly pointing out all the bulbs coming up we planted to me like they are his babies. DD came back from university with 6 giant doughnuts and DS ate 5 of them. The cat was quite shocked to see her again.

@remaker well done lovely news!

I can't shake off this bad feeling that something's wrong ATM. Everyone's really positive and people keep asking me if I've had the "all clear" There's no such thing as the all clear is there?

Sorry you are feeling so worried Pollycreo I think it's no evidence of disease more than all clear, I use all clear as it's what people want to here and I don't think a lot understand it can come back at stage 4, I didn't realise myself. I don't really think about it but if you are having symptoms I would phone and get checked if they think needed, if it's more anxiety that does improve with time and distraction. I find exercise very beneficial, others use anti depressants but check they are compatible with any meds.

Went swimming today. Not long to go at work, was a challenging week. DH wants to go away together so hopefully doing that soon.

@MsPenguins how lovely to have DD home and rabbiting on about rowing 😂 She obviously knows her DB well.
When you say not long to go at work, does that mean the job is coming to an end? It must have been an amazing experience.
@PollyCreo sorry you are feeling unsettled.Can you define your unease? Is it pain? Or something like loss of weight? If you have an actual symptom they will check it out for you. I have been back with sudden deafness, a painful shoulder that kept me up at night, nausea and loss of appetite, and a lumpy scar. Each time they investigated then reassured me and sent me away feeling better. It is so horrible living with The Fear but at least we are all still here and BO.

I am feeling ashamed of myself. DH is away for a few days cycling and I had a nice few days planned with lots of organic veg and wholesome activities. Yesterday while tidying up I found a bag of his Christmas treats from his DSis and accidentally ate them 😂 I have been feeling sick and bloated ever since. Luckily I have a long bike ride tomorrow so I shall see it as carb loading. It was a whole bag of chocolate peanuts and a revolting bar of Biscoff chocolate which I don’t even like! I don’t know why I ate them. Today is a friend’s birthday and I am going round for coffee and cake so that won’t help, but it isn’t his fault so I shall smile and enjoy the cake.
Enjoy the weekend folks.

Does anyone have experience with lymphoedema? I had a mastectomy & anxillary node removal (4 nodes removed) in December. I had a large seroma post surgery which went down around 6 weeks after surgery. I’ve been doing the arm & shoulder exercises twice a day and have used my arm as normal (driving, lifting shopping bags, normal household/gardening etc). Thought all was ok and I had my first ever reflexology treatment this week and suddenly my underarm and area where the nodes were removed is “puffy” and uncomfortable. It’s definitely swollen. I felt tingly when the reflexologist was doing the treatment. Coincidently I have a post surgery appointment on Monday so will speak with the team then - I know lymphoedema can happen really at any point post surgery - just a bit worried and pissed off!

Yes I am planning on resuming my easy life of swimming, cats, gardening plus DS. Glad I did it though. Yes DD has always known DS really well and she loves it when she gets junk food and he eats it. DH gets a bit sad though as then DS doesn't eat DH's cooking but its nice to see how proud DD is. DD is off all weekend, stayed in London overnight on Friday night at a £16 a night hostel (sounds a bit grim) so she could do 7am coxing a boys regatta and then she's off to Bristol to see her boyfriend for the weekend. At least I think he's still the boyfriend. She's been asked to do coxing for other boys teams, one asked her to do a very early start in London and she said train times didn't work and they apparently said they happened to be thinking about changing times to the evening. Then she has rowing camp for a week. She will talk only about rowing for 2 hours straight and then will flounce off saying I am not paying attention and what did she last say. Oops. I do tend to zone out after the first hour but its lovely she loves it so much. No mention of the course. 😂

I am also not great with the healthy eating at the moment Top when I get busy at work I just think meh I need chocolate / cake / coffee etc. Plus after swimming we always go back via McDonalds. Yesterday I had a fish-o-fillet and smartie mcflurry after swimming (rest of day was ok) and then so far this morning I have had a bacon and egg roll though Floof did help me with the bacon. I also discovered I have to have only 1,300 calories a day (plus exercise calories) for weight to stay stable, grumpf. I thought keeping weight stable would be easy but days of 2,000 calories a day, eating what you like and staying really thin are sadly over. I think its partly the working from home thing as when I walked to the office I lost 1kg in 2 weeks. I have put this back on in the 1.5 months since which is fine but don't want that to continue. But also want cake, chocolate etc. Though it is so annoying when you eat cakes / sweets that aren't even nice. Mostly they are though.

Littlecaf Never had lymphoedema, would ask your team and ask about reflexology as well. I was advised to exercise a lot and have mainly done swimming, also have to be careful not to get arm infected or sunburnt and if you do have an issue treat immediately. Though think there's a large element of luck as well. I had all nodes removed. But it is depressing its lifelong though people I have heard having it, seems to be within first year or so but no expert.

@MsPenguins Im glad I am not the only one eating junk. My friends at the coffee morning all confirmed they have lapses especially when stressed so I am going to forgive myself and try to do better. I find cycling is great because after a seven hour ride I can eat whatever I like. Today I am carb loading 😂
@Littlecaf that’s so weird! I always thought reflexology was a load of nonsense and just a nice relaxing foot massage but maybe it really shifted something! Or was it just a coincidence? I had a lumpectomy and thirty nodes out on the right (with seroma too), with radiotherapy afterwards. I get pain down my arm if I overdo things and puffy round the breast but my forearm has never actually swollen. The BNS says it is “post surgical swelling” not lymphoedema according to her little meter.
I find things like polishing a window, washing a car or other repetitive jobs make my arm sore ( even computer games or knitting) but I can lift weights, ride a bike, use a hot tub and sauna without a problem. Some of it seems to be the nerve numbness wearing off. It feels like nettle rash on my upper arm and shoulder and the sensation is definitely returning there.
Maybe ask if you can be seen by the Lymphoedema team for assessment? It’s good to be proactive.