TAMOXIFEN THREAD HERE ***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

Am sick of my messages never getting through - I have had 7 attempts to reply to Cakes' last post- am starting a new thread ....
this is what I wrote anyway.....

righto, this i my 7th attempt to reply on this thread - everything keeps disappearing !
My assessment is on 25th,and am told to allow two hours for it,crikey !!
Saw a lady in town yesterday who was having rads and finished at about the same time as me and she's just seen the onc. for her follow up - they are running very behind I know- so I emailed to ask about mine - I tie myself in knots in trying to be assertive yet not too needy or a nuisance - I suppose I just like to feel that everything is done in order. Am not worrying about my health -am sure breast is fine and dandy, it's more my emotional state which troubles me.
Anyway, they have made me an appointment but it's at the same time as my assessment so have emailed back and left a phone message...arghh !
Special thoughts for RWU today and of course KurriKurri - hope all ok..and of course you Cakes and Morph.

Phew! i thought everyone had moved and not told me

Sandripples- when are you booked for your op? wishing you the very best.

Oh yes SandRipples, best wishes from me as well. Take carexx

Not sure if this will be posted as its not on the last page but anyway..

Thank-you all for the best wishes. My op is tomorrow. I have been swimming and walking a lot to try to build myself up and swimming keeps me more relaxed so is good for the back. Have had a really fabulous Xmas and New Year and a really good laugh with all our friends, so I am v glad I opted for the Jan. op date. (A retro food night with old favourites such as Fray Bentos pies, Angel Delight, Spam cubes, Twiglets and tea cakes went down particularly well)

So I hope you all keep well and that any infections are banished by the time I am next on line.

My NY resolution is to live for at least another 20 years!

spam cubes !!!!! ick...
lots of luck for tomorrow Sandripples - you sound well prepared and we'll look forward to hearing all about it soon xxx

Sandripples- all the very best for tomorrow, i will keep everything possible crossed that it goes well and you are out swiftly.

Infection seems to be abaiting, nurse pulled a face earlier when she changed the dressing then proceeded to attack me with a bic razor apparently it is important to stay hair free so back to the velcro knicker feeling again

Boys all go back to school tomorrow, DH is leaving first thing to get to his mums and 'care' for her so for two and a bit weeks i have two school runs (pairs are split so one older and one younger go to each school iyswim) to do morning and afternoon with no help

Hope KK you are feeling better, the weather prob isn't helping. Hopefully it is clearing so you don't have to go through anymore yucky stuff!

Cakes- how are the burns?

All the best for tomorrow Sandripples, will be thinking of you, hopefully you won't have to stay in too long, but take it easy once you get home.

Glad your infection is clearing up RWU - shame about the bic-attack though
Sounds like you've got a busy time coming up, try not to overdo things. Is DH looking after his mum at her home until her op.? How is she at the moment?

Chest infection not really improving, finish my AB's tomorrow. So probably back to docs. Last time I was there a lovely woman said 'you sound awful, I hope I don't catch anything from you.' Dh said I should have said 'if you don't like meeting sick people, bugger off out of the surgery.'

arf at surgery woman KK ! do hope it clears soon.
Eek about the bic wielding nurse RWU - hope the extra work doesn't wear you out too much and that MIL is ok.
Some nice news today - ds passed his grade 1 singing exam with merit - yay !

Hello again all, am trying to remember who is who as I read through who is having ops and shaving and chest infections.

We had a great Christmas with my Mum although she is appalled that she now has a chubby face (but the upside is it has stretched her wrinkles out) huge elephant like ankles like she is pregnant, and a big tummy which to be fair my Mum was always a size 10 or 12 until she retired. She is now in a size 16 trousers and throroughly disgusted! But keeping a good sense of humour about it all.

She was admitted to hospital with an infection over the weekend and on IV ABs and in an isolation side room. Her hair has started coming out in handful so she is shaving it all off with some clippers.

She has a lovely wig all ready to wear, it is different than her own hair but she looks about 10 years younger. Her own hair is very curly and she has worn it short forever, her new wig is silver (unlike her own hair which is a mixture of light and dark grey) and straight!! But she looks amazing.

She was discharged today with some oral ABs to take and is back on Wednesday to Christie's for her results to see if the chemo has changed anything in her lungs. So fingers crossed.

She doesn't know that my little sister is signed off work with stress (has been for 6 weeks) and that I am also stressed but can't be signed off anything as I am a sahm but I am just headachy all the time. I am also mid-house selling process so it isn't great but I am not dying/dealing with any treatment etc so I take my hat off to all of you and your amazing courage.

As we say in our family - onwards and upwards

Fizzy, I'm glad you had a great Christmas, your Mum sounds a fantastic person, with a lovely family. Fingers crossed for her on wednesday.

It is so hard for loved ones, my DH used to say he felt so helpless. But honestly just having your family's love and support makes such a difference.

Sorry to hear about the infection still lurking KK- but then you don't want it developing into something worse so best to trot off to docs again! maybe this time you won't encounter any loony's!

Fizzy, glad you had a good christmas but sorry to hear about the infection your mum had to deal with. On the hair loss front, it can be quite upsetting, but i know i shaved mine off (i think cakes did as well but i may be making that bit up) then got under a power shower and it litterally blew the rest off. I gave up on my wig fairly early on- my scalp was too sore, but if your mum gets on with it you can get thin cotton caps to put underneath which will help with the scalp- also aloe vera gel soothed mine a lot. I resorted to a beanie hat once the weather cooled down- and when my hair finally started to grow back friends and family were astounded to see me without it!

yep, DH is staying with his mum at her apartment- she got evicted from the hosp (mainly because she is the biggest pain in the backside on the planet ) because the steroids have improved her overall 'wellbeing' as they have decreased the swelling caused by the tumor- the tumour doesn't cause the probs, its the pressure build up iyswim, so as the steroids have brought that down then they have told her to bog off go home and rest. But she still needs 24hour care. She is better in herself, cracks me up though that she sits and works through a conversation in her head so that she knows what to say, then forgets that it was all going on in her head and bursts out with "and it was green!", everyone looks a bit and she realises what she's done, but by that point she's forgotten the first part of the conversation. Imagine this twice an hour, interspersed with various random (and usually fictional) anecdotes- tis a laugh a minute at Nanna's house

Oops missed your post MAS, well done your DS, he's obviously a talented chap.

also missed that MAS- congrats to mini-MAS, you'll see his name in lights one day!

thanks !
Lovely to see you Fizzy - your ma sounds great -really hope her infection is clearing up. It must be very hard for you and your sis - I remember my SIL saying she felt bad for everyone in the family,my DB and her parents,us,my mum and dad because it is a huge thing for loved ones to deal with -she had a very aggressive grade 3 tumour at a young age and a poor prognosis, but coming up to 5 yrs on things are going really well and she is as clear as you can be. My olds are quite stoical about me -that's their way but I guess underneath they might be feeling differently -still,their let's get on with it attitude is probably helpful in lots of ways. Be kind to yourself too - difficult if you have to carry on running a home, moving etc...
Hope the doc can sort your infection out KK
Cyber good thoughts to sandripples

wtf! schools closed! its a tad icy but not impassable- i got to school 1 with no probs to find the doors locked! BUGGER!!

Well I am stuck at home due to the snow as the surgeon can't get to hosptial and even if he could, I don't know if we could!!

I haven't eaten or drunk anything for 13 hours now, as I remain on stand-by - wonder how long this can go on for, but would really like to get the op done today as am keyed up for it.

We have more snow here this am than I have seen since moving here 17 years ago - amazing. Beautiful. But crummy timing.

Oh Sandripples what an absolute pain for you, I'm so sorry, damn this horrible weather. I hope they let you know one way or the other soon, you can't be hanging on with no food/drink indefinitely.

I really hope you can get in today, this is the last thing you need. Thinking of you xx

Sandripples- puts my school grr into perspective i hope you find out one way or another VERY soon! best wishes x

Thanks for your support. I was told around mid-day that everything was cancelled for today and I now await a new date but unlikely to be this week.

Disappointing, but I went for a nice snowy walk then tucked into a very good lunch!

Think I'll have to badger for a new date if I don't hear tomorrow morning. I hope they relist by clinical priority.

Snow moving south now I gather so brace yourselves if you're in the south. This was truly extraordinary for where we live in the NW.

I was hoping no news was good news Sandripples, and you had gone in. What a pain.

Hope they get your new date sorted very quickly, and you are right - badger like mad.

oh what a pain sandripples - bugger
We are about to be engulfed in snow - went to Sainsbury's as I thought I may not get there tomorrow and it was completely empty of food - no milk,fruit,veg,bread - people have gone mad !! I did find a few things thank goodness and we certainly won't starve but...
RWU - another thank you again for nominating me for a santa visit - today another beautiful thing of flowers arrived (in a vase with ribbon) from my donor for New Year - am totally blown away by her kindness and generosity and feel totally unworthy ! Do you think I would embarrass her by saying thank you publicly here ? -I know there's a thread- I have her email address and have thanked her privately for the first flowers and now these..

Sandripples- bad luck! at least you did finally get an answer, but def keep pestering, am guessing though that with the weather uncertainty they won't be booking it immediatly Have a chill and wind down tonight, a nice bottle glass of vino and a good book maybe?

MAS i'd just post on the thankyou thread giving the ref number- then it doesn't mention the donor by name but you can let everyone know what a fab gift they sent and how lovely you think they are!

I sent a ss gift before xmas- but no sign of a thank-you hey ho! It brightened up my christmas in 2008 as i had a very generous donor who cleared out elc and woolies and sent them to us all wrapped- it was great and i will forever the grateful for her kind letter that was sent with it!

Hi all, just bumping us up a bit, and checking everyone is OK.

Hope you're not too worn out without DH to help RWU. I'm guessing the schools will all have been shut?

Any news from the hospital yet Sandripples? Have they sorted out a new date for you?

I'm on my third lot of AB's for this bloody chest infection - which has seriously outstayed its welcome. Had to go in to hosp. for a chest x-ray this morning as well. Was all a bit rushed as DH had an interview first thing, so no transport until he got home from that.

So now I'm having a sit down for half an hour before I have to go back to the hosp. for my herceptin. My life is full of adventure

KK- herceptin time again already- much love to you.

Saw DH today- he had to come into town to get some bits and pick up medication etc so he got the bus in and we all met him in town for an hour before he jumped on the bus back to the hills!

Schools shut until Monday now [boohoohoo] but we are having fun- they've been having friends over everyday so it's not been too bad.

Hope all is well and sandripples- i hope you have a date for the op- its the waiting that tires you out i think!

Thanks for your messages KK and RWU. I don't have a new date yet and suspect everything is in chaos at the hopsital due to all this snow. I have phoned and left a message with BC nurse, as I don't have the surgeon's sec's number. Will try again tomorrow as I agree its the waiting that's not good and would really like a date to focus on and make me feel as though I'm on track.

School closed here too till MOnday - will be 4 days tomorrow. Its my DS's 16th birthday today so he thinks its awesome! Has been out for the last 3 days in snow as has never seen anything this deep and fluffy before!!Also kitchen waste pipe froze today but we defrosted it with hairdryer. DH at home as still has fluey cold which has knocked him out (I suspect swine flu) so he;s not even trying to struggle to work as has a long commute at best of times.

Sorry your infection so traoublesome, KK.

in haste -haven't had time to read your latest posts as DH working from home all day -snow bound here -schools closed again tomorrow - BUT that teatotal is back on another thread - breast cancer related..will link.