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.

can't find you mas! heres a link to one of my albums www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=138658&id=727616948&l=c44e5e382e

just released my search settings, you will find me now

have found you and sent a request !! phew !

Hi all.

I'm glad the wound seems to be healing SR, but don't try to do too much too soon and wear yourself out.

The ear infection sounds unpleasant MAS, I hope the drops sort it out. Its a very weird feeling when something goes wrong with your ears.

Sorry to hear you've been ill Cakes, hope you're on the mend now.

Its interesting about the teeth. I didn't know chemo affected them. But had thought about it - I had two teeth break to pieces within a week when I was on chemo, now have crowns. Also I've noticed places on my front teeth where the enamel seems to have chipped off since I've had chemo.
My dentist wants to do more crowns but he'll have to wait until I win the lottery

My Dad is a bit better. He can walk a little way now, with a nurse holding his hand.
They've diagnosed a urine infection, but think he may have had it a while. Apparently in old people it can be relatively symptomless, but causes toxins to build up which is what is affecting his legs.

He's having lots of physio, and should be moved to the local hospital soon. Meanwhile the occupational therapist is sorting out either converting a room downstairs into a bedroom for him, or fitting a stair lift.

your poor dad KK -hope he continues to make progress and feels better soon. When MIL was in hospital in the summer they wouldn't let her home until she'd been into a nursing home for physio. etc and her house was assessed for rails,extra bannister,even a floor raised and everything made safe. Mind you she lives alone so they had to be extra vigilent.
Ear drops seem to be staying in - feels better today !

kk- sounds awful for your poor dad- hope he keeps improving and is released back home soon!

teeth [arghhhh] i tried to book into the dentists today but they've dumped me! i haven't been for so long that i've been taken off their list! so that answers that question- i'll leave them to all fall out

SR- hope that wound is getting better, still take it easy though (says she of the laminate flooring laying 5 days after surgery!!! learn by my mistake!)

I have been called in for a review tomorrow with my new onc, i am guessing that means results from the bladder biopsy, feeling a bit unsure as to being called in but i haven't met this new one yet (old one has retired- inconsiderate bugger ) so maybe its just a bit of a catch up iyswim

Sending you good thoughts for tomorrow RWU. If your onc. is new it seems quite likely he would want to have a catch up, introduce himself and discuss your treatment.

Teeth are a pain aren't they? I go through phases of thinking I'll just have the whole lot out and get some false gnashers!

DD is making a Mississippi mud cake tonight(lucky I've got enough teeth left for cake scoffing)

hope all goes well tomorrow RWU - as KK says,if he's new to you then he'll probably want to meet you.
Mud cake sounds divine KK !

mmmmmmmmmm, mississippi mud cake that really would finish my teeth off lol!

Hi all,
Just popped on to see what has been happening. Good luck tomorrow RWU. Hope your new onc is nice - it makes such a difference if you can get someone you can talk to.
Cakes, MAS and SR - hope you are all feeling better. I didn't know that chemo could affect teeth - I know that mine are feeling sort of "furry" no matter how much I brush them.
Made it into the garden for a short spell yesterday. Did my soul good but body absolutely done in today!! Have ordered loads and loads of seeds and plants for this year - might have to get my dad in to plant them for me though. Sorry to hear your dad hasn't been so well KK. Is the local hospital near to you?

While I'm on, can anyone suggest something for the very dry skin on my face. Never been bothered with that before so assume it is due to all the drugs. Tried aqueous cream - yuck - but doesn't do anything for it.

Well, I'm off to check on DS - he will have fallen asleep with a book over his nose again and half a dozen other books stashed under his pillow. reading just seems to have "clicked" for him in the last month or so - don't know who is more excited, me or him! Any of you ladies readers? My book club disintegrated when a few members moved away and I really miss suggestions for what to read. The book club made me read stuff I wouldn't normally have tried and I usually enjoyed the books. Have you read anything good lately??

HD - I used this its gentle and not greasy. You'll probably get several suggestions because I think most of us have had the dry skin thing.

I'm glad you got out today. And ordering your seeds is a good idea, I did exactly the same thing and it really gave me something to look forward to.

local hospital is near my mum (about a mile from the village she lives in) But I don't live very close to my parents. Luckily one of my sisters does, so is able to give mum lifts etc.

I love reading. I've got several on the go at the moment. Just started 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel - but it sometimes gets a bit complicated when my brain is tired.
I like detective stories and have got a copy of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' beside my bed. Have also recently read 'The Pillars of the Earth' By Ken Follett - didn't think it would be my kind of thing but I really enjoyed it - good story. I'll probably think of some others over the next few days

haggis - I have used this - my skin isn't dry but I uised it under my eyes and on my neck and is lovely -there are 2 versions,a light and a normal one-think there's a night cream too - it comes in little trial tubes so you could have go first before committing to it ! smells of roses...however I have stopped using it as I seem to get irritation on my neck and eyes,think possibly my skin is changing - it is quite sensitive-but I used it without trouble for quite a few years.
I love books ! I find reading quite difficult at the mo as I'm not concentrating too well- though that might be something to do with the choices my book group makes - I haven't been able the read the last one (can't even remember the title !) I love Patrick Gale and Armistead Maupin and am currently dipping into a selection of short stories by David Sedaris which are very funny and suit my skittery reading habits !

Hi all

GOOD LUCK TODAY RWU!!!!

Dry skin - This will make MAS gag, but I swear the only thing that worked for me was Eucerin (make sure you get the facial one).

Books - ooh, yes, love reading. It depends what you are into but i have recently read all Fannie Flagg's books, they are funny and like jumping into a lovely warm bath. I am just finishing off my last one, and hope she writes more.

My onc told me that things without a plot were good during treatment so you need not worry about the plot thing and with this in mind I read Alan Bennet ' Untold Stories' - even the pience about his bowel cancer, which was not scary at all.

'Wolf Hall' is most confusing. Really good, but the lack of speech marks etc makes it a bit tough to follow. Mantel also wrote a fantastic book to make you cry, it is called ' A Place of Greater Safety' and I have read it three times now.

Eucerin -eew...

PS I also recently read - and much enjoyed - Ines of My Soul, by Isabel Allende. I love her books and have them all but only let myself read one every so often, as a special treat.

I think next I may have a Dickens moment, but not sure which one, yet. I may go for one I haven't tried yet, or a favourite (so that would be either Dombey and Son or A Tale of two Cities, then [ wink] )

You probably shouldn't have got me started on books. I am a book bore. I may come back with more, but feel free to ignore.

Quiet on here today! I just wanted to say - my hair looks stupid!

Now it's a BIT longer I have a strange little quif thing at the front that makes me look like Tin-Tin, and some odd litle bits that I think will be curls when they grow up, but for now are just tufts. I have just seen myself in the mirror and I look a right twit. No wonder dd keeps insisting on brushing it

better brush it myself before the school run!

aww Cakes...it'll be interesting to see if it comes back as before - I like the idea of a Tin Tin quiff !
Just us here today - hope all has gone well for RWU.

Hi all. I hope everything went well for RWU today.

I've been out all day. - Yoga and aquafit this morning, shopping with DD this afternoon. She was aiming to get jeans, but came home with several tops instead. And I bought a sort of raspberry coloured cardi. - We were quite pleased with our haul

Cakes my hair looks stupid too. It refuses to grow in length just gets thicker and stands on end. Its like fur. DS looked at me last night and said 'your hair's gone a bit mad, its starting to look like mine'!

I'm noting down people's book suggestions, I think I read more slowly than I used to but still love it. Have you read Bleak House or Nicholas Nickleby ? I enjoyed both of those.

am back, but absolutely shattered- mentally and physically as i didn't sleep much last night

Right the new onc................ did not understand a word of what he was saying- the poor nurse had to translate for me but basically the path results from the cyst they removed showed abnormal cells (they estimate that less than 1% of the cells they removed showed signs of abnormality but there were no clear margins) so the upshot is, i am going to carmarthen on Friday for a scan and to see the urologist and see what he wants to do. haven't googled yet as i'm going to sit and chill for a bit before i do my research. so as i've been saying to everyone else- it wasn't what we'd hoped for but it was better than we had expected

sadly i'm quite excited at the thought of travelling to carmarthen on friday- they have proper shops there like Tesco's

Take care ladies x

Oh RWU, what an exhausting and difficult day for you.
I hope you've been able to relax a little bit this evening.

Definitely some pampering in order I think.

Will be thinking of you on Friday, and hoping all goes well for you, take care xx

there's no point in getting myself in a state about it! it just one of those things, unfortunatly it's going to happen, thankfully this little 'blip' isn't as major as i had imagined it to be at 4.30 this morning lol! worst that can happen is inter-bladder (there is a posh word!) chemo and bcg (yes as in the tb immunisation ) but we'll see on friday.

just watched holby, now going to have a bath and curl up in bed with my ipod and my knitting!

well done for getting through a tough day - you are totally amazing...will be thinking of you on Friday...hope you can relax and get some sleep tonight.

Evening all,

Hope you get some sleep tonight RWU - things always seem worse about 4 in the morning don't they? Anyway, good luck on Friday. What have you got on your ipod just now?
I'm struggling to get to grips with mine - being a bit of a techno numpty. Takes me ages to get anything downloaded but once its on its great.

Re books - lots of suggestions, thanks. has anyone read the Diana Gabaldon books - can't for the life of me think of the name of a single one at the moment. I also liked the Jean M. Auel books and a book which I think was by the author of the Kite Runner - "A thousand Splendid Suns" I think it was called. Makes me eternally grateful that I wasn't born in Afghanistan but a really good book that sticks in your mind long after you have finished it.

Cakes, is your hair growing in now? Most of mine fell out as soon as I started the chemo but I was left with a line around my old hairline and a few hairs over my head - which had started to grow again. i had hoped they would all come out as it looks a bit silly but they are stubborn so went and got them shaved off today. Completely bald now - hurray. Hate my wig and have never worn it - but my cat has taken a bit of a fancy to it. He is an incredibly dim (but lovely) cat!

Oh and thanks for the tips re the dry skin creams - will check them out

Well done for the positive stance, as always, RWU - thinking of you for Friday. Take a deep breath and just go for it. As you say, the 4am worry is always worse than the daylight reality.

And proper shops. Yay!!

Haggis - yes, my hair started to grow back before the end of the chemo, oddly, sometime between cycles 5 and 6. It is now what KK calls an Annie lennox, although i don't think she has the Tin Tin quiff, but that may be down to liberal use of hair products, which I can never be fagged with. I am a shampoo, conditioner and go girl, myself. I think you were right to shave off the stragglers, we did the same. I also could not wear the wig, but could also not go bald. I think some people carry it off with wonderful aplomb, but for me it felt like walking around with a very low cut top on - just a bit too revealing.

KK - your son says the kind of cheeky things my dd comes out with! Sometimes hard to cope with, but nice that they feel they can say anything they like, I suppose!

I went to yoga again last night - thoroughly enjoyed it but SOMEONE near me kept farting, it was totally silent and extremely unpleasant. And as I am not sure who it was i don't know who to avoid next time!