Hi Jack

Nice to hear that you had such a good weekend.  It was nice that your son made a cheescake with strawberries from your garden.  Soudn delicious.

Sorry Debbie is having a hard time with chemo.  It is one of those things that you hear of people who have a fairly easy time (I am guilty of this) and assume you will be the same and it can sometimes feel that you are failing if you have a hard time.  Each person reacts differently  and there is no right or wrong way, you just have to accept that you are oe of those who struggle.  I really hope that it does get easier.

One you have got past the half way stage it will be suprising at how quickly the end treatment comes.  Loads of people warned me that I might feel abandoned once treatment was finished but have not missed regular trips to the hospital at all.  Have to go back on Friday for a bone marrow trephine.  If you hear a loud scream from a long way off it is probably me having a large needle stuck in to my pelvis.

Onwards and upwards.

Gill

I don't think Deborah is going to miss her trips to the hospital one little bit... especially the complete waste of time and fuel that is the trip to the oncologist the day before. Drive 30 miles, wait, sit down, how are you, I'm fine, thanks bye. Drive back 30 miles, then come back the next day for the chemo...

She is feeling pretty rough right now

Hi Dor...

I confess to being more than a little appalled that your treatment is being frowned upon by the bean counters because of the cost. I have happily paid into the system for over thirty years and haven't spent a day in hospital since I left it with my mother as a baby in 1965 - until I had my wee bump in the car. Deborah similarly apart from our son and some minor stuff hasn't been near a hospital, and I find the idea that our (as a society) treatment is being governed by suits with calculators extremely distasteful. Tell them you want the darn leg, and that it is you who will decide whether or not it is suitable, and not someone who has absolutely no idea of what you are going through as they have never experienced it themselves.

Anyway, I hope the chemo goes easy for you

J

Hi J

I loved the passion in your response, I'm no good with words, so your response summed up my feelings entirely. I, myself, have never been in hospital before. Perhaps if the Dr had x rayed the lump on my back when I mentioned it in May, "there's no lump there" then I could have saved the NHS some money!

My husband wont allow me to complain but I'm sorely tempted. Who needs comments like that when what we are going through is bad enough.

I read you post regarding the apt with the oncologist, ref the waiting then hi how are you, etc, I feel exactly the same, I had 6 teams work on me during my two day op and they each want to do a follow up every 4 weeks, with pretty much the same approach,  this is a nightmare, the journey is roughly 65 miles but on hellish roads. Fortunately this weeks was cancelled and my husband got a break. (He has never missed an apt with me)

The chemo is scarily near, unsure of details yet but I'm not going to have fun.

I hope all is well with you and Deborah.

Dor xx

Well I just got a text with lots of smileys saying she is beginning to feel better.

This third treatment put her down for a week... 

Hi Doreen

I quite agree with Jack.  The NHS spends so much on treating addicts for something self inflicted it is ridiculous to say a new leg would be far too expensive.  I have no doubt if it were a member of their family the answer would be very different.

Jack

Hope Deborah is doing ok.  She is by no means alone in having a tough time with the chemo.  I know just how lucky I am that I got away so lightly with it.  The first cycle was as an in patient  as I had to have loads of fluids before and after the treatment to flush it through as the consultant was concerned with my weight.  At that time I weighed 43.4 kilos which went down to 41.2 during treatment.  Consultant mentioned my weight a couple of other times during treatment but seemed quite happy at the end when it was 43.2 which I pointed out was pretty much what I wieghed from the age of 13 until I got pregnant at 35.

Just keep on suporting Deborah through this and the end of treatment will come quicker than you think.

Best wishes.

Gill

Last treatment a week on Thursday - so far so good. She is back at work today, for a week and a half at least - getting more tired, hair almost all gone now but still hanging on to eyebrows and eyelashes! Not long now before it is all over!   [[]]

Hey

I'm sorry I've not been on here lately. I'm concerned I've not heard from my little sunshine, I hope all is ok.

It's great to hear your wife is at the end of her treatment. I've just started chemo, threatened to quit, stomped and moaned, but here I am part 3 of the 1st cycle. It's hard as each part is a five day stay and then there's the nutropenic, spent wrong, part. A stay of 6 days.

All seems good for you now, the only way is up from here, get a holiday booked and go get life.

I wish you all the best, I hope you stay on here and continue to get the support you need. Your a great member of a great team and have supported many, myself included.

Dor xxx

Hi Doreen,

I hope yours goes well. Deborah is a strong-willed lass and has shown remarkable courage during her treatment. We know some have it a lot worse, and some have it a bit better, but you have to play with the hand you are given and make the most of what you have.

Everyone who goes through this helps the next generation a little bit, even if they don't make it. There is nothing wasted and nothing in vain in the battle against this disease. The response of everyone to their treatment helps what will come after.

I suppose sometimes you just wish it was someone else doing it....

I think MLS is on holiday!

She was having a bit of a todo with the hospital and getting moved and stuff - mind you, if she went on hols for a fortnight she will be back today or tomorrow I should imagine