Hi Gina,

I hope you had a good lunch with your dad and his partner and you didn't need to tell him off!

How are things going this week? I know you were anticipating a bad week ( I remember chemo being a case of a bad week, an ok week and a good week, then back to bad again!)

Sorry I'm not writing very inspirational prose, I think I've used up all my energy in the classroom, keeping 30 little 'sponges' on task!

My eyelids are already drooping and the Emmerdale credits haven't even run yet!

Bed seems a very welcome prospect! Hot chocolate and The Great British Sewing Bee! How sad am I?

Keep smiling, lovely lady. Don't feel you have to reply, just know I'm thinking about you!

Love and hugs to you, Jo xx

Hi Jo!

Monday's session was really good and I came away high on steroids for a couple of days! but the freight train hit last night so I'm feeling a bit bruised today:-( although I'm sure it will only be for a few days (she said hopefully!) I can't taste ANYTHING which i've not had before, it's disgusting. I just want to enjoy eating something nice! At least I haven't got that awful chemo fog that I got with the FEC so that's a bonus - my head is clear (well as clear as it ever is!!).

It was good to see my dad again, we cleared the air and he's coming over to take Toby out for me - I've been feeling guilty that no-one has given him a good run for a while.

Hopefully my taste buds will have recovered a bit by the weekend - I think I'm in for an M&S treat from the kids on Sunday!

Hope everything is going well for you and you are still taking things steady - don't burn yourself out!!

Lots of love

Gina xx

Hi Gina,

So sorry for the late response! I don't seem to log in as often as I used to before I started back to work!

I remember that cycle of the steroid 'high' then the inevitable low that followed a few days later!

I never experienced loss of sense of taste, though I did have that feeling where some foods seemed to take on a thick, mallow type consistency!

Even water tasted 'thick' and didn't refresh my mouth at all! Chemo seems a life time ago for me and as it's no longer a treatment option for me, I know I won't be going through what so many on here will be experiencing. A real two edge sword!

I hope you enjoyed your M and S meal and a visit from your kids on Mothers' Day. My two came over and we had a delicious brunch then went  out and bought . . . a puppy!

A delightful Border Collie aged 9 weeks. We've named him Paddy and I have to say, a week and half in and he's already changed our lives. Mainly for the better, but boy those puppy teeth can't half nip!

What with work and a new puppy routine, I'm feeling a bit jaded and really looking forward to the Easter break! Only two more days to limp through and then two weeks off!

My next scan falls in the holiday (apologies if I'm repeating myself!) but I'm guessing that I won't have the results until early May so I'm expecting to go back to work after the holiday. We won't be going away anywhere, but family are coming over to stay a night, so we have a few treats planned!

Forgive my memory, but am I right in thinking you've not got many chemo sessions left now?

Hope you're still managing the PICC line ok? It's always a risky business recommending a procedure to someone else! But, it worked for me!

Take care, and hope you're doing ok,

Love Jo xx

Hi Jo

Lovely to hear from you. I've been a bit 'incommunicado' the last few weeks as the Taxotere hit me pretty hard. I was lulled into a false sense of security by those steroids! and after three days the freight train hit! Never experienced anything like that before and REALLY not looking forward to next week. But hey ho it's got to be done!

So happy to hear your news about Paddy! I bet you are having some laughs as well as some frustrating times! Do you use a crate in the house? they can be a godsend if you are out of the house for a length of time and he is happy to use it. But border collies are so intelligent they learn  very quickly and are (usually) very obedient. I love them!

When you say you are intolerant to chemotherapy does that mean that it doesn't work for you or that you have a reaction to it Jo? It is as you say a double edged sword - I guess you don't know what the alternative is. I am really hoping

that your scan shows no further tumours and that they can go ahead with the surgery - another sword! Talk about life on the edge Jo! But you are (outwardly) coping brilliantly and getting on with things, I'm learning such a lot from everyone's attitude on here, such strong and determined people.

The PICC line is just part of me now and I'm getting used to rolling over in the bath to wash my head one handed! So glad I went for that option it has saved me a lot of discomfort in the long run. I'm 'doing' Easter this weekend as I will be completely bedridden next weekend based on the experience of the last cycle:-( so I'm going out with the kids for lunch on Saturday and having friends over Sunday.

You are correct :-) :-) - Monday's session is number 5 of 6!!! so near and yet so far. I'm looking to the end of May to start radiotherapy and will hopefully be back at work by July. My manager came for a home visit last week (more of a cuppa and a chinwag!)  and she said that I can do a phased return and that it could be a very loose arrangement based on how I'm feeling, which was very comforting. My job doesn't exist now! as they have made some changes in the organisation since I was last there in November - but she said she's not concerned as she knows I will find something to get my teeth into as soon as I get to grips with what's been going on!

Are you going to take Paddy puppy training? I really recommend it, it's a good thing to get into a discipline and the dogs love it too, I'm sure he'll be top of the class!

Keep smiling Jo and I hope all goes well over Easter for you and the family.

Love and hugs

Gina xx

Hi Gina,

Well here I am, lounging in bed, catching up with forum friends!

So sorry you've had a rough time, but the end of May is in sight now!

I'm so glad the PICC line is working out for you. For quite a few days after I had mine removed, I found myself still making allowances for it - holding my arm out of the bath, putting my handbag on the opposite arm etc!

I hope your early Easter weekend is lovely. I can relate to 'Festival moving'  as we postponed Christmas last year (wow, was it only 4 months ago?!) and had it on December 29th as I was having a bad time with the chemo! The bonus was that we didn't have to wait long to celebrate the New Year! Haha!

You asked about my chemo, Gina. Unfortunately I had a severe reaction to it - in it's tablet form it hospitalised me, though the doctors weren't 100% certain it was the chemo at this point and they swayed between a blocked stoma or post surgical adhesions causing the severe abdominal pain!

After a second trip to A and E and a 6 night stay in hospital, the oncologist put me on infusion chemo (hence the picc line)

This was great for two sessions, but then the cummulative effect took hold and I was in agony again! (Hence the postponement of Christmas!)

I had an appointment with my Oncologist on New Year's Eve, and I was fired up to say "No more chemo, thank you very much!" But he said it for me!

It would appear I'm one of the 5% of patients who are intolerant to it (my liver lacks an enzyme -?- which processes the drug!) So, chemo of any sort is no longer an option for me - I was having the most gentle of chemo and couldn't cope with it, so it's a bit of a bummer! No pun intended!

It was great that your manager came to see you and how supportive and flexible she sounds regarding your going back to work. My boss and colleagues have been amazing and enabled me to get through 6 weeks of work - yes, I'm a bit weary and pleased that its the holidays, but I feel buoyed up having done it!

So we're looking forward to 2 weeks of bonding with Paddy. We do have a crate for him - he really doesn't like having the door shut, but as you say, it's a godsend when we nip out! We're not sure about puppy classes - he seems to be quite quick at picking things up and already sits and goes to his bed when told! Toilet training is a bit hit and miss! We seemed to be making strides but then a few 'accidents' appeared in the hall! Thank goodness for wooden floors and antibacterial spray!

Ive never had a dog, but I'm already smitten!

Enjoy your Easter celebrations and I look forward to chatting again soon - but no rush!

Love to you, Jo xx

Hi Gina,

Just dropping by to say Hi and hope things are ok?

Hope you have a great Bank Holiday Weekend and that your treatment isn't causing you any problems or making you feel too tired or unwell.

Hugs to you, Jo xx

Hi Jo!

I've not been using the site recently I must admit and it was lovely to see you'd said hello :-) thank you.

The last two sessions wiped me out a bit (well more than a bit actually) and I have been in a lot of pain and had hideous mouth ulcers and a horrid slimy mouth, but I know that is relatively normal so I thought I'd just 'get on with it'. However on Friday when I saw my oncologist before the LAST INFUSION :-) ;-) on Tuesday she said that I need not have suffered, and that she could reduce the dose by 10% without reducing the effect of the Taxotere, which she has duly done. So here's hoping for an easier end to this whole business than I was anticipating.

I'm due to have three weeks of radiotherapy in June, plus an extra 'booster' week because I'm under 50 (only just, but hey! I'll have it). Perhaps foolishly I have arranged to go back to work during the rads as I can juggle the appointment with a phased return process and still receive full pay. Not only that but I am keen to get back to a new 'normal'. I have plenty of unused annual leave and bank holiday entitlements to take, which will carry me through if I have overestimated my energy levels!

I have quickly read your good news about the scan results, I'm so pleased for you :-) and I hope puppy is behaving himself and giving you and your family much pleasure.

Love, Gina xx

Jo, I've now caught up with the rest of your thread and I see that all being well you will be clear of cancer after the impending op - that is incredible news you must be so boosted by that! Sometimes it's hard to actually accept good news because you've spent so long being strong in order to deal with any eventuality. Very, very happy for you. I know the operation and all that goes with it is still in front of you but hopefully will now be easier to bear. I know I'm so pleased to be close to the end of my treatment that I almost need someone to rein me in!

Gina xx

Hi Gina,

Whoa!!! That's me reining you in! Hehe!

So glad you're looking forward and making plans to go back to work.

I felt really well during my radiotherapy, but towards the final sessions, experienced very sore skin (on my bot)

so going to work proved tricky! The symptoms peaked but then seemed to dissipate very quickly!

I had a PET scan on Tuesday - it would appear I was lucky to have it done that day as when I arrived for the appt I was told the scanner had broken down and that I could wait if I liked to see if the engineer could fix it!

I waited and the machine was fixed so the staff scanned three of us - then the scanner needed more maintenance!

I had a call from my specialist nurse today with some unsettling news about the results that I'll maybe chat about when I have more concrete news, but right now, I'm enjoying a glass of wine (something of a novelty as I don't drink much and certainly not on a school night! ) but my partner and I needed a little treat - and a glass of Rioja was what was called for!

I've only had half a glass and feel a bit squiffy! More practise required, obviously!

Love and hugs, Jo xx

Hi, reading through thread.  I am having my 3rd EC chemo on Friday, one more left after that.  After my second I believe I was not flushed via line enough and now experiencing pain of extending my arm especially mid way  inside of arm.  My question is did yours get better after chemo?mmand what did you do to help it?