Hey there ladies,

Yeah back in the room!  I had a week of faffing and walking and attempted to reply on my phone and lost the message before i sent it, doh!  So today i'm actually sitting down on my laptop!

Welcome to the group Carla :) So you also waiting for radiotherapy like me.  I start on the 04th June for 3 weeks.  its not at my local hospital so I have a longer drive, although rather pretty drive through the counryside. 

Thanks Davia, all went fine on Monday and rather happy to get my arms in the stirrup things.  Hmm is that the right word?  I was on the machine longer though as they faffed about a bit lining me up and had more scans.  My poor arm did go dead though, so the young lad had to help me get it out lol!

I practiced my breathing exercises and holding my breath up to 20 seconds, which was manageable.  She said i wouldn't need to hold if for longer. So still only been on the CT machine.. no fish yet.

i did go out for a walk on Wednesday, not very clever in choosing one of the hottest days!  Lathered up in suncream i walked to Broadstairs. Was gorgeous though, really felt like being on holiday.  The beach was quite busy so of course avoided people as much as i could. By the time i got home, i had walked almost 9km.  i felt rather weak and shaky and practically melted in the shower! Dont learn my lesson, short and often.  Tool....shed.... comes to mind.  So yesterday i stayed indoors and recouped and went for a gentler walk today. 

I'm also being impatient and wanting my fitness back and of course to get rid of this extra tyre! I thought i would being relatively healthy the past 3 weeks but haven't lost any weight.  Feels like i have the metabolism of a slug.  So walking  it is!

Big hugs all around

xxx

Hi Sue

Thanks for your kind and reassuring message.

My gynae oncologist emailed me back this afternoon  and  I explained how I was feeling after the breast screening traumas and waiting for results and he has now rescheduled the Oophorectomy for 24th June.

I'm not looking forward to it one bit but the way I'm looking at it is it's something else out of the way!

Hope you're feeling brighter and have a relaxing bank holiday weekend of escapism and lots of wine of course!

Big hugs xxx

Karyn xxx

Hi Karyn,

The wine is flowing nicely thank you. 24th June is just a month away so in two months you will be feeling relieved and grateful it's done and dusted. The social distancing doesn't help either as we can't meet up with friends and family.

I can't give any advice on coping, I wish I could.

I'm sending positive thoughts your way.

Love Sue XXX

Hi Davia,

So good to hear from you, hope you're feeling ok and been enjoying the sunshine in your lovely garden.

I'm ok but very anxious still about surgeries but at the same time I look forward to the time when it's all over and done with and then hopefully it will become easier to move on.

My oophorectomy has now been rescheduled at my request and will be on June 24th and not 3rd June as originally planned. 

I told the consultant that I couldn't possibly go ahead on 3rd until I get my breast screening results on 9th June and he fully understood.

I dont know whether this will take place at a private hospital or not but I will be in for one night and recovery is several weeks.

My breast plastics appointment is on 18th June and so are least I can get these things out of the way before the Oophorectomy  and then all being well I will have my double mastectomy and reconstruction in August.

Like you Davia I have a terrible phobia of hospitals and being put out and as soon as I walk through the doors I can feel my panic starting and heart racing with the anxiety and so I always need a diazepam beforehand  to  calm me.

I plan to have the reconstruction using my own tissue like your friend and my surgeon plans to use tissue from my back to do this.

It's so reassuring to hear that your friend has had a successful reconstruction because one always worries about things going wrong and it's a 14 hour operation.

I hope you have been listening to your body and taking time to rest when you need to.

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend and hopefully we will have more good weather.

Take care & big hugs xxxx

Karyn xxxx

Hi Mich

Good to have you back.

Dont be too hard on yourself with your fitness as it may take several years to get over the chemo you've had and the surgery you need to recover from.

Just take baby steps everyday and you will get there.

Rest when you need to and listen to your body.

A brisk walk everyday is enough for now if you can manage it and will help with your mental health too.

Take care & big hugs  xxx

Aww hiya Mich,

Yes my rads start next Tuesday :-) 

I wasnt sure what those contraptions are that your arms go in, but yes Stirrups is a good word for them :-) i didnt think i'd be able to get my arms up in them but i did....i was fine...and then whilst the scan was going on i had a terrible itch by my nose lol....it was getting unbearable as i tried to remain rigidly still and not twitch or anything but thankfully i hung on until it had finished. The radiographer was laughing at me, especially as i'd already had fits of laughter when he drew on me with a fineliner - i'm very very ticklish and the line ended up like a squiggle at one point.

Karyn has told me about some cream that was very useful for her during radiotherapy - called Medihoney - i ordered some last night from Amazon and it came today. The radiographer told me to apply cream morning and night - i guess you've been told the same? I'm just looking forward to it starting now - another chapternearly done eh.

Hi to everyone else also, hope you're all feeling ok and lookingg forward top the bank holiday xxx

Stay safe all xxx

Hi Karyn

My you have got a lot going on, bless you, can I ask what a breast plastic is? I looked up what a oophorectomy was as I'd never heard of it, overies removed.

I know this must all feel so daughnting, very daughnting, but just think when it's all done, you can rest knowing that you have given yourself the best possible chance, oh and didn't Angalina Jolie have an elected, full mastectomy and hysterectomy, she looks amazing, the friend I told you about, Judi, she had the biggest boobs ever and she was a size 10-12 so when they did her boobs she looked amazing, they also used the skin and fleshy bits from her back, so she got rid of back boo s to :) its a hard slog but so worth it in the end, x

When I went for my sergary I didn't take a diazapam as I was worried it may do something to anaesthetic, I do worry, I remember being in tears going into prep room, felt so stupid, it's like someone who doesn't like spiders going in a room full of them isn't it lol 

The time will fly by and you will be that new woman sooner than you think and hopefully once you have recovered from all this you can look forward to a converlessant holiday. 

Sending hugs xx

Hi Mitch

Glad all went well with mapping, good to hear your getting out and walking, but like others have said, take it easy, I to get very frustrated that I'm not able to do what I used to, and after radio has finished some feel the effects 2 weeks after, I have a bit of breathlessness from it, as it clips your lung and can cause inflammation, I'm hoping it's on the mend, not everyone gets it, some and it's sounds like most sail through RT, start with the moisturising now if you can x take small walks and give yourself time to heal, your body is still recovering, so many times I've over done it, went for walks and really enjoyed the time but the next day was a compleat blow out and I'd feel very emotional as I was physically and emotionally tired, now I do little bits rest and so on, I never knew that the effects of rads are 2 weeks after treatment, it amazez me how they trickle this info out, but as I said, everyone is different and some ladies have no trouble whatsoever, not even red skin.

What hospital are you having rads in?

Having them is so easy and weirdly I found it relaxing, you have a big TV showing lovely scenes and they get you in right position, that's the faffy bit, and the breath hold is easy, I enjoyed getting out, as mine were when the country was on full lockdown, no cars on road either :)

Oh can I ask, do you still get twinges and aches in your arm? I find if I'm walking I need to support mine as it feels heavy, I put it in pocket or have scarve to use like sling, oh and I still have tennis ball in arm pit, well feels like one lol

Take care Mich xxxx

Hi saftmom not long now, like you say it's good to get it done and dusted, ticked of the list, are you having 15 rads? I've heard some ladies are having all rads condensed into 5 sessions.

Hope it all goes well for you, keep us updated 

Keep well xxx

Hi davia,

thank you and yes 15 rads I'm having - no boost at the end though cos there's no booby to boost

I got the medihoney cream that Karyn recommended so I'm good to go! 

goodnight all ladies - wishing you all a peaceful night xxx