Hey Sam,

Sorry for the long distance between replies, thank you for your bright response.. made me laugh, you sound like me when I am explaining my day. 
 

wow, what a couple of weeks.. work has just been so busy.. Christmas period and sales are sky high now which is now when I am glad I can work from home.. eases some of the tension. 
last Thursday I had my consultation on my port.. then Friday my hair loss started, not even 2 weeks in.. but by 26th.. the hair got shaved off.. I brushed my head with a soft brush and the top of my head just exposed itself. Got my wig cut on Saturday but I'm just getting used to it.. it's the front which is the issue.. might get a fringe or curl it.. I always used to put my hair behind my ears so it's getting used to it being in front of my face is the main issue. 
 

I can never remember the name of the injections but I'm now on my third day and my body just aches, can't get comfortable at the moment and my head just seems to be like pulp .. can't think or concentrate. 
early start at the hospital tomorrow for my ultrasound, first one since starting chemo. 
 

I live in surrey too I know what you mean about the busses.. I used to go by bus everywhere until I started driving, but to get to my hospital I need two buses and it's not a nice journey when you're in pain. 
Luckily it's an 8am appointment tomorrow so parking should be easy, other than that I just get dropped off. 
 

How have you been doing this week? I'm sorry if I sound like I am babbling on.. I can't remember what I am writing haha. I'll look back at this in a few days and be like.. what was I going on about?? I should have also waited to reply when I was on my laptop and not my phone.. the screen size isn't helpful!

Oooh can I join in? I thought i was one of a few that is completely drained by all this cancer malarky!

ive not long dyed my hair and my mums like why you doing that it’s going to fall out soon. Erm because I’m doing it while I can and I plan on leaving it natural when it comes back through eventually haha!xx

Kez

Bet you're glad that's all over eh?  But (unless you're private) having to stay in overnight on a ward not my idea of fun - I did it well as when in hospital post 1st chemo had to be in a private ward to be in protective isolation - think it was protecting me rather than the other hospital residents but to be fair if I were the nurses I would avoid them interacting with me unless they wanted a spate of worsening illness.

You sound like my Irish pal who can't survive without regular intake of tea & chocolate, I only have a pint (not greedy or anything!) of "tea" - its about 33% milk and the tea bag only gets a glimpse of the milk/boiling water (my fellow yorkshire folk are not at all happy about this).  Then the rest of the day its herbal tea (crazy me!) and used to be supplemented by evening alcohol (just more f@&%%£$g herbal tea or cordial now - rock & bl33ding roll).  Not sure if I told you that I got reprimanded by cancer research for swearing (even though they were somewhat veiled), pity as I find cancer deserves to be told to ^&%$ off (so CR I do hope you find these acceptable??)

Hope the results are forthcoming soon...waiting is a joy eh?

That did make me laugh that you've had your head shaved quite recently, but as long as it was a good cause and you raised money (not sure either of those is going to happen this time..sorry!!) then that's all good.

Final drain cleaner later this morning and have my usual hanger-onners who love a good chemo session, nurse Jennifer (who is a honorary northener now) and my pal who works at the hospital (good excuse for a work break) and a pal is down from York so its another chemo party...and on the way home I get to pick up some lamb samosas that a person at work has bought me - yummy!

Let us know the results & fingers well & truly crossed.

Sam X

Jodie
No problems, you write when you can or want to - not everyone has verbal/written diarrhoea like me (thankfully for everyone)!

My writing reminds me of when I was in primary school writing about my weekend - lots of rambling and a lot of "and then"s. But always glad to provide some entertainment, I enjoy it and am happy when others feel better about themselves ( as they're not this idiot who's writing to them) or find what I write even marginally amusing ( you are quite possibly in a minority if you ask my friends/family/ever suffering boyfriend) but probably easy to do when life can otherwise be quite pants at this time eh?

I work in a retail environment and still find it sad that Christmas start so early, at least wait till after Halloween people! And you're already busy with it too, well keeps people in a job I guess.  Don't be too busy though, make sure you rest when you need to - I had to have a duvet day week before last as just felt quite pootled.

When's your port op then?  I hope your consultation was as lovely as mine with sister Margaret, the things they ask you and the detail they go into is amazing.  Am hoping you weren't found to be an MSSA (cousin of MRSA) carrier as I was and had to use those horrible red gunk to shower/wash hair with as well as stuff to shove up nose too...lovely!

Sorry your lovely hair (and it is lovely looking at your beautiful photo) is gone, if mine was 50% as lovely I might be more upset but mine had mad-old-bat written all over it (you know the Simpson tramp lady who has lots of cats...that was my "style"). Am sure you're rocking the grade X look (as I am, of course!) and that the wig looks fine - you're lucky its winter as they can get hot in summer.

I think it will be the same injections, but again, annoyingly I've had no aches/pains, well its either that or my very high pain threshold has not registered them, anyway hopefully they're only short term whilst you're injecting?  Can't remember if I told you but only managed 4 of the 5 was given last time as managed to demolish the (not very well made) syringe and covered me and the cat in GSCF (or whatever its called) - not sure that one helped too much!

Strange you're having ultrasound as I have MRIs (with contrast) to see how size of lumps were changing, I suppose you can get the same with ultrasound? Hope it shows the naughty chemo is doing its job.

Don't worry about repeating yourself, I do it all the time and need it doing to me to ensure the information has a hope of landing...in many ways its appreciated!

This & last week are my "good" weeks (not that I have very bad weeks, just a little rougher than the good weeks) so been out & about, Bournemouth to see pals and gorge on fish at weekend, out on bike and to gym (legs and bum feel it today).  My northern (I have one in the north & one in the south!) mother is visiting this weekend so hopefully get my house cleaned (some hope!) and will go with her, the boyfriend & some pals to a firework show nearby.

Hope you have an equally enjoyable Halloween (just me with no make up in a hospital gown is a very effective outfit) and bonfire night. And hope the aches & pains have or do subside.

Sam X
 

Hi Lesleys

Join in by all means, no closed club here!  If only cancer was a closed club eh - if your names not down we won't give you any lumps eh?

Unfortunaltely you've come to the wrong person re being drained, with cancer I've found a new lease of life (odd I do appreciate) and have taken this as an opportunity to be much more healthy (eating, exercise and to a certain extent attitude).  Don't get me wrong its &^%$ having blummin' cancer but I do strongly believe that a positive mental attitude does help - its not going to get rid of all side effects but being stronger may make some of them a little more bearable...or it could just be that I'm very lucky and have a strong yorkshire constitution of course!!

My hair challenge is whether to have my hair shaved again, it currently a little over-long, was a grade 1 over a month ago but due to have in 3 wks a different drug and under cillit bang it threatens to start growing back...decisions, decisions.

Hope you're not feeling too drained (and that this hasn't drained you more!)

Sam X

Hi 

Feeling the most pants I have so far on this "lovely" journey.  Think the cumulative effect of the EC is taking its toll. Don't feel sick or anything just very lethargic, uninterested and doing normal things (eating, making tea..) is such a chore & effort. And my head is far too fuzzy for anything productive to happen up there.

I hate not being enthusiastic and able to have the energy/wherewithal to do what I want to do do (out on bike please!).

I do so hope that paclitaxel bucks me up...

Just thought I'd let you know am sadly & apparently only human...boo!

Sam X

Aww Sam sorry to hear you're human, hope it passes quickly and the super powers return xxx 

Hi Sam

My apology for taking long with no response, my journey is abit rough outside my condition, so many things at once, head stops working at some point but I still trust Hod to do miracles.

Yes i started Taxol last week, going for another shoot on Thursday so far so good, unlike the first FEC was very strong that my tongue was even black. Still taxol burns the muscles and some joints but manageable. 

Have you done any test so far to find out how the hamster is responding to drugs? I did only scan on 18th October will hear result tomorrow. I dont know really, as it feels hard still.

Wish you well Sam, God really should be gracious to you and everyone in this journey!

Have a good night

Nel

Kez

Superhuman powers returned in week 3 am glad to say.  And just as well as was on my jollies last week, a week in Northumberland which was super, despite it being mid-Nov.

Saw some beautiful scenery, amazing beaches (a bit too cold for sunbathing luckily, think the sand may have exfoliated skin well though), lots of nosh (even some yummy haggis given not far from the border), such friendly people (but of course, being up north!) and sooo many castles.  If you like cold & scenery then its highly recommended.

So back at work next week and my first taxol to look forward to...it will be odd as I am now familiar with my current cycle, let's hope the next drug is equally good to me.

How's things with you?  You must know your treatment by now.  Do hope you have some certainty.

Sam x