Nel & Ang
Excellent to hear on all fronts, thanks for getting back to me, not really a worrier but concerned none the less.
Glad port is in hand, pity its taken so long I guess (and that they messed it up originally of course) but aware that there are always waiting times for these.
6 weeks will fly by, so by my reckoning you'll be completed by mid January.  Today was my penultimate EC (having negotiated with onc to kick the very evil paclitaxel into touch and go back to EC which I love in comparison) with the last one 27th Dec...hurrah for us both eh?
Feet are (very) slowly getting better and am walking normally now (and back to gym & bike though in a very pathetic way!) so all is good and know what to expect re EC which I can more than handle so all good ta.

My family are quite spread out (Southampton, Yorkshire, Taiwan) and as my father has so far got through 2 wives (!!) family Christmas's a tad challenging so have mother no.1 over at the boyfriends.  I hate cooking (apart from for me and maybe just one other) and would never cook Christmas dinner (far too lazy and possibility it would turn into an Agatha Christie mystery as someone bound to die...not much of a mystery however as it would be down to the incompetence of the chef).
The boyfriend also invites the priest (he lives next door to a church), sometimes some other parishioners turn up if they have no family, the lady next door (who is 1) 100 2)deaf & 3) I can't stop calling her the wrong name so grateful on point 2) so it is quite the P-A-R-T-Y!  It is actually very enjoyable as well as good food (the boyfriend puts on a jolly good spread for his table full of piggys).  And I'm generally just grateful to be fed.

Am well impressed you are spending the festive period in Yorkshire, well done.
Christmas will be all the better for it, do enjoy the cold & the gloom!

Yeah, know what you mean re job and also chemo, I have to double check and also really think about what I'm doing to check chemo brain hasn't infiltrated any spreadsheets!

Hope Dec is good all round and that Santa is good to both of you, you certainly deserve it.

Sam X

Hi Sam

Good to read from you, kept on laughing all through, it's full of fun , I bet you are one who can not get bored to spend a day with, you are very fun.

Well, yea port on monday but I tell you, am not happy coz os like the that surgeon is being forced to do it which i feel like mmmmm .honestly 6 remaining I could do with my veins than how it sounds, iam thinking of it again and again will have final thought by tomorrow. 

Am glad you switched to AC , as for me taxol is a piece of chocolate,  while FeC was rough, black tongue, loss of taste buds, dehydration which couldn't even change with drinking, while taxol I had bone pains but now it's all gone, I did on Thursday while friday went to work, it's really manageable, and I love weekly, soon will finish. Going for another ultrasound on Thursday  in God alone I put my trust. Am on fb TNBC group which really helps and every single day someone comes with good news that is cancer free, this God shows no favouritism hopefully soon you and me can bring good news and our souls being at rest.

As for me xmas will go to my sister in law in Sheffield for a week ,atleast be with people than the two of us.

Hopefully it will be full of fun, while you are being served with yummy food ,while you rest, can send some yummy here please ,anything health is welcomed, no cake coz of sugar unless is different like now just waiting for banana cake which I and daughter made this evening. 

Enjoy the weekend,  my head is so full today, didn't rest enough after work,went to church.

God bless and heal you

Nel

Nel

Mmmm not sure if my friends would agree fully with the "fun" part after a while...but I like to think so!

Having my pants week (week after chemo) so feeling quite pathetic but no great problems, feet still feel odd & think the GCSF (or whatever they're called) injections have made me achey.  Its odd when you just don't feel comfortable in your own skin and cannot get comfortable eh?  And then my taste buds have left town, not sure what I want to eat, whether I can be that bothered (and in all my 50 yrs I've always been bothered).  Am off to a pals later who promises me she's the best curry maker in Surrey so hopefully she can tantalise the naughty buds back into some sort of sense.

I hope your port got sorted yesterday and that you can finally make use of it, don't go having more chemo or giving more blood to celebrate though!

Am glad you're "enjoying" the taxol vs EC and are able to do some work, funny how we're so different and react to things differently isn't it?  Hope the scan Thursday shows more improvement.

Ooo am quite partial to banana cake, actually made some earlier on in this cancer journey and it was actually edible (a miracle given my cookery skills), think there's still some in the freezer.  Don't worry no thoughts of cake here as am much more of a savoury kinda gal, give me cheese (strong & blue) and crisps over cake & chocolate any day...mind you it would all taste horrible currently!

Take it easy Nel and enjoy those weekly doses of chocolate...

Sam X

Hi Sam

Merry Christmas to you and everyone down there.

Hope AC is still doing favor to your body, am doing well ,although this week is gas accumulation, mmmm out coming has from stomach is like septic tank, shame,  my daughter says mmmm mum its yucky so embarrassing. 

Trying to drink mint tea but mmm taking long, not painting though just farting business is too much .

I went for ultrasound sound on Thursday,  glad monster is greatly responding, I really thank God, for such great news am sure by the last chemo wont feel it any more so van have piece while waiting for chop  chop(surgery) , hope all is going on well down there.

How is work?  Am back to work 2 x a week atleast keeping me going until surgery time.

Sorry for delayed reply,  so much to do.

Guess what ? I went to theatre on monday, the plan was taking off old and re inserting new one, the surgeon scanned before anything and said it's in good position can use it for chemo, then Thursday went for treatment, the chemo team refused said slash long as it's not a new one, this one was documented in to be short therefore we cant use, I just said to myself (waw waw) all I need is take it off because it's very unfair on me, at same time I trust God for everything happens for reason why 3 times?

God is in control  veins not so good but atleast am able to get treatment every week without failing. 

Have a good week and enjoy xmas 

Merry Christmas one again

Nel

Yep know what you mean re gas, am never quite sure whether to be impressed by my bodies ability to try & suffocate itself or embarrassed...think I've actually given up on the latter, was never that easy to embarrass anyway, usually very good at embarrassing others though, particularly the ever suffering boyfriend!  Just remember no naked flames, or at least warn the local fire engine station eh?  And maybe get your daughter a gas mask.

Really happy your scans are showing a good response, that is fantastic news, well done you (and the drugs I guess).

Glad you can work again as must be really challenging being a single parent, I'm very impressed by you as I have just 2 useless cats as my dependents and know how annoying/challenging this has all been, and my side effects are generally quite pathetic so you should also be really proud of yourself and your strong body, Nel.

Never worry about speed of reply, I've got far too much time on my hands and am far too gobby (even via a keyboard),  You write when you can & want to.

I am aghast as to the challenges you've had and the incompetence faced re your bl88dy port, it is unforgivable.  I would strongly suggest that you write to the chief executive of the hospitals involved as they will not look kindly on this (as well as inconveniencing you it's wasting their precious NHS resources).  And I'd not want anyone else to go through the blummin' challenges you've gone through...absolutely ridiculous and if the cancer research website wasn't so annoyingly anti-profanity I'd have some more choice words...

Had some bad news re a pal with stage 4 lung cancer who took a turn for the worse Saturday and was put on morphine/end of life treatment, she passed away early Sunday morning, sad but I know (as am sure you do) that she's in a better place and am happy she's no longer suffering.  There's only so much the human body and mind can endure after all.

Anyway appointment with surgeon to discuss next stage on Weds and should get a date for surgery so that's good.  Need to get my act together with the 50 million questions that I need answering.

And a very Merry Christmas to you & your daughter too Nel.  When do you travel up to sunny Sheffield? ( I would insert a Christmassy emoji here but am lazy & technically inept so you'll just have to use your imagination!).

Sam X

Nel

Hope you had super fun in sunny Sheffield ( I suspect it was actually more like wet & miserable, it being Yorkshire and all) with your daughter....all my northern pals had oodles of fun despite the moist misery!

Last chemo was today so am glad that's all over and a big DING, DING (as many chemo units have a bell that you ring on the last).  My oncologist gave me a great Christmas present - I get to start my hormone tablets later in January and have to have Zolodex injection monthly from mid Jan, I had been expecting just the tablet after radiology...

And thought I had done all the menopause stuff as period stopped at the beginning of 2019...guess not eh?  Am really looking forward to hot flushes and night sweats in particular...yay...

My mother went to chemo with me today, usually its a northern pal, she's been staying with me since Christmas Day....its been a long time..

I did manage to stuff my face on both Christmas Day & Boxing Day ( 2 Christmas dinners, get me!) and could thankfully taste my pigs in blankets, I was very well looked after by the boyfriend (who shines at this time of year) and got some lovely gifts that I probably don't deserve too.

Hope you had an equally lovely time with lots of celebration, trips to church, good company, fine food and well deserved presents and that you & your daughter were able to forget your treatment & cancer for a while.

Don't rush to get back down south & make the most of the north and have a good New Year, I'll be taking it easy as next week is most likely to be my rough week, on the plus side my chest infection that caused me to be in & out of A&E at weekend (3 visits!) seems to be resolving itself (coughing a lot less thankfully).

Sounds like your scan shows there's not a lot left re the hamster eh?  Just a couple of paws and an ear eh?  So do you have a date for surgery yet?  I have an appointment 15th Jan to get my date & discuss with surgeon.

Happy New Year

Sam X

Hi Sam

Good to hear from you, I am sometimes so forgetful, if I dont do it immediately mmmm too many stuff moving around the small head.

Am glad you have you have your mum, atleast had her there, i known that feeling when family cares. I have never had any, sometimes I do mourn for my late caring mum, but I have to be courageous and thankful and let it be done. Good to hear you ring a bell ,hip hip Hooley !!!! Phewwww, I remain with 3 circles. 

Am glad the doctor seem to care alot which is good, my oncologist is on holiday until the 9th January. I dont know the plans yet apart from around February will undergo the surgery. When you know the date let me know so we pray for it to be successful and less pain.

Oh at Sheffield we had very great time, full of fun and lots of food, I was even dodging coz of constipation,  you know these drug, so am always careful so I dont mess up digestive system no matter how delicious the food might be. 2 weeks ago had terrible constipation and since then am careful. Yes am daughter was so happy, I & had lots of presence,  we appreciate the family and care.

Get well soon with cough, you are not alone I have been coughing for 4 weeks now, (mucus one) when I expect to go, it starts so today went to gp after chemotherapy, He gave me antibiotics  and see him next Friday, am glad atleast have meds for it.

Wish you success in your resting time after chemotherapy, oh oh I know that feeling, am sure you will not put hands on head every hour checking the growing back of hair lol,and eyebrows, rushes. 

I speak inner peace for this period as we wait for next step, devil not rest to tell lie and make uou feel like odds are worse but bounce back to say am healed, you are no longer in my system s of tissues.

My love to your mum and lovely partner of yours.

Happy new year in advance.God bless

Nelxxxx

Nel,

Happy New Years Eve.

Glad you had a cracking time in Sheffield & managed to avoid constipation, I have this every week after the EC so can usually plan to take dulcoease (on it at the moment), guess I've just got used to it, have tried eating lots of the right stuff to no effect.

Hope your remaining 3 chemos go swiftly & without side effects, can't say I'm sad to have all that behind me - and I had it so easy as well compared to many!

Cough has gone, to be replaced this week with a really sore throat - great!  Hopefully nothing will come of it as have my 2nd Mother visiting from up north tomorrow and want a trip to the seaside if am feeling ok, love the seaside in winter, not so much when its full of idiots in the summer though plus am not a fan of the heat....am such a miserable northerner!!

Hope your antibiotics re chest infection have also done the job...we're both going to be rattling with that many pills shaking around in our system eh...and to think I used to rarely take anything except vitamins pre cancer....that's obviously in the past now.

You're right, am not that bothered or in a rush to have missing hair back, I mean don't get me wrong I'll be glad when it starts growing (mainly as head & neck gets cold and wearing hats can be a pain) but will certainly be an interesting look, grey hair is not my idea of fun...and potentially curly grey hair at that!

I've my last MRI a week today and then start on zolodex (to dry up my ovaries - nice eh?) and then start on the hormone tablets...let's see what joy they bring eh?  On the plus side managed to get some button up tops/cardigans in the sale for post op wearing as most of my clothes requires overhead application which will be difficult/painful.

Have fun Nel

Sam X

Happy New Year Sam,

It's amazing to be in this day while the odds were against us but God is fighting our battles,  I never take for chance but have all the reasons on Sunday went to A &E after painful chest,  I barely slept the previous night and strong pain killers couldn't effect the pain, so got IV antibiotics,  thank God did all the blood test including X lay & heart all were normal,  did markers as well nothing popped up then 9pm was released. 

Stayed in doors yesterday but this morning feel much better than last night, was like a wound inside the chest wall. Every day the devil tries to bring something new just to intimidate us   when we live In worry it eases him but i rejoice and trust God is in control. 

Am glad you go to seaside thats amazing, enjoy what you like, be out of comfort zone is always amazing,  have good impacts  over current situation,  cherish the beauty of nature,  take pictures and enjoy them even after.

Myself not sure, just wanna be home,keep warm and am glad had another MRI and hoping all is good for you.

Am just waiting for surgery plan, they shifted a meeting from 9th to 16th of January. By Gods grace hopefully my niece from home shall be here to look after us.

Enjoy the new year Sam

Everything which was against you may it turn for your good, let it be a year to experience total healing and happiness. 

Much love

Nel & Ang