Introducing myself - Hi everyone

Hi,

I'm Lou, a 41 year old, single, retired teacher with stage 4 breast cancer. I have mets to skin, nodes, bones & lungs.

Bodhi is my daschund , chihuahua mix. Cute isn't he!?!

I love cooking, walking, camping, tattoos & beer gardens!

Nice to meet you all. Anyone done anything exciting today? 

Much love,

Lou x

  • Hi Lou, and welcome to the forum.

    I’m sorry to read of your situation, but hope you will find some cameraderie and support here. I was drawn to your post by your picture-what a gorgeous little dog, and I love his mask!

    Hopefully some other long timers will see this and pop on to say hello. x

  • Hi Minska,

    Thanks for your reply. Lovely to meet you. 

    I've only had Bodhi for a year, but was the best thing i did. I have to get up & look after him (& he gives the best cuddles). My son is almost 22 and in the Navy now & it's quite easy to feel lonely living alone. So , he's perfect !

    Hope you've had a good day. Spk sn,

    Lou x

     

     

     

     

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    Hi Lou,

    A very warm welcome to our forum, although I'm sorry to hear what's brought you here. Have you started any treatment yet and how are you doing? We are always here for you.

    Bodhi looks the ideal companion.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Hi Jolamine,

    Thank you! 

    I was working in Dubai when i found it'd come back, so had my first chemo (this time) there. I lose track which one im on now. I think its navelbine. I could have it in tablets, but it freaks me out having to take them, so they plug me into my port. I was diagnosed stage 4 July 2018 & have had treatment ever since...

     

    Hope you're well today,

    Lou x

  • Pets are the most amazing comforters I find.. I have 3 cats plus one who is currently awol and preferring someone else’s home! My little black cat, Lily, is my favourite-rescued from under a hedge in the depths of winter where she had been abandoned when her owners moved house.

    She gives lovely cuddles and sleeps with me every night...there’s nothing quite like a warm, purring kitty to keep you going! x

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    Hi Lou,

    It sounds as if you've been on quite a journey already. You must be a strong lady to have dealt with all of this. A positive outlook makes all the difference, even though the smile sometimes slips. Has your treatment made any difference to the sizes of your mets? Apologies for all the questions, but it helps to know a little about your situation to be able to support you.

    I have had 2 bouts 10 & 11 years ago respectively and, am doing well at present.
    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Aww how nice you saved them ️ my mum & dad got our first cat like that when i was a baby. Kitty, adopted them. She kept coming in the window and sleeping in the sun on the bed. Then my mum started feeding her thinking she was lost & she never left  

    Bodhi and I , stay at least once a week with my parents. He'll live there when I'm not here anymore & then he'll help them like he's helping me . He's like an extra grandchild

    It's during the night, if i wake up I'm frightened & now bodhi sleeps in with me,  I just go back off. 

    Plus, when I'm being lazy, i have to keep my exercise going, as he needs his little walk  

    I hope there's a little sunshine where you are today. 

    Lou x

  • Morning Jolamine,

     

    I try hard to keep a positive outlook. It often slips, but i have to always try and focus just on today most of the time or im petrified. I'm not sure I've properly come to terms with it all, but have had some therapy & I'm going back shortly. But, i also, Don't want to just obsess and dwel on cancer. It's hard isn't it, knowing how to handle it all. I'm not giving up, but i know they can't cure me.

     

    My treatment has apparently slowed the growth. So my tumours are gradually spreading and growing, rather than rapidly without treatment. Please don't apologise. I'm happy to chat with new & interesting people. It's nice to have been in touch 

     

    What type of cancer did you have? How amazing it was 10 or 11 years ago, such wonderful news! My mum had BC, survived, got lymphoma & they said it couldn't be cured. After 10 years without treatment, they told her , they couldn't be 100% but after that length of time it'd be very rare for it to come back. It's been about 15 year's now!

     

    Lou 

    X

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    Hi Lou,

    It's not always easy to be positive and we all have good days and bad. Many here refer to cancer as like being on a rollercoaster and, that is certainly an accurate analogy. I'm glad to hear that you have resorted to some therapy to help you to deal with your diagnosis. It is so hard to come to terms with it all. I confess that I went to pieces when I was first diagnosed and, am ashamed of how I behaved. It has been so much easier to cope with since I started to accept is and keep it in perspective.

    My attitude is that we only have the one shot at life and, I don't want that to be blighted by cancer. There are too many things that I still want to do to give into it. I hadn't long lost my mum  to breast cancer when I was diagnosed. She had it for 12 years before she developed metastases in brain, bone, liver and lungs, so I have some idea of how you feel.

    My cancer was Pure Mucinous on both occasions. I had a lumpectomy first time around and a double mastectomy for the second bout. Fortunately, it was grade 1 when I caught it and there was no spread to my lymph nodes. It sounds as if your mum is another trouper. She has been through a lot. I hope that she still has some quality of life after all this time.

    I am so glad to hear that you are finding some comfort from having bodhi in with you at night. People grossly underestimate the therapeutic value that a pet can add to your life.

    I'm always here if you want to chat.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx