Hi. It looks like this discussion thread has been going a long time and i hope i will be able to join the community here. I was diagnosed with breast cancer just after xmas and have had a mastectomy last week. I have a secondary tumor in my hip and possibly in my head so will have to face chemo and radiotherapy although I dont know the details as yet. I would love to make friends on here who i can both support and find support from on this journey. I have 2 grown up children and they have surprised me recently as to how supportive they can be. It certainly is a case of role reversal in my house. Chassis x x

Hi Chassis

Welcome to the place no-one wants to be.Hope you are coping with the mastectomy and glad to see you have support at home.I had mastectomy 4 years ago and have recurrance in the lymph glands in my neck and chest .I have been on chemo for 2 years to contain it and like you have 2 grown up children and 3 grandchildren ,so plenty of reasons to fight on.Hope you have a good medical team looking after you.What part of the world do you live in?We are a well scattered lot on here.

Stay strong.

Rose xxx

I am hoping you are including me as an honorary girl

Rose, it breaks my heart to thing of our dear friend struggling....I hope and pray this is a glitch and that our positive thoughts and prayers will help you through this latest stop in your journey....don't stop there too long!

Thinking of you.

Much Love

Tony xxxxxx (I don't think I have ever given 6 kisses, but reckon you absolutely need the extra couple and even more, you deserve them too )

HI all

Rose so glad to hear from u sorry u not too well .just want u to know thinkin of you and will be sending much positive vibes for speed recovery xxxx

iam going into hospital for knee op tuesday dreaded but worse is just heard my mum is goin in same day !!for hip revision complicated old problem she has other health issues and i want to be there to help her but i will b on crutches and she lives in jersey bloody worried sick!!it never rains !

please get well soon

love and hugs to everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(beat u on the kisses Tony i think we r in need of them xx)

Hugs to Rose, hope you are starting to feel better, and hugs for Nina and hope you are back up and about in no time.

I just signed on today really for two things, first to say i know you will all nag me and support me on this one. I had my last cigarette last night - and so did my lovely other half. I didn't think he'd be able to do it! But for all you smokers out there, i can tell you from expereice that these electronic cigs are better than itchy patches, manky tasting gum and hard to hold inhalators. There is no smell, only vapour which is harmless, but the taste as you inhale is a bit like smoking, so you don't crave half as much. They do look like cigs quite a bit and as mad as it sounds - the end lights up when you 'drag'. I have to be honest and say i dont care how it looks, it is helping and so very much easier than trying last time especailly as that hand to mouth habit is as difficult to go without as the nicotine. But it is quite funny that they are slightly heavier than cigs and so i kept dropping mine, and then panicing that i might burn myself or the carpet..... what a plonk! 

I hope anyone who wants to quit will give these things a go - buy them on line at amazon not in the garage forecourt, you'll save a fortune!!!!

best wishes   sara xxx

Hiya Rose, sorry to hear you haven't been too well, get better soon, lots of rest and TLC and hopefully you'll be up and about in no time.

Nina good luck with the knee op, try not to worry about your mum, just look after yourself.

Sara, Im an ex smoker myself and loved a ciggie, but ive stopped 5 years ago and I wouldnt ever go back, you go girl and good luck, my friend had one of those ciggies and it helped her. Keep going!!!!

Col x

Sara

well done u we r all with u xxx where r u regarding radi (cant remember ) hope u well u sound upbeat

lots love hugs xxxxnina xxxx

Hi there everyone, Great pic Colly, guess its time to show off my tufty look he he...lilsis so sorry to hear of your problem I shall be praying for a good result and Rose you poor thing..whatever next! I shall send you as much positive energy that I can muster.

Karen such wonderful news, you are gonna look fab.

I myself am still waiting for a date to reduce the right breast as it is now 2 sizes larger than the reconstructed breast and also is hanging low and limp!! once that is done I hope to just get on with enjoying my life and at last my new husband, this time last year all I was thinking about was my wedding, little did I know what was to unfold in the coming months...still if nothing else good has come from this experience the fact that I have met such wonderful women and men has been a shining light through this dark tunnel.

lots of love sent your way

Lee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (and Im sending lots of kisses too)

Lee, Colly, Nina you all look great, not just saying that......I bet you wouldn't have had that hair do by choice, but lookin good goils! xxx

T xxx

Your right there Tony!  but I guess we just have to make the best of it, I must admit there are also plus's to the short hair do, ...small ammounts of shampoo and conditioner....2 min blow dry! and nothing to blow around on windy days.

Weve all been through so much together its so nice to see everyone coming out the other side, hope all is well with you, your such a kind man with so many words of wisdom.

Lee xxxxxxxxx

Oh Rose my darlin

I hate to think of you so poorly. You're obviously not good at the moment.

I hope the antibiotics kick in soon for your arm, the sickness subsides, and i wish the damned cough would disappear.

You have a wonderful knack of playing things down, but I get the feeling you're needing some love and prayers sent your way. Be assured that both of those are sent to you in abundance from Northumberland.

Rose - you never ask for sympathy, prayers or thoughts for yourself. You're too busy dishing out all of these things to others. Just know that I and everyone here are thinking about you.

Love shents  xxxxxx

hello Rose so sorry your not feeling well, get well soon my friend and that goes for everyone who's not feeling too good !! I 'm very well at the moment and even went to work for a few days this last week. I start radio therapy on the 14th march and wonder if I'll be able to fit work around it ( I'm self employed and don't get sick money ) How did any of the girls on here manage rads? let me know if you can,it is   4 weeks after masectomy and I still have some swelling and discomfort.I still get very tired is this normal ? love and hugs Netty xxxxx

hello Rose so sorry your not feeling well, get well soon my friend and that goes for everyone who's not feeling too good !! I 'm very well at the moment and even went to work for a few days this last week. I start radio therapy on the 14th march and wonder if I'll be able to fit work around it ( I'm self employed and don't get sick money ) How did any of the girls on here manage rads? let me know if you can,it is   4 weeks after masectomy and I still have some swelling and discomfort.I still get very tired is this normal ? love and hugs Netty xxxxx

Hi netty

I cant belive that you managed to get back to work 4 weeks after the masectomy you must be made of tough stuff.I just throught i would write as i am self employed but i have signed on to invalidity,.It is not much but it helps.They have a remarkably sensiable system where by you can still do a few hours work,I think it is 8,so you have some space to get yourself back together.

               Awwww,you lot you make my eyes leak !!!thank you for all you kind wishes.    Wentto the hospital today as arm is still the same and I have cellulitis.Another antibiotic added to the 2 already on and appt at the lymphoedema clinic Fri.Probably brought on by the rascal growing in the lymph glands  so hopefully the chemo will kick in soon and all will be well again !!!

Personally I found rads to be a breeze,no side effects at all.  5 weeks of finding a parking space was the worse part.  It is normal to be tired out,especially as you are back in work.Plenty of good food and rest.Shents is the girl to follow,if you can read her blog,she is inspirational for everyone.

Dont go overdoing things

Rose xxx

thank you Rose you are a special lady,my trouble is I still find it difficult to believe I have cancer or had??? I was given the choice of  chemo but doc said it would only give me an extra 5% chance of long term survival.As my chances of long term survival are supposed to be good ? I oppted out.I do feel in limbo at the moment and a few hours at work takes my mind off things ,I'm sending you lots of positive healing thoughts and I think of you often...keep your chin up hunny  xxxNettyxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Glad things are getting sorted for you Rose. I hope the antibiotics kick in asap to give you a bit of relief.

Re the blog - Thanks for your recent comment. Hope I gave you a laugh! I've posted a couple of things on there in the last couple of days that should hopefully give people a little bit of a smile if they need one - The Presidents's Speech and a clip of an Indian Pole Dancing man! Enjoy! - www.letyerhairdown.blogspot.com

Much love

Shents x

This has got NOWT to do with breast cancer, it's just another thing to make people smile...

My dad sent me an email through today entitled HALF PRICE IPADS! Take a look, there might be some left if you'd like one....

Much love, Shents xx

now we know who you follow !!!!      brilliant

Rose xx

hi rose

still not on much which makes me realise how poorly you are! not that you sounded great anyway. wishing you well n sending all my love n strength to you. will always be here for you n think of you lots. you are such a lovely person, a real lady! you get well soon.

i was told the other day that my nerve pain n muscle pain may never go away. i might not ever get back to how i was. but i still think myself lucky. lucky to be here, have my family, have my friends, n have you lot, that are soo much part of my life!

unfortunately, some of us have not been so lucky. nina had to have her knee op, n just the thought of it makes me cringe. bon jovi aka donna has just had her op to remove cancer from her ovaries, a hysterectomy. both are recovering. then we have louise, suffering from headaches n dizziness, she has a scan which shows cells in her brain. this life can be so unfair!! shes half way through radio now n is suffering with major headaches n is very low. as you all can imagine. i cant however, imagine having radio on your brain! cant imagine how it feels for her. cant imagine how she copes with 4 children especially when she just set a date for her wedding. she asked if i would let you know, its just been hard to write this when you care so much n are at the end of treatment. i feel guilty not telling you before cos your thoughts, prayers n good wishes would comfort her a lot.

you all have so much heart n seem to know what to say, at just the right time. n im sure you will now.

a friend of mine sent me a card today. it read,

i like to think that everyone in life is a duck, bobbing around on the surface looking serene, but underneath their legs are going like mad trying to keep up with what gets in their way. i think of you as a swan, gracious in your battle, yet still paddling. keep those legs moving mate and you'll get to calmer waters.

love to you all, leonie xxxxx

Lol Lisa I laughed out loud at this, especially as at the moment Ive got an ipad for sale on ebay, just hope people dont think its the same as yours lol x

Hi babes,

I,m so sorry the pain clinic didnt give you better news,after all youve been through you deserve to have a break.I hope things will improve in time as the treatment  eventually wears off completely.

Oh what a blow for Louise.The radio just HAS to work !!! A man in the hospital bed next to my husband a couple of years ago had a brain tumour and had radio and it shrank to a tiny amount and has not grown back since so I hope and pray this will happen for Louise as well.Please wish her all the luck in the world..Far too many people hurt by this horrid thing.

Take care everyone and roll on the sunshine !!

Rose xxx

hi rose

you didnt mention how you are getting on now. hows the arm now? are you feeling much better? i hope you are getting better. think you are definately a swan!

good news with tony! thank god its shunk a bit n just hope it carries on this way. donna is allowed to go home today. at least she has a better chance of sleeping at home, just know shes gonna over do it though! had a message from lou yesterday n she said she was feeling bit better. yes youre right, she has to get better! treatment is getting better all the time. i have hope!

i decided that im going to do the race for life with my mum. we just want to raise as much as we can so they can do more research n find a cure. or even just be able to manage it. as long as people can live n not be so poorly then this race will be worth it! we shall, however be walking n do realise that we probably wont move for days after. but our husbands realise that n are happy to look after us. bless them! we might be crawling towards the end!! my mum has had 4 ops on her knee n each one just made it worse n she really will suffer from pain. but we are determined to finish the race. she has seen what cancer does since she was 9 years old n lost her mum at 10 years old. then her dad. then me, surviving it.

i dont know if im allowed to show our just giving pages, can somebody let me know?? obviously, all help is much appreciated.

love to all of you, n heres to fighting back!!

love leonie xxxxxxxx