Hi pippin and a warm welcome to the thread....there are some lovely people on here  and now we have you too :-)

You have done fabulous me dear...may not feel it but... the hardest bit is under your belt. Just know how u r feeling is totally normal. Look after yourself and rest when u need. No right or wrong way to deal with the blow you have been dealt. Do what is best for u nd yrs. I know it’s hard but try to look on this “wait” time as down time from everything hosp. The cancer is out now...even I can see the light at the end of your tunnel.

letrozole... been on it a yr now. In the beginning I had 2 wks where I felt 90 and ached all over then i woke up one morning nd well u talk... it had gone and I was back to normal. Mind u I did also get really bad night sweats .... again this has dissipated but still have the odd night. I was told I might get side effects but they often clear up in the first few wks so try t work through them ....I did and they did :-) I took my meds at 9pm cos I’d read somewhere it helped- don’t know if it did but still take them late. Everyone is different and some needed to change to another medication so play it by ear and know u have options.

radiotherapy......start slapping that moisturiser on now in prep. Others will hopefully drop by nd tell u their regime...mine I used aveeno in the lead up to RT then my hosp supplied QV cream ( not all hosps do this)...post RT I finished off the QV cream then went back to the aveeno ( your skin will continue to “cook” for a couple of wks post RT). My skin was fine it got a tanned look to it .....remember everyone is different.

so.... good luck for Tuesday. Do things u like or fancy till then. Ask away anything u need ..... lots of been there done thats or I too am at that point to chip in and help. 

U are not alone we are here if u want or need us.....or to just shoot the breeze  :-)

take care lass x

Hi Sandra 

Thank you for your warm welcome and all the encouragement and for sharing your experiences with it all x 

I dont feel quite so alone now, it’s weird that everything else goes on as normal but my life is suddenly taking a different unexpected route. Getting used to this new way of life a little bit but it’s hard to not ‘do’ especially when you are a ‘doer’ but I expect it will come back in time....hope so! 

Thats very reassuring for me that you said the hardest part is under my belt, I didn’t think of it like that and will jolly along to the hospital this afternoon with that thought :) thank you x

The good......sunny day and goldfinches galore in the garden!

the bad...... tummy wobble about hospital this afternoon and scary thoughts of them poking the sore bits

Hi Sandra, hoping things are improving with my husband so that is a weight off. 

I got a phone call about 10 days ago from the hospital saying I was going to get an appointment with the oncologist to discuss additional treatment. They were going to cancel my appointment this Tuesday but I asked them not to so now they will generate the app with the oncologist after Tuesday so things are moving again. Unfortunately it seems Christmas got in the way!

Yes Dizzle how are you?

Hi dragonfly ,

wondering if when u had your 1st appointment with the oncologist if different treatments were tabled then? 

So glad hubby is on the mend.... enough to fill your time without worrying about your loved ones. 

How you been today...at least not too long till Tuesday when you can ask for the heads up.

waiting .......as you will already know is the worst. Thinking of u x

Evening peeps 

c’mon dizzel please drop by and let us know how u are ️

bad :- none yay

good :- been choosing wall  tiles with daughters ( for their kitchens ) .... 1 chosen other not decided...50% success rate lol. 

ASDA shopping done- got new microwave ( old one works fine but the paint on the inside is starting t peel ). Cheap basic one cos goes in cupboard so not on show it just needs t work safely lol. 

Just back home now so food nd kick back nd relax time.

hope u had a fab day yesterday jbains... hopefully not too hung over ;-)

hope it’s been a goodin peeps  x

Hello lovely bunch,

The good.......spent my marks vouchers and didn't have a meltdown just because someone coughed near me!

The bad.........getting nervous about getting treatment plan on wed eek!!!

Good spent lots of money on caving kit - over suit, Kevlar knee pads and under suit. Taking a friend for her first caving trip next week. Lol I'm not a complete beginner anymore!! 

Bad .... Drop stitches when I knit so stopped trying. Need you next door Sandra or sundial to pick my stitches up lol

Hi Warrior

Id be no good at picking up dropped stitches. I can’t see my feet let alone the floor. Lol.

Sundial

Hi ladies.

Sorry really been off the radar trying to get my head round life. I don't think I've ever felt so crap! If I could understand why it would make it easier bit I've got not idea. I can't change anything I know so just srgijkng with myself whether to order an Indian xx

Get an indian meal!

Oh Dizzle hope you had the Indian! Keep posting so we know you are okay x

Feeling pretty **** myself. Hubby is in masses of pain with slipped disc and the medication has given him severe constipation. He spends most of the day in bed which means I will be going on my own to see the consultant on Tuesday. 

Sandra I have not seen the oncologist yet. I am seeing the consultant first then they will make an appointment with the oncologist.

Oh Dizzle hope you had the Indian! Keep posting so we know you are okay x

Feeling pretty **** myself. Hubby is in masses of pain with slipped disc and the medication has given him severe constipation. He spends most of the day in bed which means I will be going on my own to see the consultant on Tuesday. 

Sandra I have not seen the oncologist yet. I am seeing the consultant first then they will make an appointment with the oncologist.

Hi dragonfly 

Ah u have not met with your oncologist yet...well that makes more sense then :-)

your process sounds the same as mine then. I Met my consultant...started on the letrozole... had a review then he referred me on to the oncologist to discuss my further treatment options... for me this was the radiotherapy. I was surprised cos reading others posts many seemed to meet the oncologist and the oncologist started them on the meds not the consultant. Well as we say... why we always say for me it was...... 

Tuesday is tomorrow so nearly here...deep breaths u r getting there X

Afternoon peeps 

bad none yay

good:- but of a pain waiting in for delivery but daughter came with lil one. Bless lil one had her 3.5 yr vaccinations. Bless her lil face...bright red from crying  

i asked her if she was gonna go to school now........no. Ok then lol. 

Daughter ordered 2 fancy=expensive - light bulbs for her new lights.  took one out the box went oooo it’s lovely then promptly drop it new one ordered...... again lol. 

Hope everyone has had as good a day as they can x

The good: Got the all clear "cancer free" from my onocologist. Just n years of tamoxifen and zolendronic acid infusions but I can cope with that if they increase my chances of survival.

The bad: Having decided to retire early, I'm faced with a number of decision around how much of my various pensions to take as lump sums and how much to take as annual pension. With one pension, if I take max lump sum, I start to lose out if I live more than 11 years post retirement give or take. But I might live longer so maybe I should take more monthly pension. I'm taking my pensions early, but if I delay by a year, I get a bit more, but depending on my life expectacy, is it worth delaying? 

I'm definitely not enjoying this but I will do it. Math never was my strong point but you get very good very quickly! :)

Talk to a pensions advisor maybe? Just going through it with some one might help clarify which is the best way for you to go. 

Afternoon gadgetgal :-)

been there done that on the pension front.

When I worked mine out if I lived beyond 10 yrs then it was more financially viable to take smaller lump sum and larger monthly pension. At time of my decision I had always been fit and healthy and on no meds. So... yup I took smaller lump sum option. 10 months later.... cancer diagnosis nd hypertension.!?!. 2yrs past November I retired so.... 8 more nd it’s a win lol. (4 more now till get state pension ...grrr)

I retired at 60 so although I did not get an actuarial pension ie not penalised..... I could have still worked and added 2 more yrs to hit maximum benefit. In addition I was thrown a bit because I was offered a promotion ( which in theory would boost my pension also). So.... sat with the organisations pension calculator puting in all the extra time and pay rise to see final outcomes. For the extra I got ....for me was a no brainier for the happiness I would gain lol. So I declined the promotion (didn’t need the extra pressure just before retirement) and set the retirement process in place.

in the light of diagnosis 10 mths later and how happy not to be working I was....def the best decision for me :-)

now.....something to look into for u is....can u retire on the grounds of ill health and get your pension boosted to maximum benefit. If I had still been at work my pension rules would have done this. Worth looking into :-)

I also had a spreadsheet with all my outgoings etc. Because I knew my annual pension was well a bit pitiful and knew I would b relying on savings to boost my monthly income. I needed to know savings would last till I got state pension ( so a 6 yrs gap). Delighted to say my math was right... the annual savings used to boost income is spot on. Go me lol. Could still spit at not getting my stats pension at the states times in the letters they sent 1st letter stated 60 ( nd so did the website) then at 4 yrs to pension new letter stating it’s now aged 62. Then at 2 yrs t pension new letter stating would not get till 66. Grrr but stil.... happily retired lol. X

Oooo gadgetgal..... cracking news on the all clear... chuffed t bits for u x ️X

Thanks Sandra 123. I did look into retiring on grounds of ill health for both my pensions (two separate long term employers). With my current employer, looking at the form there wouldn't have been any point as I do not qualify. You have to be incapable of working, rather than having a possible shortened life expecancy. With my previous employer, I asked for retirement on ill health grounds and it was considered by the trustees and declined. Irritaing. Apparently cancer of itself is no guarantee of being able to retire on grounds of ill health. 

Hi gadgetgal

so happy for you getting the all clear xx

im in the same unfortunate situation re pension, should have been getting state pension by now but they are making me wait until 2020. Don’t know when my work pay will run out so I’m going to get whatever pension and lump sum I can and retire regardless. Never expected to be in this position and I think for me the rainy day is already here.....so bring on the sunshine :)

probably worth seeking pensions advice first though, I think the government helpline is free.

good luck xxx

Hi all

Re pensions.

I’ve worked as a teacher all of my working life. Secure job, good pension promise etc etc, I was made redundant twice because of staff reductions to save money and due to not so brilliant health ( type 1 diabetes since the age of 8), I decided to take phased retirement at 55. It seemed a good option at that time. I was working on average a 70 hour week with my teaching commitment, planning, preparation and marking. I often got to school at 6.30 am and left no earlier than 6 pm and weekends as well. I know we have long holidays some of you will say but I worked a lot of those. I worked in a large primary school where many children arrived with English as a second sometimes third language. It was tough but I loved it but  it became increasingly difficult to keep up that pace. So I thought I would take some of my pension and work part time until I was 60 then claim the rest of my pension and state pension. Sorted........ not!

I had committed to phased retirement when the government upped retirement age for women to 65. All was manageable as I could still get my work pension at 60 and state pens at 62 10 months, so I officially retired just before my 60 th birthday. Sorted....not!

Then the government upped pensionable age to 67 so I now get my state pension at 65 4 months. Due May 2019, I’ve now found out I won’t get a full pension even though I’ve got the requisite number of years because I had a final salary work pension and although I paid full national insurance my employer the government, paid less than the standard.  Luckily  up until my cancer diagnosis in April 2018 I was able to work some days supply teaching to boost my income. I still had to work despite health issues but at least I could choose when.What’s the use in making plans, if the goal posts constantly change. :-(

I’m just hoping that nothing changes before May but I’m not holding my breath!  Fortunately with my husband’s work pension we are able to survive without our state pensions.....at the moment. He doesn’t get his state pension until January 2020. I feel so sorry for others in the same situation who do not have such good works pensions.

Apologies. Rant over....I guess you can see it’s a bit of a sore point!

Sundial

Hi Sundial

its awful isn’t it.....I have really struggled with other health issues before this and I had no idea until I heard it on Facebook WASPI that the pension age was raised again for women, I should have got mine at 60 then it was 64y 3m now it’s 65y 8m. Worked all my adult life with short breaks for having babies ...3.... and in those days you couldn’t join a pension scheme if you were part time which I did when the children were young but worked full time before and after. I was really miffed when I heard that a man in my school year who was 65 in October got his state pension and I have to wait until 2020....we started work at the same time....wheres the equality in that! Awwww my rant over too...just glad to be alive and have a loving family xxx

hoping the goal posts don’t get moved again for all of us :)

Xxx