good morning 

thank you for your reply and support. Yes I’ll be taking few inches up to shoulder length try the cold cap at least that should save some hair. 

Im up north I’m in Scunthorpe from London. Only moved up 5 years ago. 

We went to Tenerife in October was so sick was admitted in hospital was wondering why now it’s coming to light. 

I can’t do mri pet scan as too caustophic think they going to do an alternative. As I have stents in my heart and an heart patient. I just feel suffocated of confined areas. 

I will get it round my head soon I guess I have too 

have a great day. Babita xx

Hi Babita,

I'm so sorry to hear about your hospital stay in Tenerife - certainly not the way you want to spend your holiday! Have you ever tried one of the larger MRI units? These are much less claustrephobic. Loud music played whilst you are having the MRI can also help. I found Meat Loaf's 'Bat out of Hell' is the best music that I've come across for this.

You will come to terms with this. Just give it time.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

jolamine. 

Please excuse my grammar as my arm is killing me 

still x 

breast nurse emailed I have a mammogram tomo and don’t need to go for mri but just a pet scan which should be in January. Then they will call me in with stage and grade. Not that I understand all that. 

I will try to wear cool cap to protect some hair but will get it cut shorter. X. 

Thank u. Hope your ok xx 

Hi Babita,

Sorry to hear that your arm is so sore. I am glad to hear that your mammogram is now scheduled for tomorrow - no more waiting, Yay!

I know that you will still have to wait for your Pet scan, but by then you should have the results of your mammogram.

All the terminology can be confusing. The grade refers to the cancer cells. Your tests will show how different these are from normal breast cells and how quickly they are growing. There are 3 grades of invasive breast cancer with 1 being the nearest to normal breast cells and it is usually slow growing. Grade 3 looks different to normal breast cells and is usually fast growing.

The stage describes the size of the cancer and how far it has spread.

I shall be thinking of you tomorrow and I hope that all goes well for you.

Kind regards,
Jolamine xx

good morning 

thank you for your reply x 

it was yesterday then saw breast nurse. Had to go Grimsby. Both me and hubby are seeing the breast nurse tomorrow. I was bombarded with more information. Sh sid i prob will be having an operation either before or after chemo it’ll be lumpectomy or mammoectomy. Thought great still recovering from the op.  It killed me with pain as they squeezed it into mammogram as of recent op. 

Pet scan next month she said. Then maybe few more tests then they’ll tell me grade and stage. Then treatment plan as well. 

I’m just tired.  I have got my follow up next Friday taking hubby and son. I’m yet to tell my son next week face to face as his from previous marriage and we lived together most of our years in London. Then I met hubby and married 5 years ago I have no family no friends here only one or two but not too close. God knows how I’ll get support. All my family friends are in London. My mum in law is here she lives 20 mins away but isn’t supportive. Just about her all the time. 

My family has visited since op. Now they’ll all and my son probably would visit more. My son would too. It’s awkward as they don’t know yet. In between chemo I could go London then getting depressed in this house alone. Hubby works 6 days a week but will take chemo time off I can’t do this alone. Feel an emotional wreck. 

But will come to terms with things. 

How are you xx. You have had a mammectomy ? Bet that is awful when you had it. Or did you have lumpectomy xx. 

We having a very quiet Christmas this year x. Have a great time xx 

Hi Babita,

I hope that the breast care nurse can enlighten you further tomorrow. It will be difficult for you to get support if you have not lived in the area for that long and, have no long term friends. Fortunately, there are a number of support and self-help groups which you can join. Have you heard of organisations like Maggies or The Haven?  These offer advice, information, alternative therapies, companionship and a cuppa, whenever you need it. Once you get to know other cancer patients there, you will most probably find that you will support one another. Breast Cancer UK also run various meetings on moving forward after a breast cancer diagnosis and, these are very helpful.

There is no point in worrying about this until you get your treatment out of the way. I am glad to hear that you have persuaded your hubby to take time off work during your chemo. You will also meet other people in the course of your treatment and may well form some friendships there too

Yes, I had a Lumpectomy first time around and a Double Mastectomy the second, which was a year later. Believe it or not, I actually found it easier to recover from the Double Mastectomy than I did from the Lumpectomy and am fine now.

We are having a quiet Christmas this year too. I hope that you have a wonderful time and that things improve for you in 2020.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Good morning 

aww. Thank you x

how are you ? X. Today hubbys taken a day off 

and going for pedicure then lunch with him after. 

Yes my breast nurse is going to put me in touch with a local group she had got together and said that 

they all go out in between chemo in Scunthorpe. 

Think that will give me some ray of hope and inspiration. I need to get round this and understand things a bit better. Macmillian have been great they are challenging pip for me. Also applying for a grant. I hate operations. Hate hospitals. Im still recovering from lymph node op 4 weeks today. Thank you. I hope you have a great Christmas and a happy new year hope it’s a better one for all of us ️Xx

Hi Babita,

I hope that you and hubby enjoyed your day together today and, that you had a tasty lunch. How did you get on with your breast care nurse? I am glad to hear that she is going to put you in touch with a local group. There are all sorts of groups that can help. I attended pain management classes, moving forward classes, fashion displays for cancer related clothing, classes on manual lymphatic drainage and lymphoedema bandaging, Lymphoedema clinic, self help groups and a number of other groups. Once you are in the loop, one tends to lead to another.

Going out in between chemo sounds like a great idea. I'm sure that you will soon start to exchange experiences with others who are in your group.

The PIP form is a bruiser and, I am glad to hear that Macmillan are proving helpful in challenging them about this.

Thank you for your seasonal good wishes. I sincerely hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thsnk you. X 

we went for dinner instead. Got my pedicure done then before that saw breast nurse in Grimsby with my hubby. 

Got ct scan of tummy on Xmas eve. Pet scan January not got date. Maybe more tests then they’ll stage and grade then a treatment plan will be set in place. 

Yes a group will be good to meet and discuss. 

Thank you so much. Hope your well. My son is coming home at weekend so we be telling him. And parents and siblings in January when we go to my family in early January.  I’m the youngest and spoilt one they’ll all be hurt for me. 

Hipe your day was good xxx