Hi Jolamine - meet with oncologist today! I will start my treatment in about 2 weeks time - x 6 cycles at 3 week intervals and then radiotherapy   X 4 weeks everyday! I’m have a port put in my chest as they always find it tricky getting canulas in me! That’s being done next Wednesday so full steam ahead . I’m hoping to have reconstruction using tissues from my tummy eventually but at the moment we have to get this knocked on the head today- I think I said before I have the brca1 mutation so I’m also going to have tubes and ovaries removed at some point !!! Good idea about Christmas/ I love Christmas but I think you’re right -  this year it might be a little quieter than normal xx

HI Sunandsea,

It sounds as if you are getting well prepared for chemo and radiotherapy. Given the BRCA  mutation, you are probably doing the best thing by removing your tubes and ovaries. Is your surgeon in favour of this?

I'm glad to hear that reconstruction is still an option after chemo and radiotherapy are finished.

I love Christmas too, but have had to cut back on my previous activities at this time of year - still we always manage to enjoy this time of year. It's hard to believe that it is only 7 weeks away.

Hope that you have no problems getting your canula in on Wednesday.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you x yes surgeons are keen to get bits removed but they stress there’s no urgency - I’m in that frame of mind where I just want everything gone so I can hopefully minimise chances of cancer coming back or going elsewhere- even though I realise it’s not always that simple !!! Thank you for you kindness and time x

Hi Sunandsea,

I must confess that I felt the same when I had the double mstectomy. I had a lumpectomy first time around and was told that it was not an aggressive form of cancer, yet within a year, it was back again in the same breast. I also had a lump in my other breast half way through the year, which fortunately turned out to be benign, but it was about twice the size of the malignant one.

When I asked my surgeon if it would be worth doing a prophylactic one he agreed. I'm glad that I did, because I feel that I have removed as much as I could at the time. This also did away with the need for chemo.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi there - I’ve now had two lots of chemo - 2 nd one on Thursday 20th - I was poorly both times immediately following chemo - ok by about Monday so hoping it’ll be the same this tome round. I’ve been using the cold cap but today and last week lots of hair has come out- today so much hair I don’t think I’m going to use it any more! It adds another 21/2 hours to treatment and I don’t think it’s worth it at the moment- feeling very sad about hair loss and shocked by it too at the moment . Anyone else had this reaction after using cold cap? I would have organised a wig for Christmas but they said you’d probably only lose about 50%ive easily lost that and more I’d say - roll on spring and sunshine I say x thanks for listening to me xx

Hi Sunandsea,

Many thanks for your update. i am sorry to hear that the chemo is wiping you out for a few days each time. I hope that you are well enough to enjoy Christmas on Tuesday. Fortunately, I haven't lost any hair, but I understand from others who have, that it can be quite a shock.

Still, there's always the consolation that it will grow back. I am surprized that your care team did not organize a wig for you before your treatment started. It sounds as if you may be ok for Christmas, but It might be worth asking your nurse if you could arrange to get one before you lose all of your hair.

I hadn't realized that in using the cold cap, you add another 2½ hours on to your treatment time. I wouldn't blame you for giving up on this, when it doesn't seem to have been very successful for you anyway.

I hope that the rest of your chemo goes well. Do please keep in touch and let us know how your cancer journey is going. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

We've had the shortest day now, so it shouldn't be too long before we can expect to see spring and sunshine once more.

Hi there - I haven’t posted for a while now because our world was turned upside down - I think I’d mentioned my darling sister also had cancer- she is also BRCA1 but had ovarian cancer - this spread to her brain and beginning of December we were told she probably wouldn’t make Christmas- but they don’t know my sister/ she had been the most courageous and determined person I know and will ever know I think. She made Christmas but passed away end of January- we are all devastated as you can imagine - cancer is so cruel and wicked but we must beat it and stay positive. For me I’ve just today had cycle 5- on cycle 4 I changed drugs from the fec to the t of my fec/ t treatment. It knocked me for six - it was just days after losing my sister too. I found it really hard but I know what to expect now and so I’m hoping it won’t throw any surprises my way this time. My sister said many ponient things but she said the worse thing about cancer is having to tell the ones you love - this is so true as I’m sure you’ll all agree but we should talk and that is why this forum is so good - sorry for ramble - take care and be strong x 

Hi Sunandsea,

I am so sorry to hear about your sister's passing and, offer you and your family my sincere condolences.

I know exactly what you mean about having your world turned upside down. We lost my 97 year old father-in-law in January. He lost his wife in September and died 4 months to the day after she did. He was admitted to hospital for assessment, was diagnosed with widespread cancer that afternoon and died 6 days later. We are all still reeling at the speed with which he passed.

It must be particularly hard for you going through your chemo and having such a hard time just days after losing your sister. One thing that cancer does do, is that it makes us all mentally stronger. If you can deal with treatment yourself, on top of your poor sister's death, you can achieve anything.

Don't forget that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi everyone 

so I’ve finished chemo and almost finished radiotherapy! It’s been a long hard journey but I feel like we’re almost there - we’re all still struggling with the loss of my darling sister earlier this year but it is still early days isn’t it? 

As said we were just beginning to let ourselves think that all this cancer stuff was behind us when we had a call from hospital to say my husband - he had MRI on prostate a few weeks ago - they have detected something and they suspect cancer ! He needs a biopsy - we’re waiting for that date .... and so it goes on ... cancer seems to have a cruel grip on us at the moment and so I may well be back on here to rant and share from time to time . Cancer is so very cruel and it strikes without warning - my darling husband has been my rock and now it’s my turn to help him - thanks for listening and take care x

Hi Sunandsea,

Life really has a habit of throwing 'googlies' at times. I sometimes think that things like this go in threes. You've had your sister, yourself and now just as your treatment is coming to an end, your poor hubby is possibly in the mix too. My family has been in the cruel grips of cancer for the past couple of decades. Having lost both parents, several relatives and close friends and been fighting it myself for the past 9 years, I suspect that I know how you feel about it all.

It is still early days to come to terms with the loss of your sister, made all the more difficult by your own experience. Now that you are nearing the end of your own treatment, I am so sorry to hear that your hubby is having to go through all these tests.

It is fortunate that your treatment is nearly at an end and, you should soon be feeling fit enough to reverse the tables and look after him. Life just isn't fair, is it?

I had something similar last year when my hubby was diagnosed with heart failure. He had a quadruple by-pass 11 years ago. Like you, my hubby has been my rock throughout. We also lost his mum last September and, we lost my father-in-law in February, only 6 days after being diagnosed with cancer. He is my world and it has now been my turn to support him.  Life really is cruel at times. Still, we just take one day at a time.

I hope that your hubby gets a diagnosis soon and that it can all be dealt with successfully. Do please keep in touch and let us know how you both get on. As you know, we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx