Hi Jackie,

I’m sure the girls in ur hospital will be as wonderful as mine were, they can see you and hear you whilst you are in the room. The bed doesn’t go that high, staying still seems unnatural but you’ll do it. It literally takes seconds, yours might be a bit different to mine but I was zapped one side for about 15 seconds and then the other side for the same time, the treatment is literally over in less than a minute, it takes longer for them to position uou, I guess you have the tattoos?

I am taking letrazole and before I started them I read posts on her and people were getting all the side effects which scared me but the only ones I’ve noticed are little hot flushes, when I first started them I did feel a bit sick but nothing I couldn’t cope with, I’ve been on them a couple of months now and it’s ok, honestly Jackie please don’t get yourself in a state, you’ll manage.

george xx

Hi Georgie ,

You are such a positive lady,mine is my right boob so hoping like you say that it will be quick quick,I’m a wriggler they may have to tie me down !!!

ive been told to get them to prescribe Femara which is the best form of Letrazole?? 

Is that what you have? 

Im a real worry wart especially of the unknown probably like every lady who’s been or going through this rubbish,,,,

But hey as long as you ring that bell Eh Love Jackie 

It took a long time for me to cry and only did so when I was getting my dressings removed. I was a mess and the poor nurses had me in their arms as I sobbed. It was cathartic and felt much better after I had all that pent up emotion out. No shame in crying Jackie - let it all out.

your cancer results are good (strange to have cancer and good in the same sentence)  they wouldn’t have this before your operation as the whole area has to be removed for complete pathology. Grade 1 is slow growing  and unlikely to have spread, ER+ means Estrogen was fuelling the cancer so you’ll be given a hormone suppressant that will lesson your chances of recurrence. If you’re going to have invasive cancer a stage 1, grade 1, ER+ is the best out of a bad lot. Stage 1 survival is 100% - can’t get better than that.

Hi Jackie,

Although it may not feel like it, this is more reassuring news. The fact that your cancer is slow growing and not aggressive is another thing to be grateful for. That it is HER2- is also something good to hear, as this means that your cancer will be slower growing.

Breastcancer.org produces a booklet entitled ‘Your Guide to the Breast Cancer Pathology Report’. This is an American organisation, so not all of the tests are done in the NHS, but most of them are. You might find this a useful guideline to all of the letters and figures.

I got my pathology results within a week both times, but I had to wait a little longer for my HER2, ER and PR results. As far as I can remember, these took 3 or 4 weeks.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Morning Maggie,

i understand what you are saying,I’m yet to see the scars as dressing being changed for the first time tomorrow..... ekkkk !! 

I didn’t cry until after the operation and just got on with going for the pre operation appointments quite upbeat,maybe it hadn’t sunk in ....I was fine until 2 days after operation then floodgates opened....

Should be happy to have got the best out of the results but didnt want it in the first place and I’m really worried about the radiotherapy,being still and in their on my own.... just writing it now gives me the panics....

Jackie xx

Hi jackie

with regards to radiation, I have read posts that say they were scared when they first saw the size of the machine, whereas I thought the machine was tiny in comparison to my expectations, I used to work in clinical physics so see how the machines have gotten small and are more precise than they were in my day. Perhaps due to working in the field meant that I had no fears about undergoing the treatment but understand why you would be worried about it. It’s all new to you and the unknown brings fear, that fear is intensified because it’s something you will need to do “on my own”.  Honestly, you have nothing to fear and you won’t be on your own. The radiographers only step out the room for a minute and will keep talking to you as they do so. You won’t even notice it. Most of the time will be getting you into the right position, the actual radiotherapy takes a couple of minutes. It’s similar to having an x-ray taken.

hopefully what will happen is when you go for your ct scan simulator, they will be able to show you the room you’ll be having your radiotherapy in as that would bring you some comfort. 

Always here if you need support x

Hi Maggie,

Thank you for all that,yes they have said I will get a tour before hand....I’m not going in that C.T scan again,it didn’t hurt but what a bloody big machine it is and I didn’t like it being so low over me....claustrophobic or what Xxx

It’s good that they’ll do the tour beforehand, you find the rads machine much better than the CT scanner as there is no tunnel/or anything going over your head. It’s like a big arm that comes from the side  and moves across the breast at arms length. The radiologists are the loveliest of people, I got a little upset on my last day of rads as I was going to miss them. They will be with you every step of the way. - as will we xx

Thanks so scared about this thing,were you in their long on your own? 

I am 6 days since surgery and my boob is really like twitching,pulsing this afternoon,feels funny hoping that’s the healing happening before dressing changes tomorrow!!

Thsnk you for all the support it means so much...xxx