I have just been diagnosed with stage 4 secondary liver cancer. I felt I was in free fall whe I was told a few ago. I want to run but I can't.  We are a member of a club we do not want to be in and yet more that a third of people will get cancer. It's terrifying. I'm finding hard it to be the sick one too. I'm the fixer and doer in my family and I can't get used to not being that person any more. 

I wish you good luck with treatment. I also find Maggie's centre invaluable for counseling at the moment they have save me a few times ️

Hello 747, my heart goes out to you, I can feel the free fall you are feeling. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. I wish you the strength to bear this without such anguish and hope you find the support you need. x

Sam,

What is happening about your radiotherapy? Things seem to be getting tighter regarding activity and I'm waiting to hear whether or not my next hospital appointment will go ahead.  Please don't go wandering round the Shops! You might be a young'un but you have many reasons to be considered vulnerable and should stay home!!!

Christine xxx

Hola both
I write from my sofa, all is good and had dressing change at hospital yesterday, as all is good in that department (I mean its still a naughty leaky seroma but the fluid produced is very healthy now and the seroma is looking a good colour) will be changing by myself in the future, though I have to say applying very sticky things left handed is quite an art!
Or at least I will until my extensive collection of bandages is depleted anyway, hopefully seroma or at least leak will be sorted by then.

Meant to say that I found out at 2 wk post surgery review last week that the annoying discomfort being experienced in inner top of arm is because surgeon cut the nerve...great!  I'm sure it had to be done & all but don't think it happens in every case (Christine - did you have this?), feeling may return, who knows?

So my new plague is eczema on my eyelids which is driving me mad and is not conducive to not touching your eyes!  And it makes them really sting. Called the docs and am due to have a telephone call this afternoon so forsee another queue outside Boots, don't mind if it means its sorted.  Or I've become all biblical and am Saul...its one of these that's causing it...

So my new annoyance is families out walking 3 or 4 abreast and taking up all the paths near me, I have to be the one who moves EVERY time so make sure they know it. Only had one dick respond so far "you're long suffering" from him was met with "well so will you be when your family gets cv and dies" - harsh but will hopefully make them be more cautious as well as careful...I live in hope.

Caroline,

Good to hear from you, in answer to your query radiotherapy will help but it will be the hormone tablets that will be the main factor keeping any naughty cancer at bay.  I'm on my 2nd brand of Letrazole and the 2nd is much better than the first, I do feel really stiff especially on a morning and getting up after sitting a while but nothing a few stretches can't remedy.  And it weirdly affects my LHS ankle the most.

You are doing a sterling job and make me feel quite useless, rest assured though if RHS was more functional I'd be volunteering to help out (though given my particular "strengths" would probably be better in the Derbyshire police rather than the NHS...don't want that mortality rate getting worse do we?).

Interested to know what gets discussed on 2nd, I was just reminding myself what it was for and can't believe its a 6 months check up..and looking back how can this be when you only had rads in November?? Seems a bit early?

Christine,

How full is your summer house now then?  I have a feeling that both the tips and charity shops will be overwhelmed as others do the same!  What next on the painting front, I presume you have enough stocks of canvas etc to see you through a few months, mind you I'd hope you'd be able to get on-line for a while yet.

I'll be fine with rads, will sail through like I felt I did with chemo compared to a lot, besides which if it was all smooth running what would I have to ramble on about eh?  

Nice to hear bin-men are not only throwing caution to the wound cv wise but are as productive where you are as they are here!  Think I need a job where I can have a lie down when needed...

As I tell the ever-suffering Adrian, you need to remember that generally you're surrounded by idiots and act accordingly.  I do however know why there's so many accidents on the roads down here, most people are unable to anticipate actions, I mean if someone is walking towards you they need to expect that at some point the 2 mtr will be encroached and therefore need to take appropriate action...no, no anticipation going on whatsoever...just me then. Ha!!

I second your advice to Caroline re don't try & do too much and love that your daughter is still very protective...suspect this will never end.

I think its fair to say that its somewhat hit & miss with the extremely vulnerable comms and can't say I'm surprised as there's probably many databases within the whole NHS that we're on and that don't talk to one another.  And am sooo glad that I don't live with Adrian, he would have driven me quite mad at the moment (as insists on working with total quiet in the house) and I would have done the same to him (as like the radio on all the time and do arm exercises to some quality old 7 inch vinyl on quite loud - with singing)....I feel for other couples who are now forced to be together for so long, some of my friends are expressing "disquiet" in this respect (oh dear!).  Also, as you say with your brother & partner good to have separate houses when you need to self isolate.

The good weather was nice for a short time and feel for those who don't feel so mentally happy with lockdown & weather not being quite so nice.  Ah Sainsbury's, so near yet so far...its good they've taken it seriously just a pity their technology didn't eh?  You got there eventually though, your persistence paid off, am hoping I'll get something similar from waitrose soon (and Adrian is my equivalent of your daughter, and given he lives on ready meals it will cost me a fortune to feed him!). And don't get too carried away washing your hair lots, not sure your sample size shampoo will take it!  Never come across your breakfast fave, bagel thins, before...must expand my culinary horizons, and may need to do so given shopping on line is now substitution heaven!

And don't worry big sis I am being very vigilant when out & about and when get shopping on line up & running will stop running the supermarket gauntlet. I could play American football withy my new found talent of avoiding people who are on a trajectory for me.
Am still waiting some comms re radiotherapy, the BCN/surgeon told me last week that I should hear something this week so let's see what happens...

Love to you both (and animals of course) XX

Hi Girls,

Yesterday I restarted working on the painting I prepped about this time last year before becoming too exhausted to do anything more arduous than lifting my Kindle. It is a woodland scene from my daughter's neighbourhood.  I might even pop in a couple of deer, they are often seen down there, although not by me.. The deer I go to see are in a field at the top of the lane.

My six month checkup is now going to be a telephone call from the nurse! I suspect it will be a very cursory consultation with no visual contact, although it's only a few weeks since they saw me and recommended the ultrasound scan so they could see what was what.  The scan that was cancelled! Your seroma has broken out but mine has broken in! I think I'll be stuck with baby boob for ever, now. 

My armpit is totally without sensation, except, oddly enough if it itches!  For the first few weeks after that second op my underarm was really painful, I had the lack of sensation while at the same time feeling as though it had been roughly scraped with sandpaper, eventually this became less painful, more like nettlerash but my physio showed me how to stop that and now it is odd, numb but gets itchy. My worst sensation has developed over time, and that is a feeling of tightness all round my scar line and underarm if I stretch, not really painful, just weird.

I am sorry you are having side effects from the Letrozole, I feel I made a fuss over nothing much, because I only get the odd hot flush usually about 8pm! I went off my food the first month and lost weight, but both the appetite and the weight returned pretty quickly.  I do get an occasional backache in a different place to my usual one, so perhaps that is because of the Letrozole.

I hope you do get on with your rads,I read yesterday about a woman having bowel cancer surgery cancelled and fearing for her life. More people could die from the cancellations of important treatments for the sake of Covid19, than might go as a result of it.

When I walk round here the only people I meet are neighbours and we all make a point of separating by the length of an extended dog lead! Last week one of my neighbours died and he couldn't have the kind of funeral his family wanted him to have. Only a hearse, no cars and only immediate family to attend.  As we would have gone to the funeral if allowed, the neighbours got together, electronically  and we arranged to line up on the street, two metres apart, as the  hearse left. When the family came out of the house to get into their own cars, they were thrilled to see he had got a send off!  It was very moving.  I spoke to his sister later, he had lived with her, and she said the gates to the cemetery were locked and police parked outside and they were stopped from just following the hearse in and had to answer questions before they were allowed in as they were in their own cars, there were four cars, as there were six siblings. They had to stand apart, and had to leave after the cremation, not being allowed to go to  visit their parents' grave.  As they left the gates were locked behind them again.  How miserable!

One really good thing that we have to be thankful for is the communication methods available to us today.  My little group of friends, who had recently started meeting up on a Tuesday and going somewhere interesting for lunch have started having a FaceTime get together, instead.  I don't know how she did it, but one of them sorted it out so we can all see each other at the same time from our different homes. It was great to catch up as usual, today.

i solved the problem of mini shampoo bottle - I had a mad hair cutting session and it is now VERY short and spiked! My son thinks I'm incorrigible  - he should know I'd never be a twin set and pearls with a purple perm old lady  I told him if I had the right shaped head I would have one of those almost shaved styles.  He nearly screamed, How many 73 year olds do you know with a hairstyle like that? I think the only comforting thing he could cling to was the knowledge I won't be going out in public with a shorn head! Well not for few weeks anyway!

Caroline, we are eagerly awaiting your report of your face to face six month checkup,  Sam, I think it's based on when you have your surgery, not when you have finished your treatments. My mastectomy was on the 4th October, and my checkup is 8th April.

Sam, our doctor's surgery sent a message to all patients telling them appointments will be by telephone only, unless you are invited to come into the surgery and to email prescription requests which they will send to the local pharmacy to be delivered!  My Letrozole is coming tomorrow.  I suppose that's one of the benefits of living in a country village. No having to go to Boots for us!
 

As always, stay safe, stay home.

Love

Christine xxx

Hi ladies,

I've had a pretty *** day today. Being made to feel unappreciated at my job and then being evicted from my office and told to find somewhere to work. Then I got the call to say my appointment on Thursday will be via telephone. Think that just broke me! I seem to have cried as much today as the day I realised I had cancer. I do think the fact they cancelled my physical appointment has really thrown me more than the other incidents. I was thinking they would be able to examine me and reassure me all is good but feel, over the phone they will go on my assurance that I'm fine - when I'm not as fine as I thought!!  My friend went in for her op today too, to have the cancer removed from her nose. I'm a pretty together person the majority of the time but today fell apart. But I'm cross that I have allowed people to make me feel that way too. But tomorrow is a new day. I have new plans and I know, realistically that my cancer isn't likely to have come back or grown in 6 months (from the date of my surgery).  I don't look after myself enough - I'm still rubbish at taking my tamoxifen and I could cut down on my alcohol but I almost feel like I'm taunting the cancer - daring it to come back. I just feel deflated by my day today. I put my all into my job but felt today that people don't really understand what I do. But, ladies you keep me strong - we've all had battles to face and think we maybe underestimate our journeys. But I know I'm stronger than this and I will go back in tomorrow, stronger with my middle finger held high at the people who pushed me today. 
Take care xx

Oh Caroline, I'm sorry you've been messed about today. I remember that kind of day when I was working. The only thing that helps, sometimes, is something you don't need, a glass of wine or, in my case a big bar of chocolate.
It's a bummer about your checkup, too.  I was hoping to hear all about yours so I would know what questions to ask at mine, next week. It doesn't seem possible to do that sort of thing over the phone, does it? I suspect, as you do, that it will be a very cursory consultation.  It does seem, even without the COvid19, that once you've had your initial cancer treatment you are more or less dispensed with.  I suppose the only good news is that after only six months it probably won't have done anything sinister and we can wait for a bit longer to be told even if it has!
I feel sorry for those newly diagnosed who can't now have the whirlwind treatment we had, all that worrying without any action must be a nightmare.  
I'm glad to see you've still got your fighting spirit. Try to look after yourself, which I know is hard when you feel unappreciated at work and still have to look after a family.  Take your tablets at the same time every day until it becomes a habit, (she says). I am doing better at taking my Letrozole, now, but keep forgetting my Vitamin D / calcium tablets. I remember it in the morning, because I take a Lansoprazole half an hour before food and sucking my minty "sweet" staves off the hunger pangs while I do my lymph drainage and arthritis exercises before breakfast. However, while I usually take the Letrozole every night, I don't automatically follow it with the other one. I'm in bed as I write this and I hope I will remember to get up and take it before I go to sleep.

Tomorrow is another day, and the people who made you feel bad today could get their come uppance tomorrow!  If not then, it will come another day,  Just avoid the Covid spreaders!!  Actually, should you be working? I read yesterday that women seem to be less badly affected by Covid than men and one reason put forward was that oestrogen is known to help our immune systems, and we are merrily taking tablets to stop our bodies producing it. I am, anyway, I don't know how Tamoxifen works.  When I told my daughter this she was even more determined that I will never be allowed to go shopping again! Thank goodness I can still walk Archie.

Take care, sweetie, you're winning the battle!

C xxx

Caroline

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time, especially when all you're trying to do is do your job and help out during this ridiculous situation, rest assured at least one of my (pathetic) claps tonight will be for you. And I hope yesterday bought some reprieve compared to Tuesday. And agree your f*** 'em attitude is the best...ever!

Anyway trying not to waffle too much (vvvv difficult as am sure you already know) before I say good luck for call today.  I know that not seeing someone face to face is less than ideal but I hope that somehow they manage to be as thorough as they possibly can and I'm sure if they sense anything is not as it should be they will see you in person.  

Although nothing like your situation I had the doc appointment, which are all now over the phone where I am, and the video conferencing NHS thing wasn't working (not a surprise) so I have self diagnosed eczema (around my eye - it stings, ow!), was quite amused when the doctor following prescribing some evil potion told me that if it doesn't improve in 2 wks to go to eye casualty! Can't wait for my eyeballs to melt like that naughty German chap at the end of Indiana Jones & the Raiders of the Lost Ark (funny as think the Temple of Doom would be more appropriate currently....).

Anyway best of luck missus

XX

Hi ladies,

I missed the call :neutral: I didn't realise my phone was on silent!!! 

Aaaaagh! How infuriating - have you called to rearrange?  I must make sure I'm sitting waiting with phone at the ready at 9am next Wednesday!

xxx

I'd come home from work so I could take the call at home and even left the phone out so I wouldn't be hunting through my bag!! But needed to go to the loo and that is when they called! It got to 3:10 and I thought I'd check my phone and the call had come through at 2:55!! I've called the breast cancer nurses and left a message.

caroline x

ARGGGHHH!!

You great nana.

Am sure they will have phoned back by now??  Do hope so.  

Hope you heard my special claps last night, my right arm ached afterwards but due to a very good cause of course.

So had my rads apppintment which wasn't a planning one at all it was a "hear the side effects and sign your life away" meeting.  Leaky seroma is delaying proceedings so planning meeting now 14th April and rads likely to start beginning May-ish. So all fine really.  Obviously things may get delayed re that bl**dy disease but not overly concerned.

Right this glutton is ravenous so need lunch, will write usual lengthy rubbish soon...

Sam X

ARGGGHHH!!

You great nana.

Am sure they will have phoned back by now??  Do hope so.  

Hope you heard my special claps last night, my right arm ached afterwards but due to a very good cause of course.

So had my rads apppintment which wasn't a planning one at all it was a "hear the side effects and sign your life away" meeting.  Leaky seroma is delaying proceedings so planning meeting now 14th April and rads likely to start beginning May-ish. So all fine really.  Obviously things may get delayed re that bl**dy disease but not overly concerned.

Right this glutton is ravenous so need lunch, will write usual lengthy rubbish soon...

Sam X

I called the breast cancer nurses office yesterday and left a message to say id missed my call but not heard anything back. I went out and clapped yesterday too!! I'm so in awe of some of the nurses I work with and what they are having to go through at the moment. 
Fingers crossed they do get your radiotherapy started in May. Yes they will need to wait till all your operation scars have calmed down. Don't forget to get your cream ready!! 
 

Caroline xx

C&C

Found time in my hectic schedule to drivel on!

Caroline

I do hope that someone responds to your missed appointment soon and that work is not as annoying as it was? 

My work has furloughed its staff but is paying full pay till end of month so am glad that my private medical came through...for me cancer does have some benefits!

I think I have a "cream" chat at planing session...let's see what they recommend as it seems to be different at lots of hospitals. Already have aloe Vera in fridge (it will be soooper cool come May!).

Christine 

I think that along with running & cycling you'll find there's more joining you in your artistic pursuits.  On the plus side with painting you don't knacker your legs eh, just ( if it was me) cover the house in paint...and probably ruin the painting when I couldn't get the eyes or some other detail "right".

When is your follow-up appointment next week?

Re the calcium tablets I just leave them on the kitchen side so that I have to look at them every time I pass through kitchen - that way I can't avoid them.  Try sticking them near kettle or fridge door? 

I'm not sure even if its practical to write about but what did your physio tell you to do to stop the sandpaper feeling under your arm?  I do attempt to massage (my version, not sure a masseuse would agree) it every day but not sure its having as much of an effect as I think it should.

I also like the hair strategy, I totally agree and will, if mine looks too terrible in a couple of weeks (and it will based on progression to date), shave it all off again, after all it will be lovely in the summer especially when those hot flushes come around.  I'm sure you look fab!

As its going to be a lovely day today (nice enough to go out without coat but not too hot, those sort of sunny days are acceptable to this northerner) I think I'll get stuck back into my book and will forgo my daily walk as there'll be too many people that will need shouting at in the woods near me - I'm more likely to lose my voice than get cv.

Am expanding my culinary horizons further this week, stuffed peppers awaits mid-week, I did used to live on fish or vegetarian muck with veg - am a confirmed carnivore  (nothing better than some corned beef or tongue - the quality meats!!) though decent meat too costly for a tight northerner to then ruin by her inability to (be bothered to) cook it properly! If I live through this nonsense given my food experiments that will be nothing short of miraculous.

Watched the film contagion last night, was quite happy that annoying Gwyneth Paltrow got her comeuppance but funny how in hindsight its more of a documentary!

Stay well & hope you both get your meetings this week.  Time for my morning exercises, am going through my CD collection (went through all my vinyl already) and am on classic disco tracks currently - am sure the neighbours appreciate it and my singing of course, the cats seem to want to be outside when this happens surprisingly enough...

Sam X

Hi Sam,

My "consultation" is 9 am on Wednesday, I was hoping to pick Caroline's brain as to what to expect but unless she gets another one before Wednesday it looks like I'm on my own. 
I had my walk with Archie this morning, we went right to the top of the lane to see the deer and the alpacas, but the deer were right over the other side of the field, I could just see their silhouettes in the distance and the alpacas weren't out. It's a good walk though, gets the heart beating and the breath pumping. Took a very pretty photo of a robin sitting on a reed by the side of the lake, future painting inspiration, perhaps.  The one I'm doing at the moment is taking too long. I keep seeing it differently and changing things. It's only a woodland scene and I have put deer in, but they are no problem it's the blooming leaves on the trees that I'm struggling with.  I met a few people on the walk but stayed at the safe distance while talking to them. I got annoyed later, though, when a complete stranger parked his car right outside my house then got his walking gear out of the boot and toddled off.  I didn't see him come back because I was painting but I might have said something about unnecessary journeys.

This current situation has brought our neighbourhood together. We are having a street party when it's all,over. Then someone came up with the idea of an online quiz, just between the group. I haven't joined in that because I am terrible at quizzes- I get very competitive and as I've spent a lifetime collecting and storing useless information in this excuse for a brain, so I usually win. Once when I was working my department joined in with another department working on the same floor, for a Christmas party, including a quiz.  The people organising it had bought loads of silly little Christmas gifts as prizes for each stage of the quiz and I won the lot. It got so embarrassing I ended up giving the person next to me the answers so I didn't win. I have to say they chose a lot of geographical and historical questions that sort of included everywhere I'd ever lived.

The next idea someone has come up with is for us to put chairs at the end of our drives and have a sing song!  Only problem is our road is L shaped and I live on the short bit of the L,  I made my excuses, then my neighbour immediately opposite me said we could go to the corner and sit on opposite sides of the street and join in. Grrrr! This is only going to happen if we are still on lockdown in the Summer, so it isn't going to happen - not with me partaking, anyway.

I've just been a horrible sister, it's my (younger) sister's 70 th birthday today.  She lives in California, and her younger son, who lives at their ranch in Belize set up a surprise Zoom party for her. I hate parties, real or otherwise. From the sound of it there were going to be people from all over the world joining in this thing, not many of whom I would know so I didn't join in.  My nephew, not her son, phoned me to remind me and I told him I didn't want to do it, but I might just log on near the end, but I didn't!!!

I sent her loads of virtual cards and a message this morning, which she hasn't replied to, despite having been online lots of times since!  Now I'm going to feel guilty, for not doing something I didn't want to do.

I have to contradict you about painting not knackering your legs. My knees are killing me after standing painting all day. I wouldn't care but I bought an adjustable bar stool just for painting and I forget to sit on it! I think I'll take a pain killer tablet tonight just to make sure I sleep. 
I hope you get good advice about cream for your skin prior to having rads. My physio recommended Aveeno and it does make the skin feel lovely and soft.  How she taught me to reduce the oversensitivity in my arm was to stand in front of the mirror, naked and to stroke the good arm in the same place the bad arm hurts. Give it a good few gentle strokes from elbow to armpit. Then you stroke the bad arm In the same way, and repeat. It only took about a week and I'd forgotten how irritated the sore one had been. Apparently your brain realises that both arms should feel the same and the good arm is how it should feel!

One good thing about the group of neighbours messaging us all is they pass on some good jokes.  Someone sent a serious looking piece of advice today. It said that wine and other alcohol bottles should be put out into the recycling bin at 8pm on Thursday night, as the clapping for the NHS would drown out the evidence of your household's descent into alcoholism!

Christine xxx

Hi ladies,

I called the breast cancer nurses again today as still not heard anything. They said there was a letter in the post, which had arrived when I got home from work. Just said if I wanted to rearrange my call, to give them a bell or if I was happy to wait till my 12month appointment, I could do that. They have given me a date in October for my 12 month check up. I'm not really sure what to do, to be honest. I really don't feel that I will achieve much reassurance from a phone call. 
Work is crazy busy and I'm finding Im working much longer hours. But I do like the fact that I can leave the house everyday. 
Christine, maybe we will be taking our lead from your follow up call!!

Sam, like Christine recommended, I also used aveeno cream and had no real side effects

Take care ladies xx

Howdy all....

Christine,

Oooo I love alpacas, though I do feel sorry for lamas which seem overshadowed by the smaller and cuter alpacas, there's loads down here in Surrey land as people already have horses and probably nothing better to spend their ill gotten gains on!

The woods that I live near have loads of daft deer too, when I used to cycle to work I used to come across them quite regularly, they are lovely creatures but not the brightest -one once jumped out on poor boyfriend when he was cycling to mine, he nearly had a coronary!  What does Archie make of these animals?  

The robin is my favourite woodland bird round here and I like to play spot the robin (when I can hear it I must locate it!), I'm pretty darn good I have two say, they are so up for a fight (reminds me of someone...).

Eyes and leaves eh...they're your cryptonite!

You sound like my mother - she ALWAYS wins at trivial pursuit, I can always get a pink cheese but the rest are somewhat harder to come by.  She is also very annoying in that she generally completes the Times crossword, I struggle with the Waitrose weekly paper one which is definitely for simpletons.

I do love the plans that your community has and hope that similar things are happening elsewhere and do come to fruition, not sure they will round here....I will however have a big ooop north celebration with pals.  That said I'm not sure the singing would be my idea of fun, I'm not really very Vera Lynn.

Re your knees am now imagining you painting with your feet...and that would be a feat!!

Will give the stroking of both arms a go, with the curtains shut.

Hope the call yesterday was ok.  Let us know how it went.

Caroline

Can't believe they haven't returned your blummin call yet, that is bad show.

And there's no point phoning to rearrange when they won't even return your call is there? Madness.

Glad work seems to be on a more even footing and that you're enjoying it (or at least the opportunity to get out & about).  I really don't know how I will practically manage to fit in any work in my hectic schedule nowadays.  I do think that with a lot of WFH and changed routines that many will be re-evaluating their lives (much like many post cancer 

Treatment do I guess) and will be choosing more flexible ways of working....and on that note don't overdo it!

I do get to go outdoors (other than supermarket walk or hours walk) today...yay!  Its my monthly zolodex injection at the hospital, strange how you really look forward to these "opportunities", I will be getting glammed up accordingly given these times are now few & far between...Not sure how it will work as the chemo ward (where I have these) is now locked down...we'll see.

Also have now decided that I can drive again - especially given how long it took on public transport when last used as boyfriend has v important work related meeting. Just as well there's nowt on the roads...

Hope you've given up something amazing for lent, other than socialising or the will to live!  Happy Easter.

Sam X

Hi Girls,

Well, I had my telephone consultation - all 3 minutes of it!  As expected it was quite  cursory.  I asked what would have happened if I had gone in to the breast clinic. The reply was that I would have been examined, and given an appointment for my next mammogram, in September, then discharged. !!??
I asked about the ultrasound guided drainage of my seroma, which has been cancelled, she didn't know anything about it!  She asked if I had been given a new date for it and when I said it had just been completely cancelled. She said she would see that it was sorted for when all this nonsense is over with. I then asked her about a new thing that I have experienced recently to see if it was a known side effect of the Letrozole. I get cramp in my legs, in bed, not the usual calf muscle cramp I have occasionally  experienced, it comes right down the outside of my leg, from knee to ankle, no idea what that muscle is called. She hadn't heard of it and I said I was just telling her about it because the paperwork says to report anything different. I don't think she made a note of it.  The last thing she said was they would see me in about three months!  
Yesterday, someone in our neighbourhood group put up the message, "8pm, Clap for Boris" I deleted my reply before sending it, because these people are my neighbours and I don't want to antagonise them.  I don't know if they did go out and clap.

I spent a couple of hours grooming the fur ball yesterday- he hates it, but I was very gentle and he got a nice treat at the end of it.  Had another go with the painting, still don't know if I like it.  When I like a painting I've done, it goes on a wall somewhere so I can see it, if I don't like it it goes in a cupboard out of sight.  That cupboard is getting very full!

I've just seen something about keeping cats indoors because of the CV, don't know why, yet, just thought of it because I know you have cats, Sam.

I hope you get more satisfaction from your consultation, Caroline. It sounds as though they wouldn't have checked for more cancer until a year has gone by, anyway, so I'm just going with the flow!

Another exciting day ahead- walk Archie, next, then I'm going to get up close and personal with the cleaning equipment, ie vacuum cleaner and mop and if it stays fine I might mow the front lawn. I did the tiny back one a couple of days ago. 
Stay safe!

Christinexx

Hi ladies,

Christine, interesting to hear about your call. That is what I kind of expected would happen. I might just ring them and say I'm happy to wait until October.  I do need to ask if they will be doing an ultra sound as my cancer didn't show up on a mammogram. 
Love hearing all your news and what you've been up to and feeling a little bit envious of the slow down of your life style. 
As to be expected life working in the hospital is busy busy but I'm enjoying the business and learning new roles.

will let you know when I've called the breast team and what they say.

Caroline xx

Hi Girls,

Just a quickie, I got a message last night, to log in to the hospital patient portal, which I did, to find a letter inviting me to a General Surgery appointment with the Breast Specialist Nurses team on Wed 8 July at 8.45 am. I wasn't told about this at my telephone consultation but this was, obviously what she meant when she said she would see my in three months.  

 Cxx

Christine
Wow, 3 whole minutes eh? If your BCN does the things that she should not altogether a waste of time I guess?
My letrozole side effects are all bone & muscle related and in reading about others haven't come across your symptoms, I do hope the BCN made a note of these things, I mean how busy can the BCNs be when most things are cancelled/shortened/delayed?
I think the "clap for Boris" instruction was STD related, fear not, no-ones stupid enough to congratulate him the same way as nurses etc.
Yeah I saw the article too, it was encouraging those with cv to keep their beasts inside, if I had it & did it to mine they would knock a hole in the door/wall/me....let's hope it doesn't come to that!
Don't get confused and mop the lawn, I'm still on no housework - more through choice as the days go by, when it gets really bad I may do something about it.  Did I mention that I have very low standards when it comes to cleanliness & chores.
Did a stretching class online yesterday, couldn't do some of the stuff re duff arm but feels a lot better today re reduced numbness & seroma, I've also started the magic stroking that you recommended so that will be helping it feel more like the other arm too.

Caroline
You should be even more envious of my life if its the slow-life you're after!  My only exertions are getting out of bed in the morning (thanks to Letrazole!) and exercising - this is how life should be....and I managed to get an on-line delivery slot for 19th so will do a big/heavy shop to supplement my one bag for life trips into town.

So today's thrilling instalment in this cv story is a barre class (ooo get me!), finishing my book and shopping for stuffed pepper ingredients...gosh, am tired at the thought!! Ha!

Have a good and chocolate filled (for normal people, not me) Easter weekend

Sam X
 

Happy Easter,

I don't think it will be choc laden for everyone, I've had my chocolate order noted as not available on my daughter's Ocado order.  She has just told me she's got a delivery slot for next Thursday but I had to get my shopping list to her in the next hour, so it's very much a guess as you go list. I need to be able to browse to know what I really want.  Fruit, fresh fruit and vegetables and milk are what I always need so they are on the list. Saves money, though, not being able to impulse buy that lovely cake or whatever else has been put there to tempt us.
 

Sam, I think I have given you the wrong impression of my housewifery. I am very happy to ignore house cleaning until the dog hairs on the floor threaten to clog up the vacuum cleaner, which is when I scrape them with rubber soles shoes and create long ropes of hair that can be picked up by hand! I'm a firm believer in doing the necessary stuff and ignoring the rest. I like clean, but dusty and untidy don't get to me that much. Having said that, yesterday I nearly did myself in with the Good Friday cleaning.  It was a ritual when I was a girl that Good Friday morning was when the house got scrubbed from top to bottom and you recovered in church in the afternoon! I don't go to church any more but the cleaning gets done. I recovered in the garden with a good book!

I'm a bit worried about your arm, Sam, I never had any problem with the stretching exercises, and was able to fully extend my arm even when I had the cording. I suppose it's still early days, though.

My silly knee has become painful again, but my new physio who examined me over video the other day has given me a new set of exercises, and I have an app on my phone that guides me through them and records my diligence. I get the chance to give feedback, and say if I had any pain, on the app. One of the new exercises gave me cramp which I reported and I'm not going to do that one again until I hear from her.

Well,  it's a gorgeous day. We have already been up the lane, the deer were clearly visible today, and some of the horses had been let out into the field.  Last year three of the mares had foals, but there were only two horses out today, one was lying down sunning herself and the other was looking very rounded in the belly so we might be having more babies this year.  I love that lane in the summer with all the animals. We get lots of baby deer, baby horses, usually lots of lambs, but they must be on another field, this year as I haven't seen any sheep at all. The bird life up there is fabulous, too. A little patch of heaven! Last year I wasn't feeling well enough to enjoy it as much, so I'm looking forward to daily treks this year.

Have a lovely weekend, despite the lockdown!

Love

Christine xx