Hi

i had a similar visit 5 days ago, except I've never been through this before, I'm still waiting on CT as my lymph nodes were also affected 

I don't know how I'm meant to feel, I just feel like I need all the results now and the wait is excruciating 

I have a 3 week wait for CT due to coronavirus although I am on an emergency cancellation list

i would welcome any advice at all on how best to deal with this, I'm 43 and have 3 young children 

xxx

Hi AMil,

I am sorry to hear you are joining the club no one wants to join!! I think my advice would be to always try and remain positive. Medicine has moved on so much that breast cancer has a really high survival rate - in the 90%'s. Talk to people - friends/family or even us. I found that people who had been through/were going through BC had a better understanding of what I was going through but my friends and family were still amazing. Try and keep busy, between appointments. Waiting for scans/results is definitely one of the hardest parts!!! 
Remember, this is just a 'blip' The 3 of us all had very different journeys but we were there to talk about it and share worries and advice. Happy to do the same for you.

Caroline

Hi ladies,

Good to hear from you both!! All good here. I had a 6 month "holistic" follow up call yesterday. When I had the first one, after my radiotherapy I poo pooed it and told them I was fine. This time I really appreciated the call. They had sent me a sheet to fill in, highlighting any thing I was worried/distressed about - practically, family, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Call lasted 30 min and she has recommended that I make use of some of the local charities that offer therapies like reiki, massage, aromatherapy etc. She is also going to contact the breast unit to see if I can go for a physical check up before my next appointment, which isn't until October.  
Life is carrying on as normal - I've got a hair appointment for next Saturday at 9am and I can't wait!! I have my hair really short and usually have it cut every 5 weeks so it's desperately in need of a trim!!

Work is work. Our holiday in August has been cancelled. I wasn't surprised. We were due to go to Florida but their COVID rates are very high at the moment so probably best we wait until next year. Hubby wants us to go away in a camper van - can't say I'm thrilled about that as I hate camping of any kind!! 
I'm interested to see if opening bars etc is going to push the Covid infection rates back up. I for one, won't be going out and visiting them!! Cheaper and nicer in my garden!! 
Anyway, off to see a friend, in her garden so hoping the rain holds off!! 
Take care and stay safe xx

Caroline

Good to hear from you.  Is your holistic call part of the OAFU (open access follow up) program?  People talk about this as if its a nationwide "scheme" we're all in but I'm not convinced until I have collected evidence! So do you get a chat/meeting every 6 months? I guess that makes sense as my first OAFU meeting is 6 months post surgery, hadn't thought about how often they'd be after that though.

Presumably you've had your annual mammogram by now?  Got mine at end July, comes round quickly.

I encourage you to take advantage of the complimentary therapies on offer, during chemo I had all of them via MacMillan and their were all really welcome, I particularly enjoyed the reflexology (love having my feet pampered) and also the reiki (enjoyed it as the woman doing it actually told me to shut up so had a rare opportunity to stop gabbing and relax!).

Crikey, how did you manage to be first in the hairdressers, that is very impressive or your hairdresser has decided you are most in need - either way well done! I'm thinking of going silver as I wouldn't mind my grey if it wasn't so salt & peppery and silver will be beneficial when roots start showing...prior to losing hair was strawberry blond and am bored with that now, want something fierce!  Pity the poor hairdresser with all these curls though...he'll be earning his money..see him the 9th so not far behind you.

So that's at least 2 holidays that I know of that you've missed so far...hope you got refunds for both of them. 

I have 2 holidays planned so far. In July plan A is to visit a pal in Southern Ireland but as there's still 14 day quarantine there if things don't change plan B is a trip to the motherland to see pals & family and then August had planned to go to the Edinburgh fringe, think we'll still do Edinburgh (drive up with stop off in Yorkshire) but no fringe unfortunately, got a lovely apartment booked so should be fun.  Don't think I'll be going "abroad" any time soon, the flying set up doesn't fill me with joy plus if I was a local and heard an English accent I'd avoid me, we've not got a good reputation in terms of the lurgi have we?  Like you say it will be really interesting to see what happens in pubs & restaurants the following week, like you I'll sit on the sidelines till we see how things play out...I do still think a lot of people will be doing gardening entertainment like yourself.

Busy week this week with blood test Tues and zolodex and bisphosphonate gunk Weds, don't think I've been so busy since radiotherapy, how will I fit all my usual fannying around in the week??

Am getting more annoyed that my under arm is still quite sore and is worse when lift arm overhead and am not sure if BCN is fobbing me off telling me that's normal, Christine any thoughts?  Its not stopping me doing anything, am not yet lifting heavy stuff or weights as don't think I should but that's about it.  Never do much hoovering or ironing so deffo not overdoing either of those, in fact one of the doors in my house has that many clothes awaiting ironing on it they now have cat hair on the bottom of them and there's a risk the hinges may fail!

Had a good day out yesterday (and making the most of the boyfriends national Trust membership) at a local arboretum, love a good tree collection!  Not too rainy and not too hot or sunny - ideal, and did't even mind a wet bum post picnic (delish corned beef sarnies with lashing of horseradish...only the quality meats for this northerner)!

On the subject of work have my occ health meeting tomorrow, know what I want so let's see how we get on eh?  Very keen not to work too hard!  Wouldn't class myself as lazy at all but need time to fit all the stuff I want to do into my day and will be putting me first from now on, well that's the plan anyway....

Have a good week

Sam X

Hi Girls,

i was interested to read about the holistic telephone call and the open access follow up programme because I have never been told anything abou them  or about complimentary therapies.  I imagine that the call I am expecting at 8.45 next Wednesday morning must be part of this but it has never been given a name.  

 I had good news last week in the form of a phone call from the lymphoedema nurse to say my laser treatment appointments had been arranged, starting on the 13th of this month - how the heck has it got to July already? - four sessions of 45 minutes each, Mon/Thursday for two weeks. 

Sam, my arm isn't really sore and it certainly doesn't stop me doing anything, although if I do something very strenuous I do get pain in the muscle, I think the pectoral, which tightens right up into my armpit and feels like I'm trying to get into a sleeve that's three sizes too small for me! The tightness is noticeable sometimes more than others.   It is still early days for you, though, and you had more nodes taken than I did so I suppose it's going to take longer to heal properly. It's a good job mine's not too bad, now, because last week my bed collapsed and I had to lift the whole weight of it up with my bad arm so I could push it back together with the other.  Yesterday I built a flat pack kitchen unit, too and it wasn't painful at all. Although I am right handed so did most of the work with the good hand.

I hope you're feeling ok after your bisphosphonates infusion today. Are you ok with the Zolodex? It feels like a long time since I had to keep all those hospital appointments, My mammogram is in September but I forget what date. I'm just assuming everything will be ok. 

I feel quite smug when it comes to hair because I do my own. I have cut my own and my family's hair since the 1970's when a girlfriend who trained with Vidal Sassoon taught me the basics of keeping short hair neatly trimmed.  My kids didn't like me cutting their hair as they got older but both my exes were very happy to save money on going to the barber. When we lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, all the barber shops were closed down for a while as one was caught out, acting as a cover for a brothel, so I had a regular line of my husband's colleagues popping in for a trim.  I should have charged for my services but didn't.  I wear mine very short, too, Caroline, and it does need trimming very often, so I just set up mirrors at various angles in the bathroom and hack away. My premise is that hair grows so if I make a mistake it won't show for long!  I went grey very early, in my twenties, so I coloured it for years and years, going from my natural, dark, brown in my twenties and thirties, to an ash blond in my forties and then at 56, I decided to stop colouring it and it has been pure white for the last 17 years. I have never thought of using a silver colour, Sam, although I've just seen an advert for a silver shampoo!

I actually ventured out to the shops last weekend!  I needed petrol, which was my excuse for going out and the impetus for actually going, was my neighbour offered to get something from Aldi for me but by the time I had listed all the things I wanted I couldn't bring myself to ask anyone to seek all those things out.  I went fairly early on Saturday morning and there were no queues and few shoppers at first, but as I had a real good mooch, buying things I didn't even know I wanted, there were lots of people queuing to get in as I was leaving. 

Take care, stay safe

Christine xxx

Hi ladies!!

A holistic assessment should be part of your recovery programme - www.macmillan.org.uk/.../recovery-package

Christine - I am very impressed with the fact you had to reassemble your bed!! And your hair colour journey sounds just like mine!! Found my first grey hair at 21, dyed it red/auburn/red black throughout my 20's and 30's. I decided to go lighter in my mid 40's as was sick of my badger stripe needing regular attention, so gradually went blonde. I dyed it the other week and it is currently a very white/blonde!! I have attempted to cut it - mostly around my ears but am worried about making too much of a bodge up!! Only 3 days to go!! I did cut my kids hair when they were younger and have been barber for kids and hubby during lock down. 
Just been out for a run but seem to have surcome to a hip/knee pain so ended up having to walk home. I feel like I'm a barrel of aches and pains at the moment!! 
I don't have my 1st annual mammogram until October so quite a wait!  I am hoping, after my assessment, they try and fit me in a bit earlier, especially as I was actually diagnosed in July/op in August.  Not sure if I have any more holistic assessments - but she did give me her contact details and said I can contact her whenever I wanted.

Right, off to dump my trainers and get my pjs on. 
xx

Hello ladies
All good here and am now pretty much recovered after naughty bisphosphonate gubbins floored me this week.  Strangely enough though, and it has come at the same time as a change in letrozole brand, my aches & pains now seem to be significantly better...am not sure there's generally good side effects of any drug so will just put myself down as being a medical miracle.
I did have a lovely time though at the chemo unit on Weds, and though the zolodex & bisph's only take 30 mins was there for 90 mins as was having so much fun with (poor) fellow patients and the very funny nurses.  I think that all involved are more than happy that they only get to see me once a month! And I don't think I get any side effects from Zolodex Christine but they could get mixed up with letrozole side effects as been taking them for broadly same time.
So its sooper Saturday, I bet Christine was out at 8am at her local Wetherspoon's eh? Ha!  Mind you with your furniture building ability a job helping out Ikea buyers beckons (agree with Caroline very impressive).  I live opposite a quiet boozer (its a well behaved one) and its very quiet though the locals are very good at making believe that 100cms is the same as 100mm ...I won't be popping out to pubs/restaurants any time soon and will be still insisting that the cats place their food orders via post-it note.  I don't know anyone who is planning or who has actually braved the newly open leisure sector today, do you?  Am sure many, like me, are waiting to see what ensues...
So am going to be fighting fit tomorrow (I've decided so it will be so) and go, just for a change, for a bike ride.  And then next week is full on busy, 2 trips to the hairdressers (yep its that bad!  Actually one is a patch test) and 2 meet ups with pals.  Back to work 14th for a few days before a holiday oop north back to the Motherland...hard life for me eh?

Like Caroline I was grey from early 20s ( it could have been worse, my father & brother were bald from late teens!) but I've never, until now, "embraced" my natural hair colour, its been an experience...but one that will be finished next week! 

Glad your laser treatment is but a week and a bit away Christine, reading about it it would appear to be quite straight forward, hope so & obviously hope it works, presumably you'll only know a while after when the build up starts breaking down?  Do let us know how you get on.  Re my arm/pit soreness, probably not a coincidence but not having done ANYTHING for the past few days had resulted in a much improved area...which although I have quite clearly noted there is no stopping my exercise so will just have to stop moaning as its most likely all self induced!  Although I exercise I would not lift a bed though!! Christine-does your daughter know? Mmm?

Christine you do have an interesting past and more than one string to your bow, I was never meant to be anything more than a one trick (and simple ones at that) pony.  Think your hair is like my mothers (the one near Caroline), her's would be pure white if it wasn't tinged with nicotine (nice!).

Caroline - give the mammo dept a ring as seems so odd (and I know there's discrepancies all over re consistency of BC treatments) that we were both diagnosed same time yet you wait.  The worst that can happen is there's a good reason (can't imagine what but you never know) why its later than mine and they can hopefully tell you why.  Impressed with the running, especially late(ish) in the evening, if i don't do exercise by 5pm at the latest it doesn't happen..any impetus I had has departed for the day.

Right time I had my first shower in 3 days (nice!), boyfriend is popping by to check am still in land of living (and to do 3 days washing up...he isn't aware of the latter yet!).

Hope your weeks are as thrilling as mine promises to be!

Sam X

Hi ladies,

Hope you are both well and enjoying a bit more freedom. Wanted to fill you in on my updates. So, following my "holistic" 6 month assessment, the lovely lady reported back to the breast team about my worries that no one had given me a physical check up. I then received a phone call to say I had an appointment on the 9th July, to see the Advanced Nurse Specialist, for a check up!! I was there for around 30min. Long chat about the side effects of the tamoxifen, tiredness etc. She did suggest some medication that could help with the night sweats but I wasn't keen - one is an anti depressant and one is a blood pressure tablet. Said I'd rather manage for the time being.  Then had a physical check up!! All fine. She did say my scar feels quite tight and to keep it moisturised. I think it has helped my worried thoughts but to be honest - there was no feel able lump the first time!! She also booked me in for a blood test, just to check that there isn't any underlying reason why I'm so tired. I'm convinced it's the tamoxifen so I've made the decision to give it a break for a month, to see if my aches and pains/cramps/night sweats and tiredness improve. I've just completed week one of no meds and for the past 2 nights have slept better than I've slept in months!! Hopefully this will then help with the tiredness. I am planning on going back on it in September but might reassess if I feel I've got my life back!!!

Anyway, how you 2 both doing? Any check ups coming up? How you both doing physically and mentally? Good I hope! My hubby has just bought a motor home and we are off to do a week of touring in a few weeks!! Not my idea of a holiday but better than staying at home!!!

caroline xx

Hiya Girls!

Sam, you make me laugh every time I read your messages. I must say I'm glad I refused to have the bisphosphonates if it floored you who takes everything in her stride! I'm glad you seem back on top form.  I have seen a few reports of how changing the brand of Letrozole has helped with the aches and pains. So far I'm coping ok, I get a strange new pain in my back, these days, that I suspect is from the Letrozole. I had a bad back for years but it was always left or right of the spine at pelvis level, caused by loose sacroiliac joints, but I have learned how to be very protective of it and it rarely bothers me now. The new pain feels to be right on my spine at waist level, I get it in the morning but it eases off as the day goes on. Apart from that and feeling very tired some days  I'm doing ok with it I think. 
 

Caroline, I'm so glad you actually got to see someone in person who could examine you. I had my belated 6 monther by telephone again. I was quite boosted by your description of your telephone one and did tell the nurse who called me everything that had been going on, only to be told, "That's quite normal" or " Well, it's early days". I told her I thought it would be comforting if I had been told that after being examined by a person who knew what was what. She then said that wasn't everyone's experience, some people found examinations stressful and in any case, from the sound of things she would have discharged me to the "risk stratified pathway" anyway!  I had to google that later as there was no explanation forthcoming. I told her about baby boob and got the early days platitude again and when I said I was going for the laser treatment she said "Well, you can give that a try, I suppose!  My mammogram is going to be done some time in September ( if I'm lucky ). I just said thank you and hung up feeling very dejected. Thank goodness for my lymphoedema nurses!  I have been given a couple of new ways to massage/ manipulate the hard tissue to move the fluid on, the laser was painless, I hardly noticed it because we were chatting - about my disastrous foray into normal life, which I will relay to both of you, with the understanding that you can stop reading any time when you get bored,

it was the Fourth of July, freedom for the masses day. I had no plans to take advantage. - no Wetherspoons at 8am or any other time, but I did have to go out earlyish in the morning to pick up some flea treatment for Archie, from the vet. This would be only my second outing since lockdown began so I planned it carefully. I would take a route that allowed me to pop into Aldi and Iceland before carrying on to the vet's. it was a horrible grey morning with very poor visibility but I went anyway. I did a one sector hop on the motorway and did my shopping. I had a good mooch at both shops as they were next to each other. Stocked up on lots of store cupboard essentials and went back to the car. Funny! I couldn't open the doors. I tried a few times then remembered I had a key inside the fob so I could use that to get in. But then I couldn't start the engine. I had only left my lights on and, because it hadn't been driven properly for three months, the battery had died. Aaaagh!  I had recently called the RAC to cancel my membership but, fortunately I was still covered up to July 11th. I phoned my daughter to tell her my tale of woe and she said to ring them and if they were going to be a long time, to call her back and she would dig out some jump leads and come to my rescue. I did call them and they said it could be four or five hours before they could get to me because I was safe on the car park. I was just going to call my daughter back when I remembered I still had Iceland's basket in my hand so I went to put it back - as I did so I caught the eye of a man a few cars down, packing his shopping away and being the kind of person who speaks to everyone I said, "Battery's dead, can't start the car!" and rolled my eyes signalling that I knew I'd been stupid. He immediately said, "I've got jump leads," Five minutes later my engine was purring away. Now I knew the battery would need further charging so instead of going straight to the vet's, I did a ten mile circuit via  the motorway and repeated my original journey but continuing to the vets. All well, life goes on.   Until Tuesday, 14th July, ten days of basic near normality, then the postman came and I got a notification of intent to prosecute me FOR SPEEDING!!! on 4th July AAAAARRRRGH. I couldn't believe it, I had been caught by a mobile camera, hidden under the motorway bridge on my first trip. The real irony of this was that it was only my second speeding ticket ever (in Uk) and the first one was in exactly the same place twenty years before!!!

The only good thing is that I qualify for the speed awareness course as I was caught doing 36 mph, so I won't get points. My kids laughed their heads off!!! My daughter said they will be doing a lot of mobile speed traps now to make up for the months with no revenue because no one was on the roads and, funnily enough, since then I have seen police vehicles tucked away in several places along the road where I've never seen them before.

i posted my Mea culpa form back yesterday, hoping it will all be sorted before my insurance renewal

I am waiting for the third thing to happen now, as my mother always swore these things happened in threes.

Then, yesterday,  I got my copy of the doctor's letter from the nurse making it sound as though I was completely happy with everything, as I said earlier, I think, thank goodness for my lymphoedema nurses. I have two more sessions with them, next week then the mammogram in September, no date for that, yet. 
 

I hope you are both still awake. Caroline, is there no other tablet you could take instead of Tamoxifen- I don't blame u for feeling you don't want to start it again, especially if you are feeling better without it.  I will have no qualms about stopping the Letrozole if I feel it making me ill.

Sam, I hope your week was as thrilling as expected, bet it wasn't as exciting as mine or should I say exasperating!

Take care, it's always nice to hear from you both,

Christine xx

Oh Christine!!!

What a nightmare!!!:laugh: At the point where you couldn't get in your car, I was waiting for you to say you then realised it wasn't your car!!! Thank god for kind people, although I don't have any jump leads in my car, so wouldn't have been of no help!! 
Ive only had one speeding fine - which my hubby checked up on this week and it has now been removed as over 5 years ago. I was going too fast to qualify

for the course so points and a fine :cry:

I have to say, your breast cancer nurse didn't sound the most supportive or empathetic!!! I am very grateful for the lovely team I am under. 
In reference to alternative medication - I suppose they would need to assess what stage of the menopause I would be. If I am post menopause, medication could change but I have a merina coil so that has stopped my periods anyway. But so far, sleeping better and less night sweats!! Might go back to my medication once the weather turns colder - easier to cope with then I reckon!!

I'm sure your 3rd unlucky strike is not going to happen but just watch out for dogs and hearing aids!!! Just saying!! :silly:
Caroline xx

Hi Caroline,

Writing stuff down on here and getting a sympathetic reply makes life's little problems shrink to the size they deserve. Thank you. 
I forgot to say, last time, that my best friend and her husband have a motor home, which I always seem to call a camper van, and they have had some wonderful trips in it, both in UK and Europe. Because of the situation at the moment they are planning a trip for the next two or three weeks discovering the Eastern part of England, going from here in Lancashire down through the Peak District then over to the East coast. She has booked their camp sites and because they are fully self contained, if necessary, it doesn't matter if not all the facilities are open. She says they love stopping over somewhere they don't know and getting their (electric) bikes out and exploring.  I hope you enjoy yours as much!

Christine xx

Hi both,
Just catching up on comms as have just been on my jollies...a week back in the motherland...ooo it was soooper great.  Haven't been up there since November, far too long ago.  Saw all my northern pals & parents - not bad for a week, absolutely knackering but well worth it.  Did some National trust gardens, ate lots (did I tell you my middle name was glutton?), walked 15 miles on one day (I was more tired than my pals little dog) at Bridlington (fish & chips helped restore energy levels).  Just what I needed.
We did have an interesting "scare" that the pal I was with on day 2 got tested as she was going to visit elderly relatives and tested positive! Don't care about having it but do care if it puts paid to my plans of the rest of my Yorkshire holiday...anyway got tested with the pal I was with (as did a few others that she'd been in touch with) and everyone else is negative (so glad).  Odd that she's the only positive out of 10 tested and she only had a headache as a possible symptom, but its not like you can question the result.
Anyway if you fancy an interesting experience get yourself tested!  Very odd but a bit like having the chemo to round off my cancer experience and glad I'm getting more of the CV experience, I'll stop short of a hospital visit though thank you.
And am loving the CV impacted M25 & M1, best journeys I've had up north for over 15 years! I think the M62 was actually worse than the M25...bonkers.  So got back down south last night...boo!  Cats enjoyed their "spa" visit while I enjoyed not bad weather up north (not too much of the wet stuff amazingly).

Caroline
Really glad you got your concerns listened to...its doesn't happen enough from messages I've seen from many others, not at all good for physical & mental health, especially with all the other nonsense that's going on.
I do wonder at what point (and its a question for my 1st follow up mid Sept) they test to determine you're post menopausal as I'm sure I won't be getting the ovary killing monthly zolodex injection thingys forever....will see what they say.
I'm with you re the hormone tablets, am lucky that the current brand gives very few side effects but if it did, and despite the 15% improvement in survival rates over 15 yrs, I'd ditch them no problem...quality of life tip top priority for me.  And not being able to sleep would only just beat (in terms of the worst things that could happen to me physically) problems with feet....I do think that interrupted  sleep is a justifiable defence for murder (if you had noisy neighbours for example) so get your pain re not being able to get a good nights kip, glad its got better and hope it improves even more.
Ooo a motor home, I suspect that wasn't as cheap as it would have been had we not got this bl00dy lurgi eh?  My father used to have one and used to clear off (by himself - my family are such a sociable bunch) to Morocco, Norway and many other places, far better than a caravan in my opinion and you'll be getting out & about.  Where are you planning to go?  I heartily recommend Northumberland, bit of a trek from you but soooo beautiful, with obviously a stop off in Yorkshire (goes without saying).  The 2nd mother (my father is working in no. 3 currently!) has a campervan with boyfriend but did have a holiday in Anglesey cancelled as the toilet block couldn't cope with social distancing - odd but be warned.

Christine
Hiyaaaa right back at ya!  Yeah, my letrozole pains were predominately morning based, I guess its as bodies haven't been used overnight?
Good lord a "risk stratified pathway" sounds very Orwellian...nice!  Think I'll be taking another path if its all the same with the NHS....bridlepath most suits.
I presume that its a breast cancer nurse doing these 6 monthly follow up calls?  It just doesn't sound like they have any power or authority to make any decisions or take any decisive action...lots of platitudes not at all helpful...and actually have a negative impact.
Had to laugh at the "understanding that you'll stop reading where you get bored" part...never! The only thing I've ever stopped reading was Jane Austen's Persuasion, persevered to page 24 before admitting defeat...the classics just don't have enough serial killers in for my liking, will stick with more modern rubbish for my reading material.
Fancy leaving the car lights on!  Had a boyfriend that did that on the last leg of European car trip in Amsterdam, good excuse to stay on and sample more delights of that fair city.
My mother has an electric car and as it was sat in the drive doing nowt during lockdown got drained...and as there was no power she couldn't get in it!  The AA man showed that there was a way round this involving a special handshake and some incantations so she's good next time.
So its speedy Christine now eh?  You renegade.  And no doubt you'll be doing your speed awareness course by zoom or whatever ( I know lots of speeders!) which is daft, if you don't do video (not sure whether they can "make" you do this) how do they know you're actually there?  Archie could do it for you...Like Caroline when I last got done for speeding (bl00dy M25) I did it in style and was too fast for the awareness course (typical!).

So has the laser/massage helped your lymphodema?  And is your knee now turbo charged?  Hope both are behaving....

So hair is looking sooo much better, rather than being salt & pepper grey its now sort of silvery/ash grey, I no longer resemble my (years since dead) 95 yr old grandmother.  I have a £5 bet with my hairdresser who think the chemo curls are permanent (I give them 18 months), it was very funny as we were chatting about what had changed re chemo and he commented that my boobs were bigger - had to tell him a) there's only the one and b) was wearing a bigger/sturdier bra as comfy!  He is now focussed on what they'll look like post reconstruction!!  We luckily do have a good relationship. 
My first week back at work ( back 1 week then on my holiday!) was ok but knackering and am only doing 4 days/3 hours a day, am taking it VERY easy...and still finding time to get out on the bike and do my 3 times a day arm exercises (had a week off last week).
Next week quite busy as have monthly zolodex thingy and first mammogram (in the gynae unit which seems odd)...so very exciting!
Its funny that all my pals are really surprised at how well I look, people do expect cancer sufferers to be wizened, emaciated and generally ill looking I think...even if they're free of the demon!  My father (who saw me in Nov during chemo) still thinks I'm a fake..ha! Mind you I am a million times healthier than I was in July 2019 when diagnosed, eating healthily & doing exercise has done me well...and shifted 5 stone! I have however over the course of my life lost more than my body weight, am a real Oprah type in that respect....did I mention I am naturally a glutton?
So after my hectic week I have a sore throat, the (hypochondriac) boyfriend is convinced I have CV so a very quiet weekend will ensue ...and he gets to do my shopping chores...great!

Glad you're both well and long may it last!

X

Hi both,
Just catching up on comms as have just been on my jollies...a week back in the motherland...ooo it was soooper great.  Haven't been up there since November, far too long ago.  Saw all my northern pals & parents - not bad for a week, absolutely knackering but well worth it.  Did some National trust gardens, ate lots (did I tell you my middle name was glutton?), walked 15 miles on one day (I was more tired than my pals little dog) at Bridlington (fish & chips helped restore energy levels).  Just what I needed.
We did have an interesting "scare" that the pal I was with on day 2 got tested as she was going to visit elderly relatives and tested positive! Don't care about having it but do care if it puts paid to my plans of the rest of my Yorkshire holiday...anyway got tested with the pal I was with (as did a few others that she'd been in touch with) and everyone else is negative (so glad).  Odd that she's the only positive out of 10 tested and she only had a headache as a possible symptom, but its not like you can question the result.
Anyway if you fancy an interesting experience get yourself tested!  Very odd but a bit like having the chemo to round off my cancer experience and glad I'm getting more of the CV experience, I'll stop short of a hospital visit though thank you.
And am loving the CV impacted M25 & M1, best journeys I've had up north for over 15 years! I think the M62 was actually worse than the M25...bonkers.  So got back down south last night...boo!  Cats enjoyed their "spa" visit while I enjoyed not bad weather up north (not too much of the wet stuff amazingly).

Caroline
Really glad you got your concerns listened to...its doesn't happen enough from messages I've seen from many others, not at all good for physical & mental health, especially with all the other nonsense that's going on.
I do wonder at what point (and its a question for my 1st follow up mid Sept) they test to determine you're post menopausal as I'm sure I won't be getting the ovary killing monthly zolodex injection thingys forever....will see what they say.
I'm with you re the hormone tablets, am lucky that the current brand gives very few side effects but if it did, and despite the 15% improvement in survival rates over 15 yrs, I'd ditch them no problem...quality of life tip top priority for me.  And not being able to sleep would only just beat (in terms of the worst things that could happen to me physically) problems with feet....I do think that interrupted  sleep is a justifiable defence for murder (if you had noisy neighbours for example) so get your pain re not being able to get a good nights kip, glad its got better and hope it improves even more.
Ooo a motor home, I suspect that wasn't as cheap as it would have been had we not got this bl00dy lurgi eh?  My father used to have one and used to clear off (by himself - my family are such a sociable bunch) to Morocco, Norway and many other places, far better than a caravan in my opinion and you'll be getting out & about.  Where are you planning to go?  I heartily recommend Northumberland, bit of a trek from you but soooo beautiful, with obviously a stop off in Yorkshire (goes without saying).  The 2nd mother (my father is working in no. 3 currently!) has a campervan with boyfriend but did have a holiday in Anglesey cancelled as the toilet block couldn't cope with social distancing - odd but be warned.

Christine
Hiyaaaa right back at ya!  Yeah, my letrozole pains were predominately morning based, I guess its as bodies haven't been used overnight?
Good lord a "risk stratified pathway" sounds very Orwellian...nice!  Think I'll be taking another path if its all the same with the NHS....bridlepath most suits.
I presume that its a breast cancer nurse doing these 6 monthly follow up calls?  It just doesn't sound like they have any power or authority to make any decisions or take any decisive action...lots of platitudes not at all helpful...and actually have a negative impact.
Had to laugh at the "understanding that you'll stop reading where you get bored" part...never! The only thing I've ever stopped reading was Jane Austen's Persuasion, persevered to page 24 before admitting defeat...the classics just don't have enough serial killers in for my liking, will stick with more modern rubbish for my reading material.
Fancy leaving the car lights on!  Had a boyfriend that did that on the last leg of European car trip in Amsterdam, good excuse to stay on and sample more delights of that fair city.
My mother has an electric car and as it was sat in the drive doing nowt during lockdown got drained...and as there was no power she couldn't get in it!  The AA man showed that there was a way round this involving a special handshake and some incantations so she's good next time.
So its speedy Christine now eh?  You renegade.  And no doubt you'll be doing your speed awareness course by zoom or whatever ( I know lots of speeders!) which is daft, if you don't do video (not sure whether they can "make" you do this) how do they know you're actually there?  Archie could do it for you...Like Caroline when I last got done for speeding (bl00dy M25) I did it in style and was too fast for the awareness course (typical!).

So has the laser/massage helped your lymphodema?  And is your knee now turbo charged?  Hope both are behaving....

So hair is looking sooo much better, rather than being salt & pepper grey its now sort of silvery/ash grey, I no longer resemble my (years since dead) 95 yr old grandmother.  I have a £5 bet with my hairdresser who think the chemo curls are permanent (I give them 18 months), it was very funny as we were chatting about what had changed re chemo and he commented that my boobs were bigger - had to tell him a) there's only the one and b) was wearing a bigger/sturdier bra as comfy!  He is now focussed on what they'll look like post reconstruction!!  We luckily do have a good relationship. 
My first week back at work ( back 1 week then on my holiday!) was ok but knackering and am only doing 4 days/3 hours a day, am taking it VERY easy...and still finding time to get out on the bike and do my 3 times a day arm exercises (had a week off last week).
Next week quite busy as have monthly zolodex thingy and first mammogram (in the gynae unit which seems odd)...so very exciting!
Its funny that all my pals are really surprised at how well I look, people do expect cancer sufferers to be wizened, emaciated and generally ill looking I think...even if they're free of the demon!  My father (who saw me in Nov during chemo) still thinks I'm a fake..ha! Mind you I am a million times healthier than I was in July 2019 when diagnosed, eating healthily & doing exercise has done me well...and shifted 5 stone! I have however over the course of my life lost more than my body weight, am a real Oprah type in that respect....did I mention I am naturally a glutton?
So after my hectic week I have a sore throat, the (hypochondriac) boyfriend is convinced I have CV so a very quiet weekend will ensue ...and he gets to do my shopping chores...great!

Glad you're both well and long may it last!

X

Hi Sam,

so lovely to hear all the stuff you have been up to!! Firstly, well done on getting back into work. Glad it's all going well and you are doing it slowly. 
Sounds like your trip up norf was eventful but fun!! I had to do a CV test a few weeks ago, as was asked by the Covid app, if I would do one, as a volunteer. I opted to do it myself - really not a pleasant experience! Hopefully it was a true negative and you aren't coming down with the lurgy. 
Our motor home is now all kitted out and hubby is raring to take it on a test run, so we have managed to get booked into a camp site in the cotswolds, next weekend, for a couple of nights. Luckily it has a shower and toilet so shouldn't be a problem if shower blocks are closed. No plans yet about taking it up to the lovely North, but I'm sure we will go up there in time.

I can't believe you have lost 5 stone!! What an amazing achievement!! Well done!! I've got a couple of sessions booked in at the gym next week!! Feeling quite excited!! 

Still not taking my meds and my sleep is soooo much better!!! Still got a few aches and pains and do still feel tired but not as exhausted. I know I need to start back on it but for the moment I'm enjoying some normality.

Well, off to get on with my Sunday duties. Take care ladies xx

Hi Sam,

I was just thinking it had been a while since we had heard from you, then I remembered you were going on holiday, then lo and behold you were back!

I'm glad you had a good time and the weather was kind to you. I wish I could say the same for this side of the Pennines, we seem to get every bit of rain coming in from the West. When they do the visuals during the weather forecast on BBC1 there always seems to be a blue blot over my part of the world. We get the odd beautiful day that keeps us from suicidal thoughts, but then you have to rush to get in all the gardening that needs doing before the rain starts again. I am very much a fair weather gardener.  It is outdoor housework to me, keeping what's there tidy, no interest in planting more stuff to grow wild!

I would just like to explain that the morning when I left my lights on was a very grey drizzly day with poor visibility, hence lights on and missing the police car under the motorway bridge aiming its speed camera at me.  However, it was only my second foray into the world post lockdown, so, being a very obedient and probably vulnerable to Covid person I was wearing a face covering to go into the shops. Said face covering was attached by elastic round my ears.  I am telling you now, for future reference, that glasses and hearing aids plus elastic round the ears is not an easy wear, as I'm not well endowed in that area. I decided, as I needed the glasses to see to drive, to leave the hearing aids at home, so....when I turned off my engine, I didn't hear the beep to remind me to turn off the lights, and as it was daylight, well, supposed to be, I didn't see the beam from them hitting anything within my vision.  That's my defence, your 'onour! 

I think the phrase "open access follow up" is probably just a more friendly sounding title for the "risk stratified pathway" they are selling up here. They are brutal Northerners up here, after all. It was a breast cancer nurse, and, as you so rightly put it, all she could offer were platitudes. My laser treatment has finished now. I have an appointment for three months time, which will be after my next mammogram.  It does feel to have softened the ridge above my scar which was quite hard. The baby boob seems to have changed shape a little, too, less protruding. Of course I now have yet another exercise to do in the morning before I can start my day. I know none of them are aerobic, but they do bring me out in a sweat so I can't even get a shower until they are all done.  The knee exercises are keeping me mobile, thank goodness. I am starting to get twinges of pain in both the knees, occasionally, as the injections wear off, but nothing like before and I've started taking a pain killer as I go to bed so I haven't been awakened with the pain recently. In fact when I went for a walk with my daughter and the dogs the other day she told me to stop racing, so I must be back to walking normally, as I've always been told to slow down when walking with other people - I blame my long legs!

I think you will be keeping your curls, everyone I know whose regrowth came back curly has kept them. Strangely enough, my sister's came back straight, but was a result of having her head shaved for her brain tumour surgery, rather than the chemo which didn't cause her to lose any hair. Your relationship with your hairdresser sounds as though he fancies you or he's gay. I suspect the latter in view of his career but I may be wrong and he's *** after you and your new silhouette!
In view of the latest government guide lines on COVID-19 your losing 5 stone will guarantee that even if you get it, you will only have a mild version.  My half stone that I lost when I first started taking the Letrozole came back with my appetite after a few weeks, and has stayed and possibly increased, since then. I have decided that as a crumbly who's already had cancer my quality of life demands being able to eat what I want and as I'm still wearing the same size clothes for the last ten years I am quite happy the way I am. I spent several decades fighting the weight battle, but no more! What's a couple of stones overweight anyway? 

Have a good week, Zolodex etc., permitting xxx

Dear All

Christine picked me up and saved my despair from a post that just said "scared of everything"

Grade 2, stage 2b ILC with one Axilla LN. ER8 PR8 Her2 neg. I'm 53, a bit overweight but a motorbike riding, scuba diving,sax playing midwifery sister so am in ok health mostly.

just started zoladex (hubby gave the injection on friday) and tamoxifen. I'm scared of the side effects but am going to get out and do some exercise and start living a bit. Live in Cornwall and boy is it full down here ATM.

I have one massive boob and one that I think belongs to a 20 year old. Apparently she will fix the other one next year. Covid permitting.

so, so good to read your chats and realise that there is hope.

Jen 

Hi Jen,

Lovely to hear from you. These 2 lovely ladies kept me sane during my cancer journey, last summer. We all have Northern roots, a sense of humour and each other, and that has proven to be invaluable. So Hello from our little family. I also had lobular bc, stage 2, grade 2. Wide exertion with a flap from my underarm/back used for reconstruction. Oestrogen and progesterone 8/8. No chemo but had 15 sessions of RT and tamoxifen. Good to hear you are "surviving". I'm off down to Cornwall in a couple of weeks!!

Caroline x
 

Hi Jen

Ah the wise words of Christine - as you can read that's not my forte...

Your diagnosis not a million miles away from mine though I'm team letrozole.

Used to have a motorbike, loved it but kept forgetting to steer so had a few close shaves with cars! In the end swapped it for a rug...far safer with me on it. Also have memories of losing balance at petrol station and being pinned under it and feeling like an upturned tortoise, surprisingly it took quite a while & few words before anyone came to my rescue.

I have my next zolodex weds, you're the first I've come across who is (sort of) self administering, I actually enjoy the trip out to the hospital to have the lovely nurses stab me...am usually there for quite a while having a good chin wag.

It took cancer to get me exercising (again, we're like old pals that sometimes go for a while without acknowledging one another!) and am loving it - cycling is my speciality, I'm a right dawdler, love interrogating people (especially those with binoculars), talking to dogs and saving the wildlife (caterpillars and stag Beatles my speciality)...so a 10 mile bike ride can actually take most of the day!  But being osteopenic and having the letrozole try & destroy my bones try and get out walking too.

Intrigued as to how you gained a 20 yr olds boob....ha!

Welcome!

Sam

Hi Jen,

Well it looks like you are one of the family now. The rules are you use us to sound off when you're feeling scared/angry/fed up and you tell us how you are getting on. In return we will continue to keep each other going. If you plough through this thread you will find out how similar yet different your own experiences will be and, hopefully, it will make your journey a bit easier. Sam has had a harder time of it than Caroline or me, and I've had it easiest of all, but you will never hear a word of self pity from either of them. You might from me, I'm claiming old age as my excuse for acting like a two year old sometimes and sounding off. Bl**dy speeding tickets Grrr!
You are the same age as my daughter and my cancer has been harder for her than for me. I think it gets easier to deal with life's nastier surprises as you get older, except for speeding tickets, that is. 
I forgot to say, the other rule is you can just pop in as you wish. There is no rule demanding continuous communication, we will enjoy hearing from you whenever.

Christine xxx

Hello all, hope you're keeping cool...

By heck its warm down here!  As I drove back from Yorks yesterday I saw the temp rise from 24 to 36.5...I just thank the Lord for aircon in my car.  Again, a very good CV19 impacted journey - I'm generally loving the roads (apart from Fridays when families on holidays make them pants once again!).

So I had another soooper jolly, so grateful to be in a cooler country during the past few days (my neighbours looking after my plants were watering them every 5 mins by the sound of things). Loved seeing the kelpies en route to Stirling & Dunblane and did some quality shopping in Glasgow (propensity to buy only limited by duff righty arm and ability to carry very much)...finished the night in a classy style 10pm pizza on train back to Edinburgh, stopped short of the offered deep fried pizza and accompanying mars bar - want my arteries to still allow blood flow.  It helped absorb the 3 bottles of fizz we had lunch and evening (helping those poor champagne producers with their excess stocks).

So the appointments are coming thick and fast this month, I have seroma ultrasound tomorrow as surgeon had a go at aspirating naughty seroma but couldn't locate the fluid (nice!) and have initial consultation with plastic surgeon on 27th so will hopefully have an idea of timescales then (hopefully not too long but am managing my expectations). 

My new boob did enjoy being stuffed full on my jollies, one night had haggis for starter & main course - bl00dy love haggis!!

Christine - how's your laser treatment on your lymphodema going?

I was glad to see that Edinburgh isn't a ghost town as London is nowadays, there were quite a few tourists and quite a lot doing walking tours, Glasgow centre was really busy.  The Scots however are pants at social distancing, think its their friendliness that prevents whereas for those down here they're used to being socially distanced!

That said my lovely neighbour gave me some beets, new potatoes and pickled onions from his allotment so am having potato salad for lunch today - yummy!! He knows full well that as a tight northerner I will always accept his over-stocks.

So off on bike ride this aft (too hot now), during which it will hopefully pour down (lovely!) but hopefully won't be struck by any lightning, even if I am its not like my hair could get any worse! It is growing sooo fast and is now like pre 1st-post-lockdown haircut, need it a lot shorter.  3 wks till next appointment (not good). How's your home cutting going Christine?

Caroline I've been meaning to ask (but am useless as have no memory) how's your son, is he back home yet?  Hope all is now resolved?

So all is very good here, hope you're both the same.

X

Hi Sam and Christine, 

Lovely to hear from you! Am currently in not sunny Cornwall, on our motorhome holiday road trip!! Left hot and sunny Hampshire on Friday last week. Spent 2 nights in Wareham and the day in Swanage. Then drove to Brean Sands. Another lovely and hot site. Came to Portreath on Tuesday to mist and fog. Yesterday was a miserable foggy day so was very jealous of all my friends telling me how hot and sunny it was at home! Sunshining today but only weakly. Tomorrow we head off to West Bay for the last 2 nights so hoping for an improvement!! 
My oldest son came back home in June - following an incident with girl friends neighbours involving a bit of road rage. He was very frightened and was happy for his dad to pick him up so that does seem to have resolved but he has soon slipped back into arrogant ways. 
Appointment wise - very quiet! Next appointment on the 7th Oct. it's to see the consultant so not sure if the mammogram will be the same day or before then.

Hope you are both managing ok with the heat - come to Cornwall - a lot cooler! Xx

Hi girls,

I would be sorry for you having miserable weather in Cornwall , Caroline, if I wasn't melting in front of a fan waiting for the heat to break.  Poor Archie can't understand why I won't take him for a walk, doesn't realise his feet would burn! 
Sam, I've just checked the weather "darn sarf" and it says thunder and lightening
 so I'll stop complaining about the heat. My daughter has air con in her house as well as her car. I just have it in the car. If it gets unbearable I can pop round to hers.

Re. the laser treatment, I had four sessions and go back in a few weeks for follow up. The seroma has flattened somewhat, but there are still thick areas of scar tissue that are tethered to the chest wall and we are trying to get them to move so the fluid will have somewhere to go.  Don't get your hopes up about the ultrasound guided seroma draining, all my doctor got was blood, despite being guided.  
I'm envious of you being in Edinburgh, my favourite city in the world and I usually get up there for the fringe. Glasgow is having quite a high Covid count at the moment so I don't think I would be visiting.  Every borough surrounding us has been going into further lockdown measures because of the Covid count but we seem to have quite a low count, for now.  I suspect it will change in the future, the virus seems to be running rings round the scientists. 
Is your arm still so bad that you can't carry things?  Mine still feels like it has a tight strap around the shoulder and underarm but it isn't painful and I have had full movement from the start.  I wouldn't be able to keep up with the hair cutting otherwise, there is a lot of stretching and twisting involved in that, I hold the hair in my left hand and my scissors in the other. It's at a very short but not scalped looking length at the moment, as I went to town on it a couple of weeks ago. As soon as I look in the mirror again and think it looks nice it will scream "Cut me" again.

I am supposed to have a mammogram in September but haven't been given a date yet, so it could end up not happening, so my only appointment is the 17th at the lymphoedema clinic, but who knows what will be happening so far away. If the kids going back to school doesn't cause a huge spike it should be fine. 
I hope the weather settles for the rest of your holiday, Caroline. From the happy position of having children older than yours, or even older than you, I can say hang in there. The older they get the more human they become!  Then when you are a grandma you can get your own back and spoil their kids rotten and leave the parenting to them. I was waiting for that for thirty years, but alas, we went from me being their parent to them becoming mine! Ah well!  
I had a lovely day two weeks ago when my son paid a flying visit. I hadn't seen him since January, and after spending so much time together in the few months before then I was really missing him.  My daughter came to the pub with us and we had a lovely catch up and a meal I didn't have to cook, myself, in the beer garden. It felt so normal, it was lovely!  
The next day, I broke my glasses, got an appointment to get them mended at the opticians, then fell flat on my face in the car park in my hurry to keep it. Cost me £40 to fix the specs and am still sore from the bruised ribs. C'est la vie!  Payback's a female dog!!! I haven't been out since!!
Tomorrow I am taking my speed awareness course via Zoom. I hate Zoom, so I hope it works ok. It cost less than the fine and no points so it's worth doing. 
Take care, 

Christine xxx

Hi ladies

Having a very exciting week here.  It started with a voicemail asking me to call re a 9am appointment on Tues...that I knew nothing about and when I tried phone number left didn't work!  Spent quite a while honing my sleuth abilities and after about 10 calls finally gathered it was re the trial that I'm supposed to be part of (tenacity one of my key strengths, that and eating) that I had been chasing onc about.  Great I thought, I'm on the trial, onc had told me they'd sped up recruitment re CV19 but obviously felt guilty that I'd slipped through the net.  Then 30 mins later got a call from onc that I'm excluded as have crohns so there's a risk I won't digest the tablet they are trialling!!!  So near yet so far...ah well.

I have now passed the cancer crown to my father who found out he's got a tumour on his kidney which has spread to adrenal gland, he's fine about it as am I - we're both stoical northerners! He had his op on Tues, there was a risk he could have a stroke (he's had a few) during it but all went well.  So have been having fun with the whatsapp group of him, my sister, his partner keeping all entertained (another key strength...not many agree).  He's having a blood transfusion today as a bit weak but did manage a stagger out of bed.  I have been trying to speak to him (as he's obviously not allowed any visitors in these annoying times) but he's been ignoring me so had to resort to calling the ward and asking the lovely sister who answered the phone to threaten him with removal of other kidney...worked a treat, actually talking to me may be why he needs the transfusion??!!  Not sure yet when he'll be let out and if he'll need quarantining as immune system compromised but will be seeing him when I can (another trip up north...happy days).

Had initial consultation for DIEP reconstruction Thurs and thinking so far is that it can be done early Dec...so happy...mainly that am going it won't be impacted by any CV19 winter phase 2 as relatively early winter (tho' am still crossing fingers on that one).  I am sooo lucky to have private insurance through work.  So will be going full time at work shortly and then off again for this op in a few months! It takes a lot of time and energy this cancer lark doesn't it?

And finally had seroma looked at, following surgeons inability to aspirate had an ultrasound and turns out its just a load of bl00dy lard!  It's know as a 'lateral dog ear' - nice eh? Always wanted a dog but just part under my arm is not what I had in mind.  It will be sorted during reconstruction.  Have noticed that arm is less annoying as time goes by and exercise really helps, have even started lifting (very light) weights at the gym...get me!

Oh yeah and finally got results of annual mammo...had to chase with OAFU, left them a voicemail after 3 wks and no response so assumed all was well.  When chasing trial appointment spoke to BCN and asked her about mammo results, she told me that OAFU had passed the query to them and they hadn't got around to calling me! Again impressive.  So I only found out officially all clear three and half weeks after mammo...lucky to be someone who doesn't worry about such things and feel for those who aren't like me.

Otherwise all good, been getting out & about (and lost) on the bike, visit the gym too, in fact all I seem to do is work, eat, sleep & exercise...could be a worse mix I guess.

Its my birthday celebrations this weekend so am having a yummy curry cooked by the boyfriend Sat night & off out to this really interesting open air museum near me Sunday (Weald and downs museum - have a look, its amazing!) complete with picnic then round for BBQ at pals Sunday night...so a weekend of gluttony..yay!

Just going to finish by telling you that yesterday evening on way back from gym (cycling) I was the wettest I have ever been in my life...my socks contained not only prune-like feet but also a couple of puddles and the cycle path is at the side of a road so whenever a car went past I was engulfed by waves of surface water.  Now I like rain but when you can't see where you're going as there's too much water in your eyes it gets 'interesting'.  Things are still drying out and could take a while...what fun!!!

Caroline - glad you had a good holiday in Cornwall, love a road trip (not sure if other road users agree).  And good that your son has realised where his bread is buttered!  I always recall post uni assuming I was going to move back home and my mother making quite clear that was not an option!  Thanks Mum...ended up living in a back-to-back (with outside toilet blocks still in situ) terrace in Armley, near the famous Leeds jail, no central heating, 'interesting' neighbours...it was the making of me..

Christine -did the laser treatment work then?  Do hope so. My ultrasound showed that the many lumps & bumps I now have near armpit are also scar tissue ( I have no idea what's going on down there so generally just ignore it...always a good policy!) I am still avoiding lifting heavy things like bags of compost but otherwise its as normal so think we're ok arm-wise, plastic surgeon tells me that DIEP will improve arm pain and reduce risk of lymphodema (he did explain why but it passed me by) which is another plus point. 

Have you got appointment for mammo yet?  Hope you've managed to get out and have fun a few more times despite your face planting the pavement (!!) and good you're seeing wider family too.  I tried to arrange lunch date with my mother who told me that August was out due to the cricket...nice to know where I stand in terms of priorities (1. Cats, 2. cricket, 3. Children?).  Are you now chokka full of knowledge from the Highway Code? Did you pass and are now not a menace to society behind the wheel?  I do actually hear ( as I know quite a few speedster rogues) that they are quite interesting and informative so hopefully the same for you.

Hope all is super good with both of you and you're having nearly as much fun as me!

Sam X