Hello ladies,

Just to let you know all good here.  Had my follow up meeting, by phone and it was OK, mainly as had low expectations thanks to yours and others experience.  I gave the nurse a list of actions at the end of the call and she's done OK so far. I was back at hospital today to have lumps and bumps around armpit checked, I had to laugh when she declared that I needed an ultrasound as one wasn't clear scar tissue, turns out, as I suspected, all fine.

I now, post falling off bike!, have lymphodema so am being fitted for a sexy compression garment.  I find its got better after I looked for lymphodema massage on you tube (sounds like what you do Christine?), not sure why the nurse didn't suggest this....

So Caroline you're turning into a right outlaw, speeding and a tattoo!  Like it (on both fronts).  And agreed they are generally money making machines rather than increasing road safety but, as Christine will no doubt testify, the courses are actually, and surprisingly very good. So enjoy!

I'm surprised they mammo'd your recon boob, presumably there's still some breast tissue in there?  As they removed all mine I'll only ever have mammo on RHS.  Good you're taking the drugs again, pants they affect your sleep, I am so lucky that I can sleep well.  How's the naughty puppy getting on then?  What's he eaten so far that he wasn't meant to?

Christine - what news of the biopsy?  I think I might have had calcification in the LHS that was removed via wide local excision...a breeze vs mx.

I see that a lot of the north is on lockdown, was lucky got up there a couple of weekend ago to see my Pa, who is recovering well.  Also went to the Yorkshire Sculptue Park, never been before, I heartily recommend it, interesting pieces in a lovely setting. Am lucky that my Father is in the better behaved North Yorks!

It sounds so lovely where you are with ducks and all, do hope that gull is OK, hate the thought of any animal in pain.

What skills have you added to your extensive repertoire since metal manoeuvrings?

I was due to have a bone scan to check no spread pre DIEP on Friday but en route to hospital got a call to say they'd messed up and it would be in Nov!  Surprised? Sadly no, so we're now on for 2nd Nov...I have a banging CD at the ready!  I remember last time I had MRI the best 'music' they had was big band type stuff...not really my taste..

Tomorrow is first full (9-5) work day!  What a milestone...may need an early night after spreadsheet overload tomorrow.  That said I think I managed to kill my new work laptop earlier so may be having a nap whilst I wait for IT (lack of) support...

Anyway, what's really important is that (cue drum roll), just to show some doubting Thomas's wrong, I have actually completed a cushion cover!! Yep, you read correctly, its been over a year in the planning but finally I overcame the procrastination and cracked on. Just to make life challenging it was a wedge pillow thing that will come in handy post DIEP so normal cushions will now be a breeze! If you don't look closely it looks quite good.  Not bad for what used to be a roman blind.  I'll see if I can add a picture.

Glad you're both doing well and remain lurgi free!

X

Hi girls, 

Sam, I hope you have survived your full day at work, are you working from home?

Sorry about the mixup about your bone scan. It's little things like that which cause stress even when you weren't stressed before. I hate MRI scan music, too. 
Now I've pretended to be a kind, caring old dear, I'm going to show my true colours and say "What??? I am stunned beyond belief to hear you have completed a cushion cover!!!"  Just shows what can be done with determination,  Just kidding, I knew you could do it. 
Alas we have had no update on "Gully" we do not expect good news. The ducklings are still doing ok, though, which is really pleasing. 
My biopsies were the delightful experience you can imagine. I don't think they actually got a sample of the calcification because after ten or more attempts with that horrible punch thing that felt as though he was stapling my boob to the mammogram machine, while I was pinned under it, the doc stopped it as I'd been through enough, his words.  They were all saying how brave I was as he kept trying and trying. I asked did people usually cry, and was told they usually scream!   My daughter's neighbour said she had only had one and she passed out and wet herself! My daughter says she now knows where she got her toughness from.  As I said, the outcome of the efforts could be nothing as the doc said I'll probably just be advised to have another mammogram in twelve months. I'll let you know if I hear anything different. 
I'm sorry you've got lymphoedema, my exercises were given to me by the nurses at the lymphoedema clinic and I was referred by the physiotherapist at the hospital. I don't think the breast nurses know much about it. I find things that you would expect to be part and parcel of the breast cancer nursing agenda are often dealt with by a totally different department and ne'er the twain shall meet! 
 My knees have been playing up again, recently, so I phoned the GP to see if I could get another injection. He said he was happy to do it as arthritis is always worse in the Winter but I would have to sign a consent form because there is a risk that steroid injections can lead to a more severe illness should I contract Covid 19. I signed the form and I go for the jabs tomorrow, then I shall just have to be extra careful about my social distancing. I was quite surprised that I hadn't heard this before. 
Caroline, I love your tattooI. I sometimes think I would like a small one, somewhere discreet but I would never have the courage. I never had my ears pierced in case it hurt and don't even mention micro blading my eyebrows!!! I am a right wimp for someone as tough as my daughter thinks I am! I hope all is well with you. How is the puppy doing? I hope he's not like Archie with his taste for everything inedible. 
Stay well, stay safe!

Christine xxx
 

Hi ladies,

Puppy pic in my profile picture! Oh god! I'd forgotten how much work puppies are!! It's full on! I worked from home last week and this week am doing 2 days at home,2 days in the office as in-laws are on puppy duty. He does now sleep through the night until 7/7:30am. Only a few toilet accidents inside - mainly due to us not taking him out on time. But you do need eyes in the back of your head! He hasn't wrecked anything yet - fingers crossed!!! 
Still no mammogram results. But I'm going on the notion that no news is good news! My RHS - (dodgy rebuilt boob) does still have some breast tissue, across the top, which is why they mammogrammed it.
Sam, good luck with full time work! I can't manage that in normal circumstances :laugh: So do you now have a lovely arm bandage for your lymphodema? A bit pants re your bone scan. I had a dexa bone scan last year, to assess my bone density but it was done and dusted really quickly. None of the awful MRI music or banging machine. Hopefully it will all be fine too.

Christine - oh I remember those biopsies!! And have to agree with your daughter that you are really brave while they tried all that many times! I had 3 done at my initial assessment and that was bad enough!! 

I see my consultant on the 7th and am assuming I will be formally discharged then!! Then it's a case of "get on with it" which I actually don't mind. I don't seem to be feeling as anxious now so am happy to get on with a cancer free life!!

Caroline xx
 

Caroline,

Am loving that puppy...especially like his 'in mourning' black arm band on front paw!  He looks like a wee devil, but a cute one.  Once he's all toilet trained etc you'll be chuffed with your efforts and can reflect on your achievements (as I am with my cushion ones...puppy's, cushions...very similar I think you'll find).  What's his name, for some reason I think he's called Eddie but have no idea why & probably made it up (like I do a lot of things).

Yeah I'll be getting a compression sleeve which I think is for when the arm is active. The bone scan is to check for cancer spread, its different ( so I'm told) to the density one...I'll be having one of those when I finish bisphosphonates in 3 yrs to check there's actually some bone left or something, they 'assume' that the bisphosphonates are doing their job in the meantime (!!).  Fingers crossed & all that.

Good assumption on the mammo front, if there was something amiss, even in this day & age, they'd be on it straight away so in this case no news is good news.  That said I would check in the not too distant future as things can get missed (just to be on the safe side).

So on the 7th that's when you're told you're formally in remission is it?  I remain a tad confused as to whether I am or not, as no-one has ever told me (but I've never asked).  I have an appointment with onc mid Nov and was thinking that would be the discussion then??  Glad you're moving on and anxiety levels are low, its the way we ladies should be but, sadly, not all can achieve.

So you two have lovely animals as your avatars and I now have a cushion!  Decided after 5 mins of inability to do elsewise to show you my homemade delights this way.  Amazing what you can do with a sewing machine complete with dummyesque instructions and an idiot determined not to waste old curtain material (such a tight northerner!).

Christine - I had one of those punch biopsies, it was fun, no peeing or crying though, I'm a tough old boot too who thankfully has a high pain threshold.  Good that they tried many times though...!! Your boob must resemble emmental by now.  Well done though.

Full work day fine...as expected.  Its good to be being productive (work-wise) once again, I will however miss my long morning cycles and trips to the gym whilst its nice & quiet.  That said, and the reason why I'm sending this mid-day I have now managed to break 2 laptops this week so am awaiting IT to sort me out (they're never in a rush). And no stresses at this end...well not until I was discussing the date of my DIEP and figured that the secretary was making an appointment for a Fulham hospital and I was assuming it was the local hospital, where I had my initial consultation...so need another date for that or trips into bl00dy London which I really don't fancy on so many levels.

Actually, now I've been 'seen' and had it confirmed its lymphodema it seems to be a lot better, think my massaging technique c/o youtube is most excellent...I can see the bones on the top of my hand again.  I seem to be lucky that although I get a fair few side effects they're only temporary.  Still will get a sleeve as it may come back.

Hope the steroid injection was more pleasant than 10 punch biopsies...you'll leak when you drink at the end of this week I reckon.  And more importantly hope it works and doesn't lead to more side effects (nothings for free re drugs & bodies is it?).

Have a fabbo rest of week both XX
 

Loving the cushion!!! Lovely colours and very trendy looking. 
Yes! Puppy is called Eddie. The black front leg is a very distinguishing feature!! He looks like he is wearing an arm band or bandage. He's a very quick learner and has already learnt to sit and give you his paw. 
Do we get told we are ever in remission?? I don't know! I suppose we will be classed as being 'cancer free', which sounds fabulous in itself!! 
And you'll breeze the DIEP!! Walk in the park :wink:

Here's to hoping you get a quiet afternoon while your lap tops are fixed! I am working from home - in between doing puppy sitting and housework :laugh::laugh:

Have a fab weekend!! 
 

Caroline xx

Hi Girls,

I think I am going to change my photo from the "heeland coo" to something that relates to my nom de plume, so I'm going to put up a photo of Archie!

The reason I am actually writing just now is to metaphorically scream!  I've just had a call from my BCN to say they want to do more biopsies because they couldn't get any of the calcifications to test last time!  Aaaaaaagh!! I told her how delighted I was to hear that, in view of the fun I had last time - NOT!

My sensible head says it's better to be sure than to wait a year, but I'm not looking forward to being stapled to the machine again. Still, he might find a sample straight away, this time and be done in one go.  Ever the optimist!  I am waiting for a call with my appointment now.

I hope you are not being washed away by the rain. My back garden is looking like Venice with canals instead of paths. 
Take care, stay safe

 Christine xx

Oh Christine that's pants! I got my mammogram was "satisfactory" letter so that's good but then got a call today to say that my annual check up tomorrow, with my consultant has now got to be changed to a telephone call!! Yet again!! So again I have no one giving me a physical check over!! :angry:

Caroline xx

Oh Caroline, 

That physical check by someone who knows what they are looking at and talking about is so important. I found the telephone call very unsatisfactory as a check up. Even going for the mammogram and biopsies doesn't feel particularly satisfying because the people involved only know their bit of the business and can't answer the questions about how I'm doing with regard to recovery, remission or possible recurrence etc.

Thank goodness we aren't going through those early days now, it must be terrifying. 
I wonder if the moderators will censor this. It's a bummer!

Chin up and try to remember your questions tomorrow.

C xx

Hiya!!

Caroline
You'll maybe not surprised to know that I'm not a fan of muted colours, the thought of a grey or beige house is not my idea of fun, my house is quite colourful and my current and ex-curtains ( the latter now being a cushion cover) follow my love of bright colours.  The boyfriend is more of a Farrow & Ball lover, another reason why we could never live together...
Is Eddie sleeping through yet?  What has he eaten? When I visit my pals cockerpoo we have to put shoes on the tops of dining table chairs so that they remain intact...little monkey.
Good that mammo all clear, hope annual check up all good....am sure it was. I got to see someone F2F by asking that they check out my lumps & bumps (which were confirmed to be scar tissue)...just to be on the safe side.

Christine 
Whilst Eddie is cute, Archie definitely wins in the fluffiness dept! Good to see him in all his glory, and he so looks like butter (well fat balls in his case) wouldn't melt ...
Whilst its good they're determined to find out what's going on in that boob, its pants that you have to be hole punched all over again...no fun at all.  I do wonder given they couldn't get a decent sample last time what they'll be doing differently this time? 
Hope your garden is a little less soggy now.  I came across a large mud & horse muck bog last night that was the breadth of the bridlepath I was cycling on, no way I could cycle through so got off but 2 ft deep bog got the best of me and sucked me in so I fell over, had a very soft but smelly landing.  Then the dog walker behind me pointed out the way she was going and there was actually a way round...great!  I do like to think that I at least gave her some amusement with my muddy/horse cr4p covered ar5e/feet & legs/hands.  I do think that ingesting horse muck must have medicinal properties, lucky for me.

Spent the weekend harvesting about 80 bl00dy chillis!  I was dreaming about de-seeding chillis Saturday night and now have enough green chilli sauce, marinara sauce, picked and oil infused ones to last right through the winter.  I now know I'd never make it as a farmer.

Well I now have a weeks holiday...lovely. What that means nowadays is longer bike rides, doing chores (cue a clean house), last of the bulb & bedding plantings and more cushion construction!  A thrilling week indeed...will hopefully be seeing a pal over from Southern Ireland too in sunny Bedford (!!)....think its far enough away from dodgy bits of the Midlands.  Let's see what Boris has to say later though eh?

Having now gained (lymphodema created) sausage index & middle fingers I'll be doing super long massages...still no date for compression sleeve fitting, at this rate it will be delivered by Santa.  Think I've also got mild asthma from radiotherapy....these don't really bother me just a tad annoying more than anything, gives me something to moan about & focus on I guess!  Still waiting for confirmation of DIEP date...lucky I'm a tenacious person eh?

Right time to go to gym, that chest & back aren't going to work themselves out!!!

Hope all good in the naughty north & sunny south X