Hi,

I am new to the group and BC. I was diagnosed in July. I had  a partial mastectomy with reconstruction 2 weeks ago. Yesterday I went back for the results only to be told that my margins weren’t all clear and I have to go back in on Friday for another op to remove more tissue. I’m also waiting for results of Oncotype test so decide what my treatment plan is. I haven’t been frightened or fazed by anything so far but yesterday I came away really *** off! My wound has just healed and now they are going to re open it. But hey ho. I’m 48 and like you have always been healthy and am crap at being ill. I do hope you don’t become down beat x

Hi Cazrosie - I am currently being offered a lumpectomy (assume same as partial mastectomy) or a mastectomy + reconstruction for a 3.5cm globular tumour. With the lumpectomy they indicated I would go from a B to an A cupsize so offered me a breast reduction on the good side. Size is important to me so I would rather go for a reconstruction to get symetry and also avoid touching the good breast? Are you happy to tell me about your situation? Did you have the same type of cancer? How much of the breast did they have to take? What type of reconstruction did you have (via liposuction or LIDAP)? Di they do the reconstruction at the same time or later after radiotherapy? I am sorry your margins were not clear - did you go for a further lumpectomy? - they suggested that this may well be the case with me due to the globular cancer type that I have. Were you - are you happy with your results? I do hope all went well with you after this post - best wishes Karen

Hello lovelies!!

Christine - Ahh yes, and yep we are growing (loving the 'we' sound) steadily. I know I belong in this group, I just needed one of you to acknowledge it! My prayers have not gone unnoticed x

Caroline - you won't need a restraining order, but you may just regret that stalking bit. I got me a shiny brand new set of BC buddies who all think the same. (sorry for making you sound like false teeth!). :laugh:

Sam - Even though we will gradually return to our lives pre cancer days, I will always have time for you all my lovelies. You have answered some of my initial worries, but I still have a few things to ask, when I start my treatment. (you don't get off that easy). 

Karen - I'm not sure how to approach things as yet, but I'm sure we will share a word or two about our experiences along the way. Although, the ladies here are exceptional and on point, so I probably won't bring anything new to the table. (I'm here for the beer really).

Im only like this cos I've not started my treatment and not sure of how it will affect me, so I'm getting it "all out there" now. Treatment might just bring me down a few pegs eh? Who knows, it might, I say MIGHT make me worse than I freakin well am now! (Oh Lord help us do I hear?)

Who needs an apple a day to keep the Dr away when I have the power of 3/4/5/6 and counting eh? 

Serve yourselves right. That's what you get for being so nice and understanding :laugh:

Anyhoo, take care lovelies x

Big hugs and much love xxx :love:

Vee (unleashed) x

Hi again Vee,

Yep am still cancer free.  Just trying to get blood tests organised to see if I can stop one of the longer term treatments that I have (zolodex to dry up my ovaries)...will I officially have shrunken ovaries or not I wonder???

You're the part of the bestest group on this site now you know!  Well done to you, pity its all down to us having blummin (andf I'd swear if I could) cancer!!

I'm the sort of person who isn't generally afraid of anything ( well only of cleaning and hard work) but I did find, as I generally do, that information is POWER!!  I did all I could (within reason as you could drive yourself mad) to find out what I could from others who had gone through what I was due to do so, but also bore in mind that we are all individual and therefore react differently. What is is they say plan for the worst and expect the best? I remained optimistic throughout and therefore everything was fine...well, that's my logic anyway and I'm sticking with it, flawed though it may be.

Being called nice and understanding is certainly a first for me, thanks (I think??).

Sam x

Christine

And that’s why I always draft my missives elsewhere on the iPad as it is SOOO frustrating when that happens…you learn the hard way though I often find.

My operation included my thighs as I was having the good boob ‘filled in’ where they removed the non-invasive cancer…they do it via liposuction and as am now such an Olympian ( compared to how I was at the start of the cancer gubbins) there was only enough fat in my thunder thighs (the sensitive inner thigh area, of course!).  I’ve seen some cosmetic surgery shows where they show what they do to free the fat, its quite brutal!  Luckily I was kind to my plastic surgeon in that I made a valiant attempt to put on weight prior to the operation so he was also able to marmalise my upper stomach as well.  And I also had liposuction to reduce the frankenboob as it was a bit too large compared to the other.  Why anyone elects for plastic surgery cosmetically is beyond me.

The day before Vee’s appointment I am hoping that (during my plastic surgeon meeting) that I will finally be free of my compression garments (I look like a Victorian lady about to bathe in the sea…they go from chest to knees…sexy!) and also my doughnut (circular pad with hole in middle which adorns my new nipple and makes sure that it doesn’t get squished early doors), needless to say it has no sprinkles on it or jam in it but is looking very well worn and mucky…its probably a health hazard by now to be fair.

You will be amazed to know that I recommenced my cushion project (3 down and 4 work in progress) yesterday and they are 99% complete…its only been a three year project so far!  I got so tired of seeing my sewing kit out.  What are you painting nowadays? glad you’re still with easel.

Sam X

WOW!!!

Superwoman Sam,

I was already impressed by the way you reacted to your chemo before surgery etc and now I am totally gobsmacked ( not a word I like, but the only one I can think of to express my amazement) at your ability to keep us smiling when you have been subjected to torture!  I have seen those tv programmes showing liposuction being inflicted on people - it's horrific! You must be looking like a model now!  It will be great once you are free of the compression garments and painful after effects of the torture!  I know I said it before, and I mean it even more now, I couldn't have gone through all that. My surgeon did try to talk me into it before he found my tumour was bigger than he expected and happily lopped off the whole boob. OMG  I am so glad!  I become unbearably grumpy if I feel unwell for more than three days! The patient from hell is my daughter's description of me. Do you remember how childish I was about taking the Letrozole because I didn't want any of the reported side effects? No wonder the oncologist stomped out of the room! I was surprised how uneasy I felt when I was told to stop taking the hormone killer for six weeks. I think I might have adjusted to taking them again now because I woke up to a dry bed today!  I hope that's it for the night sweats, I can cope with the hot flushes as they don't last long.

I am struggling with a baby portrait at the moment, as a gift for my son's in-laws, she is only a few months old, and adorable but the reference I am using is quite poorly lit so I am not getting her eyes, yet. I will get there eventually and the recipients don't know I'm doing it, so there is no rush. The baby is their granddaughter, not mine, alas, and they have quite a hard time due to the grandfather being very poorly and now disabled.  My daughter has only seen the painting once, when I had just blocked out the outlines with no details and she calls it the egg with a Mohican! 

I need to go now and take my boy out as he's giving me pleading looks. I should have cats!

Well done for your tenacity with the cushions! 
 

Christine xxx

God Sam! Sounds pretty horrendous but surely you will be left with the body of a super model?!:wink:

I can imagine that the compression bandages / body suit are not the most comfortable! I have a "fold in your body fat" vest and I struggle wearing that!

My youngest son passed his driving test today! Second attempt and involved me having to skive off work to take hIm to Winchester. My niece is also learning to drive at the mo and has bought herself a little old polo. I have to say she scares the bejesus out of me when she drives!! I have a new found respect for driving instructors. I went back to the gym yesterday after finding excuses for the past 3 weeks. Boy was it hard work!!

Christine I have every faith that you will perfect the portrait - we know how much of a perfectionist you are! I'm a very impatient person so any hobby that requires you to take your time and takes a long time, I'm useless!! One of my friends bought me a starter knitting set. I had a go, managed to give it about 30 min then gave up. I used to do a lot of cross stitching in my younger years but my eye sight is so pants now that it isn't even appealing. 
 

caroline xx

Er hello Christine & Caroline, I looked like a model before I'll have you know (yeah right, you're right to ask 'a model of what?'), I do however always tell people that if I had even a sliver of being photogenic that I would, of course, have been a super model back in the day....an accountant was only just behind this option, of course...

Yeah the reconstruction palaver is not for everyone, very doable and I'd definitely do it again but if you're not a fan of surgery, being pummelled within an inch of your life and time in recovery I'd advise maybe not.

Good news on the dry bed Christine! Mine is hit (or hot as I originally typed...quite possibly more appropriate?) and miss.  I get tested soon (blood test) to see if am post menopausal, presumably I can't yet be if still having mad sweats?

Just as well your daughter isn't an art critic Christine...I remember on a previous portrait that you weren't at all confident on the eyes but they all came together at the end, another case of that maybe?  And I get tonnes of pleading looks from the furry critters I share my house with although its definitely food rather than exercise related, lazy bl00dy good-for-nothing animals!

Am today finally free of the nipple donut and the compression pants (which feel like a tree must when they grow around barbed wire around my waist where they gather, I may have been a bit optimistic about the size I bought...)....HURRAH!

Good news on the driving Caroline, hopefully less reliance on you as a taxi service?  Well done getting back to the gym, I was back after 5 weeks absence last week and its amazing how your body can't do what it did before (and how much my bum ached on the bike ride too!)....but well worth it.  I hear about muscle memory, think my muscles must have dementia.

Do you think your eyesight worsened post cancer treatments? I'm sure mine did Caroline, I use reading glasses and before cancer was a 1 and am now a 2.5, my father (an optician) tells me that's quite a jump in a couple of years.

Right, time I did some work!

Tara X

Sam, you do make me laugh!

In regards to the blood test to check for menopause status - did your GP order that? I'd be interested to know where I stand in that respect. Although you hear how awful letrozol is, I think I'd rather stick with my tamoxifen. My poor hubby has to cope with freezing temperatures and windows open, in the bedroom! Advantages are he tends to stay on his side of the bed as my side is like a furness :silly::laugh:

I do think my eye sight has gotten worse too! I've got an appointment next week at the opticians. I decided to give multi focal contacts a go but the ones they gave me weren't even as strong as my glasses so useless! I bought myself some 2.5 reading glasses - they are perfect! 

Good to hear you are starting to ditch the restrictive clothing/donut nipple ring! Maybe use the nipple donut to sit on, on the bike as the gym or is it a bit too small :wink:

I've canned the running - found it aggravated my neck pain so have been walking fast/on an incline. I've signed up for a breast cancer 10 mile walk, in May so need to get practising! My friend told me, the other day that she is doing dry January, couch to 5k and the 16:8 fasting diet! I've told her I'm hoping my half a stone just falls off and I'll see her in February! 
Anyway, ladies - Friday is my day off, I have a large glass of wine in my hand and am meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow (walking so I can get some miles in and have a drink :wink: Hope you all have a lovely weekend! No January blues for me! 
Caroline xx

Hi Vee,

Just wishing you all the best for today. Please let us know how you get on.

Christine xxx

Happy Friday, Caroline!

Sam, apologies! I should have realised that with all your cycling and exercising, that you would already have the body of a supermodel.

xxx

Hi Christine, Caroline & Sam,

Hope you are all ok and behaving yourselves? Thank you for remembering today x

The result of the 2nd biopsy didn't reveal anything sinister. Just breast tissue, all is 'normal' I hear. Huh! I think I can safely say I'm anything but normal :laugh:

So 25th Jan, I see Oncology to sign chemo consent form, have picc line put in, and have a chat about possible hair loss, nausea, etc...

BCN said chemo usually starts 2 wks after 25th Jan. It's all of a sudden becoming very real and I must say a little scary. 

Take care ladies

Much love

Vee xxx

Hi Christine, Caroline & Sam,

Hope you are all ok and behaving yourselves? Thank you for remembering today x

The result of the 2nd biopsy didn't reveal anything sinister. Just breast tissue, all is 'normal' I hear. Huh! I think I can safely say I'm anything but normal :laugh:

So 25th Jan, I see Oncology to sign chemo consent form, have picc line put in, and have a chat about possible hair loss, nausea, etc...

BCN said chemo usually starts 2 wks after 25th Jan. It's all of a sudden becoming very real and I must say a little scary. 

Take care ladies

Much love

Vee xxx

Hi Vee,

that is great news. Sam is your lady to give you the low down on chemo. But we are here to support! 
Well done on today xx

Morning ladies,

I hope all is well with you. 

I forgot to mention that an MRI was booked on the 14th Jan, which I didn't expect to hear from them for at least 1-2 weeks away. However, on 17th Jan, I got a short notice cancellation, who asked me to attend the same day. After the MRI, I asked the radiographer how long the results will be. He told me it wouldn't be long. 

I missed 2 calls from the hospital yesterday, as I was shattered through not sleeping properly the night  before. I did call the hospital back on the number they called me on, but it comes back as invalid. I'm worried and anxious as to why the hospital would call me 4 days after a scan if it wasn't urgent. On the other hand, the hospital didn't leave a message for me to contact them! As its the weekend, I doubt I'll hear anything until Monday. Maybe it was something to do with my Oncology app on 25th Jan. Who knows?

Take care ladies 

Much love

Vee xx

Hi Vee, 

I work in a hospital and know that the number that they call out on isn't one you can redial. Maybe give a call to your bcn and ask if they know anything about the missed call. And like you said, if it was urgent they would have maybe left a message with a number you could call back. 
Caroline xx

Hi Vee,

Hoping all goes well today,

Christine xxx

Hi Christine x

Hope all is well with you 

Thank you

Vee xx

Hi Vee

Long time no hear!  How are you and what is happening?

This isn't a demand for info if you don't want to discuss it, I'm just a bit worried about our new friend.

love

Christine xxx

Hey Christine, ladies, 

I thought you had forgotten about me?

How is everyone getting on? I've had a lot going on. Lots of appointments. 

I've had my first treatment. My Chemo was originally for an hour, but I had to have a cannula in the back of my hand. Because of this, it lasted 2 hours. (All explained below).

I was supposed to have a port fitted in my inner upper left arm, as the lump is on my right and the nurse wanted to steer away from the breast where I might need an op to remove sentinel nodes. After 4 attempts, the nurse apologised and said she would have to try the right arm, and she still couldn't get it in. I ended up with 2 badly bruised arms and nowt to show for it. The nurse ordered a chest port, which  should be fitted soon (I hope ) in time for my next round.

All went well after all Chemo was administered, I didn't feel a thing. While waiting for my hubby to pick me up, I felt an immense wave of sickness threatening to splurge out and embarass me in front of all the new found friendly crew (patients and nurses) I'd met and warmed to. But I held it in like a good-un. Everyone was asking "are you alright Vee"? I didnt turn around when I headed for the door on my departure, I could only raise my my hand above my head for a quick wave. 

By the time I got home, I felt so sick, I only had some water, put my pj's on and crawled into bed, and there I stayed until my bladder could take no more. I didn't even wash the conditioner out from having the cold cap. The nausea has continued since  Chemo, but not as bad. Today, I actually felt somewhat human enough to take hubby to dialysis, put washing on after  changing all bed linen, put dried clothes away, washed dishes and put them away cleaned rest of house, washed the car, did homemade soup for lunch and vacuumed. 

I have never felt so ill in my whole life! When I was in bed feeling sorry for myself, I could imagine everything piling up and getting out of hand, so I used the little energy I had to sort stuff out. Someone please tell me it gets a little better. 

Take care ladies

Much love  

Vee xxx

Hi,

I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything about chemo as I was too old to benefit from it.  

You sound as if you are doing too much, though.  Wash the car??? Mine has green mould on the passenger side cos I never see it. I park right outside my front door up against the garden fence.I'm sure you are supposed to rest after chemo!  The search for veins isn't something I have experienced either, mine are only too eager to gush forth when required, and even when not required some times.

it's good to hear you still sound to be facing it as cheerfully as could possibly be expected. I hope Sam, the Yorkshire Wonder Woman gets in touch because she has had the lot and can tell you much more than I can. It must be bearable because she still manages to sound cheerful, although that could be the old Yorkshire grit we hear about. I'm a Lancastrian myself and I think we're supposed to be pretty gritty, too.

Take care, I know it must be hard to let things go, but I would say rest is more important than a clean car

love

Christine xx 

Hi ladies

Sorry its been so long, things are and have been challenging with my father.  Am up in Leyburn currently, was trying to work up here as well as spend time with him and help out my step-mother but the working bit is proving to be an uphill struggle, there’s so much to do to help my step-mother as my fathers condition worsens.  He’s got a friend around currently so am trying to occupy myself rather than reflecting on his condition and inevitable death….its not really working but will battle on all the same.

On the plus side I have FINALLY received the letters of administration in connection with the mothers death last year so there won’t be too much overlap of parental death sorting! Bloody ridiculous eh?  Anyway her house is now on the market so hopefully that will be sold soon (and whilst the housing market is still buoyant).

However still keen to pass on my experts knowledge and see it as my role to share experiences that can often be seen as painful or negative so for our pals who are still going through treatment and surgery…

Vee, 

I too had a PORT fitted, best decision ever!  And like you had to have an annoying chemo the old fashioned way (via cannula) before the port was done.  It is sooooo much easier and less painful with the port…and less fannying around for the poor nurses trying to located often elusive veins too.  Hope you get yours soon, really small & straightforward operation btw and you can’t tell its there other than a small scar.

You really need to tell your BCN about the sickness as they will have you initially on the cheaper anti-sickness drugs that they sent you home with and you may need the more expensive stuff so please do tell them how you were so they can give you the right stuff booth before the chemo & after.  I was very lucky that I never felt sick per se, just nauseous and rough for the week after, but how you feel is very personal and everyone is unique so comparing experiences needs to be done with caution.

For most people (I was on the MacMillan forum too so have read quite a bit about those going through chemo- MacMillan’s online community have a breast cancer monthly chemo thread for those going through it which you may find useful (I did)) they feel rough for the first weeks post chemo (I had mine Weds, took drugs till the Sunday/Monday and felt rough till the following Saturday) so fingers crossed you’ll start to feel better soon.  I was able to work and exercise outside my rough week.

It is generally the case though that as the chemo sessions get towards the end the after effects do get somewhat worse, in my experience they do but are still very manageable.  I had my final chemo (12 in total maybe?) Dec 2019 and managed to eat a large plate of Christmas fodder a week after (I am a pig however!).

And I agree with Christine re trying to do too much straight after chemo, please be kind to yourself, you’re no good to you or your hubby if you overdo it.

Good luck Vee and hope everyone else is well XX

Hello Sam the superwoman,

Do you realise that you never gave us one hint of what you were going through during your chemo etc, I knew you were being stoic about it all but you were just lying to us!  I'm glad you are telling it how it is, now, so that Vee will know what's in store and what to do to make it as bearable as possible. 
I'm sorry you are going through it again with your father.  My parents' deaths were only 14 months apart 
and I was the one who had to sort everything out. My dad had been lured by a local solicitor and the chance of a free will, to make them the executors, who took their permitted year,  and they sold their house through their associated estate agent for half its worth! It's no wonder I ran away then, to an adventure in Central America with a very unsuitable new boyfriend.  I saw the error of my ways after 6 months and came back without him!  Actually, I found a lump in my breast - no relation to my real cancer 25 years later - and was advised to return to zum to get it checked out properly ( and for free).

I hope you don't go mad, like that, when it's all sorted! 
Thank you for taking the time to help Vee in the middle of everything that's going on around you. But, as I keep making it my business to tell others, you need to take care of yourself in the middle of everything! 
I need you to live up to your admission to be lazy, so I don't feel guilty about my absolute slothfulness in cold weather!

Good luck, Vee, I knew Sam would be a count of information for you.

Samneedscoffee21, Good luck, also, I hope you got the advice you were hoping for

Caroline, hoping everything is going well for you and your family, don't work too hard!

Lots of love to you all

 Christine xxx