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Hello from a new member of the family

Sheltie_Lady
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Today I joined the army of people sitting around different waiting areas, carrying my belongings and my "gown" as we went through the various tests to find out if we had breast cancer. Some were, like me, totally new to the routine, others were at various stages in the journey and one lady was given the great news that she was still clear of her cancer five years since her treatment ended. 

I already suspected that my symptoms of strange lump, pain and puckering were caused by the big C, so I wasn't surprised when the lovely consultant showed me the first ultra sound scan with its big black area where there should have been breast tissue, saying it was pretty definitely cancer, and proceeded to tell me what would happen next. 

What did happen over the next two hours was quite unpleasant and painful and I now have a 12 day wait to find out exactly what we are looking at regarding type of cancer and treatment. Strangely enough I have no feelings of fear for the future, although twenty years ago I had a scare that saw me fearful and tearful, now I'm an old dear I'm just cheesed off that I will have quite a lot more unpleasantness to face. I'm one of those boring people who don't often get ill, so when I do I'm the patient from hell, or so my daughter tells me. I admit to being grumpy if I'm ill for more than two days. 

I have read a lot of the posts, here, during my wait to go for the tests, feeling like an outsider looking in, but now I'm in, too!   I suspect future posts from me will be less upbeat, but I would like to record my experiences here, and to share others' experiences, too.

  • Offline in reply to Yorkshire_defector1

    Hi Sam and Caroline,

    Our silent protest turned out to be anything but silent.  Every time a possible member of the board arrived suited and booted for the meeting, some idiot man with a loud voice would start shouting "Save *** Health Centre, and everyone else joined in!  We hovered around for about an hour, not  really with any plan, because our leaders had gone in to the meeting, which was supposed to go on for three hours.  However, one of those people came out and said as our item was not on the public agenda in the morning, but would be held in private in the afternoon, they had left but the chair of the board had made some conciliatory comments that had given them some hope.  We sort of drifted away in dribs and drabs then and I haven't heard anything since.   I must have a look at their social media pages to see what's happening.

    Caroline, hope you're ok.

    Lots of love

     Christine xx

  • Offline in reply to Sheltie_Lady

    Hi Christine & Sam,

    I have chuckled at your messages about being a protestor, Christine. Well done you for standing up for what you believe in!

    I'm doing ok. Scans/tests all done, now we wait! My theory is the longer I don't hear, the more likely it's nothing sinister. Feel like the ostrich who wants to bury their head in the sand. Feeling positive most of the time. Reckon I'll have to wait a couple of weeks, at least. 
    Thank you both, for checking in I really do appreciate it. Will let you know when I hear anything. I'm sure all will be fine. 
    Caroline 

  • Offline in reply to Sheltie_Lady

    Morning!

    When I started reading your note Christine I was immediately envisaging the police carrying you off from the front line of a protest, Greta Thunberg style...not sure whether it was good it turned a bit noisy? I think these things are emotional so difficult for some to keep in check (I'm in that group).  Hope that you get what you want to benefit your community.

    Caroline

    Hope the wait is a bit more palatable now you know you're a champion weight lifter and yep your logic I share re the fact that you wouldn't wait if there were bad news. I've started having more uncomfortable under arm 'pain' as the nerves apparently can start mending themselves...well thanks nerves!  Nothing to write home about but does mean I need to stick my hand/arm in the air more often, doesn't bother me but can cause a lot of confusion in others (something I relish anyway).

    All good here, had a trip at weekend to see what they'd done to battersea power station (love an old building) and despite it being surrounded by hideous flats its very good, great shops and food places inside and the control room still has all the knobs, bells and whistles and is a cocktail bar...I mean who could ask for more eh?  Worth a trip if you're ever in these dodgy southern parts.  So that's another mission completed on my extensive London bucket list pre Yorkshire move.

    Have a good week ladies X

  • Offline in reply to Yorkshire_defector1

    Ladies, just a quick message before i traipse off on a dog walk. My CT scan came back clear! No cancer in my lungs, liver or stomach! So not sure what the problem was! Stress maybe?! My weight loss (unfortunately :wink: has steadied out) and my breathing isn't as bad. Maybe I'd caught Covid a while ago and wasn't aware?! 
    Anyway, I am over the moon and now off to enjoy my day/life!!

    Love you you all 

    Caroline xx

  • Offline in reply to cazrosie

    Hooray!  
    I am delighted to hear this good news. And I'm sure I can speak for Sam, too!  Obviously Hawaii wasn't the place for you! :laugh: 
    Lesson to learn, no stressing!  Having said that, I'm pretty sure I wasn't half so laid back when I still had family responsibilities and work, too! Sad about the weight loss - similar to me when I first started on the Letrozole, first six weeks, adjustment, a bit of nausea and lovely weight loss.  Subsequently - nausea gone, good! Weight loss stopped, not so good! Still better to be fat, happy and healthy than thin and sick! Actually I can't say I'm fat, just a few pounds heavier than I would like but too lazy to do anything about it. 

    At least we all got to catch up!  Next time without the worry, I hope.  I actually inserted an emoji on that top line that has changed to the word laugh.  I'm wondering now, what will appear when I post this!

    Lots of love

    Christine xx

    Ahh, the emoji came up, I'll have to remember that next time I need to explain my feelings in pictures!

  • Offline in reply to cazrosie

    Woohoo!!

    Now thats over can I suggest a book or dvd re your weight loss :laugh:

    And deffo crack on with that life!

    I've my last cancer treatment next week,. No more zolodex or bisphosphonate.... coincidentally the last one is the first anniversary of my father's death...make of that what you will !

    love to both xx

  • Offline in reply to Yorkshire_defector1

    Hi Sam, Hi Caroline

    I have only just seen, Sam, that you are finally finished with all that cancer gubbins! Good on you!  Don't do too much cycling or other kinds of madness now, just because you are back to being super woman!

    I am delighted to announce that our protests about the change of providers at our doctors' surgery have been successful!!!!!  The decision to award the contract to a private consortium has been withdrawn as the board agree that they didn't do enough to inform patients about the possibility of losing our wonderful  health centre, as we knew it. They are going to keep the status quo for another 18 months, then will start a completely new process, with considerably more patient consultation.  We are delighted, to say the least.  I have an appointment there on Thursday to get the old knees injected, and it will be a much happier appointment than I was expecting.  

    Lots of love

    Christine xx
     

  • Offline in reply to Sheltie_Lady

    Crikey that took some doing….I hope this message a) finds you!! And b) finds you both WELL!

    I could obviously recall your real names but couldn’t;t for the life of me think of your user names (obviously also took this Luddite an inordinate amount of time to change password, fathom how this new look site works etc.) thankfully could remember Christines dog-brand…got there eventually.

    It’s been far too long ( I keep thinking and then forget!) since we knew what we were up to.  All blummin’ marvellous here, now free of the two challenges in my life (work last year) which now includes boyfriend this year…he was becoming far too challenging and am far better without.

    I’ve been working my way through my ‘London to-do’ list this year and there’s a lot still on it…some highlights were Karl Orff’s Carmina Buruna at the Royal Albert Hall, Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue at the Royal College of Music as well as Speakers House and the cosmic house…all bonkers in their own ways.  Also made a grave mistake and went to Lanzarote in September, I thought it would be early 20 degrees and it was far too hot for me, despite being under a parasol with tonnes of factor 50 on I got sun burn…never again!  I did however see an amazing thing there…a hedgehog, who’d have thought eh?

    I’ve just signed up for ‘our future health’ and have my blood test and other things measured tomorrow, this would be exciting if it wasn’t in the car park of the local Asda….but like the principle behind it, anything we can do to improve health of the nation is a winner in my book.

    Am still absolutely loving my cycling and gymming and have only had a few ridiculous falls off the bike this year (by being an idiot and trying to do too many things at once, once fell off when I had both feet on the floor - I ask you!).

    So this Christmas having no partner (thank the lord!) am going to be volunteering Christmas Day at the local church who feed the needy…watch out Mother Theresa eh?  Got offers to join southern and northern pals but would rather be alone plus if I travel I can’t drink!!!  And I’d rather chop my nose off rather than drive up north any time around Christmas- once decided the roads would be fine in between Christmas and New Year and found out the hard way this was far from a good idea.

    Hope your health is good ladies, mine is cracking.  Had a bone scan following completion of treatments and I’m shrinking…used to be 5’6 (years ago) and now 5’4…that’ll be the osteopenia, yay! Also this year I had a nipple tattoo on the new boob, its amazing what they can do.

    I’ve decided the only things I miss re work are stationary supplies and printing facilities!  Yep, still glad I stopped doing that a year ago.  

    So am still planning on moving up north though there’s still some southern adventures I want to do - that’s  so much easier to do from down here…cemeteries to visit (favourite one this year Brompton, catacombs and everything), odd houses to visit and more amazing music.  Planning a move oop north 2027, that’s when I run out of money!

    Right enough waffle from me, just a quick (is there ever such a think from these quarters??) catch up.

    Enjoy the festive period (and for me cooler weather….Love it).

    Sam

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