Hi Jolamine.

Its not that Im too busy as such its just really bad timing. I am having cancer surgery next week at the other side of the country, my surgeon has transferred me to a university hospital.

If the further tests were to be at my local hospital breast clinic it would be so much easier.

I feel awful asking my daughter to take me to appointments etc. She told me she has used up all of her compassionate leave.

But I will get another appointment sorted asap.

I am going to carry on and assume for now that it will just be a routine thing, head in the sand that`s me :)

Kind regards and again thank you for reply xx

 Dear clara,   I have been reading all of your messages here just not knowing how to help...make things sound  that you will be ok that  its all gonna been fine once you get passed all you have in front of you....and you will... YOU are so strong...stronger than you ever realised just take one day at a time get this next lot of weeks....only when you are ready  maybe then back to breast clinic...You have such a fantastic sense of humour.... your daughters are there for you and everyone here on this fourm are standing beside you willing you on to get through  this next lot of months...Im not very good with words clara  but my thoughts and best wishes are with you each and every day... God bless...your friend Dee.xo 

Hi Dee. Good to hear fom you. Thought maybe you and hubby had swanned off on a wee cruise since Ive not seen you posting ;) It is a wonderful thing you do coming on here bolstering up folks that are feeling lost with diagnosis and all it entails :-))

I have been hitting my head off a wall today, why do nhs give you direct contact numbers and when you call all you get is a taped message. When you do get CNS to call you back she has to confer with another dept  and call back.

It took untill 4.15 today to get some sort of answers. Any how have sent off an email to Breast clinic explaining situation and will hear from them whenever.

D can I ask you if you were told your cancer stage? Ive been told the TNM and the grade but I hit a wall of excuses when I ask the stage. And its bugging me no end...... Im driving my daughter mad!

I do seem to have the habit of injecting a bit humour,cant help myself.

Hazel might find herself with a stowaway aboard yet haha.....

Thank you again and bless you.xxxx

Hi Clara,

I can understand how bad the timing is for you, but am glad to hear that you have contacted the hospital to re-schedule.

Do you not have a scheme whereby you can be driven to the hospital by a volunteer? This would save your daughter from having to take time off work every time you have an appointment. Ask at the hospital if such a service exists in your area.

I hope that your surgery goes well next week and that you don't have too long to wait for your re-scheduled appointment. I go in for surgery the week after you, but it's just for a melanoma this time.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine.

I have seen cars parked in ambulance area with Maggies cancer logo on side perhaps they are providing some sort of service, I will try to find some info. There is a patient transport provided by the ambulance service but, daughter says Im not having you wait about for hours for transport.

Oh Jolamine, the way you say "Just a melanoma". Are you not frantic about it?

Ive had AKs treated on my hands with cryotherapy "painful". I also have a Bowens patch that I have been ignoring I am ashamed to say.

 Take care and best regards xx

Hi Clara,

In our area it is a separate entity from Maggies, but it may well vary from area to area - there's no harm in asking

I can't say that I'm too happy about my melanoma, perhaps because I think that there are others elsewhere on my body which will need attention too. I've already had two bouts of breast cancer within the past 9 years and, have had a lumpectomy and a double mastectomy for these. I'm nervous yes, particularly because it is so close to the eye. I have had 5 eye operations in the past 2 years, so am not happy with anyone else interfering with that area.

I hope that you manage to get something sorted with transport.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Clara 

setting off in30 mins where are u and if we are passing will put  u in boot. 

Dont fret about stages our daughter asked my oncologist out right and he gave thefollowing  explanation  with our head and neck cancers being h p v 16+ driven there is no need to do staging only tumour size the chemo radiation will kill what it needs to kill in a targeted area so for a few years sizing has been classed in this cancer as only more worry unnecessarily  for us the patient in this case size n spread is more relevant.

mine was T2N2NM 

so sizing. T1 size of a pea

t2 a peanut

t3 a grape

t4 a small,plum.

n is number if nodes which I was 2 but eventually 3/4

nm no metatis 

all way along no one could tell me if I had my right tonsil removed so yesterday for first time I saw the consultant who did biopsy straightaway he said yes insaid are unsure my oncologist was unsure so he hesitated. Read his notes shook his head got head torch out pulled my tongue ps which is still hurting said the following 

oh ni it didn’t come out I hacked around a lot it has spread quite a bit into soft  palate interior or anterioror wall but when looking niw the radiotherapy has melted away !,, ok i said thank u .he was most shocked at himself for not removing it said it was his specialty!!!!!! Cheers I think now I niw why I has so much pain n hubby kept saying he was 7 blah blah blah when he had his out. Lol

oh well passport is calling me

please keep in touch ,do u have a Macmillan centre they may dontransport plus they can help financials of need be 

h xx

Hi clara oh to sail off on a cruise.....maybe we can all one day.... we bought a pup a gorgeous Goldendoodle last year hes the size of an adult now! so cant even pack him away! but hes such a gorgeous gentleman love him to bits!! well clara you must be running around like a headless chicken.... hope clinic have been in touch so thats a bit off your mind for a wee while...are the hospital going to sort out trasport for you??  clara i dont know very much about my cancer at all but im due back 13th feb for check up so im gonna ask more what they did tell me was they found trace of cancer in lympnodes so they removed them 14 my husband tells me....wonder why so many if it was only trace? doc told me hed thought stage 2 but because of trace in nodes was more stage 2/3  so maybe until they remove what they will only then can they tell you more? no sure clara i heard word Cancer thought right get the damed thing out!! I wish we all on here could go hold your hand in hospital clara while you go through this xo...but wer all with you in mind... keep us all posted on here help get your time in when in hospital....pity you cant jump into Hazels boot peace from all the torture...  bet youd even wear your bikini!! keep up the humour clara...your friend Dee.xo

Hi Jolamine.

I cant find the words to say how awful I feel for what you have been through and, still are going through.

You are a strong and determined lady for sure.

I hope your surgeon is one of the best. I can understand why you will be concerned after 5 eye surgeries. We tend to take our eyes for granted untill something happens. I suffer from uveitis and other inflammitory problems it comes on so sudden with no warning, so Ive become a bit paranoid about my eyes over the years.

I am so taken aback at how folks on here share and care I dont think there is another quite like it. I wish i had found this place when my husband had become terminal.

Take care Jolamine & I will be thinking of you. xxx

Hi Dee.

Your dog sounds adorable! I would love another dog but I couldnt excercise him/her so that would be unfair to any pet.I had bearded collies for many years. Daughter sent a photo last night of her wee dog and cat sound asleep together on a blanket on sofa, this is a first as they have a love/hate relationship.

I watch supervet program on tv and get heartbroken for these pets and owners,said to daughters I need to stop watching this.

I missed a call this morning from an nhs number that doesnt accept incoming calls, hopefully they will call back, but being a Friday they probably wont and I will be left wondering.

I am sorted for next week for transport. But if I have to do the 7weeks at cancer treatment centre its quite a distance and a nightmare with city traffic I will have find out about transport for that.

I do remember they took a whole lot of lymph nodes with my hubby, apparently the cancer cells can skip a few nodes and appear in another node further down so they remove more nodes as a precaution.

I made chicken soup yesterday to freeze for when I get back home(chicken soup sorts eveything lol) and made space for more ice cream as Ive ate it all. So def no bikini for me :-) Ive been wracking my brain to remember foods I made for hubby,but things changed so much with him,what he could eat one day, he couldnt the next. A lot of food got binned back then.

Take care speak soon love and hugs xxx

PS Just seen picture of your dog on your avatar. Omg I love love love him! I dont get jealous but I AM :-)