still here

I'm here too in private but going home today. Don't be scared of the chemo you will get through it. You're like myself you've only yourself and your husband and you'll look after each other. I had chemo on Monday and when I got home I got severe cramps and had to come back in but it was a minor blip and it never happened before . I've only two left and as I told you I got out and about on my good days and just did what my body told me when I was tired. Take all the meds including the ones they say are only for back up if you needed them, I take them to make sure I'm not sick. Post or pm me anytime if you've any questions about chemo. You're doing reall well, well done to you, you are on the road to recovery xxxx sending cyber hugs

Mary xxx

Hiya!!!!

Am home!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:)

Mind you I still have one drain and it seems to be draining quicker instead of slower!!! Did anyone experience this????

But just so so happy to be home and lying on my bed!! St vincents were fab, and really it wasn't as bad or as painful as I thought!!'

Home!! Yay!!!

Hi Neadi

Delighted your home.Hope the recovery goes well.

xx W

Thanks a million!!
Just so delighted to be back and have the first hurdle climbed....
A few more to go tho....

Great news I got home today too. Feeling post chemo now but this day next week I will be feeling more myself. You will be fine as I say you'll get through the chemo everyone does its just a small hill to climb and we are all here for you. Enjoy your sleep in your own bed tonight I know I will xxxx

Thanks Mary!!

11 hours sleep???? Unheard of for me- must have been bunched!!!

Hope you enjoyed your first night at home.

Xx

Good for you it's so important to be able to sleep at night and with all my blips I've always been able to sleep which is a big plus long may it last. My taste buds are starting to disappear and I haven't had a 'movement' since Monday so it'll be an interesting day ahead. I'm so delighted you are over the op you dreaded and you can move on. Did they give you any time scale for your chemo to start?

Xxxx

No, we have to head back up on Monday to get the full pathology report, so perhaps there will be a bit more information regarding chemo and oncology etc......

The nurses tell me that I am now cancer free
But although I know WHY I have to have chemo, it doesn't seem fair....
Or am I building this up to be something it's not??

Happy days that is just fantastic I can't wait till they say that to me in January after my lumpectomy " you are cancer free" oh fantastic. I notice my lump shrinking and can't really feel it now. Oh no you are getting chemo and radiotherapy to make goddamn sure it never comes back. My father had a tumour removed near his appendix two years ago and he then was cancer free but they still wanted him to have chemo as it reduces the risk of reoccurrence . So don't be worrying and I'm so happy you are cancer free, what a feeling I can't wait That's me with my sunglasses on when I'm on holidays next year cancer free please God, lots of love

Mary xxxx

And you will be!!!

Just a few short weeks to January and the gremlin will be gone.......

It's looking like my treatments will finish in June 2013 then we wait fir reconstruction.......

Summer seems like such a long way away, but we're going to Florida when this is all over, and I cannot wait.......

Hope the chemo effects wear off soon for you

Xx

Oh please God . Time goes by and once you've chemo over I feel it's plain sailing and as I am that bit ahead of you I can help you all the way having experienced it. I'm planning a big holiday/s in 2013. We had a two and a half week med cruise booked for my 50th so we had to cancel but thankfully the insurance refunded the money. I will enjoy my holiday all the more next year.

Love Mary xxx

Thanks Mary!!

I will certainly be asking you for loads of pointers....
When I asked the nurses, I was told I would probably have something called TC chemo?????? Whatever that means .......

God there will be some celebrating at the finish line won't there???

You are more than welcome if I can help in any way. I think TC will be taxotere and carbo platin but there are other chemos starting with T. I'm TCH taxotere carbo platin and her ceptin . It's amazing how many types of chemo there are. I've learned so much since getting this dreaded disease.

Oh celebration is an understatement I'm going to celebrate for the rest of my life. 2013 is going to be the start of them and who said 13 was an unlucky number???

Mm xxxxx

2012-13 for me is basically a write off

The only way is upwards as far as I'm concerned!!!!

Ah no don't write it off there will be good times in the middle of it all believe me. You'll snatch the odd weekend away and you'll enjoy it.

You're dead right the only way we can go is up. Happy days. Think about Florida on the bad days that's what's keeping me going.

Xxxx

Hey Neadi

First time round I had TC chemo and it was Taxol (Taxotere) and Cyclophosphamide.

D

God all those big names I'm only getting used to them. All poison I suppose but they do the job my tumour has definitely shrank which is brilliant. I don't want to jump the gun till the scans the next time.

They are big names aren't they??

Dane- were the side effects very bad??

I've just had a lovely roast chicken dinner served to me and halfway through I had to get up couldn't taste a bit of it and couldn't stomach looking at it. It'll only last for a while but it used to kick in much later than this like sat or sun so hopefully it'll have passed quicker

Ah, that's a shame Mary, but you're almost at the chemo finish line!!!!

I just can't wait to get it over with now!!!

Oh it's not he end of the world my husband made me custard to have some prunes with as I Avnet had a bowel movement since Mondays cramps. Not feeling any bad effects but I'm always happy when I've moved so to speak, funny the things that make you happy lol.

On top I've got my first hot flushes which she said could happen as I'm at that stage in life. They're not bad and hopefully they'll stay like hat I've enough on my plate.

Yes only two left so things are ok

Hey Neadi

I am probably not the best to ask about chemo as it really didn't go well for me. 1st and 2nd treatment ok. 3rd admitted to hospital with vomiting etc - 2 day stay. 4th - really ill Neutropenic and Cellulitis (inflamation of vein chemo went into) 1 week hospital stay. 5th - admitted 1 week hospital stay with clot and neutropenia (no white cells - can't fight infection). My oncologist said they wouldn't give me the 6th treatment as I wouldn't make it through another one!

I am not typical I hasten to add so please don't panic. Lots of the ladies here will have had a better/different story to tell. I had dreadful vein issues and had a Picc line put in on 4th cycle which failed - giving me the clot after 1 day. The clot has been a huge problem so bad luck too played its part.

The worrying thing I found with chemo was that my team rated chemo's chances of shrinking my tumour/eliminating it quite high and in reality I was almost resistant to it entirely. Very little shrinkage even though it damn nearly finished me off. Worrying for any reoccurance as, apart from chronic side effects, I seem to be resistant/immune to it.

Of the TC cocktail Taxotere is probably the worst of the chemicals. I am back in chemo again now post surgery and on CMF. C being cyclophosphamide. Some flulike symptoms and nausea so I am putting the problems I had in chemo down to Taxotere including the "baldness". Kept most of my eyebrows and eyelashes so that was good. Body hair went (bonus)!!!

Side effects - chest tightness, throat infections/mouth ulcers, rash, nausea. Major side effects to Neulasta injection which they gave me each cycle to improve my white cells. Dreadful bone pain, temperature and joint ache.

That's my tale. It is not the norm!!! I hasten to add so please don't panic.
D

Oh god! Dane that sounds really rough!!

Rough at the time but soon forgotten - really!!! You will have some dodgy moments Neadi but you have youth and otherwise good health on your side and the support of your family and friends. It will be ok honestly.

Despite everything that has happened to me during chemo and after it I agreed to do [b:1ykncbxj]more[/b:1ykncbxj] because like you I need to get over this, get better and get back to "normal". I have a 4 year old and bad and all as my diagnosis is proving to be giving up is not an option.

Chin up - you have done really, really well with the horrors of surgery over. In 6 weeks or so when you start chemo you will be ready to face this next battle. The meds they give you are great and the team will be watching you for side effects.

Oh Dane that makes mine sound like a walk in the park. Yes the taxotere was what gave me my cramps last week I think. Oh you've been through the mill God help you. Oh God I hope it shrinks my tumour and I don't need more chemo . Please God . you are now on the road to recovery.

Mary I'm sure it will!!

What size was your tumor before chemo!!

Dane- you are superwoman!!!

Yes Dane you are fantastic. Oh i hope so, My tumour was 2cm

Nah ladies ... scared to death inflammatory cancer is no joke. Reading about it on the internet is banned in our house! Just doing what I am told .... for once!!

Tumour 10 cm post chemo - never showed up on a mammogram even 3 weeks before the surgery.

Good lord!! Well Dane sounds like you are really doing fantastic.

Golly Mary- my tumor was 1cm, but there was the added complication of a pre cancerous lump -2cm in my armpit. I often wonder why I had to have the mastectomy and if it was too radical, but my surgeon was taking no chances.....then lymph node disaster..... I'll find out on Monday what they got, but the nurses are convinced he got it all.....
But 2cm doesn't seem a lot bigger....but the surgeons seem to know what they're at.....

There is no like with like in this everyone is so different. While my tumour was bigger it hadn't spread anywhere no precancerous cells in the sentinel lymph node so I was lucky. Place your trust in them they won't remove your breast unless its absolutely necessary.

Oh I know, which is why he got very little argument from me when we were discussing treatment, but isn't it funny how everybody is so vastly different in the treatment plans they get???