Breast cancer

HI all,

Thanks for all your replies, especially steff and jeanie, you have basically answered all my queries, but I have come to realise that I will just have to wait and see how my mum reacts to the chemo.

I am unable to stay at my mums as I have 3 young children and going through a divorce at the moment so my help will be visiting when I can and getting what she needs and being on the end of the phone for support and a natter. Unfortunately I have got a chest infection at the moment (dont feel too bad but infectious) so I havent been able to visit my mum for the past week :( My brother has offered to move in with my mum but she has said she will see how she goes.

My mum is 65 Jeanie, I have shown her this site and read all your previous replies to which she is extremely grateful to you all for. Unfortunaltey my mum is of the generation where she is scared of technology and refuses to learn. She is on the internet and can manage a google search and an online shopping order just about, but I have shown her how to get onto this site and set her up with a log in but she cant get her head around it - my mission will be to get her on here :)

Thank you again for taking the time to reply and hope all of you are as well as you can be and are getting through whatever treatment your having.

L xxx

Dear all,

I was reading your posts and feel so touched and it feels so real to me as well since I had chemo for 7 months once weekly 3 weeks on and one week off. I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and metastasis in bone, liver, lungs, heart lining & ovaries. Had weeks to live... not a very good prognosis, but this was 2005 and here I am... after chemo and herceptin... so have courage and keep fighting till one day they will find a complete cure.
keep well and live life to the full. Eva

Afternoon everyone,

Hi Eva, gosh what a tough few years you have been through!! Thankyou so much for your comforting and inspiring words, thanks for joining us here. How are things for you at the moment? Are you receiving any treatments? Your right we need to have courage and keep fighting and lets hope that complete cure comes sooner rather than later. Big hugs and best wishes to you x

Lollypops, your mum sounds so strong and she knows you and your brother will be there for her if she needs you. In the meantime it sounds like you need to build up your strength. It's not easy raising 3 children, worrying about your mum, going through a divorce and recovering from a chest infection!! It'll be great if your mum can get her head round this site and join us...good luck for your mission x

Hi footie88, so sorry you too have breast cancer but glad you've joined our merry gang. Thank goodness your consultant didn't assume your biopsies were right and it was benign!! I've not heard of them taking further scrappings. What is this? I guess you shall be starting chemo shortly, keep posting us and let us know how things are going and what chemo you're having.
I can't offer any great advice about work, although your boss sounds like an absolute pig!! Wheres the compassion?? :-( I know that some people on this site have managed to continue to work throughout treatment with little or no problems and feeling fine. What with breast cancer and your accident last year you've been through enough. Try and not worry too much (easier said than done) and look after yourself. Good luck and big hugs x

Oh Camilla, what an awful time you've had with chemo. Lets hope those sickness tablets did do the trick and they can dose you up with them next time. When is your next time? I know what you mean about toothpaste. i clean my teeth but feels like i haven't!! Don't worry the bad tasting mouth does improve...just in time for the next round..sorry x

Paula you've been going through it too and still you're being strong. Will you go back on the steroids next time or is there something they can give you for your joints/muscles? A girlies break with each other sounds fab :-) Hope your sis gets on ok Wednesday x

Dear Heather im so sorry you've been so unwell. You are not alone, we have all felt the same as you and wanted to give up. Somehow we find the strength to get through each appointment at a time. Don't beat yourself up, just listen to your body and if it's saying rest, then rest you must. Each chemo does come round quick and before you know it you will be walking your lovely dog round to grandma's :-) x

Jean hopefully you've had some well earned sleep by now!! And it's good to hear you've had no ulcers :-) I've had a few little ones but not sore ones. What a shame the willow foundation doesn't offer everyone of any age a dream day/days, after all we are all going through a bad time and all deserve a treat..whatever our age!!
I know my hairs growing but it's sooo slow i think it must of stopped!! I now look like a well shaven skin head :-) x

Laila by now your hubby has probably shaved your head. How are you finding it? When my hubby did mine we just laughed and it wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. What a great week you had last week Silverstone sounds fab, my teenage son would love to go, maybe i'll take him next year. Good luck with your busy week, hope chemo etc goes well and your feet are better x

Take care everybody,
Chelle x

hi again,

I have been off chemo for the past three years now but still take the bone treatment areadia every 6 weeks roughly.
I had my ovaries taken out as I am her + so that shut down hormones which would otherwise have continued to fuel the cancer. I keep myself busy doing things, working etc but am trying to smell the flowers at the same time. Was given an extension to life so need to use it wisely. Take care Eva x

morning everyone just a quick message to wish everybody well and keep smiling, hope everyone,s enjoying the sunshine iv,e got my hubby to put tent out on back to hot inside lol. I'm doing ok still riding my bike everyday gone from my youngest sons chopper to my eldest mountain bike lot easier up then hills lol. G0in out with the girls this wknd as hubby away golfing, they,ve been asking me for ages now my hair looks like Betty boo i,l think i will risk it am looking forward to it really but will have to stick to soda an lime gone right of beer, Eva you got the right attitude girl, every day is a bonus, i could feel down but i choose not to go there, I'm with you. Keep smiling and look after yourselves girls. as my hubby always says little an often lol xx

Hi everyone. Back to normal self now, it took a bit longer this time so I think I will be back on the steroids next time.
Eva your story is so inspiring. It is the positive stories we need to hold onto whilst going through this crap.
Madonna have a fab time with the girls, shake your booty Betty lol
Chelle won't be long before the hair is back. I was speaking to a lady who's hair came back black and curly, she was fair before but loves it now as it is a lot thicker. My sister received a letter from the hospital saying her op was cancelled and due to unforeseen circumstances she would not be having the same surgeon or even the same hospital, very strange! Not sure when it will happen now, she is considering going private like myself as from diagnosis I was operated on within 3 days. I have tiny stubble come through on my head since I lost it, you can't see it but it is really sharp so I rubbed my head on my hubby's lips last night and told him that's how it feels when he kisses me without having a shave lol
Jean, WAKE UP !!!! Where are you?
Steff, are you asleep aswell?
31 down here today so I think it will have to be a pub lunch day.
Hope everyone else is ok xxxx

Hi Paula

I'm here!

Just back from the docs (bloods before tomorrow's chemo)

Jesus I've been wide awake since last Wed's chemo. Last night was the first night that we slept from 12 - 6.30. So we should get another sleep tonight before they zap me again tomorrow!

Bought myself a lovely floppy hat yesterday to keep the sun off my 2 mm of hair!! Too hot to wear the wiggie and I look like a bloody pirate in a bandana! Talking of hair. I have eyebrows and eyelashes now and shaved my legs yesterday. Who would have thought 5 months ago that this would make me happy. Funny how your life changes!!!

The shop had loads of great hats, but no fitting rooms, Just mirrors all over the shop. I explained to the girl that I needed to try the hats on in private, as I would need to remove the wig to see if they fitted without hair on. She was lovely! No problem, she said. Took me and my 8 hats over the road to Monsoons. Told them why and they let me use their fitting room. How's that for kindness???

Well, Chelle, after tomorrow, we will be 3/4 way through the chemo. No ulcers for me this time, which is great, but I cannot taste anything except my fresh pineapple. I eat everything, but it all tastes like old socks..Hope today's chemo doesn't aggravate your ulcers.

When you told us about coming off the steroids, Paula, I was very tempted to ask if I could do the same, but after your experience I think I'll stick with them. Secretly I'm glad you are going back on them. It's so lonely treading the boards on my own. Can we meet for hot chocolate again in the early hours lol!

Great to hear from so many on the board. Rather than repeating things, can I just say that I echo everything Chelle said in her post. I think she made a fantastic post. Shows you she is doing better on this CMF chemo. She wouldn't have been able to stay awake long enough if she was still on the nasty Epirubicin!

Enjoy the sunshine girls. Off to put on my new titfer and have tea in the garden.


Love to you all
Jean xx

PS Hi Margaret, we posted about the same time.You sound in good spirits. Have you heard anthing about your fuzzy liver yet?

Hey girlies,

Jean thankyou for your lovely comment, your so sweet. That epirubicin was a nightmare, your right that I really wouldn't have stayed awake long enough to write such a long post!! It's funny how we have reacted differently..i sleep and you stay awake!! Your hat sounds fab and how lovely of the shop asssistant, i bet there are some that wouldn't have bothered helping!! It's definately too hot for the wig. Tomorrow is my 6 year olds sports day at school, and i'm considering wearing a scarf but i too look like a pirate and i won't be confident enough to wear nothing. It's funny how much your head sweats, when out in the heat yesterday i had beads of it rolling off my head....nice :-)!!
I wonder why you have your bloods taken on week two, because mine are taken week 1 and not taken week 2. They will give me chemo whatever my blood count week 2. Well i had my 2b this morning and all went well. Yep we are 3/4 of the way there...hurrah! i'll be thinking of you tomorrow x

Margaret on sunday we bought a 10ft paddling/swimming pool. It's not as good or as expensive as a real pool, but it comes with a filter etc, and it fits perfectly in our small garden. It comes up quite high on my daughter so hopefully she should be able to swim in it and It'll cool us down nicely on these glorious summer days. And boy does my hubby need cooling down!! It all began sunday late afternoon when we went to fill the pool up with water and found it was gathering at one end and begining to bulge out the sides. Yes we live in flat Suffolk but trust us to have a garden that slopes!!! Lol. In the end my husband decided to dig a large, level hole to put it in. Its been so hot and he's been working so he still hasn't finished levelling the hole. He was hot, sweaty and very foul mouthed!!! Currently he's at work so he hopes to finish it later :-)

Paula so glad you're back to normal...hooray. I've heard of people whose hair grows back different to before. Mine just looks grey, far more than before!! Lol. So sorry for your sister, how disappointing and very annoying...grrrhh.

Maddona your weekend sounds great. I haven't felt like much alcohol either...boo hoo!! I start fancying it just before another blast of chemo so i go for it then :-D

Eva its good to hear your having minimal treatments at the moment and keeping well. I'm her2+ also so when my chemo finishes hopefully by september i'm going to have herceptin. I'll also be taking tamoxifen and having my ovaries shut down but not removed. I guess your circumstances are different to mine to have yours removed. Every time i hear myself moan about trivial things i think what are you going on about. Does it really matter. But i still find myself (not often..hee hee) moaning!!

Hello to everyone else, hope your enjoying this lovely sunshine
Chelle x

Hi Chelle,

Just saw that you had posted, so thought I would say hello..hello! :-)

I will post a bit more in detail later in the week, might even have some news about sis's treatment by then..it's looking like it will be approved..just waiting for final confirmation! :-D I'll also answer your questions re her cancer type, not ignoring you, honest.. :-)

Hope you are ok Chelle..do think about you all on here!!

Heather, hope you are feeling a bit better!! Jean / Margaret, thanks for your thoughts..hope you are both ok too!!

Hi to eveyone else.. I do try and read everything..you're all a bunch of very brave (& sometimes a little bit crazy) ladies! :-D

xx