Awaiting start

Hi everyone.  So tomorrow it starts - chemo & RT. Had my PICC line put in on Friday and I was terrified but in the event it all went smoothly no problem and the nurse was so good.

I had a lovely time in Ireland last weekend with my friend and we walked on a beautiful sunny beach, treated ourselves to fantastic food out and a reflexology session which was lovely and made me feel like a normal person doing normal things!.  

I now feel fatalistic about it all coming up and just want to get to the other end....Wish me luck!!

Carole

Best of luck Carole. The countdown begins tomorrow and you will soon get into the routine and tick the days off. It is surprising how quickly the days fly. Julie

Hi Carole, we are very similar with diagnosis and how it's all been going with treatment.  I will be starting in a few weeks and hope I'll be feeling like you are prior.  That's a wonderful state of being to be in prior to treatment. So glad you managed to get away and spent time with your friend. 

After my appointment only last week, I just felt like everything I'd prepared in my mind was altered.  I didn't know I'd have a picc line for the whole duration or that I'd have 5 days chemo in first week and 5 days during last, with a bag to leave hospital with, so it's thrown me a little again.

What is the chemo regime you are having?  Do you feel the picc line at all?

Please keep us updated as & when you can.  Wishing you all the very best for tomorrow and treatment ahead! I hope all goes as well as possible, take a day at a time & remember your time in Ireland to escape when you need to X  

Hi Carole (Cranford ),

I'm so pleased that you enjoyed your trip to Ireland with your friend. 

It’s good to hear that having your PICC line in on Friday went smoothly too, that’s one hurdle over with. 

As Jaycee12 has said once your treatment gets underway you’ll find it goes pretty quickly, I used to carry a bright pink highlighter pen with my treatment schedule to each radiotherapy appointment & get great joy in striking off each appointment, before I knew it the pink was taking over the page! 

All the very best of luck. 

Nicola 

Carole, I certainly wish you all the luck, I am relieved for you that everything is moving at last and you can count the days off.  And how lovely to spend time walking on a sunny beach and eating well!

The days will go so quickly.  Please let us know how you are getting on.

Irene xx

Oh, go you! What a great thing to do for yourself before starting treatment! Sending you all the luck, mojo and best wishes!

suz

Hi  - the PICC line is ok - the sticky stuff holding it in place aggravated me and was super itchy so yesterday they used a different material instead and it is better now. No I don't feel it inside the arm - just outside.  The annoying thing now is the chemo pump that is connected to it that I carry in a bum bag. It is just awkward trying to dress and undress with it there and even sleep with it!.  I'll be glad on Friday when they disconnect it!

Yesterday was a very very tiring day as chemo was at 11 and then RT at 5 so went into Bristol for meal and hung around.  The nurse in RT said after that I should have gone down and asked if they could fit me in earlier.  Duhh. When I got home at 7 I was shattered.  I was so terrified that I couldn't absorb any info they said so it was good to have my son with me to listen.  But first day done. I confess I'd like to run away as I feel like this is going to wipe me out but there's no alternative is there!!

Thank you so much everyone for your kind thoughts!

My first day had the chemo and radiation far apart too, but they fixed it almost right away. Hope that holds true for you. The chemo will be done soon and then it's just head down and get the radiation done and you're off and away. Glad the waiting is over!

Hugs

Suz

Hi all

Yes the appointments have now been adjusted so I don't have a lot of hanging around for future.  Yesterday was very sick despite the tablets given and diarrahoea and I felt so so ill  that I almost didn't go for the appointment cost I felt so bad but I had a review appointment before RT in the afternoon and the nurse immediately sorted out different tablets and it was almost instantaneous feeling better!  Sleeping oh so well as getting very tired and its only day 3! Nurse ran through what to expect from RT and I can't say its going to be a picnic at all which is daunting but there is no choice is there!

My admiration for all of you who have been through this goes up and up!!

Carole x

Ohhhh, I'm sorry yesterday was so bad, that sounds brutal! Huge kudos to your hero nurse for sorting it all so quickly! Rest all you can, dear Carole, we'll keep talking you through!

Hugs

Suz