Newly diagnosed and terrified

Hi Chrissie,

I went swimming 4 weeks after my treatment finished as I knew all my external skin had healed. I didn’t have any problems afterwards and went swimming several times while we were on holiday in Norfolk. I just made sure to shower as soon as I could afterwards to get rid of the pool chemicals (which I think can dry out sensitive skin). Hope that helps x

Oh, I was also told that I should colour my hair until at least 6 months after chemo had finished. So I’m trying to embrace the grey! X

Oh no, I had mine cut n coloured couple of weeks ago! I didn’t know I shouldn’t have, it’s fine though

I think it’s just in case the chemo has made your scalp sensitive so you might react to the colour. Reassuring to hear that you’ve been fine x

6 months !!!!!!!!!!!  

Hi Georgie , 

pleased things are going well for you and you’ve managed to get away and have a swim !!!!

My goal is to get to south of france in next few weeks to holiday with my children and grandchildren .. I will be flying out on my own , normally an easy task but this time , it’s a challenge after the most difficult of years … 

I hope you are now pain free and getting back to some normality ?

take care 

Chrissie xx

You look beautiful. 
I’m embracing my roots too, mine are a combination of white and grey so right old mix. I’ve been colouring my roots since I was 21 (I’m now 53) so it’s very odd to not have them done. Feel like I’m in lockdown again!!

Just another thing to adapt to. 

You look beautiful though. Best wishes on your recovery, Nikki xx

Oh thats not me just a random google picture. Luckily I had my roots done just before treatment started…. Tbh I will probably feel so rough in a few weeks I wont really care about my roots

Welcome Bubbzee

Sorry to hear your diagnosis.  As people have said - everyone is different and some bounce back quicker than others.  I think age has a part to play too.  I travelled to Italy 4 months afterwards although I still got pretty fatigued and it took a few days to recover from a 3 hour flight.  At that time I still got very tired if I was on my feet for more than half hour and had frequent rest time. I'm now 14 months post and much brighter and stronger but I do still have occasional days when I crash or take paracetamol for aches and pains.  My sit bones still ache, I've had physiotherapy to help with hip pain too. You sound a fit person so should cope better. 

However, I am cancer free at the moment so that is the positive goal that we all aim for.  I wish you the very best of luck in this treatment - everyone is different in their experiences and we have a mine of info on it for you!

Take care

Carole x

Thank you to you all. You have certainly helped answer some of the questions.   You have all given me hope that although the journey will be difficult I will come through it.  I’ve been poorly most of my life with autoimmune conditions. This means I come into Kings College hospital for three days every month for ‘plasma exchange’   As well as this I give myself subcutaneous immunoglobulins weekly. I have Chronic Immunodeficiency Disease. I have been told they may not give me the chemotherapy due to this.  I am hopeful that this won’t be the case as my IgG levels are within normal range whilst having my immunoglobulins. 

I see the oncologist on the 16th so will let you all know.