**OCTOBER CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT 2019**

Glad you ok with new regime West End Girl 

also congrats on smaller softer lump ...yay!! Well done !

Must admit although SE still minimal and manageable they have lasted a bit longer after no 3 so obviously I'm getting a build up .

So wait with baited breath for no4. Onco will change chemo to a weekly one if she thinks it nesc but I'd father stick with devil I know lol

margaret x

thanks for the encouragement.  Even though this was my second chemo today, I was still anxious and when I got there and started talking with the lovely nurse about hubby, I was a bit tearful again, doh!  Wish I was more like a Vulcan, not showing any emotions, but hey ho, that's me.  Glad to hear you're not suffering much with side effects and that the lump is improving.  Hope it shrinks away for you.

took a taxi home, right in the rush hour, as I was held up for one hour before treatment so they could give me a stronger anti sickness drug that needed to be ingested one hour before chemo began, but if it works it will be well worth it.  I've come home and had some Baxters chicken broth with a half piece of wholemeal bread soaked in it for my tea, all okay so far, fingers crossed and hooray, it seems they have managed to arrange for a district nurse to come visit me tomorrow to give me the injection, result!

Also, got a phonecall this morning from the other hospital to say hubby has an appointment, albeit in two weeks time, but he's got one for the biopsy at last.  A paper copy of this appointment will come in the post and hooray, it doesn't clash with my appointments at the Oncology AND it seems, it will be when I'm on my good week too, bonus for us both.  Now let's see if I beat the dreaded sickness this time around.

Northerner hello again, I do hope your side effects don't last, it looks like you are getting through your cycles and nearing the end though, which has to be good eh?  Good luck with it.  It was a glorious day here in Bristol yesterday, I went for a walk around the block, amongst all the wonderful trees we have surrounding us, it's so uplifting.  Perhaps you can get away to your retreat for a long weekend to cheer you up.  I hope it all goes well for you anyway.  We've got to keep smiling, haven't we?

thanks for the concern and advice.  The Oncologist said I can drink some green tea, but not as much as I normally drink, which is six cups a day, because the caffeine interacts with the chemo.  I had my second FEC this afternoon, see previous post above this one and got home by taxi in a half hour, despite the rush hour traffic, yippee.  Getting a district nurse coming tomorrow to do the injections, hooray!  I'm glad that I kept asking.  Nurse gave me a nice Glacier boiled sweet too, when the second drug was going in, as ears pop she said.  I normally hate sweets, but these were lovely, I want more!

Bramble22 I too had an annoying cough for my first 3 cycles but put it down to the lining of my throat and windpipe was aggravated.

 I had that funny, hangover feeling after my first FEC and worried about the next one but it never happened again surprisingly.

Giuliella hope you are feeling ok after your 2nd cycle and the SEs are kinder to you. My 2nd cycle was actually my best and I thought maybe they had given me a lower dose or something.

From someone who has come out the other side, now on day 9 of my last cycle, keep going ladies, this is doable and it feels really good to have the chemo behind me.

Hi Giuliella

We have had lovely sunshine for three days although it won't be as warm as Bristol . Freezing NE wind .lol

We went to a market town about 30mile away . For a browse around market getting some lovely fruit and veg . Glad to hear you getting out and about .I do like to get out every day even if like you it's just around the block .

usually I try to get up to 10000 steps by the end of cycle but quite hilarious when I look at days 1,2,3 I'm lucky if I do 300  

So good to hear how you coping at the minute ,pleased that appointments don't clash . You're doing so well in keeping yourself strong .

enjoy the good weather 

margaret x

Hi

i really hope you’re right. I’m dreading my next one it made me feel really bad x

Hi Di please be kind to yourself and just do one day at a time .Sleep when you need to and listen to your body 

If you must,  the time to worry about no 2 is possible the night before .

Hopefully by day 15 or so you'll feel a lot better and be able enjoy longer walks ..not as good as a run I know but better than nothing .

See how you feel each day use a diary so you can see if there is a pattern of SEs in your cycles .

If you having a good day get out in that lovely countryside and enjoy then come back and rest .

Hopefully you're feeling better than you expected . Hope your fridge full of some nice treats . 

Margaret x

Thanks Northerner

ive honestly had a bad 24 hours. I’m petrified of going to sleep and waking up either feeling really sick or worse than I did. I know this is no easy ride, but it’s just so debilitating after being such an active person. I’ve been trying to keep smiling today and my hubby has been with me all day as he took the day off work, but I can see the concern in his face and feel bad that it’s me causing this worry. Saying that, he’s a good cook and cooked me a nice tea. The most I’ve eaten recently. I also managed a jelly pot too and then promptly fell asleep. I kind of feel overwhelmed with what’s coming but we have no choice .... we have to move forward! Gosh I sound miserable don’t I?! It’s just been such a stressful time all around to get this point and now it continues in a different way. Maybe a good nights sleep will just help if that’s possible. I’ll be fine ... it’s just sometimes it gets a bit much and I really want to get off this ride. Thank goodness for all of you wonderful ladies who know how this feels and can help everyone through xx

Hi

 Di the best thing I learnt to make me feel better was to stop striving to be me ! But to accept who  I was now . Someone who had to slow down and needed nana naps lol 

you are only on day two It will get better but we're all different and if you find like some others that you are not coping then you let the unit know and your Onco .They can change your anti nausea drugs if nesc .

My first cycle was my worst so far and yes my body knows it doesn't like chemo but I have managed to do normal things in between lots of rest . 

I'm off to try to sleep now before No 4 hope you get some sleep tonight and not too much crap TV  

Margaret x