*** December Chemo Club 2019 ***

Yorkshire_defector

I twice had a drain. After mastectomy, and this year after lymph node removal.

Didn't find it yucky, just inconvenient to carry it along..

Northerner I have my second Docetaxel chemo tomorrow at 10.30am and intend getting a bus down, taxi home, but I'm terrified I will get all the nasty pains in all four wound sites again, same as last time.  This chemo stops the healing process I'm told by the Oncologist, so that's why normally, you get the chemo before surgery, but in my case, they originally thought I'd not need chemo.  I'm just unlucky.  Went in to see hubby again today by bus, hospital shuttle was one per hour, so I had a very long wait between getting a bus down into town and then getting the shuttle to the hospital, but I stayed for a few hours.  Hope it isn't as bad as I expect.

Giuliella, I have been reading your posts and feel for you immensely. I have my second docetaxel due on the 8th and I am too dreading it as the side effects have been horrendous fir me. I have had rash, joint pain, stomach cramps diarrhoea and dehydration that required me to go on a drip. However, if I was to get the same I am aware at how I can control them now hopefully. Can you not take pain relief prior to prevent any pain and it may prevent you from being as anxious. Just a thought as I have been advised to take pain relief prior to the pain starting that is if you are aware when it started last time. You have enough going on and I do hope it is easier on you this time round. I have just come out of hospital after spending another day there due to side effects.

Please let me know how you get on. 

BB

xx️️

Hi Giuliella

Take a breath! I know it’s hard but you need to relax . You can do this look at how much you have achieved in recent months . You never thought you would get this far ! You are so much stronger than you think . 

I know you can only take paracetamol so yes If it was me I would take them in the morning before you go then four hourly to try to keep on top . 

You could ring your out of hours number and ask there advice or the unit in the morning to check it ok . Just remember you need the chemo to help you fight 

margaret x

Hi Giuliella chemo is usually given before surgery if the cancer is triple negative,  HER2+, or large and the team want to shrink it.  For women with ER+ cancer (most common) it is given after.  There is usually about a month between surgery and chemo when it's after.  It will affect the surgery,  but after chemo is over it should hopefully heal.  I'm 3 weeks and 5 days  past my last weekly paclitaxel, and I feel it healing, though still have some pulling and swelling (like i had a few days after each chemo) if i carry shopping with that arm.  I had level 3 clearance after my mastectomy,  and chemo started 5 weeks after that. 

I'd say try not to focus on it,  as it will make the pain seem worse,  and agree with Margaret about the painkillers. Good lick!

Northerner and and Londonmumof2 thank you so much for posting replies, it is making me feel comforted by your concerns.  I will ask in the morning about taking paracetamols beforehand, if my memory is good, the pain didn't kick in until around Thursday evening or Friday, not too sure, as I was to keep a diary all the way through treatment and then I forgot to do so on this last Docataxel or rather, my first one of that drug.  Having woken at 12.30pm I'm having a cocoa, hope it tastes okay because so far, since that first Docataxel my tastebuds tell me everything tastes really bad save coffee and eggs.

As for me being brave, I feel a wreck, but I'm still fighting, taking positivity when I noticed two days ago, my hair seems to be going dark again after going silver ages ago, what little I still have, though my nails are not growing so fast now (normally cut them every week, with chemo it was once every three weeks, now probably every four weeks, by the look of it) and got tingling and numbness in my fingers and toes, I've also lost my fingerprints, so what bank was it we were targeting, ha ha.  Husband is to have another scan something to do with his blood he said, don't know what that is, maybe to see if it is getting back via normal route yet or still need blood thinners.  Last week he said the doctors were happy with how the chemo is attacking the mass, hopefully it's shrinking.  No news over Christmas regarding his care package, it seems nothing has been done so far, as no one has come to assess what he might need in our flat and his brother said we'd possibly have to move stuff and get rid of some of the clutter to accommodate him, but neither of us want to get rid of our stuff, our lives and hobbies, so hopefully we won't need to do much.  After all, the paramedics got him out of the flat okay before, to go to Southmead hospital before he was transferred to the BRI cancer centre, so here's hoping it's just nurses, a key safe outside so in an emergency they can get in and a few AIDS, nothing more.  Not had time nor energy to try on my wig since I got it, I really should try it out at home soon.  Wish I could get to Asda and the mall to do business, will focus on getting well enough to do that next, in between visiting hubby when well enough after this episode.  At least I know you're all with me for tomorrow, oh that's now today, later this morning.  No idea what to have for breakfast, am taking a banana for my lunch, no idea what else to try and don't want to eat much in case I feel sick.  Don't think I felt sick last time on this stuff though.  One positive, swop the sickness for pain instead, still I have to go through it in order to be certain no cancer remains in me, so I guess it's, get on with it and be brave!  I'll let you know how it all goes over the next week anyway and let's hope I don't get such bad constipation with it too, as last time, must drink more water/fluids.  Thanks guys.

Good luck. Thinking of you. Let’s hope round 2 is better than round 1. 

Love BB

xx️️

Yes, just had my porridge and getting ready to go out for the bus at 9.00am, bus should come at 9.15am.  Here's hoping the free shuttle is running from the eye hospital today, but I think it's a reduced service according to their website, which is why the one I waited ages for never turned up yesterday, so here's hoping the 10.00am one comes along, else I've got a long walk.  I've got a banana for my lunch, it's not much, but can't think of anything else to take with me that will be okay.  Put a short sleeved tee shirt on so I won't be half naked when having the intravenous stuff in, but got a thick alpaca cardigan over the top and will wear an arctic anorak rated to minus 17 today, as the forecast doesn't say it's going to rain and I've been feeling the cold of late, especially standing round waiting for buses.  Got a rabbit fur hat with ear flaps and my alpaca gloves with me too and a furry scarf, I think I'll need it, as I left these off recently and really regretted that decision.

Let's hope the Oncologist was right about not feeling as bad this time round, he was going to prescribe a couple of extra days of steroids to help with that, so let's hope I get them today and I'll ask about the paracetamols early too.  Must remember to ask for a nurse to come do those filgrastim injections too.  Will let you know in due course, how I get on.

Is it you who have the cats?  I'd love to see pics of them, as I adore cats and wish I had one, but as we used to go to and from work in the dark and travelled lots, we felt it cruel to have one in our small one bedroomed flat with no cat flap due to a glass front door and not look after it as we should, so we never got any animals, sadly, though we are both animal lovers and photograph all kinds of them in the wild.  How cute, the bald ones (is that Chinese breeds) come to you and ask for a coat to keep warm, sweet.  I used to have a farm cat, not a lap cat, who adopted us when his farmer owner died and they ended up with forty cats and kittens on the farm backing onto our home, before I was married.  I loved that funny old huge ginger and white Tom cat, we called Gonzo.  He was loving in his own way and never bit or scratched us, unless we asked for it, but we knew when to leave him alone.  He was a champion fighter and rat catcher.  I do so miss him.  Maybe one day, and I'll get one from a rescue centre.  I know it's premature, but I always thought when Mike died, I'd get a dog or cat to keep me focuses on living, I rather like greyhounds too, but have never owned a dog, so I'm unsure how to look after them and would need expert advice, whereas cats, I know what they want and need, I can read them easier.

Giuliella, 

they are my daughters Sphinx cats - they are indoor cats and if you are looking for companionship I can’t recommend them enough. They are so affectionate sort of a cross between a dog and a cat. If you want to pm me your phone number I’ll add you on what’s app and send you lots of pictures. I’ll add one on here too xxx