I'm new

Hello

And welcome to the club nobody wants to join! I'm so sorry to hear you've quite a tough time, with a very disabled hubs too. Hopefully his carers will be able to take on what you've been doing too? 

Take it steady, do the exercises, and remember that a general anaesthetic takes 3 weeks to fully leave your system so that means your emotions may be rather heightened and/or tough to cope with as steroids are often in the anaesthetic mix. 

I hope ongoing treatment is't tough, but there are permanently 'stuck' threads referring to chemo and radiotherapy, renewed each month, so if you need, have a read and join in on them. 

In the meantime, ask anything you need to know, no question too silly! 

Hugs xxx

Thanks Moomy.  Nice to hear from you.  I am not sure how to use this forum at the moment - will take me time to find out where to post my messages and how to find the replies!  

Haha, yes, if you're not used to this site it can take time to find your way around, but I'm sure you'll manage it! I mostly use my phone, which chucks me off frequently and I have to go through signing in again, but otherwise a laptop....

Hugs xxx

 hello and welcome to a club no one really wanted to join.  You do have a lot on your plate and I'm a great believer that extreme, long term stress causes cancer.  Therefore I work I'm trying to not respond to stress!  Not easy but I've been working on it for 5 years now .  I listen to YouTube sleep meditation - Michael Sealey and Jason Stephenson my favourites as their voices relax me.  

I was diagnosed in 2015 after a rough few years where my hubby retired on ill health grounds, my daughter went away to uni and her OCD escalated so she needed a lot of support and my eldest sister died of a brain tumour.  I think the combination of this while having returned to work full time due to my husband retiring led to a build up stress.  

This site is a fantastic source of support, friendship etc. There is an awake thread where people just pop in for a chat , often in early hours of morning when the worry gremlins surface.  If you click on persons name you will see their bio/story.  You can also ring MacMillan for specific support.  

There are no silly questions so don't be shy xx

hi I'm new too got diagnosed mid march had my lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed 3 weeks ago today, almost fully healed but still quite sore and tender. I'm grade 3 aggressive cancer so all happening very quickly, chemo starts next wed which I'm quite nervous about and know I've got a hell of a year ahead of me. 

Welcome you will come through the other side xxx

Hi SR8,

You've come to a good Forum, everyone is so helpful and understanding.  theirs never a good time to get a Cancer diagnosis but, the Coranavirus makes it more stressful.  You've got a lot to cope with, with Hubby and now your diagnosis.  I'm 20 months post diagnosis and I was a complete wreck for quite some time, my Husband has Parkinsons Disease and so that was also a big stressor for me, how I would cope with my treatment and looking after him but, we got through it somehow and I have very little support.  

I hope you have support other than the carers?  Once you receive your results and plan and get on the road to treatment it can help but, I'm afraid it is a rocky road and you will most likely have ups and downs, everyone here will support you.   Please update us when you can regarding your results. 

Best Wishes. 

Saw the oncologist this afternoon.  Tumour was 14 mm but there were pre cancerous changes surrounding the tumour in sample sent for testing.  Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.  Stage 1 overall, HER2 negative for progesterone and oestrogen receptors.  Triple negative breast cancer grade 3 (no cancer in lymph nodes, turmour size small, no cancer anywhere else in body) 

Three treatments suggested: chemo (4 sessions, 1 session per week), radiotherapy essential(5 days a week for 2 weeks).  Bone protecting agents - bisohosphonates given as infusion into vein after 3 months for 1 year and beyond to protect the bones and reduce chances of cancer recurring.  Given several pages for side effects of chemo - terrified me reading all that and one of the drugs used in chemo: cyclophosphamide can increase the risk of developing a 2nd cancer years later ; if a 2nd cancer develops it is usually leukaemia - that worries me. 

The coronavirus situation is making things even more difficult - the Dr did say that chemo would make me immunosuppressed and if I were to get the  coronavirus it would be very serious for me.

I have 2 weeks to decide if I want to have the chemo or not.  I am not sure what I want to do at the moment.  HELP.

Sorry to hear your hubby has Parkinsons Disease. 

We have carers coming in twice daily as he is totally immobile and bed bound and needs 2 people to provide personal care.  We also have nurses coming in 3 times daily now to give him his meds via his feeding tube as his swallowing is not very good now.  I used to give him his liquid meds by mouth via a syringe until he started having choking episodes and once I got told my treatment plan, I fought for and managed to persuade the nurses to do his meds.   That is a great source of worry for me - the danger of infection and coronavirus for me because of 10 people in total coming in and out of the house to see to my hubby.  

As my hubby also has dementia on top of the motor neurone disease, I have to deal with my chemo and side effects on my own and am worrying about how I am going to manage on my own.  My kids have babies and even then my son spoke to the GP about moving in with me with his family but was advised against it as they have a 3 year old and another baby expected in the next 2 weeks - they were told it wouldnt be fair to keep the young child cooped in the house and not allowed out at all, because if they stayed with me none of them would be allowed out as it could be dangerous for me if they had to go out.  I am frightened and worried and at my wit's end.  If the coronavirus wasn't here, it wouldnt be so difficult as my kids could support me much more.  

Has anyone on this forum dealt with chemo and then radiotherapy on their own?  How did you deal with it?  I would love to hear from you.

I am trying to find my way around the Forum.  Am not up to speed yet!  I don't know how to find the various threads.  Help