Just getting started here

Hi Zappa

Sorry that you are needing to be a member here because of BC, but welcome. Good that you are down the line, so to speak, and have had most of your treatment by now. Good to hear that you are getting back to work, which is a normal thing. The more we can all embrace what is  normal for each of us, the better.

Hope that you get on ok when the phased return sessions increase. See how you go, and if you need a longer lead-in to getting back to your previous number of days, speak to HR and your GP. 

Good luck.

WallyDug

Hi ! Christ , you sound like you have been coping marvellous given the circumstances .

I had bi lateral radio therapy for 3 weeks following lumpectomy on both sides with lymph node removal . September I had all that done. 

Now I am on Tamoxifen for 5 years . Then maybe Letrazole. 

Regarding processing feelings all I can say is keep talking to people who have gone through similar ie on here .One thing is for sure everyone has been through the mill and confusion is certainly a key emotion for me . Trust me , I’m still coming to terms that I had cancer in both breasts . Especially as there were no obvious symptoms .

Im looking to join a face to face support group when they get going again . Not sure where you live but may be that’s the next step for both of us ?

Penelope xxx

I'm fortunate that my line manager has been very supportive.  But, you're right, I need to shout out if I need more time.  A lot of my holiday from last year was carried over (which isn't usual) so I can work a four day work for much of the time and still have some days for a proper holiday (there are only six months left in our holiday year).

Thanks Penelope.

I think  you're right - confusion reigns, but I can't really define what I'm confused about.  It's a general sense of 'what just happened?'  A friend said it took four years before the enormity of it hit here.  I keep expecting my mind to go "WTF".  If it does, I have a good support network.

I've been going to Tai Chi sessions at Maggie's Oldham, which I've found helpful. That's going to be more difficult now I'm back at work.  But knowing I can just pop in there and have a chat is reassuring.

I'm wondering whether I need to talk to someone in a more structured/formal way to help me work through things.

If I could find a f2f support group that would be good.  I'll see if I can find something fairly local, or in Manchester (where I work if I'm on-campus).  I think you have a point that that may be the next step.

I'm signed up to do a 'Moving Forward' online course from next week.  I'll see how that goes.

It's good to find people who have been on a similar journey (although we might all wish we hadn't met in this way).

All the best,

Diane x

(Diane and my usual nicknames had gone so I opted to adopt the name of our dear departed dog.  I'm sure she wouldn't mind )

Hi Diane. Like you I am finished my treatment and it was completed 3 months after diagnosis for a small IDC picked up through mammogram in November 2021. I had WLE and Sentinel node biopsy then 5 sessions of RT and now on anatrazole for 5yrs.

We are all still working at home fully so I only had 4 weeks off in 2 week blocks with flexi working around that as my employer has been great. 

I'm now back to work full time and doing all my other stuff too and it's weird like the last few months were a bad dream. My blue boob tells me otherwise though!

I do have an initial  session with the counselling service in April and prior to that I have a private consultation with an oncologist to review my case and answer my questions about recurrance risks etc. My treatment was so super quick that I never had a chance to ask all the questions I have. I was told I'm low risk (and my research supports that) but I'm someone that likes detail so having that opportunity to have a detailed discussion will help. I have emailed a list of all my questions! I may feel I don't need the counselling after that but it's good to have that date in case I need it. There is no Maggies where I am 

It is a very strange time I find and I barely touched the breast care service compared to some of the ladies on here and I got the constant impression that I was very "routine" treatment wise. Great in lots of ways but the emotional impact of having cancer is still there

Take the time to ensure your emotional needs are met as they are as important as your physical needs xx

Thanks Jurassicgirl - it does sound like we're at a similar place on our journey. 

I think describing it as a bad dream is apt.  That's what it seems like.  And something I had to do, but now it's back to 'normal' life.  I hope you find the counselling useful.  

I think I probably still have questions I'd like to ask - including recurrence risk, length of time on the Venlafaxine, etc.  I had an end of treatment appointment with the breast care nurse, which was useful; but I'd gone with a list of questions, and was then presented with the checklist which did cover some of the same things but meant that other things I realised afterwards I'd missed.  I feel I've had great care overall, but there can be that sense of time pressure during appointments.

I need to work out what questions I still have.  My first point of contact would be the breast care nurses - but that's a telephone call and leave a voicemail (usually).  I would prefer email initially.

I know what you mean about things seeming 'routine' from a medical/surgical point of view.  I was a little shocked when I was told that had I been having a 'simple mastectomy' to 'go flat' then it would probably have been day surgery.  It didn't feel routine or minor to me

Anyway, I hope all goes well with you.

Diane xx

Ditto re the end of treatment review appointment. Mine was over the phone and it did feel very much like a checklist. I'm still waiting 2 weeks later for the write up which will have contact details including an email address apparently! Like you I'd prefer email so I will await that with interest. I'm also being booked in for my year mammogram in December 

I know how crazy busy they are now so my thoughts were pay for the private consultation so others in more need can have priority over me for local services as I'm very fortunate to be ok financially and can afford the consultation fee and this will give me time to go through everything I want to. The guy I'm seeing has done lots of research on early BC and recurrance risks so I'm genuinely interested to have the conversation with him.

I also had to get copies of key docs like pathology report MDT notes and scans for that appointment so that was also informative for me. I guess it depends what individuals preference is and mine is to know ( and understand) everything so its part of starting to  drawi a line under the past few months and moving on.

Wishing you well too on moving forward. We will be forever changed but there remains much to enjoy and value going forward 

Xxxx 

I hadn't considered a private referral.  I may investigate.

I also feel I need to understand more about what is happening, for example, recurrence, what is happening with my hands (beyond it's the Letrozole side effects).

For eg, I was told I was at high risk of infection/wound not healing because of my BMI.  I needed to understand exactly what the risks were, ie what impact this might have, in order to help me make a decision about what to do.  

It's different for everyone, but I like the full picture usually.

I hope your consultation goes well.

Diane xx