**JUNE JULY AUG 2021 BREAST CANCER CHEMO**

Hi all. I was supposed to see my oncologist on Tuesday last but now seeing him next week, which will be four months post chemo.  Have a few questions but think they are all unanswerable as they mostly relate to my personal long term health as I only managed five of my eight treatments!  

COVID has not been too bad maybe because of the double vaccine.  The worst of it has been the cough but I had that during and post chemo and it has just got worse, but now improving.  Flu symptoms and an earache at the beginning.  

Take care all!  Gwennie

Well done everyone who is getting to the end of treatment. Must feel strange. An absence of appointments...But looking forward to it when it eventually comes. Good luck to all at that stage and well done for getting there!

Thanks all! 

Gwennie, I really hope you’re ok and you don’t get too poorly with it. 

Having p&t injections every three weeks. Feeling a bit off after yesterday’s but nothing awful so far. An interesting bruise on my leg, almost matches my crazy multicoloured boob - black, blue and green!! 

Results appointment came through today - two weeks today I’ll find out what next and then I really hope the end might be in sight. 

Hope you’re all able to have a good weekend,

Ruby xx

Hi Ruby and Lblodwin, glad your surgery is done. Mine was all pre chemo. I relate to having to force yourself to go to various procedures and appointments.

Gwennie I’m sorry you have COVID. It turned out my kids had it two weeks ago when I had my birthday and spent time indoors with them. They’re fine thankfully (11 & 14) and untold numbers of lateral flow tests and PCRs later, my husband and myself decided we had escaped. Delta is so infectious when people have high viral load I read. I am sorry you are coughing.

Had chemo 3 of 8 today (1 more AC to go). On 75% dose since no 2 due to hospital admission and concerns about lung condition I have. And after a bad experience asking one barber to shave my head, found a really lovely one. I have hair on top but sides had largely gone. Let’s see what’s new or familiar on the SE lottery this time.So far I only want to eat yellow food….

best wishes to you all and hope you have good weekends 

Fran xx

Hi BelleStar

Sorry you’ve been ill enough to miss a week and we’ll done for getting back on track. You will be at the end before you know it. No bell in my hospital and I also wanted to mark the moment somehow but in the end it took a while for it to sink in that the very restricted chemo life is over. I realise now how much I had unconsciously normalised that and the sense of freedom is wonderful. I had Herceptin on its own yesterday which brought me back to earth! Like you have 9 months to go and it seems forever but I was so happy when they gave me my next appointment for 24 September that the nurses were laughing.  Not having to go in weekly will make a big difference. Radiotherapy is next starting in October and is Monday to Friday for 4 weeks. I am lucky that I live near the hospital but it seems like a daunting schedule. Hoping you get through this last bit without too many SEs. Not long now xx

Hi Red Ruby Great news that your surgery has gone well. I had no noticeable side effects from my first trastuzumab injection which I had before I started Paclitaxel and I hope you are the same. Thank you for sharing that your neuropathy has improved that has cheered me up no end. It’s great for to know it gets better for people. Hope your recovery from surgery continues smoothly. 

Sorry to hear that you got COVID Gwennie but glad to hear that it’s not been too bad. Hope you feel better soon.

Daisy

Hi Fifitrix it’s similar for me. The bloody nose and chemo taste are going. I was hungry yesterday, and I realised I hadn’t been for a long time! My last chemo oncologist meeting was the same as yours- see you in three months! Because I’m moving into RT I was able to talk to my oncologist for that. Suggest you ring your Breast Care Nurse if you need to. As I understand it we all should have a long term monitoring and care plan in place after the main treatment ends. If you don’t yet maybe they are waiting for the PET scan to discuss this with you? I’m glad to hear you are feeling better and near to completing. Hope your scan goes well and you get an opportunity to discuss results and your future care afterwards. xx

Thank you CoffeeFiend

I will be asking questions when I go gor my scan results.

Good luck with your radiotherapy 

Take care 

Claire xx

Hi CoffeeFiend – that made me smile! I can imagine only too well the thrill of having a whole three weeks between appointments – I hope you are enjoying them. Swings and roundabouts but a day a week tethered to a drip under fluorescent strip lights is no fun. Can you combine RT with anything positive eg classes / a course? I keep promising to mark progress with treats and things I never do when I'm working like art classes and I haven't done it once yet. Re the Herceptin, is it just the injection or does it involve premeds by IV as well? I've only ever had it as part of chemo sessions and I'm not clear where one treatment ends and the other begins. X