Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Hello Joliel,
I am just back from a lovely vacation and have been reading all the posts. A few days ago I posted a pic here of me and a dolphin. I am happy when I see how happy I look!
I am 2 years past diagnosis, almost exactly. 2 years since I found the lump that was TN cancer. I was told many things by many people after the chemo. "you will feel better in 6 months", "you will feel better in 8 months". I was at the BC surgeon's office one day and she said don't expect to feel well in less than a year. So 2 years have passed and I am starting to feel better. Like you I had horrible aching and pain after the chemo ended. I have neuropathy in my feet, and sometimes my hands too. Actually I think it is also causing the weak feeling in my legs. I have hopes that will get better, but don't know for sure.
I am just going to try and enjoy my life as well as I can. I lost my husband last February and have been trying to adjust to that too.
The people here are wonderful, someone is always here to listen and Sylvia is so knowledgeable on so many things. I can't remember when I first found my way here (I blame chemo for that, too!), but I have been here ever since.
Welcome!
Mary
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Hello Joliel,
Thank you for your post. I was so glad to read that you are doing everything that you can to keep yourself healthy. Eating healthily and having a varied diet is about the best thing we can do to help ourselves. Walking is also something that can only be beneficial and that we can all do.
I was interested to know that you have been meditating regularly for the past eight months, as there is a lot of information now about the benefits of doing this. I have not done any meditation but I know that one of the posters, linali (Lindsay) from the Republic of Ireland was a great believer in meditation and she did post about mindfulness. We have not heard from her in a while, but I know she has a lot going on in her life. I hope she will manage to pop in sometime soon, because she goes to a cancer support centre, and always brings us useful information. I find that just being very quiet and contemplating helps with relaxation. Some people say that yoga, acupuncture and therapies such as aroma therapy and foot massage (reflexology) are good for relaxation.
You asked how long it took for me to recover from treatment. It is all very individual and I remember I got back to normal routine quite quickly, because I did not suffer a lot of the side effects that some women do. I had fatigue but not in a serious way, judging from what others have experienced. I was retired when diagnosed, but do not think I would have been able to continue with my work as a high school teacher, had I been working. I did carry on with all my volunteer work within the apartment complex where I live and that is quite a full time job. I had a routine of lying down for about an hour in the afternoon, after chemotherapy. Since I am now ten and a half years since diagnosis, and have thus aged that amount, I do not know if I am as energetic as before diagnosis. All I know is that I seem to have plenty of energy. The long term effect of my chemotherapy treatment has been neuropathy in my feet. I did not notice anything strange until after I had finished all my treatment. I got myself tested by a podiatrist who put needles in my feet and I felt nothing. My oncologist told me that I definitely had neuropathy, caused by docetaxel (Taxotere) and that there is no cure. I have tried various creams on the soles of my feet and all over the foot, but nothing seems to help. I have developed osteoarthritis on the joint of my big toe on the left foot and I wonder if that is connected to the neuropathy and chemotherapy. It does not hurt but because of the swelling in the joint it makes it a bit of a problem with shoes.
I think the biggest factor in my breast cancer development was stress. I think a lot of women can identify with this. Stress is very difficult to handle and there is no saying what changes it may cause in the body.
With you, Joliel, you have not long finished treatment so give yourself time to recover. You are doing all the right things and you will slowly feel better and more your normal self.
Recently I read in the paper that there is a school of thought that believes cancer is now caused more by lifestyle, such as bad eating habits, and being sedentary than anything else. I think it is probably a risk factor, but still believe that cancer is a multi-causal disease.
Have you started your three-monthly check ups post treatment? These seem to vary in different countries. I had three-monthly check ups for about two years, alternating between the oncologist and the breast cancer consultant. This then went to six-monthly check ups, again alternating. After about seven years I was changed to once a year, discharged from the breast cancer consultant, and saw just the oncologist. I did have regular mammograms during that time, but no other scans.
Before starting treatment I had a CAT scan and a bone nuclide scan. I had the same scans after treatment.
After that the check ups were just physical ones. The oncologist told me she ran he hands over my mastectomy area, wanting everything to feel smooth. If this was not the case she told me there might be a problem. She also told me that a rash on the scar of the mastectomy could indicate recurrence. I have been in the clear since the end of treatment. She also used to feel under the arm pits and all around the neck area, looking for any abnormality with lymph nodes.
Have you had any problems with lymphoedema?
Keep posting. You are in safe hands and understanding minds here with us.
Please feel free to tell us about yourself and your life in Australia.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Amanda,
Did you see the last part of Walking the Himalayas? It was all quite extraordinary.
I hope you are having having a good week.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Mary
Nice to see you again on the thread. What a lovely picture of you and that dolphin you posted. I liked it so much.
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HI All
Thank you Adagio, Mary and Hanieh for your replies and the support you have given. It is definitely a process recovering from all the treatments, and I just need to take it one step at a time. I know I feel better than I did 6 months ago when I had just finished chemo. I also was surprised at how tired I was after radiation, I should know better as I am an RN!!
Sylvia, I am happy to share a bit about me. I am 55 years old with a 13 year old daughter and a grown up son. I have just today returned to working after 13 months off during treatment. I am a Director of Nursing, so I have gone back to a busy management role. I must say that though my head is reeling from information overload it felt good to be back at work and doing something not specifically cancer related. I now have to find the time to incorporate my exercise as it is part of my prescription! You asked if I had commenced 3 monthly check ups- yes I have had a couple so far. I also just had my 12 month follow up mammo and ultra sound- all clear! I also had full body and bone scans before treatment. My onc does blood tests(tumour markers) every time i catch up with him. I have a great medical team in my corner and see my breast surgeon 6 monthly now. They are in contact, sharing reports and results so all know what is going on at any time. So far no lymphoedema, fingers crossed.
I will definately keep posting, and its great to see how everyone is going.
thanks
Jolielxx
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Hello Sylvia and all the others,
I am sorry I was absent for so long without a thought to give a reason why. I needed to take a break from talking about TN for a while. I got myself so wound up with research and thinking about it constantly....my husband literally took the computer away from me!
On Sunday I bumped into a lady who looked after my daughter when she was in special care (Evie had to be delivered at 32 weeks so I could start treatment), and as it happened she was TN too. Anyway, she is ten years out and she saw her onco last week. He told her that the school of thought now with TN is that if you get to the magic three years, you are considered cured. I thought that this would be nice news for you all to hear, and I did think about this thread when she said it. I have gone back and glanced at some of the thread posts and was interested in reading the 93% survival statistic for stage 2, which is me. Good news all around I think.
I have asked in the past, when you measure your years, I consider it to be date of diagnosis, which will make me one year and eight months, but my doc said they measure the date from surgery, which will be a little over a year. What are your thoughts on this?
I will post again later,
Mary
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Hello Joliel,
Thank you for your post and it was nice to learn some more about you.
It must have been quite a day today with you going back to work after having thirteen months oof during your treatment.
I was very interested to know that you are a Director of Nursing, so I can imagine how busy you must be. It has probably done you a lot of good to go back to work and to focus on something other than your breast cancer. It is so important that patients do not end up identifying themselves as cancer patients. It is very important to get back to a normal life. Tell us a little bit about your working day as a Director of Nursing and about the kind of health service that you have in Australia. Is it insurance based or the National Health Service which is free at the point of treatment and paid for out of taxation. Our NHS is under great stress at the moment and the job is very stressful. I have a friend in London who went into nursing at the age of 18 and she is now in her mid fifties and works for a consultant in Barts Hospital in London, a famous hospital. I think she is now a Sister and is totally dedicated.
You mentioned exercise as being a part of your prescription, so was wondering whether you do a lot of walking about in your daily work. I know this happens in the hospital here and nurses must walk miles in a day. I remember how much walking about there was during my treatment as I went to various departments.
I was glad to know that you are having your regular check ups and that everything is fine.
Did you have scans after you had finished treatment? You mentioned that you had them before but you did not say if you had them straight after finishing treatment.
I was very interested to know that your oncologist does blood tests for cancer markers. I think there are different schools of thought about these. They seem to do a lot of them in th US but when I asked my oncologist about them some years ago, she said they were not necessary and not reliable. Apparently they can go up and down a bit like blood pressure. Of course, because cancer is part of our body, there will always be some sort of level.
It is good that you have a great medical team.
Were you given a breast cancer care nurse when you were diagnosed? I was given one during my treatment and she kept in touch or I could phone her if I had any questions or any problems. I found her to be most useful.
It is good that the various consultants work together. I know from my oncologist and breast cancer consultant surgeon that there are regular meetings of everyone involved to discuss patients, discuss their case and make decisions about treatment.
I was glad to know you have no lymphoedema as it is quite common after surgery, especially when lymph nodes have been removed. At the hospital I attended, they had lymphoedema clinics with specialist nurses. If you had swelling in the arms or hands you could request an appointment to get checked. The nurses measure the circumference at various parts of your arm, decide whether you need treatment and further appointments. One of the treatments is to wear an elasticated sleeve and also to be taught manual lymph drainage, which is a kind of massage.
I have run out of time for today, as I have a meeting this evening. I shall write more tomorrow.
Sending you fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary Margaret,
You cannot believe how happy I felt when I saw your post. I have often thought about you and wondered how you and the new baby were getting on.
I do understand your need to take a break and get your mind off cancer.
I shall write more tomorrow, as I have a meeting this evening.
My oncologist and breast cancer consultant surgeon told me that you count your survival time from the day of diagnosis.
I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Dear Hanieh, good to hear from you. Vacation was wonderful, although since I have been back I have been reading in the news about the virus that is all over mostly South America and also is in Mexico. Although so far there are no travel alerts about Mexico. In case you haven't seen it in the news, it is called zika virus and is spread by mosquitoes. There are travel alerts to the Virgin Islands and South America.
Oh well, we had a wonderful trip anyway, didn't see any mosquitoes that I know of. So nice to get away from the daily chores of life and to just feel like a normal person!
I hope you are doing well and your teaching is still rewarding to you.
Talk to you soon, Mary
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Hello Mary Margaret,
I have finally managed to get back to you to reply to your post.
I do hope you have been getting back to normal and enjoying life while taking a break. I think it is quite a good idea. I think your husband did the right thing by getting you off the computer. I do not think it is a good idea for breast cancer patients to frighten themselves with all the contradictory information on the internet. There is too much doom and gloom about breast cancer with triple negative receptors.
Tell yourself you have had your treatment. It was successful and you now go on with your life.
Let the lady who is ten years out be an inspiration to you. Let me, ten and a half years out, be an inspiration to you as well. You are going to be fine.
How is everything going with little Evie and the rest of your family? Have you had some nice holidays? I remember that last summer you were getting ready for a very busy time and had lots of projects.
As I said in my other post, my oncologist said you start counting from the date of diagnosis. This seems to be quite general.
At the moment the regular posters seem to be Maryna8, adagio, Hanieh, Amanda, Michael and I. We hear from linali (Lindsay) from time to time, as well as Tom, whose wife, like you, had a baby while going through breast cancer treatment. We also hear from PeterandLiz, whose wife had breast cancer.
Jackpot (Gill) and Suewirral have not posted in a while. They went through a lot and may be taking a rest.
Keep in touch, be happy with your family and try not to worry too much.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Joliel,
I was most interested in what you had to say about radiotherapy and the fact that it made you very tired. I understand this and we have to remember that radiotherapy is very toxic and just as dangerous as chemotherapy. Patients still need to take care of themselves, rest and be vigilant.
I think patients tend to find it easy after the long months of chemotherapy, with all the side effects and the worry of ending up in hospital with neutropenia (low white blood cell count) or anaemia (low red blood cell count) and feeling really unwell.
Surgery is also a great trauma for the body and it takes time to recover.
With radiotherapy the treatment is over so quickly that patients find it easy. They turn up for their appointment, get placed on the table and the actual radiation does not last long. However, it is exhausting having to go to the hospital for treatment five days a week for as many weeks as has been decided. Your skin can get very red and you have to be very careful how you treat it. My oncologist told me that some patients get inflammation in the lungs and that is not very pleasant.
Throughout each stage of treatment you need a certain amount of time to recover.
You probably know all this but I tend to simplify everything so that anyone reading the posts can understand. I remember talking to people around me in the past who had no idea what was involved in chemotherapy and radiotherapy, so I think it is important that patients have everything explained to them. I remember with chemotherapy that I had a pre-chemo appointment, during which the procedure was explained to me. It was the same for radiotherapy and I remember having to go for an appointment to be placed on a prototype of the radiotherapy machine to have the area to receive the radiation mapped out by pinpoints.
That is about all for today.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary (maryna8)
I was glad to know that you were safely back home and that you had had a good holiday.
The zika virus has been hitting the headlines here in the UK. If I have understood it correctly, it is only serious in pregnant women because of what it does to new born babies.
The world is small today, so I expect it will spread quite rapidly.
Did you have some nice food in Mexico? Did you come back to snow? I read that, in New York, they had had the highest amount of snow since 1860.
It looked bad in Washington DC as well.
Hope to hear from you.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello, Sylvia and all
Yes, had a very nice vacaton; took a while to get back into reality mode. Our area had the coldest weather of our winter while we were gone, but not too much snow. The worst of the big snowstorm that buried much of USA in New York and D.C. went south of us. So I got back and after a dead battery in the car one day, and clogged drain pipes in the house another day I guess I am back to real life.
We stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. There were 8 restaurants in the resort, and we tried all of them. They were all good, a couple of them were very good, and one was gourmet excellence. Our resort was in the town, and we could walk out into the town and stroll around safely looking at scores of shops, restaurants, open-air bars with live music, mariachi bands and so forth. We ate out in the town one night, it was nothing special, but fun to watch the parade of people passing by. We had sparkling ocean in front of our door, nice weather, and white sand. We played with the dolphins and went to some Mayan ruins nearby. That was interesting but very crowded with tourists I was amazed to see all the people who were trying to navigate all the rock stairways around the ruins with baby strollers and wheelchairs. Lots of determination there! Our resort seemed very well managed by contrast; they seemed to have most rooms full, but there were never lines of people anywhere or crowded areas (except for the sun worshippers at the pool); it was very spacious, and the service was impeccable.
I have an itchy place on my arm so I have been looking at it incessantly to see if it looks like the zika virus! I'm afraid I am a bit of a hypochondriac after all the disease drama in my life, including those of my husband. We did notice when we were in Mexico that we very rarely saw a bug anywhere, which makes we wonder if the area is sprayed for insects regularly. It does seem quite jungly with lush vegetation there, one would think a haven for bugs. Maybe not so much next to the ocean? I know there was usually a stiff breeze, which I don't think mosquitoes like. Not sure, but the virus does seem to be spreading, and by the summer when it is warm here it will probably be here. Because we do have mosquitoes in the summer. There are a few things I despise; the mosquito is one, and the tick and chigger are 2 more. We have all of them in the summer, and they are miserable creatures in my opinion. When I was a child they were just a nuisance, but now they all carry diseases that can be very serious. The chigger does not carry disease that I know of, but if you have enough bites it can force you to make a trip to the doctor for a shot of Benadryl to lessen the itching.
Going to close this for now, have something else I would like to post separately.
It's good to talk to you!
Mary
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Dear all,
I ran across this somewhere and I carry it with me when shopping; and try to follow it as well as I can.
FOODS IMPORTANT TO EAT ORGANICALLY
apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, grapes, peppers, celery, green beans, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin
FOODS THAT ARE LESS IMPORTANT TO EAT ORGANICALLY
bananas, oranges, tangerines, pineapple, grapefruit, melons, plums, kiwi, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, eggplant, peas, radishes, avocados
Of course, there are some things missing from the list. The beet for one, and the turnip. I can usually get them locally or organically so try to do that.
Mary
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Good Morning,
The weeks are flying by and I hadnt realised that it was so long since I had checked in.
I met up with my sisters in Billericay on the 13th and had a wonderful few days with them. We had a spa day, delicious Thai food, a baking day at my sisters house... not too successful and the highlight was a trip to the V and A - my sisters choice for her birthday outing. We saw the exhibit of Indian jewellery..... beautiful,stunning pieces of diamonds, emeralds, pearls, spinels, ruby and some sapphires. Some were very old and others quite recent. I loved all the back stories. I would love to go back and see alot more of the exhibits. We saw some but paced ourselves as sometimes we have overdone things and hopefully we can go back at our next meet up.
Our weather is still atrocious, stormy and wet. We cant even walk in parts of the garden as it is so waterlogged. I am concerned that many of the bulbs and plants will rot. Damian is busy planting seeds and trying to figure out a heating system for his greenhouse. We got word from the insurance company this week that Damians car is a write off after being stuck in a flood . It has taken 9 weeks to be assessed and unfortunately we will lose out- if we had traded it in we would have got another 1500 -but will choose another car this week.
After all the stormy weather we also have a leaky roof which wiil be repaired if the rain and wind ever stops. So the bad weather has affected us but in ways that can be fixed and so I have learned not too get too stressed over fixable things.
I agree that a stressful lifestyle can have an impact on your health. Recently I was at a meeting which brought me back mentally to my union days. It was frustrating and felt like banging ones head against a brick wall - very similar to many union meetings and negotiations. I didnt sleep that night with the words and angry feelings going around in my head.I realised that this was the way that I had lived for many years and in one way grateful that I was given an opportunity to change and step off the merry-go-round.Albeit cancer!!!
The centre is busier than ever and we have some incredible fund raisers but more volunteers are needed, drivers etc. As we are a rural community with most places having not public transport and treatment centres miles away we need drivers to take people to chemo and especially radiation. We are opening in the east of the county on 12th Feb after many delays.
There is now a lymphadema practioner coming every 6 weeks who is brilliant and trained in Austria.There is a huge demand.
Yes I found meditation so helpful and although I dont go to the group I know how to calm myself, become aware and breathe. It is very popular and I feel that each group builds up its own rapport and support. I will be going there for Tai Chi later this morning.
Leigh is home later today and has once again lost her tablet. Her oganisational and coping skills are zero.. part of her aspergers , but I think that we are going to have to be tougher with her, She has been spending alot of her money- and she only has a little on helping the Roma community. We fear the future and how will she live independently without our constant support.
We attended a workshop sponsored by the local Downs Syndrome association on Thursday. It was about financial planning for the parents of special needs children. We went originally because of Max, hoping to find out information to help Kerry but learnt some important info to help us with Leighs' future when we won't be here. Briefly, we need to make a special needs will with trustees to administer the money and that will protect any support that she has such as housing,medical treatment etc and stop her blowing the money all at once or giving it away.
We will be going to Wexford to look after my two boys on Thursday, it is month end and Kerry cannot work a shortened week. I cannot wait. Max is doing well although prone to chest and ear infections. Oskar is a very hands on big brother...literally and Max will be robust and sturdy
I have begun physio for my leg and back and on Tuesday will go the local hospital for biopsies. I had to go privately to a dermatologist last Wednesday or wait years for an appointment. He is 95% sure that it is not cancer and wants to find out what it is on my breast.
I have joined an online course. from Glasgow University on Robbie Burns. It started on Burns Night. I adore some of his poetry and songs. What a rogue he was too, quite a womaniser with 13 children to his name. It is only short and in March I will start one about Irish history around the time of the Risng and civil war.It is the centenary of 1916 this Easter and there will be many commemorative events.One of the leaders executed was a scholar and writer. Padraig Pearse.
Well must go to do my weekend shopping.
Thoughts to everyone in treatment and to those that are in the strange stage when it has just finished. This thread was my lifeline and support.
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Hello Mary,
It sounds as though you had a really enjoyable holiday in Mexico and one that you will not forget. I can believe that it took you a while to get back to everyday living.
I was interested that you mentioned the zika virus. Apparently it has been around for a very long time and originated in Africa, so I cannot understand why the experts are only just beginning to think about producing a vaccine. I suppose it is all because of the great publicity we are now getting from Brazil about pregnant women giving birth to children with small brains – encephaly. I listened to a doctor being interviewed about this and she was saying that, despite all the headlines in the media, it had not yet been proven that there was a definite connection between these birth defects and the zika virus. She said further work was necessary to rule out other reasons. It is hard to know what to believe. Apparently, this zika virus has been around for seventy-five years. I have no idea what the symptoms are in non-pregnant adults who have been bitten by these mosquitoes.
There are all sorts of things out there in nature. I know that in Canada, during the hot summer months, I was plagued by black fly and mosquitoes.
I have just received the next email from Chris Woollams. Have you received your and had time to read it? I was wondering what you thought about the latest topics.
There is so much information coming from all quarters that it is impossible to retain it all.
I find that I read it all but later on have not retained a lot of it. I just try to keep my life simple and my food simple and healthy.
The latest news here is about proton beam radiotherapy, which they are saying is a lot less harmful than the existing radiotherapy. I think we are behind the times in the UK because proton radiotherapy has been around for quite a while.
If I had understood correctly about immunotherapy, it seems to be an add-on to existing cancer treatment that will put more money in the coffers of Big Pharma. I need to look at it in more detail. Chris Woollams has it in the latest email, so let us both have a read of it and see what we think.
January is almost at an end and the weather has been awful all month. I shall be glad to see February and am counting the sixty days to the beginning of April.
Take care.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary, again,
Thank you for posting the information about foods that are important to eat organically.
It seemed very familiar to me and I think I may have posted it on this thread at some point. It is good to have it repeated.
When shopping I tend to buy whatever is available organically but if I want something and it is not organic I still buy it. At the moment I am buying lots of grapefruits, red and pink, as well as avocados, as they are supposed to be very good for keeping the liver cleansed. Here broccoli and spinach seem always to be available organically.
I have been watching Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the race for the Presidency. What do you think of them?
Here, the European Union and the referendum to stay in or leave is the headline news. I am going to vote to leave, whatever scaremongering the powers that be get up to.
All for now.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello linali (Lindsay),
It was nice to have you back on the thread. It is true that the weeks seem to fly by.
It sounds as though you had a nice break at your sister's house in Billericay. As I have probably told you in the past, Raymond and I know Billericay quite well. It was a place that we went to quite a lot and that we liked. We often walked the High Street and used to go for lunch in the Wetherspoons (The Blue Boar). We also used to go to Waitrose. We lived not far from there in Langdon Hills, around a nature reserve.
It looks as though we are all fed up with the weather. Here in Exmouth it is dry today, but cloudy and cold.
I can understand the stress that must have gone with being involved with union work, with meetings and negotiations. It is true that when we have had stress during the day, it plagues our brains at night and we cannot get restful sleep. I am sure that stress has a dreadful effect on our health.
I was interested to know that at the centre that you now have a regular lymphoedema practitioner. It is very easy to learn to do the manual lymph massage. Since many women are affected by this problem after surgery, I think it is very important to get exercising arms straight after surgery. I remember a physiotherapist coming to see me in the hospital the morning after surgery and showing me exercises to do. Later on I had a bit of puffiness in the hands and got an appointment to attend the lymphoedema clinic just as a precaution. I remember the nurse carefully measuring the circumference along the arm etc. and telling me it was just very slight lymphoedema and offered me an elasticated sleeve if I wanted it. I declined because I did not feel that was the way I wanted to go. I went to just one other appointment and did not need to go again. I remember talking about these elasticated sleeves to my GP and he told me to steer clear. The problem resolved itself. I have seen women with all their arm and hand bandaged up and seem to have very serious problems.
I would recommend that all patients going through breast cancer treatment and having surgery, especially under the arms, to be on the lookout for any swelling and to have it looked at. I think we cancer survivors need to do arm stretching and a bit of massage as part of our regular exercise. I know that the podiatrist that I see also has other staff that do things such as lymph massage, aromatherapy, reflexology etc.
I was interested to know that you are doing Tai Chi. I think that anything that relaxes us is good for us.
I can tell that you are very busy with your family. I do hope things will improve for Leigh, as it must be a lot of worry for you.
I do hope things will get better with Max as well and you are doing the right thing to set up protection for both Leigh and Max. I am sure you will enjoy being with Oskar and Max.
Please let us how you get on with your leg and back and with the problem on your breast that the dermatologist is looking into.
I can imagine that on top of everything else your online course on Robbie Burns will make you one busy lady.
I was looking on the pages of my diary for this past week and saw that Burns night in Scotland was on January 25th. If we have anyone viewing from Scotland it would be nice to hear from you and what you did. When I first started this thread the first posters were from Scotland.
Looking at my diary I saw that January 26th was Australia Day and was a public holiday. We have a new poster on this thread from Australia, so hopefully we shall get to learn more about this country. I certainly like their national anthem which was introduced when they decided to do away with God save the Queen, which was the right thing to do. There is debate here about an English national anthem and I hope it comes soon.
I am sure the course on Irish history will be most interesting. You have certainly gone through a lot of struggles and bad treatment. I do hope that one day there will be a properly united Republic of Ireland. What is going to be done for the centenary of the Easter rising this year? I am going to look up Padraig Pearse.
I saw in my diary that on January 18th it was Martin Luther King Junior Day. There was not much coverage here in the UK but we are very insular really.
Did you know that February 4th 2016 is World Cancer Day? I have not heard much about this. Have you? Here is a link for information:
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-cancer-day
That is about all for now.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sylvia
We have had a mild winter here; as I said, the coldest weather so far was when I was gone. I missed it. Right now we are relatively warm, I noticed my hydrangea has some tiny green buds and so do some other flowering plants. It is going to get cold again, so I hope they don't suffer too much.
For some reason, my latest Chris Woollams email came with a red high-lighted dire warning from my anti-virus security on my computer. It doesn't want me to open it for some reason. I am going to attempt to do so on my android tablet, perhaps it will work there. This hasn't happened before with his email.
The info on the zika virus for adults seemed as if it would have mild consequences, with the slim possibility of neurological damage. It also seems as if the experts don't know much about it even though it's been around so long. Once again it seems to be a disease that has occurred as a result of scientists messing about with African monkeys and accidentally coming up with a new disease. I could be wrong on this but that is how I read one of the articles on this subject. There was a TV documentary here some time ago which laid out the scenario of how Lyme disease started. There is an island off the East Coast of the USA on which scientists were performing animal experiments. One of the animals escaped somehow, and got to Lyme, Connecticut and thus we got Lyme disease which is spread by tick bites. So this version of the story goes anyway.
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders: hmmm. Seems like 2 sides of the same coin in a way. Bernie is a self-avowed Socialist who is running as a Democrat who has held public office for 30+ years, most recently Senator from Vermont, and Donald is a capitalist who used to be a Democrat and is now running as a Republican and makes no bones about the fact that he is wealthy. Sanders thinks the Government should run everything and pay for everything. He has recently been putting forth the notion that minimum wages must be raised arbitrarily by law. This just seems silly to me, if businesses have to pay out more in wages they may or may not be able to afford, they are either going to raise the price of their product, or have fewer employees, or risk going out of business. Doesn't seem logical. Trump on the other hand, has mostly been running on a platform of controlling the inflow of illegal immigration, and making better decisions globally. Such as being tougher on defense, and on trade, especially with China. His tagline is "Make America Great Again". Not sure what Bernie's tagline is, but I would rather not have a Socialist as President. That philosophy has been tried many times and still is, but always needs some people who will actually produce to provide the money to take care of the rest, or the system will collapse. Our country has about 50% producers now, I would not want to get any more Socialist than that, in fact, I would like it to go the other way, to more producers. If it came to a choice between the two, I would vote for Trump, although he would not be my first choice among the Republicans. Today are the Iowa caucuses, so our voting primary season begins. That is all one will hear on TV and radio today. Wall-to-wall.
I am no expert on the subject of the EU, but I think I agree with you about leaving the Union.
I tried getting Chris Woollams on my tablet, it is giving me the same warning; ignore at my own risk! Disappointing. Since I recently had to take my computer to the shop to have malware removed, I don't want to run the risk of getting something back on it. I shall have to wait till his next message, I guess. Hopefully it will be free of these warnings as his have always been till now.
Better go for now,
Mary
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maryna - my Chris Woollams e-mail came with the same warnings - I chose to delete it immediately -didn't want to take any risks of getting a computer virus. The articles did look interesting, though.
Glad you enjoyed your vacation in Mexico - last November we stayed in Puerto Morales - very close to Playa del Carmen - I loved the weather, the ocean and the food at our resort. We stayed at Excellence Riviera, and while the food was different to what I eat at home, it was good. I just relaxed and enjoyed it. I did not swim with the dolphins, but I did go to the Tulum ruins - it was a very hot day, but I did enjoy learning about the history of the Mayan people.
Hope you have a good week. I had a nasty cold last week, but today I am feeling so much better. Much to be grateful for, really.
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Hello Mary
Thank you for a most interesting post. I have not had a minute to myself today, so I shall try to answer tomorrow.
I was concerned about your not being able to access Chris Woollams latest email. Do you think this could be sabotage? There is such hostility to integrative treatment and progressive thinking.
it is strange it has happened to adagio as well. North America comes to mind.
Talk to you soon.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello adagio,
It was nice to hear from you. It is good that you and Mary have been able to exchange your experiences in Mexico.
I do hope you manage to solve the email problem from Chris Woollams.
I have just picked up the latest edition of What Doctors Don't Tell You. The title on the front cover is Uncovering the True Cause of Diabetes (Clue: It is not sugar).
The other titles on the front cover are:
The five keys to a ripe old age
The diet to overcome SAD
Bone broth, elixir of super health
Yoga for core stability
Breast cancer - the link with gum disease
I am sure we can all have some interesting discussions about this.
I do hope others will post to let us know if they have been having trouble with Chris Woollams' emails.
Happy ground hog day to all you Canadians and Americans. Did he see his shadow?
Do not forget that Thursday February 4th is World Cancer Day.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Just popping in to say "hello" to all the TNBC sisters here!
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Hello Meadow,
Thank you so much for popping in to say hello to the TNBC sisters on this thread. I think it is such a good idea if we all keep in touch as we are all in this together.
I do try to read the posts on TNs to keep up to date with everything that is going on and do try to pop in from time to time to encourage people who are newly diagnosed.
I hope all is going well for you.
I can see by your number of posts that you are a dedicated poster and I know you show great concern for everyone.
Wishing you and everybody on the TNs all the very best.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone
I thought I would post this photograph of something I saw yesterday in my local fruit and vegetable shop in the centre of Exmouth. I was surprised to discover that it was fresh turmeric. Until yesterday turmeric for me was the yellow powdered spice that I bought in a small jar. Have any of you seen it in before in its fresh form and have you used it? To look at it is a bit like a smaller of fresh ginger root. I asked the woman in the store how to use it and she said just grate it up as you would ginger. I shall probably cut it into small bits and add it to vegetables as I do ginger.
I was interested in this because I keep reading that with the spice you do not absorb it. I think I read the spice gets destroyed in the stomach and does not get through to the gut to be absorbed.
I keep reading that you should take supplements of turmeric/curcumin in supplement form, but I do not like supplements.
Any comments will be welcome.
By the way, spring must be on the way. I have seen lovely beds of daffodils around the area here. Yesterday Raymond and I went on a drive from Exmouth to Sidmouth and was surprised at all the daffodils we saw along the way.
Mary and adagio, I shall be talking to you later today.
Best wishes to everyone.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary,
I hope you have managed to get your Chris Woollams' email.
As for the zika virus, I also read about the possibility of neurological damage. It is difficult to know what to believe about what we get through the media. Today, on the radio, there was an item about a case of zika that looks as though it had been transmitted through sexual activity. The powers that be certainly seem to be in a panic about this virus, even though it has been around for a long time.
I was interested to read what you said about Lyme disease and how it got started.
As for the Presidential elections, it will be interesting to see who ends up with the nominations from the two parties. I think both in the US and the UK the general public is fed up with the status quo. I have read a few times that in the US the middle classes are rapidly disappearing and I think it is probably the same here. There is too much inequality in both countries and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. I happen to believe that it is the role of government to take care of its citizens and not to be at the bidding of business. In countries with a high cost of living, such as the US and the UK, workers need to be paid high wages in order to pay their costs and have money left over to spend in order to make the economy strong. The minimum wage we have here is peanuts and is due to be increased and called a 'living wage', but it is certainly not that. When the minimum wage was introduced here, there was a lot of scaremongering about business not being able to afford it, but they did, the economy grew and so did employment. The capitalist system is based on consumption, so people need money in their pockets to consume goods and services. The minimum wage here is about £7 and hour and is inadequate for the cost of living.
Today, on the radio, I was listening to an interview with Jimmy Carter, who seems a decent man. He said that today, in the US, a person needs $200,000,000 to run for President. That is not acceptable. Jimmy Carter was saying how it allows for 'legal bribery'.
I think the problem facing the UK today is being in the EU and not in control of our borders. We are being inundated with migrants and are too small to absorb them. We are losing our identity and our status as a nation as we are engulfed into a bureaucratic, non-democratic super state. I am not religious but our traditional religion is disappearing too.
I do hope you manage to get your Chris Woollams' latest email. There were some important items, including immunotherapy, twelve steps to a new immune system, a non-invasive natural immunotherapy (Gc-MAF), a small aspirin and your immune system and take Bifidobacteria for immune strength.
From what you have said about your garden and what I have said about daffodils here, it looks as though we are slowly seeing signs of spring.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Adagio,
I was just wondering whether your problem with the Chris Woollams' email resolved itself.If so I was wondering what you thought about the new immunotherapies which are being called the fourth part of cancer treatment.
With World Cancer Day tomorrow I was not impressed with the information coming out today about how badly cancer treatment is being carried out in the UK due to government cuts. I shall write more tomorrow.
Thinking of you.
Sylvia xxx.
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Hi, Adagio
I deleted my Woollam's email too, hopefully the next one won't be affected. I do like to read them.
I found it amazing that in under 3 hours I could be out of the cold and into the warm air of Mexico. Well, I guess Florida would be warm too, but being in a different country is nice for a change, they speak just enough English that we could communicate but still it feels like a different country. I did remember some of my old rusty Spanish while there! Right now seems like so near and yet so far, it's in the 30's today here with a high wind, very nasty. The zika virus is getting more attention; the sister-in-law I traveled with is going back to Mexico at the end of the month. The group she is with are getting concerned about it, and planning to take along lots of bug spray!
I have had something like a cold, or sinus problems, or sniffles for about a month. Had it in Mexico too, but it didn't stop me from doing anything. Hope it's not a permanent allergy. But like you, I have to be grateful. I am 2 years post-BC diagnosis this week. I see that you are over 3 years post-diagnosis.
Best wishes!
Mary
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Hi Sylvia and everyone
I hope everything is well with all sisters here.
Meadow I am happy to see you here. I like you,your posts and the pictures you have posted especially your lovely grandchild.
Mary I really feel happy when I hear you have the chance to take such refreshing trips. I love travelling and seeing different places.
Sylvia, eighteen months has passed since my diagnosis and sometimes I feel extremely in shock and can't believe all these have happened to me. Yet I try to meditate and relax my body. I wish I could close my eyes and upon opening them, see my five year mark. I think things have worsened since a few weeks ago when one of my relatives passed away unexpectedly. I hope I return to my normal self again .
Wish all my dear sisters the best
Hanieh
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Hello Hanieh,
It was nice to hear from you and I was so sorry to read that one of your relatives had died unexpectedly. It is always a shock when that happens and you must give yourself time to grieve. Try to think about all the happy times you had together and how that person enriched your life and how you enriched that person's life. Try to make the death a celebration of life. We have to remember that death is with us all the time in life and we never know when it is going to come and take us. That is why we have to live each day to the full. Try to do some happy things to take your mind off it.
Look upon your eighteen months since diagnosis as a positive thing and make it a motivating factor to keep notching up the months and years.
I know that lots of people feel better for meditating.
How is everything going with your teaching? Are you going to have a break any time soon? Here in the UK, the schools will begin half term at the end of next week, so we shall probably have an influx of people taking a holiday.
Here in Exmouth it has been very quiet and I have been doing chores and a bit of reading in the apartment. It is very gloomy outside with a nasty cold wind blowing. I had a walk round the grounds and could see that nature is coming back to life. Easter Sunday is on March 27th and that is when we also put the clocks forward, so the days will start to get longer. The shops here are full of sugary goods for Valentine's Day, Mothers' Day and Easter. There seems to be no regard for all the negative news about sugar.
I have been reading an article in the magazine What Doctors Don't Tell You, entitled The Last Word. New research has made some significant discoveries about cancer. It is not down to bad luck and sugar and insulin play a key role in its development. The title is It's the sugar, stupid. It says that sugar can encourage the start of cancer, and then feed the cancer cells and help them grow and spread.
That is all for today, Hanieh. It has been hectic day and I have run out of time.
Thinking of you.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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