Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Sorry Susie, that should have read "taxane" above! Hopefully we won't be getting the taxmen visiting on top of all of this as well!
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Hello Kath,
It is always nice to hear from you. It is very difficult to know what to say to you to try to stop you worrying so much. I think it is a good idea to keep busy and you have interesting work that should help to switch your mind off thoughts of your mammogram. It is a whole month away and you do not want to be worrying all that time. Worrying, as I keep saying, serves no purpose. If aches and pains are worrying you just go along to see your GP to get peace of mind.
You have been with us in the group for two years now and you have been fine. You are now two years out from your diagnosis and you should be celebrating that and not worrying.
I get the impression that your cold winter has affected you and that you will feel better when it is over.
Thinking of you.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Flora,
No, I don't need a visit from the taxman at the moment. Or any time, come to that. Just one more cycle now on August 10th. I realise from many posts on here how lucky I have been with how my body has dealt with the chemo. The taxane is harder than the FEC I had for the first three cycles but perfectly manageable.
I'm interested in the Turmeric too. I was actually taking it daily before my diagnosis (supposed to be good for inflammation in the body) but stopped because Googling threw up different advice about it and cancer. I'd be very interested to hear any info you can find out.
Hope your mum is keeping her spirits up.
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Hello Flora,
I saw that you were asking about turmeric supplements. Phoning a homoeopathic doctor would not be useful you need to ask a nutritionist. There has been information over the years that turmeric cannot be absorbed by the body and gets stopped in the gut. With all of these pills, you cannot know whether they are working or not. Over the years some have mentioned mixing turmeric powder into organic humous and adding some black pepper (piperine).
As for me, if I want to add turmeric to my food I buy fresh turmeric root at my local greengrocer's here in Exmouth. This turmeric root looks like small pieces of ginger root and belongs to the ginger root family. I just wash it, cut it into pieces and cook it with other vegetables, especially carrots or sweet potatoes.
The weather is still very hot here and the little drop of rain the other day has not made much difference to the grounds. I do hope this hot weather will break soon.
Sending fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Jags and Sid,
I have missed you on the thread and was wondering how you were getting on. I do hope all is well.
As you probably know, I am a great green tea drinker and I have been drinking it for over thirteen years now. I prefer by far the leaf tea and I drink a lot of Clipper leaf tea as well as QI green leaf gunpowder tea. Both of these have quite a kick. I also love Japanese sencha green tea which is quite expensive here. I think the other teas are probably Chinese.
Recently I have been drinking Tulsi green tea by Organic India. I find it very smooth and very relaxing. It says on the tin of leaf tea that it is antioxidant rich and that it energises and revitalises. I certainly find it makes me feel good. Do you drink this tea a lot in India?
Hoping to hear from you.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Hanieh,
I was wondering how you have been getting on with those studies and exams that you hope will get you to Canada. I saw a news item on the television yesterday about Iran and how the young people were wanting to leave.
I do hope all is going well for you, your husband and lovely daughter.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Marias,
I do hope you will manage to keep in touch and I hope that you are keeping in good health. What are your plans now? Will you be staying in Sweden with your mother or will you be heading back to Colombia?
Sending you very best wishes.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I am posting about whether a person who has had cancer can give blood. I asked this question some years ago and was told that if you have had cancer you cannot give blood.
I do not know how they verify whether a person giving blood has had cancer but I would hope they read through your medical records.
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/donating-blood
I hope that answers that question.
I have just been reading the thread started by the moderators in August 2011 and I would suggest that all newly diagnosed patients should have a look at this rather than going on Google.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
PS Are you patients in the UK being given your pathology report? I was not given one back in 2005/6 and I do not think I would like to read it now. In the section by the moderators you can get a free copy of a pathology leaflet that you can fill in as you go through your treatment.
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Hello everyone,
I was wondering whether any one is having immunotherapy for their breast cancer instead of chemotherapy or in addition to it. It makes sense for us all to keep up to date.
I have been reading the thread started by the moderators Welcome to the NEW Immunotherapy forum Immunotherapy – Before, During and After.
Best wishes
Sylvia xxxx
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Happy Sunday Everyone,
Gina, It was good to see you here. I"m so sorry to hear about your recurrence, and I hope you can share some good news about your treatment soon.
Things are good for me in terms of health, as far as I know. I feel strong. For those in treatment, I am nearly back up to speed with my yoga practice, which included inversions before my diagnosis. It was very hard to imagine that I would have the range of motion for that after my BMX. It's another very busy weekend, and my husband and I are celebrating our 28th anniversary. I just wanted to stop in and say hello before I go onto the next thing today.
Pam
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Hi Susie,
Like you, I also enjoy the water. I’m sorry you are unable to go swimming due to your picc line.
I recently started taking a water excercise class which I thoroughenjoy. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to continue the class during radiation. I read on this site about many women mentioning their doctors told them to stay out of the pool during treatment but I wasn’t sure why. Maybe the chlorine might irritate the radiated skin?
I asked my radiation oncologist about it at my consultation. I explained that it was an indoor pool and I always shower right after class. He doesn’t have a problem with me being in the water during treatment so yay!
I hope you get to get back in the water after your picc line is removed. Will you have to have radiation after chemo treatment?
Monica
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Hello Pam,
It was good to have your usual Sunday post. I know that you lead a very busy life with your work and running a home.
I think we all feel for Gina and the fact that she has had a recurrence. When she was posting she showed great strength and I am sure she will cope with all this. Let us hope she will soon be able to post regularly.
I am sure I speak for everyone when I say I am so glad that your health is strong and that you are feeling good. I am sure this will motivate those going through treatment.
I do not know a lot about yoga but it seems to be something very much in the news and very much praised for keeping fit. I have just bought a magazine entitled Your Complete Alternative Health – Nutrition, Health and Fitness. I think it is a very new magazine and is more like, what they are now calling a 'bookazine'. It has 162 pages. I have not had time today to read it but I saw there was an article about yoga and Pilates. It is good that you have made such progress with your yoga.
Congratulations on the 28th anniversary of your wedding.
Have a good week and enjoy each day.
I always look forward to hearing from the American ladies (Mary, Val, & now Monica) as they have been a strong part of this thread which I started on September 12th 2010. It is hard to believe I have been doing this for nearly eight years.
Sending fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Monica, Yes, I've been doing Aquacise classes for the past four years and love them. I find simply swimming lengths quite boring! I shall be having radiotherapy after a month's break post-chemo and shall ask about the chlorine.
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Thanks for the answer about blood, Sylvia. Even the excellent head chemo nurse didn't know what the situation was.
I find it depressing, however, that our blood is considered forever 'tainted'.
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To all,
I came across this article.
https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/tests-detect-stage...
I have seen the lung cancer screening test advertised on TV, but I have never been told about it by my oncologist. This seems odd to me. In the early days of my diagnosis of TNBC, I was told that if recurrence happened it would most likely be in the lungs or brain. So, since I am an ex-smoker (on my chart), I should be considered a candidate for this test and I will ask about it next time I see my MO. All I have ever had is a chest x-ray, which is worthless as an early lung cancer diagnostic tool, since by the time a tumor is visible with that test it is quite advanced.
Has anyone been offered the ONCOBLOT test? I have not been offered it.
Later, Mary
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Hi, Flora
It sounds like the plan for your mother's treatment is coming together.
I had a port inserted in my chest to receive the chemo infusions, I wasn't really asked, they made an appointment for me and it was an outpatient procedure to have the small disk put in. The MO said it would save my veins from all the sticks. All infusions were put in there, as well as all blood draws taken out. I was glad to have it since these were numerous, but I was always conscious that it was there. After chemo it was still used for blood draws until these became few and far between. After 2 years I asked to have it removed, and they did so. That was done in the doc's office.
As for the emotional rollercoaster you and your mom are on, I think it's safe to say we have been/are all on the same ride with you. These first weeks are such a flurry of activity and learning new things that there really is no time to think too deeply. Things will settle into somewhat of a routine once your mother starts her treatment. Then it's really just taking one day at a time.
I don't know anything about ante-natal depression, except to ask; wouldn't that have to do somewhat with hormones from being pregnant? That must have been awful, to have the little ones dependent on you and then feel so despondent. It sounds like you are being very strong now for your mother, and taking care of your family. Please do be careful though, and try to ensure you get enough rest so you don't get too stressed. My husband was ill before I was diagnosed, and was ill all through my treatment, and then he passed away about 6 months after I finished chemo. Before I was diagnosed, I thought I was super-woman, BC and chemo knocked me down and showed me I wasn't and it's been a long climb back for me. What I am trying to say is that too much stress is not good for us, and taking care of everyone else can take a toll on you. I'm glad you have some help at home so you can get a break.
I do take turmeric in capsules, it's the brand Organixx, it's fermented with mushrooms (the fermentation is also supposed to help with bio-availability) and also has 5000 IU Vitamin D. When I was doing chemo the MO suggested getting off all supplements, I don't know if that's right or wrong. I wasn't taking turmeric then.
Talk to you soon, love,
Mary
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Hi, Sylvia
I did look at the article on venous eczema. The picture looked as if the rash was bumpy and red. My husband's legs turned very dark but was not a rash, it went from ankle to about the height of his socks. I thought that was the staining you were referring to, is yours more like a rashy eczema?
We are in a little period of cooler weather and we had some much-needed rain. A girlfriend called me over the weekend and she was watching golf being played in Scotland. She said she was surprised to see that the golf course was brown, and the announcers were saying the weather had been abnormally dry. I wasn't surprised because you have been keeping me aware of the weather over in your area!
I hope your weather breaks soon, it's so unpleasant to be outside in the very hot temps.
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
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Hello Susie,
Thank you for your post. As far as giving blood is concerned, and not allowing cancer patients to do this, I do wonder what is going to happen in the future. We are told that one out of two people will get cancer in their lifetime, so what does this mean for the future of obtaining blood?
I believe there is also an age limit for giving blood and with people living longer and there being more elderly people than young, and so this will be another problem.
We all have cancer cells in our bodies and the problem arises when the immune system fails to mop them up and we end up with cancer.
Are we going to have to breed designer babies to produce blood. Kazuo Ishiguro wrote a book along these lines entitled Never Let Me Go. Ishiguro is a great writer and recently was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.
I hope all is well with you and thank you for your input on the thread.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Yes, I had the same thought, Sylvia. This blanket ban surely cannot last. The clones in Ishiguro's novel were mostly for organ donation. Let's hope we never come to that! Come to think of it, a scene from the film of the novel was shot in the park behind my house. Didn't see any famous actors, though.
Having a rough few days following cycle 2 of Taxane but expect to feel better by the weekend.
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for your recent post on Monday. No, I do not have a rash, it is just dark reddish. It is about the height that you described. It is definitely venous eczema as diagnosed by a GP who is supposed to be an expert on skin problems. She said just to leave it, but all my information is to keep it well moisturised, which is what I am doing. I have not decided what I am going to do but I do believe it is all caused by venous reflux and that it could be somehow connected to the damaged lymph system. It seems that with the damaged lymph system moving lymph very slowly, this puts added strain on the veins and causes them to overfill. I shall let you know what I do. At the moment I am feeling somewhat under the weather due to the heat and am not my normal very energetic self. It has been hot and dry for about eight weeks now.
Once again, if we can believe the newspapers, the powers that be are not able to cope with the hot weather. It is reported that GPs are closing surgeries, A&E is struggling, the refuse bins are smelly and rat ridden, the rail lines are buckling and the roads are melting! Otherwise, everything is fine!
You can judge what it is like in the south here, from what your girlfriend said about the golf course in Scotland. They had huge amounts of rain in autumn and winter and much more even in June and July than we have had. In the south-west where I am it is not as bad as London and the south-east. I shall just be very glad when we get back to normal.
It must be very difficult for patients going through cancer treatment at the moment, especially chemotherapy. I am so glad I had mine during the cold season.
That is about all for now. Do you have any special plans for August?
Take care.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Susie,
You are right in Ishiguro's novel, the clones were mostly for organ donation.
I was sorry to read that you are having a rough few days following cycle 2 of taxane. I do hope you will be feeling better soon. The treatment might be harder to take because of the heat. It makes keeping hydrated really important.
You do not have your details under your signature page, so I cannot remember whether you were having three-weekly or weekly taxane drug.
Keep looking forward.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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I'm having 3-weekly cycles at Charing Cross. Last one on August 10th. The end is in sight. The chemo unit it nice and cool and I get to drive to the hospital and use the staff car park rather than having to broil on the tube.
Certainly the heat doesn't help. In fact, I'm starting to think of sleeping during the day and getting up at night! I'm drinking loads as I have no appetite so am filling up with fruit juices and smoothies.
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Hello Susie,
Thank you so much for letting me know that you are doing 3-weekly cycles at Charing Cross.
As you say, the end of your chemotherapy treatment is in sight. August 10th is not that far away.
I was glad to know, also, that your chemotherapy unit is nice and cool and also that you are not having to travel on the tube.
I think that staying up at night and sleeping during the day is a good idea in this mad weather that we are having.
It is good that you are drinking a lot, as keeping hydrated is so important. I have coconut water from time to time as it is very refreshing, has electrolytes in it and I think potassium. I buy either Innocent or VitaCoco.
As for eating, I think it is quite common not to have much appetite. I always preferred small snacks rather than bigger meals. I used to find blending avocados made a really refreshing healthy drink. I think I must have added an unsweetened nut drink or soy drink with it.
Keep looking forward.
Thinking of you.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello all,
Just to check in quickly as we're about to go on a much-needed holiday to Wales for 4 days.
Mary, thank you for your your lovely long message to me. And thank you for the advice not to overdo it and take care of myself. I am so sorry that you had to watch your husband get ill and then die while also undergoing-and living through the aftermath-of breast cancer yourself. It sounds as though you have been able to pick yourself up since then, which is no mean feat. I actually still feel quite proud of myself for rallying after months of antenatal depression while pregnant with my twins (double the hormones so double the risk, plus a huge shock to be having nos 3 and 4 when I had only ever envisaged three children!) They are five now, and quite lovely! The curveballs that life can throw at us when we're happily making plans for other things...
We visited the geneticist today. She explained all about the faulty BRAC1 and 2 genes, and how they are more implicated in TNBC than other types. She did say that she thought testing my mother was a long-shot-with my mother being 73 and no history of actual breast cancer in the family (but a melanoma history) but said she had come across a few 70plus women who turned out to carry the gene, so we should not assume anything at this stage.
She explained what it would mean for me too-and that part was useful as she talked about all the ways(if I test positive too) in which I could reduce my risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, which I would be at high risk of getting if I have the faulty gene. All hypothetical at the moment anyway - we have to wait 6 weeks for the results.
She did talk a bit about lifestyle factors implicated in breast cancer too. She said she definitely thought there was a link with dairy-and advised us to reduce dairy/buy organic. She said she didn't think eating meat had any link with breast cancer; she said turmeric was very useful in treating bowel cancer, so was probably worth adding to our diets too. She said taking baby aspirin daily (if one's stomach can cope) was useful in warding off cancer as well as reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease.
On the back of all of this, I have decided to consult an experienced and reputable dietician re: anything else my mother/I should be doing (over and above the stuff I already suspect) and will report back on this too.
Finally , Sylvia, we are having a Skype consultation with Dr Elizabeth Thompson re: Iscador on Tuesday. My mother just didn't feel up to going to Bristol itself - she still feels a bit weak from the operation and overwhelmed with all the things she has to do (e.g. have a tooth extracted-ouch!-before chemo can start) but the Portland Clinic said they would talk to us by Skype.
I am very interested that Germany and Switzerland use Iscador so much, when it is hardly mentioned in the UK and not even available in the US as far as I understand. What do they know that we don't or what do we know that they don't? Intriguing..
Anyway, I had better sign off for now.
I hope you all have a good rest-of-the-week, and Susie, good luck for your final few weeks of chemo. Then the swimming pool beckons!
Flora x
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Cheers, Flora. I hope Wales isn't quite so hot as London.
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Hello Flora,
I was interested to know that you and your mother had visited the geneticist yesterday. I think the reason that these faulty genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are more implicated in breast cancer with triple negative receptors is because these receptors are said to be more common in younger women and these are more likely to have the faulty genes, but there are always exceptions.
As I have said before, I requested and had an interview with a geneticist nurse under the NHS and it was quite a long interview, but she said at the end that she did not think I needed to be referred on to a genetic consultant, because of my age at the time (63). She did tell me I could get it done privately but it was a few thousand pounds at the time and I just left it. My maternal grandmother died of metastatic breast cancer at age 70. She had had a mastectomy and radiotherapy before. I shall be very interested to know your results.
I can understand how a positive test result would affect you. Please remember that if your mother should be positive, your brother would also need to be tested. These genes are in males as well as female members of a family. A friend of mine here had her sister die of breast cancer, I am not sure at what age, but fairly young I would think. The siblings were tested subsequently for the gene and my friend did have the faulty genes and she has done all the preventive surgery. She has two brothers and one of them has the faulty gene and the other has not. The interesting thing is that the two sisters and one brother have the same blood group, but the one without the gene has a different blood group.
I do wish your mother the very best in all of this. Six weeks is a long time to wait.
I was interested to read what she said about lifestyle factors. My breast cancer consultant told me back in 2005 that she thought the growth factors (IGF) were responsible for this in dairy products. We have to remember that these growth factors will also be in meat, so I would think that if you are going to eat meat and dairy products you should get organic. I would not touch dairy or meat products and that includes poultry. It is well known that those on plant based diets tend to live longer.
I cannot see any harm in turmeric but I prefer to buy the fresh turmeric root.
If you want a good and reputable nutritionist, you could have a telephone appointment with Dr Nicola Hembry, also at Bristol. She does prescribe Iscador as well.
I was really interested to know you are having a Skype consultation with Dr Elizabeth Thompson regarding Iscador.
I was really pleased with how Dr Thompson helped me through all my breast cancer treatment.
I cannot remember where your mother is with her treatment. It would be useful if you could add these details to your signature at the bottom of your posts so that we all have it there for reference when we are answering posts. It is not possible to remember it all.
At the hospital I was told to have only oral Iscador and not injections because of fear of infection during treatment.
I see now that your mother has not started chemotherapy yet, so she will definitely need oral Iscador.
I do not understand why Iscador is hardly mentioned in the UK and not available in the US. It is probably something to do with the power of the drugs companies. I do know that Germany is very much into treatment with natural products. I think orthodox treatment here may be becoming less rigid and I personally think that integrative treatment is probably improving.
One of the cancer consultants that I have respect for is Dr Karol Sikora. He is very well known. I did email him many years ago now, about the possible connection between hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer, and mentioned the research at which I had looked. I did receive a very friendly email back from him.
I do hope you have a relaxing time in Wales. Where are you going?
Talk to you soon.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi, Sylvia
I was looking at the weather report for UK, it looks like your heat wave is going on still, but there is rain in the forecast, I hope it is a good soaker. We are having a break for now, temps are about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than they were. We are dry though too, and need some rain badly.
I was reading Flora's, and your, comments on Iscador and that it is not available in US. I don't think that's right, I checked and it seems to be widely available here. It is called European Mistletoe, I read that Iscador is one of the trade names for this mistletoe. There are a couple of Cancer Clinics that use it as well, not around here where I am. I know you spoke very highly of its' benefits, do you still take it? It is supposed to be a cancer preventative as well as a treatment. I can buy it on Amazon or numerous other places, if indeed it is the same thing.
It does seem odd that the infrastructure in UK is having such problems with garbage, and furnishing electricity and doctors closing early. I have read a couple of articles about the proliferation of rats there because of this garbage problem. Over here where I am almost everyone has air conditioning, but when I was young at home nobody I knew had it. At night in summer I would just lay in bed and sweat until about 3 AM., my dad would be next door to my room just snoozing comfortably. There are still some schools here that don't have air conditioning, on extremely hot days they will cancel classes. AC has pretty much become a necessity of life.
I had an offer of sorts this week, it made me do some soul-searching. A friend called and said he had recommended me to be a model in a fashion show fundraiser for a BC charity. I really had to think about that, and I did turn them down. I had so much anxiety just thinking about it I thought it might not be a good idea. It reminded me of the one and only time I went to a particular BC fundraiser here, we listened to people's stories, and at one point I was pulled onto the floor to join people who were BC survivors marching around the room as people applauded. It made me so uncomfortable I started crying and ended up leaving. I do donate money to these causes but I haven't attended another one, and I asked myself why does this make me so anxious, when all around me people who were suffering through cancer and its' treatment were proud to be calling themselves survivors? All I can gather is that it was just such a traumatic time in my life, with not just me having the TNBC and its' treatment, but my husband getting more and more ill, with no good prognosis. Dwelling on BC just makes me relive those days, but oddly, coming here to this thread does not bother me. A couple of years ago my GP told me he thought I had PTSD, maybe he was right. It does make me feel a bit cowardly, however.
My sis-in-law and I are escaping to the Colorado mountains for a few days in August, although I think they are having dry weather too. At least it should be cooler, especially at night.
I hope you can get back outside soon, then I know you will feel better. How are you passing the time?
When my husband had the staining on his legs, we never really asked about it, and nobody talked about it. I guess he had so many worse problems that it just didn't come up. But I would like to avoid it, too, if possible. I did make an appointment for a consult with the new vein doctor, I will ask him about it.
Talk to you soon, love,
Mary
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for your post. The weather is indeed still very hot and it is supposed to be even hotter tomorrow. I am really fed up with it and with the struggle to keep the grounds going with no rain. I was glad to know that you have had a break with the weather.
As for Iscador, I was not aware that it was available in the US but when I was speaking about Iscador and its availability in the UK, I really meant that it is not something now available on the NHS. I did, of course, know that Iscador is a brand name and that the product comes from mistletoe. I was interested to know that in the US it is called European mistletoe.
I took Iscador very soon after I was diagnosed and went to see the homoeopathic consultant in Bristol. It was available on the NHS but the consultant dealt with that side and just sent the product to my home. I have no proof of what benefit it was to me but I took it for five years from 2005 to 2010. I do not take it now. I have not really thought about it but since it is now private only, if I wanted it I suppose I could just phone up the consultant I had and get some posted. Please remember that I also had homoeopathic powders to take when I had surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As soon as I saw the homoeopathic consultant, before I even started treatment, she gave me homoeopathic anti-cancer powders. When I was discharged she told me she considered my case successful and asked my permission to use my case anonymously in her lecture courses.
It is useful to know that it can be bought on Amazon. I think I would prefer to take it under the supervision of a consultant who knows about it.
I was interested to know that the weather is making it somewhat chaotic here. I do not know why it is that the powers that be cannot seem to deal with anything. I read all the same things that you did. It is pitiful. Air-conditioning is not that common in homes here. The argument seems to be that we have never really needed it. It is in some of the shops, but not the smaller ones. Thank goodness we have air-conditioning in our car.
You have to remember, Mary, that we are somewhat behind the times. It is all about patch and mend. Remember we still have a monarchy, a house of commons and a house of lords, which is full of the most stupid ceremonials. If you want to see it going full guns tune in to prime minister's questions, when it is in session. Our politicians are all on holiday now and nothing will get going until after conference sessions in October. The government could not wait to scarper to get away from Brexit, of which they have made a fine mess. It is not surprising because Theresa May and her ministers were mostly Remainers.
I can understand how you feel about acting as a model in a fashion show fund raiser for BC charity. I would not do it either. I think there must be better ways of raising money than a fashion show. I do not like either wine and cheese parties or coffee and cake fund raisers. Please do not feel guilty about not wanting to do that fund raising.
I was glad to know that you and your sister-in-law are going to escape to the Colorado mountains for a few days in August. I am sure you will enjoy yourself.
As for the staining on the bottom of my legs, I was looking at it today and think it is more brown than red. I believe what Professor Whitely said about it and that it is stage 2 of venous reflux, the first stage being the varicose veins, which appear in response to inflammation and are the immune system trying to fight it. Stage 3 is venous ulcers. I am not quite sure how I am going to deal with it. I do not think the NHS has a clue about it. I would appreciate any information you get from the new doctor. I think that Professor Whitely has got it right.
I have just learned that the UK is now the hottest place in Europe. That is really odd. Apparently the nurses are feeling sick and dizzy and the temperature in some wards is 30 C.
I have had a nasty insect bite on my lymphoedema arm and it has been very big, red and itchy. It is very frightening because insect bites can cause cellulitis. I have been treating it with antihistamine, calamine cream and lots of moisturising cream on my arm. It is starting to look a bit better. This lymphoedema needs to be given more attention and not just dismissed as something relatively unimportant. It is very common as well. I use that book Let's Talk Lymphoedema all the time and it is so useful.
That is about all for now. I am going to put the radio on LBC to see if Nigel Farage has an interesting programme this evening. There are so many issues to be discussed. If only we could get world peace.
Take care.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi, Susie
Glad you are almost finished with the Taxol, good news! Keeping cool with fruit juice and smoothies sounds good, whatever gets you through.
We actually had some rain last night, the grass (weeds) is green again, hurray!
Where do you do your Aquacize swimming classes? I would like that, swimming has been recommended to me for exercise because of my knee problems but I am not a swimmer and have no easy access to a pool.
Take care, Mary
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Mary,
I belong to a gym about a mile away (and on a direct bus route) which has Aqua classes 5 or 6 times a week. They are massively popular so you have to sign up for them the moment they become available (a week ahead) as they are limited to 30 people. The trainers are excellent and there's a real sense of camaraderie. It's included in my monthly membership. Most last 50 minutes and I feel really refreshed after. Not been since February when I had my surgery. Wonder if anyone is missing me!
It's raining in central London and it really looks as if it's going to rain here this evening but I fear beign let down.
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