Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Hello Sylvia,
Some very useful information about skin during radiation therapy. I wasn't offered radiation as my surgeon in Norwich and the oncologist I saw at the London Cancer Centre said it was no longer routinely undertaken where patients had a mastectomy. In America it's still offered, mastectomy or not. I do think that there's a great deal of overtreatment in the US though. Healthcare should never be for profit.
My own skin is extremely oily, as is my hair. I thought it might change with age, but it seems to be getting worse. The only time my face was clear of spots and blocked pores was during chemotherapy. My make-up is all oil and perfume free, mainly water based, but still plenty of chemicals.
Mary's last post was two months ago, I wonder if something's happened? I do miss the long term posters who used to be here, we all became friends. I'm hoping some of them will call in over Christmas. I suppose everyone's just getting on with life and heaven knows that's difficult enough these days.
There's another nurses strike coming up and ambulance drivers are out. I think doctors and other front line staff will be next. A full on national strike is on the cards and the sooner the better. It's come to something when frontline health workers have to go on strike to save the NHS and save lives. The dreadful right wing press are trying to persuade the public that it's all about money and that pay rises for nurses would bankrupt the country. I think the game's up for the Government, but I've no idea how the UK can ever recover.
The weather is much improved here, sunny and warm for December. The frost finally disappeared on Sunday, but we stayed in to watch the World Cup final. Michael likes football, I tolerate it once in a while.
How is Raymond? I'm hoping that he's able to walk without so much pain.
Wishing you both a peaceful week.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Hello Gill,
Thank you for your latest post.
Like you, I do have concerns about Mary, but there is not much we can do if she does not post or answer PMs. She may have just grown tired of it all. I think this happens to a lot of posters. I have seen many who have just stopped abruptly.
I think now that we need that General Strike and we need a General Election. It is not right that we have a Prime Minister who has not been elected by us. That is called dictatorship. As for the NHS it needs to be completely reformed and become a system for the modern age.
It is not so cold here now, but it feels very damp and I think the lack of cheer in our moods is reflected in the weather.
Raymond is not so bad and can manage walking as long as it is on the level. This is not so easy in Devon.
I thought I would post another feature article in Vita magazine, which is entitled Supplements under the spotlight.
"Determining whether it is helpful or safe to take supplements after a cancer diagnosis can be a challenge. With the help of a dietician we look at what you might need to consider."
The rest of the article is written under different headings as follows:
- Risks and benefits.
- Reliable information.
- Encouraging research.
- Other recommendations.
I shall leave you to look these up yourself, and others to do the same.
To sum up, under Other recommendations, I shall just quote the following.
"The World Cancer Research Fund encourages people to follow its recommendations after a cancer diagnosis. These include moving more, eating a diet rich in wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans, and limiting or, if possible, avoiding alcohol."
To order a copy of Breast Cancer Now's booklet Diet and breast cancer, visit breastcancernow.org/publications.
I do hope you and Michael will have an enjoyable Christmas.
That is all for now.
Love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sylvia,
I'd hoped that we'd see a little more activity on the thread as it's Christmas. I'm going to take time off until the new year and I hope you'll do the same. You give so much of your time providing information here, a rest is more than due.
Pleased that Raymond's no longer having so much discomfort. Heart surgery is one thing, but the long journey back to health is quite another. This was very much the case for adagio too.
I do hope for a General Election in 2023, doubt it will happen though. In the meantime we must watch as the NHS ceases to exist.
Best wishes to all our readers, whether they occasionally post, or just keep an eye on the information here.
Wishing you and Raymond a quiet and happy Christmas and a healthy, peaceful 2023.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Dear Sylvia and Gill and all-
Just wanted to pop on and wish you all a very merry Christmas and wishing all the best in the New Year ahead!
Love Paula.
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Hello Paula,
Merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.
Gill xxx
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Hi Gill and Sylvia,
So sorry I haven't written much. Work is very hectic and we had a full week of school this week before Christmas. The children were troopers despite their over-excitement. We had a fun week filled with lots of work and play. I'm exhausted but still very happy to be back at work.
Radiation was interesting. I did not have a great deal of skin reaction or other side effects other than some fatigue. Radiation, like chemo, is cumulative. In speaking with others in the waiting room at the radiation therapy rooms, many of the patients had similar experiences to mine. Some had surgery first then chemo and radiation afterward. I had chemo in the middle.
I was told at my diagnosis meeting that I would have 2 rounds of chemo, then surgery, then radiation. I did get a records-based second opinion that was very similar, but because I liked the original surgeon and she is known to be the best in the area, I stayed with her. But I did ask after surgery why I needed radiation, if the surgeon removed what was left of the tumor. I had 20 doses of radiation, 15 aimed toward the right breast and 5 at the lumpectomy chamber.
I wish you both a Happy Christmas and a joy-filled New Year. I also offer huge amounts of gratitude to both of you as well as Mary for all of your support throughout this last year. I am truly grateful for your advice, knowledge, and diligence in keeping in touch. That support during the hard times was so meaningful and kept me going!
Love, Sue
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Hi Sue,
I guessed that you'd be very busy in the run up to Christmas. All those over excited children to cope with while still recovering from chemo and having radiation. The side effects do build up and some women are completely exhausted by the end. You seem to be having more radiotherapy treatments than is usual in the UK.
It's always good to know that the thread is still useful, although it's much quieter than when I joined. In fact most of the threads here are quieter and I don't think it has much to do with all the changes to our website layout.
It doesn't seem long since you first posted and now the worst part is behind you. The trauma eventually fades, but never completely leaves us. Every so often something comes along to remind us. Fortunately these dark thoughts don't last long.
Have a very happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and peaceful New Year.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Hello Gill,
Thank you for your latest post of December 24th. I do agree that the lack of activity on the thread, especially at Christmastime is very disappointing and I also find the whole procedure on the forum is definitely too slow and there does not seem to be too mich inclination to improve it. It is tiring having to keep signing in. It is no wonder that adgio gave up and I think it was very bad that they changed her name. As for Mary, Kath and HelenLousie I think we have to accept that they have left the thread for whatever reasons. Like you, I am going to take a break until the New Year and then decide about leaving. TNs and our thread have been going for record times, but are not functioning like they used to.
I do hope that you and Michael had a very good Christmas. We just stayed quietly by ourselves.
Like you, I do hope for a General Election in 2023 but I do not think it is going to happen. It is not right that we have an unelected Prime Minister.
I was appalled to hear an oncologist, talking on Radio 4 these past few days, saying that 50% of the equipment used in cancer treatment in England is out of date. This is appalling!
I see no hope for this country any more.
sending you love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Paula,
Thank you for popping in. I just want to wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year.
Take care of yourself.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sue,
It was nice to hear from you and to know that all is going well with your treatment.
You must be glad that it is all over now.
I hope you have a good rest during Christmas and that all will go well with you and your work in the New Year.
I do hope you have not been affected by the terrible weather.
Raymond and I remember the terrible winters that we had in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario during the seventeen years that we lived in Canada.
Love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Everyone
So sorry I haven’t been able to post more regularly but life and work have been manic. We have been play catch up with no staff in-the world of Public Health. Burn out has been huge due to Covid and we seem to always be play catch up.
I hope you have all had a happy peaceful Chrissy. We spent ours in Adelaide in 40 degree Celsius heat with my daughter and son in law and their 4 kids and had a great day. I also has another grandchild on 21 st which was an early Chrissy present. My youngest daughter had a little boy which was lovely.
Off to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday for New Year for some R and R. Can’t wait. Will post some pics
Much love
Kat
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Hello Kath,
Good to hear from you. Congratulations on another addition to the family.
I guessed that you'd be snowed under with work. Our nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers, rail workers, postal workers and assorted others are on strike for better pay and working conditions. Useless Prime Minister, multimillionaire married into a family of multibillionaires won't negotiate. So, NHS is even more broken than usual.
Keep in touch, have a brilliant 2023 and enjoy Kuala Lumpur.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Hello Kath,
It was such a lovely surprise to see that you had posted. I understand how busy you are and I do hope things will improve for you. It is so awful to witness what is happening to public health and I see no way how it is going to improve in the UK.
I do hope you had a good Christmas with your daughter and her family. Congratulations on a new grandchild.
I do hope you have a good time in Kuala Lumpur for the New Year. You have certainly earned it.
I am wondering what the New Year will bring. Everything is in such a mess here and those in power seem to have no real inclination to solve all of the problems that are destroying this country.
Take care of yourself and we shall always be glad to hear from you when you have a few moments to spare!
Happy New Year.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone, (viewers and posters past and present)
It is now over 12 years since I started this thread and about 13 years I first joined the forum. I want to say thank you to everyone for their efforts over the years and the help and support they have given to everyone going through the difficult journey that the cancer journey is. I have made many friends throughout this journey and have learnt so much from all the different people that have participated here. It has been a privelege to know you all.
Wishing everyone all the very best for 2023. Remember always look forward with hope and optimism and remember you can get through this.
Love to all.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I just wanted to finish off the bits of information that I found in Vita, the breast cancer magazine issue 43, winter 2022. Remember the website is breastcancernow.org.
On pages 14 and 15 there is an article entitled Six simple exercises to build strength. They are worth looking at. They are shown in pictures and have the titles as follows:
1. Calf raises
2. Leg extension
3. Side leg raises
4. Bicep curls
5. Squats
6. Wall presses
I have tried the exercises and they are not difficult to do if you follow the pictures on the page.
You can do the exercises in a way to suit how you are feeling, especially if you are feeling fatigued with on-going treatment. Th article says the following:
"Physical activity can help increase your appetite, improve fatigue, give you more energy and improve your overall well being and quality of life.
"It may help to plan exercise around the time of day you have the most energy and build smaller exercises into your daily routine."
Best wishes to all.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello again,
I have just realised that the Vita magazine is available as a pdf download on the breastcncernow.org website.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I am just finishing up the other interesting articles that I found in Vita magazine.
I found pages 12 & 13 very interesting and they were under the title Q&A – Your questions answered – Breast Caancer Now's experts answer your questions about breast cancer and its treatments. There were four questions and answers and I picked out two of them.
The first one I picked out was Can I have HRT if I have had treatment for breast cancer? The answer was as follows:
"While vaginal HRT may be safe for some women, other forms of HRT are not usually recommended after a diagnosis of breast cancer. This is because it is thought that hormones can increase the risk of the cancer coming back.
"It is not fully understood why HRT increases the risk, but research suggests it is due to the levels of oestrogen. Some breast cancers use oestrogen to help them to grow."
In this article there is mention of menopausal symptoms that affect your quality of life and it is suggested that, in such cases, you should seek a referral to a specialist menopause clinic or seek advice fom your doctor.
You are able to order a copy of a booklet Menopausal symptoms and breast cancer through Breast Cancer Now's website.
The other article that I chose from Q&A was as follows.
"I have secondary breast cancer and saw the news about a new treatment called TRODELVY. Can I have it?"
"Answer Trodelvy, also known as SACITUZUMAB GOVITECAN, is a targeted therapy used to treat triple negative secondary breast cancer.
"Trodelvy is made up of two parts. The targeted drug sacituzumab finds and attaches itself to cancer cells. It then delivers a chemotherapy drug called SN-38 directly into the cancer cells to destroy them.
"Trodelvy has ben approved for use on the NHS. It can be given to people with triple negative breast cancer that has either spread to another part of the body (secondary breast cancer) or cannot be removed by surgery. It is suitable if you have already had two or more chemotherapy treatments for triple negative breast cancer. This must include at least one for secondary breast cancer or breast cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.
"Your treatment team can tell you if Trodelvy is an option for you."
Again the website will tell you what to do if you want to send in questions to the Question and Answer section.
That is all for now. I do hope you are all taking the time to read this information.
Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy New Year.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello deltag (adagio)
I am wondering what has been happening to you over the past few months. I know that you have had ups and downs since your surgery for valvular problems. You tried to post to us on the thread and I know you have had problem with this. You did post on October 31st on our thread as deltag and that surprised us and I know it surprised you as well. Strange things have been happening on the forum since they decided to 'improve it'! How you were changed from adagio to deltag we cannot understand but if using deltag is the only way you can communicate with us, please use that name. You have not posted since the two posts on October 31st, but checking back I saw that your last activity on the forum was November 19th this year (2022). have you been viewing, but not posting, or have your posts got lost?
We are missing you on the thread, especially Mary, Gill and I, as we think of you as a friend and we know that you have been part of our group long before October 2014.
Please try posting as deltag and let us know how you are.
If nothing happens following my post, I am going to ask the Moderators to help sort this out.
Wishing you all the very best for the New Year 2023 and I hope it will be a good year for you.
Love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Gill,
I have been trying to do some detective work about what went wrong with helenlouise when she last posted on May 7th this year. There was obviously some kind of mishap with the technology side and helenlouise was trying to clean up her profile and it did not work. If you now look her up you cannot anywhere and there is something about a technical error.
What is strange is the same date May 7th this year comes up with adagio's post and the next thing we know is that adagio has suddenly changed to deltag.
I am determined to get to the bottom of this as it has all gone on too long. How many other members has this happened to?
I have noticed that the thread about posting about glitches is still going on.
I hope to talk to you soon. I shall be so glad when this year is at an end. It seems that life has been impossible since the beginning of 2020 and especially March of that year.
Happy New Year to you and Michael.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Sylvia
Thanks so much for tracking me down - I guess I am now deltag - oh well. It has been very challenging for me to get on the site even after I contacted them - but it would appear all is good now except for the name change - but I can live with that.
I don't have time to look back at what I last wrote, but things are OK - I am still alive. I do get more short of breath now than before but the surgeon told me that was to be expected. I have to take warfarin every day to keep my blood thin and so far so good.
My husband and I went to Mexico for a short trip but unfortunately we contracted covid while there so we came back early - my covid was very short lived, but my husband still has positive tests so we are being super careful about going out and about and pretty much sticking close to home - all Christmas activities were cancelled for us. I did go to the hospital to get checked out and they did the usual ct scan, xrays, ecg's etc - apparently my lungs showed some sign of inflammation but nothing prescribed which I think is good. I was seen by a respirologist and she said my heart sounds good. Now both my husband and I are resting lots - and ironically I am so much better, but my husband is still struggling. We will survive!!! So longing for covid to be behind us - but unfortunately in Canada there is no sign of that.
I will write again when I have a bit more time - but just wanted you to know that I am OK!
Wishing you and Raymond a healthy New Year in 2023 - who knows what lies ahead - we try not to think too much about that otherwise it is too depressing.
Look after yourself Sylvia.
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Hello deltag/adagio,
I was so delighted to find a post from you and to know that our tracking you down plan worked. We have missed you on the thread. Your two previous posts were back in May and you did say that you had been having quite a difficult time.
It was good to catch up with your news and to know that you were managing. There is no doubt that these heart surgeries take a toll on patients but they do enable you to live. Breathlessness seems to be a common factor post-surgery whether the valves are the problem or the arteries. I can understand why you have to take the blood thinner warfarin every day. Do you have to go regularly for blood tests for this? My mother was on warfarin most of her life as she had valvular heart disease as a result of rheumatic fever when she was much younger.
As for Raymond, three years on from his bypass surgery he is more breathless than earlier on. He is still on low dose soluble aspirin and 2.5mg of bisoprolol. He has managed to avoid a blood thinner. Lots of people seem to be taking the blood thinner apixaban now. Apparently it avoids regular blood tests.
I was glad to know that you had a short trip to Mexico, but sorry to read that you and your husband contracted Covid and had to come back early. I can understand that you are sticking close to home because your husband is testing positive. I do hope he will soon be better.
I was glad to read that you had good scan results etc., apart from some kind of inflammation. That probably came from Covid.
It was really good news to know that a respirologist has said that your heart sounds good.
I think we are all going to have to live with Covid. That seems to be the attitude here at least. We now have all the problems coming out of China again with which to cope. Who knows where we are going. There is a lot of controversy about the effectiveness of the Covid vaccines versus the long term dangers of them.
I do hope you will be able to stay with us on the thread. You are so much a part of it.
Sending very best wishes to you and your family for 2023. keep going along at your own pace and try to avoid stress.
That is all for now.
Love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Sylvia,
Weather is such a funny thing to me. I'm not a fan of the cold. Over the week prior to Christmas, we had very low temperatures. I took the dog outside on Christmas morning and encountered 6 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm guessing that's about -14 on the Celsius scale. It was very cold for many days. This current week, it's been creeping up in the 40s (F) and should reach 50s and 60s this weekend and next week. Who can predict these strange temperatures??
I have done a great deal of resting and relaxing over this week. I haven't seen one of my sons yet, because he and his fiancee contracted Covid and both tested positive just before Christmas. Hopefully, I'll see them soon.
I'm excited to start a new year and hope that it is a healthy one for me and for all of you.
I have 2 more immuno-therapy infusions. That's the Keytruda. After that, I'm hoping to have the port removed. I'm due for a mammogram in the spring and for checkups from everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all is well.
Stay healthy and safe! Happy New Year!
Love, Sue
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Hello Gill,
As you will see, when you next post, deltag (adagio) is now back with us. It is good to have her back.
I am hoping that Mary will soon be back on the thread. I had a nice reply from her to my personal email.
Both Mary and adagio have been through a lot.
I do wonder how many people have vanished from the thread, indeed from the, from all the upheaval in technology. We think something similar may have happened to helenlouise's account. She was having trouble. I still wonder about Marias and Hanieh (Hanetagh).
Finally, we are on the last day of this awful year and back we are again with Covid. I feel as though life will never be normal again. I am concerned about all the excess deaths that are being revealed.
Are you doing anything special tonight? We shall just be having a quiet evening.
I wish everyone on the thread and, indeed, on the forum a very happy and healthy New Year. Live the day, take care of yourselves and always keep control over your health and wellbeing.
Love and best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sue,
It was nice to hear from you and to learn about your weather over the pond. Ours is very changeable and where I am in Devon is probably the mildest climate. We did have a few weeks of cold weather and now we are getting lots and lots of rain. It is also very dull and sunless.
I was glad to know that you have been doing a lot of resting and relaxing this past week.
I was sorry to read that one of your sons and his fiancee contracted Covid and I hope they will recover quickly. Covid is very much back in the news here but I think it is being largely ignored. People are still being taken into hospital with it as well as with bad cases of the flu, not to mention strep A. Our health service is in crisis and we have about 7 million patients on the waiting list for all sorts of treatment. We have a huge shortage of doctors and nurses.
You must feel good that you are getting to the end of your immunotherapy infusions. I do hope you are able to have the port removed. I hope that it will be smooth sailing after that until the Spring.
You might want to say hello to deltag (adagio). She has been with us for quite a time, but the system lost her for a while. Mary should be posting soon and we also have Paula, whom you may not know and you might want to say hello. Adagio is Canadian, Mary and Paula are Americans, and Kath is Australian.
Wishing you all the very best for the New Year. Take great care of yourself.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sylvia,
Pleased that Mary's well. As Marias said she'd only been given another six months to live and her final post was just six months later, I'm afraid that Marias has died. Adagio may try again at some point, helenlouise was very unwell last time she was in touch.
We were supposed to go out tonight, but our hosts are both ill with something like a heavy cold and hacking cough. Both tested negative to covid. We'll stay at home and go to the Cathedral on Sunday morning. If the weather improves we may go to the coast for a walk after that. Very wet again today.
I do hope that something changes for the better in 2023, we can't go on like this. So many dying in hospital corridors or while waiting for an ambulance and this includes young children. We probably wouldn't have survived if we had our breast cancers now instead of when we did. It's a sobering thought. How much longer can this go on for?
Wishing you, Raymond and all posters past and present a very happy year ahead.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Hello Gill,
I do not think you have understood about deltag (adagio). I managed to contact her by sending a PM to deltag (adagio), explaining what had happened with her May posts. She then replied to me and thanked me for finding a way to track her down. You can see her post to me on the previous page to this one and it has got deltag posts 3 and latest activity Dec 31, 2022, which is her post to me thanking me.
She will now post as deltag. You will notice that only posts are mentioned, the two she posted in May and the one today.
Please read this post as in it deltag (our adagio) brings us up to date with what has been happening to her. Things have not been easy for her.
I shall leave you to read this.
It is good to know that Mary is alright.
I do think there has been too much messing around with the technology on the forum.
I was sorry to read that you were supposed to be going out but that your hosts are both ill. It sounds as though they have very bad flu.
I hope the weather improves for you so that you can get a walk in. It is just awful here.
I am not optimistic about a brighter future. We need new parties. I do not think the present parties have anything to offer. We need a more modern country and a more equitable one. Nothing will change until the people change. There is too much deference and outdated ceremonial kowtowing to those who have put themselves in charge. I am fed up with servility and obsequiousness.
We shall be having a quiet night here by ourselves. I think we already know that next year will be no different.
Sending best wishes to you and Michael and hoping that the year will treat you well.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sylvia,
Yes I did misunderstand, I'll go and catch up now.
Why on earth hasn't the Government declared a state of emergency? In fact, where is the Government?
I'll write properly next week.
Best wishes for the New Year - I agree that it will be more of the same.
Love,
Gill xxx
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hello everybody!
I have been doing some quick reading and I see that you, Sylvia, have added to your resume! Now you are also a detective, and have scouted out Adagio/deltag and Helenlouise! I saw that Gill made a comment about Marias, but I didn't see a post from Marias.
I've been having my usual times, which are the opposite of what I expect.
In November my sister called, and said she had endometrial cancer, diagnosed by her gyno. He sent her to an Oncologist where it was found that she actually had Cervical cancer Stage 3. She has been having weekly rounds of chemo, but had to stop after the 4th round because of low blood counts. She had pellets implanted in cervix and now is having targeted radiation. She told me early on she did not want to go online and read about it, and she was having her son keep track of things with her doc. So I really don't know her prognosis. Or anything but the bare bones. She lives a few hours from me, and they have always kept their distance from the rest of the family. And yet we have long phone conversations about minutiae, as if we've never been apart. She is not a whiner, I really don't know how she is feeling physically. Her husband and son are taking good care of her, I don't think she has to lift a finger.
Also before Tksgiving my very good friend had a bad fall, into the tub, and somehow cut her leg open from ankle to knee. It is slowly closing, it was very worrisome, but seems like it will be ok.
As you may remember I was supposed to fly to Australia, and on to New Zealand, on Dec.25th. As this neared, I was on a dead run trying to get ready for this long trip while also getting ready for Chtistmas. I postponed Xmas parties till we got back from trip, but I thought I go ahead and get ready to do it all! Early in December I tripped over a throw rug and crashed into a dresser, hurt both knees, right leg and upper arm somehow. I got up, bandaged myself, and saw my doc the next day. The next week I laid with my legs elevated, got up to change bandages, and make something to eat. Nothing was broken, but I cancelled my trip, i just couldnt believe it, we waited 3 years to go and then this happens. I was quite down, I must say! Now I'm healed up for the most part, but my leg/knee still swells and is painful. So this week and the next will come my postponed Xmas parties, I am trying to get in a mood of gratitude, and be thankful for getting better and having people who want me around occasionally!
This has been long! I will go now and be back sooner if all goes well. Fingers crossed!
Happy New Year to all!
Love, Mary
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Hi Mary,
It's so good to hear from you again. You had us worried, as it's the longest you've ever been away from the thread. You definitely had good reason to be away from us by the sound of it. What a dreadful few months you've had! I do hope that your sister in law will recover, stage three cervical cancer sounds worrying. I can quite understand why she doesn't want to have a look at Dr Google.
Baths are dangerous, I've had a few near misses recently. Managed to stop myself having bad falls, but acquired a few bruises. The shower is a bigger risk for me, regularly used to slip when coming out of the old shower. The under side of the door trim caused a huge gash on one occasion, still have the scar down my leg. I stay well away from showers now.
Mary, scatter rugs are such a trip hazard. You're lucky you didn't cause even more damage than you did. The worst part of it all is missing your long planned holiday. I hope it can be rearranged, though you might find that covid gets in the way of your plans for the next few months. Compulsory masking is being discussed here as there's another sharp rise in cases.
Try to keep well! Happy New Year.
Love,
Gill xxx
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Hello Sylvia,
Just read a piece in the Guardian, apparently the UK is holding the first ever trial using proton beam therapy to treat breast cancer. The article mentioned that proton beam therapy may be safer for women with heart issues. I did know that radiotherapy on the left breast came with a risk to the heart and Michael asked my breast surgeon about it. He looked perplexed and said that he didn't understand what Michael meant. I do think that medics should be reminded, at regular intervals, just what informed consent actually means.
I've been feeling quite unwell for the last few days after developing a urinary tract infection. If It doesn't get better in the next 48 hours I'll have to see a GP - or should I say, attempt to get an appointment. I'm not keen on taking antibiotics unless they're absolutely necessary.
So much for 2023. The NHS has now crashed and the Prime Minister is on holiday in America. Probably doing a deal with a health insurance company. The country has a health crisis at the worst possible time and Sunak doesn't even think about recalling Parliament.
Hope none if us needs hospital treatment while this is going on. People with cancer and other conditions that can't wait, must be frantic with worry. All so predictable wasn't it? Underfund break, sell. Another three word slogan the Tories might want to adopt.
Off to try to get some sleep now. Take good care of yourself and Raymond.
Love,
Gill xxx
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