Kiwi ladies who need encouragment, but all welcome.
Comments
-
yeah - you're right! Just having a moan about it, sure it will all work out. In the meantime life goes on, it's just about spring, time to get the garden going. Our house cow is about to calve and the first flowering cherry blossom was open today
0 -
Morning Kiwi's
Last chemo today - yesssssss! Gee I am really relieved that I will be able to start getting some hair action happening on my head soon! Onco said I'll have 3 monthly checkups and then yearly scans. It's strange as I feel the need for people so see me return back to normal - but I'm not sure what the normal me is anymore - did anyone else go through this? This has changed me that's for sure - and for the better, I certainly don't sweat the small stuff and find it difficult to be around friends that do, it didn't used to worry me before but now it gets on my nerves, what's the point getting your knickers in a twist over nothing!!! I guess in time my tolerance will come back.
Hope your all doing great out there xox
0 -
Yay for last chemo. Do you have anything fun planned to celebrate?. From my previous experience its not that unusual to feel quite flat once once you stop treatment and almost feel like you're not doing anything productive towards fighting the beast but that passes as the real world kicks in again.
I had another uneventful taxol. 2 down 10 to go and I'm off to Look Good feel better this morning. Despite this being my 3rd time with breast cancer I've never done it before. I hear it's a lot of fun.
Hope everyone has a great day.0 -
Morning Shazza, have a weekend away planned with friends in early October, really looking fwd to that, please post how the look good feel better goes, I'm booked into that next month and quite excited!
0 -
Hi
Yay Ange! I hope you enjoy your weekend away.
Shazza, I'm glad the taxol is going ok. Hope LGFB went well & you had some fun.
Woody, did that calf come yet?
I'll be glad when the tail of the storm passes. It sure was wet & windy- not so great for work when you have an 'outside job', or for the beasties in the paddocks
This time in 2 weeks I'll be flat! (I don't want to jinx it by saying it out loud, after last time!)
Take care all
kt
0 -
Hi all, hope all is going well? We are now in Denver Colorado and it is a beautiful city.
I have meet with old friends and have made new ones who I am meeting through BCO.
Hope you are all feeling good.
Big hugs
0 -
Kt - no calf yet, sometimes wondering if she'll ever have it? She must be due and I actually felt it move the other day when some part was sticking out a bit. Looking forward to milking again, and fresh milk & cream! Might have a go at drinking colostrum apparantly it's pretty good for your immune system.
Ang - fantastic, the last chemo, that's something to celebrate alright!! Onwards & upwards.
I had my third chemo today & no significant nausea at all! Was it the fasting, the seabands & ginger or just my imagination? I don't know & don't care. Also drove myself this time, worked much better, it's a bit of a drive, but doable. Had about 2 hours of feeling really weird (after I got home luckily), sort of half napping and then it was ok. Next lot wil be docetaxol...
I was also wondering about follow up after the treatment is finished. I asked my onc and she said that they just have the mammograms and breast exams...no CT's, have you got the same experience?
Hope you are all doing well & keep up the good wurk
0 -
Your own milk & cream sounds nice Woody, do you make cheese? It all sounds like a bit of work but fantastic
Glad chemo is going ok.
I think I just had mammograms/ultrasounds & breast exams too- nothing else unless there are symptoms. I think I may have had the odd blood test, but can't remember- it may have been my GP ordered those. The checkups were 3 monthly to start off then 6 monthly, then yearly till 5 years were up.
I had symptoms a while back so was back to onc visits- just yearly now...
Yay the sun has come out- still windy, but dry!
Cheers,
kt
0 -
Kt - milking doesn't take long, about 10 mins, but my current cow - a mini galloway/jersey cross called Spook - is a handful, and a pain to get into the bail. Has to be bribed with an apple and pulled into the bail. Last year when I was training her to be a housecow she broke out of the bail several times and DH had to make it like Fort Knox especially after the last time when she managed to hook the front gate onto her head & was running around the paddock with a gate round her neck! Luckily I was sharemilking with some friends as she was giving more milk than we could drink. I did actually make a couple of cheeses last year, with mixed results. Might give it another go.
So how did you discover your symptoms?
You having your operation in 2 weeks now? I'm still enjoying my flat tummy - often look in profile at it in the mirror, sure the scar doesn't look great but it's nice to be able to wear tighter tops & not worry about a big sticky out puku!
0 -
Nice pic- is that Spook?
She sounds like a character
My op is just under 2 weeks now, counting down. I can't wait to have the pmx out of the way.
My symptoms were just a dry cough & not feeling right mainly... had tumour marker test done by GP & it was elevated & over 3 months or so kept going up. Had scans (CT, Bone & MRI) which were NED. But onc put me on zoladex & letrozole just in case, & when I had the markers tested again a few months later they had started coming down (still well above normal, but heading in the right direction- so he said no more testing).
I'm glad your happy with your TRAM flap. I don't want reconstruction- it will be nice to be flat- or wear small foobs if I feel like it. Quite freeing I think, for me
kt
0 -
Aye, that's Spook the evil, but cute looking, cow.
Sorry, I thought you were going for a reconstruction. But I think I remember now, is it a prophylactic mastectomy on the other side? Sometimes wonder if I should have done both, but the surgeon wasn't at all keen when I suggested it.
0 -
Yes- a prophy on the left. When I had my mx 10 yrs ago the surgeon said I didn't need the other side done.
After 10 years of mammos & us I've had enough, especially since they don't give me peace of mind since the mammo totally didn't see the BC & the us underestimated the size of it & didn't show anything clearly.
My GP & the surgeon I saw both totally were encouraging to get it done & saw where I was coming from...so I feel quite good about going ahead & doing it, despite it being quite a drastic thing to do I guess
Well, that was the week- the weekend is here at last. I hope you all have a good one.
I'm planning on a quiet one- relaxation!!!
kt
0 -
Ange I feel like that, I don't know what normal is!
Alison I hope you're having a great trip!
I developed dvt in my arm which was discovered thursday, and I fear another in my groin due to pain I've now had since Friday. I will head back to middlemore in the morning and request an investigation. After everything I've been through I refuse to get knocked down by a clot!
Hope you're all doing ok
Xx kk0 -
How did you get on kk??
0 -
Hi.
I hope your clot issues are being sorted kk.
Roll on summer- cold windy & wet here...
Take care,
kt
0 -
Hi again gorgeous ladies! I just got back from Hawaii yesterday and started radiation treatment today - so yay - number one 'zap' down. It was a bit freaky being back at the hospital again and starting this new chapter. Even tho it's only just over two weeks since my last chemo it feels a long time ago that I was in the place. I guess first time it's always a bit new and freaky. Probably by the end of it I'll be completely use to it.
Not good news KK about a possible clot. Fingers and toes crossed it is all ok for you.
Really feeling the cold after being away - it was 30 - 31 degrees celcius most days. Took a couple days to adjust and certainly couldn't handle wearing anything much on my head so had to brave showing off my short spikey hair do. Tho no one seemed to take much notice.
I did feel a bit of a blob on the beach though - there were beautiful women everywhere in their bikinis. Am starting a diet definately tomorrow (1st Oct) to lose some of this weight I've stuck on.
Love to you all. x0 -
Welcome home Kruise, it sounds like your holiday was sunny and fab-u-lous!!!!!! Bet it was very healing to get away and soak up some sun, i've never been a summer person but this year I'm really looking forward to it.
Are you finding your hair is growing back in fast? My little one's come running in each morning to tell me "nope, you still got no hair mummy", haha, chemo was only a week ago but I'm not very patient!
Beautiful sunny day up here, enjoy the day everyone!
0 -
Nope my hair not growing fast yet - it started to grow back during paclitaxel but was very very slow. I have about 1.5cm of hair now I reckon but a lot thinner than it used to be. (Wish I could say the same about the bod! Hehe) I think it's just starting to grow a bit faster now that I'm coming up 3 weeks out from chemo.
When I was away I think people thought that I chose to have my hair this short. One lady said to me 'it's so hot over here I think I need a haircut like yours'. Lol. I told her I didn't choose to have my hair this short. Funnily enough it turned out she worked at a cancer centre and knew all about the different chemo regimes and told me that I'd find radiotherapy a breeze :-)
Second zap today - all a bit quicker than yesterday but still freaky.
Was lovely here too. Have been trying to catch up on housework.
I started diet today....so far so good. My daughter has just made some choc chip cookies however so I need to stay away from those. Mmmmm can smell them tho
Going to go to the gym tonight! First time in many many months. Hope I don't keel over. Xoxox0 -
Hi all. 3 taxol sessions done. My hair started falling out yesterday and man that stuff is everywhere. Lucky my new vacuum is specially for pet hair. I also work in a vets so hair all over the place is nothing new to the staff. I have very thick hair so I'm wondering if it will all go. My oncologist seems to think so. I may just get sick of all the hair fall and shave it anyway.
I went to Look Good Feel Better which despite having had cancer twice already I have never got around to doing. It was lots of fun the volunteers doing the make up were all just lovely. You get heaps of great stuff. I also won the raffle so left with armfuls of free cosmetics.
Hope everyone else is going well.0 -
Hi ladies
Kruise - it sounds like a wonderful holiday aloha, so good to have a break and a different environment and enjoy it all!
Shazza - my next three are going to be docetaxol, I am wondering how I'll find it after the FEC that I've had. I have been finding this last session of FEC a bit harder to get over. Isn't it unbelievable the amount of hair that gets everywhere, there seems to be no end to it...
Going into work tomorrow to have a meeting with my boss, not looking forward to it, because I don't really want to go back to work.
0 -
After 6 hours in the ED yesterday, I've got my ultrasound in the morning tomorrow. They've upped my injections to twice a day (ugh) but still suspect a blood clot in my leg.
The one in my arm seems to be feeling a bit better.
I'll keep you posted.
Sill a bit shocked the onc hasn't stopped the tamoxifen tbh0 -
Hi Shazza - I did the Look Good Feel Good just on 3 weeks after I started my chemo and enjoyed it also. Unfortunately I was the 'model' for the class as the lady running it had met me prior and helped me pick out a wig - so I guess she thought I'd be a good candidate to demonstrate all the make up etc on. I had just started to lose my hair but had shaved it really short. And funnily enough - just like you I won the raffle - so yes Make up by the barrel load.
Good luck for your meeting tomorrow with the boss Woody. Don't back down about wanting to sit somewhere else. Speak your truth! Hopefully the next lot of your treatment will be kind to you
Good you have ultrasound organised kk. If it is a clot then hopefully that evidence will sway the onc to change their mind.
Went to gym...pat on the back....but also had one of my girls cookies...slap on the wrist oh well at least I worked it off today. 0 -
Kruise - Had the meeting yesterday & yes got another place to sit - after 5 years of asking for it - things you have to do to get there! Starting back part time on Monday after 3 months sick leave...will be strange. Good for you for going to the gym, wish I had got further than procrastinating about it.
kk- does the Tamoxifen increase the chances of dvt a lot? I'm starting to wonder about hormonal therapy & the pro's & con's...
another lovely day out there, time to go and enjoy it!
0 -
Morning ladies, hey just wondering if anyone is going though menopause and can recommend anything for hot flushes?
It's driving me insane at nighttime!!!0 -
Hi Ange.
I'm lucky in that my hot flushes are pretty mild (in medical menopause due to zoladex)
There is a forum thread here all about hot 'flashes'- see link below
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/770796
Yay for free stuff Shazza & Kruise!
I hope chemo is ok for you ladies on it. How is the DVT situation kiwikid? Resolving I hope.
Well, 3 days to go & I'll be a flattie- if all goes to plan. I should be rushing around doing lots of jobs here to make up for my down time after surgery, but I can't seem to get motivated...
Take care all
kt0 -
Thnks kt!!!!!
Have my look good feel better on Wednesday and can't bloody wait!!!0 -
hope everyone is doing well. My hair is rapidly falling out. I'm off to the wig shop on Monday to have the last of it shaved off and my wig fitted. Not sure how often I will wear it. My 16 yo daughter is coming to support me and make sure I don't chose anything too embarrassing.
The taxol seems to be working on my lung mets. The terrible cough I have had for the last 5 months is no more. Long may it last0 -
Yay for the taxol working on your lung mets, Shazza!
Have fun with the wig fitting. I only wore my wig a couple of times because I found it too scratchy- but I think you can get soft comfortable things to wear underneath now...
Enjoy LGFB Ange! Its always nice to be pampered- & nice to get a few free bits & pieces too
Have a good weekend all.
I have my mum & dad coming over soon- a good excuse not to get stuck into too much work. (I'd better work on my attitude I think & get my ass into gear!)
kt0 -
Fantastic news Woody about the work situation. Yes if only you had known sooner that you needed to get breast cancer to get moved right?? **jokes**
Hey hope it goes well for you going back on Monday. At least it is just parttime.
The best of luck kt for surgery in a couple days. Lovely to have your Ma & Pa staying. Will look forward to hearing from you when you're up to it after and letting us know it all went well. Will be sending you some healing prayers.
Absolutely wonderful news Shazza about the taxol doing its thing. Besides the hair loss hope you are feeling ok and coping ok with any other side effects. I'm sure your wig will look great. My 15 year old daughter has lovely long dark hair and I used to keep joking with her about how I was going to sneak in and cut her hair off to make me a wig...she knew I was kidding. I've kind of given up on wearing my wigs a lot now - if I'm working at an Event for St John I wear a short one I've got, if I'm going out for dinner or something on I have a long one, but otherwise I'm into scarves now - long ones that I use a hair tie to hold together and gold hoop earrings. Lots of bright and funky colours :-)
Ange I had bad wicked hot flushes during the day and night sweats. I still get very overheated at night - and miss being able to cuddle up to my partner Tim as much as I used to because I just can't! Chemical menopause symptoms are wonderful - not
. Try keeping a cold flannel near you at night so you can grab it to place on your head or body if you need it. Maybe in an old icecream container with some ice in it beside the bed where you can easily squeeze it out and use.
Also plenty of water or drinks beside the bed at night too.
I have found my symptoms are a lot better now than they were a couple months ago. So it should pass for you too
Well I have got through the first week of rads - 5 more to go. My neck was really itchy yesterday but a lot better today. Not sure if it's related to the rads but possibly.
Love to everyone - xx0 -
Morning all. Have recovered from my wonderful holiday in US and Canada. Met some really inspiring women.
Kiwikid, do hope you are OK big hugs.
Shazza what great news so pleased.
KT thinking of you this week.
Will sit down and read what I have missed later.0
