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Hi all Just wondering I have started waking up with bruises that I know were not there before.I haven't hit myself or bumped and they are not sore,just a brownish colour and a new one yesterday looked like a normal bruise and today I woke up and its bigger and a horrible pink/purple colour.Definitely not the hubby in his sleep!!!!! I am also tired all the time.Anyone else have anything like this? I'm in with oncologist tomorrow for routine check up but don't want to be a fuss pot if its normal. Thanks Xx

Hi Franny here again My husband and I had my daughter who has had chemo and is now finished at the hospital to see the cancer nurse .My doctor has advised her to see a counsellor or psychologist just to talk to and try and help her come to terms with everythingthat has happened to her since January 2nd .I honestly thought that my daughter was going to take the bite and avail of these services,but as soon as she left the hospital, she said that the nurse had lost the run of herself even suggesting that ,she partake in anything,As Barretstown or Canteenis for sick kids only and that she has seen enough of sickness to last her a lifetime.My worry is if she does not get professional help will she hit a wall in a year or so. If so.If she was to I would never be able to forgive myself. Her only reply is that she wants to forget about the whole episode and get on with her life.I now she is just putting on a front,she would win an oscar.She is still in bed till 4pm curtains drawn and lights off.I am not a professional but christ that cannot be.Does she need help to deal with this,.or is it all in my mind. Many thanks Franny

Was due to start my chemo on 24 of may , but got phone call today to say starting tomorrow! Bit of a shock but I suppose I don't have time to think about it..Was a bit of s rush trying to get meds together ,still no word on medical card so had to try and scrape money together for those . Would gladly go back and do my weeks work ,than face the iendless form filling and phone calls and every time you hit a brick wall. At the end of it all get nothing and told to make sure I put in my cert as it would affect my pension !! Rant over . Hopefully at the end of this I might be broke but at least I'll be better!

Just wondering if have of you wonderful ladies suffered with damaged nails as a result of chemo and if so, did it take long for them to recover? Mine first started to get damaged after chemo No. 4 (of and have gotten a lot worse since. I finished chemo two weeks ago and it seems my nail growth is somewhat stunted too. My consultant and the oncology nurses say that the nails will just grow out, but there seems to be no improvement at all. I am finding it very difficult to do anything and find it most painful when I am trying to do my daughters' hair. Any information or tips from you girls would be most appreciated. On the plus side, I have noticed some fluff on my head (just two weeks post chemo) so that is a positive at least. Many thanks

Finished my last radiotherapy this morning and I have to say with a little sadness in my heart. It's become part of my life for over six weeks so I will have to get used to no hospitals for three weeks, God what will I do?? Hope I don't have to resort to doing housework perish the though lol. I'm here sitting in oncology having got my herceptin but my blood pressure is still high and I've been on medication for the past two weeks. I'm waiting to see someone about it. Going out for a slap up meal and plenty of wine tonight to celebrate . Thanks to you all for your fantastic support its got me through all this so well. Love you all xxxx

Any tips / advice? I am currently recovering from surgery but will be having radiotherphy on my tongue in a few weeks. Thanks

Hi Ladies feel terrible havent been on here in ages. Just an update had my mascteomy last week and now that part is over, Chemo (check), Mascteomy (check) now onto rads in a few weeks. Got pathology report yesterday with excellent results as far as medical science can see he said I am cancer free. Only 1 out of 19 nodes affected. Feeling delighted with myself but still a little sore body and mind. Just wanted to let you know that through all the crap there was light at the end of the tunnel. For all those starting off best of luck, keep the chins up and dont let this bastard beat us!!!

Happy Bank Holiday everyone! It's been a while since I've been on - just back out from a few days of hospital to have a bit of tidying up done on my original surgery so all grand now we hope However, I'm wondering if any of you had immediate family diagnosed with breast cancer before, during or after your diagnosis and treatment? If so, was the issue of genetic testing raised by you or your treatment team? One of my older sisters has just been diagnosed and is firing a million questions at me so I'm looking to see what is the best way for me to support her without getting dragged back into something that I'm only coming through myself. At the moment, it's easy for me to deal with it as I'm still a bit off my head from surgery last week!

Just wanted to say to all our members that haven't started treatment or have just started or are in the middle of it, that there is a life after it. I thought when I was in the middle of chemo and starting radiotherapy that I was never going to feel any sense of normality again but today I did. My poor hubbie wasn't well over the weekend so roles were reversed and we went for a drive in the sun today and had some lunch out and I just wanted to scream"Oh how I appreciate life " a sandwich in a little cafe and I was so happy and contented. No hospital now for three weeks so going to enjoy it. People are strange met a lady I knew today who got breast cancer same time as me, just had lumpectomy and radiotherapy, no chemo, but she wasn't really happy, complaining about the soreness in her breast from the radiotherapy and I just got the feeling she felt hard done by, because she got cancer. I had to say to her that if she had have had chemo it would have been a lot worse and the pain in her boob would have paled into insignificance . I said "we are so lucky" she's still looking at me. Cant believe I'm getting so many compliments about my hair, makes you feel good too. Even my lovely radiotherapy oncologist said to me on Monday "the hair's lovely Mary" and he's as bald as an egg lol but lovely and handsome. Just thought I'd share todays thoughts with you my dearest friends. Xxxx

[color=#800040:cf406n61]Wondering what peoples thoughts are on this. Just thinking how many 'negative' images there are out there with regards to cancer. I personally hate the use of 'she/he lost their cancer battle' or 'she fought her illness bravely ' etc. It sort of gives the image that people who get well do it through choice and people who don't didn't 'fight/battle' long or hard enough. People are said to be 'courageous, brave and never complain', yet I know I'm not always brave or courageous and have certainly complained when I was in huge pain. I was also angry and really annoyed at times. In my mind cancer is like any other medical illness. It comes into your life and you do your best to get the best medical outcome. Whether you get well or not, like lots of other medical conditions, depends on a lot of things. I would also say that experiencing cancer has had its positive moments, funny moments and lifechanging moments. I was forced to take time out to get treatment for my cancer and in doing that I took time out of a busy life and realised that if I had time for this I can also make time for other things in my life. LIfe is only as busy as I make it. I've had funny 'no hair' moments, met some amazing people along the way. Would I change things.....most definately YES. I would prefer not to have cancer. But I've no regrets about what I've learnt about myself.....only wish I could have done it some other way, some other time. [/color:cf406n61]