Night Howls

kmakm

@Sarnicad Did she say what caused the exhaustion? One particular part of the treatment or the combo?

Flaneuse

@Sarnicad Two years! Well, THAT's encouraging. We need to tell that to all the people expecting us to be "back to normal" by now.

arpie

Glad your review went well .... apart from the exhaustion bit ..... fingers crossed it doesn't last 2 years!!  xx

Sarnicad

@tigerbeth yes something to look forward to not
@kmakm the whole gig - surgery, chemo, rads, life with hubby and kids(my onc votes this is the real problem), work
@Flaneuse she said 2 years of exhaustion as that’s what you can get away with sadly people expect us back before then

i do like seeing her I usually (apart from one truly shitty day in May last year) come away feeling better than I went in

Sister

Glad it went well.

The thing I find with this exhaustion (and what other people just can't understand) is that, for me at least, it's not something that can be pushed through - if I try, I just feel really nauseous.  I do hope that one day I will be able to get through a day like a normal person.  I've heard the two years, I've heard that it'll be double the treatment time, and I've also heard that it never really goes away.  So, I guess - watch this space.

Ringing in sick this morning.  First time I've done that since going back to work but I've had a more interrupted sleep than normal and I know if I go in, I'll be struggling all day.  Still have to drive a 60km round trip to get the kids to school, though.

Flaneuse

@Sarnicad It's great that you have a consultant you really like going to see. Strength to you with those challenges.

@Sister - Absolutely right about pushing through the exhaustion. Recently I had my first really big night out at an official dinner and ended up in agony with muscle and bone aches and nauseous at 3 am. In the past week, some days I've felt a bit better and been quite active. I've hoped I could do the same the following day, but no - fall in a heap and need a big nap. Yes, very much a "watch this space" situation.

My good news today is that I've just weighed myself this morning and I've lost 1.2 kg in four days. I started Lite n Easy 1200 calories programme on Sat. I'm having a day off it today, so I wanted to see how I've done so far. Going out to a girls' lunch with three others from the neighbourhood. Then back on it tomorrow. Have been feeling much better already round the waistline. I find the food acceptable - some is even quite tasty; not gourmet, but tasty. If it will help me through a few weeks to get me motivated to start cooking Mosley again it will do the job I want. And it really is so easy. No thinking involved about what I'm going to eat when. Leaves some head space for other things.

arpie

That's a real bugger @Sister - I hope you feel better & a tad refreshed with the day off.  Good on you for making the call.

Do you think it is mainly the chemo that is giving the exhaustion or a combination of all your treatments?    Mine is more lethargy & 'Can I be bothered'?  Tho once I 'start' I usually find I am enjoying said 'can't be bothered' activity.

Well done @Flaneuse - I've heard of people going on camping trips who order in a week's worth of Lite & Easy Dinners, so they don't have to cook!  I thought it was a great idea.  The meals didn't look 'that bad' - but also not as 'great looking' as the TV Adverts indicate!

Sister

I think it's chemo, rads and medication.

kitkatb

@Blossom1961   Almond Croissants are just the best thing.  YUM.     
i'm also with @Zoffiel  love the Apple pie its my go too dessert or apple and rhubarb crumble. 

Flaneuse

Ah, rhubarb crumble !!! The day before I left the UK after more than seven years, I went to Marks & Spencers and bought a two-pack of their rhubarb crumble and a pack of custard and pigged out.

Harvey1903

One of the moments that I'm actually awake at this time of night. Usually well asleep by now   however chemo brain is well and truly kicked in.  I can't get the right words out , I say a short black instead of a long black, cab sav instead of a sav blanc.  Reading I read words totally wrong. Chemo has really messed with my brain. On the up side instead of thinking doing ten things at once it's one thing only (like a man). Lol.  Chemo brain not discussed enough.  Or was too long under anesthesia ??  J

Kiwi Angel

Flaneuse

@Harvey1903 It's horrible, chemo brain. And it lasts a long time. Well, whether it's a combination of chemo and the other stuff or what ... who knows? But it's ghastly, embarrassing and scary. Chin up.

Sister

@harvey1903 For a few months there, I couldn't find my words (still can't on occasion) and I've always been a word person.  When I say, I couldn't find my words, I mean words like "fridge" and "knife" - it was "that thingy over there".  I finished chemo at the end of July.  It has improved a lot but I still have black spots in my memory where I just can't commit certain things.  I was telling my boss at work about it the other day.  We have 2 different editions of King Lear that are used for 2 different courses - no matter what I do, I cannot remember which one is for which course.  I have had to check the label I put up for everyone else's benefit, every time.  The conversation with my boss came up because I ordered extra of 1 edition in January and when they arrived, I had absolutely no recollection of being asked to order it or doing it.  King Lear, for some reason, is in a black spot.  I don't know why.  Sounds minor but it's just not who I was and it's my job to know that stuff.  Luckily, everything else seems to have come back, although I struggled for awhile when I went back to work.  Lots of work put into remembering things and recording things for me rather than just for others.  I still slip up with using the wrong words for things and the kids are utterly sick of being asked/told the same thing 2 minutes after I've already said it.

Blossom1961

@Kiwi Angel That pigeon sums it up pretty well