Hooray finished chemo......

It was so nice to hear from you and what you've been through.  I also am having 6 weeks of Radiotherapy and have just started my second week so far so good.  You and I are so lucky to have such good husbands my husband is also my rock and I know that without his strength, this journey through all the good and bad days would have been harder to deal with.  You are a brave person for not wearing anything on your head during chemo, but i do understand and can't wait to get home and also not wear anything either feels great.  Otherwise at work I wear scarfs or in the colder days nice hats that have a braid on the top from a Geelong head wear company very comfortable and won't blow off on those windy days.  I also haven't had my operation yet, scheduled for the 2nd February 2014.  Envy you for living in a warm climate place freezing down here at the moment and it's supposed to be summer, yeh right I forgot I live in Melbourne.  We went away to Numurkah for the Melbourne Cup long weekend and it was GREAT, lots of wine tasting in Rutherglen and a paddle steam relaxing cruise on the Murray 5 days of bliss.  You really enjoy these times with the family as I'm sure you will for your romantic getaway, have a ball...

Talk soon and take care, keep smiling (:

 

It's so nice to finish the chemo isn't it. I felt like throwing a hypothetical party. I have not had a mastectomy as yet. My surgeon felt that he would like me to keep the breast for aesthetic reasons for as long as I could. I was diagnosed with IBC Hormone positive in July last year. It has spread to my bones and my eye. I'm 46 with three young adult children. I had 6 rounds of TAC chemo and 6 weeks of radiation earlier this year. I'm currently receiving monthly injections of bone strengthening medication and take Tamoxifen daily. I recently retired from work as I realised I could not continue due to the pain in my bones and I am happy just being wife and mother at this point in my life. I still get very tired but I just nap if needed during the day. I have quite a few check ups this month but I feel well which is always a good sign. I was happy being bald during my chemo as it was nice and cool during the summer months. I never bothered with a wig. I was comfortable with my look but everyone handles things in their own way. Thank goodness for my hubby as I don't know how I would have coped without him. Bless him, he is my rock. I have just booked us a romantic few days away and I've also booked a cruise up to cairns (from Brisbane where I live) next year for all my kids and their parners as I would love a family vacation before any more bad stuff starts. I hope you r keeping well. I have just got back from a cold Victoria as my parents live in Abbottsford and I had a week of some serious shopping

Congratulations on finishing your chemo. It's a great feeling knowing that part of the journey is over. My reconstruction was DIEP/TRAM Flap similar to yours will be. The flaps came from my tummy. What happened to my calf was a couple of weeks after surgery. I was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (a blood clot) which can sometimes happen after a long surgery and a period of inactivity. The clot travelled to my lungs causing Pulmonary Embolisms (more clots). It's a bit dangerous but under control with the Clexane blood thinning injections I have twice daily. I hate the injections but I know they are keeping me safe. My hospital stay was for 9 days and it's been nearly five weeks since my surgery and I am improving everyday. I'm standing upright and the pain is not so bad now. I am still very tired but I'm moving around as much as I can. I don't really know when the pain will be fully gone but you do cope with it better and better everyday. My surgeon also said I might be in hospital for 2 weeks but I think it all depends on how well you do yourself. My plastic surgeon was happy with how my wounds were going and she said she was okay for me to go home on day 6 but I hadn't been able to move my bowell and so wasn't allowed to go home until I did. That didn't happen until the eighth night. Luckily all my drains were out by that time. It was really nice to be home even though I was quite uncomfortable and I would have loved to have the hospital bed to sleep in. It was okay with lots of pillows and cushions though. Good luck with radiotherapy Tanya and if you have any more questions I'm happy to help. If you join the group 'Breast Reconstruction' you will find a lot of stories from women who have gone through it and I found it extremely helpful. This is the link to the group. http://www.bcna.org.au/group/61026 Lots of love and hugs Tanya Love Janey xxx

It's a good feeling to finish Chemo. I have started radiotherapy and will finish this early November. At the moment I actually feel the best I have felt since starting the 3 rounds of Docetaxel. I had some pretty awful side effects and am still suffering a bit from muscle fatigue. I am finding gentle exercise and stretches are helping to improve this. Actually just had a family celebration of end of chemo this morning and saw my little nieces who I have not seen since beginning Chemo 4 months ago! It was great to put this part of treatment behind me. We are slowly moving house at the moment and I am finding this a great distraction from BC. I feel as normal as I have done since diagnosis! Hope you recover from this last chemo quickly and good luck with radiotherapy. Take care. :) Deanne