Congratulations Margc WooHoo! Celebrations are definately in order. How will you be celebrating? I bought myself a new pair of earrings and went out to dinner with my husband. I can't begin to tell you how good and positive I felt after my last chemo. I am also on Avastin (trial drug) so my recovery has been slower than most. Radiotherapy IS a walk in the park compared to Chemo but it is very tiring after it gets into your system. I personally would come home from radio eat a bit of lunch and go back to bed, some days I was too tired to eat my lunch & just went to bed. As Willow and Mez said everyone is different. I had my last radio almost 4 weeks ago and only this past week can I go longer than 2 hours after waking up before heading back to bed. I didn't go back to bed at all the last few days but I tend to fight it rather than just go with the flow. Again I must say Congratulations Margc. Lyn xo ... View more

Hi Teacher Mum, We don't know each other yet. Wishing you all the best for you and DSH for Teusday also sending big (((Hugs))) Lyn xo ... View more

Hi Willow I hope you had a good nights sleep after writing your feelings down and I really do hope you feel more rested. I had tears of saddness and empathy for you as I read your words.As your dad said you have helped both your mum and dad and as far as your dad is concerned you have been his rock. Even though you don't feel it inside on the outside to your dad you have been a great help to them. Maybe you could get your son and daughter to go help your parents just for one weekend or even one day or a couple of hours just so you can have a day to yourself and maybe recharge your batteries a bit. Maybe if you can afford it take yourself off and have a theraputic massage, turn your phone off and just relax a bit you deserve it. I'm sorry I don't know what else to say to help you feel better. Here is a big vertual (((HUG))) Lyn xo ... View more

Hi Julie, Keloid scarring is a thicker scar that forms over a previously healed scar and can be very itchy and annoying. My daughter had or should I say still has one on her knee. She fell over as kids do but kept knocking it and reopening it after it healed. Maybe thats what they meant when they said you played basket ball too soon. But thats understandable, we feel great then go and over do things. Human nature. I agree with what you say about times and perhaps thats why the Dr's keep us in the dark a bit there, but I'm they type of person that likes rough estimates so that I can build myself up to it. I have been beating myself up actually should I say getting quite frustrated that I dont think I'm recovering as quickly as I should be. I was much better before radiotherapy than I am now almost 4 weeks after my last radiotherapy session. My radio Onc did say 4-6 weeks and that it will get worse before it gets better but not in which way. Yes the mind is a very strong thing and mine likes to know rough estimates lol Just so I have an idea and also so I can push myself a little without overdoing it. I have decided that these aches and pains we both appear to be haveing has to be an after effect of radiotherapy. After my last comment on the subject and even though I'm keeping as active as this hot wether will allow at the moment, both my shoulders, lower left back and knees are as you described. Seems like a triumph going one step forward then all of a sudden 2 steps back. I am feeling much better today (apart from the aches) which is partly due to a horrid cough that I've had for a few months has eased a lot today after starting new blood pressure meds yesterday. Avastin (trial drug I'm on) raises the blood pressure, I was on coversyl before and my GP told me on Friday that it causes a really bad dry cough in some people to the point they gag & regurgetate. I really do hope your aches & pains are subsiding now. I really do understand why you are getting fed up with it all. It just drags on too long doesn't it! I hope your having a lovely Valentines Day so far and to all of us a speedy recovery Lyn xo ... View more

Hi Joanna, I'm very new to this site but its great isnt it! I just joined the other day. I had the site highlighted on one of millions of pages given to me earlier on, but I put it in my cancer bag and forgot all about it till I went looking for something else lol My heart goes out to you hun, I thought I had bad side effects (every one in the book bad) but was nothing compared to yours. Surely the Dr could give you other meds to stop or at least alleviate your vomiting. That was very nice of your Dr to sit with you and chat for a while. As Samex said earlier nanna naps are a good idea. My chemo finished in October but I still go every 3 weeks for the trial drug Avasten/Bevacizumab. The next question I have for my Onc on Monday is how many months after Chemo does chemo brain last. I'm not expecting exact dates just a ball park estimate. I have read that it could last from a few weeks to a few months. I hope your surgery went well with a positive outcome. Lyn xo ... View more

Thank you for the warm welcome Jill. I was having a bit of a down day the day I registered on this site, Tuesday or Wednesday. I read what a few had to say and felt much better. Just knowing your not alone really does help, reading of what others have been through before me has shed some light at the end of my tunnel and I appreciate that heaps. I will be visiting fequently and hope to ease others in the future. All the best, Lyn ... View more

Hi Willow' I had my last radiotherapy on the 19th Jan 2010. I had what i discribe as shooting pain through my breast that seemed to exit through my nipple, so bad at times it actually made me jump and bought me to tears. The head nurse at radio told me it was the nerve endings reacting to the radio. She gave me a big box of panadol and said to take it 4 times a day, when it got into my system there was no more pain for a couple of weeks and then she told me to use panadiene worked for a while and when it started again she got the Dr/onc to prescribe panadeine forte. I havent needed the panadeine forte since last week. Yay! That was what I experienced maybe your should check with your Dr or nurse. Yes I have been really sore and tender aslo, I put that down to they have cut into nerves and left the area numb and now the feeling is coming back it hurts.(My mum had big lung operation and about a year later she went through similar sensations, the Dr told her that it was the feeling coming back.) Did they give you after opp stretching exerscises to prevent frozen shoulder? Maybe give them a go for a few days and see if it's any better. My shoulders and whole body were achey last weeked & I was getting a numb bum too. It was worse at night when I hit the hay, to the point that I dreaded going to bed. On Wednesday I went for a 2km walk with hubby helping me up the hill lol that night I had the best nights sleep I've had in a long time. Thankyou Julie you have shone some light at the end of my tunnel with your information. Why don't the medico's ever want to give a ball park estimate on times? You know just an idea of times is all I would like to know. Thank you Samex neuropathy, I read about that in the begining and forgot all about it. I thought it was my dermatitus trying to rear it's ugly head again lol All the best Lyn ... View more

Yet another inspiration! Thank you for sharing Pete Lyn ... View more