Hi Purplelily, glad all is well and your home although bruised and sore. Have they given you any sort of medication to ease it?

kim x

Hi Kim, lovely to hear from you! Yes, like everyone else I think I am on ibuprofen and paracetamol but also have some liquid morphine, but I am only taking the smallest dose of that at bedtime.  Oddly I am more comfortable on the sofa than in bed, maybe because I can rest my bruised bit on a cushion.....hopefully every day will get a bit better.

I am a bit anxious about what further treatment I am going to have, but just trying to take one step at a time at the moment.

How are you doing? It is so nice to talk to someone.  The nurses are wonderful but you have to experience this to really understand.

best wishes and hugs x

Hi there, great to hear all went well and that you managed to escape on the same day too. As you say, there's nothing like home. You will probably find that the bruising will become quite spectacular over the next couple of weeks as things start to heal. My surgeon was horrifed when he saw mine at the follow up appointment and even apologised but actually, although it looked horrific, it wasn't that painful!  I found sitting in a shallow warm bath very soothing and, like you, sitting propped up was more comfortable than trying to lie flat. I had one of those v-shaped pillows which also helped support everything.

It is only natural to worry about the results and what happens next and I know it's easier said than done of course (I feel a total hypocrite for even saying it!) but hang in there and try to concentrate on healing and being good to yourself in the meantime. Take care  Sue xx

Thank you Sue, it's so good to talk to people who have "been there"! The bruising is getting quite spectacular as you say, the whole lot has joined up into one great bruise but it is not overly painful and the incision itself looks ok.  I am making do with wet wipes and sponges for washing at the mo as I only have a shower and it seems rather a palaver to try to perform in a smallish cubicle with one arm!  Hair washing could be a challenge this weekend, but we will overcome.......!

thank you so much for your replies, and hugs to you both xx

I have a date for my op on the 16th June and like you I won't know what further treatment I will have, although 2 nurses have now said it would definitely be chemo as well, that really scares me.

i have been mostly "up" as I've kept myself busy but the downs have been few and mainly when I'm on my own. I have yet to tell my daughter but want to leave it until a few days before the op. I want her to be happy 7yr old for a little bit longer.

i also have OA and Fibromialgia which when the aches and pains have come on I get worried the cancer had spread, but they are my down days but I'm greatly positive and enjoying life.

i hope the pains reside soon xxxx

Ah well, things did not quite go as well as expected yesterday, and I am back in panic mode again! I have had such a peaceful couple of weeks, full of optimism.....

anyway, i have to go in again for another op on the 8 July because they have found that there are still pre cancerous cells left on the margin and they have to shave another bit away.

They are going through the original incision, which is scary enough, but the nurse said they can only do this once and if there are any pre cancerous cells showing up after that it probably means there could be cancer elsewhere. So back to being terrified.....

the thought of going through this again from the beginning is really depressing.

So sorry you are having to go through all this again, and just when you were starting to feel human again too. Not what you wanted to hear at all. By using the same incision at least you won't have any more holes in you (?!) and clearly they will do their damnest to get it all out this time round.

You've done it once, you can do it again....  keep healing in the meantime and, as before, distract yourself with good stuff between now and then. Thinking of you, take care  Sue xx

Oh Margerat, I'm so sorry about your news, you must feel really frustrated and let down. I'm not sure how it all goes but surely with ultra sounds and such they can get it all out with clear margins without more worry to the patient more expense-for the NHS for surgery. They measure the size of the lump so surely they no how much more needs to come out. Sorry I'm going into a rant!

so will you have to wait another 2weeks after that surgery to hear the outcome??

kim xxx

Hi Kim and Sue

thanks for your replies, I am just feeling so down at the moment and it really is a comfort to have someone to talk to that knows how awful this thing is. Not to worry, I am an optimistic sort of person and I will bounce back!

they only found out about these pre cancerous cells after the removed lump was sent to the path lab, and ridiculously they now have to take 0.02cm more.  Obviously I want it out, but it is just the thought of going back to the beginning again - a bit like sliding down the snake after I have struggled to climb the ladder. It doesn't help that I am still sore and swollen, the doctor was quite happy with the healing and everything but however well the healing is going it is going back to square one.

anyway, the plus side is that we have a weeks holiday booked for the beginning of September which I haven't cancelled. If and when the chemo starts it will be 6 to 8 weeks after the op, so I might just squeeze the holiday in.

yes Kim, I have the further two week wait after the op, so that takes me nearly to the end of July.

hope you are doing ok though and not too uncomfortable, when is your follow up appointment?

hugs and best wishes xx

You'll be ready for your holiday with all this going on. My holidays were driving me forward but the surgeon said on Tuesday that I might have to cancel, I have one on the 8th for 3days then a week in Portugal with my daughter and my friend and her twins. She will be distraught if I have to cancel and to be honest so will I.....Dam Cancer 

My follow up appt is a week Tuesday and the thought of that makes me more nervous than the operation did. Hopefully they will get it all out next time Margaret. To be honest I haven't read up too much on cancer as I don't want to scare myself too much, but isn't it good it's pre cancerous and not cancer itself, sorry if I'm being ignorant but as I say the less I know the less worried I'll get

xxx