Just a little update as the last one was over a month ago. It feels strange not to be having the three-weekly PICC line maintenance, blood tests and chemo, but I’m not missing them! I’m so happy to have those behind me now. I do still need to go for my injection every three weeks – I’ve had two so far since finishing chemo and I will have a break now until after my surgery.
I am surprised at how slowly the side-effects are wearing off – nothing major though: fatigue, taste changes, numbness in my feet. There’s no evidence of new hair growth yet. And my poor fingernails! I thought they had escaped but a couple of weeks after finishing chemo I noticed that they were “thickening” underneath and some of them were actually starting to lift away from the nail bed. The prospect of losing my nails was more upsetting than losing my hair!! I started Googling what I could do to protect them and prevent further damage, if anything, and found a product called Polybalm that has been shown to prevent damage from chemo, specifically Docetaxel/Paclitaxel. I ordered some straightaway and have been using it every day. I think it is making a difference as my nails are not getting any worse. I just wish I had known about it before starting on Docetaxel. I also wish it was more widely publicised by the cancer websites and professionals. I’ve also read that keeping hands and feet in iced water during the chemo infusion can help prevent nail damage, much like cold-capping can help prevent hair loss.
Now, more than six weeks after chemo, my energy is returning and I can walk a little faster and for longer. I’m also able to start stocking up the freezer with some healthy meals as I will not be able to do any cooking for a while after surgery. All HCA will have to do is defrost and reheat! He’s good, very good, but he doesn’t cook anything too complicated!
I have had two consultations with my lovely surgeon, Fiona, for surgical planning and it will be a bit more complex than first planned. She will take a wide margin around the tumour bed which will leave me quite lopsided – visions of me listing to port! So she will remove some breast tissue from the other side to balance things out. I will also have all the lymph nodes removed from my right armpit. The bilateral surgery means more incisions and longer recovery but there are advantages that I think make it worthwhile apart from the cosmetic benefit, the most important for me being less tissue remaining where a cancer might recur.
This procedure would normally mean being under for about six hours, but I will have two surgeons working simultaneously so it should only take three hours. Fiona has explained the risks and I have signed the consent. I have had my pre-op assessment and had a small procedure, guided by ultrasound, to insert a small magnetic “seed” to guide the surgeon to the tumour bed using a magnetic probe. All very clever stuff and I am as always very thankful for the skill and knowledge of the medics. Surgery is set for the afternoon of 23 March. It would normally be a day case, but as it’s in the afternoon and may run late, a bed has been booked for me so they can keep an eye on me and I should be able to go home the next morning. Super earplugs at the ready so I hope I’ll be able to get some sleep!
I can’t say I’m not a little nervous, more so than before starting chemo, but this is just the next part of the treatment to make me better and I am going to stay positive. I’m keeping up with the fitness regime, trying to eat healthily and get some good rest, and practising deep breathing. It is well with my soul.
I hope you are keeping well and looking forward to spring and some milder, settled weather.
Early signs of Spring
Big love xx
