First of all, thank you to everyone who has sent a message or posted kind words to me privately or via this site. I'm really grateful for all the support.
I had a good afternoon today, meeting my oncologist and nurse for the first time. B and I had done a lot of reading about what this first phase of treatment (chemoradiation) might involve, but it is good to hear it all from the doc himself.
This could be a relatively long post, so detail of the treatment will follow a little below, but many friends will probably be particularly interested in when all this might start (certainly timing has been a concern for me - as soon as possible please but also mindful of family holiday on the horizon).
Well, looks as though my five-and-a-bit weeks will start on 2 Aug. This is good news as it allows us to have our planned week at Centre Parcs with grandparents first. Unfortunately I won't manage Holiday School, but as time has been marching on I had realised this was unlikely anyway [sorry guys - I'll miss you again this year]. Planning for the treatment (CT scan and tattoos) will probably take place next week. And the chemotherapy nurse may want to see me beforehand too.
The treatment takes the form of radiation directed at the tumour and neighbouring lymph nodes. Monday-Friday over five and a bit weeks. Weekends off! Similarly, the chemotherapy (a low dose of Capecitabine) is in the form of tablets to be taken twice a day on the days I have the radiotherapy.
All this is designed to shrink the tumour to improve the chances of removing it all at surgery and to prevent any spread in the meantime.
Side effects from the chemotherapy are likely to be very mild as it is a low dose but I need to watch out for infection and if I have anything like chest pain - stop the tablets and seek medical advice (dialling 999 if severe - extremely rare cases only I'm informed).
Side effects from radiotherapy likely to be not too much for the first couple of weeks or so and then probably soreness and tiredness, and possibly diarrhoea and symtoms of cystisis. (Long term issue could be onset of menopause, but I'll not dwell on that and I keep feeling very grateful that with two lovely girls our family is complete).
OK. That's enough from me right now. Just glad to know when it all gets going, and happy that the clinicians I met today were great. xxx
