My first meeting with my Oncologist was Thursday 8th October. I was a l.ong and a tough morning. First of all when when Dad dropped myself and my mother had the front door of the Hospital because of visitor restrictions because of the pandemic and her name wasn't on the letter my Oncologist's secretary had sent me. Eventually we managed to persuade the security staff to let her come in with me.
After a bit of a wait in the waiting room I was eventually called in to see my Oncologist. The first person I saw was one of the oncology team. She asked me some questions and also examined me then my Oncologist came into the room. The first thing she did when she came into the room was put me at my ease by pulling down her face mask so I could see what she looked like and she asked me to do the same. My oncologist then went on to explain that I would be having 8 cycles of Chemo, 4 of AC and 4 of Taxol and that I would be having treatment one day very two weeks. She explained the possible side effects, she did however say that I would definitely lose my hair and that I could also lose my eyebrows and eyelashes. She was really lovely and I have to say that I have great confidence in her which is half the battle.
After she had finished explaining my treatment plan she handed me back to the doctor I had first seen that day and she took me out and weighed me and also took my height. She explained that was so they would know what strength of chemo to give me. She then brought me to my Oncology Liaison nurse who gave me handouts about the Chemo drugs I would be having as well as the injection I would have to take the day after each treatment. She also gave me a prescription for the 8 injections. She also discussed the possible side effects with me and what would happen when I finished my Chemos. The type of operation I was going to have would depend on how the tumours responded to chemo. I also got an Oncology Patient Information booklet with all the numbers of my medical team if I should need to contact them during treatment with any problems I might have due to chemo.
When she finished explaining things to me she brought me down to where they do bloods so I could get my bloods done before starting treatment. I will also have to have an Echocardiogram before I can start treatment to check my heart.
I had to go back to the hospital in the afternoon to get clips put in at the tumour sites. When I when I was called in to the scan room the radiologist explained to me why the clips had to go in and she talked me through everything she was doing as she went along. I was able to see the clips going in on the ultrasound screen. When she had finished inserting the clips she sent me for a Mammogram so that she could check that they were in the right places. She wasn't happy with the first f mammogram so she had them repeat them. I had to wait after each mammogram while she checked the mammogram. The nurse came back to me 5 minutes later and said I was free to go.
Four days later I had my echocardiogram which went ok. That was last test I had to have before starting chemo which I am to start on the 27th October.
