youngish mum with breast cancer

second reconstruction

2011-02-27T09:46:40Z

My doctor asked if I wanted to have an implant in the other 'good' breast so that they'd look the same.I thought well whilst you're there you may as well do a masectomy so to avoid potential probs on that side as well.So now both breasts have been operated on at same time.One is silicon , the 'finished' product and the other the halfway tissue expander.Both sides sore, but the silicon one looks good.Much bigger than original!

Most of the time feel normal and then suddenly remember that my days are probably numbered(but then so are everybodies' in a way I guess), it's like being splashed in cold water.Am obsessively organised.Trying to teach my 9 year old to look after her younger siblings and my partner to stop believing that he needs 10 hours sleep(yes really) and how to do basic household admin.

Anyway, all the best x

low white blood count

2010-09-25T16:13:18Z

The taxol has actually been fine,I have had few side effects,not even the peripheral neuropathy.The only thing was my blood count plummeted and I ended up in hospital with some stupid infection.Now they've got me on the injections to get the white blood cells up and actually I feel worse after them then I do after the weekly taxol!Still I've had 10 out of 12 so nearly over and my hair seems to be growing back(grey! please no,it wasn't grey before!!)After that it's radio and of course the ongoing herceptin.

A woman at my daughter's school keeps telling me I look tired! Don't you just love it,are we supposed to look glowing?!

Taxol,anyone?

2010-07-01T14:28:26Z

Hi there! So I've finished the four FECS, and what fun that was! Actually, it was totally bearable except for the pregnancy type nausea.Next they're going to hit me with Taxol, on a weekly basis for 12 weeks, anyone been through this?

I'm also going to get Herceptin concurrently.Actually I'm more worried about that cos of the heart risk.My hair is still not all gone.It's hanging on in there with some very fetching bald patches.It's too hot for the wig and I just wear a cap all the time with people asking why I've cut my hair!

All the best everyone!

breathless on FEC

2010-06-15T15:28:00Z

Hi there,does FEC make anyone breathless? I'm sure that can't be good! Nurses don't seem too concerned though.Baby has dodgy stomach and my son has chicken pox, so it's all fun and games here.Also hanging round the GPs surgery has given me a lovely cough.Am taking my 'emergency antibiotics', they worked like a miracle!

After FEC am having 12 weekly sessions of Taxol to be combined with Herceptin.Anyone had any experience of that?

hugs and greetings to all!

Diet

2010-05-26T09:50:51Z

Sorry to have caused any confusion or anxiety in my last post.To try to clarify, I have a relatively rare form of BC which is hormone negative and HER2+ which means it can't be treated with hormones but only with herceptin.Most people CAN be treated with hormones which is good.

It is my consultant who keeps on harping on about diet.To be fair he doesn't say vegan but he does say limit dairy ALOT and NO red meat and lots of garlic, onions(shallots,leeks etc),broccolli.I have also heard that raspberries are brilliant but MUST BE ORGANIC, if not they are covered in pesticides and somehow defeat the object.

I was always somehow a rebel against any kind of perceived 'authority'figure, but no more apparently.I hang on every word the doctors say and am forever bombarding them with (probably stupid) questions.It feels like a matter of life and death!

By the way, has anyone read the article in yesterday's daily mail re. young women and breast cancer.It is truly shocking.Basically, it is argueing that younger women should be screened cos by the time we've self-referred it could well be too late! Great Stuff.I woul;dn't normally read the daily mail but it comes free with tescos!

survival stories

2010-05-17T14:48:15Z

Everyone keeps telling me about someone they know who got through this and is currently fine.Which is lovely and encouraging of course but it always turns out that they had a 'better' cancer than mine.Mine is HER2 positive,fortunately at least now. treatable to some extent with herceptin.But ,let us kid not, a nasty cancer all the same.Still, I know that it is not the only factor involved, and there are loads of stories of people surviving quite against the odds.I'm trying to stick to an organic, vegan diet, but not in the days post chemo when I feel so sick I have to eat anything I can keep down and drink coke constantly!

Love and best wishes to all of you!

Second FEC

2010-05-15T10:05:58Z

Thanks for all your comments...really helpful!

This time I didn't have the cold cap and the treatment went straight into the central line(too many years of watching ER,I know it's actually called a Port a Cath?)so I actually felt much more in control! For once.Although now I' m shedding hair about like noone's business!I keep blaming the cat.The first night after FEC all shivery and shaky but now two days on just nausea just like in pregnancy! Isn't it bizarre how poison can basically imitate a 'healthy' condition.Have got weird rash round sight of central line,oncology nurse didn't know what it was,all on chest(what's left of it) and upper arm.

the school run with wig

2010-05-12T10:13:24Z

My hair has not gone yet, although there is a crawling sensation across the scalp which I suspect does not bode well.In any case I thought I'd test out the wig(long, reddish brown) on the school run.Of course I'm really bad with hair real or false so I just kind of plonked it on with a baseball cap on top.Most mums were really kind about it(the ones that knew).The ones that didn't know,and also the kids, clearly thought I'd gone mad(My normal hair is a mousy bob).In any case I'm glad that's done with and the next outing should be less of a drama!

Tomorrow second dose of FEC which will go straight into my central line.I don't know why I'm so worried about my central line.I keep thinking they've put it in wrong and the toxic stuff will shoot straight into my heart!

Not so paranoid now

2010-05-11T15:25:14Z

Just before Easter, I found a lump in my breast.The Gp was convinced that it was nothing, even accused me of being paranoid.I hopped and skipped to the consultant and the mammogram, still sure that it would be just wasting time and even elated that the mammogram didn't hurt like everyone said!Then the consultant entered the room and he might as well have been carrying a placard 'That's it,it's curtains for you'.They left me with a cup of tea(always helps obviously) and a bizarrely busty nurse(just to add insult to already considerable injury).I was in shock of course,convinced that I was going to die.I called a few of my friends at work to tell them(poor things!) and since then It still feels like I am waiting to awake from a nightmare....

That same week skin saving masectomy and lymph node clearance.Two lumps found 2.5cm and 1.2cm and 1 lymph node.Pathology came back HER2 + and hormone neg.Not that great but consultant and oncologist seem strangely optimistic(is this some cunning ploy to keep the patient positive?)

I'm to have 4 times FEC, 4 times Taxotere and a year of herceptin to overlap with the taxotere.Had one FEC.Not so bad.Weirdly pregnancy symptoms came back, but just for few days.Next FEC due on thursday this week.I had the scalp cooling and so far hair still clinging on(although I've had it cut short and look like a gay boy), but it was hideous and also heard that alot of docs don't like it as prevents chemo getting to brain so I think I'll stop.

Yesterday had central line fitted.Was bigger performance than expected and inserted under general.Now have bandage over remaining breast and weird vampire scars on neck(what IS that?)