The Beast Breast Bulletin

So today (no more waiting- yippee!) was the next ‘big appointment’ got my results- just about all clear- one small patch of pre-cancerous cells which just proved as confirmation that a mastectomy was indeed the right decision! (What a clever team they are at the Breast Care Unit!)

Now I’m still no cancer expert (I prefer to focus on the hair and weight issues of treatment- Vain? Me?) But it turns out that my two tumours were different types of breast cancer. I think there are only 2 types- I just like to sample everything there is to offer. (Hummm think this may have got me in trouble somewhere before!) It would seem that having every type of cancer under the sun results in needing every type of treatment too- boo!

So here’s the list…

Firstly… a line will put into my arm so that the drugs can be pumped into somewhere near my heart!

Tamoxifen (Will induce menopause- slight problem as I can be a moody beast at the best of times- wonder if Tamoxifen will also induce divorce?!) Tablets to take everyday for the next five years- maybe 7-10 as I’m sooooo young!

Chemotherapy starts next Wednesday (Hair will be gone 3 weeks in!)

Herceptin this will last a year but can thankfully be administered in my own home (or even at work!) saving me hundreds in hospital parking fees!

There was some talk about giving myself injections to suppress my ovaries at this point but the order of things is still a bit of a blur! Have to admit I’m a bit excited about being an injector! One more skill to add to my set!

Radiotherapy will leave me exhausted after all the other treatment!

This would be a lot to take in even without the ‘Any more children planned?’ question. We were never planning any more babies but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to say ‘Yep, shrivel my ovaries all you like and I’ll just hope I remain in this frame of mind!’ I think we established early on I’m quite faddy and quite partial to changing my mind! I have been forced to confront every possibility- would I want another baby if…

a)     Rob dies and my new husband wants us to have children together

b)     One of my children dies and I don’t want the remaining one to be an only child

c)      I just change my mind (totally possible when my sisters/friends have more)

These may seem morbid and extreme scenarios but I defy them not to cross your mind if you were me!

Still, I’m taking my chances- fingers crossed two remains enough for me! I can take no more waiting (and no longer with this awful hairstyle!) there’s no time for egg stimulation or harvesting in my speedily moving plan. Sooner we start-sooner we finish and I can get on with my life with the two wonderful boys I already have!

Just to point out there is a slim possibility that I’ll still be able to conceive after treatment so I’m going with the ‘Whatever will be, will be’ school of thought!

I now have a ‘Chemo lesson’ to look forward to on Friday too- I certainly know how to kick off my weekend in style!

Right back to bed for me- filling my ‘waiting time’ with crazy busy-ness has left me exhausted! Night night. Xx