Still Stage 3 but better than it might have been

Yesterday I said goodbye to Shelley and was transferred over to oncology for the next leg of my treatment.

The breast tissue biopsied since the Mastectomy identified 3 Lobular Invasive tumours the largest of which measured 6cm.  There were lobular pre-cancerous areas (LCIS) as well as the already identified ductal pre-cancerous areas (DCIS).

During the Mastectomy I had an axillary clearance which was the removal of my level 1 and 2 lymph nodes and one of the level 3 lymph nodes which go right up into the neck area.
9 lymph nodes were biopsied in total, and here is where I finally have some good/feels miraculous news! Only one of the 9 had cancer in it and it was the same node which was previously biopsied!!

The fact the level 3 node was clear is great news because the cancer cells may be more contained than we had previously thought. I still have Stage 3 Cancer, it isn't exactly tremendous news but I am taking this as a celebratory point as there has been nothing but "worse than hoped for" news to this point.

Your kind wishes, flowers, cards and gifts have been overwhelming and beautifully uplifting as I have been recovering from this surgery and I am truly grateful, Thank you. With respect to the physical recovery, I have a lot of numbness across my "boobigone area" and significant, peculiar nerve discomfort in my upper arm and armpit. I am doing the exercises and pushing that bit further each time. I had even developed what I thought to be a pronounced pectoral muscle but that turned out to be a 50ml fluid build up which Shelley stuck a needle into yesterday, flattening me right back down again ...I didn't feel a thing!

On Monday I will meet my oncologist and start talking about my chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.  Jezz has some huge concerns over me having a suppressed immune system (due to Chemo) and effectively being in the danger of death group if I were to get Covid-19. We are considering going private to have Chemo at home and having me locked in the house in a space suit with an airlock at the door, OK not that extreme but if my wonderful man had his choice I would be in a bubble of 100% germ isolation for the next 6 months ...at least it feels good to be so precious to somebody😍.  We will be making some changes for sure but more of that over time.

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