Taming Cells

Most of the moments since my appointment with Oncology on Monday have been spent researching, exasperating, securing information, chasing, discussing and feeling overwhelmed.  The timing of the next phase of my treatment will exactly correspond with the expected peak infection period by the Coronavirus in the UK. The type of Chemo I am likely to have makes you neutropenic (low white blood cells) which effectively means your immune system becomes severely suppressed. This would be, to quote Donald Trump "very bad", in the context of a dangerous new disease which can nobble those with underlying health issues ...including broken immune systems. Chemo has been given for my type (grade 2/size 6mm/node +/macrometasteses) of breast cancer as a "belt and braces" approach for decades. The medical world now know that for up to 70% of us, Chemo doesn't actually make any more difference to cancer returning than the endocrinal treatment we will get after the Chemo.  So if I...

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 ...

Adele and Jezz are eating pancakes... Adele: I keep disappearing. Jezz: Where do you go? Adele: The far away land of Boobigon. Jezz: Ooh is that near the Republic of Oneballi? Adele: Yes, they're neighbouring countries. Jezz: Is Hitler there? Adele: Yes, that is why we have a Boobigonarmy. Adele and Jezz continue to eat pancakes.

Before Jezz left I had a weird experience which can only be described as feeling like weeing through the left of my ribcage. I was left in no doubt that allowing my drain tube to block by becoming kinked (like a garden hose) does not end well for keeping randomly generated body fluids contained within the body and drain paraphernalia.  The side-weed body fluids even got my phone😱. Fortunately the drain was removed on Tuesday, it wasn't a painful experience but it was peculiar.  Imagine if you are able, a foot-long Haribo snake which is asleep on your ribcage but under your skin.  Somewhere near your sternum it awakens, juddering, squirming and then in one swift writhing dart move it slithers across your chest and exits through a tiny hole in your left torso. Well if you can imagine that, you will know what it felt like, and that it was peculiar. Mum and I have been doing much sorting this week, it seems I dont get around to sorting things, this is the luxury domain of re...

Recovery is coming along and I am looking forward to Wednesday when I can go beyond exercise 4 in my leaflet of post op exercises. These beauties lie ahead of me and after another week I will be able to do some almost yogic stretches too. I have been blessed by the love, care and kind thoughts and prayers which I have received and am convinced that the kind thoughts of others have helped me make this Op' so easy to recover from this far, I send truly deep thank yous to everyone who has sent their love and wishes, I am sure the vibes have reached me and helped me! Today is the last day I have the luxury of Jezz and Mum at home. It has been lovely, however, I am pleased that Jezz will be in London when I move on to exercise seven if this is what I got for exercise two  over breakfast today!😂

I had been doing a lot of staring into space in the run up to 0900 today when I went into theatre. We had been at the hospital since 0700 but unfortunately as my pre-op had only been done yesterday and despite it being mainly typed into a computer, there didn't seem to be much of a record that I had even been in the hospital yesterday!! I was first on the list and embarrassed that I delayed the start of the team's list. Everyone was on good form though.  Shelley was smiling again and she and my anaesthetist were beyond reassuring and relaxed.  I walked right into theatre and popped myself up onto the bed, no being wheeled in any more!  There was some cannulation pallaver but eventually I felt the hard-stuff in my wrist veins, held someone's hand and was out.  I came round quite comfortably; ate toast, three digestives, three cups of tea, several cups of water and some pain relief.  I was able to call Jezz to come and get me after chatting with a couple of med st...

The weekend was a blur, I know Jezz, my sister and I had a lovely walk and Jules and I had a fabulous lunch at The Ethicurian but I was in a crazy mental turmoil. Basically I felt like I was sitting on a metaphoric space-hopper-full-of-sewage that would explode if I didn't remain seated upon it. I mentally wobbled and bobbled into Monday, I did a few bounces during Qi Gong and Meditation classes at Penny Brohn and then spoke a few honest words to a couple of my fellow cancer-club members. It felt good, like the space-hopper-full-of-sewage almost had a puncture through which the sewage could begin to seep. I ate with Steff on Monday evening and thought I needed to be on my own to just finally let the space hopper burst and the sewage spew in god knows what kind of riotous performance.  Steff knew better though and called me down to her flat at 8.30 for a surprise pre-bedtime massage. It was wonderful!  Steff is amazing at massage, she has the special bed with the face-hole...