Wednesday, 10 October 2012
I got some good news today. I got a
call from one of my insurance companies, they are going to give us
some money so we're out of the shit financially for now.
We had an uneventful journey to Guys. Husband visibly biting his tongue frequently and letting me have my own way. He must have been all too aware of my ability to blow in a massive way this morning and he walked on eggshells to avoid it. The clinic was running two and a half hours late which is very unusual and very annoying. We quickly exhausted the decent magazines and need for free tea. Husband visited the shop (best hospital shop ever - have I already told you about it? they sell everything you'd expect ie mags, papers, get well soon cards and presents etc but they also have a fantastic selection of healthy lunch options and some great exotic foods too, anyway I digress...) and just as I feel into a deep sleep (making up for the lack last night) they called us in.
My nurse was there, she comes to all the consultations now, and we were seeing a very efficient, small, French Oncology Consultant. She took us through my scan results. The blood scan was clear. The CT scan showed my organs to be clear but picked up some very small legions on my left femur, right hip and the base of my spine. The Bone scan was, however, clear.
These small foci could be any number of things (not sure exactly what). They may have always been there. They may stay there forever without ever causing a problem. They may be absolutely nothing to worry about. They will be discussed at great length by 'The Board' who will decide whether I need to have another MRI scan so they can have another look. They may be cancer related. My nurse has assured me that these things come up all the time and generally they are nothing to worry about. I will try not to worry.
So, to the next steps. Tomorrow I have a hair appointment booked for 10am where I will confidently and with no tears ask for a 'pixie crop with a longer front bit'. Then at 11.30am I have to see my surgeon so he can examine my breast. It has been a bit more painful these last few days and has developed a slightly red rash. Hopefully this is nothing to worry about but he may give me some antibiotics just to make sure there is no infection before chemo starts. Then at 2.15pm I will go to the appliance department to choose my wig (the children have insisted I have one although I don't think I'll wear it often). My wonderful Sister-in-law will be there to hold my hand, catch my hair and laugh at my wig choice!
Next Wednesday I have to have my heart scanned. This is because the drugs in the chemo and the Herceptin are all very bad for the heart. They need to scan it before I start treatment to make sure it looks strong enough and to give them a starting point for comparing the scans during treatment. Then the first chemo 'slot' after that is the 24th October. Before that I will also need to have my blood checked again to check my white and red blood cells.
So I have two weeks of pre-chemo left. I'm going to get out a bit and not take too many visitors at home as I think I'll be doing a lot of that in the coming months. On Friday evening we're planning to use a wonderful gift of a meal in a very special place sent to us from our friends in the desert, while the girls go for a sleepover in Canterbury. On Sunday we have a film premier in Leicester Square to attend with the kids thanks to our amazing scenic and puppetry painter friend and in the next week I'm planning day trips to Hastings, London and anywhere else that takes my fancy...and why not.
We had an uneventful journey to Guys. Husband visibly biting his tongue frequently and letting me have my own way. He must have been all too aware of my ability to blow in a massive way this morning and he walked on eggshells to avoid it. The clinic was running two and a half hours late which is very unusual and very annoying. We quickly exhausted the decent magazines and need for free tea. Husband visited the shop (best hospital shop ever - have I already told you about it? they sell everything you'd expect ie mags, papers, get well soon cards and presents etc but they also have a fantastic selection of healthy lunch options and some great exotic foods too, anyway I digress...) and just as I feel into a deep sleep (making up for the lack last night) they called us in.
My nurse was there, she comes to all the consultations now, and we were seeing a very efficient, small, French Oncology Consultant. She took us through my scan results. The blood scan was clear. The CT scan showed my organs to be clear but picked up some very small legions on my left femur, right hip and the base of my spine. The Bone scan was, however, clear.
These small foci could be any number of things (not sure exactly what). They may have always been there. They may stay there forever without ever causing a problem. They may be absolutely nothing to worry about. They will be discussed at great length by 'The Board' who will decide whether I need to have another MRI scan so they can have another look. They may be cancer related. My nurse has assured me that these things come up all the time and generally they are nothing to worry about. I will try not to worry.
So, to the next steps. Tomorrow I have a hair appointment booked for 10am where I will confidently and with no tears ask for a 'pixie crop with a longer front bit'. Then at 11.30am I have to see my surgeon so he can examine my breast. It has been a bit more painful these last few days and has developed a slightly red rash. Hopefully this is nothing to worry about but he may give me some antibiotics just to make sure there is no infection before chemo starts. Then at 2.15pm I will go to the appliance department to choose my wig (the children have insisted I have one although I don't think I'll wear it often). My wonderful Sister-in-law will be there to hold my hand, catch my hair and laugh at my wig choice!
Next Wednesday I have to have my heart scanned. This is because the drugs in the chemo and the Herceptin are all very bad for the heart. They need to scan it before I start treatment to make sure it looks strong enough and to give them a starting point for comparing the scans during treatment. Then the first chemo 'slot' after that is the 24th October. Before that I will also need to have my blood checked again to check my white and red blood cells.
So I have two weeks of pre-chemo left. I'm going to get out a bit and not take too many visitors at home as I think I'll be doing a lot of that in the coming months. On Friday evening we're planning to use a wonderful gift of a meal in a very special place sent to us from our friends in the desert, while the girls go for a sleepover in Canterbury. On Sunday we have a film premier in Leicester Square to attend with the kids thanks to our amazing scenic and puppetry painter friend and in the next week I'm planning day trips to Hastings, London and anywhere else that takes my fancy...and why not.
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