14th July '08

It seems that such a lot has happened since I last updated you, but it's only today that we've finally been able to tie all the loose ends together & make sense of everything.

After waiting for the appointment to get my pathology results, I was really gutted to have my appointment cancelled as they weren't back from the lab. Regardless of where your cancer starts, it always ends up in your brain, or more exactly in your mind! Waiting for results and for plans to be made is almost as hard as the diagnosis & treatment itself, so waiting another week did not put me in a good frame of mine at all.

Soon enough though, the next week rolled around and we arrived at MK to see the surgeon. Unlike most surgeons mine seem to be rather an oddity, as they both communicate well with patients. Most surgeon it seems are better with a knife that with patients, which is lucky I suppose as that's the career route they've taken! The news they had for us was all good, if rather confusing.

All the fourteen lymph nodes they'd removed were free from any disease, which implies that the chemo was doing a good job in trying to reduce the chances of the cancer spreading and taking up residence elsewhere. The breast tissue samples showed no signs of the original inflammatory breast cancer (another thumbs up for the chemo), although they did issolate a 3cm area of DCIS. In true fashion I'd got my monies worth, and had even got BOGOF on my breast cancer! Two for the price of one, is apparently pretty rare, but then I do like to be different.

DCIS isn't an invasive cancer like my original diagnosis. It's changes often seen as small calcifications which are pre-cancerous, but likely to become nasty if they're left to their own devices, so the management is still the same.

Unfortuately, my oncologist was on holiday (shock horror), so it's taken until today to confirm my treatment plan and it that time lots of other things have changed too! Notably. I'm still going back to see the breast care nurses every few days to have my fluid drained. They aspirate varying amounts, but usually between 200mls & 350mls, and gradually the periods between visits is getting longer, and the volumes smaller. I've had my quarterly heart scan which confirms I have one, and that it's in good working order, so I can continue with my Herceptin.

The biggest change to the family is that the childminder we've used for two years is going to get a "proper" job, just when we need her most. Luckily, I'd seen this coming a while ago, and so both Morgan & Freya are now booked to attend our local day nursery from August when we're back from our holiday. It's not an ideal solution, but the nursey staff seem really nice, and it's very local.

After seeing the oncologist today, we now have a plan to work with. As all the inflammatory cancer seems to have gone they have no plans for more chemo, and will keep that in hand for if I need further treatment in the future. On Wednesday, I meet the radiotherapy team for my radiotherapy planning. During this they'll analyse exactly where they need to apply the beam, and tattoo an "X marks the spot" so that they're sure I get the right dose in the right place each time. I've been prescribed 20 sessions, and am hoping they'll start as soon as we get home, but this is still dependant on my fluid accumilation finally behaving, so we'll wait & see.

Work have started to chase me as to my plans for return to work, and consequently I'm having a telephone interview with them this week. At the moment I'm amazed that they're even pushing the subject, but I guess they're just doing their job ... but I can't see me rushing back anytime soon.

The 25th July sees us heading off for a well earned break to the New Forest, where we hope to meet up with friends and family, but generally just have some quality time together as a family. In my usual belt & braces way, I've got a copy of my last hospital letter, and have found the local breast care nurses, but hope not to need to use them.