Home again

I am home after a successful operation. I had to wait 4 hours to be taken into theatre as I was the young one and it was thought I would recover quicker. This turned out to be true as I left before the lady who went in before me.

Good news, the node turned out to be negative! Praise God the cancer hasn't spread! Big hooray!

I feel more alert after the operation than yesterday even though they gave me a stronger anaesthetic. Not sure why. Maybe it was the type. I haven't needed a nap today. There is pain in my right armpit (where they took the node) and for the time being I am not allowed to lift things with my right arm. Mum will stay with me till I feel better. 

Operation no.2

I am back at the hospital after a good night's rest. Mum also managed to sleep fine on my sofa bed, praise God.

This one is a more serious operation where they are going to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes around the breast. Please pray that it all goes well. 

I will find out the results in a couple of weeks. 

Home now

Am home now. Quite groggy. Mum looking after me. They got 10 eggs. Praise the Lord. Double digits is good. Feel bit sore round my middle. Am off to sleep off the anaesthetic. 

Please pray for tomorrow. Lymph node surgery. 

Operation no.1

First operation today. I'll only be going under sedation, but pray that everything will go smoothly, that there will be no problems and that they will get lots of eggs from me!

I feel loved

Ever since I started sharing my news more widely, I have been so touched by everyone's love and support for me. Everyone has been so great. My church group has committed to praying for me every week, my manager's wife gave me a hospital goodie bag, a friend is driving me to and from appointments and others send me gorgeous messages of encouragement, prayers and support. I do feel very blessed and loved. I do believe that God has a greater plan here other than my illness, but it is so great to have such good family and friends to help me through it. You who is reading this, I know that I am in your thoughts and prayers and I thank you for loving me. I hope one day that I can bless another as you have blessed mine. 

No MRI Results and Eggs

There were no MRI results as the radiologist hadn't reviewed the scan yet. Kalun and I waited for 1.5 hours(!) before being seen by my doctor who said a lot but told us very little. They could have called to reschedule. My doctor is going to call me in the next few days when he has consulted with the oncologist.

I am still having a lymph node surgery on Friday. This is to see if the cancer has spread to my nodes. I don't really know what they do. The doctor explained it but I still don't understand. Apparently they make up the body's defense mechanism. All I know is that it needs to be done to check if the cancer has spread. I didn't realise people had nodes. I feel like a Borg.

I am also undergoing an egg collection operation(!) on Thursday. This is because the chemotherapy will have a high chance of damaging my ovaries, it has been offered to me to freeze my eggs. When this was offered to me, I was and am slightly freaked out by the possibility that due to the cancer treatment I may not be able to have children. I would like to have some one day, but as I am not with a partner yet, it makes the reality somewhat distant but I would still like the option. It's not definite that I would be made infertile by the chemotherapy, which is a relief and this is a back up plan just in case. My fertility may recover after treatment. My age also means that there is a high possibility that my fertility may come back. However the doctors and nurses do say the words 'infertile,' 'destroyed,' and 'damaged eggs' which sting every time I hear them.

The wonderful thing is that the fertility treatment is all on the NHS! I am so glad I live in this country. So, I have been taking fertility drugs for 1.5 weeks now and I am nearly ready for 'harvesting.' I have 5 or 6 eggs that they will go in and take on Thursday. I feel it too. I feel bloated.

Many appointments

I have 3 hospital appointments today. The first one is the pre checking for my biopsy surgery on Friday, the second one is a fertility scan and the last one is the biggie. My MRI results. The oncologist gave me an initial assessment that the lump is large but let's pray/hope against this. 

Pray for strength and clarity for me today. I find these appointments overwhelming as it is information overload. My brother Kalun is coming with me to the last one so that is good. The other two my friend, Chris is accompanying me which is also good. 

My announcement