Hair Update

My hair is growing really well and hopefully I should be able to take off my hats and head scarves in public soon. 

I had my radiotherapy treatment planning appointment on Friday and I am starting treatment on the 16th, every day for 3 - 4 weeks. 

Radiotherapy Doctor appointment

Went to see the radiotherapy doctor today and I think she was just making sure that I knew what was coming up. She didn't give me anymore information than I already knew so now it's another wait of two or three weeks to actually meet with the radiotherapy team to prepare me for the treatment. And then the actual treatment is two or three weeks after that!

I've been cycling three times a week these past few weeks to strengthen my body. I think I may have to make it less frequent as I was quite tired this morning and I don't really know why. I think I need to slowly build up. And I have started a church course on Weds evenings and a creative writing course on Monday evenings. It's all very fun and gives me the opportunity to develop myself and try new things. These new interests also gives me a focus in my very free time, otherwise I am very susceptible to doing activities that require spending money! Only the creative course costs me ££.

My hair is starting to grow back!

Younger Women Breast Cancer Support Group

I went along to a support group tonight for women under the age of 45. It was very interesting and it felt good to chat with other women who had the same condition as me. It was a very small group of six women. Three were going through treatment, one was post treatment for breast cancer but at risk of ovarian cancer and the oldest woman who perhaps was in her 40s had breast cancer 20 years ago. It was so fascinating to hear how each woman's treatment plan was different and specific to each unique diagnosis, though we all shared the same condition. Three women had mastectomies straightaway; one did not have chemo; one did not have radiotherapy. Two of the women had also  undergone reconstructive surgery and I was amazed to find out that in both their cases part of their stomach had been used to do the reconstruction! Essentially they also got a tummy tuck in the process! Amazing what modern medicine can do nowadays! Their stomach and the surrounding areas still work as before and their boobs do feel like boobs!

One lady who was living out in Beijing had discovered her illness and has flown back to the UK to receive treatment. Small world that it is, she and her family had lived in Hong Kong before Beijing due to her husband's job and her son was born there.

One lady is still on her journey with cancer even though it has been four years on since. Laura discovered she had breast cancer when she was pregnant and had had her 20 week scan. She underwent a mastectomy whilst she was pregnant but had to wait till the birth of her daughter before undergoing chemotherapy. And even then she had to have an early caesarean so that she could begin chemo. She's since had a fertility test which has informed her that she is infertile, and also now she has discovered that she has a 40% - 60% chance of having ovarian cancer and so has decided to remove her ovaries! My heart went out to her. Thank God she has a daughter.

It was really good to chat to these women, to share the upheaval of having such a serious illness, to learn about how they have made decisions about their treatment and how they have managed the rest of their lives during their journeys. Whilst I knew that I was not alone, this was the first time that I had met other women who specifically had my type of cancer and it's comforting to know there are others going through what I am going through.

Margins Clear!

I am so happy! The doc said that my margins from the latest operation are clear of cancer cells! Hooray! That means no more surgery and I can move onto the next stage of my treatment. I was really dreading bad news when I was going in there, but what wonderful news instead! Phew. Thank you Father for you are a good and gracious God! I have an appointment with the radiotherapy dept in mid Sept to plan my radiotherapy treatment so this blog may become a big sparse till then. I was hoping to update everyone with how I have been spending my days, but I haven't settled into a routine yet as one-off events keep popping up (my parents' business sale and the additional op). But my days are beginning to settle down. I recently wrote down a list of things I should be focusing on, and these were bible study, improving my fitness, chinese studies, improving my cooking and learning creative writing. This sounds like a lot, but it's not. I'm not intending to do all of these every day, but one or two but having a list is good so I am not aimless. 

I have been doing my chinese homework in preparation for the new academic year and I've also ordered some cookery books. I've also been on a creative writing workshop which was very fun, and I've just bought a new bike so I am making progress with my goals. I am very excited about my new bike arriving as I am a very active person and have despaired that I have been unable to work out much this year (understandably). So I am looking forward to getting back out into the open air and letting off some steam!

Thank God for today's outcome. I feel like I have been told that I can pass!

Results of surgery appointment

Whoops. Forgot to let you all know that I will be seeing my breast care doctor today to get the results of the operation. Some of you will read/get this too late, but if in it time please pray that they got all the tissue with the cancer cells and I can proceed with the radiotherapy. My appointment is at 2:45pm.

Doing well

Mum and dad picked me from hospital yesterday and we spent much of the morning in B&Q! They wanted to buy stuff and I wanted to stretch my legs. I am not feeling any pain now as I am taking painkillers. I took a nap in the afternoon and had a relaxing dinner with my parents.