Surgery and Genetic Mistakes

I'm feeling much better after the last chemo, the only residual issue is really sore eyes. I get to go through it all again next week, so not really looking forward to that, but at least I know that the pain does go away - last time I was worried it was going to be like that for the remaining months of chemo.

This week I met with the specialist/surgeon. He had a bit of a feel and announced that he is very pleased with the response to chemo ("excellent, excellent"), since there is no longer really a lump to feel, which is good news. He is still recommending a masectomy though, given how big it was and the fact it is in the lymph nodes (they have to come out too). Apparently they can reconstruct on the same day though - after the specialist does the removal, a plastic surgeon would take fat from my stomach and use it to rebuild. I asked how much fat he could take, while he is there, get rid of the excess would be nice... Bet I'm not the first person to have asked that! I think that a reconstruction at the same time would be psychologically better than waking up from surgery with no boob, especially if it is only on one side. I keep thinking of being in primary school, typing 55378008 into a calculator and then turn it upside down to show "boobless" - hilarious when you are eight, now a little more sensitive...

Anyway, it would be almost a whole day operation. I thought it might be like getting my wisdom teeth out, so I asked if I go home that night - "er, no". It would be a week in hospital. There is something about having "drains",which I am not yet sure on the details of, but doesn't sound appealing. I asked how much surgery would cost and didn't get a straight answer - "quite expensive", "you have to negotiate with the plastic surgeon" - hmm, I'm guessing plastic surgeons drive flash cars for a reason... 

This week I also had an interesting chat with a genetic counsellor. Apparently we have about 30,000 genes, but so far they (scientists) have identified two as potentially causing breast cancer (imaginatively named BRCA1 and BRCA2, breast cancer 1 and 2, although they also cover ovarian cancer). Everyone has these genes and usually the code sequence is the same for everyone, which tells the body how to operate. However, some people have a genetic "mistake" or "mutation", perhaps a missing or additional piece of code, which can mess up the instructions to the body and cause cancer. I am at a high risk of having a genetic mistake because (i) I have breast cancer at a relatively young age and (ii) there are more than two instances in the family history. So my blood is being tested and I will get the results in 4-6 weeks. If the result is positive, it means a 50% chance of developing cancer in the other breast (and/or ovaries, but that would probably be at a later stage). I don't really like those odds and I don't like the thought of waiting to go through all this again at some point in the future, so I think I would opt for a bilateral(double) masectomy - on the plus side it would mean removing more fat from my stomach and it should be easier to get them nice and even :)

Getting Worse

I am so sore now, I'm not sure if it is muscle ache or bone ache, but even my insides hurt and I've moved from nausea to actual vomit :( This is the first time that I really feel rough, as you would expect a cancer patient to feel I suppose... Fingers crossed that this will pass soon, as it is taking it out of me - harder to stay positive when feeling sicky-sick-sick!

Aches & Pains

It seems that I was a little premature in thinking this chemo was going to be better - the muscle ache side effect of docetaxel has kicked in - yesterday I felt like I had run the city to surf given the soreness in my legs and ankles. The pain was so bad that I was awake most of the night, so I'm exhausted now. The oncologist gave a prescription for strong painkillers that I was hoping I wouldn't need to use - I'll be getting those today! Really hoping that it doesn't last too long, I will be really hard to be like this for weeks or months, so fingers crossed it will "only" be a few days...

Chemo - 4 down, 2 to go

I had my fourth chemo treatment on Tuesday, new drug this time - Docetaxel. Initially the nurse tried to go in my left hand, the same vein as last time, which immediately blew (went through to the other side) so we had to move to the right hand. I have some quite impressive bruising on both hands now! Apparently the damage isn't permanent though, just some internal scarring that will eventually heal.

Luckily I was in the 60% who don't have a reaction to the drug (difficulty breathing) so that was fairly uneventful. I got to wear some lovely cold mittens and slippers to try to prevent damage to my hands/feet/nails so hopefully they did the job:

There has been much less nausea this time, but I have to admit that I am really tired.

Not too much else to report. I have appointments with the surgeon and genetic counsellors for the week after next, to discuss surgery and whether a potential genetic "mistake" caused my cancer at this age respectively. Will keep posting any news as I get it.

(Virtual) Headwear Fashion Show

For those who haven't seen me since I became a baldie, I thought I would post a selection of my new headwear looks (apologies for the dodgy photography - they were taken by myself in the bathroom on my iphone!)

My second wig - $40 from Paddy's market and annoyingly I think I prefer it to the $500 one:

Hats and scarves from the US (sorry Gerry, Bernie et al, but it really isn't unAustralian to buy online!):

Scarves made by mum from material made in Marrickville (thanks Mum!):

Life List Update

I can't cross any more off my list (all the travel ones are on hold) but some are at least in progress thanks to to some excellent Christmas presents:

• Hubby gave me a ride in a Tiger Moth, as well as 4 laps of Eastern Creek raceway in a V8 race car for hubby and I, so I'm really looking forward to those this year :)
• Work gave me a lovely Japanese Maple bonsai tree and some guides to growing them - I keep looking at it nervously on the coffee table, somewhat fearful that I am going to kill it (I do have a tendency to forget to water plants) but hopeful that it will miraculously flourish!
• Mum & Dad Irwin gave me a teddy bear pattern, so I need to get some material and brush up on my sewing in order to get that made, hopefully this month
• I bought myself the entire BBC Shakespeare Collection - 37 DVDs to watch over the coming months, some quality couch time there! I have also a lovely book containing an overview and each of the plays, which I have started reading to try to decide an order to watch them in (thanks Mum & Dad Irwin)

We bought Rosie trapeze lessons for Christmas, so watching her doing catches in Centennial Park the other day made me really keen to have a go, but I'm not sure that my arm is strong enough after the collapsed vein issues. However, once I have surgery and get my lymph nodes removed I suspect the other arm isn't going to be much use either so I think that I should probably do it sooner rather than later!

Christmas holidays

I had a lovely Christmas holidays, despite the Chemo on 21 Dec. I managed to eat reasonably normally, including oysters, prawns, ham and turkey for our Christmas buffet :) Couldn't face alcohol though, even when the Moet came out. Lots of family time (mine and boots') was great, including being on the farm for a few days. We spent some great time on the beach, even if I feel slightly self-conscious as a baldie. (interestingly, sunrise tv show this morning said that bald is hot - nice to be on-trend!) I did recover sufficiently to drive the convertible home with Rosie - it was good to get some use from the "mid-life crisis before the real crisis" car!


I'm in the last week of the third chemo cycle, feeling ok, but a little tired with really sore eyes. This happened last cycle too, so I think that it is normal. My arm was much better this time though, thankfully, a little bit sore but not crippling (I'm not quite game for a trapeze class yet, but watch this space!)


I am feeling slightly apprehensive about Chemo next week. Not only the ongoing side effects, but apparently whilst it is being given about 40% of people have issues such as not being able to breathe... Hmm... They have to stop the treatment and restart once you can breathe again! Hopefully I will be in the 60%...


This week there has been lots of talk of breast cancer, with the McGrath foundation raising money for their breast care nurses at the cricket (another aside - it is very unfair that since I became Australian the team is terrible - maybe I should have stuck with England!) Anyway, I have been thinking about Jane McGrath a bit recently, given some of the similarities - English, Aussie husband, diagnosed with breast cancer at a relatively young age, etc. I don't know many specifics about her case, but I am really hoping that it doesn't end the same way... I do have to face that it is a possibility, but fingers crossed I will be lucky and able to successfully fight it long term.


I don't have any updates on my surgery yet, but I'm hoping to book an appointment with the specialist in the next week or two. I'll post an update about chemo #4 and any other news next week.