My guest blogger seems to have upstaged me so I’m taking over again! Thanks Sophie for your lovely contribution I love you heaps.

Today is ‘verdict day’ so it’s an odd day to update the blog but it’s a good time to share my past week and clear my mind in doing so.

This beast of a cancer is determined to make a fashion model out of me. Now that I am hairless, one breasted and having to carry two drainage tubes around in a floral bag the picture is perfect.  I had a few additions in hospital such as the long white socks and the bandage over the cannula. Apparently it’s all for the good.

If I could be so vain as to say my best attributes have gone, I would say it but perhaps it’s that my vices have been stripped from me and that can be a good thing. It forces me to live life for the right reasons. Besides, who needs a breast when it’s trying to kill you? Who needs hair when you have to keep washing it and cutting it. Apparently it will grow back. I already have stumpy little eye lashes and eyebrows growing.

The surgery wasn’t so bad. I took panadol and off I went, showering myself the morning after surgery and feeling pretty good overall. My underarm is giving me the most grief as it has a strange crater in it. I seem to have a lot of weird sensations, including pain, under there but I guess it will subside.  I also have numbness, intermittent coldness and a feeling that a mouse is running up the inside of my arm. Maybe I should remove the cheese from my armpit (mouse… cheese… never mind).

I’m so pleased that I kept up my exercise as I am still feeling so very fit and have very little fatigue. I can’t do any for 4 weeks now so that’s disappointing but at least I have a good starting point.

They put 100 ml of saline into the expander, which isn’t anything to write home about but in 2 weeks time they will add more and keep doing that until I am ‘balanced’.  Sorry… no photos. I draw the line there and I’m sure you’re pleased about that. Sophie couldn’t wait to see the war zone but not everyone has her warped curiosity.

I had a huge room of my own in the hospital for 5 nights and the nurses were calling me the queen. Given that my arm exercises include a ‘Queen like wave’ I showed them just how right they were. Although they were all lovely and I was very well treated (apart from the food!!!) I am very happy to be at home. There’s no place like home.

I would have been home after 2 days but the drainage from the wounds was (and still is) flowing a little too much. Hopefully the drainage tubes will come out soon as I am not fond of dragging them around with me. Yesterday was my dear MOTH’s birthday and after waiting all day for the district nurse to arrive we went to the movies and out to dinner. I had my drainage tubes in a bag under my coat, my wig and makeup back on and off we went. A tiring but fun day to celebrate  his birthday and the ignorance which could be called bliss. Today is ‘verdict day’.

 Verdict day

The surgeons and doctors had a forum to discuss my ‘special case’ yesterday. They have told me on a regular basis that I am ‘unusual’. Given that the 1st tumour shrunk with the first chemo (Paclitaxol ) but the 2nd tumour grew on it. If, in fact, it WAS a tumour. Both tumours grew on the 2nd chemo (AC). I’ve no idea when the lymph glands became malignant or how many (yet). I don’t know if there is any spread or if I need more chemo and radiotherapy. Surely 6 months of chemo is enough but if it’s necessary I’ll be guided by them. I’ve no idea how they will decide which type of chemo to give me.

So today is the day the doctors will decide how to continue with treatment, given the limited options of Triple Negative Breast cancer and this will be discussed with Colin and I this afternoon. I don’t know if I should hope for chemo and radiotherapy or not. Part of me just wants to get on with my life and the other part says ‘give me what I need to get rid of this thing’. I have faith in the surgeons, although mine is away this week so I will see a registrar.

Watch this space…

Last but not least

A big thank you to everyone for your prayers, well wishes, cards, flowers etc. We both feel really blessed to have such wonderful friends and family surrounding us with love and support. I know I haven’t personally thanked people for the cards etc but I really have appreciated your sentiments. It boosts me no end. I personally want to give a big hug to the MOTH and my 3 kids for being such troupers. Shan has been in NY but has been phoning and messaging me daily. I can’t wait to see him!