The 15th of June – a day I will never forget certainly has changed my life – not only mine but to all those who are close to me as well. On this very day the doctor had called me in (with instruction to bring someone with) to bear the bad news that I had Breast Cancer. After hearing that my lump which was detected was indeed maligment – it dosn't feel like a reality. It can’ t happen to me - I’m only 26 after all? It appears with my bad like (really bad luck might I add with everything that has happened in the last year and a half) I am part of a very rare statistic where yet 3 % of women under the age of 35 will get breast cancer…
The very following week I was scheduled for surgery to have my nodes checked out and yet another biopsy taken. More bad news…not only had this BC spread to my liver but it was stage 3 and to put icing on the cake I was HER2 positive. To explain HER2 positive in a way that people will understand better – this means there is a cell that is making everything replicate even quicker. Oh S&*T!
What furiates me the most here is that I originally felt the lump myself in November. I went to an idiot (putting it mildly) of a GP that misdiagnosed me by saying it was a swollen gland (knowing that I had cancer both sides of my family) – why I didn’t have it checked out sooner after that I don’t know. Guess not all people in white coats are smarter than you think…The thing that upsets me is that I would be at an earlier stage of BC or even over this 'ordeal' by now if it weren’t for him.
This blog may be a bit cheesy and cliché but it’s my way of letting everyone know what’s up/ my way to vent/ remember how things go. Please don’t feel obliged to read it. I just find people are always asking how I am and how I’m feeling. If I offend anyone I apologize in advance.
The doctors have decided to go the Chemo route with no operating. Keep it under control is all they can really do. My diagnosis is a bit of a dangerous one because it’s in my system already and it’s making it’s route around the body ready to latch onto something else.
I have the worlds best support team :). My family, close friends, work and Nigel. They don’t bombard me with all this craziness that is. They just know when to step back, be there, hear me rant, load me with love and support.
Oh – forgot to tell you the good news (yes, amazingly there was good news!). When visiting my oncologist they insisted that they wanted to start on treatment asap but I should consider going on the trial (they were looking for a study case with my specs if you could say). You see my treatment is so expensive because I have HER2 that they can offer it to me for free if I decide to go on this case. Medical aids stop paying for the treatment (Herceptin) because of the costs. This ‘liquid gold’ costs R25 000 for just 2 sessions and I’m getting it not only for free but possibly as long as I’ll need it. Woop Woop!
On the 26th of July I had my chemo port put in. My veins are so small and impossible to get hold of so they inserted a small port about just smaller than a R5 coin beneath my skin in my chest area. It’s going to make the process so much easier. I was off work for a week with the port. You have noooo idea how much you use the muscles in this area. Could barely roll over in bed – and here I thought I would be off for just a day!
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