Thanks for taking the time to visit my website. I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself. I'm a wife and mother of 3 young children, Matthew 13, Ellie 10 and Freddie 6. I was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2001 at the age of 36. Following Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy, I was in remission until a chance MRI scan in Feb 2005 for an unrelated problem, detected that the Cancer had returned. I was then diagnosed with Secondary Breast Cancer. The likely prognosis given in February was 18 months to 5 years. I then had to undergo aggressive Chemotherapy, but following the results of a recent bone scan, it was found that the Cancer is still spreading.
The treatment in Germany will cost thousands of pounds and for most people like myself, the opportunity for this is a dream. Many of my Family and Friends want to make this dream a reality and are making tremendous fund raising efforts, because without them, I would not be able to seek the treatment that I so obviously need and which is not being offered in this country.
Feeling so sick all the time
I'm still feeling really sick due to the spread to the mesentery around the stomach and had to call the out of hours doctors service today because I felt so bad. They gave me an injection and some more antisickness tablets which are helping only slightly. My appetite is completely out the window, I must have lost a lot of weight.
Update from Spinal Surgeon
Dr Barrett called me this morning to say that the Spinal Surgeon (he puts rods in your spine) thought that he wouldn't be able to help and that it would not really make any difference to my back problem but he would like me to have an MRI scan to double check and then possibly talk me through why he thinks his procedure wouldn't work. I'm waiting this week for an appointment for the MRI scan. Dr Barrett then went on to say that the Radiologist who deals with the Vertebroplasty is on holiday. So, I'm not really any further forward.
Dr Barrett suggested that if I hadn't had an appointment through for the MRI scan, I should contact her secretary to chase.
Oncology appointment
Had a good 35 minute consultation with Dr Barrett this afternoon reviewing all my problems that I thought I had plus something she highlighted that I didn't even know was happening! It was a bit of a shock really because at first I thought she was saying that the cancer had spread to my stomach so that was a shocker but this is not quite the case and the stomach is in fact okay. The cancer has spread to an area around the stomach called the mysentery which are glands or nodes. After explaining the stomach problems I had during my holiday Dr Barrett said that the nodes will be full of cancer and are squeezing and pushing the stomach up which is also affecting my breathing and making me feel very sick. She didn't offer any remedy for this other than anti-sickness tablets which I'm taking but aren't particularly helping.
Then we went on to talk about my posture and back problem which is obviously causing me huge problems and concern. I obviously asked about what could be done and she mentioned an operation called Vertebroplasty
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=vertebroShe said as it is bank holiday weekend coming up, people are on hols but she will try to speak with the radiologist about this operation and also a spinal surgeon to see if they thought that metal rods into the spine might help! As usual I have to wait for all this. Dr B said she would call by the end of the week with an update on these suggestions.
Hols didn't quite go according to plan!
Just returned from a well deserved break in the sun but unfortunately it didn't quite go according to plan. We had a really smooth journey to Spain and we were really pleased with the attention given to our party because I was in a wheelchair. We arrived at our villa on time and were able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. I had a good 3/4 days enjoyment before spending 6 days in bed with a possible stomach bug and then 7 hours in A&E at the Costa del Sol hospital. Following various chats with the doctors and an x-ray they said that they thought it could possibly be the cancer pushing my stomach up and irritating it. Fortunately I had my E111 card with me and didn't have to pay a penny for any of the treatment.
I did still manage to get out and about on the days that I didn't feel so bad thanks to having the wheelchair as I just couldn't walk very far and we managed to visit a number of nice places including Mijas and Puerto Banus, blimey how the other half live with their flash cars and £30 million pound yachts!
Julie did a marvellous job of dressing my armpit everyday and although we had a few days where it was getting quite bloody we managed to keep it under control. Unfortunately though, there is no change and I still have a massive hole in my armpit with no sign of healing. It did impact my holiday a great deal because I just couldn't swim and therefore no chance of cooling off from the lovely hot sun.
All in all it was lovely to get away, I didn't have to do anything and I didn't have to think about hospital appointments etc. Unfortunately I've returned on a real downer and have been in tears a few times over the last couple of days. I just don't know how I'm going to cope because I can hardly do anything myself any more without being extremely tired and in pain. I can't eat properly and I can't breath. I've got an Oncology appointment on Monday and am hoping to discuss my problems at length with Dr Barrett to see what can be done.
