Information - The future.

As promised in this post I will include some basic information on breast cancer and treatments etc. I have used Breast Cancer Care as the major source of information as I have found this most useful.

There are several types of breast cancer that can be found at different stages of development and can grow at different rates. Its a complex disease and is difficult to predict what course it will take. Doctors/specialists/nurses etc consider several factors when working out the best course of treatment for individuals that includes general health and age and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapy which is either provided alone or in any combination or order.

The type of breast cancer I have is classed as a grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. This means the tumor has spread outside the ducts to surrounding breast tissue, and has potential to spread to other body parts (metstasis). Treatment and therapy includes surgery and breast tissue reconstruction, meaning the whole of the breast surgically removed (mastectomy) and replaced with my own body tissue taken from either abdomen, back, buttocks or thigh. This treatment is individualised and prescribed by the health care team taking into account the above. At this stage I am unsure specifically other courses of treatments suggested for me, (of which I will know over the next few days/weeks) but reading most of the leaflefts from Breast Cancer Care is very likley to include radiotherapy, and either chemotherapy, hormone or targeted therapy, each of which has numerous common side-effects (nausea/vomiting/hair loss etc), requiring massive consideration by all involved in making these decisions, including me.

Had a fantastic day yesterday spending the entire day in London, visited The London Dungeons, The London Eye twice and The London Aquarium and came back home absolutely exhaused but having enjoyed every minute of it all. Went to work today, was a fairly good and enjoyable shift. Came home, chilled out, started thinking about cooking dinner. Thats when it felt like something had physically hit me across the back and hard - the future. Won't be able to enjoy days out for a long time after surgery - won't have normality of good/bad shifts at work. My world had suddenly become very dark, bleak and vulnerable. Feel it now. Don't really know whats in store. Even feel guilty for enjoying myself over the past few days. Difficult to have strength when this is running through you - that includes having an awareness of the information above. Deep breath, cup of tea and lots of chocolate in store I think!