Best Of

Hi @Clairebear7 so great you posted. I am sorry you find yourself here but you will find a lot of support from those of us who have walked this path. I remember reading absolutely every post in here before I built the courage up to post myself. You are never alone, we understand and there may come a time where you will also help someone who posts for the first time. 🌸 The dose dense chemo is challenging, I really had to do a lot of self talk and get in the zone. I imagined the chemo as liquid gold and what I needed to destroy any crappy cells. The chemo also builds up as you go so it is normal to feel more tired as you go. I would literally randomly lie down and sleep. One thing I found helpful was a calendar that I put a great big cross through after every round. I did 4 x fortnightly and then did 12 weekly. It’s also normal to feel anxious because it all feels so strange. Be kind to yourself. Don’t get ahead of yourself, just focus on today. Have you found that you have some good days in the fortnight? When you feel ok, do something you love - coffee? Read? See a friend? If you can try to go for a stroll. If you need anything, jump on here. On my first post, I was told that I would look back on my chemo and would most likely forget a lot of it - I found that hard to believe at the time, but 2 years on, I can say that advice was so true. This time now will pass. Another tip I was given was to reframe how you are thinking, rather than worry about things in the future, consciously say, at this time. Take care, you can do this. 🌸 

@Siewli
Unfortunately you can do little until you get the results of your tests and know what is what. All those investigations are sensible and practical, everyone needs to know but that doesn’t make it any easier to endure. What you can do sounds counterintuitive but it’s also practical - look after yourself. If the tests turn up nothing, that’s good news. If they turn up something, then your team can work on it as soon as possible. You need to be as strong and fit as you can be, so you can face these changes and get through treatment. Reach out to anyone who can provide some company and distraction while you wait. Best wishes. 

Hi ladies,
sorry it took me a little while to return. My appointment with the surgeon went as expected. He did an ultrasound in his rooms and believes my lymph nodes to look normal. At this stage they are telling me grade 3 stage 2. He advised a lumpectomy appeared possible but that I could consider a mastectomy, he advised genetic testing to assist with the decision. Personally I cannot imagine finding a lump again after going through everything, I think that would be very traumatic and all my life I have had lumps. I think I want a mastectomy…..
in any case, I have time to think about it. Being TNBC, I will have chemo first for 3-6 months (I’ll know more on this tomorrow when I see the oncologist).
I have a PET scan scheduled this afternoon.
on the private vs public query. I am seeing an oncologist tomorrow who works in both and am going to suggest public for the chemo at least, assuming they can get things moving quickly enough, it sounds like the public system will offer me everything I need.
I’m feeling good 😊. The thought of cancer is pretty all consuming but I don’t have a doubt that I’m strong enough and will get through this.