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gurneys's avatar
gurneys
Member
9 years ago

Touching Base to say hi

Hello everyone,
It has been quite some time since I have been on here so I feel a little out of touch with everyone. I hope you are all travelling ok. Following my bilateral mastectomy and TRAM flap recon back in July, I returned to fulltime work in September. Yeah, I know, crazy lady. But it was good to be back - to a life away from cancer - despite battling a frozen shoulder, a result of all the trauma inflicted on my poor arm this year.
A week before Christmas I went in for my third surgery for the year - this time saying goodbye to my ovaries and tubes. My last preventative surgery, (being BRCA2 pos) and the pathology results came back all clear so yay.
Bad news though is that while the surgeon was in there he noticed that something wasn't quite right with my intestines - red, inflamed, some scarring apparently. I have suffered from IBS my whole life but chemo this year really affected my tummy and with all the other drugs I have had thrown at me, things in that department haven't exactly been moving smoothly - or in most cases, too smoothly. My surgeon suggested Crohn's. I'm hoping it's not and that it's just some side effects that can be easily fixed. I'm grasping.
Anyway, just when I thought that the last surgery marked the end of it all, no, it has marked the beginning of something else. So now it's off to the gastroenterologist.
I'm having a little difficulty navigating this new site - I kind of preferred the old one, found it easier. But I just wanted to put it out there that if anyone needed a chat or some advice following my journey - early breast cancer, triple neg, lumpectomy, chemo, BRCA2 pos, bilateral mastectomy, TRAM flap recon, ovaries and tubes gone - then I am more than happy to share my experiences. Heck, I can even throw in a frozen shoulder, early menopause and now intestinal issues following treatment to the mix!! 
It's been a hell of a year, How many days left?
Sherril
  • Your positive attitude is evident and made me smile.  I have a very similar story to yours and am struggling a bit as of late with anxiety due to the constant barrage of new things going on in my body due to ongoing treatmet (bone loss, osteoporosis, PSTD, sleeplessness, aches and pains etc).
    I still choose to be happy and joyful most days, and find the support of my hubby an absolute God sent.  We do this, one day at a time and when I cry I allow myself the day off and then get back up and choose to carry on.  I wish you all the best with everything you face.  Take care x
  • Hi Sherrill
    Nice to see you on the new network. Yes it takes time to get used to. Goodness you've been through heaps. I do hope your new problem is chemo related and it will improve in time. Counting down to 2017 where this year becomes a distant memory.
    Woo hoo to you you've endured and sharing your experience. Pleased for you. Take care from Christine xx 
  • Hi Sherill, Hoping that you had a good Christmas in amongst everything else. Crossing fingers for you that your gastro finds that your inflammation is a result from chemo that will recover in time without needing anything else done. When is your appointment with the gastro? Let us know how you get on. Xx Cath
  • Hi Sherril, what a hell of a year you've had.Your list of ailments is on a par with mine.I'm sure the list grows as a result of all our cancer treatments.I now have gut problems too- diverticular disease.I have a fatty liver from Tamoxifen and so the list goes on.I feel like a hyperchondriac.I hope next year is better for you.It's good of you to share your experiences and you'll be my 'go to'person if I ever decide to have recon.Tonya xx
  • Excellent to hear things came back OK. Now intestinal issues uuuugh it really does feel relentless doesnt it?? hoping you get to the bottom of it and then can back to moving forward! Hugs Sherrill. xo Melinda 
  • So glad you are doing well even if life keeps chucking challenges at you. My gut and bowels have yet to fully recover from chemo.