dealing with risking fertility due to chemo

Hi Ange, completely get how hard it is and it's so okay to be negative about this stuff from time to time, well I think so anyway it helps you get through. Rather than having to be positive some times having this all just sucks days helps. However hopefully my story will help as I'm lucky it is a positive one.

I was diagnosed in 2012 whilst 31 weeks pregnant with my first child. Like everyone found everything overwhelming and scary (still do at times). I was lucky enough to only have a lumpectomy and my baby was induced at 37 weeks (which to my delighted resulted in a natural birth) and I commenced chemo two weeks later. I was really concerned about my baby and what would happen to my fertility. I managed to get an appointment with and IVF specialist who explained our options there was a small possibility of being able to freeze eggs but what I would have to go through in the two weeks post birth and staring chemo, plus cost and the success rate didn't work for us so we decided to leave it wasn't the right option for us at the time.

We were hoping to have our children close together if possible and I was hoping to fall pregnant with my second around the same time as my friends and so felt disappointment when the drs told me that we would need to wait a minimum of 2 years before trying again. However I was extactic when post treatment my period returned, a step in the right direction. At my 2 year check my dr suggested we wait another 6 mths to have some tests repeated which I was again disappointed with. But then had the tests, got the clear from the dr and a month later I was pregnant. I'm now 28 weeks with my second and feel so incredibly grateful every day as I know not everyone has a positive outcome.

I have been involved in a research project developing a new resource that will be available through Cancer Council on fertility . It is really good and touches on all different areas. I wished something like it was available when I went through this as I found it hard to find reliable information.

I found it really hard not to be worried and scared especially as we didn't have the option of saved eggs to fall back on but just took each day at a time and set times to worry. ie.e if my period doesn't return by this date i'll look at what my options are, wait for the drs to give a clear and then start trying, try for a year before seeing dr about fertility. Everytime I raced ahead to researching what ifs I felt completely overhwhelmed.

I'm in Sydney so can't catch up in person but happy to chat over phone or email. Wishing you all the best for your treatment x