Hi Anita, I hope all goes well on Thursday and that you don't have to have chemo, but even if you do, know that you have lots of supporters here and that although chemo is tough, it is also doable. I had 6 cycles of chemo and 12 months of Herceptin which finished in June 2013 and I can't say it was easy but all the stuff you imagine beforehand quite often doesn't happen :-)
As for the kids, mine were 8 and 13 when I was diagnosed and they both coped quite well - it's amazing how resilient kids can be! We were upfront about the diagnosis and what was to happen and I think this helped them understand better what was going on. We found the booklet by the Cancer Council, called something like Talking to the Children About Cancer, really helpful in working out what to say and how to say it. Both kid's schools were fantastic and kept an eye on them throughout the time, regularly checking in with them. The school communities also provided practical help in the form of meals, hampers and walking my youngest home on days I couldn't face the crowds (and questions) at the school gate.
It sounds as though you have a good network of people around you and this makes such a huge difference, making a tough time much easier to bear. Whatever happens on Thursday, you will be OK. Jane xx
