Active Treatment Completed – Now to Get on with My Life!
Good afternoon everyone and Happy Mother’s Day for yesterday. I had a very quiet one, having lost my Mum 12 years ago and three step sons who really aren’t into this sort of thing meant I didn’t really do anything. I did receive a couple of text messages from two of the boys who are working away and a small gift from the one who is still living with us but it was my wonderful hubby came to the rescue. He cooked me breakfast and dinner and just let me do what I wanted which was watch to the footy and other things on TV, read the paper and do some crocheting.
Sorry for not posting earlier but time and the continual trips to radiation have just gotten away with me and it was the question from my hubby about whether I have done my journal lately or not is what has prompted me to get on and just do this post and my journal.
Well I finished my last radiation session of 30 on Wednesday 27th April. It was both a lovely and weird feeling walking out of there for the last time knowing that I didn’t have to come back the next day. The staff at Genisis at Fiona Stanley Hospital were fabulous and made you feel really welcome, they were extremely informative, supportive, caring, professional and friendly which made for your daily visits not be so depressing and draining; and many loved to join in on the footy bantering especially for the derby round. I believe, and was told by my oncologist, that I did really well with my skin reactions. I only ended up with mild burning and only a little bit of peeling under my armpit. I moisturised three times a day using QV cream morning (at least 2 hrs prior) and night and a specific radiation burn cream made by David Deans ($50.00 per tube in which I used 2, only available in certain shops in the east or you can order online) straight after each zapping session. The two oncologists I saw during my treatment had not heard of or seen it before and took photos of the tube and did some quick research, but said that if it works for you then keep using it. Obviously I do not have a control point to compare it with but strongly believe that it did really help me keep the burning side effects at bay. So I am very happy with how it all went considering how scared I was at the beginning; a real walk in the park compared to chemo. The end of my active treatment was celebrated that day with coffee with my chemo buddy, lunch with a fellow colleague, dinner with my hubby, a lovely bunch of roses from my hubby, a beautiful bunch of flowers and congratulations balloon from the youngest step son, and the start of the dreaded cold. J
The next day I went and filled out my script for the Tamoxifen which I will be on for at least 5 years but my wonderful pharmacist told me not to start taking them until I had gotten over the bulk of the cold so that I could clearly identify any side effects that I may get from them. So on Monday 2nd May, I started taking these dreaded tablets with some trepidation because of what everyone says about them. I feel very blessed at the moment as I have not had any side effects apart from a slight headache for the first couple of days. I know that it is early days but am very happy with everything so far.
I am starting to get on with my life and get back to some sort of normality. I am getting out and about a fair bit to catch up with friends and family, pottering around the house doing all the normal chores (still have my cleaner come in once a fortnight) , walk every day for at least 30 mins, do craft things such as card and candle making, knitting and crocheting, gardening and getting back into the kitchen and cooking some yummy food. There are no plans to return to work at this stage, just need time to get well again and have some real me time. The UAE is still being sorted out contractually and could still fall in a heap. I am investigating Plan B which is a holiday to Europe for us if the UAE doesn’t come to fruition. We are still remaining positive about it all but are frustrated as well with how long it is taking to get a final nod. I will have my scans in June and hopefully get the all clear so that we can just move on and live our lives to the fullest.
I still get very tired and am needing between 9 and 10 hrs sleep each night, am still having issues with Dry Eyes but that is being monitored closely, still have achy joints in the legs occasionally first thing in the morning or when I’ve been sitting for a long time; and still get the hot flushes and night sweats. My oncologist suggested to me to take Vitamin E tablets and see if that helps which I have been doing for about 5 weeks now. They obviously haven’t gotten a rid of them but I think they are helping ease the severity and frequency of them. I have got an appointment on Wednesday at a Women’s clinic to discuss the whole menopause thing and see if they can offer any advice about the hot flushes. I do not want to take any mild anti-depressant medication and stand firm by that, my GP supports me on this matter. Bloody chemo fallout is all I can say, pardon the language.
Hugs from the West
Sue
