Blogs - Page 102

I was diagnosed exactly one week ago today. Triple negative breast cancer. My appointment with the surgeon booked for twelve days later. TWELVE days. I don't know if my days have passed so slowly as these last seven have. I have two small kids. Samuel has just turned 6. In fact his birthday was the day after my diagnosis. And Elizabeth is 3, turning 4 in April. So with just these two I'm busy. I have a wonderful husband, we've been married 13 months.

One of the things I have forgotten to mention is my determination to take holidays. Sometimes this would be difficult to fit in around treatments and clinical trial responsibilities. I recall one holiday required at least 4 international conferences (not just about me of course) to be able to go for 4 weeks, rather than the 3 weeks required between infusions.

Hi there, I am new to this - I mean new to having cancer (uterus) - diagnosed nearly two weeks ago and off for hysterectomy tomorrow. I had symptoms for a long time which I ignored and so I am convinced that it has spread everywhere, I am just so angry at myself for doing this to my family.

Is there anyone with a GBM tumour that is inoperable on Avastin? If so, has it slowed progression?

It was odd, being in the doctors surgery, hearing my long time G.P say the words, "I'm sorry". What was he sorry for? It's not his fault. He didn't give me breast cancer. It wasn't some pill he made me take, or anything he ever did. Then everyone I tell is sorry. My sister. My mum. My best friend. Everyone is sorry. I'm still just numb. Walking through a fog. Pushing my way through the jelly like day, waiting for the appointment with my surgeon in a weeks time.

Luckily my dr had arranged for genetic testing and the results are in. Positive for EGRF. So he is able to offer me a clinical trial. Tarceva, which is tablet based, and pertuzumab. And so starts 9 weeks of hell. Tarceva is known for its side effects and I get them all, at grade 3 level. Lose nearly 20 ks, the rash makes me look like the scientific experiement that I am, diarreah, low potassium and magnesium, borderline blood results, and hair loss! We drop the dose etc and dr is concerned I need to come off it but I am determined to get to the 9 weeks scan results.