Yesterday I had an appointment with my surgical consultant followed by herceptin.
The surgical appointment wasn't exactly to what I wanted to hear. He still wants to go ahead with a lumpectomy, which is what I want. It sounds like chemo has changed that 6cm lump on the last MRI to a 4cm shadow on the recent one, some of this he feels could possibly be the reaction of the cells on the outside of the lump to the cancer cells. We won't know this until the results come back from testing after the op though. That second suspicious patch wasn't visible this time! If there are too many viable cancer cells I will need a mastectomy, which I do not want, at all! Not that I have a choice like. As I have a "larger bust" (his words not mine) it shouldn't really be that noticeable that I have had a chunk that big cut out.
I find it strange that just a 2cm reduction can result in such a palpable difference. It has gone from being visible without having to feel, to only just being able to find it!
I found a long dint/groove in bad boob a week and a half ago, which made me panic (a taster of what I'm going to feel like every time I find something funny with my boobs in future). He had a look and feels it is just due to pesky fluid retention that I am already on tablets for.
The other unexpected thing was that he started asking if I have had any strange aches or pains in my arms. I have had really sore hips and legs since chemo which I mostly put down to chemo and fluid retention. My arms have also had the odd ache and I have a few times had a sharp pain in what feels like the bones in my hands and feet, only about 2-4 times a week lasting 30 secs-1 min which I thought again was chemo. Can only describe it as somewhere in the middle of standing on a needle and standing on a plug! Turns out that due to the positioning when I have had my MRI my upper arms have been on the scan. This has shown some "peculiar" patches on the bones in my upper arms which means I will need another bone scan to see what's going on in there. He feels it is unlikely to be cancer cells as my node test came back with no evidence of cells, as did my bone scan before chemo. It could all just be caused by the effects of chemo, which goes to show just how much all this treatment affects your body! Keeping everything crossed that it is just chemo. Doesn't stop me worrying.
Herceptin all went ok. 5 down, 13 to go! Stupidly forgot to put my "magic cream" over my port therefore the needle going in blooming hurt!
In other news I have had a few eye problems recently, after a trip to A&E and then eye clinic it turned out to be an advanced allergy to something, I think again probably caused by chemo. Three sets of drops later they feel much better. Think I have also hit the chemopause, I don't like the sound of menopause at 24! Same symptoms though, hot flushes arn't much fun!
All in all a pretty rubbish day yesterday and yet more waiting and probably worrying... Xx
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