Onc. appt. and a Cancer Cluster

Hi all, a quick up date on the results of the latest CT scan and its good I'm still in the stable mabel so can't grumble at that, they will continue to keep an eye on me and scan me etc. No real moans about the appt. either which makes a change the registrar that delivered the news was very nice and very happy to give me some good news. So all is ok at the moment.

Now on the subject of Cancer Cluster I feel I need to share that I've recently found out that 3 of my  ex work colleagues have also been diagnosed with breast cancer 2 of us with secondary breast cancer. This news has floored me!! Could it be down to where you work which in some way has caused cancer? I keep asking myself is it just a coincidence and just cannot accept that this is so. We all worked in an small open plan office at the back of a very old tudor building for around 6 years, I worked as a designer on an old style Mac and the others were proof readers who sat behind me. One of whom is currently fighting for her life as the bastard has spread onto her brain. We're all around the same age. I worked there from my mid to late 30's and then moved down to Devon where I continued to work for the same company. So, what to do about this ummm...... so I've been advised by a fellow breast cancer patient to contact the Alliance for Cancer Prevention Authority here's there link http://allianceforcancerprevention.org.uk/#!/about/ and tell them the story. I'm also contacting former employee's to find out if there is anyone else who has had a breast cancer dx who worked in the same office. Once I've collated the information I will work out what to do about this. I can't leave this alone its just too much of a coincidence and if when we get to the bottom of this it does work out that I was working in a ticking cancer bomb heads will fucking roll. I owe it to myself and all the other women who have worked there and have or are unfortunate to develop breast cancer and all the women that haven't worked there but are going to, someone has to do something and that someone is clearly me.

Here's a link to a famous breast cancer cluster in Australia where 20 women were dx all working for the ABC media corporation in the same building. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBqYNysfBlo
and another about a group of men nearly 40!! based in an American arm camp all dx with breast cancer
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/05/camp-lejeune-marines-breast-cancer-florence-williams

and breath.......results are in.....and its brilliant.....

Sorry its been a while since I posted on the blog but I've been very busy and admit to completely forgetting about posting!!! which is unusual for me. Anyway back to the post and what is going on with me and my 'something' on the liver. I went for an oncology appointment on the 1st of Nov as per usual a registrar walked in the room and just to complicate things further she's indian not that I'm racist but her pigeon english made it hard to understand exactly what she was saying, luckily whilst we (thats me and my partner Lee) were waiting for the Dr. my BCN walked past the room and popped into to see me, she expressed an interest in why I was there (which amazed me as she's not shown that much interest in me before) she asked if she could be present in the room when the Dr. told me the outcome of the latest CT scan on my liver and I told her of course.

So the Dr. walks into the room and starts to go on about 2 lesions on my liver (yes I was sat there in total shock as no one had ever mentioned anything about lesions) she also said "but of course you knew that" too which I replied "uh no, I didn't know anything about lesions on my Liver I was told something like a shadow" at this point I'm starting to well up and I'm getting a bit angry because she's not understanding the whole reason I'm there is to get the results not too be told stuff I knew already that doesn't make any fucking sense does it!!!! It was at this point that my BCN pipped up (first time ever!!) "has Sarah got breast cancer spread on her liver? or not?" Dr. responds "we think it is fatty tissue and the lumps on the liver are benign (ie: not growing) I'm thinking thank fuck for that and was visibly relieved, BCN also looked relieved then BCN left the room and came back in with my actual oncologist Dr. K. I haven't seem him for nearly 2 years as I either got fobbed off with a registrar and in some part because he was dx with liver cancer a year ago and has been fighting it. He looked well and was very pleased to see me, he told me that "I'm not worried about your Liver its just fatty tissue (probably to do with the chemo and weight gain) and I'm not worried about your Lungs either they are stable and nothing is moving on that front.

We spoke about my treatment ie: Herceptin and Tamoxifen to which he told me they couldn't do anything about the Tamoxifen but he was going to suggest that I transfer from IV Herceptin to sub-cut Herceptin very soon in fact I've just had my last Herceptin by IV the next one will be sub-cut Herceptin. Pretty good job as my veins are pretty shot to pieces and I now live in dread of the next IV (the sub cut will be injected into good old fatty tissue to which I said "I've got enough of that" All in all it was one of the best onc. appt. I've ever had and I let out a huge sigh of relief on the way out the receptionist heard me and said " I presume it was good news, bless you" she's a lovely lady it must be hard working  in there as you get to know all the patients by first name, some survive and some don't, bloody hard job.

Back for a bit....

Hello all,
Well I'm back from the terrifically sunny and absolutely gorgeous Newquay it was truly great just too get away although I did miss the cats terribly. Plenty of walks and talks with my friend sandy we also managed to visit the Japanese Garden just outside of Newquay which is magical especially at this time of year, I took a heap load of photo's and ate far too much but what the hell I figured I deserved a break. Taught my friend Sandy to paint with Acrylics which pleased her and me enormously also did a couple of paintings myself. My partner Lee got on and has started the conversion so we will be going back over in a fortnights time for another week and so it goes on until its finished.

MRI results came through whilst I was away in Newquay and the doc's say I'm cancer free on the brain   so big massive sigh of relief and something to celebrate for a change. Hospital appointments are sort of dying down I've got a routine heart scan on the 31st of May and a lymph nurse appointment other than that I don't have to go to the dreaded oncology department for 3 months!!! first time in 2 years, so hallelujah to that. Although I have a slight nagging fear going on in the back of my head which is only alleviated by having regular scans, the doc's said I'd been stable for long enough for them to give my body a radiation scan break.

Other news is I'm still steadily putting on the bloody weight very annoying, this has been getting too me I try not to let it piss me off but I've spent my whole life as a skinny size 8 and now I'm trying on clothes that are a fucking size 16!!!! bloody tamoxifen!!!! When I say gets to me I mean I get really depressed and dive into the fridge I figure I may as well go with it even when I'm just having juice and nothing else I put on weight I may as well eat what the hell I like and be done with it. The worst part is not being able to fit into any of my clothes also I've taken all the mirrors down I can't stand looking at myself anymore because the person staring back at me quite simply is not the Sarah I knew before all of this shit started, its so depressing, god knows what my boyfriend thinks!

Hope you are all doing well and sending everyone some love and light
Sarah xxx