End of another phase

No more surgery...yay!  So that's that, another step complete.  Confirmed grade three cancer, oestrogen and progesterone positive (which just means the cancer is driven by these hormones.

I now have to take a drug called tamoxifen for five years, this drug prevents any cancer cells  that may still be lurking in my system from being activated and growing, thereby reducing the chance of recurrance or metastasis.  Here is how it works if you are interested (probably not, but I am!)...stolen from Wikipedia .....

Some breast cancer cells require estrogen to grow. Estrogen binds to and activates the estrogen receptor in these cells. Tamoxifen is metabolized into compounds that also bind to the estrogen receptor but do not activate it. Because of this competative antagonism, tamoxifen acts like a key broken off in the lock that prevents any other key from being inserted, preventing estrogen from binding to its receptor. Hence breast cancer cell growth is blocked.

Of course there are drawbacks....it is considered a carcinogen for one!  It particularly increases the risk of endometrial cancer.  As it blocks the action of oestrogen it can also cause menopausal side effects such as hot flushes and weight gain.  I already have these effects anyway as my ovarys have been sent to sleep by the chemo.  Deep joy!  None of these things were actually discussed with me I was just sent off with a prescription and told they would see me for follow up in a years time!  But of course, I had already researched all of this so was well informed.

Next step is radiotherapy, I'll get an appointment for planning in a few weeks time.  I'm now discharged from surgery and go to Poole Hospital for Radiotherapy.  

The excuse from the hospital regarding the eight week delay in doing anything about my eye 'mass' is that the breast department can only request breast MRI's not other parts of the body......what????  Ok, so somehow someone finally sorted it out on Friday and I have an appointment on Tuesday.  They will then discuss the result at the MDT (multidisciplinary team meeting) and get back to me.....not holding my breath so will be chasing it up again after Easter.

So that's the updates for now, my back is improving everyday, I'm beyond exhausted by everything and looking forward to hopefully feeling well and forgetting about Cancer and all in entails for a while over Easter.  Weather permitting we'll be sailing the seven seas (well Plymouth Sound, but we can use our imaginations :-) )