Why I started this blog

With this diagnosis it has presented many challenges, particularly as the information you receive as part of this process is given in bite size chunks which you are informed about at each stage of the cancer pathway. This unfortunately gives you time to scare yourself shitless with the amount of "stuff" lurking on the internet.

I eventually gravitated towards sourcing my information from Macmillan and Cancer Research UK. 

It's a waiting game and you often feel left in the dark, lost in the system and often trying to piece the information together.

Source: Google images/http://rapgenius.com

I was also thrown another curve ball, in that the chemotherapy may render me infertile and I may hit early menopause after treatment, the percentage of patients who this affects is extremely high, In fact its probably inevitable. We had three eggs mature enough to be collected induced by fertility treatment and only one egg fertilised overnight, so we have one embryo frozen.

"Only good quality embryos will survive the freezing and thaw process."

There are significant differences that may occur in an age related `natural’ menopause compared with a treatment-induced menopause and I suspect I may need some advice on how to cope with an early menopause or the menopausal side effects of treatment *she says through hot and cold sweats*

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/05/cancer-diagnosis-fertility-baby-ghost


I joined a forum, specifically for people recently diagnosed with breast cancer, mainly because I didn't want to inflict the boredom of the subject on my friends and family anymore, with how I was feeling. I thought this would be a positive tool in helping me to share with others about how it was effecting me personally and emotionally, support others, source diet tips etc. I had a couples of responses to the group thread, but didn't feel any connection, for me this is working through a process - It just hasn't been the positive experience I thought it should/would be(I think I'm of the Jennifer Saunders ilk).


I've found having a supportive husband, family and friends a far more positive experience.


Real life, real love and real conversations

I have been following a couple of blogs on the wonderweb which I have found inspirational, informative and full of hints and tips in coping with the treatment and how to deal with the side effects and these have been invaluable.

After being diagnosed with cancer, each journey is different, individual in every sense, some have better coping strategies than others, some have side effects others not so much, treatment plans vary depending on a multitude of factors. You have to find your own path.

I'm off to hug a tree ♥

  

4th of November - Harvester/Egg Collection

We arrived at 10:15, got changed into a hospital gown and my slippers and had a cannula fitted. I've had nothing to eat and drink and done a pregnancy test that morning. The blood tests and scans every other day leading up to this, suggested that there were 6 eggs lurking up there, but only about 3-4 eggs amounting to anything to warrant stealing.

I've had friends who have been through IVF/fertility treatment and told me stories of being slightly out of it but still aware of their surroundings

"you know somethings going on down there, but you can't feel anything"

"I was listening to some tunes and when I winched they topped up the medication to chill me out"

The fertility consultant came in and explained that he was going to inject something into the cannula which felt like I'd had a couple of vodkas.


and that was the last thing I remembered

Source: www.screencrush.com

Next thing I knew I woke up next to my Husband (sitting on a chair next to my bed), being asked by a nurse to whether I would like a cup of tea - Bonus

I was never one for a cup of tea, (I don't drink milk) more a coffee person - BUT in hospital - It has to be TEA

I then got changed and went into a room to speak with our fertility nurse Gwen and was informed that they had managed to collect three eggs and that they would be left overnight to fertilise.

Fingers crossed

Fertility treatment

The fertility medication has been delivered and the Fertility Clinic has given us a DVD and a sharps box.

We watched the DVD on how to mix the medication, but just wanted to make sure, double check that we were doing it right, so we found this link easier to follow to mix the Menopur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Qo-2BT3TY

You can also find youtube clips on how to administer fertility medication into your stomach/fatty bits, medically known as subcutaneously.

I know it helped us ♥

Each pile is for the evening "stabbing". 6 Ampoules to 1 vial of water, divided into two needles see: http://www.menopur.co.uk/

The pack in front is the morning injection. See http://www.medicines.org.uk/guides/cetrorelix%20acetate/Infertility

Wednesday 16th of October Fertility Clinic followed by Isotape Scan

9:30am
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Fertility Services

Bloods taken x4 vials
Scans
Injection of Centrorelix

Gwen, the most fabulous Fertility Nurse, administered my first stabbing of Centrorelix.  I brought it in from home after having all my fertility drugs delivered and one particular box being housed securely in the fridge for later use. My husband will be administering this subcutaneously as I can't bring myself to do it.

Link to Administration of a subcutaneous injection:

http://www.gloshospitals.org.uk/SharePoint5/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/GHPI0898.pdf

12:15
The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford
X-Ray Department

Nuclear Isotope Scan/Sentinel Node Imaging
CT Scan

My appointment letter read " The examination will involve you receiving a small injection of a radioisotope followed by some pictures"

Sentinel Node Imaging is carried out on the day or on the morning of your operation

A small amount of radioactive material is injected into the breast at the edge of the peri-areolar tissue, which is the darker skin around the nipple. The material is carried into the armpit by the lymph vessels and trapped in the sentinel node(s) which can then be seen on a scan after a short time delay. The scan shows where the sentinel node is located and not whether it contains tumour cells or not.

For me personally this injection stung like hell but was bearable, however I'm not sure the nurse holding my hand would agree. The nurse manipulated the material by rubbing the area of the injection site.

10th of October

AM

09:30am
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Fertility Clinic

6 vials of blood taken at Elizabeth House
Fertility Scans

PM

15:00
Princess Royal Hospital, Telford
Pre Operative Assessment Appointment

Provide a pot of urine
4 vials of blood taken
Height and Weight
Blood Pressure
Complete a Health Questionnaire


Although I had told a couple of people who were aware of "the cyst" over text about my diagnosis, I decided to post it to Facebook (as you do) and decided to raise money through the "Stand up to Cancer" fundraising event, whilst telling everyone on my friends list in the process that I had been diagnosed. Everyone was incredibly supportive and donated so generously. The King's Arms in Church Stretton  http://www.thekingsarmschurchstretton.co.uk/ raised £210.00

I have yet to honour my sponsors but they are all aware that I will be Standing up to Cancer after my chemotherapy treatment. TBA

http://www.standuptocancer.org.uk/
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/find-an-event/charity-challenges/stand-up-to-cancer

1st week in October - The phonecalls from Sue and the lovely Welsh Gwen

I received a telephone call from my Breast Cancer Nurse querying a conversation we had yesterday, which I don't remember at all, about my Husband and I trying for a child.

Sue mentioned that chemotherapy treatment could induce early menopause and asked if I would like to be referred to fertility services and if so, this would have to happen very quickly and prior to chemotherapy.

Within a couple of hours a lady called Gwen from Fertility Services phoned. She was a straight talking , no nonsense Welsh woman, asking for my husband and I to come into the Fertility department that week to discuss the ethical/medical/ authorisation forms to complete for the Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority.

Gwen had already stated that this appointment was quite laborious and could indeed take all morning. I knew she meant business when she said she would make us coffee and could ask for a break at anytime.
The question on the form asking "In the event of your death or mental capacity" hit a nerve, especially as I was still waiting for my breast surgery appointment to come through.

Other questions that arose

Do you want eggs or embryos frozen and the differences
How many eggs they would hope to collect
The procedure in collecting/harvesting the eggs

What I did find out was that I am too old for IVF treatment and that without my breast consultants tireless work, this service would not exist for childless couples diagnosed with cancer.  We had a discussion with the Embryologist and decided to freeze embryos rather than eggs. He explained that he would like to collect six, but there may only be one or even none. He also outlined other options to consider in the future, but to discuss this at a later date, if that was applicable. They will keep the embryos on freeze for one year and then we could return as private patients in the future.

We were then given a timetable/ protocol letter to follow to the tee.

The standard delivery of fertility treatment is completed within 6 weeks.
Due to the urgency of our situation, we completed a cycle of fertility treatment in 2.5 weeks.

and again

It was just too much to take in..........

So the following day we went to Bath for the weekend.