16/07/2023
Happy Sunday everyone! Are you sitting scrolling comfortably? Then I'll begin..
It has been brought to my attention.. repeatedly.. that I have been super quiet. Honestly I didn't really know what to write, so here comes the shortest version of events I can - let's face it.. I yap and write lots!
Anyhoo... where to begin..
Surgery was on the 1st June. I was lucky that my operation was first up. Surgery generally lasts 2 to 3 hours... I was in for over 4 hours. The surgeon called in a colleague to help - the more the merrier! The tumor was huge, the lymph nodes were huge and the surgeon described it as horrendous.. also.. In the operation they found my shoulder had an extra muscle - who knew!?!
Into recovery, fine, up to the ward.. fine... then - wasn't fine. My blood pressure dropped, I was sick a couple times, kept falling asleep, usual stuff. The nurse saw a hematoma.. thats a super fancy bruise.. developing which resulted in my surgeon appearing by my bed. That was it, back on the list for emergency surgery. No food, no drink and my blood pressure etc were taken every 30mins.
Thing is though, they hadn't counted on the fact I didn't want to go back to surgery. So I had a wee chat with the good old body and told it to get a grip n that we were now healing.
After more checking and poking and prodding it was decided the drain they had put to help the wound was actually the cause of the bleeding. So, drain out, blood pressure back up, then allowed to eat and drink. Boom.. let me out! No - I was kept in another night. They said just being careful but I knew it was because I kept them entertained.
Since then I have been exceptionally busy healing. Just healing... that's it. I've been doing it pretty well though! Like.. heeeeeaaaallling
I have developed lymphedema in my left arm, but it developed really quickly so.. surgeon called me back in for a chat and scan. I have to add at this point, my surgeon is an absolutely amazing person / surgeon / human being. She genuinely cares and wants to fix everyone. Boy did she scowl at me lots!
Good News / Meh News
I got the pathology report back from the surgery. The margins round the tumor were all clear - yay!
The scan they did showed more lymph nodes higher up into my collar bone that weren't happy - they were too deep to biopsy.
On the pathology report, they use whats called the Nottingham Prognostic Index - fancy innit! Its value is calculated using three things: the size of the tumour; the number of involved lymph nodes; and the grade of the tumour.
With the results of that they can then plan my further treatment.
The prognosis % for me.. and let me be clear its just a %. They don't know me or how stubborn I am, but 50% survival in 5 years and 42% for 10 years.
I have my next oncology appointment tomorrow morning where they will talk specifically about the treatment plan they want to move forward with, but I already know they want radiotherapy and more chemotherapy (possibly 6 months more).
So the good news is you won't have to wait another 6 weeks before I update again. Its like when a good program ends and leaves you hanging for the next season... only I'll not do that.
Speak soon! ###
