Oncologist Visit Today

Riding the Big Rollercoaster

"if you can meet with triumph and disaster
and treat those two imposters both the same"

In the few weeks since we first discovered Marjory's tumour our lives have been the biggest rollercoaster ride you could ever imagine. High one day - low the next. If you're reading this with experience of cancer then you'll know exactly what I mean. If you're just facing up to a new diagnosis then be prepared for the ups and downs - don't panic when the down's come and enjoy the up days when they arrive. As Rudyard Kipling said:

Today's been a high day. We saw our oncologist for the first time today - having previously been in the care of a breast surgeon.

For the first time really, we have a clear map in place of what lies ahead. All the questions about diagnosis, pathology, treatment options and choices have now more or less been answered and we can clearly see the dragon that we face. And you know something - it's not nearly as big or as scary a dragon as we would have thought.

Chemo starts in just under two weeks. Four treatments with the FEC regimen at three week intervals. A week or so off and then four weeks of radiotherapy. Another few weeks off and its back for more chemo - this time with Taxotere and Herceptin combined. All finished off with a years worth of Herceptin and a prolonged course of Femara or Arimidex. Now - ask yourself - what kind of a fire breathing cancer cell could cope with that lot?

If you are working through the early stages of breast cancer treatment then here's our advice. Keep plodding on. The way ahead remains rocky but once you get a good road map to guide you then the shadows recede and you can begin to look forward to reaching your destination.

Sorry about all the flowery language - Keep Your Spirits Up - that's what we're really trying to say

Marjory and Gordon