Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

Hi folks can’t believe I have not written in so long over three months!   That is just not good enough is it?  There has been so much happening in the last few months every time I sat down to write something happened.  Well that’s my story and I am sticking to it.

The old saying “just when you thought it was safe to get out of the water” has a hint of truth in it for me.  Gladly I will say that at the moment I am absolutely flying it and I think my beautiful brain has finally started kicking back into gear and have a pep in my step and things are nearly getting back to normal (lol whats that?)

I have had a lot of medical problems over the last few months and have been in and out of hospitals for tests, scans, blood pressure monitoring, biopsies and reviews.   The local Doctor I am  sure is just totally sick of seeing me and have been there I would say over 12 times since January.

I will tell you whats been happening because it may be of interest to people going through it and if its TMI (To Much Information for you old codgers) just scroll down.

My rollercoaster of medical problems started with severe headaches, the really continuous ones that don’t go away and I had them constantly for two or three weeks.  I went to the doctors about them and they found my blood pressure was off the scale and was told that they would have to keep a close eye on it.   I got some medication for the headaches and they told me to come back in a week.  After a week it was no better so they decided to put me on a 24 hour blood pressure monitoring machine.  During this lovely 24 hours I got extremely ill as well with some sort of bug.  Needless to say the results reflected this.  However when the results were read they decided that I should go on blood pressure medication for a month to see how I got on.   I did what the doctor said of course and was down with one of the kids for something else and mentioned again to the doctor that the headaches hadn’t improved.  I was getting worried at this stage I think when you have been through cancer you get worried about abnormalities like that.  The Doctor decided to send me for an MRI just to make sure all was okay.  I was booked into Naas the next morning.

I rocked up to the hospital the next morning for the scan and was shown to a bed and told to make myself comfortable.  WTF?  I said to the nurse I am just going for a scan she said No, you are having a top to toe assessment here today and will be here till around 4pm, that was fine by me getting an MOT on my body is always a plus.   I got so many tests done I can hardly remember, bloods, CAT Scan, Chest X-ray, ECG Heart Assessment among other things.   While in the ward there was a lovely lady beside me in the next bed.  We got chatting and she was asking why I was in there etc.etc. I was telling her about coming through cancer etc.  She got out of her bed and down on her knees and held the cross around her neck in her hand and prayed for me for two minutes solid.    Wow what a lady we got chatting and she had lost a daughter the year before and a grand-daughter.   A wonderful lady she was and full of the joys of spring.  Dinner came around and I didn’t get any she insisted I had half of her chicken in gravy I said no its fine, but she insisted and was force-fed the chicken

Thankfully after the Cat Scan the results came back and it was AOK - phew!!!!  I told the lady beside me who at this stage was lying back in her bed she said “come over here and give me a big hug” which of course I did, at this stage her daughter was with her and she said “come on I want one too”.    What lovely lovely people they were.   I so enjoy meeting people like that!

When I got my final once over with the doctor I mentioned that I had been in the doctors the previous week with a suspected UTI infection she checked the samples and confirmed yes indeed I had an infection and wrote out a prescription for more antibiotics.  Then I asked her to check something for me I had found a lump under my armpit of the boob that was taken away from me.   The doctor said that I really should go and get it checked out it was probably just fat left over from operation.   So I left with a bundle of prescriptions and knowing I had to get that checked out.  The thoughts of going through the whole process of biopsies etc.  yuck!

I talked with my wonderful plastic surgeon she said come in to me tomorrow and we will check it out for you.   When she checked she said that I should get it checked out too and she too thought it was fat but better to be on the safe side.  Back a few days later into the Mammogram area of Vincents and I had an ultrasound and they took a biopsy of it to send off to make sure it was nothing suspicious.  The doctor did look me in the eye and say “I am not concerned” that was enough to put my mind at ease.  The results were to take a week and to be honest I wasnt really worried (maybe a little the night before the results and on the way to the appointment).  I didn’t tell any of my family about this as whats the point of them worrying for a week its such a waste of time!  My friend Karen Meagan came with me for the appointments and we rocked in on that Friday and we got the great news nothing sinister ALL CLEAR!!!!   Must say I was relieved the thought of having to go through everything again was NOT in my plan of action.

That was my main medical things sorted.  I am on Tamoxifen at the moment (which is a drug that prevents the reoccurance of cancer) and will be for five years.   During this time it is unusual to get a period however of course I got one and the hospital wanted me to go and get it checked out.  I did last week and to be on the safe said they are calling me in for another operation and giving me a D and C and will do a biopsy lovely…. but the doc also said its purely precautionary so another thing not to worry about.  This will be my 6th general anesthetic in around 14 months.  They will know me in theatre at this stage and say Jaysus here’s your wan again!   Must be honest I was deflated coming out, yes its great I am getting looked after it…. but was just oh no not again!

I am amazed at the care I am receiving from the doctors and hospitals are leaving no stone unturned which is brilliant.

Are you still awake?

Okay so where am I now?  Well on Wednesday I go in for the second of my reconstruction operations (23rd April) and last year on the 22nd April I lost my boob.   Nearly a year on and still working away at things.  I go in at 7.30 am and they will try build my boob bigger to match my new perky one.   I will be getting my sister to come in and collected me after the operation and probably wheel me out in a wheelchair again when I am talking total crap as still zoned out on drugs.   Going to my folks for a little R and R after it.   After that operation the next operation will be them constructing a nipple for me.  Then the one after that will be a local where I get my nipple tatoo!!!

Are we there yet? Are we there yet?  It feels like I am nearly there but still a few more operations hanging over my head but that’s fine I can deal with that as long as I come out smiling the other end.

Well that’s my medical update Now for the fun updates this blog is holding its second Strip and Dip on the 24th May and ladies reading here and who have followed this blog this is OUR event.  Everyone reading this blog has helped me along the way and has made the blog a success so if you would like to join us and give cancer a kick in the arse please join us.   https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/555730994533872/

This Strip and Dip is a salute to people who have lost their battle with cancer, a celebration of those who have battled with it and come out the other side, it’s a dash for womanhood and what lovely women we are and most importantly it is an event to raise money for families of children going through cancer.  This year we are dipping for Aoibheanns Pink Tie an absolutely wondering charity who are working to build an organisation to help and support Children and their families during their Childs battle to beat Cancer.  You can read about the wonderful work their charity does here http://www.aoibheannspinktie.ie/

So far this year we have over 100 dippers signed up and the ones who really didn’t want to do it and were “blackmailed” into it last year were the first to sign up.   We are fundraising online at www.idonate.ie/kickingtheshiteoutofcancer so if there was any chance you could throw in a couple of quid it would be greatly appreciated.  Or if you work in a place that maybe a sponsorship card could be placed at reception maybe you would consider downloading a Sponsorship Card and collecting a couple of quid.

There are over 50 of us staying in Wicklow Town that night – GOD HELP WICKLOW!!!!

Good things that Happened:-)

• My blood pressure is now under control albeit have to be on tablets for rest of my life
• Cat Scan was okay so brain doing good
• New lump was nothing sinister
• It’s Good Friday and the sun is shining
• I’m Healthy, Happy and Kicking
• The hospital just rang and operation on Wednesday now 10.30 instead of 7.30!!!
• Swam 7 lengths yesterday of a 50m pool doing the overarm and arm held out…. lol first time I had every swam that much… nothing to do with cancer

Well “Thats All Folks” hope you all have a brilliant Easter and get laid loads…. I mean get loads of eggs