I'm an inpatient for the day, having steroid injections.

I spent most of yesterday in Hospital having my steroid injections in my back, in the hope it will help with the pain I'm getting from implants/ports. They want me to try and manage till August before they consider surgery for removing ports or possible implant exchange. They like to leave them a year so they are as settled as can be.

It was horrible being back in a ward, in a hospital gown in a hospital bed, all the memories of my surgery last august came flooding back. I just wanted to be back at work and getting on with normal life!

The injections were excruciating, felt like I was being stabbed in the back! I'm afraid I jumped a mile and he thought he might have punctured my lung at one point, so had to have an x-ray. But luckily I got through the procedure with no cannula and no sedation required. Just a local anaesthetic. So an hour later I was free to go home, which was near 6pm!

My whole right side was numb from my shoulder down to my groin, apparently this is good! I couldn't carry my bag as I couldn't feel anything, very bizarre. They only do one side at a time just in case of lung puncture, which can sometimes heal by itself. We did ask about what happens if they do puncture a lung but with my chemo brain I can't remember, or more like I don't want to remember!

I was in a lot of pain last night and I'm no different today, but it can take 2-10 days to start working...if it works at all! If it doesn't work there is another steroid he can try. If it does work, which I'm being very positive about then I need 3 more injections to cover all my painful areas...oh the joy! Why can't they just remove my ports grrr! Anyway keeping everything crossed they work.

I went to see the plastic surgeon regarding nipple tattoos last week and they are happy they can help me, but I have to wait until I'm completely happy with my new boobies and need no more surgery.

Still having all my other therapies locally which I couldn't be without and I'm so grateful to all the local charities for all they do for cancer patients.

I got my eyebrows tinted last week too as they were coming back blonde, so now they are more my natural colour and filling out nicely, starting to look normal again! Have a good week/weekend one and all xx

My friend Lucy has started up a group on facebook called:

CABARESQUE FOR CANCER, CROCHET AND CRAFTERS

If you are into knitting, sewing, crochet or any other craft and would like to help make items such as hats, socks, heart cushions, drain bottle bags, blankets and more, please join us. These were all items I was donated during treatment and they were so useful and appreciated. We will be donating items every 3 months to different cancer hospitals throughout the UK. See my photos below for pillows and drain bags.

Please join the crafters group via the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/628857413929900/

http://www.cabaresque-for-cancer.org/home/4591395648

I almost have eyebrows :-)

Weekend walk with dogs :-)



These are the heart pillows
 

Drain bags

Interesting article, and similar to what I'm having.

Pelvic MRI scan results

Yippee...it's good news!

I don't have endometriosis, I don't have anything! My pelvic MRI scan showed everything is normal. So on the ultrasound it must have been a bit of bowel, maybe I was brewing a big pooh that day! So I'm having a glass of wine with my dinner...yes on a Monday night. :-)

My Oophorectomy is booked for sometime in May/June as I can only have the Zoladex for 2 years, then I'd need to have an Oophorectomy anyway to have the Arimidex, the medication to keep cancer at bay, which I need for 5 years. This is because after 2 years my monthly cycle could start up again and I don't need that with my Oestrogen fed cancer plus I'd have to stop the Arimidex and risk the cancer coming back.

So I'm celebrating tonight :-D

I have a date of the 20th April for my steroid/lidocaine injections, fingers crossed they work, then I can have my nipple tattoos and an oophorectomy and put this whole cancer journey behind me. :-D

Have a good week everyone and thank you for following my blog xx

 

 

Pain clinic & new Tattoo

My pain management consultant was great, he was so helpful and understanding. He has a few options to go down, so we started my doubling my duloxetine to help a bit more, until he can get me in for a paravertebral block with local anaesthetics and steroids in a few weeks. I will go in for the day and have X-rays which he will use to decide the best place to put the injections, then he will use a guided ultrasound to do them. It all sounds very painful, but if it will relieve me from this every day agony it's got to be worth a shot. They are going to try everything thy can before I have to have more surgery.

Hoping to get my pelvic MRI scan results this coming week, fingers crossed for good news!

Can't believe it's been a year since my first surgery and starting chemotherapy, I don't miss those injections during chemo! Bones are still in pain though same as a year ago, and that won't ease now I'm on cancer meds which don't help, just got to remember I'm still here and living.

It's a year to the day my hair started falling out and I was preparing to shave it all off. Also a year since I was told I couldn't use my own flesh for new bad boys. Which I really wish I could have, I know I'd be feeling much happier as I hate these implants so much I'm prepared to go flat if they don't sort my pain out. Anyway must stop reliving bad memories.

So on a good note I took myself of for a breast cancer tattoo on Thursday night without telling anyone, then surprised them all the next day he-he. Because I can't have my arms tattooed due to no needles allowed as I'm at risk of lifelong lymphedema due to the lymph node surgery in my armpits. So I opted to have it on my ankle, see picture below.

I'm colouring my hair in bright colours this year for each race for life event I'm taking part in, can't wait, I've always wanted bright hair. They are only temporary hair dyes though, that wash out after 15 washes.

Still having scar work and Physiotherapy, and the results are so amazing, my therapist is performing miracles! Also still having counselling as it really helps me with the anxiety.

Had a lovely evening with Collette and she bought me a beautiful necklace for being a brave girl this last year, Love you lots. xxx

Have a good week one and all. xxx

Henna tattoo

My new tattoo, on my ankle

Weekend walks

Thought I'd got lymphedema, then realised I had the cling film too tight!