I had a good talk to my rad onc tonight, and took lots of notes. Did I mention that he was the first doctor I met when I started at the LGH? A friendly chap who I spoke to in a lift when I was going through an adminstrative hiccup over having the title Dr on my ID badge. They'd given me a brown-rimmed badge because I said my title was Dr, but I wasn't allowed to have a brown badge because they were only for the medical doctors. Allied Health professionals get green-rimmed badges, and no title.
I enjoyed the sardonic exchange with him, and frequently delighted in his sense of humouri, as well as the friendship of his wife, who is a remarkable and beautiful person. Ben also gets along well with both of them, and our kids are the same age. Part of me wants to keep him as my rad onc, because we have such a good rapport, and part of me thinks I should change, as he has offered, to another rad onc with whom I have no personal relationship whatsoever. I guess we'll make that decision in the next few weeks.
I hope to sleep well tonight. We drive back to Launceston tomorrow. I need to go straight to the Holman Clinic to get measured up for my radiation (something about making a cast of my head). It seems that I will be able to have my radiotherapy there because the surgeon took out my second, occipital tumour this last week. He mentioned having been dubious about doing it, but glad he did - there must have been some backroom chatter of which I was unaware. If the occipital lesion had stayed put, then I would have needed stereotactic radiotherapy, and that would have been in Melbourne. So, for all of you who were looking forward to the chance to catch up (albeit in less-than-ideal circumstances), I won't be flying over Bass Strait any time soon. But you're welcome to come and visit! We have plenty of room, I just mightn't be the most energetic host for a while
So, I will be starting 6 weeks of combined chemo and radiotherapy in 10 days time, at the earliest. Followed by six 3-week cycles of chemo alone (14 days chemo tablets, 7 days off).
Being someone who likes to have things mapped out, I sat down and worked out the dates.
I used to do it for uni, for work, for holidays. For our wedding (June 1998 buy house, August 1998, move in, October 1998, get married in said house). I work better with structure and dates laid out.
All being well, I will have had my last dose of chemo for my GBMs on March 4th, 2014. There will be MRI brains every two months after the combined CT/RT treatment. I'll get my right boob MRI'd in January, just to make sure she's behaving herself, but I think she's going to be okay. Only a 2% chance of breast cancer recurrence after the treatment that ended 4.5 weeks ago, but seems like it was on another planet.
It's going to be a long haul, but we will get through it. No neurtropenia this time around, just a risk of thrombocytopenia (beautiful sounding word, not something I want to get).
Best thing - no infusaports, blood tests only every 3 weeks, brain scans every two months. And if the GBM comes back, I'll drink some more Gliolan and they'll get it all out. But it's not going to come back, we are going to defeat it.
Things just seem to be lining up so neatly. A new hurdle arrives when we think we've finished with a major one.
I'm going to do some SERIOUS declutteiing when we get home. No more hanging on to things just in case we might need them, or because we've had them forever. There's too much stuff in our house, too much holdling on to old energy. So it will be Out with the sofa, arrmchair, and ottoman that we kept from previous owners of our house in Melvourne. Funky and and 60s yes, but we don't use it or need it. It takes up space. Out with the suitcase of my classic late 1990 suits, with their long pencil skirts. I got much wear from from them from 1997 to 2004, but I don't need them any more. Heck, i need a new way to dress, now that I'm the bald Amazon from Lauceston (right-handed, left boob off). Xena, warrior Princess? Too much leather. Gabriel, her offsider? Too rustic. I'll find something comfy and me - long-sleeved linen tops, comfy capris, long skirts, scarves, and eminently sensible shoes for all the walking that will make me fit. No driving for at least 3 months. Lucky the hospital is i15 minutes down the hill. Probably 30 up again. Out with the summer sandals I haven't worn for years. Out with all the old things from the old Fiona, who was holding on to old clothes out of sentimentality.. There's a new, comfortable Fiona in town.
All I need is the love and support of my family and friends, which already surrounds and sustains and nurtures me. Other possessions consume too much time and space. Aparrt from text books. I'm going to start devouring them, then sharing them with my colleagues.
It's got to be a good sign, I'm interested in buying beautiful things to enhance our home. I had mo such desire after finishing my breast CA treatment. I will be ordering a very special armchair for our bedroom, it goes nicely with our new painting...and I do need somewhere nice to sit in my own bedroom...
Love and light to all, from the Infinite dimensions of my heart.
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| David, me, Nathaniel |
