This will be my last “in the pink” post as I’m going AWOL for the rest of Breast Cancer awareness month
They had mucked up getting my referral letter from medical oncology to radiation oncology so I haven’t got my initial consult with the Radiation Oncologist until the 6th of November. As we have this 2 week gap OH and I decided this would be the best time to do the roadtrip to take the carload of MD’s stuff down to her in Christchurch. For those non-NZrs that read this- this is a two-day trip down including taking a car ferry from the bottom of the North Island to the top of the South Island and lots of driving. We are going down in two days, staying for 6 days, and back in 3 days so will be back the 3rd of November (3 days before my rad onc. appointment) . As we have no idea what treatment plan they are going to prescribe for me, it could be anything from 2 weeks to 5 weeks radiation therapy and by the time I’ve had the treatment and recovered, there possibly wouldn’t have been time to do the trip between now and Christmas.
I am taking my breast cancer t-shirts and there is a pink ribbon flying from the car aerial so I’m still doing my bit for awareness. If there is anything happening in Christchurch while I’m there that is a pink ribbon thing I will try to take part.
It feels very weird going on a trip like this at such short notice. Until YD left home we never had the opportunity to pack up and go at short notice but with OD at home to look after the cats and rabbit we could actually just decide to go. I’ve been amazed that my 1st choice of accommodation at all the locations we wish to stay haven’t had a problem fitting us in so the last-minute planning has actually gone a lot smoother than I thought it would. YD was a little surprised to hear we were going on such short notice and that she wouldnt see mum for a couple of weeks but she has got quite a few activities coming up that will keep her busy til we come back.
I remain in a very positive frame of mind although telling people I need more treatment has been hard – most of them are quite shocked and find it hard to hide their dismay when I tell them . But as I tell them it is nothing too serious it is still contained within my chest area and hasn’t spread anywhere else so that is good news as far as I’m concerned.
When I get back I am also going to press forward with applying for the university social work degree. I am hopeful that this little flare up will have been successfully treated by the time Uni starts next year and that I can get right into study.
I have helped create a Facebook group of facebookers that belong to my IBC mailing list and it has been wonderful seeing their faces and as most of them have added me as a Facebook friend it has been great sharing a little more of their lives with them and them seeing a little more of mine. We are so much more than we write to the mailing list.
I will catch you all up on my adventures when I get back
