Going full circle

I should probably apologise for the lack of recent blog posts, but you're used to how sporadic I am by now, I hope!

Yesterday was a weird weird day. I had a check up with my lovely surgical consultant which was, shock horror, the first of my annual checks. 

Annual.

Really.

How it can be a year since I started chemo I've no idea, which seems to be a recurring theme. Not only do I have no idea in general (or so it feels sometimes) but time marches on regardless, which is a bloody good and very timely reminder that I shouldn't just be a passenger on this journey, I should make sure I make the most of every opportunity.

Anyway, I digress.

My surgical consultant is still fab, and his sense of humour is undiminished which is a very good thing. He is happy that there are no new lumps on my remaining side and is delighted at how good my scars are, and that the use of my arm has not been affected by the lymph node removal.

We had a good long chat about the fact that my ovaries are working again (dammit) and what to do about it. We had both hoped that I would go into early menopause which would rule out the need to think about ovary removal....

Further to a chat with my oncologist recently, we decided to go down the route of genetic testing to ascertain whether I carry the BRACA hereditary cancer gene. If I do, then ovary removal/suppression would possibly be a good idea.

It was quite interesting to compare that chat with the oncologist to the one with the surgeon yesterday, as the latter was far more positive about ovary removal than the former. Perhaps it's the typical surgical approach? I don't know, but removal if the BRACA gene is present seems like a sensible option to me.

We also discussed reconstruction and secondary mastectomy, and I have been referred to the Plastic Surgery department, and to the surgeon in particular that I wanted to see, so that is good, and a positive step forward.

Whilst I am still in several minds about reconstruction I definitely want to consider all the options so we are heading in the right direction for sure. 

Things have been going okay recently, but it is fair to say that my husband and I are in dire need of a holiday. The stresses of the last year are starting to come out and it is fair to say that neither of us have ever been so tired.

I have been struggling with work recently. I have very little tolerance for stupidity and annoyances, which is not always ideal when dealing with staff and the general public! So, at the moment my time in the office is flexible, which has helped a lot this week and I am starting to feel less strung out, and my attention span is also better. Still, I think a proper break away is going to be the only thing that really has a chance of helping us. Quite how to go about it I do not know. Taking my oldest child out of school will be much frowned upon, so we will have to see what can be arranged.

All in all,methinks are okay. My hair is growing well and I have hopes that my ears might be covered by Christmas!