Question:-Who wants to live to 100?
Answer:-Someone who is 99.


At the out patients clinic yesterday I was given the good news that the margins of the tumour were clear of cancer and the lymph nodes were also clear of cancer-BRILLIANT.  Mr Johnson, then said that I would be given a oestrogen suppressor as the tumour was oestrogen receptive and I would also be given radiotherapy.  So far, so good, as this was basically what we had expected.  He then throws in that they have done a computer model for me, to work out the benefits of chemotherapy.  This may extend my life by a year or so.  Alix and I were both knocked of our balance because neither of us had factored in that chemotherapy was on the cards.  This was the first time it was mentioned and of course we left with so many unanswered questions or we came up with questions later in the day.

At the moment I am 70/30 in favour of having it.  This has gone up from 60/40 in favour yesterday.  Chemotherapy has been offered because it was a grade 3 tumour which means that it was fast growing.  It was also an invasive tumour so even though cancer cells had not gotten into the lymph nodes some cancer cells could have got into the blood stream.  This is a very small risk but do I want to risk it, after all I thought I would be the last person to get breast cancer. 

From seeing patients in Christies (ok, sometime ago) I know how nasty chemotherapy can be, but on balance it will be three rotten days a month for six months-total 18 days out of my life to get at least another years life.  Two of the three types of treatment researched so far come with complete hair loss.  Is this such a big deal?  I could go for the all off look I have been wanting to try for a long time and I could have a long wig like the style I had in the 70's.  I could even have a long blonde wig or a bubble perm or a blue rinse, the possibilities are endless.
As I have to see the oncologist at Christies in the next few weeks I don't have to make my decision just yet but would like to meet her/him with as much knowledge as I can get.  So if you have any comments (sensible) to make please make them.

Take care of yourself.
xxx