Once you have been diagnosed with cancer, the fear of it returning never leaves you….
In March 2018 I was diagnosed with TNBC Triple Negative Breast Cancer, deemed the most lethal and aggressive of all Breast Cancers.
I completed chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy…It nearly killed me…Never again!!!!
A more holistic approach rather than the poisonous brutal conventional way, is now my path of choice.
The clinic failed to send me a follow up appointment so I have pretty much been in the hands of my Holistic Nurses for most of my aftercare.
Like I said earlier the fear of the cancer returning, never leaves you, it is always somewhere in the back of my frazzled brain periodically raising it’s ugly head.
After speaking to the amazing Dee Mani Mitchell, on the Cancer Support Group she advised me to get my” Cancer Markers” done, I had no idea what she was on about but she was certain it was what I needed to do, as Dee had been diagnosed with the same cancer a year or so earlier. There is nothing this woman doesn’t know. without her continued support and advise I would have been dead by now without a doubt.
As suggested I took Dee’s advice, managed to get a telephone appointment, I proceeded to ask my GP for blood test CEA 15.3….
“Oh we don’t do that for breast cancer, because its inconclusive,” “WTF!!!” “What do you mean you don’t do them? “You did them throughout my treatment without giving me the results!” I have a god damn right to know if cancer is still active in my body. She proceeded to tell me it is used to pick up cancer elsewhere in the body.
“I know that, this is why I need that test!!!!”
Against her will and after lots of determination, my GP agreed to do it as a one off, better than nothing I suppose. In three months time when they are due again, I will have to pay private FFS!
Just let me explain why it is so paramount for me to get tested. TNBC has a high risk of returning especially within the first three years but, it won’t return in the same breast, It may come back in my other breast, more than likely though it comes back with a vengeance in to my bones, lungs, brain or liver, so I hope you understand my persistence.
Finally my bloods were done, Now its just a waiting game….Tick Tock Tick Tock
Every twinge triggers fear!!!
When you feel like you have been waiting since Nelson lost his eye, for results, then have a receptionist tell you all seems fine apart from one blood is borderline. it’s not what you want to hear.
Sadly she didn’t have the expertise to elaborate on what was borderline. Totally not her fault she was just following instruction.
Well that was me, a blubbering mess. I came off the phone after requesting a copy of my full bloods be sent out for me to pass on to my mentor.
More waiting….Bloody Christmas mail….
Once the results arrived it may as well been written in Cantonese. Absolute gobbledegook to me….
Within five minutes of receiving the literature, three screenshots were on there way to my mentor.
I was shitting myself, fucking borderline. I had my funeral planned and everything. I felt sick not knowing whether I would ever get to meet our first grandchild.
I had to keep busy. Check check checking my phone until I noticed a voice message had been left.
Suppose I best have a listen then and prepare for what may lie ahead.
The message went something like this…..
One of your bloods is showing as borderline, but nothing to worry about, It may just be that you weren’t feeling too well on the day they were done. It’s only 0.5 over easily rectified.
The important one of them all is the CEA 15.3….
“Your bloods for the CEA 15,3 need to be between 0 and 35 to be normal. Toni you are at 16. That’s absolutely amazing.”
Totally kicked TNBC out of the park….I must still maintain a healthy lifestyle but I could not be any happier right now.
Never be afraid to challenge your GP or Consultant. You have a god given right to know what’s going on inside your body.
One Love & A Happy New Year to each and everyone of you beautiful souls x
#fuckyoucancer #writeupourstreet
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