Story
My Aunty was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in April 2019. Initially the treatment was fairly straightforward in cancer terms: lumpectomy and radiotherapy. Surgery turned in to a mammoplasty, which she was pleased about as she got a lovely reduction and lift which at 60 years old was a great boost! She recovered incredibly and was back on her feet in a matter of days, her mind-set from the beginning was positive and everything was taken in her stride. Following the first surgery, she was told that the surgeon had not taken away as much as was needed in the right breast and further surgery was required. This time it was a mastectomy with the only viable option to take muscle from her back for reconstructive purposes. It was only six weeks after the initial surgery so recovery was slower. A few obstacles were thrown in; skin that had not healed well from the first surgery, post op drains leaving her with a build-up of fluid, which was extremely painful (& continues to be so) and lastly, she would now need chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Six sessions of high dosage chemotherapy every three weeks and fifteen sessions of radiotherapy over three consecutive weeks. Chemo’s 1-3 were steady with little side effects; she was smashing it and getting on with life on the days in between when she felt well. Chemo’s 4-6 were a very different story; she felt horrendous for the majority of the time and lost her appetite. The fight in her slowly ebbing away with thoughts creeping in that she could not continue with the treatment as she felt so dreadful. Most days cleaning her teeth was an absolute chore and she simply didn’t have the energy to even dress herself. She soldiered on even when her father took ill with a significant stroke and pneumonia just before chemo five. Gramps sadly passed away on Friday 29 November just before Aunty’s last chemo. She fought on and completed her treatment, she felt horrendous but a sense of relief that it was over still brought some comfort. Two days after her last chemo, she had a heart attack; the cause not entirely known but it could be linked to the chemo. Due to the risk of infection, it was key that the treatment for the heart attack was administered quickly so that she could return home. Thankfully, she had just two nights in hospital before she was released and able to begin her recovery in comfort in order to attend Gramps’ funeral. A few days before the funeral she began to feel particularly unwell, at a scheduled appointment with her oncologist she was admitted and was kept in for three nights. She had a severe infection which turned out to be sepsis, and her bloods were dangerously low which meant her body had no chance of fighting it alone and could prove fatal. She needed phosphate, fluids, antibiotics, iron and a blood transfusion. It was touch and go whether she would be well enough to attend the funeral but her professor did all that she could to get her there. She was allowed 3 hours leave from the hospital to attend the funeral but had to remain in a wheelchair at all times. As a result of the heart attack, she now cannot have the radiotherapy to complete her treatment due to the risk of further damage to her heart. This news devastated her and she naturally began to think that not completing this treatment could increase the risks of it coming back in the future. As I write this, her journey is still ongoing and we await news on any further treatment but she is regaining strength and positivity on a daily basis as well as a few sprouts of hair! She may not have rang that bell just yet, but she will.