Surviving Breast Cancer Now!

My chemotherapy lasted 18 weeks.  The treatments were every 3 weeks.  At first, I really thought I had beat the system and that, with the help of the cool cap, my hair would not fall out.  I was wrong, it did.  I had thought I would not want a wig, what does it matter if I am bald or not?  I was wrong, I did.

The wig was useful for three reasons: first, it keeps your head warm!  Second, it makes things easier for loved ones who do not want to think of you as really ill, even when they know you are.  Last, it helped me to feel “normal” and not to advertise my illness.  I do not want to be defined by any one aspect of my life, especially cancer.

I had also thought, somewhat conceitedly, that I would not get so very tired from the chemotherapy and life would go on as normal, just punctuated by the treatments.  Guess what?  I was wrong again!  The chemotherapy builds up over the period of time and I got bone tired sometimes.  I was so tired that getting up was an effort and I accomplished very little some days.  However, every day I got up, I got dressed and I did something, even if it was just make a cup of tea, write my diary or phone a friend.  Some days I needed a nap and others I felt so good I would bake a cake, clean the bathroom and present my writing class.  Believe me when I tell you I paid for those days for 2 or 3 days afterwards.

Bearing in mind the number of times I had been wrong before, it will not surprise you that I was wrong again when I considered the 5 week break between chemotherapy and the beginning of my radiotherapy was unnecessary.  That period allowed me to be just a little less tired each day and my husband and I did a few things together that I could not have contemplated if I had gone directly from one form of treatment to the next.

My husband took me to the Ayr Flower Show. We were only there for 3 hours, but it was lovely to see the flowers and stalls where the vendors had some useful things on sale.  Some fine plants and pretty accessories available too.  There was a stand showing birds of prey that was really interesting.  I was also surprised at the wide variety of stalls providing food and snacks.  We particularly enjoyed looking at the Bonsai Trees.

All too soon the weeks of freedom came to an end.  My radiotherapy started.  There was one big difference between the chemotherapy and the radiotherapy.  I had to attend hospital every week day for 19 days to complete the required radiotherapy.

My sessions started on a Tuesday so for the next 4 weeks I must endure the 70 minute drive to and from home to the hospital  for my 10 minute radiotherapy sessions.  It was a huge intrusion into the day.  It was also difficult to lead any semblance of a normal life during this period because my days from 10.00 to about 1.30 were taken up by the daily trips to The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. It is a specialised cancer care centre in Glasgow, Scotland. I was lucky because there is a local charity, North Ayrshire Cancer Care, that provides volunteer drivers to drive people to and from cancer treatments.  This makes a big difference.  Patients are advised against driving after treatment and it would be difficult to find family and friends able to make the trip daily for such a long period of time.  There is such a time commitment each day.

So, radiotherapy, here I come.

Valerie Penny