Here we go again?

I was hoping for a year to recover mentally, physically and emotionally. 2017 is my year of refreshment leave (aka unpaid leave). A year for me to become myself again, whoever that person is. To get healthy after breast cancer, the treatment and the dreadful Letrozole which knocked me back in 2016

It is May and I am starting to hear the whispers from my body again. Not all is good, that something is wrong. You know, ‘that feeling’ that something not good is going to happen

I started taking Letrozole in August 2016 and started limping soon after, then my arms became weak, my hands hopeless, I struggled with fatigue. In January I could barely walk because of all the aches and pains in my body. At that stage I emailed my oncologist with the list of side-effects I was experiencing and she told me to stop taking the horrible pill. I was also referred to a new oncologist closer to me

The new oncologist agreed with me and my previous oncologist that I should stop taking this drug, as it had only a 1 – 2% advantage in my case anyways, to prevent the cancer from returning. The side-effects weren’t worth the small advantage. I slowly recovered and became stronger, even the fatigue improved. I still walk with a limp, but otherwise I am feeling really good

Because of the aches and pains my new oncologist ordered a bone scan to double-check that the bones are clear, just to be thorough. Which I appreciate, now more than when she suggested it 🙂

The results came back clean which indicated no cancer spread to the bones. But it picked up a growth on one of my ovaries. She asked my GP to organise a blood test (CA-125 blood test) and an ultra sound. Yesterday I went for an ultra sound and yes, I have several cysts in my right ovary. All of them about 3.7cm in diameter. I don’t have the final results yet but made an appointment to see the GP tomorrow morning, to hear what the results are and where to from here

Whether this is ovarian cancer or not, I will have to go through surgery to remove the ovary (I will definitely be asking for both to be removed). My age and the fact that I am post menopause is counting against me, as these cysts could indicate cancer. No, I am not saying it is ovarian cancer, I am saying it could be. That is my gut feeling

But I am ok, at this stage it has not been confirmed. I am starting to research gynaecological oncologists and will talk to my health insurance company today to make sure I know where I stand with it and which gynaecological oncologist they recommend if I decide to go private, instead of using the public health system. In the end it will depend where I can see a specialist first – in the private or public system

I feel a bit gutted that this is the situation and that 2017 is not going to be that ‘refreshing’ after all. I feel a lot of things, which I would rather not say out loud until I have more facts

But the cysts will have to be removed and at my age they normally suggest the removal of the ovary/ovaries too (I had a partial hysterectomy some years ago) – which potentially means quite a big operation again

So yes, here we go again……………………