My appointment with Dr Mancero

Apart from being woken by loud music (a middle aged couple next door!) at 06:30, I felt quite good.  The strange stinging feeling in my arm has improved even further.  I've also decided to stay off the co-codamol and go back onto the paracetamol, after yesterday's fiasco!  I made an appointment to see one of the doctors at my GP surgery tomorrow to discuss medication, sick note etc.

At around midday, I got a call from the oncology unit to ask if I would mind coming in earlier, as they'd had a cancellation.  The appointment was for 14:00, so I didn't have long to go.  Chris came home and just had enough time to have a bite to eat before we trundled off.  Parked easily enough in the red car park (Chris' favourite!) and went in to find the department.  It was a contrast from the outside of the building, which looked old and dingy.  It was nice, airy and spacious in the oncology/radiology department (still felt anxious though).  Didn't have long to wait before we were called in to the clinic area.  We were shown in to a consulting room and waited for Dr Mancero.  She's very nice.  Smaller than me, stocky with beautiful handwriting.  I knew we were alright when I saw her handwriting, my mum's got beautiful handwriting.  She examined me and commented on how neat the scar is.  Now, I maybe wrong here, but this is the first time someone has actually examined my other breast, felt around my collar bone and tummy area.  It may have been for show, but it made me feel better, especially when she said everything looked and felt ok!  We sat down and she explained what treatment she recommended, the side effects (briefly) and answered any questions we had.

Basically:
3 courses of FEC  (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide that will be given into a vein in my hand)
3 courses of Docetaxel (Taxotere, given the same way)
These will be given at 3 weekly intervals and I can expect to lose my hair when the 2nd course of FEC starts.
Once this has finished the radiotherapy will start around 3-4 weeks later, alongside the hormone treatment - Tamoxifen.

After this the HCA came in and gave me a chemo pack (explanations, side effects etc.) and told us that currently there is a 3 week waiting list!  I may get an appointment first with the chemo nurse and then another appointment for the treatment to start.  OR, I may get both appointments on the same day.  Either way, we've still a little while to wait, but I should hear about the appointments within the next week.
I came out with a goody bag of drugs to help with the sickness, which I have to take the day before, on the day and the day after each chemo session.

So there you are, more reading material and more waiting...........