Progress

Wednesday 12^th June 2013

 I can’t report any progress with gynaecology in this update. Despite having e mailed Dr Bain at the hospital over three weeks ago, regarding the proposed Mirena treatment and chasing it up twice, I have had nothing more than a read receipt. Personally, I think that is unacceptable. I will keep on, keeping on. Progress has been made with genetics, forms all filled out with family health history, consent to access my aunt’s medical records and an appointment to see the genetics nurse in July.

Recent media news on breast cancer include the thinking that perhaps women should stay on Tamoxifen for  10 years rather than the current 5 in order to further reduce the risk of recurrence. I’d already started counting down to when I can come off the drug in 4 years 4 months! Also reported yesterday was, that despite 25 years of mammogram screening there is no evidence that screening is reducing the number of deaths from breast cancer.

 Although the number of women who die from breast cancer is steadily decreasing, there is “no evidence” to suggest this is because of screening programmes first introduced in 1988, researchers from Oxford University said.

A study of death rates found that the largest drop in mortality has been in women under the age of 40, who are not routinely screened for the disease. While screening can benefit individual women, it is making little difference at a national level and other factors such as better treatment are likely to be behind improving survival, researchers said.

Certainly in my case it was the “Breast Aware” campaign that took me to the doctors in the first instance, I had not yet reached the age of routine screening. In my case, with lobular cancer, the mammogram was inconclusive.

Since I started writing this post yesterday I had a response from hospital yesterday afternoon asking if I can be on the ward tomorrow afternoon to see Dr Bain. Short notice, but good result! Hopefully get things sorted before my holiday in July! It just would have been so much easier all round if they had sent an appointment in the first instance?..

 

 It was a boost to be able to manage a couple of short jogs while in France last week. Two fifteen minute sessions of sunny pounding along the quiet lanes! Also very much enjoyed several dips in the chilly invigorating pool for a few lengths. The new bikini had its first outing and proved to be perfect for the warm weather. A stroll round the Sunday market saw me purchasing a great lightweight linen cotton top that I can throw over anything to smooth out the lumps and bumps! I have quite a nice collection of suitable clothing in my wardrobe now, eliminating the need for a prosthesis, which I find uncomfortable.