Living with Molly: Here We Go Again!

🎵 I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash (https://youtu.be/b0cAWgTPiwM?si=G-8eoS6WyDAw4UTE)

Because today it all feels a little less foggy…

Today was surgery discussion day and I went in not really knowing what to expect and actually they were brilliant!

The consultant I saw – proper top of his game, even had an MBE, but more importantly just a really nice guy that spoke to me like a human being. The breast nurse was also fantastic and talked me through what they know already about my tumour (basically what my local hospital should have told me but didn’t!).

A completely different vibe to what I’d experienced last week – they gave me more time, more clarity, more reassurance. I came away feeling like I’m in the hands of people who really know what they’re doing, and that makes a massive difference when everything else feels so out of my control.

It doesn’t take everything away. It doesn’t suddenly make it all ok, but it does make it feel a bit more manageable.

They talked me through the options, and the plan, all being well, is a full mastectomy, with the possibility of reconstruction at the same time.

We won’t know for certain until they’re in there whether that’s possible, but even the fact it’s being talked about feels really positive. And compared to last time, I shouldn’t be in hospital for days on end – it’s likely to be just one night, which feels like a win in itself.

After surgery, once they’ve got a full picture of the cancer and how it’s behaving, I’ll be referred over to The Christie for treatment.

They also said something that really stuck with me, which is that even in the last five years, the number of treatment options has come on massively. Which, when you’re sitting there hearing all of this again, is actually a really reassuring thing to hear.

For the first time since this all started again, I felt like I properly understood what I’m dealing with and I’m no longer in limbo and lacking that clarity of what’s going to happen.

Ive got the most common type of breast cancer (I’m sooo common!) which, strangely, is a bit of a comfort. It means it’s something they deal with day in, day out – sadly around 7,300 women a year are diagnosed with this type, which is just mad when you think about it.

They’ll know more after surgery, including whether it’s spread, which they’ll check by removing a couple of lymph nodes at the same time.

They’ve explained the grading too, which is about how the cells behave, not how far it’s spread, and while some of the words can sound scary, the reality now is that there are so many more options than there used to be.

So yes, it’s a lot to take in but it’s good (well as it can be!)

I’m back next Friday for a longer appointment where they’ll talk me through everything in detail, properly step by step, and then surgery is likely to be in around four weeks’ time.

After that, I’ll have a recovery period of about six weeks where, for once, I might actually have to do what everyone tells me and rest.

P.S. how gorgeous are these flowers from my Living with Molly girls (more about them in a later post!)… also fully aware of the irony of choosing I Can See Clearly Now as I’m currently about to leg it outside and cover the garden furniture because the rain is very much on its way 🫣