Cancer Cattle Market

In the beginning, way back in January when my Mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer I was totally dreading the rest of this year and everything that lay ahead. There seemed so much to do, get our heads around and so much uncertainty, but what I wasn't expecting was that I was going to be having so much fun in between it all and discover just what an amazing, inspirational and strong lady my Mum is.

Yes, we've had lots of hospital appointments, worry, stress and Mum has had a lot of horrible things to deal with - alongside the physical pain of the Mastectomy and removal of the Lymph Nodes there's also the emotional side of coming to terms with everything that's happening and the changes to her life and body. But, we've also laughed, talked, shopped, cooked, juiced and enjoyed spending time together more in the last 4 months than we've ever done. It is a shame that it takes an illness to bring these things about but that's just the way it is and so I'm really grateful to have been given this opportunity - we've been able to take away more positives than negatives from every step.

One of the biggest hurdles in this journey after the Mastectomy was the chemo. We'd heard and read so many horror stories about what it does to people that we were all really apprehensive. We dealt with it by being as prepared as possible and this started with wig shopping. Which again, was actually lots of fun. Sitting in front of a mirror seemed to be the hardest part to start with for my Mum - this is because of low self esteem I guess - something that has always been there even before the Cancer but also something that she is overcoming since the cancer... yet another positive from such a crappy situation. Anyway, after LOTS of different colours and styles we found the one and she looked absolutely amazing in it... little did we know at the time that she actually wouldn't be needing it as much as she thought she would! :o)

So wig and head scarves at the ready and a carrot and ginger juice prepared (ginger helps with nausea
and my Mum gets car sick) we headed off for our first trip to The Christie in Manchester. This was on Thursday 18th April and this appointment was just for the blood tests, she would have to go back again the next day for the actual chemo treatment. We arrived and parked fine but when we walked into the centre and saw the big waiting room jam packed full of cancer patients waiting for chemo treatment it absolutely floored both of us... it was like a Cancer Cattle Market. The sheer scale of the amount of people - all at different stages of their treatment with wigs, bald heads, scarves, pale faces - it just seemed so daunting. We waited for 20 minutes in the queue just to sign in and we did this in silence - we quite literally couldn't find the words. I know cancer is huge - 1 in 3 people will get it but what I don't understand is why people (including us) think it will never happen to them or people they know? Why people don't listen to the advice on not to smoke, drink too much, exercise, have a healthy diet? I'm pretty sure that if they took a visit to The Christie or anywhere like it or witnessed someone they loved go through this they would take note, listen and make the necessary changes.

Anyway, we actually didn't have to wait too long in the end and everyone we came into contact with at the centre was so friendly, helpful and informative. They didn't treat my Mum like just another patient, they were compassionate and understanding which I was totally in awe of considering how many people they treat on a daily basis. We left feeling a little lighter than when we entered although obviously the actually treatment and the side effects was still playing heavily on my Mum's mind.

My Dad took Mum for the treatment the next day and as far as receiving the treatment which was via a drip it was pretty simple and straight forward and again the nurse administering it for my Mum was really lovely. So far so good. The next day a nurse went round to Mums to inject her with something to boost the white blood cells and again, all seemed to be going really well.

On the Sunday the chemo kicked in and it left my Mum pretty much bed bound until the Friday. It completely zapped any colour, strength, energy from her. Although she wasn't physically sick that often, she said the feeling and the retching was always there. She was in so much pain whenever she tried to eat or drink anything that in the end I took her to the doctors who sent her immediately to the hospital for a chest X-ray. Even getting out of the house was a massive effort. She couldn't lift her handbag or open a door - it was so horrible to see her like that but the doctors and hospital were brilliant and we were in and out in no time at all and she actually seemed brighter for the trip out. The chest X-ray came back clear and by the Saturday Mum had perked up enough to go out for lunch with Dad and has been feeling better and stronger on a daily basis since. So much so that this week she decided to take the plunge and have her head shaved - one thing she could control rather than waiting to find it falling out on her pillow... next stop - new, confident, bald Mum!