#CopingwiththeBigC copingwiththebigc.co.uk

I realised today the last time I wrote a blog I left you with the news my cancer is likely to be spreading, I needed further scans etc, an unintentional cliffhanger - I apologise, please trust that no news with me is generally good news. So, as I'm still alive (go me!) I thought it’s about time I updated you on what’s been going on over the past month.

Well basically, it’s all rather boring at the moment… I’d say I’ve always been quite resilient to this disease but I’ve got a real knack for blocking it all out at the moment, my only reminder is my three weekly appointment at The Christie and various other cancer related chores one must complete. Oh, not forgetting the odd aches & pains I get, mostly in the mornings as I get my creaky Jones Bones moving. Speaking of cancer chores, I did attend that bone scan I mentioned in my last post however, I’ve still not received my results. I’ve seen my Oncologist twice since the scan so I’m pretty sure they’re somewhere in my ever expanding medical folder but to be honest, I have no real desire or interest in hearing what they might be. My main concern in our meet up’s recently is discussing whether I’ll be able to do a bungee jump, ride roller-coasters or go trampolining - all of which have sadly been banned.

My poor Mum, she’s probably desperate to know what’s going on and I’m sure, if any of you are familiar with the term “ Scanxiety”, a word commonly used amongst cancer folk, you might be wondering why I’ve chosen to not find out for myself. Well, I’ve decided to take my own approach, scans can tell us things yes, but I know my body and I feel like it tells me more than any Oncologist can relay from a scan. At present I feel good, everything has improved massively since March (Christ, I remember one night the pain was so bad I actually felt like I was dying - Drama Queen). So even if a scan shows my bones are looking more holey, I don’t feel that way physically so I’m more than happy to plod along ignoring the fact that whilst I feel better, beneath the surface it might be a different story.  

Something I haven’t neglected to discuss with my oncologist is my ongoing treatment, as there were talks of going back to intravenous chemotherapy, (please no!) So we’ve come up with a plan…

Continue Capecitabine chemotherapy until we think it’s pointless as it’s not working..

Try hormone based treatment until we think it’s pointless as it’s not working…

Try intravenous chemotherapy until we think it’s pointless as it’s not working….

And after that, well I didn’t dare ask.

So I continue to take my daily dose of chemotherapy pills, six weekly denosumab injection and we’ve recently introduced a new injection.. Zoladex - Zoladex stops ovaries producing oestrogen and induces temporary menopause, HELLO HOT FLUSHES! As my cancer is Oestrogen positive we thought it wise we try and stop my body from producing it, hopefully stopping the cancer from spreading further. So far so good, I’ve had two injections and haven’t noticed any immediate changes.

I think that about covers everything.. Now onto the good things! Team Alex were re-united a couple of weekends ago, hitting the trails in the Lake District trekking both Helvelyn and Skiddaw summit. In total we walked/climbed 33 Miles over two days…GO TEAM ALEX! I’m actually amazed I managed to lug myself over both mountains without any training, just goes to show what the body is capable of, although half way up Skiddaw (with no safe way back down) I did consider calling in the Mountain Rescue team. I prevailed though with the help and patience from all of Team Alex, so proud to call them my friends - they are all amazing!