Zombie's journey with breast cancer

[IamtheZombie]

The thread that Val started has now been moved to General Health. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2016081-Zombie-needs-her-limbs-holding?msgid=46439734

Please keep posting there if you wish.

As most of you know, I'm having my second mastectomy on Thursday. I will almost certainly need to have more chemotherapy.

This is my thread for those who wish to walk beside me on my journey.

zombie as I'm typing this I hope you are are the mend and not long away from hospital discharge so you can go home to your creature comforts and the cats

bewitched we are moving to kuala lumpar. One this this bastard cancer has taught me is that I need to be closer to my mum we are currently in S.korea and while technically closer we will only have one direct flight from KL cutting out 10 extra hours of travel time.

The packers will do all the relocation stuff over the summer so I'm not too worried about that.

I have to be back in kl by mid aug as I can't fly past 28 weeks into this pregnancy. This is 3 weeks after mum starts her chemo and I know it's going to be so tough leaving just as she needs us the most....

(Sorry to derail your thread zombie )

I have just spent the last hour reading this entire thread and I am in awe of your strength Zombie. I was diagnosed with uterine cancer in March and underwent a hysterectomy I last month. My brush with cancer was merely a fraction of what you have gone through - I only wish I had an ounce of your strength. I admire you more than I can put into words.

I hope you are healing well and will soon be well enough to return home, with a stop at MaccyDs first of course!

Hope things are picking up Zombie and you can soon get back home to your cats and home comforts and of course some lovely sunshine to sit in too. Thinking of you x

That sounds amazing Barbie, S. Korea looks fascinating. Glad it will be easier to get back to your mum. Great you've got people packing for you too.

Don't worry about derailing, I only asked about your move because I know that Zombie doesn't mind if her threads meander around a bit!

for everyone who is or has been affected by bastard cancer.

And an extra big bunch for our one and only Zombie.
Hope your home soon.

Tut! *you're home soon.

Hope you're let out of hospital soon Zombie with everything back to the levels they should be

Hello all! At last I have a dongle and my laptop! I assumed there would be wifi. I also thought I'd only be at hospital for a max of 24 hours.

So....

I was running a fever when I woke on Saturday - 37.6C. It has been well drummed into me that I MUST phone the helpline if it hits 37.5C. I had a coffee and a fag while I pondered this. Then I rang. Chatted it all through and then the Sister asked me to check my temp again. It was up to 37.8C. She said to pack a bag and she'd ring me back with instructions.

I was admitted to the Acute Medical Ward around noon. They took bloods, urine sample, did a chest x-ray and an ECG among other things. I was transferred to the oncology ward that evening. I did feel fairly shite on Saturday so was quite happy to stay. I have felt better every day BUT become much, much more ill everyday.

My blood counts have plummeted, in particular my neutrophils. Neutrophils are what fight infection. Normal range is 2.0 - 8.0. My count from my pre-chemo bloods was 6.6.

On Sunday my count was 0.8. Yesterday it had dropped further to 0.2. This morning it is 0.1. I was moved into strict isolation yesterday evening. I am not allowed to leave the room. At least is has an ensuite, TV, fridge, etc. All visitors must gown and glove before entering my room.

I really never ever want to hear the words extremely serious life threatening complication again. How can I be critically ill when I feel so much better than I did several days ago?

Any way, I'm on 6 hourly IV antibiotics and injections of G-CSF to stimulate my bone marrow to start producing blood cells again.

I have NO idea when this will turn around. I will be allowed home once my neutrophils get back up to 1.0. That could be tomorrow or it could be next week. There's just no way to tell.

I am much happier now that I can be back in touch with you all. I was feeling so isolated.

Thanks for still being here with me.

ZombieHugs™.

Hello Zombie

If you haven't found it yet, you are missed here (they need some discipline )

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2115165-FYFest-attendees-Over-ere-Ive-added-gin-marques-and-NO-HORSES-and-extra-music-and-stackable-goats-and-Im-not-good-at-thread-titles?noti=1#47880551

Good to hear from you - I've learnt so much about neutrophils on MN recently (following yours and Biscuits thread).

Heres to an increased count - although a level of 1 does seem rather low for them to be considering discharging on shut up Fairyfellow YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR

((HUGS))

And thanks to Val for the updates when you weren't available.

Onwards and upwards

How lovely to hear from you Zombie. I'm sorry you have this to contend with. I hope those neutrophils soon go back up. Is this now going to affect your next lot of chemo ? Did you have this sort of problem last time? I hope you can soon get home so you can have your " fresh air" glad that you aren't actually feeling too bad in yourself.( goes to have some fresh air myself ) all the best Zombie glad you have your laptop now and hope things soon improve.

Hi zombie, I had very similar story last Dec. I was at 0.09 at one stage, and went to .2 only to go back down. But they did come back up after injection. The nice ladies on Tamoxifen thread were going to dig me out! Hospital was going to let me home once I got to .4! But I went from .2 to 1.9 on last day.

I had Neulasta after remaining chemo cycles, and didn't have a problem with it again.

Oh Zombie, not the best of news but glad you are feeling less isolated in your isolation!
Fingers crossed that things improve really soon and you are able to go home and cuddle your cats.

Sending hugs Zombie and hope you have a speedy recovery!

Delurking to send my best wishes Zombie

Keeping everything crossed.

Hope you feel better soon
for you.

Zombie! Hurray! We're just mischievous. Not properly unruly :)

You've been missed. Glad you're back online. Here's to hitting a 1.0 in the next 24 hours!

Yes we've missed you :) Glad to hear you're in a private room but you just get right on growing those extra blood cells, okay?

Hi Zombie, just de lurking to send you all my very best . I'm sorry you've had a tough time of it recently.

We are all willing those pesky neutrophils to buck up their ideas and get moving swiftly upwards to beyond 2 Zombie .
Lots of mumsnet power of thought willing that on lovely lady . and love too .

So lovely to hear from you Zombie.
Sending you the benisons of the universe for a swift recovery and a speedy return home.

Love and hugs

Thank you all.

mummylin, Dr. A, my big honcho oncologist told me yesterday that this throws my entire treatment plan out the window.

Chemo affects all cells in the body but it hits the most rapidly growing and dividing ones the hardest. That's why they work on cancer cells and why bone marrow is hit hard. Docetaxel is known to be particularly tough. However it is unusual for the bone marrow to be so badly hit so quickly. The chemo I had previously (FEC if anyone wants to google) did affect my blood counts but I always recovered perfectly by the time the next cycle was due.

I have an oncology clinic appointment next Tuesday morning. I have no idea whether they will risk giving me Docetaxel again. Or what alternatives there may be. I will probably argue for more Docetaxel with extremely close monitoring as it is the drug that gives me the best chance of survival. We'll just have to wait and see.

Sally has returned to Harrogate. There was no sense in her just hanging around here. My neighbour has taken over cat duties.

Had a lovely visit with my niece, Sarah, and my friend, Becky. Becky is the one who came to stay with me when I came home from having the mastectomy. My heart breaks for both of them. A 33yo and a 27yo should NOT be rushing to a loved one's bedside because there's a very real risk that loved one may die. Becky will be buying me fresh knickers tomorrow! That's love.

I'll try to look in later before bed but I have quite a few things to catch up with (including e-mailing my uncle to give him the latest bad news).

ZombieHugs™ to all.

Becky sounds like a superstar. Clean knickers are an essential!
Cheering neutrophils on to 1.0 and beyond! (Gosh that was a bit Buzz Lightyear!)
We all luffs a zombie! PM if there is anything I can do. You will always find support on MN. xxx