It’s been a while since my last blog and a lot has happened since then. It’s all been happening in our family at the moment! March was one busy month with some fantastic news and some not so great news. My brother Josh and his partner Cassie became parents to beautiful Zanna Mary-Marie and I became an Aunty for the first time. My brother Blake and his partner Melissa our now engaged; and are also expecting a baby in September.What we didn’t expect to hear is that my beautiful Mum Gabrielle was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I never thought that the two of us would get cancer within five months of one another. It came as a huge shock! Mum has been so supportive having to deal with the fact that I have cancer and caring for me and now she has to also go through it herself.
Mum has been diagnosed with a type of Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma called Mantle Cell. Mantle Cell Lymphoma is relatively uncommon and accounts for approximately 5% to 10% of all NHL cases and is currently considered as an incurable cancer. At this stage Mum’s Lymphoma looks like it’s slow moving and at the end of this month we will find out if she will be treated with Chemotherapy or if the doctor’s will take the watchful waiting approach. The watchful waiting approach involves regular monitoring from doctors to look for signs of disease progression.
Yesterday was meant to be my 8th treatment of Taxol, given at a reduced rate by 25%. Taxol causes permanent nerve damage and as I have been getting tingling in my fingers, toes and lips since week five, the nurses were very concerned about all the symptoms I’m having. After speaking with my oncologist I was sent home with a week off chemo in hope that the symptoms will diminish.
People that know me well know I love to wear my heels and now I’m struggling to walk in them as my feet are too sore from the Taxol!I am currently studying Millinery and have noticed that my fingertips are quite painful to touch when I’m working. I have lost one toenail and it looks like I could lose another and possibly one of my fingernails, yuck! My nose bleeds constantly, my back aches and I’m getting lots of headaches. These are just a few of my symptoms but if I compare having the Taxol to the AC I’d take the Taxol any day (minus the nerve damage) as I feel relatively normal.
Mum and I had been in full swing training for the Mother’s Day Classic everyday. Since her diagnosis not much walking has taken place. I have been pretty tired lately but plan to walk each day now up until the event. Only one day have we walked the full 8kms! It took us an hour and half and we were absolutely shattered afterwards. I am confident I’ll be able to walk the 8kms on the day and with less then four weeks to go I’m looking forward to the event.
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