Category Archives: breast cancer

Update. You know, health and stuff. And food.

Posted on July 30, 2022 by sarahsouthwest

So, the good news is that the chemotherapy is holding the cancer in check for now. Next scan in a month. The bad news is that the chemo is hard. And the worse news is that after this, when this … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

New Project.

Posted on June 5, 2022 by sarahsouthwest

I’ve been referred to Palliative Care. Ouch, ouch, ouch. I know my chemotherapy is palliative, we’ve been through that, but actually referred to Palliative Care? It felt like another step up the staircase. It’s a bit weird, because I’m a … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , | 5 Comments

100 Things I love 12: having my daughter do my make-up

Posted on April 25, 2022 by sarahsouthwest

I used to wear make-up regularly. The first thing I tried was a shimmery, bright blue eye-liner. Very ABBA. I was out with friends, and bumped into my mum in the arcade in town. I was so embarrassed. Make-up seemed … Continue reading →

Posted in 100 things I love, breast cancer | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Apologies

Posted on March 7, 2022 by sarahsouthwest

Last April I spent 11 days in hospital, on the oncology ward. You go there when you are really sick. Me? I had a catastrophic response to the chemotherapy medication I was taking. My body couldn’t process it. My immune … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

A little chemo holiday

Posted on February 24, 2022 by sarahsouthwest

I had a telephone review with my oncologist on Tuesday, and we’ve agreed to defer my next chemo session for a fortnight. I’ve now had 10 doses of docetaxel. It’s kind of OK, but I’m knackered. I feel pretty shit … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Missing out.

Posted on August 17, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

I’m supposed to be in Ireland. Specifically, I’m supposed to be in County Clare in a big house by the sea with my husband and my kids and a great rolling crowd of eating, drinking, laughing, chatting, arguing, joking in-laws. … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Docetaxel

Posted on July 17, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

So, here we are at the start of Week 3 of my 3 week cycle. Side effects? Yes: Look at the picture. Can you see when the fatigue started to lift? Oh, the fatigue. Leg pain. Like my bones were … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Choosing Doxetaxel

Posted on June 25, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

I had my review with my oncologist this week. Nobody seemed massively enthusiastic about me re-starting capecitabine, after my near death experience with it. We’ve put it on hold for the moment, in the knowledge that it worked on the … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Adventures with capecitabine

Posted on May 8, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

Chemotherapies are poisons. The art of chemo is to kill the tumour before you kill the patient. I’ve had 2 courses of capecitabine now. The first was OK. The second was a nightmare. As part of the work-up for capecitabine, … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , | 13 Comments

A poem about cancer, or anything really.

Posted on March 20, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

4am and I’m filled with itthe taste in my mouthlike I’m stuffed with coinseach finger filled with itno4am and it’s here in the roomwith me I’ve been swallowedby cancer I’m a nodulefloating in a sea of cancerI breathe it in … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , , | 1 Comment