Category Archives: breast cancer

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

Week 1

Posted on March 13, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

Week 1 of capecitabine. Well, so far, so not so bad. The side effects have built up a little bit over the week, but overall they are OK. A funny taste in my mouth, and a slight tingling. A slightly … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Palliative chemotherapy. Ugh.

Posted on February 25, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

Yes. Next week. Meeting on Friday. Had my bloods done on Tuesday, ECG just before I pick up my first course of capecitabine. I got my information leaflets through yesterday. I’m not wildly enthusiastic about this turn of events. We … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Ooh look, World Cancer Day just happened

Posted on February 5, 2021 by sarahsouthwest

It kind of passed me by. I’m never entirely sure what it’s for, anyway. My twitter feed had a few people saying “Yay! I’m cancer free now”, but other than that it didn’t have much impact. However, a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Cancer: it’s really not a battle

Posted on August 22, 2020 by sarahsouthwest

I’ve been on Twitter again, so it’s my own fault, I guess. They are still out there – the cheerleaders shouting on the battlers. The strong, brave battlers, who they know will win this battle because they are strong and … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Being Mortal – Atul Gawande

Posted on February 19, 2020 by sarahsouthwest

I got this book through the Mystery Book Club.  The Mystery Book Club sends out a mystery book every month. It says it comes beautifully packaged – and it does. It was such a treat to receive. This is a … Continue reading →

Posted in books, breast cancer, Living with dying | Tagged , , | 2 Comments