Yesterday we had our first meeting with the Oncologist (hereinafter to be known as Onco). A very pleasant lady with many years experience, who I am confident will do the best for me.
But sadly my brain is completely fried following the meeting, so much so that last night all I could report to my sister, BF and S-I-L was that we were still waiting test results - this is perfectly true but there was so much more to the meeting that 24 hours on I am only just now able to assimilate most of it.
Right from the initial diagnosis the plan has always been surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy for 5 years and whilst chemotherapy has never been categorically ruled out, it has certainly not been up there with the other 3 treatments - so I am really confused as to why we have just spent the last hour and more talking just about chemotherapy.
We discussed in detail what drugs I will have, for how long, how they will be administered, the side effects (short and long term) - she even wrote up the Consent Form although she didn't press me to sign it there and then.
We talked about the Oncotype test and the cut off point on the results scale for which chemo is given (>25).
The sticking point is the damn HER2 result which they are still waiting for. I queried why it's taking so long as it was part of the original biopsy 2 months ago, although we know this came back borderline (2+) and was then sent for retesting under FISH (don't ask!) FISH is supposed to give a definite negative or positive but it seems mine was borderline - Onco said that apparently another lady this week is in exactly the same position and she's never known it before and is now waiting for the 3rd case - great.
"Hmmmm, maybe there is someone new doing the tests or standards are slipping" methinks! (and yes I did voice that 😈)
Onco then said that they were pushing hard for an unequivocal result but the best they have so far is borderline positive - and Ian reckons that is exactly why the conversation went the way it did.
She is fairly confident of an answer on Monday and has promised to telephone us lunchtime(ish), presumably after the weekly MDT meeting.
If it does come back negative then we're back to having the Oncotype DX test done and in her words "if you were my sister I would definitely want that done". As I've said before this involves the sample being sent to America and the results are usually within 10 days - Ha! I've heard that one before 😠
So, my mind is madly seesawing between HER2 Positive = Chemo, HER2 Negative = Oncotype = 10 days waiting = ?????????????????
Meantime I'm sent off for an ECG to check that my heart can withstand the chemo and a further appointment is made for another, more rigorous, heart test.
Last night was horrible, I didn't sleep a wink - the wild wind probably didn't help but having gained a feeling of some kind of control/order I am totally at a loss again.
So ........................... we wait for Monday but in the meantime I'll try to PFTWHFTB 🙏🙏🙏
