A Lesson in Genetics
Updated: Dec 29, 2021
I hope everyone reading this has had an amazing Christmas ❄️. I certainly did! So grateful to be out of hospital a few days before and recovered enough to actually part from the sick bowl! Apart from a few minor complications stopping me from stuffing my face it was still a great Christmas! I may be 5kg heavier but things are starting to improve! (and that is not 5kg of Christmas food .. I wish! 😂 blame the ovaries!)
Things are not all bright and sunny though, I did have a wobble recently. The blood thinning injections have got so bad, my entire stomach is bruised, it feels bruised even if you can’t see one! I can only just about have leggings resting on it or it is just too uncomfortable! I am up and mobile fully again now so not gonna lie I have sort of ditched them and the stockings! (this is not recommended! Especially coming from a nurse) 🙈. Nurses really are the worst patients! ALSO I am so sick of this stupid surgery bra, wearing it all day and all night is really getting old!! The feeling of taking your bra off at the end of day is really being missed!
I feel sad about new year coming up. I certainly won’t be counting down or celebrating, The new year is literally a write off for me, Chemo starts in January and my whole life is going to change. I am well aware of chemo side effects and I just really hope I breeze through as much as possible. I really don’t want to lose my hair and it is still something i can barely think about or imagine.. so for now let’s not!
ANYWAY! Back to the title of the post.. genetics! A couple of days before Christmas I had a virtual appointment with Southampton Hospital. We need to find out where the fu** Lenny came from and make sure no one else in my family is at risk!! He could still be lurking waiting for his next squat house. It is so simple too.. a blood test!! (I actually think a blood test is easy now.. how things have changed! 😂). I don’t even need to be stabbed especially, I can bring the form along to a pre-chemo appointment.. FAB!
My blood test will confirm if I have the genes BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2. I learnt a lot from this appointment and it is only possible to have one of the genes if any.. who knew!? Each one has certain characteristics such as some are heavily linked to ovarian cancer and one even prostate! If my result is positive they will then go on to test my parents and once we’ve figured out what side of the family, they will be offered more frequent screening or medical treatment! How amazing is that. In theory my diagnosis may have saved some future lifes within my own family! AND the embryos we have.. we can even pick the ones that are mutation free so my potential future children are protected! It’s crazy. This is me getting carried away.. for now let’s hope we are gene free 🤞. If I am then I really am a ‘special case’ 😂.
On a scarier note, they have very briefly mentioned that if I do have a positive test, it may be appropriate to offer me a full mastectomy and/or hysterectomy later in life 🙈. I’m choosing to ignore that for now! Who knew if you carry one of the genes and already had breast cancer that all the remaining breast tissue is still just as at risk! It really is not fair.
Positive: I am enjoying my little break after 2 surgeries and hospital stay before it all kicks off again with round 1 of chemo. I am pretending life is as normal as possible for now which is nice. I am a step closer to figuring out where the hell Lenny came from and there’s potential to protect my loved ones which is actually quite exciting! I will wish you all a Happy New Year
! … in despite of my bitterness 😂 🎉