Bena Roberts

Why metaplastic breast cancer should be removed before chemo and RIP Vickie Knuston

My dear friend and wonderful metaplastic cancer fighter Vickie Knuston passed away on November 17th after a long fight with metaplastic breast cancer.

We spoke on the phone and chatted regularly and she knew her time had come and spent it peacefully with her familiy and grand children.  Her death has hit me hard and I feel pain and anguish that I couldn't have done more for her, but I hope this post will help all our MBC girls moving forward.

Hair growth picture and bisphosphonate therapy

Just an update that my radiation has stopped.  I never managed to finish the course because of the burn and dermatitis.  But bisphosphonate therapy starts tomorrow.  It is for six months I think its IV and some oral medication and then more IV in January.

Breast Cancer: Changing for the better and weight loss too!

 

My pain tolerance has increased. But the way I handle doctors has also changed dramatically. I remember at the start of this cancer treatment, I would listen to doctors and thought they knew best.

But nearly one year on,  I realise that medicine is a business.  Making money is the driver, even for doctors. Patients are often the humiliated victims.

The radiation boob or radiation dermatitis syndrome

Here are some better pictures of the boob after radiation.  I had a meeting with the doctor and will write that up over the weekend and explain the condition.  It has spread to below my breast, down my arm and up to my neck.  I am not sure if the radiation will continue now.  

In the paper the Darmstadt Echo!

OK. I hate pictures of me at the moment.  I hate the way I look.. as do most cancer patients.

But, when the head photographer of the local paper the Darmstadt Echocame over to me and Isha at the weekend, I couldn't resist!  (See Below)

My radiation has been stopped

My skin is burnt.  Sorry for all the detail... but my nipple skin is hanging off .... and as a result of that..

my radiation has been stopped.  I now have to see a skin specialist and that will determine whether or not I can continue or not.

I will come back with a longer update when the pain subsides.

Brown, burnt and hurt

 This picture is of the top of my breast.  The top is my normal skin. Below is on the side of my breast, the blue mark is where the cancer was.  
  

 I would have taken a picture of my whole breast but my lovely Uncle PBs came to visit and mention that I had used the word SEX in my blog.  I was worried he might have a heart attack if I took a picture of my whole boob!

Bald liberation and I smell like roast chicken

Going out bald, without a hat is a great liberator.  I am not sure how else to describe it.  But yesterday, I was so hot – I ripped off my hat and sat in the shade on the Rhein. 

I felt good. I could feel people glaring at me and then looking away.  What were they thinking?

Was I a freak?

Was I a hippy?

Did I have cancer?

 

Half way through radiation therapy

Only about 17 radiation therapies left to go!  I had my 19^th today.

Radiation is not as bad as chemotherapy, but there is a radical difference.

During chemo I felt like my body was being torn apart.  During radiation, my boobs are burning – but it is manageable. What isn’t manageable is my mood swings.  I fear I have depression again.  One minute I am happy the next – at the slightest comment I can be crying like a baby.

Radiation Update: My boobs are burning!

 

First of all sorry, that I haven’t written for so long.  But the last chemo nearly killed me and the minute mum left – Catrin (my best friend) arrived with her bouncing baby, Emily.

 

Now don’t panic, Catrin and the baby are fine and the silence is because we had such a great time. For the first time in ages I forgot I had cancer.  Considering, I was still going to radiation every day – this indeed is a feat! But just chatting and gossiping with a good friend and playing with a baby makes the sun shine.

But the sun is no longer shining as my boobs have started burning!