This one was to last an hour an a half, and when I came out I was a bit annoyed when they radiologist told me the results would be through in 3 days. I had a bit of a strop and told them I was seeing the consultant that evening and he needed to report by then. There was lots of huffing and puffing on their part and I left them to it. In the car park on the way out, I phoned my consultant’s secretarial team and told them they might need to put some pressure on them to get the results. These ladies are brilliant and whatever they did, it worked.

At 7pm I was in the consultants office and he told me that it was indeed cancer in the vertebrae, but by some miracle that’s the only place it was. He’s currently deciding on a treatment plan, which is likely to include a bone biopsy, cemented the vertebrae to sure it up a bit and try and avoid it collapsing, radiotherapy, possible changes to me Hormone therapy, and the likely restarting of Herceptin, which means I’ll be having a port reinserted. The Herceptin will be every 3 weeks for the rest of my life. There may be chemotherapy involved but that’s not definite yet. Things are going to move quickly, I’ve just got to be ready to go where I’m told, when I’m told.

Despite this all being an awful lot to take on, we’ve got to look at the positives. The consultant is talking in terms of years, not weeks or months. The fact it’s only in one vertebrae is also on my side.

I phoned my brothers to let them know the news. And felt better for them to know.

I’ve been to the GP’s this morning to get some more painkillers, and more drugs to deal with the side effects of the said painkillers. I’m also being referred to a Macmillan nurse who will help me deal with things.

The kids have been told, and the school is aware so that they can help them through this. Imogen can be a delicate flower, and will no doubt need a lot of help from her friends, and adult key workers. Felix is a very different fish, we just need to make sure he doesn’t bottle things up.

So, once again, here we are, keeping on, keeping on.

Jx