I want to say a huge thank you to everyone once again for supporting me through this journey! It’s only up from here and I’m feeling significantly better now that I have finished chemotherapy! I still have a few more appointments left with oncology but for now I’m in the clear!! 🫶✨
I just wanted to share some good news with everyone! We have been keeping track of my cancer markers (Alpha Fetoprotein - which is supposed to be less than 11 and CA-125 which is supposed to be less than 36) since the tumour was found.
My initial marker blood results were AFP > 121,000 (which is insane), and CA-125 179, these results were what pushed my doctor to get scans done and get things rolling as soon as possible.
We have been taking my bloods weekly to keep track of the markers and my latest blood result shows AFP at just 145 which is so much of a positive change and CA-125 is at 33 which is back within normal range! Which means the chemo is working (even though it’s making me feel miserable) and hopefully I will only have another few weeks of treatment (1 full cycle) and be cancer free!
I just wanted to send out a thank you to everyone once again, the support I have received is absolutely incredible! The kindness and generosity everyone has shown has absolutely blown me away!
I also wanted to share that today I shaved all my hair off! The hair loss has ramped up quite a lot the last couple of days and so I said “it’s time!” and got rid of the last of it and I’m loving it especially in this heat!! I have some super cool wigs I can’t wait to wear so it’s a win for me so far lol
About to head into my final week of my first cycle of my chemotherapy journey and I just wanted to share an update. I have been struggling with a lot of side effects from my chemo, including nausea and fatigue, extreme joint pain, weakness, brain fog and more. It effected me a lot worse that I anticipated especially for the first cycle, I definitely expected it would be a progressively get worse thing but realistically the chemo hit me like a tonne of bricks! Thankfully most of the nausea has gone away and I am feeling a bit better, I have been able to make it to the beach with a pie and ice cream for some nice fresh sea air twice this week! But overall I have not been capable of doing a whole lot else. I appreciate the kindness and patience everyone has shown me more than anything right now.
Today was my first day of my BEP chemo, I was definitely anxious but feeling more comfortable now! The staff have been lovely! One day down, a whole lot more to go!
To get ready for chemo and to make the loss of my hair less traumatic I’ve decided to get a mullet (it’s a Didham rite of passage anyway!) it’s definitely a different look, but for the next couple of weeks this is my new hairdo!
