Type of Cancer:
Breast Cancer

Her2 Status:
No

Lymph Node Involvement:
No

Surgery:
Lumpectomy, Mastectomy, Reconstructive Surgery

Radiation:
yes

Chemotherapy:
Taxol (Paclitaxel), Fluorouracil (5-FU), Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), Adriamycin (Doxorubicin)

Hormone Therapy:
Arimidex

What I Hate Most About Cancer:
The feeling that my body could be my own worst enemy

What I Have Learned From Cancer:
How much I value my family, how much they value me and how much strength you can dredge up from nowhere when you have to.

Cancer Center:
University Hospital of North Staffordshire

Tips for others on how to deal with the mental struggles of chemo/cancer:
Cling to the positive.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects:
Breast cancer No. 1. Surgery left me with some lymph oedema in the left arm, but the exercises helped and this is now barely noticeable. Leiomyosarcoma 2009: Can still sometimes feel the 'join' where my guts were resectioned and this can be a little uncomfortable. Breast cancer No. 2 2011: The nature of the reconstruction made it really hard to stand straight for about 3 months after the op. Also a tiny part of the new boob 'died' as it lost its blood supply temporarily - its taken 6 months to heal fully but is ok now.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:
Breast cancer 1 2004: FEC - started throwing up after session 2 and it just got progressively worse. Breast cancer 2 2011: TAC - minor heartburn, some nausea, some reaction to lenograstim injections, but apart from a little nausea, no sickness (hooray!). Complete hair loss with both types of chemo.

Radiation or Proton Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:
Breast cancer No. 1 2004: Quite bad desquamatous exfoliation towards the end few sessions. Found this very distressing at the time.

Hormone Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:
Arimedex (Anastrazole) - started in January - joint pains can be quite unpleasant.

Fundraising Description:
Race for Life (Cancer Research UK) ;