Had a very enjoyable evening with our friends Mo and Pete at our favourite Italian restaurant.  The chef Dagastino cooked me a wonderful vegetarian nocchi dish which was scrumptios and the other 3 had some poor dead fish.

This is Mo and Pete the best of friends anyone could have. It was Mo who took me to the Queen Elizabeth hospital every day and back  for my radiotherapy appointments.

   

A couple of days ago I had e-mails from some of my wonderful BRCA sisters asking if I'd write a letter to the Oprah Winfrey show about our story but it had to be no more than 2000 characters. I scribbled a few pages while I was at work but when I put it on the computer the next day it was far too long so I had to rewrite it several times which took hours and I was knackered afterwards! Anyway it's gone now. I hope we can see it in the UK if it gets on. It's a great way of spreading the word. We could always try and put it on a UK show too.


Had a really strange dream last night I dreamed my Dad was still alive and I went round to his house. He was at work but my brother was at home. I was hungry so I looked in the fridge and found some eggs and some scotch eggs which I put on a plate and was horrified when I put it in my mouth and realised it was a meat one! ( They do do veggie ones) I was off sick because I'd faalen over again and I suddenly realised I hadn't told the SCHOOL!!!! I was off sick! So I frantically looked in the pfone book and then thought " hang on a minute how come I'm still at school I'm far too old and they wouldn't remember me! I then went out to visit one to one of the neighbours who decided to take a photo of me while the phone rang and another member of the family put a piece of paper in to my hand and said " that's your surgery date. It's tomorrow!" Then I was on my way to the hospital!

It just shows you what's on my mind all the time. It's like a huge weight on top of my head.

I have just messaged someone on facebook who may be a cousin on my Dad's side. He has the right name in the right area but I know it's a long shot because it's such a common name-Smith!! Oh well here's hoping!!

I'm really trying to find out which side of the family our BRCA2 mutation comes from. As both are parents are dead and cousins on Mum's side don't seem to be interested in being tested it is very difficult. We have found our mutation in a couple of scientific papers from around the Cambridge area and Surrey. It is an unusual mutation so I suspect they are related and we lost touch with my Dad's side years ago. My Dad was a wonderful person but was no good keeping in touch!!! Bless him.   

Well here I am again. It's my Friday off work and I was supposed to be going to the BDTA Dental Showcase at the NEC but I fell over an uneven stopcock cover in the street on Wednesday evening smashed a tooth and my face is a mess. I look like I've been in the ring with Mike Tyson! I was devastated about my tooth as it was also loose. I was off on Thursday too as I had an appointment at City Hospital with the surgeon for my first annual exam and mammo results so I went into work in the morning and one of my bosses sorted it. I have cracked the root. Shedid a root canal treatment on it and splinted it but said it NEEDS TO COME OUT SHE SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Arrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said I cant have it extracted as I'm on bisphosphonates and I don't want necrosis thank you. She said to ask the surgeon about reducing the dose. But when Iasked at the hospital they said for her to phone the oncologists secretary herself!


My boss says I should have a Maryland bridge and she gave me a prescription for amoxycillin in case it's needed

I felt extremely self concious of my face and kept it covered with a tissuewhile out much to the annoyance of Gray.


As far as the hospital appointment, it went well.They took me in about an hour late as usual though! I first went to the breast clinic as I thought it was in there but it was in oncology.


I apologised to the reception staff for the state of my face and how I did it. I was so embarrased sitting in the waiting room with the other patients at the breast clinic day in oncology.


The nurse finally called me into the room and she asked if I wanted my husband to go in with me and I said yes. Of course I apologised about my face again! " Are you going to be examined today?"and "What are you here for today and how far on are you with your treatment?


I explained I was 1 year hence and that I was BRCA2 positive and had come for my annual mammo results aswell. The nurse didn't know what I was on about so I wxplained it ran in the family! She left me a gown which I was aked to don after stripping to the waist! After which we waited about 10 minutes and one of the surgeons team came in and explained she had had a letter from the genetic clinic sayinh I was BRCA2 and that I should have annual mammos and she would arrange for me to have my next one in a years time.


She examined my breasts and I asked her to show me how to do it as I had never been show so she described what she was doing and got me to stand in front of the mirror so she could check I was doing it correctly which was great because I'd been wanting to be shown for ages. I thought BRCA ladies were supposed to be show as a matter of course.


Afterwards she told me there were no lumps found and my mammmo was clear. Phew! So it's official now. She also mentioned that the genetics clinic had also discussed having a double mastectomy and that if I wanted it they were happy to do it for me. She could refer me to the plastic surgeon if I was ready but I said I didn't think I could face it at the moment. She said she could understand as I had only recently got over the last surgery but whan and I'm ready to think about it (and if) I could phone and they would arrange an appointment with him for me.


Since I got home I haven't dared to go out of the house with my disfigured face I just hope it heals quickly and doesn't scar. We were supposed to be going out tonight and to morrow to Leicester for a Tigers match but I can't see that happening bar a miracle!


Tigers beat South Africa last Friday. South Africa are the world chamions so does that mean Tigers are now!

It was an evening match so we booked into the Premiere Travel Inn for the night and met our friend Sarah and her friends in the Last Whistle which is the new huge bar in the wonderful new stand where we sit. A group of Tiger's fans have formed their own band and play in there. We had a very enjoyable night. There were even some Sprinbok fans in there enjoying themselves!

   


This is our friend Sarah in the Whistle Stop that night! Looking very happy!

This was taken a couple of days before my Birthday, it was my pre birthday celebration which my n laws put on for me. They live in a village in the middle of nowhere in Lincolnshire and we went off to visit them for a couple of days. This was taken with Gray's Dad. They put on a great evening for me with party hat, blowing bubbles and an Indian meal cooked by Andy my wonderful brother in law who is a great chef.



After we left Goxhill we travelled to York for the rest of the week. We travelled by train from Doncaster where Marion and Andy  (brother and sister in law) drove us to to catch it. The journey was a nightmare. 10 coaches and all of them packed. We had to stand all the way with me holding on tight to a handrail as the train was shaking about all the way. I had visions of being thrown down the train. Needless to say we decided to book first class tickets for the train back to Brum! They only cost £10 extra!

York was packed with kids and their parents as it was half term. Unfortunately my Mum gave birth to me in the half term period. It was great as a kid but not so good now!! WE managed to get round the huge queues for everything by going late afternoon. There is a lot of history in York and it's supposed to be the most haunted city in the country so of course we went on one of the ghost walks which was great fun. That was packed too and they don't even advertise that one.We were recommended it by a friend. The Jorvik centre was very interesting with information about the Vikings and the archeological findings from there. It was laid out with waxworks, sounds and even smells including a cess pit!! The Castle museum had different displays of rooms through the decades which we all enjoyed and the National Railway museum was amazing and free too. I'd happily paid £10 to get in there.


The picture above was taken on my Birthday. As we were staying in a hotel Gray got me some cup cakes instead of a birthday cake and put a candle on one! They were from M&S and were delicious!

This was me in front of the Pullman train which we saw my Grandad off in in about 1957 on his way to catch a boat. Look how huge it is!!! I look even smaller next to it!!!

Sorry folks. I've just spent about an hour updating this blog and I've just lost it all!! I've run out of time now and haven't got the patience to redo it at the moment but I will add that my brother has had his results and he also has the samr BRCA2 mutation as I have. His councilor has told him he will have to wait 20 weeks for his prostate screening!! He is upset about this and is covinced he nust have cancer already! Understandably he has taken it almost as bad as I have.

We still haven't managed to find which side of the family the mutation is on but we found a record of it in a scientific paper from Cambridge which hopefully we can find out more through my councilor.

Anyway I have a lot more to rewrite and picture to re put on and I don't want to rush it as it's getting late so I'll try and get on again in the next few days.

This is Emma the wonderful Dental Nurse who works with me. I promised her I would put her picture on here. She had a cold at the time hence the mask as she didn't want to give it to me bless her!