Update :)

I haven't written for a little while so thought I'd give you all a quick update!

Steve starts his chemotherapy on Saturday 3rd November. The drugs he will be given are:

• Oxaliplatin
• Capecitabine (Xeloda)

We've been told any side effects that occur will be treated as soon as physically possible which is reassuring, and although Steve has entered the SCOT trial (Short Course Oncology Therapy) we will not find out until the day of his first chemo whether or not he will be having 6 months of treatment or just 3. In the meantime he will need a CT scan and some other tests.

We are both apprehensive but also really keen to get chemo out the way so we can have a bit of normality back and get on with our lives - my brother moved to New Zealand recently and has a 2 week old baby, so when this is all over we are looking forward to booking a 3 week holiday over there!

The day of Steve's first chemo is also the day of our nephew's Christening, so we're hoping he won't be suffering too much so we're still able to make it - can anyone tell me if this is feasible?! Are we being naive in hoping he'll feel well enough to attend after session 1 of chemotherapy?

In other news, I have moved departments at work which makes me super happy! I really like the company I work for, but am definitely in need of a new challenge. I now have a lot more responsibility and need to know a lot of technical information which is a learning process, but I'm really excited about this. It also means I am working 8am - 4pm Monday to Friday, instead of 11am - 8pm Monday to Friday and every other weekend, which is amazing for us - also the fact that Steve's chemo will be 3-weekly on a Saturday means I can always be there with him, whereas if I hadn't moved departments this would not have been possible.

And one more thing... It's my birthday soooooon! Thursday 25th October will be my 22nd birthday. I'm off work Thursday to Sunday, and I know Steve is planning some sort of getaway but that's all I know! All a big mystery, so I'll fill you in on that this time next week! :)

Til then, lots of love & hugs.

Xx

Chemo Plan: Take 1

Lots of appointments today!

• Meeting with surgeon Mr H to check wounds and have stitches removed
• Meeting with stoma nurse
• Meeting with oncologist to find out the chemo plan

That's what we thought anyway...

First two appointments were fine, although some skin had started to grow over Steve's stitches so they were quite painful to remove!

The meeting with the oncologist was the one we were most apprehensive about. It was quite a shock to hear Steve would need chemo in the first place so we were looking forward to hearing the plan and being able to prepare.

But the oncologist didn't have much information for us apart from that chemo would be 3 weekly, for either 12 weeks or 24 weeks depending on whether or not Steve wants to take part in a trial meaning the cycle would be shorter than the standard.

Steve wants to be fit for my birthday at the end of October, so the oncologist said it's likely chemo will start the following week - about 4 weeks from now. No dates or names of drugs, and it felt like he didn't have a lot of time for us so we left quite quickly not knowing a lot more than we had when we arrived.

So not much to update everyone on really, but as soon as I do you'll all know about it :)

Just wanted to send all my love to my Twitter BC friends too... I'm completely overwhelmed by the love, support, kind words and help I've received from everyone I've been in touch with via Twitter, it's been absolutely incredible! I've noticed recently that some of my closest friends seem to have disappeared since Steve's diagnosis but people I've never even met have been unbelievable, so I'm really grateful for that and want to let everyone know how amazing they all are! Massive hugs!

Lots of love Xx