what the oncologist said...

I've just got back and read your comments so far...

The twelve grapes are a Spanish tradition... you eat 12 grapes, one for each 'bong' as the clocks strike midnight. Our grapes were very small, and we shared them, so it was easy, but try it next New Year with properly sized Spanish mothers, and you'll get the full experience of passing into the New Year with a mouth dripping with grape-juice. Tis most amusing! :)

So. The oncologist was lovely, thank God. It is non-small cell lung cancer and we start chemotherapy on 21st January. I have to go into hospital for 24 hours to have the drugs, and then get a break for 3 weeks. That's one cycle and I'm having 4.

The lymph node is a worry because it determines the treatment in terms of whether or not I have radio-therapy as well. The PET scan tomorrow will clear up any remaining questions, but for now I'm feeling genuinely positive about it all. Surgery isn't an option at the moment because there's no definitive space between the tumour and my chest wall, so no guarantees they can get it all out. The bones look okay though, so far. We think it is localised at least.

There's not much news here, but for me, in my position, it is all news. Nigel said he thought the doctor talked a bit slowly, but I didn't find that because my poor old brain was really struggling to take it all in. They must know that and accomodate us!

Also, I met some lovely people in the waiting room and it was so good just to speak to someone else who knows exactly what you've been going through. We had a few laughs and they all looked really well. It was a pleasant surprise and a huge relief. One older woman (in her 70s) started her foray into cancer 10 years ago, lost her hair twice, and is now going strong. She waited for me to find out how I got on, and was so positive and supportive.

And we got tea again. My goodness! We've been getting spoiled.

Rightio. Off to enjoy the evening before tomorrow's scan. Hubby is cooking dinner - can't be bad!