ITW n°27: Elodie - K fighter.
Let's get started:
First name: Élodie
Age: almost 34 years old
Profession: without
Where do you live: Pas de Calais
Why do you decide to share your story?
To explain to other women with a K, that certainly with metastases we are no longer talking about remission but stabilization, but we must believe in the progress of medicine!! Yes, right now even with stage IV Cancer, we can still have good years ahead of us!
Taking up arms to fight is important, no one can fight for us, with us yes but not for us! We are the ones who hold the cards.
Can you summarize your K fighter story for us?
Which K:
Breast cancer, with metastatic lymph node chain and lung metastases
When was it discovered?
January 2015
How old were you?
33 Years...
Under what circumstances was it discovered?
In July 2014, I noticed that my left breast had enlarged and that my socket was inflamed. I decide not to worry and to wait to see if it passes.
At the end of September, I finally decided to talk to my doctor about it.
October, I have a mammogram and an ultrasound. The doctor told me that the mammo and ultrasound revealed small abnormalities but that given my young age and that there is no family history, there is no reason to worry, but that as a precaution he will still give me an appointment to have an MRI, which I will have in December.
After the examination, the doctor told me that it was ultimately a little more worrying than he thought, so I had to do a biopsy, which I did the day after Christmas.
And since January 6, when I sat down in front of my doctor, she lowered her head, searched for words, and said: "We have the results of the biopsy. Unfortunately..." Unfortunately... . a stranger entered my house and settled there.
>> Metastatic breast cancer from the start!
Today: on targeted chemo
What treatment do you have?
chemo: 6 courses of taxotere associated with perjeta and herceptin, and currently, perjeta and herceptin.
What tips directly related to K do you want to share (your feeling with the doctor, your good plans for organizing treatment, anything that seems useful to you ;))?
Know how to listen to your body and take care of it! Continue to live as normally as possible, when the gifts of chemo effects allow us to do so... Knowing how to self-deprecate helps quite a bit too.
1/ chemo:
Take care of your skin and nails. Some centers have a socio-beautician who provides great advice and gives you great treatments.
2/ hospital: nurse / doc / caregiver contact
Contact with certain doctors or nurses can sometimes be a little complicated, but do not hesitate to express your feelings, then if things do not change it is always possible to change doctors or refuse to have a nurse take care of us in the future!
Think only about your moral well-being and not what the people concerned might think of our decisions ;)
What do you do to clear your mind/clear your head (before chemo, surgery & co)?
I spend a lot of time with the people who are dear to me (family, friends), whether by sharing a meal, going out or simply spending afternoons chatting.
What practical tips can you advise us?
1/ beauty: varnish/magic creams/scars & co
EYE CARE brand varnish, La Roche Posay moisturizing cream, Jonctum healing cream.
When my nails started to become very ugly, I started massaging them once a week with castor oil to nourish them, they are perfect again, I also use this oil for regrowth hair ;)
2/ look, your favorite look chemo, hospital, every day to feel good / shopping
It's important not to let yourself go, I don't think I've ever bought as many clothes as I have since K came along. Lots of colorful clothes to brighten up my complexion, I only wore colorful scarves too, I have a whole collection of every color possible and imaginable!
What are the nugget phrases (that you remember) that someone said to you during K and that you could have avoided?
Oula, there are quite a few to mention, but I'll settle for two lol
My former oncologist, when I told him that I would still like to have the primary tumor removed from my breast:
"It no longer matters about the tumor in the breast, since there are metastases, with or without, your life expectancy will not be prolonged however, we already know that it is not you who will win the long-term fight..."
Several different people:
“So it works out well for you to be sick, you look resplendent”
How do your loved ones support you?
By influencing this strength to fight, through words of support and encouragement. By accompanying me during chemo, to various medical appointments but also by knowing how to step aside when they feel that I need to be alone with myself...
What would be useful (internet) links that help you during K?
www.monreseau-cancerdusein.com and www.lesimpatientes.com , useful sites for sharing, supporting each other, building concrete links, finding useful information and addresses.
What has the K changed in your life…?
I learned a lot in a few months about the value of life...When we realize that we are not eternal, there are decisions that make themselves...
I open my mind and let happiness in every day. I would say that K makes me become the woman I always wanted to be but that my mind kept me from being...
Free field:
Learning at 33 that you have chronic K is difficult, not easy to accept being on targeted chemo for life, to come to terms with the idea that you have to rethink certain dreams and plans for the future. ..
But ultimately, all this is nothing when you set yourself the goal of living...
There are hard blows, days of doubt, days when I forget, days when I don't really want to anymore... Then finally the days pass and I save time on this bastard who wanted to settle in my body... Today as on the first day, I want to believe in lasting stabilization... The fight will never end but I want to believe in a distant future...
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Thanks again Elodie :)
I'm sending you lots of shock waves to face the war and move towards this so-deserved “distant future”!
See you soon
Charlotte
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