Family Affairs and other matters

VOSENE GIVEAWAY

Given that I am clearly not going to be doing any lovely giveaways for Valentine’s Day this year because I am too grumpy to even consider heart shaped love things then this offer from Vosene for a spectacularly impressive array of “things to kill small critters that live on your head” seems infinitely more appropriate.

Here’s a picture of the winning prize:-

I was going to ask you to send in your child’s drawing of a louse but actually they’re not going to be that bothered about the prize because it’s not more for parents than kids – so instead, perhaps you could just let me know how many legs a head louse has and leave it at that. If you’ve got any funny head lice stories then even better – it’s not a particularly attractive subject is and I’m trying to make this post a little more sexy – it’s not really working.

If anybody reading this is considering sending me a Valentine’s card because I’m newly single then just to confirm, I don’t actually have lice (and neither do my children – although yes, I do have children. Lots of them) I’m just doing a competition.

If you don’t know what head lice and/or nits are then you will find all you need here on the Vosene nit knowledge site for all your nitting needs:-

http://www.vosenekids.co.uk/headlice-knowledge/

BREAST CANCER

I asked my friend to write a guest post for me about her breast cancer experience. It really is quite an extraordinary story when you think that it was just 18 months ago that we were talking about whether she should go and see a Doctor about her initial concerns. She dealt with every step of her journey with incredible bravery and humour. Some of her wonderfully frank account of what happened to her is quite shocking in a way, but she merely dealt with each and every phase and moved on. She now has fading scars and a fabulous new, very realistic looking breast (and essentially a tummy tuck at the same time which she was very excited about). I am quite sure that her story will be immensely helpful to anyone else who has been diagnosed with a similar type of breast cancer. Any questions let me know – I’m sure she’d be delighted to answer them:-

I am 42 years old and the mother of four daughters who are 15, 14, 12 and 4. In June 2010 I was probably fitter than I had ever been as I had been training for a marathon. I can remember thinking how well I felt then which is fairly ironic looking back. One evening as I took off my bra I noticed a tiny, dark brown spot in the bra cup, I honestly didn’t think much of it and assumed I may have dropped a little bit of my favourite Green and Black’s chocolate down my front as I am such a clumsy eater! The next day I wore a different bra but noticed it again and then the next day and the next. It became obvious that my nipple had some sort of discharge and so I booked a Doctor’s appointment, at that time it never even crossed my mind that it might be particularly sinister.

The Doctor thought it was probably nothing but I was referred to my local breast clinic at Kingston hospital. My friend Lucy came with me and the first thing I noticed was that the clinic was absolutely full to bursting. I waited for ages to be seen and then when I finally was the Doctor was charming, reassuring and very calm. He sent off a sample of the nipple discharge and said I should return a week later. When I went back the following week he said that there were some abnormal cells in the discharge but he wanted to do a biopsy of the nipple duct and thought that by removing the duct there would be no further problem.

I was seen very quickly and efficiently – almost on a weekly basis. This is what impressed me so much about the NHS care I was given. From discovery of the discharge to the removal of the duct took about three weeks. Despite the huge number of women that were at the clinic every time I went, the speed that my case was dealt with was remarkable.

I returned to the clinic alone for the biopsy results, I told my husband and friends that I would be fine as I was so confident that once the duct had been removed there would be no need for further treatment – how wrong I was! My consultant didn’t really beat about the bush he just said the biopsy showed that there were cancer cells in the duct and that it was called DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ). I remember feeling very calm initially but when the breast cancer care nurse came and took me to another room to call my husband, the enormity of what I had just been told slowly began to sink in.

After a further biopsy of the other ducts in my left breast I went back to see my consultant again. This time I took my husband with me. From the moment I walked in and saw the look in my consultant’s eyes, I knew it wasn’t going to be great news. He told me that the whole breast had extensive DCIS and would therefore have to be removed and how sorry he was, but that the prognosis was good if I had the surgery. As I sat nursing a coffee afterwards I recall holding my husband’s hand as he sobbed, whilst I calmly reassured him everything would be fine. Isn’t it funny how we all deal with things differently?

And so I was put on the waiting list to have my DIEP Flap mastectomy done at the Royal Marsden in Chelsea in September. This was all fine as we were supposed to be driving to the South of France on holiday as a family in mid July. However as the date approached for us to go I began to feel more and more unwell and it became obvious that I had an infection in my breast from the second biopsy. When I went to A & E I was told that my Consultant had accidentally cut off the blood supply to my nipple when he did the last biopsy and so basically my nipple was dying and I was told I shouldn’t go on holiday. My husband and the older children drove down to St Tropez leaving me and my three year old at home. A week later after being shown how to change my own dressings we flew to meet the rest of the family on holiday. It was a strange holiday as I was living under such a black cloud but it was good to be away from all the hospital appointments and although I hadn’t told the children about my planned surgery – my husband was being kind and loving.

However nothing could have prepared me for the moment as I was doing my daily dressing change. The sun was blazing through the window, it was an idyllic morning on the French Riviera, but as I looked down at my dressing I realised with shock, horror and slight amusement that my nipple had actually fallen off. It’s hard to know what to do in such circumstances, such as how do you then dispose of it and would it be appropriate to pop it in the bin in the kitchen or not? Anyway I did get rid of it and I do think it’s quite funny that my nipple dropped off in St Tropez – there must be a song title in there somewhere!

And so I had my mastectomy in mid September. It was a six hour operation done by a fantastic plastic surgeon and his team at the Marsden. They took fat from my stomach in a “tummy tuck” style operation and moved it to my left breast which was reconstructed at the same time. Within 12 hours I was up and about – I remember feeling self-conscious at my lack of make-up and looking so utterly revolting, so even though I had a 21 inch scar around my tummy I decided to paint my toe nails just so I could feel a bit more normal!

Since then I have had two more operations to reconstruct my nipple and I am now waiting for my tattoo to be done which is basically around the areolae area to create a sort of trompe l’oeil type of effect…. should be interesting – never thought I would get a tattoo!

This might sound a bit weird but all in all it has been a very positive experience. I know I was lucky. I was lucky to have had a sign that something was wrong so early that it could be dealt with quickly. I even think how if it had been in the winter months and I was wearing a black bra instead of a cream one – I wouldn’t necessarily have spotted the discharge. I was lucky too that once I had my mastectomy done I didn’t need further treatment. I know so many people who have had radiotherapy, chemotherapy and are on Tamoxifen in addition to the surgery. My surgeon is a complete genius and has created a wonderful new breast that looks incredible. I was in a bikini lying on a beach four months after my surgery – admittedly I did have big pants on as my scar is rather wide but you would never really know otherwise.


And so for all the awful, heart wrenchingly painful stories that you might have read about breast cancer….please remember there are so many positive ones too. Naturally I did have my dark moments – usually when I was putting my little three year old to bed and as I kissed her soft, sweet smelling hair goodnight I would wonder if I would be there for her as she grew up. But there is nothing more life affirming than having children and they have given me more strength than they will ever know.

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THE PUTNEY CLINIC

It has always been a huge issue for me that our medical profession has been so one dimensional. Most of us will have seen our GP’s, joined various gyms, tried different forms of exercise, seen physiotherapists, nutritionalists, acupuncturists, had massages, aromatherapy, reflexology, psychologists, counsellors and other treatments without any of our issues being shared between any of them to provided a more rounded and holistic approach to our overall wellbeing. What is the point of having notes dotted all about the place with all of these professionals being given only a part of our history?

I am very relieved to see this is slowly changing and that there is an emergence in the “super” health centre offering a more cohesive approach to our physical and mental health. Last week I went to visit the new impressive The Putney Clinic which is part of London’s largest NHS and Private Medical Treatment Facility with a view to teaching some Pilates classes there. They provide a complete cycle of care; from the immediate treatment of your pain and injury rehabilitation through to lifestyle changes and preventative exercise for your complete body and mind wellbeing.

Their main clinic is now located on the Upper Richmond Road in Putney, and their second practice on the Kings Road in Chelsea and they provide outstanding multi-disciplinary physical therapy services for clients throughout West and South West London.

My friend, Clive Lathey, Director and Osteopath at The Putney Clinic and Chelsea Practice says:-

“Our aim is to help each individual overcome his or her moments of vulnerability. Our ethos is not solely on treatment, but reflects the clinic’s aim to promote achievable lifestyle improvements and preventative measures, with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation, suited to your individual needs.”

They offer:-
Osteopathy & Cranial Osteopathy
Sports & Therapeutic Massage
Sports & Exercise Medicine
Acupuncture
Physiotherapy & Clinical Pilates
Podiatry, Chiropody & Biomechanical Analysis
Yoga & Pilates Classes
Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy & Life Coaching
Women’s Health Clinic

Each clinician will therefore be able to learn from each other, play to their strengths and refer on appropriately. For me it means that I can have access to the physiotherapist’s notes on my clients before the class, which makes the exercises I provide for them infinitely more valuable and focused.

SO. If you’re free on a Monday morning at 9.30am why not come along and try out my class?

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BREAST IMPLANTS

The owner of the French breast implant maker at the centre of a safety scare has been arrested in the south of France, police sources have said. How come the PIP implants made with industrial silicon, (more effective in mattresses) have been banned in France since 2010 and it’s only just in the last few [...]

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OLD AGE

It occurred to me at a party I was at the other day that I am looking a lot older than some of the other women my age. I was standing with a group of women who are all into botox and fillers and eye lifts and I looked at least 10 years older if [...]

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WALKING IS THE BEST FORM OF EXERCISE

With the onset of the new year newspapers are full of exercise and diet plans. Many are advising us to take up running. This is not necessarily a good thing. I personally am of the “no pain, no pain” school of thought and you can burn just as many calories by walking as jogging without the added strain on your body. I only have to look at most of the joggers I see in my local park to know that they are going to cause long term injuries to themselves. I have many friends with injuries after taking up training for marathons and triathlons owing to the excess pressure put on their joints and according to a physiotherapist friend of mine the three most stressful exercises on the body are running, spinning and Bikram yoga. Another doctor I know has said that bodies over the age of 20 are not designed to run.

By definition, when you are running you at some point in your stride have both feet off the ground. This is what creates the impact. When you walk, the pressure is four times greater through your lumbar spine, whereas when you run it is twenty times greater and there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that walking is actually one of the best forms of exercise for both body and brain.

My friend Clive Lathey, an osteopath was recently quoted in the Daily Mail:-

‘If you look at the pelvis, the sacroiliac joint in the lower back, and the S-shaped curve of the spine, they are designed for shock-absorbing vertical force. We’re well adapted to walking. What we’re not adapted to is spending lots of time sitting down in cars and at computers — that tightens and weakens the muscles in the back.’

You can still get a good cardiovascular work out if you walk fast and up hills and especially if you aim to walk on uneven ground – it helps not only strengthen your muscles but improve your balance. In addition, walking outside is not only a free form of exercise but communing with nature is known to provide a positive effect on the brain — “things you experience through the senses such as the eyes and the nose have an effect on the brain.’

So. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t like running. Get out and walk. Far more enjoyable.

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BREAKTHROUGH BREAST CANCER AND PINK RIBBON BINGO

Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity have asked me to let you know about a new way of helping them raise funds for their charity. Here is some Youtube footage of Kate Thornton and Tamzin Outhwaite for you to see first and then there are some more details about the whole thing:- TV presenter Kate Thornton and [...]

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