Jo’s Proactive Cancer Journey

In May, I went along to my bi-annual mammogram appointment in the breast screen bus that comes to my little village of Uralla. Two days after the mammogram, I received a call from the Tamworth BreastScreen clinic to come in for further tests due to a change from the previous mammogram.

It was such a lovely, supportive environment as I was there from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, having all the procedures done. I knew it wasn’t going to be good news. I was the 1 in 7.

A few days later, I received a call from the doctor with the pathology report, and there was a tumor in my left breast that was definitely cancerous. Just hearing the word "cancer" was enough to send me into a spin, and I had to leave my Year 2 students and go home to process the news.

I live alone, and my three children—two overseas and one in Albury, pregnant and expecting her first baby—were my immediate concern. I decided not to tell them right away until I knew the treatment plan and the actual diagnosis. I just wanted to get this lump removed ASAP. But, of course, in the medical world, things don’t move that fast. My GP had to refer me to the breast surgeon in Tamworth. After a consult, we decided I would undergo a lumpectomy and have three nodes removed. This surgery was performed at Tamara Private Hospital in Tamworth on June 24th.

Fortunately, my sister, who lives on the Sunshine Coast and is a nurse, was able to accompany me to the follow-up appointment and ask all the right questions. While the surgeon intended to remove three nodes, two were joined together, and we will never know if one of those was the one with the blob of cancer on it. He suggested I would probably need chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but that would be the oncologist's decision.

The next step was to refer me to an oncologist based in Tamworth but who visited Armidale Hospital regularly. Again, I just wanted to get the ball rolling, but I needed six weeks to recover from the surgery. Working with 8-year-olds was such a tonic, as they had no idea of my inner turmoil and kept me distracted until the school holidays when I flew down to Albury to spend time with Amy (my daughter) before her baby was due in late July. Would you believe this little baby had other ideas? At 37 weeks, Amy gave birth to my beautiful little granddaughter, Frankie Ella. Such a precious gift and another boost to my mental wellbeing.

My first chemo session was in Week 3 of the school term, and it was certainly scary not knowing how it would impact my body. My 86-year-old mother came up to be my carer, taking charge of meals and keeping the fire stoked, as winter in the Highlands is chilly. Her company was a blessing, and I needed a driver after the first two sessions because I required Phenergan for pain relief. I decided I could not teach while undergoing treatment. Twenty-two 8-year-olds are rewarding but demanding, and I didn’t want them to see me looking ill and losing my hair.

Sure enough, after the first session, I went to my hairdresser twice and shortened my hair to a bob, but when clumps started to fall out, I called my friend down the road and asked her to shave it off. I’ve had long hair forever, and this was another hurdle to overcome. Sitting in her kitchen, we laughed as Chelsea started running the clippers over my head, and clumps just fell out. She said, “You rock it! Your head is a good shape, and your ears don’t stick out.” When she handed me the mirror, I just burst out laughing at the transformation.

My sister Shelly had researched chemo headwear, asked her nurse colleagues for advice, and sent me the link to Jas Fashion. I am definitely a hat and beanie person rather than wigs, so I sent off an order in preparation for what was to come. It definitely boosted my confidence to go out and about in town wearing the cotton beanies and dressing them up or down with scarves and earrings.

Next week is my 3rd chemo session, and there’s one more to go. The amazing team at the Armidale Cancer Clinic has been like family, and Sonja, the breast care nurse, is in constant contact, checking on my physical and mental wellbeing.

Living in a small rural town has also provided me with a network of friends, including the hospitality teacher who drops off delicious treats made by her students on Tuesdays. My friend Teresa meets me each weekend for our walk and coffee, and my neighbors pop over to ensure I have everything I need. Can Assist has offered drivers for when I need to start radiotherapy in Tamworth, and they have provided other financial support as needed. The list goes on and on.

For someone who has reached 63 years of age and has always been active and looked after my physical and emotional wellbeing, this has been a huge learning curve, dealing with all the medical appointments and specialists. The Radiation Oncology Specialist in Tamworth has now set up my pre-treatment appointment for October 1st, as I will require three weeks of radiotherapy after my chemotherapy sessions.

While I didn’t feel emotionally or physically fit enough to teach full-time, I have kept busy organizing the Uralla 2024 Fairy Festival, and the magic of fairies has been a positive vibe to keep my spirits up. Receiving mail from my Year 2 class and reading their get-well wishes brings a ray of sunshine to my day. Life is unpredictable, and I may rethink a few things at the end of this medical journey, but spring is here, and new life is popping.

Story Credit:
This story is beautifully written by Jo Sherrin. When we approached her for a short story, she returned with all the details of her journey, with the intention of helping women in similar situations. In Jo's email to us, she said, "If you think other breast cancer women/men may be inspired, then I'm all for it. My go-to was two of my dear friends—one who was diagnosed 20 years ago and the other 12 years ago—for advice and support in dealing with this journey, and they have both been so helpful."

Sometimes, we never imagine that cancer will come to us, but when it does, we often feel helpless and lack resources. If this ever happens to you, we hope customer stories like Jo's can be your "go-to friend."

Image Credit: Courtesy of Jo Sherrin

In the images above, Jo is wearing a Jas Fashion Bamboo Turban Hat with Removable Headband  (Mix and Match) and a Pleated Classic Jersey Cotton Turban