Hi Ginger
Whether a fighter or whether a dancer
It really sucks to be burdened with cancer
To know we'll be sick and eventually dead
With luck, we'll be struck by a bus instead
This blury pre-shave photo followed an exhaustive trim. Fat thumbs. It was actually an accidental selfie while in hospital absorbing a bag of Oxaliplatin into my left arm... You know... for good health.
I don't have a recent selfie of my clean shaven face. I might do one later today and see if I can hide my pale face and baggy eyes. I might need some professional photoshopping.
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
Carolyn,
Welcome to the North! Since you are on this side of the border, you too will need a rabitohs scarf for next year so get your preorder in. And since you are doing hats, better send someone down to the shops for some red and green wool. Just check with Lampwork to make sure the shades match.
You'll also need an olive tree.
I suppose you think chocolate is a suitable replacement for cheese. It's not true. They sit side by side on the decadence and indulgence scale. You can not have one without the other. Now... I am telling you this because it is so important for recovery of cancer treatment. Not the cancer itself, that's the doctor's job. It is essential for battling the depression, pain, anxiety, etc, etc, etc... that those life saving angels cause you. So run up to IGA (or send a non-cancer-inflicted family member) to find a jar of Portugal style fetta and add liberally to a leafy smoked salmon salad. Then you'll need a nice fresh parmesan cheese grated on creamy bacon and mushroom ravioli. But don't overdo it with the pasta. To finish, you'll need a small round of camembert. Cut the top off and put it in the microwave, watching for it to melt. Put liberal dab of cranberry sauce and a sprig of mint leaf on the top. This is where you can overdo it. Go right ahead.
Most importantly.... don't share it. This is part of your training to turn you into a cheese enthusiast and help you achieve balance. Once you you have balance, you could die the next day and not care. Actually not true... still lots of chocolate and cheese in the world to eat and you wouldn't want to miss out.
🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀
🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫
I also must insist you post a photo of your dog(s), as dogs do cure cancer... Just with their cute faces and big brown eyes... or blue in this case. This is my Bonnie.
So congratulations on discovering you had cancer. Best to find it than not. On the other hand it really sucks you had it is the first place, as we all can attest to on this forum. I am glad this thread has been inspiring for you. I have drawn so much strength from this amazing group of people. Please keep reading and keep this important fact in mind... we are going for the record, although not really clear what that is or if we have passed it. But any contributions will surely help us hit that imaginary, uncertain, fabled goal.
Take care. I hope your recovery is smooth and complication free.
Cheers
Phil
P.S. Chemo sucks balls.
Hi Phil
Thanks for the warm welcome! Have the Rabbito’s signed you up as a social influencer??? How can I explain to the Dragon supporters in the house why the white strip is now green without being disowned? They are feeling a bit sensitive about the crap season...
That was a real cheese smorgasbord you outlined, I reckon I can commit to a cheese and tomato toastie, will that be acceptable? Oh I can also make a baked New York cheesecake, a chocolate version mmmmmm (chocolatey chocolate goodness). You’re right, cheese and chocolate do go together! Maybe you should see if Maccas will do a cheese sundae with some chocolate fudge sauce?
This was my beautiful girl Lilly, a Shih tzu X. She made it to 16years old and was my best bud. She slept with a teddy bear in her mouth and snored like an old man. I miss her like crazy.
I looked after my daughters cat Leo for about 6mths – having a cat for the first time was a culture shock. Leo either loved you or hated you at any given moment (largely related to how hungry he was). Posting some funny pics of him catching a rare sunny day in Melbourne - I thought he had carked it.
Hope all is going well with your ball sucking chemo! I dont have balls (or ovaries), I wonder what the female version of that is? My first round starts wednesday - did you find there were foods you couldnt stand initially after treatment and ones that you handled better?
Keep smiling!
Cheers
Carolyn
Good morning Carolyn
You are welcome for the warm welcome. Warm it is in NSW. Except for that mountainous region around Canberra, although making a liar out of me at the moment.
I can see you are still new to cancer and the related journey antics you must both endure and force upon your loved ones. How do you explain the green stripe? Easy!!! I have cancer dummies!!! The family will just think you are sicker that you were before. The sympathy will start to pour. They might give you sympathy foot rubs, do sympathy washing the dishes. May even taken your deluded green striped arse to a sympathy Rabitohs game. Loved ones are great... Are you hearing me Lampwork? The kids need to come over and give you a footrub. And stock up your red and green wool. 🏉🏉🏉🏉🏉
On the subject of 🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀
I think you are getting the point. Baby steps a good. Fighting cancer is a journey. Plenty of time to let it build, but be careful not to tip the scale too far. Chocolate is important too. I can see you are a great visionary with the cheese cake idea. This is a new kind of wickedness I am yet to experience. Welcome once again to the forum. 🥮🥮🥮🥮🥮🥮🥮
As for the Sundae (i've been spelling it wrong, it's not a Sunday. Doh!), i'm going to leave all commentary to Claire. I thought about it, but this is her wheel house. But I think you neglected the most important flavour to send her to the moon.
Lilly is a cutie, but I'm sure my Lucy could have beaten her in a snore off at 10 paces. She's a freak. Sleeps with eyes open. Snores like a t-rex. This is Lucy and Sally. Not spoilt. Not at all. Really! Really, really! Ok... yes.
Here is a photo of my cat...
These are all the photo's I have of my cat...
And here are the photo's of all my other cats...
As you can see, all my cats are suffering from invisibility or absence. Unfortunately there is no cure.
Tell me about your chemo? I started 5 weeks after surgery. Fortunately half treatment of what they initially told me, but hopefully enough to do the job. I started on a Wednesday to. Stick a cannula in my arm around lunch time for a bag of Oxaliplatin, then two weeks of oral Capecitabine, followed by a weeks rest.
Cycle 1 was tough because I was dealing with the initial shock and antibiotics from a tooth infection. I soldiered through. I should have cried out for help in that first round.
Cycle 2 was tough. Oxaliplatin was more bareable but the Capecitabine put me in hospital after 7 days. I was starting to pass out from dehydration. Too much soldiering. Went to the big house (hospital). Stopped treatment early and gave me an additional recovery week before continuing.
Cycle 3 was tough. Oxaliplatin was unbearable. Capecitabine reduced to 3/4 dose, but run into similar issues. Stopped soldiering early (big house again). I think I jumped the gun a little early this time, but as it turned out, not by too much.
Cycle 4 (last one) - Oxaliplatin delivered over slower period to reduce shock which worked, but the symptoms much stronger. At least the warmer weather is helping. Capecitabine is now half dosage. I can feel the Capecitabine taking it's toll but so far it is under control. Really hoping to stay out of the big house this time around. Another 8 days to go, then I can just wait for the symptoms to drain away with my toxins.
In a nutshell (pun intended), chemo sucks balls. Not mine, not yours (which kind of resemble my cat(s)), but probably Eric Cartman's. That is the voice I here when I call my catch cry. The hardest part I have dealing with it is knowing I'm taking a drug to hurt me, so it can help me. It beats me around the logical senses a little too much. I've had a tough time dealing with anxiety before each treatment. I just keep losing grip on the positive thoughts. It's been my greatest battle, probably more than the shock of learning about cancer in the first place. Fingers crossed, I've crossed the bridge for the last time.
I've been finding lot's of support from others and getting details on their chemo experience. The big positive is that my journey will not be yours. No one has been able to describe mine, but I still feel I've gotten off light. So hopefully my journey doesn't frighten you. It's different for everyone and you need to have your faith in the path they put you on.
I'd like to be more supportive with your lead up to chemo, but I couldn't manage to be supportive for myself. However, I wish you all the best for tomorrow and your first treatment. I'll check in on you. Keep a stiff upper lip and follow all the rules from your chemo education. Most importantly, don't forget to ask for help from those around you. Put your indendence and pride in a little box and take them back out when chemo stops beating you around the football field like a team without a green stripe.
Go the Rabitohs!
Phil
P.S. don't forget to play the cancer card for that foot rub. Tell them to use the moo goo
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Hi Phil
Your chemo journey sounds like its own kind of special hell. Congratulations because you endured and the end is now in sight! I can hear Beyonce singing for you “I’m a survivor, I’m gonna make it, keep on survivin”
Ive already decided that on the last bag of poison they pump into me I’m gonna make them write on the bag “Yippee Ki Ya Motherf#ker!!” (Bruce Willis, Die Hard)
Thank you for the advice on letting others help. I’m a stubborn ass, hugely independent and that’s a big challenge to fight with my brain – that its ok to need help. I have 3 amazing daughters, just as stubborn and independent, so that’s had some fun moments (I lost every battle lol). Ive got buckelys of getting a foot rub because I have really big feet (if you painted them green they would resemble Shrek’s) My girls refer to them as “hoof feet”.. there's some things you just don’t make them do without paying a big price later… I can hear them now “Hey mum, remember that time you had cancer and you made us rub your disgusting hooves…”
Lucy and Sally are beautiful! I would say the same about your cats but they really didn’t give off any personality at all. You wouldn’t think something so small and cute could snore so hard they suck in the curtains.
Had surgery 4.5 weeks ago. My chemo treatment is Paklitaxel and Carboplatin (different to your poisons?), one day every 3 weeks, 6 rounds of treatment. From mildest to hard core chemo treatments, its meant to be in the middle? I think my big fear related to this is that like you, I’ve had some anaphylactic reactions to medications (penicillin – in May, and an anti-nausea drug straight after my surgery). My immune system is being a douche bag. I used to brag that I ate so much dirt as a kid that my immune system was mighty and I’ve barely ever been sick… til now
I haven’t done the education class yet, that’s meant to be on Thursday. Ive woken up with a snotty nose today and possibly a head cold brewing (shitty timing, haven’t had a cold all year!), will get assessed tomorrow if it can go ahead as planned.
Now the footy season is over, you need to concentrate on another sport, so instead of red and green wool, I’ll get some yellow and green for the Aussie cricket team! The whole ball tampering scandal has died down and I can look at David Warner without jeering (sucked in on all those ducks he scored in England though…). What do u think? Aussie Aussie Aussie!!!
Finally, a silly for all the cheese lovers…
Keep smiling!
Hi everyone,
Haven't posted for while but had to tell you a new story. Some of you will remember from a previous post that we'd sold our business this time last year. The company we sold it to, went into voluntary dissolution last Wednesday. Our contract was for minimal payment up from and balance in September of this year. This meant that we could lose our house as it was the security for our business loan that had not been paid out yet. It has been a very stressful week. Lawyers, staff and accountant meetings. I felt sick, worried and really nervous about what was going to happen. Weak as still have no appetite and eating difficult. Yesterday, I told myself that I have overcome a great deal in the past few months and this was not going to beat me. My daughter had told me before surgery just to keep telling yourself that it will be all over by lunch time - or dinner time - whatever suits. This helped me. Last night I prepared our figures, sales and projections for 2020 determined to go in strong. When I told my son what I was asking for as our starting price in negotiations, he told me I might as well ask for a magical unicorn to run the business! Today, Wednesday, we had a great meeting with a potential buyer. Gave him my opening price and he accepted it. Thought it was a little high but we had said we were willing to negotiate. It was a great meeting that gave us a glimmer of hope that all is not lost yet. On the way home I stopped to buy myself some flowers because I had gone into that meeting strong, confident and willing for things to work out and it seems they will. This is a good, strong buyer with great facilities and space for us to join their business. I was looking for a unicorn to buy my son. Couldn't find one but found this magical fairy because today I made magic and gave us back hope that we can come through this.
Perhaps this journey we've all been on can give us strength for everything we face in the future.
