young survivors

[slacker]

This is the first time I've been back to this website since last year, and I'm happy to see it's improved! I'm a young adult survivor of pancreatic cancer (diagnosed january'08 at 30, 32 now...still qualify as young, right? ;-)) - it's so nice to see a forum like this. e

[Nikki_YAC]

hey your younger than me! :0

[stevec]

Hey Nikki, We've met on other websites, but its good to see you again! I was diagnosed in 2007 with testicular cancer and my wife was diagnosed in 2005 with thyroid. We met in 1999 and we're not sure why we got so lucky with this disease... Anyway, we're both over 1 year in remission now and doing well and have just had our 2nd child. Interestingly, we've only just discovered how much support and activity is out here on the interwebs for people like us, so we're kinda new to all this. I think we've both been in denial about it until recently. Anyway, thanks to everyone for putting themselves out there and I hope to speak to you all soon. Steve

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi Steve, Its great to touch base with you again too ;) It is quite unique that both you and your wife have recently gone through cancer as young adults. CONGRATS on the birth of your second child, what a HUGE accomplishment that is after all you both have been through. yay! I see you have joined the new YOUNG ADULTS SOCIAL GROUP - welcome! I hope this group and this site bring both you and your wife much needed connections that can help make the integration of cancer into your lives a little easier. I know for me.... that doing all this work around setting up services for YACs has helped me find a way to include cancer in my life, rather than trying to push it aside and pretend it did not happen...cancer has been an absolute life changing event through both the good and difficult times... 🙂

[jules_jp]

Hi there everyone, I often joke about it with others who I have met on this journey that its weird to be part of a club (that I didn't really want to be a part of???). I have been sick with chest infection and couldn't join in on the chat and advocacy. I have now returned to "lurking" on some sites. Here are some links here about YAC sites: http://i2y.com/ http://www.nowwhat.org.au/Home.aspx

[Nikki_YAC]

hey misti, welcome back. chest infections totally suck...all those friggin chest xrays you have to do for them suck too! hope you are well on the way to recovery :) thanks for the links... i2y is great and CanTeen are doing a fab job with the 'now what?' site by helping the offspring and siblings of AYA with cancer. i will post up a heap of links either on the YACs home page or in the new YA social Group in the not so distant future (probably will do both) The sexuality live chat event was a hoot, it went really well. The advocacy training that is on this weekend.... don't worry there should be more of these to come, or you can still contact Rory at the CC and sign up for one of the more frequent advocacy trainings in your local area that is open to all ages. you will still learn bucket loads and you can come join our advocacy network - scheduled to form in the second half of this year. Rory's contact details are: Rory Alcock | Advocacy Development and Networks Officer Cancer Council > NSW | 153 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 > T: 02 9334 1859 | F: 02 8302 3530 | E: rorya@nswcc.org.au great to see that you have joined the new YA Group BTW 🙂 we should have loads of fun with it! Nikki

[Kate_Unicorn]

Hi All, I'm excited to be starting off with a new Younger Adults Survivors group on this site next week, and wanted people to know that we still have one or two places left if anyone is interested in joining us! This is a private group, which will be running over 6 weeks with weekly live chat sessons (these will be on Tuesday evenings) If you're interested, please let me know - I do need to talk to people over the phone before placing them in a group, so send me a private message and I'll be in touch! Cheers, Kate

[Vetticus]

Hi all survivors! I'm actually nowhere near the "survivor stage"- am a newbie, just got diagnosed with a dodgey brain tumour 3 months ago. I'm 32 and a tad twitchy about it all although some days are actually surprisingly ok (and then there are the rotten ones). But it's nice to see there are beaming survivors like you guys out there! (yay) I guess what I was wondering is would anyone care to share with me what emotional and life-planning tools they used to get them through the limbo stage after diagnosis, initial treatments (I've had a craniotomy and radio) and then the big waiting game...?? Any hints and wisdom appreciated! Yvette

[stevec]

Hey Yvette, Sorry to hear about your dodgy tumor. The one thing everyone told me when I was in the limbo stage is that it gets easier (no matter what happens) and it has for me. I'm actually a long way off being a 'survivor' too (I've got another 5.5 years of remission to go - apparently I have to make it to 7 years instead of the usual 5) but I wasn't going to choose 'I have cancer' because I don't believe thats true anymore. Anyway, the waiting is always the worst part of it. I've found the best way to deal with it is to get out there and talk about it. Get referred to a psycologist through your GP or oncologist, oncology patients can get it free through medicare where I live, or talk to people like us online. I think the worst thing to do it to pretend you're 'over it' and act like nothing has happened. Cheers Steve

[AmandaC]

Hi Yvette, Sorry to hear about your tumour, its early days for you and its normal to feel a little frazzled and uncertain. I focused on planning for the future…almost compulsively actually…not so good! I decided I wanted to go to uni, have more kids, buy a house, go on holidays and the list just kept me thinking further and further ahead which for me was like saying to myself I was going to live for a long time. But what Steve says is true the best way is to seek solice in places like this and see your GP to get referred to a psychologist that can help you work through your thoughts. Waiting is always the hardest.