Secondry Cancer of the Appendix

[Stitch]

Greetings from Brisbane, I am waiting for 2012 to be over with & it is only Feb. My 47 yr old sister is about to dye in the next few weeks with secondry cancer from breast cancer (11 years ago). I fly back to NZ to see her soon. Hopeing that I make it back in time, as I also have to see my oncologist before I fly. In 2009 (I was 48) I went through having my appendix removed which they found cancer - followed by a right hemicoloctomy then chemo for 6mths. After a laproscopy in Jan 2012 they have discovered more cancer in the stomach cavity sitting on the ovaries .... Next procedure ... Peritonectomy - 10 hour opperation with 3 weeks in hospital - not good. They will remove every thing in my body that I dont need to survive & put chemo directly into the cavity for 90 minutes - yuck, they also have to remove any previous surgery scaring etc. Trust me to get a cancer that is not common. I run my business from home - dressmaking, pattern making & teaching. I also teach casual for TAFE so I know I will loose all my work for a while - 6mths at least. I am doing a Dual Diploma as well this year, maybe I can do that in bed when I feel up to it. Always a busy person lol This seams to be the only way I stop & do nothing for a while - surgery. I am sure I go in for surgery just for the free holiday. Free bed, food & helpful great service .... Did the brouchure say anything about lots of pain or free drugs ..... I would prefer free beer lol. Oh well just another hurdle to jump through. Yes I do have a positive attitude & out look on life - always have done. I have always felt it is no use to mope or dwell on things, as that does not help. At least it is me going through this & not my husband or our son. But it is a worry that my husband has to see me on machines for a while & he will feel totally useless & helpless. I do feel for the ones that end up caring for us cancer patients. I take my hat off to them all. Who cares for the carer? Best of luck for all cancer survivors past & present xxoo Stitch

[Shell83]

Oh my god, how's that for some perspective. So much on your plate and still cracking jokes, I love it. When is your big surgery happening? I hope you make it to NZ to spend some time with your sister. I don't pray it's just not me, but I will keep you in my thoughts and hope for the best for you as you sound like an amazing person. HATS OFF TO YOU lovely lady!!! Hope You keep that chin up an come out the other end of 2012 smiling! X shell

[Stitch]

Thanks Shell, I think the surgery is in about 2 months time as they have to orgainse 2 full teams of surgeons & the large theatre room in the P.A Hospital. I will tell the chemo people with I see them that I am a stubborn person & that the roundup (I will call the chemo lol) wont kill me lol I am like a weed ha ha. Yes I hope I get to spend some quality time with my sisters for a week. Thank you. I will be all good. I do stir the surgeon though & I must tell him to give me a good tummy tuck & while he is there I wonder if he will do a boob job lol actually I also could do with a backside .... Gwen (stitch)

[Shell83]

Hahaha 🙂 your a classic! If the surgeon obliges you will have to pass on his details.. I could sure do with some of that! Bloody thyroid (or lack of it now!!) I've found 14kg since December (it wasn't Christmas pudding I swear!!). One of the school mums said to me "o wow your fading away, you've lost heaps of weight" I tried not too but I laughed in her face.. Some people just say the silliest things don't they 🙂 that's the weirdest part I think, dealing with the acquaintances who dont know me so well and don't get my humour 🙂 God your op sounds huge, amazing what they can do these days! Love that your "a weed" = indestructible!

[Stitch]

Oh well I look at life as we have to have some challanges lol I think - sh*t I must have been a bad child to get this punishment lol. Better for me than my man - I would carry all of his sickness's and our sons as well xxoo I drink too much beer - that is what makes me a weed lol Or was it growing up on a farm & stepping in the cow dung so much lol Gwen

[Shell83]

Hahahaha oh I know what you mean, I was a wild child and I'm sure this is my punishment!! One of my mates said "if it makes you feel better I never knew an asshole who got cancer, it's only the good people" hehehe she clearly doesn't remember what a downright shit I was 😃 Your right, as a mum and wife there is nothing worse than seeing your babies or your husband sick and I'm glad it's me not them! Ha bloody cancer, it doesn't discriminate, or maybe it does - does it pick us strong ones who can cope with whatever comes our way and still smile at the end of it all?! Been a long shit day. One of my best mates dad lost his long standing battle with cancer this morning. Poor bugger didn't even get to go peacefUlly, he had a horrific final 48 hours.. That's what is unfair isn't it.. If you are made to go early why cant you just go peacefully and without pain. Xo enjoy a beer or 6, because it's Monday and you can 🙂 I just may pop open a bottle of scotch myself.

[Shell83]

Hahahaha oh I know what you mean, I was a wild child and I'm sure this is my punishment!! One of my mates said "if it makes you feel better I never knew an asshole who got cancer, it's only the good people" hehehe she clearly doesn't remember what a downright shit I was 😃 Your right, as a mum and wife there is nothing worse than seeing your babies or your husband sick and I'm glad it's me not them! Ha bloody cancer, it doesn't discriminate, or maybe it does - does it pick us strong ones who can cope with whatever comes our way and still smile at the end of it all?! Been a long shit day. One of my best mates dad lost his long standing battle with cancer this morning. Poor bugger didn't even get to go peacefUlly, he had a horrific final 48 hours.. That's what is unfair isn't it.. If you are made to go early why cant you just go peacefully and without pain. Xo enjoy a beer or 6, because it's Monday and you can 🙂 I just may pop open a bottle of scotch myself.

[Stitch]

Pain is the worst thing I think,as you dont have much control over it. When I see the surgeon on the 27th I will find out more about this cancer & hopefully get a date or even the month that the opp will happen. Cancer Council have managed to find me a nurse who has had my opp & is also nursing in the peritone ward in sydney. I sent her a text. oh we will be having many many beers soon. I have been waiting to celebrate a few things ... Moving into the house we bought, selling our old house, me turning 50 last Sept. We havent wanted to party until the house sold as we split our block & built up the back, so we didnt want a perspective byer driving past while the roudy thing was happening lol Our house goes unconditioinal this Friday - hopefully all her finance goes through. So when I get back from visiting my sisters - parties will be arranged lol. Chin up Gwen

[purpleangels]

Hey Stitch! Just checking in- how long until your op? And have you seen your sister in NZ? My husband saw his oncologist up here in Tweed the other day and he was amazed at how good he looks!!!! It was a welcome boost to his mental state, he was feeling pretty low, so to have a health professional say that, is a boost!! Same old same old with his pain, but it isn't getting worse, just not getting better......so for the moment he knows what he is dealing with..... Take care! PA

[Stitch]

Hi PA Thank you for your email. Glad that your husband is kind of stablised a bit - well no workse anyway. I have had a few very hard weeks. I went back to NZ & had a lovely time with all of my sisters, sadly Diane passed away 4 days after I got back. Very dignified ending as she was self sificient up till then. I am still tring to come to terms with it all. My surgery is in 3 weeks time. I dont know if my sisters want to come over & help me for a week each as it may be too close to losing Diane - I do understand if they dont want to face my stuff as well. I have managed to speak to a nurse in Sydney who has had a peritonectomy as well. I am still possitive about my surgery - still toooooo busy with getting all of my work done & finished before surgery. I am trying (being the operative word) to walk each evening & I am swimming for an hour each monday evening, on a high protien diet and also taking multi vitimans & minirals - all to strenghten the muscle & organs. Easter weekend we will go away up to mount Barney for a break, hope that I have my work finished by then so I can sort the house out before the males take control lol. I am also sorting out a lot of paper work for my diploma subject that I am doing so that I can research while recovering .... eeek ... So I suppose the stress will start soon for me ... I am going to see if they will let me do the pre surgery prep in hospital & not do it at home & the other thing I have to do is talk to the stoma nurse incase I end up with one for 3 months or so. But otherwise I am just tring to keep busy busy busy ... freek out time can be later on 🙂 after surgery ... xxoo