Hi Julia  so sorry that you will not receive any benefits, nothing seems to be ever designed to help people who could do with  some cost savings , and I know exactly what you mean about this , journey, it does  go on and on with expenses, maybe we could get a smile without the expenses of the flight and the hassles that it can even bring  ... View more

Hi Deadalready88 my thoughts with you, and I feel with you, friends and family will never really understand what we are going through, no matter what they say, they are are all doing there best and I do acknowledge that. I had decided I would go through major surgery for my bladder and rare ureter cancer, and after I got the details and cost of my surgery on Friday, all has changed. My body is going to be mutilated as far as I’m concerned and I will not be going through this, so have decided I will not be having surgery. Have decided to go with a third opinion and my GP is now doing a report for referral to public system at Peter MacCallum, as I’m not sick have little pain I’m simply going to try to go on with life, I have a stent in my ureter which I know will have to be changed again in a matter of a month or two, I feel I have been very let down and I’m at a stage of no more, so will wait to hear from public system as I do know the major system with what has been put in writing will never happen  ... View more

Hi Cleomary    you have to disclose all medical conditions for travel insurance, I have just traveled and could not get travel insurance to cover my cancer, you get insurance to cover everything else but of course if anything happens regardless the  insurance company will always say it is cancer related, and if you do get insurance to cover cancer the premium is so expensive as it is an extra cost, you can try Medibank Private they do travel insurance  ... View more

So very true, how do we cope with our cancer diagnosis, it is hard and twelve months on emotionally I am a wreck, I am well , have gone through all my treatments and six overnight hospital  procedures with only needing Panadol for pain relief  No matter how you feel that cancer word  is always running wild in your head, it haunts us non stop and like you jigsaw puzzles are a great distraction and I would say my best distraction  ... View more

Thanks Cazziita    I have been lucky my treatments don’t have any great effect on me, and if I need any pain relief Panadol is all I need. As I have cancer in my right ureter as well as my bladder, I do know that I have to go back for a ureteroscopy and cystoscopy as the stent in my ureter has to be changed or removed, and this is happening this week, my reason for not wanting this, is I will know what is going on, I am well and that is the hardest part with my bladder and ureter cancer  ... View more

Hi Julia  thanks for you kind wishes, I have three chemo treatments to go then two days later we go on our holiday ‘journey’ the treatments although not what the doctors wanted will get me through my holiday then when we get back 7th surgery in 12 months and hopefully the high risk had high reward and that Centrelink ‘journey’ has been mine this year as well, for different reasons, although I also could not work anymore I retired and then went through the ‘aged pension’ application that would leave me tears after every visit and phone call, I then emailed my federal member seeking help and application was approved in record time  ... View more

Hard to know what to call this cancer thing!  I must admit I don’t  mind the ‘journey’ word, although not the one we want to be on, mine has been 11 months, l jjust had my second chemo yesterday with three more to go then I go on my real ‘journey’ a cruise holiday that was booked nearly two years ago never knowing this ‘C journey’ would enter my life, although not the path doctors wanted, in their words a high risk for hopefully high reward; which will get me through my holiday then my seventh surgery, so I will be going on my real journey with the cocktails and a pool in three weeks  ... View more

Hi antt00   so sorry to hear your story , there is lots of good information which may be very helpful for you on cancer sites and people who would be a great support for you.  so sad for your son, do you have any family at all that could help you  I just came home from hospital today  and not good news  I know I’m not managing my situation well and should be seeking lots more information, but I think it simply overwhelms you There are some good contacts on this site and I hope some reach out to you Stay Safe and try to keep smiling  ... View more

Hi antt00 So sorry to hear of your advanced cancer, what cancer do you have, your so young so of course very overwhelming for you, everyone is different how they deal with this diagnosis, I have my husband who is my support and he is all I need, I hope you have someone to be by your side, take care ... View more