Hi Ariel, That sounds like a really really tough situation. How fortunate that you have discovered this forum. I only discovered it after finishing treatment and found it quite useful so far. It is common for family members to experience more distress than the patient themselves. This definitely held true for me and my family. So, it is really important that you look after yourself physically and mentally even though you're not the sick one. What strategies have you used previously to cope with stress? While I was having treatment I took up meditation, journaling, and gentle exercise to help alleviate stress. I found that quite useful. I bought a meditation CD from http://www.bookdepository.com/. They have a pretty big range and it's a great alternative if you don't want to join a class. You and your sister could do it together. My mother on the other hand, knitted with great zeal for the duration of my treatment (even though it was summer). She is a super creative person so that was her therapy. At the end I think she had made about 10 pairs of mittens! How old are you/your sister? There are some organisations out there that provide support for 15-25 year olds (maybe a bit older). It is a tricky stage in life for anyone but with a cancer diagnosis thrown in the mix it's just a huge emotional explosion. Sending good vibes and healing thoughts Nell ... View more

When I had chemo I found that nausea and vomiting were the most distressing side effects. For my first cycle I was given metoclopramide tablets (Pramin is the brand name) to take at home. I spewed all night and ended up in emergency the following morning. For the remainder of treatment I used a combination of ondansetron wafers (Zofran), stematil tablets, and phernergan tablets. I also had an intramuscular stematil injection. My aunt is a nurse so she was able to administer it. I got pretty good control using this cocktail but the nausea and vom wasn't completely alleviated. I did avoid going to emergency again so that was a huge plus! Some alternative ways to manage nausea and vomiting are ginger (as already mentioned) and acupressure wrist bands. I recently looked at some studies about both of these as part of a uni assessment and the researchers found that they were effective. Anything that ends in 'tron' is the good stuff! I recently discovered that granisetron comes in patch form which is great because it completely bypasses the gut. Dexamethasone can also be useful. I was definitely guilty of under reporting nausea and vomiting to my specialist.. I thought that if I didn't spew all night like the first time then I was doing pretty well. I think that maybe if I had reported the severity of nausea and vomiting to my doctor, then maybe I would have been given different antiemetics and achieved even greater control over it. So I guess the moral of the story is, make sure you tell your dr how much nausea and vomiting is affecting you. Goodluck soldier! ... View more

I don't think that article is about pointing fingers or victimisation. It is empowering people through education. Sure, lifestyle factors only account for 1/3 of cancers. By eliminating the lifestyle risks it can give you a sense of control, reduce cancer risk, and reduce anxiety related to fear of recurrence. I reckon this is a huge win! You say that cancer can not be avoided. If this assertion was true then surely everybody would have cancer? Smoking is just one example that increases cancer risk. There are various others such as obesity, poor diet, alcohol intake, and UV exposure. However, cancer is a multifactorial condition which means that the elimination of the modifiable risk factors will not prevent developing cancer, but it will reduce the risk. Other cancers can be attributed to genetic and environmental factors... and there are some types of cancer that currently have unknown causes. ... View more

Hi Anne, Sounds like you have been dealt a nasty hand to play out. Here is a link to some info about support groups in Canberra: http://www.health.act.gov.au/our-services/cancer-services/patients-and-visitors/support-groups-and-networks I hope you see one there that suits you! Feel free to message me on here if you want to chat. Sending good vibes and healing thoughts Nell :-) ... View more

My heart goes out to you Maggie, as I know that a cancer diagnosis can be really hard to deal with (at any age) but especially for young people when coping skills are only just in their infancy. I can relate to what you've said about family and friends not understanding that although active treatment is over, there are still long term effects to deal with and adjusting to your 'new normal'. Sometimes I say that I can't do [insert activity here] because I'm fatigued. My family's usual response is 'We're all tired!'. It drives me insane. Prior to my diagnosis at the age of 25, I was living independently and working in the city. After finishing treatment in the city, I've had to move back in with my family in the country. Since finishing treatment I've experienced anxiety, fear of recurrence, frustration and fatigue. Frustration because I miss my old independent life and I hate my parents telling me what to do. I've now been in remission for 18 months and most of these things are not so much of a problem. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you do a 'Look Good, Feel Better' workshop. I did one towards the end of my treatment and it's a lot of fun! They do workshops for teenagers. After finishing treatment I took part in a study called 'Recapture Life' which is conducted through a program similar to Skype and looks at how young people cope in the first 12 months of remission. There were two other people in my group and I still keep up with them on Facebook which is great. An organisation called Redkite also offers support for young people. Something else that might be useful is YouCan - they have a group on Facebook, although it hasn't been very active. I will post the links so you can have a look. Happy to chat with you if you want. http://www.behaviouralsciencesunit.org/recapture-life.html http://www.redkite.org.au/ http://lgfb.org.au/ ... View more

This book called "Cooking with Foods that Fight Cancer" by Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras is an excellent resource. I bought my copy from here http://www.bookdepository.com/ I would only use this in conjunction with the treatment recommended by your oncologist. I had CHOP (no rituximab) and have been in remission for 18 months. Good luck!! ... View more

I think that feelings of being stuck in limbo is a pretty common experience. I remember feeling like that after my diagnosis. Waiting for results is the absolute worst. I had a good prognosis. I counted myself lucky because I had a friend who had terminal cancer. My doctor reckoned I was entitled to feel sorry for myself... which I did and still do at times. I now pass this advice on to you. You are totally right that it doesn't matter what type of cancer or what stage you have, everyone (or at least most people) experiences anxiety. Don't ever feel like feeling upset isn't validated because you're not as sick as some other people. Cancer turns your life upside down and inside out, whatever the type/stage. You would have seen the specialist by now so I hope you got some good news. Sending good vibes and healing thoughts. x ... View more

Hi Mon, I've experienced this too. The first vivid dream I had was about my grandfather, almost 10 years ago. He was my first loss and I wasn't coping very well. It was a happy dream... The second dream was about a friend who was only a few years older than me when she died. I woke up with tears on my face (which then descended into a HUGE sobbing sesh)and yet I was happy that I'd seen her too. These dreams weren't like other dreams I've had. They felt so real. It was like I'd really seen them... I don't think our loved ones ever truly leave us. ... View more

I reckon participating in any cancer research is well worth it. The more we know about it, the better! I have done this particular one, if it's The Forgotten Cancers Project you're talking about. I didn't find it much of a hassle. You just have to send off a saliva sample and do a few online quizzes. Easy as pie 🙂 ... View more