Hi Little Miss Do not worry about the morphine pump, it is one of the greatest things ever invented. It allows you, as the patient, to decide how much morphine you need to control your pain. Do not worry about getting addicted - it won't happen. Pain is the perfect antidote to the addictive properties of morphine and other opiates. When you get a balance between the pain and the amount of morphine you need to control that pain you will not get addicted. Too many people fear addiction so do not get good pain management and it is a tragedy. Specialists do not seem to explain this to people who need good pain control and who are frightened of getting addicted. I've never had a PICC line but I can tell you that they do require regular maintenance. I believe they need flushing and the dressing that holds them in changed once a week. PICC stand for Peripherally inserted central catheter so the line is inserted, usually in a vein located in the arm with the catheter tip terminating in a vein close to the heart. It is a long term IV access device, and patients are usually discharged from hospital with the device in place and arrangements made for its care and maintenance. If you google PICC lines - restrict it to Australia as then you get local variations - you will see quite a bit of good information. The information from Canteen, addressing the issues of teenagers and young adults is quite helpful. The cancer helpline 13 11 20 can also give you some great information about PICC lines. Cheers Sailor Give me a spirit that on this life's rough sea, loves t' have his sails filled with a lusty wind. George Chapman ... View more

Hi CATS That's fantastic news. I empathise with the problem of being a chronic hoarder, I have given up even trying to cope with that problem. Leave it to the kids to deal with I say. My daughter is an absolute minimalist in that area, probably as a reaction to me, whereas my son has a partner who have never thrown anything out in her entire life!!! So I figure they can have an absolute ding dong when I am now longer around. Great that you were able to get out and see a good show. I still do evening shows in Melbourne and no problem with violence - I reckon the media has done such a beat up in that area. All the statistics are that Melbourne is a pretty peaceful area, but I guess they have to sell newspapers. We actually didn't have a great drama with the storm in our area of Melbourne. Some big hailstones and on the tin roof at the back of our house they created a lot of noise. The big black and white monster showed himself in his tryue colours and went and his under the bed and didn't come out for three hours! How will your green eyed tabby cat cope wth a move? cheers Sailor For will anyone dare to tell me that business is more entertaining than fooling among boats? He must have never seen a boat, or never seen an office. Robert Louis Stevenson ... View more

Hi Carer Go to the web and google Carers Australia that will put you in touch with Carers Australia and their state branches. They are a great organisation and have a lot of practical information for carers. They get a fair amount of government funding so are well resourced to help people in your situation. They can tell you what you are eligible for through centrelink and what other help is available out there in the community. The cancer helpline 13 11 20 is another great resource. Maybe the managers of this website could have a section on useful websites to visit, or an FAQ to provide this type of information, which I know I have put into many responses to enquiries such as yours. cheers Sailor Never go into strange places on a falling tide without a pilot. Thomas Gibson Bowles ... View more

Hi Rosebud If you go to Dr Google and type in neulastin TGA you will get all the information you need from the Therapeutic Good Administration. If you go to the following website http://www.nhhrc.org.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/pbac-psd-pegfilgrastim-nov08 , it is all there. From what I can see it is available on the PBS but a special application has to be made. cheers Sailor It is the weather, not work, that wears out sails. Thomas Fleming Day ... View more

Travel insurance - you can get it but it won't cover pre-existing conditions. So if you have had cancer and get run over by a 91 bus in London that is OK, but if you have a urinary tract blockage as a result of radiotherapy to the pelvis, you are on your own. Life insurance - shop around, but be prepared to pay. Sailor The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea. Isak Dinesen ... View more

Lots of funerals - All younger than me, All from cancer, Hits you in the guts of' Your mortality. We wish that we had A magic wand here, To make times arrow, loop, change, or stop, The guilt-pain tracked fear. But there is no such Magic wand that will halt, The moving finger Writing on the wall of Of life's rich banquet. Sailor 28/1/10 The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, 
 Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit 
 Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, 
 Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. Omar Khayam ... View more

Hi Doofette1 Sound like you are pretty normal to me. However, that is actually not much help to you. There is some great stuff out there on dealing with grief. The Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20 can direct you to some of this, or even a session or two with a grief counsellor. I found that what this did for me, many years ago, was simply let me know that what I was going through was just part of the normal process of grieving. People kept telling me to get over it, or get on with life, but that didn't help. Knowing that what I was going through was normal did. There used to be a great little book out there called "Good Grief" I found it very help but I don't know if it is still available. I had a copy but loaned it to someone. Take care Sailor For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. Kahlil Gibran ... View more

Doodle Doodle dee Doodle doodle dee Dee doodle doodle Dee doodle Dee Cheers Sailor ... View more

Hi Jules2 I am with you on this one. Due in a few weeks to have another round of blood tests, see my medonc and probably have more scans towards the end of March. Last round of bloods was up a bit, so I am twitchy. Haven't had any of the other symptoms that I associate with the beast returning, until a couple of nights ago, I'm lying in bed and there it is, the dull pain that I associate with it coming back. Haven't had it since, but it has upped the ante a tad. So I am with you all the way on this one! My Chief of Domestic Operations tells me that I am more difficult that usual to live with in the weeks before tests are due, so clearly whilst I might claim not to be stressing the CDO knows otherwise. Hope that you can maintain the 'feeling a tad of nothing' for the next few days and find something good, cheerful and restful to occupy your mind - some good diversion therapy. Cheers Sailor Give me a spirit that on this life's rough sea, loves t' have his sails filled with a lusty wind. George Chapman ... View more

Hi Teacher Mum, Welcome to the world of 'we don't know' and regular testing. Next bloods are due in three weeks and if they are up another scan - as my radonc said 'it's about time you had another scan, I'll write the order but wait to you see (medonc)" At least you got a bear hug - I'm envious. As the song says: 'I have my freedom, but I don't have much time' So go ride those wild horses and enjoy it. Cheers Sailor ...Every master and pilot prided himself on knowing exactly how much way his ship was making. He knew the ship, he considered the wind, he watched the sails, he watched the water. In fact, it was a matter which just could not be explained to the landsman. A good sailor knew his ship, and that was all. E. G. R. Taylor ... View more