Hi Samex and Kymg The two big cancers that do not get much attention are lung cancer and colo-rectal (bowel) cancer. Prostate is starting to get some much needed recognition. If you were to read the newspapers watch TV or listen to radio you could be forgiven for thinking that it is only females who get cancer and the only cancer they get is breast cancer, and more recently a little bit on ovarian cancer. On incidence the top five cancers are Prostate, Colorectal, Breast,Melanoma and Lung in decreasing order. If you take mortality, then the order is Lung, Colorectal, Prostate and Breast, again in decreasing order. On the Cancer Australia Website at: http://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/research-and-clinical-trials/overview.aspx there is a publication Cancer Research in Australia: An overview of cancer research projects and research programs in Australia 2003-2005. On pages 30 - 34 are some interesting graphs, with the research spend per cancer. The less sexy and no female specific cancers don't get a lot of attention. So bring on the Brown Ribbon Day for colorectal cancer - maybe a black ribbon day for lung cancer and remind the media that the sexy cancers are not the most common. However, let's also acknowledge what has been achieved by consumer activists for breast cancer. Cheers Sailor As we sail thru life, don't avoid rough waters, sail on because calm waters won't make a skillful sailor. Anonymous ... View more

Dear Versaillon Your oncologist is wrong! It is one of the many problems that those dealing with advocacy for those affected by cancer deal with - the ignorance of oncologists ion this area. Ring the Cancer Helpline and ask to talk to someone from Cancer connect who has received the Cares Payment. If you are working that will be a difficulty, but they will take into account your income. Also get onto Carer's Austyralia and ask their advice. Also access to superannuation, the act specifies (we tried to get it three years) twelve months life expectancy, not six months, under normal condition as prevail now -if you go longer than twelve months it doesn't matter. Our biggest problem is getting oncologists to admit that they can only offer twelve months - it seems they all believe in miracles that they will deliver. Rob maybe eligible for a disability support penison - as I have said you do need a PhD in form filling but there are a lot of others who have managed it. So keep trying and rely on you oncologist for medical advice, try others for financial and eligibility advice. In the cancer area it is multidisciplinary help we need Cheers Sailor If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable. Lucius Annaeus Seneca ... View more

Hi Larn75, Mrs Elton and other carers who have problems with Centrelink There is an excellent publication called "Through the Maze" on the web from the Association for Children with Disabilities - it is very useful. Go to: www.acd.org.au/information/ttm.htm Don't give up, play distraught, helpless etc when you go into Centrelink - ask to see the Social worker, not the person at the desk. Another one to try is at most Medicare Offices there is now based a Centrelink person, they are there to deal with Seniors, pensions etc. What is found is that they absorb the "helpfullness" culture of Medicare, not the "unhelpfullness" culture of Centrelink. Ask to see them - you must be in Medicare a few times with claims etc, so just use the excuse that you were there and seeking some help. If you are in Victoria, the Cancer Council Victoria does have some funds available to assist with things like Utilities Bills - 'phone 131120 and talk to a cancer nurse if you are in financial straights. It doesn't matter that your husband appears independent - he has a diagnosis of cancer that is sufficient if you have to care for him - If you don;t get anywhere, go straight to your local federal MP and write to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Earlier this year the Commonwealth Ombudsman put a report to parliament slamming Centrelink for their treatment of people affected by cancer. If the person you are caring for is really ill, then you are also eligible for a disability pension - you need a PhD in form filling - so ask the centrelink person to help you fill in the form - again go to the social worker. If you have been given a life expectancy of less than twelve months for the person you are caring for then you can access superannuation with no tax penalty - that legislation was passed by federal parliament in February last year. Again the Cancer Helpline 13 11 20 should be able to give you all this information. Also try Carer's Australia www.carersaustralia.com.au - they will also be able to assist with you getting from Centrelink what you are eligible for. It is a hard slog and not easy dealing with Centrelink and when you are so tired it seems just too much, but you need to hang in there. Regards Sailor O God, thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small. Breton Fishermen’s prayer ... View more

Hi Mrs Elton Yes cis-platin is one of the drugs that effects hearing, it initially causes high frequency hearing loss that progressively goes to lower frequencies. They should be monitoring this during his chemo. It is also likely that he may be on vincristine as well - they often give wit with cis-platin, and this can have the same side effect. If he is non Norvasc (Amlodopine) for blood pressure, tinnitus can be a side effect of that - at least it was for me. We all hope, however, that it is worth it and that it really knocks his cancer back. Regards Sailor He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea. Thomas Fuller .

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Hi There I tried to reply earlier but something went wrong with the system and I got some very strange messages and my reply disappeared into the ether. There is no need to feel alone, there are a lot of us out here and this is a good site for support. However, you can also use the cancer helpline, 13 11 20 and talk to a cancer nurse. They also run Cancer Connect and some states have a Carers Cancer Connect where you can talk with someone who has been through what you are going through. There is also Carer's Australia at www.carersaustralia.com.au. They have branches in each state and may also be of use to you. There is no need to feel as if you have to be positive. As you say you need to be real and that means acknowledge that it is a pretty awful time that you are going through. A friend of mine once told me that the best advice she received after her cancer diagnosis was to go out into the backyard and cry, and cry and cray until she could cry no more, and then cry again. We need to acknowledge all those other emotions that come with the cancer experience, even if we do it in private. Regards Sailor It's out there at sea that you are really yourself. Vito Dumas

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Hi There Can you be a bit more specific as to what drugs your husband has been on? Tinnitus is a side effect of certain anti-cancer drugs, but also a whole range of other drugs including some quite common agents. So often it is a combination of some of these, that results in hearing loss. The tinnitus was explained to me as the brain manufacturing noise to make up for the higher frequency hearing loss as a result of toxicity to the hearing mechanisms by the drugs. So not only do you have the ringing in the ears but you no longer hear the high frequency sounds, making it hard to distinguish between certain sounds and others. In my case the tinnitus was a side effect of blood pressure medication. Most of the time I no longer notice it, that is I just tune it out. But there are times I am amazed that other people can't hear it it is so loud. Having background noise, e.g. radio on, helps you not to notice it. Cheers Sailor A strong nor’-wester ’s blowing, Bill! Hark! don’t ye hear it roar now? Lord help ’em, how I pities them Unhappy folks on shore now! The Sailor’s Consolation ... View more

G'day Teacher Mum Wow! Keep on blogging! You do get used to it. I'm at the eleven year stage of tests every three months, but then I am way past my statistical use by date. Though in my case here are enough people round for there to be statistics, in your case, you really are unique. Keep letting us know how things are going. Cheers Sailor Instead of sailing off into the sunset, he hopes to sail into the next century. Dave Anderson ... View more

G'day tblacker How long since you had the surgery and radiotherapy and did you have hormone therapy as part of the treatment? I've had radiotherapy, three times, and surgery for prostate cancer over the last eleven years, plus intermittent hormone therapy. I had significant confusion the firs time around, so much so that I did not want to got back onto Zolodex ever. When other options ran out and I had to go back on it I managed, probably because I knew what to expect. I also had a number of unexplained aches and pains that variously got attributed to, bowel spasming, hernia, adhesions, etc. Eventually after several years things settled down and I now use these aches and pains to monitor how I am progressing - some people call it listening to your body. That's a bit new age for me. Following the radiation I can remember fatigue, some confusion and general disorientation. My GP put it down to stress and prescribed valium!! Actually a small dose of valium helped, it is a smooth muscle relaxant and the dose I was taking was too small to have any psychological effects. Can you give q bit more detail? Regards Sailor He who lets the sea lull him into a sense of security is in very grave danger. Hammond Ines

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Hi Kym I've lived with prostate cancer for the past eleven years. I have to go in every two months for a cystoscopy and dilation - I won't go into details. There are a few prostate cancer jokes that I know, any more gladly accepted. A man went to see his GP for a check up. The GP said, "We need to do a digital examination" and he asked "OK, but where's the computer?" A man went to see his urologist for a follow up check following treatment. He watched as the urologist put a glove on his right hand and lubrication on the third finger. He then watched with trepidation as the urologist put a glove on his left hand and lubrication on the third finger of that hand. "What's with the left hand doc?". "Oh, thats for the second opinion" Two blokes with prostate cancer are talking at a support group meeting. They had both recently been for a check up that included a DRE. You know, said one, I can never understand when they do a DRE why they leave their watch on! Two blokes are sitting in a waiting doctors waiting room. One of them has a stutter and he ask the other one - "W - w- w- what are y-y-y-ou h-h-here f-f-f-or". "I've got a prostate problem". "W-w-w-what's a p-p-p-prostate p-p-problem". "Well if you must know, I pee like you talk!" A man is discovered to have prostate cancer and elects to have a prostatectomy. He is very concerned about the possible side effects and ask his urologist to take particular care to save the nerves that control erections. When he comes to in the recovery room the urologist is there and he asks the urologist how things went. "Well there is good news and bad news." "Did you mange to save those nerves". "Yes that's the good news - we saved the nerves". "Oh that's great - what's the bad news?" "That's them here in this jar of formalin". “Biopsies are no joke, but a physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his male patients while he was performing their biopsies: - “Take it easy, Doc. You’re boldly going where no man has gone before!” - “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” - “You know, in South Australia, we’re now legally married.” - “Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?” - “You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out…” - “Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!” - “If your hand doesn’t fit, you must quit!” - “Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.” And the best one of all.. - “Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there? And remember - when you urologist is doing a DRE, make sure he doesn't have both hands on your shoulders! Cheers Sailor A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind. Webb Chiles

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Great News, all clear! Congratulations! Definitely a time to celebrate. Cheers Sailor Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air… Ralph Waldo Emerson ... View more