I have only ever been a public patient but I have always received a private room - largely I guess due to the fact they thought I was going to die. I have never experienced delays, although, once again both my cancers were rather urgent in nature once they were discovered and probably fair to say that both had not a great prognosis intially attached to either cancer. 25 years later for my first cancer and going on 5 years for the 2nd cancer. For my first cancer I also had a young baby at the time and I am sure that was part of why they gave me a private room. I was able to keep my son with me and actively encouraged to do so, prior to my surgery. ... View more

Hey Sailor Good to hear from you and how life and cancer is going for you. :) Although, not so great to hear that you are still having to pursue clinical trials. I had a chuckle at you being castrate resistent and have to admit that I thought most males might be that way! I do hope that this trial can help you and stop the spread of your cancer. Life here is just trying to survive survivorship and all that, that entails - which one would think would be easy but it isn't necessarily. Of course one is eternally grateful to be here to actually have difficulties in surviving if that makes any sense. Take care Julie ... View more

Dear Mendesma It is understandable that you want the best for your friend. However, there is no 'best' oncology specialist in Australia. There are many really good oncology specialists spread out around Australia and many of these will be right for your friend. How to access them? Well like many things in life you have to seek a balance. Balancing travel and your friends ability to travel, particularly is his disease progresses is one of those. Also, all the guidelines for cancer treatment now recommend that your friend be considered by a multidisciplinary team, not just one specialist. So you need to ask any specialist that he is part of a multidisciplinary team. You also need to let your friend make the decisions. These will depend on his values - for example quantity of life versus quality of life, heroic treatment versus treatment to ensure that he can remain active and part of his community for as long as possible. I would recommend that you give the Cancer Helpline 13 11 20 a call and talk things over with them - my experience is that they are a hug help. Regards Sailor An incorrectly identified mark is a hazard, not an aid, to navigation. Alton B. Moody ... View more

Interesting what crops up from time to time. Am I right in recalling a conversation about these metaphors earlier? i too, also hope that when my time comes (as it inevitably will)it will be while I still hvae some control over what is happening to me. Yes, Sailor, we won't hvae succombed to losing the battle, just to the inevitable perhaps. S ... View more

Thanks Sailor, I know what you mean about the androgen deprivation, the hot flushes are what get to me, they come at some awkward moments. I also get some big mood swings, did that ever happen to you? I start another lot of radiation tomorrow, hopefully this might ease the pain in my hip. I'm still working so don't know how I'd fit in with the trials, that is something I'll have to look into though. How did you do on the trials, notice any difference in your well being? Cheers, docherty ... View more

I am travelling at the moment and was able to get cover including my pre existing through CoverMore. Costs a bit but I thought it was worth it. Cheers Rikki ... View more

It was an unusually lucky day when you got to see your gp and urologist both on such short notice . Then to be given treatment so soon was great . Glad that you can be pain free . Unbearable pain is one of the nost difficult things about cancer ,I imagine . ... View more

I am glad you feel well for the most part. I will say that I hope you do have arthritis rather than metasteses. Arthritis causing pain is no fun but it is better than bone mets. I really wish that nobody had either of these conditions. I did look up the cat experiment so I get what you mean about how you feel. I hope all goes well with the scans. Let us know . ... View more

Hi and thanks for your replies.I did email a clinic in Germany to ask about this for my type of cancer.They were keen to tell me that they had treated over 20 000 patients but would not reply when asked about evidence based success. I tend to agree that it would be widely used by now if proven effective. ... View more

That is good news . It is heartening to see new treatments for different cancers and different stages of those cancers emerging. There are so many kinds of radiation now and new drugs being trialled. Congratulations! ... View more