Hi, Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 28th July at 6pm. Please email as per the original post to receive an invitation with the zoom details. Looking forward to seeing some of you there!   -s ... View more

You have some great (and curly) questions in there. I had stage 2 bowel cancer that was treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Like your husband, I also continued to work throughout my treatment (I took 2 weeks off from work post surgery and continued working throughout my 6 months of chemo) . I also had the increased risk for the 2 years post treatment.   Assuming you're in Australia, you probably aren't travelling much for a while anyway, so you're a bit stuck! You'll definitely have to find another distraction. Try to find something you can sink yourself in to and that you enjoy. A distraction is the only way. I won't lie, that scan at the 2 year mark is anxiety inducing. But then, so are all the scans. There is always that damn voice in the back of your head. The what if. We all try to deal with it as best as we can.   Changes? I think that the changes he'll experience will depend on the severity of the impacts from surgery and chemo.  Also potentially you might need to consider the psychological impacts. That will vary person to person. For me, the main changes/impacts for me were the side effects from surgery and some neuropathy in my hands and feet. It doesn't seem that I have much to complain about. Life goes on and we always find a way to live with any deficits.   All the best . -s   ... View more

Hi Netta,   I'm very sorry to hear about your husband's cancer. I'm not a carer for someone with cancer, so I'll let someone else respond to you with better advice than I could assist you with. One word though, if you read through the some of the threads, you'll find that anger is certainly something common through out the threads. I'm very sorry to hear that you are on the receiving end too. -s   ... View more

Hi @CaptainAustrali    If you could please go back and edit in "inspiring and truly courageous" that would be much appreciated (and very appropriate).    In my book, "inspiring and truly courageous" is exactly the same thing as "some big crazy arsed walk". Wear it with pride mate.   I reckon the question you throw out to the universe is a bit more complex than the obvious, almost cliche assumptions that cancer makes you stronger, wiser (or breaks you).   Absolutely. The range of how to effects and changes someone is almost as large as the range of cancers. There is absolutely no single response. I'm genuinely interested to how people have dealt with it and the range of responses.   -s       ... View more

Hi,   Thank you for your post on cancer and fertility. I had a read. How are you feeling and going these days? I liked the look of your recipe for the Healthy Antioxidant salad, but it looks like it had a little too much fiber for me.   -s ... View more

Hi,   Everybody hates the wait. Each year I have scans to monitor for polyps and cancer. I hate it. Every single year. Try and find something you enjoy that will take your mind off it/busy, and provide a bit of a distraction. That's the best advise I can give.   -s   PS. have you received your test results yet?     ... View more

Hi Paul, I haven't heard of this before! I just found some information, but there really isn't a great deal of information on this treatment available that I can find. https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/News/CyberKnife-cuts-a-path-to-better-cancer-care   When do you plan on starting treatment?   -s ... View more

Hi,   Firstly, I wanted to say that I'm sorry that this has happened to you and that it is heart breaking to read. I haven't had this procedure but I wanted to let you know that there is hope. I feel for you.   It might feel impossibly difficult now and that you can't see how it could be possibly worth it, but our bodies and minds have an amazing ability to adapt to different situations. I say this as someone who has had 2 major life changing operations (and countless others that weren't life changing).   A number of years ago now I had a total colectomy. I was terrified about how that operation would effect me afterwards.  At the start it was difficult, but over time I learnt to adapt and live with side effects. The more I adapted, the more functional I became. The more functional I became, the more I adapted.   There is hope Angel and I know that you will be triumphant.   -s ... View more

Hi Marg, Well congratulations on 10 years. I hope you didn't party too hard to celebrate.   You're right, life does go on. For the people around us, the pain of what happened will fade slow over time. Faster than it will for us. It doesn't mean that they don't remember it, just probably not at the same time in such a marked way. Or maybe they think you don't want to talk about it. It may well be a painful memory for your friends and family too. That's just the way it is.   Slowly over time the memories will fade, but there is probably a core part of the event that will always be with you. Maybe it's time to find someone to talk to about it.   All the best Marg. -s ... View more

Hi Sarah, I'm sorry to hear about your partner. I haven't had to deal with this, but I just wanted to post and let you know that I'm thinking of you.   There are a lot of people here who have cancer, have had cancer or are caring for someone with cancer. How is your partner now? Can you tell us a bit more about his/your situation (obviously only disclose as much information as you feel comfortable doing). Many of us will have been through cancer or caring for someone with cancer, so hopefully we can help you process and understand some of what is going on.   -s ... View more