Hi Vanessa    It won't get any easy. Different chemo for different cancers. Then the ones that are the same chemo to cancer impact people differently. So far, all of my cycles have been different.   Be sure of this. Chemo sucks balls. I have four dogs and the all want to cuddle. Tough situation but doesn't stop you loving them.   Chin up. Ride the rollercoaster. If you are worried about the side effects you are feeling, contact the chemo unit and ask for advise. As I found out last cycle, you can reach your limit before the end of cycle. If in doubt, it doesn't hurt to ask if you need help.   And don't forget to share your experience with others so can read about how brave you were.    Lucy and Sally. My pumpkin and my princess.   ... View more

Hi Ginger   We dodged a bullet. Budgie took one for the team.   I hope you like ginger. It's your new nick name. It's also good for nausea I'm told.   I'm about to get out of bed and start my sway. I think I'm at the point of frustration where I can just push through.   Thanks Budgie. For your kind sentiments and taking the bullet. I hope you watched the Yoga Pants clip.   Cheers ... View more

Hi Vanessa   I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I had bowel cancer. I started with surgery and now on to chemo.   Cycle 3 started yesterday. One week behind schedule because cycle 2 was quite brutal. I have nothing nice to say about it. Second time today I'm writing this... I  won't sugar coat it. I'm have not faced a treatment in a positive mind frame and I know it is important to have. So despite the lack of sugar, let me say it is the lesser of two evils. I'm feeling really crappy this cycle. However, another upside of my chemo reflections, it doesn't affect every one the same way. Some handle it very well, but I'm sure if you start it with a positive frame of mind it will be easier to endure.   All the best which your treatment. Don't be a stranger. Keep coming back to the forum. It's been a tremendous support on my journey.   Most importantly,  if you have a dog, post a picture. I firmly believe that dogs are a crittle part of the cure for cancer. This is my Bonnie.     Cheers   Phil ... View more

Hi Ginger   Sorry you feel like crap. You brought a rew tears to my eyes. If you can muster up a gentle sway to get you through, it might be all you need.   Like me, you are not dealing with the cancer. It's the treatment and the aweful side affects that come for it. I have to take my own advice and sway the pain away.   My wife had a hysterectomy young. Gave her a lot of issues. She was on Estrogen therapy for a little while but in some ways made things worse. As someone who has been on the recipient's side of surgical menopause, my recommendation is to keep explaining it to family and friends. Let them know how you feel and what your extreme feelings are. And let them know you are sorry if you upset them. Sometimes you'll want a cuddle and other times be left alone. Sometimes both at the same time. It's important they know this and are not hurt.    Funny. I started describing a hysterectomy journey. I think it also described a cancer journey.  On the lighter side, I occasionally ask my wife if she wants to start a family... like she still has a uterus. She rolls her eyes at me (So slowly I can hear them grind) because we have a Brady Bunch and the youngest just turn 18. And my eldest grand child turn 6. No wonder I have so much grey hair.   It's bad for your son to be suffering croup. Croup is crap. Hated when my kids had it. At least I was healthy when I had to look after them. No matter how sick you are, you can't stop being a mum. This is the theme from my favourite movie, parenthood. It doesn't matter how old they get, they are still your children. The love doesn't go away. You are always a parent. I hope he is feeling better soon.   Hang in there Ginger. Our thoughts are with you. I'll leave you with this thought...   All the frozen corps on Mount Everest were fit and healthy go getters when they died. Think about that when your feeling sick and lazy. You are at less risk of dying than they were.   Take care     ... View more

Hi Mel   I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. Bumped it up to three after surgery. The pathology on my lymph nodes was... unsatisfactory. So Stage three means chemo for an insurance policy. Liver, kidney, bladder all normal. A couple of spots on my lungs to watch, which is hopefully nothing.   This is not an easy journey for anyone. Even when I got the diagnosis of stage 2, I still thought it was a death sentence and it took me on an emotional rollercoaster which I've never experienced before. On the upside, my treatment finishes this year and I'm starting 2020 with a fresh outlook. Regular scans and checkups are in my future. At 47, I'm feeling quite young, but when I sit in the chemo unit and look around, I feel extra young. So many older and more fragile people going through chemo. It is a sad reality of this disease. I have no doubt that cancer will come back and will probably get me in the end. Ho hum. Nonetheless, the experience has made me a new person. A better person.    I am hoping your diagnosis is a worst case scenario. I wish you all the best with your treatment. I recommend you keep coming back to this forum. It has a lot of power to help you, but you can also help others in similar situations just by sharing your experience.    Good luck.   Cheers   Phil  ... View more

Hi Annie   Welcome to the forum. I think you will benefit from being here. It's a good place to cry, complain, speak your mind and ... rejoice. Even for just a good read.   I can't give you guidance on your specific cancer. Mine was lower, hopefully all gone now. Chemo is now teaching me some new life lessons.    I can offer guidance from my own experience though. My life has changed. Normal turned upside down for me. I went though ever emotion that's been written about (good and bad). I'm 47 and faced the possibility of dying young. Good news is that I'm not. My cancer is now removed and chemotherapy is my insurance policy. As are regular checkups for the rest of my life. All this sounds like a rough ride and I won't sugar coat it. As I often ride in rally cars and cross busy streets, i've always been at risk of dying young.  However, I've learnt a lot from one of my friends on this forum, Claire. She looks at it as being a gift, which has resonated with me. We get to look at life from a different angle and it has been rewarding. You look forward with an appreciation of life that the healthy do not possess. Mostly, what you'll see is this overwhelmed compassion from people around you. And this is where life changes. You'll need to stop being the backbone of your family and circle of friends. Just focus on your healing. I can't speak from everyone's perspective but I'm overwhelmed. I have been inundated with support from friends, family, medical staff, community support and... this forum.   I used to hate being the weak one. Push through the pain. Don't ask for help. I can do this on my own. Bottle everything up. One of my nurses advised me to stop that and let people help me because they want to and I need it. It's been a profound change to my life.   I hope this helps. I hope you are surrounded by loved ones to help you. All the best with your results and treatment.   Cheers   Phil ... View more

Hi Group   @Lehiatus @Lampwork54  @RJG  @Katekat @Budgie    Tonight is aweful. Worst first night on a chemo cycle.   Chemo sucks balls.   It's funny though . Trying to type and my thumb is twitching. Making me hit the wrong letters. Have to keep correcting.   I couldn't find my rhythm. I started this cycle like others. Anxious and depressed. Positivity escape me. At least it has today. To the point where I still can't listen to Kate's song in case it get's stuck in my head.   I'm keen to hear how you all are. You guys are awesome. I hope your all happy and dancing a Charleston or something as cool.   Cheers   Phil ... View more

Hi Kate   I'm sitting here in hospital about to dose up on Oxaliplatin because... well I have to. I thoroughly respect you and your position and I never expect someone like yourself to deceive me. Therefore, when you say it's annoying and won't get it out of my head... I totally believe you.   So I refuse to listen to your selected song choice while I sitting here tethered to a drip that's filling me with poison. I'm suffering enough.   I have a counter offer. Yoga pants. This will cure repetitive songs that get stuck in people's heads.   😁 ... View more

Good morning Budgie   I am enjoying the most gorgeous spring morning here at Googong. It is quite a beautiful area for a satellite suburb. I can't wait for the road works on Old Cooma Road to settle. Intensive interruptions at the moment.   My chemo was delayed a week because cycle 2 was so brutal. This time we are going in with a 25% reduction in Capecitabine. I've been enjoying the extended period of being nontoxic. I've been able to cook again and my hands are less sensitive to the cold. I was able to eat a Sunday yesterday without it feeling like it is ripping my throat open. It's a nice holiday. Kind of depressing to know cycle 3 is just a couple of sleeps away.   Talking to my wife yesterday, I pointed out that still only have four cycles of chemo, but the anxiety before the cycle starts... five times. It is quite torturous. Always tempted to not turn up.   I watched a video on LinkedIn this morning, about a woman named Briony. Apart from not having my eggs frozen, there were so many thing she described that I've experienced on my journey. One being, just accepting the treatment. Like drones, we just fall in line with whatever they recommend as our treatment. Despite the anxiety, I still turn up, I still go through the treatment, I still just accept the side affects. One of those things we have to go through. It is funny the perspective I have on these things now. It is not the perspective I had before I started my journey. It's funny to reflect on how I've changed since my diagnosis. I hardly recognise that guy now. Claire once described us as having a gift that changes our view on life. I'm not sure if it's a gift, but it definitely changes your view on life and it's easy to see the lighter side of that.   Anyhooo... I hope you're feeling well and enjoying the warm spring mornings. 🌷🌼🌻🌺🌸🏵🥀   Cheers   Phil   ... View more