About AmandaC

AmandaC

Lizyole I to shed a tear or two reading your story, you have been through so much and you are still so young. I can only imagine how all that surgery has effected your self image, my husbnad has a scar from his ribs to his pelvis and he is soooo conscious of it. They really don't tell us everything when we go for treatment like the fact our immune systems are shot, the RAI can actually pool in other areas creating other problems, the whole parathyroid thing and calcium levels and no one is ever prepared for the mountains of medical stuff you go through on a daily basis. I have had blood test every few months for 3 years to get my levels right and they still are always out, depression is sorta part of the job description I think. Hopefully we can all work on so now what together.

AmandaC

Hey Nikki, Its only now Steve and I are starting to think about the magnitude of what we have been through, really we have lived life in a sense of bracing ourselves for the next thing. Its not easy but we are really keen on moving forward in a positive way and making our situation work for us, I am actually wanting to write a book 9when I get enough courage) to hopefully inspire and help others like us :) Each day together is a blessing, each day with our kids is amazing and we really do live in the moment. Kids are great for showing you how simple it all really is and how amazing this world is when you really explore. IVF was hard going but worth every second! we had great support from our GP, Steves oncologist and our fertility specialist. They were all desperate to help us move forward and achieve our goals, they were truly amazing. No one speaks about cancer and the impact ect...which is why Steve and I are pretty screwed up...LOL! its true. There should be more around for parents with cancer and dealing with the after marth but there is nothing its all trial and error. you are always welcome to contact me to chat online or by phone to talk about any of the issue that come up and they will. Its a very emotional time having a baby not to mention the hormone rush we get from having our bubbas, support is pretty important. Can;t wait to hear about your little mans safe arrival 🙂

AmandaC

Hey Nikki, Actually they could not biopsy until after the birth of my first son because the hormone flush would not have been good for him and also the growth would suddenly start growing rapdily. I had to wait til he was 2 months old to have the biopsy; 2 weeks later surgery and by the time he was 9 months old I had RAI. I had to spend 1 month away from him which completely tore me apart, actually I had anxiety attacks daily until I got to go home. Every day I spent with my son and every day I spend now I am in awe, that's not to say I don't get annoyed with his tantrums...LOL! which are especially bad since his brother came along but I can't blame him. My husband and I are very devoted parents and I completely accept my role as mummy, I am not interested in having a career right now I enjoy them and be home with them and just getting to watch them grow and explore. Actually my 2nd pregnancy was very hard my thryoid levels were out, I ended up with irritable uterus which means i had contractions from 26 weeks and my energy was low but I did have a 3yo to run around after 🙂 My focus now is on getting fit and healthy so I can hopefully try for no3, but also to try to feel the way I felt before RAI treatment...I live in hope!

AmandaC

Jules your right about creating your own luck for us girls it is much more complicated and involved for us to get pregnant but we are also not afraid to hunt down ways of making it happen. I no doubt you will have every success with such a great spirit! I have definitely herd of woman feeding after breast cancer but as you say depends on how many milk ducts have been taken ect. You can very successfully BF form 1 breast if necessary, when you get pregnant my advice is to enlist the help of breast feeding Australia and possibly a lactaction consultant to increase your chances of breast feeding. Alot of woman who have had RAI for thyroid like me can't breastfeed, its normally because we produce to much milk and its to hard. I had a lactation consultant and lots of help and am persevering, my little guy is now 14 weeks so I am doing well :) As for cyst on the ovaries again there are ways of getting around this and enlisting specialist is a great way to ensure success. My husband and I are now hoping that his fertility will come back (post testicular cancer) so we can try naturally for no3.

AmandaC

Nikki, what a great way for us all to know each other better 🙂 I like to think of myself as living life in the left hand lane, I am not in a hurry and love to take everything in. It like seeing life through new eyes at times, the air seem fresher, the sea bluer and things that used to worry me don't seem to have the same significant anymore. Your name: Amanda Where do you live? Newcastle, NSW How does cancer affect you? In January 2006 2 months after my first son was born I had a needle biopsy on 4 lumps in my thyroid. 1 week later it was confirmed that 3 of the lumps had papillary and follicular cells. So 2 weeks later I had my whole thyroid removed and after disection biopsy; was told on my 29th birthday I definatley had papillary carenoma in the left lobe 1.1cm. I was then todl I had to give up breast feeding for 5 months and have a radioactive iodine uptake test to ensure it would not uptake in my breast causing further problems. So after being left of thyroid hormone for wayyyyy to long I undertook radioactive iodine abiliation and spent 4 days locked in a lead lined room and 1 month away from home. My family had already disowned me (long story) so I had no support, was not surrounded by loved ones; but the thought of my husband and baby boy at home kept me fighting. I have now just reached my 3 year mark and I am still in remission and am just now starting to feel ready to deal with it and move forward. What brings you to this group? I am hoping in sharing and supporting one another we can help each other heal and move forward in a positive way. What would you like to gain from a group like this? healing, friends Any other comments? "if you always do what you've always done; you'll always get what you always got"

AmandaC

Well I have reached my 3 year mark, 3 years since I had the dreaded RAI and was locked away from the world for 4 days. 3 years since I was forced to stay away from my husband and baby for 1 month…and what have I done! The truth is I have no idea. It really just feels like yesterday the memory seared clearly in my mind and it struck me I have to now move forward, but how? What does that mean exactly? Its not like someone wrote a manual or a10 point system. If they did it mine would look something like this: 1. Get diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 28 when my first baby is 2 months old. 2. Have to leave Sydney due to illness being a heavy financial burden, grandma tries to commit suicide and family disowns me. 3. Grandad dies of dementia related stroke and father inlaw looses his battle with Bowel Cancer. 4. Get to 1 year mark and am now allowed to have more babies only to find out my husband has testicular cancer. 5. HOLY F*** bought a house and now undergoing the 2nd round of cancer and heavy medical financial burden. 6. Husbands on chemo when we start IVF to try and realise our dreams of more children. 7. Have a rough pregnancy and have to finish work at 26 weeks, more financial burden. Then have our beautiful 2nd baby boy. 8. Husbands 1 year clear mark 9. Reach the 3 year clear mark so far without a hitch, except psychological scars. 10. Move on, LOL!!!! Seriously does this look like the list of aspirations we all hope and dream of in our early 30s. While most of our friends are traveling, getting pissed and buying wanky designer clothes we are off having treatment, suffering heavy medical financial burden and just hoping to make it through each day. Its funny isn’t it people expect as soon as treatment finishes you just become your old self again and move on, or even better, go off and climb Mount Everest or meditate in hills of India. Forget the fact that we live our lives at appointments with doctors, specialists and pathologists. Or the fact that we have to pass the tests for at least 5 years (in my case) before we are deemed clear, no this is not the normal life of people our age but it is for people surviving cancer.

AmandaC

Welcome Michelle! I am also new to the site and other like it after 3 years of muddling through. The great thing about these blogs and networks is we all realize we have had a normal response and everyone struggles to work out how to move forward. Lets hope we all together we can grow and re-define our normal 🙂

AmandaC

I hear you! my son was 2 months old when I was diagnosed and man was i tired all the time, but everyday seeing him smile, giggle and have a great time just made it all so worth while. Post treatment we have had no2 and are also hoping no3 comes along without to much of a hiccup 🙂

AmandaC

I was 28/29 when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, my son was 2months old. End of January 2005 I got my biopsy results, within 2 weeks I had my near total thyroidectomy and 1 week after that on my 29th birthday the definitive results were in I had papillary carcenoma on the left lobe. I spent 1 month away from my baby boy and husband when I had RAI and have been clear ever since. Actually just reached my 3 year mark which is exciting. Much like you I am just starting to feel ready to not only get on with things but to help and support young adults with cancer. I was unaware until recently that all of these networks existed, they would have really been a great help to me at the time and in the years after. Alot of people assume you get cancer, have treatment and life goes back to normal which we all know is not true. Just this year I feel ready to speak up!

AmandaC

Hi Yvette, Sorry to hear about your tumour, its early days for you and its normal to feel a little frazzled and uncertain. I focused on planning for the future…almost compulsively actually…not so good! I decided I wanted to go to uni, have more kids, buy a house, go on holidays and the list just kept me thinking further and further ahead which for me was like saying to myself I was going to live for a long time. But what Steve says is true the best way is to seek solice in places like this and see your GP to get referred to a psychologist that can help you work through your thoughts. Waiting is always the hardest.

Re: So Now What??

Re: Pregnancy for Young Adults who had cancer trea...

Re: Pregnancy for Young Adults who had cancer trea...

Re: Pregnancy for Young Adults who had cancer trea...

Re: Introductions

So Now What??

Re: young survivors

Re: Pregnancy for Young Adults who had cancer trea...

Re: young survivors

Re: young survivors

Connect

More information

Join the community

Want to join the discussion?