It's a pity that your husband doesn't fully understand hoe you feel . On the other hand he may be a bit worried and he would feel better if you were acting as though it was all over . ... View more

I have forgotten many as it's over 3 years since my diagnosis . One thing that topped them off was reading Lisa O'hara's Facebook page ,only weeks before she died . Someone posted about foods that would cure cancer . This lovely young woman had been on Today Tonight telling her story a couple of months before her death . By the time the silly advice was posted on her page her whole body was riddled with cancer . How insensitive some people can be !!! I found that most of my family and friends said nothing at all . It did hurt a little that my family members never spoke of it to me but I got over that . One told me that they didn't know what to say . I only wished that they would just tell me that . ... View more

I had my surgery in my nose and eye areas so that cannot be hidden . I felt that it was ugly but have seen others whose appearance was altered much more . This made me realise that I was not as badly off . Still ,I hated the changes so had an eyelid lift, in 2012 , to make the eye look more normal . It helped . I'm planning to have eyebrow lifts so that the eyes will be closer in size . After that I'm planning to have my eyebrow ,which I lost through surgery , tatooed . I found counselling (5 or 6 sessions) 3 years ago helped me enough to cope but I still needed to to what I could to feel better ,more normal . I didn't rush into these things as I thought about them for a long time . I think I have accepted all that happened gradually during the past three and a half years . I hope you can get to this stage and that your counsellor will be the right one for you . Mine was for me . ... View more

I agree that private is quicker ,hardly any waiting . I have always gone privately but didn't get a private room because one wasn't available for my surgery . This was in a private hospital on the Gold Coast . The other difference is that you always have your own doctor . Another difference is public doesn't usually ,if at all,leave you with out of pocket expense . I always end up paying for so much more by going private .Most of my surgeries have been day surgery . ... View more

Thanks for your good wishes . I'm going well . ... View more

In our culture many men do not reveal their true thoughts and feelings as easily as most women . I hope some men here can give you some more insights . ... View more

If you think it's to be a permanent state of things you will need to consider your options for your future . Make 2 lists -positives ,negatives and it may help you decide . Another idea is to try another counsellor . Perhaps he will change too . All the best with this . There is more to a relationship than the physical but you have to work out the other things too , You need to know if he still wants a relationship with you and if you can both be happy ,not just him . For now ,don't rush the decision as he may be just trying to cope with what's happened . Just a few thoughts from me as I'm not qualified in this area . ... View more

I missed the programme too . I just skimmed through the articles via the link posted by Felix . I took part in the Forgotten Cancers Project too . I have a head and neck cancer ,a rare cancer called Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma . About 75 people are diagnosed with this cancer annually in Australia .I cannot say what the mortality rate is because when people die from this it may only be recorded as a death from cancer or some complication of having had it . There is no code for it to be placed on a death certificate . I was able to get my information from the Cancer Registry of Australia . Some research from the USA recently publicised shows promise of a future cure as it identifies three groups of patients . This will lead to the search to find chemo regimes which do not exist at present . All moneys towards this reasearch are donated as there is no government funding for ACC . Forgotten cancers are a world wide problem . ... View more

Luke,it's very difficult for anyone to deal with the fact that they have cancer in the beginning . If treatment is successful it becomes easier to accept over time .It may not seem so at this stage but that's what many find . I wish you well . ... View more