Worth a shot - everyone knows that these sorts of stats are correct. And married men usually have better heath outcomes than single guys, mainly becasue you dont have time to get crook and still be able to do the housework. Oh, and make sure you pay off the morgage before you go, arrange to sell the kids for medical reseach, and get someone to take over the lawn mowing/gardening. You can have wonderful pointless aruments about anything thats based on factual knowledge, etc etc. Andrew ... View more

Bugger - my ancient workshop PC wont open it as it needs a (something) to do it. But thanks for the links - will definitely follow it up. Twould be nice to know more about what body part the Quacks are rabbiting on about.(?) Andrew the oldhippy.. ... View more

Hi Richard, Mate, readed your bio - gosh, you've had this sorta crap hanging over you most of your life! And I hadnt seen that, the price you pay just WAITING....people like me and Deb, we know we are doomed, and probably real soon. Get pissed off with others, dont see them as but dilettantes, - so, your blog comment was good, (BTW tnks for the ref. Harker) and I readed to here, typing away in instinctive response... thank you for what you have given me. I wish you well, hope you get something from this group. I know I do, hope you do to. (sounds like a bad song title, right?) Andrew the oldhippy. PS - did the boat ever get finished? ... View more

Deb, I wish I had your eloquence - not the fancy, flowery kind, but to be able to express clearly what you think/feel. I am sure I will get to that stage and hope I have the mental strength (and capacity) to do it. Dogs get more consideration on "quality of life" - where does that leave us as individuals looking down the barrel. We can relieve our pets suffering, grieve their death, but know we have made the right choice. What is our own value as people, , and do we have the right to choose our own death, our own way of ending the suffering - I believe we do. Goodonya Deb. Hugs, Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Hey Katie, I have worked in places where I swear some of my co-workers were Brain Dead, and no one noticed. Just bullshit your way through, you will be fine. Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Hi Maddie(and others) yes, isn't it amazing that the old body taboos are still part of us, even tho they dont mean a Rats Arse at this stage in our lives. The self image crap we have picked up over a lifetime of conditioning - whatever you look like, its not right, and we can sell you something to make it better... worse for females, alas. We kid ourselves we are "mature adults" and so can recognise and ignore bullshit when we see it - rubbish, its so pervasive we dont have any choice. Besides, its been programmed in as an EMOTIONAL response rather than a rational "this is bullshit" response. Plastic (or, its proper name) Reconstructive Surgery was pioneered for things like what we are discussing here - it wasn't about "Beauty" it was about giving people some dignity back so they could have a life. Massive advances in WW2, lots of people being shot up etc etc. Burns treatment got its modern beginnings there too. So, why are we hesitant? - the medical specialty has been brought into disrepute as a boob job / face lift procedure. So we think it might be seen as vanity. Its so much more than that, real work is being done, - but if its not got any (big) boob pics or "famous" people attached to it, No publicity. Wonder why? Anyway, my thoughts on the matter. Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Hi Kuini (lovely name, wheres it from?) It will be OK (in a strange, bizarre sorta way, of course) - the Chemo Nurses will run you through it all, what happens, what you need to do, give you brochures, you should get morning tea and lunch, and yes, having holes put in you aint nice, but I must say the nurses who do me are brilliant - they are REALLY good at it. Hot packs, skill - only missed up twice in a lot of sessions. Ask them questions, they will tell you. Mine even ring me up the day before so I can go get the blood tests done before chemo they know how it vagues you out. Side Effects. Yes. There are about 200 pages of them - which ones do you want? - its highly individual,(except for the feeling crap bit) you wont know till it happens. When it does, check in here again, most of us cop this and after a while you know what to do for a particular side effect... (You will accumulate a HUGE collection of Assorted Tablets ....in a whole range of shapes, sizes, colours - the red ones you should avoid, the blue ones are usually OK) Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Hey Silly - if its affecting YOU , then its valid. Dont apologize. And your hubby does love you, you silly goose - he loves YOU, not what you look like. I've never met you, dont know what you look like, dont care. The person I know here is OK, I got no complaints. What you look like, tis but a small part of who you are. Yep, hassle for a plastic surgeon, see what can be done. Keep us posted on the process - maybe someone here has been through it, and can stick their head up with some information. Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Mmm, this could turn into an episode of Dave and Mabel if we are not careful...the big questions....where does the electricity go, after it leaves the toaster? ALDI sensitive powder (clothes washing type) works OK for me - I have always thrown in the powder, set the machine to its lowest water level, fire it up and let ALL the powder dissolve. Then, crank up the water level and throw in clothes..my lovely wife got the wrong powder one day, did it the traditional way, and she got the rashes this time.... if you can find chunks of undissolved powder in the clothes, you aint doing it right.....arrr, you young buggers, what would you know etc etc... body soap - so far, Pears transparent has no ill effects. shampoo - your spot on there, ANY "extra" ingredients are a NO NO. So its plain baby shampoo. Understood now re lymphodemia - glad I havent got that one!(sorry, gallows humour again) Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more

Annie - yep, spot on. Same things, different way of saying it. Miss it, miss being able to, well, do ordinary things..... Being older and sneakier than the young uns gives me a sporting chance I reckon. Bloody hope so. Hey - personal question - do you find your reacting to chemicals more - regular soap powder is toxic, cant go near it. Switched to the "low allergy" stuff some time ago.... drying paint, cant go in the same room. Cheap teen chemical body stuff that smells like, well, a product from an oil refinery (which it is...I remember basic organic chemistry). I used to live in Balmain, in Sydney, across from the soap factory. A sensory experience, indeed. Get the same thing now by walking down the wrong aisle in the supermarket .... So. Does ya good to have a good whinge occasionally, stuff the onlookers. Saw it once in a shopping centre, this lady was paying out on her (partner) really big time, voice like a concrete saw, mouth like a sewer. Spectacular, it was. The whole place was in stunned silence as she regally ascended on the escalator, abusing the living daylights out of him. No idea what it was about, dont want to know either. Take Care Annie Girl Andrew the oldhippy. ... View more