John  I hope all is well with you and your family.  Just curious how things are going.  I'm waiting to find if I have cancer.  Reading your blog brings back memories of my father. I can't remember him ever telling me that he loved me.  My kids hear it from me and how proud I'm of them all the time.  I like to use the hard things in life to make my family stronger and better.  If I do have cancer my family is going to see me as a strong role model. Even if at times I have to fake a smile  ... View more

Thanks Silly. The area has started to deteriorate again and is supposed to keep getting worse for another 6 months or so (although it is way better than what it originally was). The Tasmanian Cancer Council has sent me the name of a couple of social workers who may know of some decent physios. ... View more

Hey Pimbok Clever! It worked ok - now you can ask others with confidence! ... View more

Even your riding a motor bike is impressive to me . ... View more

Thw waiting is the worst part. I had breast lump removed by surgery in 1982 and it was benign fatty tissue. I had little time to think if it was the owrst cause it was discovered and operated on in 3 days. 2 weeks for the results...long wait. They reecently ..3 weeks ago after doing my routine mammogram every two years I got called back and went through more testing, ultraosunds and biopsy.....results took a week from biopsy and it is positive to breast cancer. the same week my sister found a lump and had it checked and it turned out to be a cyst. My mother was diagnosed three years ago and has been through chemo, and radiation. I am now waiting for my surgery and hoping that is all i need. I have caught two types of cancer in very early stages....one low grade and one high. With all this going on I still cant beleive I have cancer and keep thinking somoen has got it wrong...Ive read report so many times and checked the name. Its my report. Hope i can maintian my optimism and stay positive. All i can say ...is check and have the mammograms. They do find things and not all bad. The waiting is so hard and stressful. I have had two weeks with little sleep xxxx ... View more

I am ok. I see my rad/onc. on Thursday .The last 2 times I saw him I had an MRI first but he doesn't require one this time. I talked to my surgeon about this as he answered my email by phoning me . He had contacted the rad/onc. and they talked about it. I was told I can have one if I want so he sent me the request form .I said I may have one before I see him next which should be in June unless the onc. says later. I see the 2 doctors in turn for check ups. I have no new symptoms but an MRI is the only sure way of checking for a recurrence. Since I was told that they will not check for metasteses (nearly always in the lungs) my gp sent me for a chest xray. These can occur with no symptoms until it is bad. No cancer was found .They did say it showed asthma or bronchitis but on further investigation I had neither. I had thought that I didn't have either. So ,I am well and happy . I so hope that both you and your husband are improving. I read on the net that a generic for Lyrica may be available in late 2113.I don't know if this means we get it in Australia then.It will make it cheaper. I suspect that I may still be taking it then,but hope it won't be necessary. ... View more

Thanks Geneandjudy. What a bummer to have to go through all that. What's Mayo? Good luck with it all and thanks for letting me know. It's nice to know someone who understands. Will be thinking of you in January. Keep us posted. Kim ... View more

Hi Nic I have found talking to people on this website of great help. People who have gone through what I was going through. It all seems such a blur with the tests and more tests and doctor after specialist etc. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September and am currently undergoing chemo & radiotherapy for 6 weeks. I am half way through and haven't had too many problems so far - just starting to feel the burn a bit but the staff esp nurses at the Cancer Care Centre have been great. Just let them know if you are feeling any adverse effects and they have things for you to try. Up until now salt baths and sorbolene cream have been working. Funny that they have all these fancy machines (I call mine 'Ray') and then back to the old basics for the side effects. I have found it really helpful listening to a guided meditation for healing before I go which settles me and puts me in a positive frame of mind. The radiotherapy for me only takes about 5 minutes so that is the good news. I try and stay positive but also let myself go with how I am feeling that day. A lot of my journey involves letting go so I have been working on that. All the best for your treatment - hope it is going well so far. My thoughts are with you and your family. Leeanne ... View more

I'd like to see the finished product. How are you these days? Good ,I hope. ... View more