hear hear Rubes! Great meals with friends and family are the best. My darling cooked me the most awesome meals during my Chemo. There were only two that put me back in hospital - but we can laugh about that now! Good on you for celebrating life. :-D Cheers Eta ... View more

hey Tim I have been reading your story here and just wanted to send you a bear hug :D I thought I would get reading done with my chemo but mostly was too anxious. Hooray for the chill pills! Hope things start looking up for you soon. OOO Eta ... View more

Hey Valerne I had stage 3 rectal cancer last July and then a whirlwind of activity... within a week of diagnosis surgery, then 7 months of chemo including continuous chemo and 6 weeks of radio. I had an illeostomy for 6 months and a portacath in my chest. All those specialists and all that treatment made me a survivor and I am glad I went through it because the other option was letting the cancer take over. I did learn that I had to take the lead and ask LOTS of questions and be the person who was responsible for what happened next though. It was a horrible time but as far as quality of life goes my gorgeous partner was a rock and we still went to lots of concerts and made lots of fantastic meals (even though two of them put me back in emergency!) The most helpful thing he did was just be there and not be horrified when things were disgusting... like when he let me wear his clothes because I crapped all over mine! It is a scary scary time and I was so grateful just to know that he cared about me and was with me. I still am. I wish you and your hubby well - it could be tough for a while but you have each other and that's a great thing. cheers Eta ... View more

Hi Meagan I had stage 3 Rectal cancer too. Understand how stressed you must feel about the Chemo. I was so stressed when I started I had to have chill pills! The chemo nurses were awesome so I can recommend you telling them if you feel worried - they have seen a lot and I felt they understood it was very comforting to me. Good luck with your treatment. Cheers Eta ... View more

G'day Leeanne You are right. It is pretty shocking when you get the diagnosis. I too had rectal cancer and there are a whole lot of issues right there as well. Anyway just a note to let you know that although it is a hard road there are a bunch of us here on the other side of it and we know what you are going through. I have a couple of kids too and it's bloody scary when you think too much about what might happen. For me it was a good reason to fight and believe that I had to get through. Sending you positive thoughts and if you need to talk we are here :) cheers Eta ... View more

Hi Moni Ditto for me here too. :) How are you going? Have you had surgery yet? Hope you are bearing up. Cheers Eta ... View more

hey Stace thanks for writing. I dont know what it feels like to have secondaries - I think that is what is scaring me. I have pains all the way down my right side in various spots. Have had lots of check ups and a CT scan that was clear. Just been to the doc again and will try to have a bone scan done soon. It just doesnt feel right. I have MS and there could be other reasons as well like adhesions from the reversal of my illeostomy but I am not sure. sigh.. probably nothing... Anyway I am interested how you are going since your reversal? hope all is good Cheers Eta ... View more

Thanks for bringing this up Dan. I have a wisdom tooth that gets infected every time I have chemo and I have put off getting it out because I didnt feel well enough in body or bank. Maybe this could help 🙂 I hope you arent suffering too much pain yourself. best Eta ... View more

Hey Shirley Hope all went well for you with your surgery. I had my op for rectal cancer last year. How are you doing now it's over? Cheers Eta ... View more