January 2012
Hi Leesa,
I am starting Radiotherapy next Monday for a Thymic Carcinoma (Chest area).
I have been told about the sunburn and have read some information to try sorbolene cream and/or aloe vera gel this helps with the burn and then when the skin peels away, the skin below is nice and supple from keeping it moisturised.
I have also been advised that i will also have difficulty swallowing in the later stage of treatment as my oesophogus is going to be treated as well. So I will be on liquid diet and am looking for interesting recipes if anyone has them? I dont feel like eating soup on the 30 degree days we are currently having.
My appetite is already waning so dont know if that will get worse with treatment.
Hope this information helps a little, I will let you know how i go after week 1.
Cheers
Jacqui
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January 2012
I think we have all felt/feel the same.
Family and friends try to say all the right things like "stay positive" its all going to be ok. This sometimes seems to be for there own benefit i feel. Yes I am trying to stay positive, but this cancer is happening to me, and its very real for me.
I made a mistake last night, I have been wanting a little dog to keep me company. My kids were also excited, so we ended up going onto gumtree and went and saw and brought home a gorgeous little maltese from just around the corner.
However, i didnt take into account the amount of "work" involved and was just after the companionship.
this dog was gorgeous, but after a few hours he ended up chasing my daughters bunny which now has a sore foot. I feel really bad and keep beating myself up about it and feel very "selfish" for putting my family and other pets in this situation. We rang the owner and took him back, I told her that he really belongs with her as she and he have such a strong soul connection so it was actually something that turned around an ugly situation as she is now keeping him.
So now Im questioning myself, is my cancer making me a selfish person who doesnt give a damn about things? I am crying as I write this as if you knew me before cancer, I am the most unselfish giving person out there. Have I changed and is this the new me?
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January 2012
Hi Sarah,
My cat looks very similar to the pic, this was an avatar i chose on the website.
I havent had treatment yet, but home from hospital since 22 December and of course had drs appts in between then and now so as much as we dont like smell of medical, maybe he can pick up on it as well.
My sister in law had a cat and he used to be all over her 24/7 then she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and when she came home for her last weeks, he would sit and stare at her in the doorway of her bedroom, he would never go near her - i thought that very strange as you would think they would want to cuddle you more and give you comfort, same with my cat he is almost 3 years old so age could be a factor in this instance, although my sister in laws cat was older.
I may look at getting a female cat LOL and show my male cat what its all about.
Regards,
Jax
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January 2012
Hi Sarah,
My cat looks very similar to the pic, this was an avatar i chose on the website.
I havent had treatment yet, but home from hospital since 22 December and of course had drs appts in between then and now so as much as we dont like smell of medical, maybe he can pick up on it as well.
My sister in law had a cat and he used to be all over her 24/7 then she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and when she came home for her last weeks, he would sit and stare at her in the doorway of her bedroom, he would never go near her - i thought that very strange as you would think they would want to cuddle you more and give you comfort, same with my cat he is almost 3 years old so age could be a factor in this instance, although my sister in laws cat was older.
I may look at getting a female cat LOL and show my male cat what its all about.
Regards,
Jax
... View more
January 2012
Hi Sarah,
My cat looks very similar to the pic, this was an avatar i chose on the website.
I havent had treatment yet, but home from hospital since 22 December and of course had drs appts in between then and now so as much as we dont like smell of medical, maybe he can pick up on it as well.
My sister in law had a cat and he used to be all over her 24/7 then she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and when she came home for her last weeks, he would sit and stare at her in the doorway of her bedroom, he would never go near her - i thought that very strange as you would think they would want to cuddle you more and give you comfort, same with my cat he is almost 3 years old so age could be a factor in this instance, although my sister in laws cat was older.
I may look at getting a female cat LOL and show my male cat what its all about.
Regards,
Jax
... View more
January 2012
Hi Sarah,
My cat looks very similar to the pic, this was an avatar i chose on the website.
I havent had treatment yet, but home from hospital since 22 December and of course had drs appts in between then and now so as much as we dont like smell of medical, maybe he can pick up on it as well.
My sister in law had a cat and he used to be all over her 24/7 then she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and when she came home for her last weeks, he would sit and stare at her in the doorway of her bedroom, he would never go near her - i thought that very strange as you would think they would want to cuddle you more and give you comfort, same with my cat he is almost 3 years old so age could be a factor in this instance, although my sister in laws cat was older.
I may look at getting a female cat LOL and show my male cat what its all about.
Regards,
Jax
... View more
January 2012
Hi all,
I do believe animals pick up on illness. My cat was extremely affectionate and used to sit right on top of my chest (I have thymic carcinoma) which is in the chest.
Even when I came home from hospital he knew i was in pain and used to come and sleep with me all night, cuddling into me.
Now he hardly comes near me and i actually miss him.
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January 2012
Hi,
I was diagnosed with Thymoma in November 2011. This was incidental as i had my gallbladder removed in September 2011 and was having difficulty breathing.
Thankfully my Dr had a chest xray done which showed "something" in my heart.
I was then referred to a Cardiologist and after further investigation it was shown that it was a thymoma and had nothing to do with my heart (thank goodness). I was then sent for a biopsy which came back as benign (another phew).
I was then referred to Cardiothoracic Surgeon and on December 14, he operated and removed the thymoma. The thymoma was much larger than expected, 8x8x2cm and had gone through part of my heart sac and also through part of my nerve to the diaphragm, so it was removed (including part of my heart sac and nerve) Dr had to remove it via a large 20cm incision across my back which 5 weeks later is still very painful, when pathology returned it showed up as thymic carcinoma stage ii a.
As you can imagine, the first time you are told about Cancer, it feels extremely surreal as I believed "Cancer would never happen to me". However, it is early stage and I feel very positive.
Next step is to undergo radiotherapy for 6 weeks, which I commence on 6 February 2012. I had my planning scan yesterday and got some new dot tattoos (these are markers for treatment).
The oncologist Dr told me that with this cancer, there is a very short window of opportunity in which to treat this as it is fast growing and as it is rare they have a plan a surgery, plan b radiotherapy but no plan c.
In January i noticed that I was lactating, which was very odd as I knew i wouldnt be pregnant. So off to my Dr i went and after a blood test, which showed my prolactin levels are 4 x higher than they should be, was sent for a brain mri which showed a microadenoma in my pituitary gland. So waiting to see a neurosurgeon for this. Again this is another rare tumour.
I am interested in speaking with any other people who are or have been through this.
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