February 2019
2 Kudos
Pdjones, thanks for sharing. It's been a long time since I have posted. This is my seventh year fighting lung cancer and recently just turned 35yrs old. Belinda sounds wonderful and I am so glad you found each other and had love. Cancer is a horrible illness for those with cancer and their carers, family and friends. I can only imagine the pain you are in and hope the good memories help you through the hard times xx
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May 2014
Hi Narelle
Its def a hard time for sure and I think it does get a little easier. I have stage 4 lung cancer and last wk was told im still all clear.... ive had 18mths of clear scans, after a 12mth very scary treatment ride.
Every scan appt and oncology appt makes me so nervous and all the questions asked flood back memories we wish we could forget.
Have u tried to explain this to your loved ones and friends? Ive now told them im ok and if im not I will let them know.
Cancer affects everyone differently. I feel those who have cancer have no choice but to be brave and cope. Maybe these qs r coz of their own anxieties which some counseling for them could help.
Congrats on kicking cancers butt. May u have many happy cancer free yrs ahead :)
Rubes
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June 2013
Hi holysmoke,
Cancer really is overwhelming and scary.....don't ever apologise for having ur own feelings, experiences and thoughts.
Lung cancer is a scary diagnosis and the survival rates r low.
I've learnt tho they don't know everything and sometimes miracles just happen.
14mths since my stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis and I'm still here kicking on - and if I have my way for many years to come.
My saving grace I think has been the power of positive thinking.... It doesnt make it better but sure makes it easier to manage. Life is what we make of it.... We can live, laugh and love..... Or we can fear, cry and worry.
Don't get me wrong, this is hard stuff and may seem some days like it will break us. Have faith and come what may.
Keep us posted and we r here for u if need to vent, rant and sometimes just plan yell "this isn't fair".
Take care ,
Rubes
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June 2013
Hi Pauline,
that sounds wonderful that this initiative has been started. I really hope it hits off in qld.
good luck and welcome :)
Rubes
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June 2013
Sailor
We all have our fingers crossed the drug works well - you are one true fighter and an inspiration to all fighting cancer :)
Take care
Rubes
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June 2013
Hi and welcome,
I too have stage 4 lung cancer and can relate to ur fear, anxiety and pain.
Pls talk wth ur treating team about ur concerns and pain - they prob will have some ideas.
I'm not sure of ur treatment for chemo - I had 2 types carboplatin and germocitin (im guessing on the spellings). Chemo often makes u fatigued and short of breath so it may be that..... During chemo I had back pain, chest pain, kidney pain and pain under my rib cage. I was prescribed oxycontin to assist with pain from my oncologist.
Stage 4 doesn't mean the worst case - I'm still here 14mths on. So don't give up hope, think positive when u can, laugh, live and love :)
What works varies for individuals - I spent time in fresh air, did meditation and deep breathing, laughed, cried and sometimes just worried.
best wishes ,
Rubes
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May 2013
Coming out the otherwise of teatment is a hard time filled with confusion, frustration, extreme emotions, reflection and sometimes just plain chaos...... We cannot label our emotions and filter out thoughts to make sense.
Sense in itself is lacking and we reflect and dissect to make it understandable when sometimes we cannot.
Since treatment has finished I have lost a very dear friend (over 10yrs we have been mates and now seems we r strangers), been pushed back into full time work (choice was to return full time or my position would be advertised), my husband health has been very poor and he has recently had a heart attack, our cat went missing and still is (we r both very sad), ive found myself completely lacking energy, people now assume I'm better and r expecting way too much from me (only finished chemo 5mths ago).
So I keep trying to work out what all this means, what life lessons are to be learnt from this, why some people cruise through life without consequences???
I've recently decided to attend some counselling however due to full time work I arranged some phone counselling - both appts were not kept by the counsellor..... I am pretty disappointed by that especially since I am a full time counsellor myself and know that not keeping appt is very poor practice. Ah well I'm sure there's some good reason why.. .
Sometimes all we can do is sigh and hope tomorrow is a better day.
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May 2013
Hi Amelia
Many people asked those questions when I was first diagnosed with my lung cancer....i found it to be a way people thought they could help and connect. However I believe it was a way for them to find out the gossip. Its horrible in times of misery others seem to thrive..
Don't be consumed by the numbers. As sometimes the prognosis we are given is so far from the reality. They need to give u worst case scenarios.
I am still here now even when initially prognosis was not good. April 20th marked 1yr since official cancer diagnosis and 20th may marks 1yr since my lobectomy. Depending on treatment options it varies the outcomes. I still stand by a positive attitude, humour and determination will go a long way in fighting cancer.
I do like Julies comment - these matters should be out choice to share if we feel it is relevant and helpful.
Don't lose hope - the people here will be ur ears and helping hands.
Best wishes
Rubes
The most impossible things are achievable if we just believe.
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February 2013
Its been a while since I last posted, life has been super busy and I have been adjusting to a new kind of living.... Living and coping after cancer treatment and returning to some level of normalcy.
Firstly I have gotten off all the pain medications and I am feeling much better for it. Although I still experience pain I am grinning and bearing it, managing on panadol, hot showers and bedrest. Its a new kind of living which Will take a lot to adapt to.
Secondly I have returned to work part time. I have been back for about a month, its exhausting me however its nice to be back.
Thirdly I remain cancer free, will have more scans again in 2mths. My team are keeping a close eye on any symptoms I am experiencing. I have been very fatigued, running temps and experiencing a lot of chest pain. however upon further testing they assume it is related to post chemo symptoms. We can only hope so.... There is always fear these things mean some evil is lurking, a new fear we find on the otherwise of recovery......
Fourthly, my home community of bundaberg have been hit terribly hard due to recent flooding. Its been a very trying time for so many people here. Thankfully my husband and I are safe with minimal affect from the flooding. I thank god everyday we were lucky to be still here and with all our possessions. Being flooded in wasn't so bad, we were forced to slow down a bit and gave us time to reflect on how lucky we really are!
Lastly (buy not least), I have found myself often distracted worry about things that may or may not happen.... Such unhelpful ways to manage our worries and fears. Its funny we worry about worry......
I hope you are all well and that 2013 has brought some sunshine into what is otherwise a dreary time that we face everyday while we ride the cancer rollercoaster ride:). I have been looking back on the past 10mths and having deep reflective moments, sometimes with clarity and other times pondering A whole world of unanswered questions. All I can say for sure is I have faced life's fears and I'm still here to tell the tale. I pray many others are on the same path of survival.
"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot."
Eleanor Roosevelt
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