You're most welcome. I think it helps your mood if you stick at it and do one of meditation guides that appeals to you daily Best wishes Tony ... View more

Hi again Mercury35   With regard to your comment 'The worst thing I find is the lack of support offered to me when I get home ( 160 kms from Adelaide), everything that I used to get to help with radiation burns , sore throat medicine, anti nausea drugs , food supplements that were free and available at the RAH cost more than I can afford when home'    Not being aware of what kind of support is provided by RAH it may help if you or your loved ones contact them at the following link and outline your financial problems in purchasing the appropriate medicine, anti-nausea drugs and food supplements. Perhaps RAH could post them to you or advise what bureaucratic assistance is available to offset the cost?     https://www.rah.sa.gov.au/contact/contact-information ... View more

Hi @Elephant   I sincerely hope  any one or a few do help your Mum.   May I suggest you look into guided Mindfulness tools and refer them to your Mum.    Essentially mindfullness is a meditation tool to manage stress by enouraging meditation and bring focus of the participant to the present moment as we can only live in the present - not the past nor the future.   Here is a couple of other links to aid a beginner in mindful meditation -   https://blog.mindvalley.com/10-minute-guided-meditation/?utm_source=google   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p_yaNFSYao&t=101s   Best wishes   Tony ... View more

Hi @mercury35     I hear you and empathise and will give as much support as I'm capable. I have completed my first round of Radiotherapy about a week or so ago and thus far have not experienced any physical side effects and am focussing of improving and uplifting the mental ones.   I have done  a lot, perphaps too much, searching for tools than can aid achieving mental stability which seem to point to what is termed Mindfulness and living in the present moment.  You need to  have internet access and headphones to access the numerous Youtube links which give guided meditation which I assume that you do given the post you have made. As mentioned, the core message of doing Mindfulness meditation is to realise you can only live the present moment - the now if you will and although thinking of past and future events will undoubtably emerge  during the medtation phase, one is urged to acknowledge observe them and let them pass.   The following are a couple of links to help get you started if you so wish having a duration of about 10 minutes and essentially recommended to daily -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p_yaNFSYao&t=101s   https://blog.mindvalley.com/10-minute-guided-meditation/?utm_source=google   I also would caution you there are a lot  of disingenuous  offerings and BS on the internet that are only interested in extracting money from you.   I sincerely hope you find my advice helpful and wish you the very best for you and your family in coping with our predicament.   Best   Tony ... View more

You're most welcome Colin. I have to say I admire your positivity and truly hope everything turns out well for you and your loved ones. I will be seeing my clinical psycholigist today in the hope if not expecttion she will help me lift my mood which I'm struggling with at the moment although doing all I can to do so. Be well   Tony ... View more

Hey Felix34 Although I've been a vacillating long term atheist/agnostic and I do not know you personally I have sent earnest invocation to whoever or whatever higher power exists that you will fully recover and continue your life to the fullest and in the happiest of circumstances with your loved ones, friends and community. ... View more

Thank you for replying - much appreciated your reply and words of encouragement.   Today, I just completed the third of five rounds of Radiotherapy and will be attending the fourth tomorrow and completing the process the day following.   The hardest issue I am facing is bringing under control the continuing feelings of mental stress using a variety of modalities including mindfulness,cogntive behaviour therapy,binarual beats diversion and recently have sought psychological counselling.   One of the things you raised that particularly resonated with me in your post was to compartmentalise i.e. put cancer in one bucket - life in the other - seperate them and do my best to do so. In fact I consider the mental stress in dealing with my diagnosis way exceeds whatever the outcome of my treatment plan.   Again, I thank you for your humanity and wish you and all my fellow travellers all very best.   Tony ... View more

Hi Kate My meeting with the Oncology team did little to assuage my feelings of anxiety - if anything it (the meeting) kinda exaccerbated it.  I've since consulted a Clinical Psychologist which seemed to help and will continue seeing her at the behest and referral of my local GP. As a measure of combating my  feelings of general withdrawal from society I will try to seek the company of fellow travellers with the aim of joining some kind of discussion group something akin to Alcoholic Anonymous.   And Kate, thanks for showing an interest. ... View more

Even though I don't personally know you - you are my brother nonetheless and I share your emotional distress trying to cope with mine after receiving a dire diagnosis. What resonated with me in your post was characterising you wife as upbeat which seems to confirm my long held belief that females are indeed the stronger sex particularly psychologically. A close friend passed several years ago having the same diagnosis as your lady wife in spite of the fact he was both mentally and pysically strong and under the very best of treatment and care. Know that in time you will overcome your pain as 'this too shall pass' ... View more