Hi, I'm very sorry to hear about your cancers.   What sort of surgery are you having for your colon cancer? Are you having the tumour remove or a partial colectomy? How are you coping with all the treatment?   -s ... View more

Hi, Good on you for getting it checked out and finding this relatively early. I'm very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but thank you for sharing your story.   Children bounce back. Personally, I found that telling them the truth was the easiest way. Not filling in all the gory details, but just be honest with them about what is going on. How long is your treatment going to take?   -s     ... View more

Hey @CaptainAustrali, how did your walk go? Maybe you're still on it? Haven't heard much from you in a while. Hope everything is well for you. -sch ... View more

Hi, I've heard good things about canteen providing support to the children of parents who have cancer. https://www.canteen.org.au/young-people/parent-carer-cancer Maybe this is a good place to start.   There is also cancer council's website  https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/news/talking-to-kids-about-cancer/ They have a link to a book that contains information on talking to kids about cancer.   I hope there is something in there that can be helpful for you.     ... View more

Hi Lindsay, Well we haven't heard from you in a quite some time now. I'm worried about you. I hope for the best but fear the worst. Hopefully you just got bored of us and had better things to do with your time.   I recently bit the bullet and moved my family out of the city to live in the mountains.  In addition to getting to spend more time with family and access to better schools, I have more time to spend running the trails. The scenery while on my runs is heavenly  This morning the mountain I live on was high enough that our mountain was swallowed entirely by cloud. On either side of the mountain all you could see was an ocean of cloud.   Maybe one day we could sit on my back deck and share a coffee, listen to the birds chatter to each other and be thankful for our loved ones, both those we have with us now and the ones we have lost. ... View more

Hi, Well, congratulations on getting to 52 and never having previously been in hospital! 5, 10, 20 years. It's just a number. A number based on statistical probability. Ignore it, break it, abide by it. Put it in the bin. It doesn't really matter. What matters is what you choose to do and that you have a good working relationship with your health team. Aim to prove the statistics wrong. Do everything that you can to achieve what you want.   Good luck! ... View more

Hi Coz1, I'm sorry to hear about your cancer. How awful for you, especially after battling this once before already. I really am very sorry to hear this. All the treatment we receive carries a risk. Surgery, chemo, all of it carries some risk.    The bowel cancer and the liver cancer might be related, but then again they might not.  No-one could draw any conclusions here without knowing all the facts, and even then... There may be other risk factors for you that mean you are predisposed to cancer in that area.   Good luck with the surgeon! Please let know how you go and what he says.   -s ... View more

Hi Michelle, I'm very sorry to hear about your illness. It can be quite difficult to come to terms with. How long ago were you diagnosed and what is your outlook? What is the diagnosis and expectations from your treatment team and doctors?   No matter what your diagnosis, your life is not over quite yet (you're still here typing). Some times these diagnosis can be quite a shock if we're not used to dealing with health issues (and sometimes even if we are).  Despite what everyone might be telling you is right way to deal with what you are going through, I don't think that there is a right and a wrong way of dealing with these emotions.  There is what ever gets you through. I don't think that life is ever really ruined. There is often value in life, it just comes down to how you see it.   Persumably you are taking tablets for chemotherapy? How are you going with side effects? Look for the small things in life that you enjoy, and if you need to seek help, please reach out. Some where to start is here: https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/get-support/   -s     ... View more

Hi Dee, Congratulations on your recovery. Perhaps you could share that information here or maybe have a website available so we can all a look. Good luck with everything. -s ... View more

Hi Lyn32, I think that many people who have cancer don't want to impose themselves on others lives. So he might not want to ask. Instead, let him know that you actually would really like to see him. Express to your brother that you would really like to see him and spend some time with him. Tell him you can stay for a short or a long while, and that it is up to him. Regardless of his answer, I'm sure that knowing that you care and are thinking of him will make a difference.   -s         ... View more