Hi Budgie,   I think animals are a wonderful comfort.  Before I went for my surgery I asked myself  - what is one  thing  that would make you happier right now and you have to be able to achieve it (not wish cancer away) and I was amazed to find that another puppy would do the trick.  But, no.   I already have two beautiful dogs that are faithful companions and that's more than enough.  I thought how lucky am I that it's all it would take to make me any happier than what I already was.   I have two big mulberry trees in the front garden for over 20 years. I don't think we've ever eaten a mulberry from it.  The birds absolutelyn love them.  We also have some really tall and skinny crab apple trees that the cockatoos absolutely love.  You can hear them squaking in the trees then lots of bangs on the colourbond roof as they break off the apples and they fall on the roof.  They also drop them all over the front porchthat has cream coloured tile over it.   Their  droppings are then a purply colour and in spring I'm constantly cleaning up after them with a broom and a hose.  I reallyn like that the cockatools find the crab apples as a good food source.   Mundane stuff is good.  Never thought I'd like it so much.  Sunny days too.   So happy that Spring is on the way and am amazed at everyn new colour blooming in my garden.   Enjoy your day.   ... View more

Hi Thom,   Scary times for you.  I'm sorry.  It's a hard diagnosis but yes, you're lucky it was caught early.  Sounds as if you've had a great deal of experience with surgery so your prior knowledge may help you through this time.     The best advice around here is to stay positive, hopeful and focused.  Gain knowledge and empower yourself to make good decisions. Google but stick to good information and articles from well known sources.  You have the knowledge of the world at your finger tips.  I looked for survivor stories that helped me greatly.  Let go of fear and anxiety before surgery.  You're in excellent hands and 3veryone on your team is there to do the best they can for you.  Couple of good docmentaries - The C Word and Heal.  Rotten is good too but may put you off food forever. Not for the feint hearted.   I tell everyone to get olive leaf tablets.  One every day to boost your immune system.  Golden magic - except it's green.  Laugh.  Find comedy.  Excellent for your T cells to fight.  Smoothies and juices.     What I found that really helped throughout radiotherapy treatment was to watch end of world films such as World War Z.  Seriously horrible stuff like Hoarders.  Helps to make you feel better about your own life and that's good after diagnosis.     I wish you all the very best for the journey ahead of you.  Keep us updated on how you are.  Somehow it helps us all.  Good luck. ... View more

My apologies.  I seem to write essays ! ... View more

Thank you all.  Yes, Claire, people have commented on how well I look and I attribute it to the bio oil.   My daughter in law bought it for me to heal the scar on my neck but I wasn't able to use it on the scar throughout radiotherapy.  Luckily I still have more hair, just thinned out a bit during treatment.  I think I should write to Dettol, be put on commission and develop their anti bacterial cream into a wonder cream for burns.  I'm just really happy that even one thing, helps someone else.     I also think the Victorian Cancer Council needs to work on its website.  My surgeon said after giving me the diagnosis, Just keep doing whatever it is you do.  I found that unhelpful.  Whatever I was doing - and I was always eating healthy - had given me cancer so his trite comment did not help me at all nor give me any hope.  Even now I'm finding it difficult to eat.  I have no appetite and everything tastes like nothing.  I feel like I am in a slump nutritionally.  I have a dietician supplied chocolate drink that is packed with nutrition and even struggle to drink two of those a day.  I think I'm feeling a bit hopeless about food.  Too many questions and dilemmas.  Everything seems as if it will give you cancer, is carcinogenic or not worth eating.  I'm hoping this is just because of a lack of appetite anyway and will improve in the coming weeks.  Last night I at a slice of garlic pizza with a knife and fork.  Tiny, tiny pieces cut up to be able to swallow it.  Took ages and it seems too difficult to eat anything substantial.   I agree that getting out in the garden helps to reconnect you with life.  I feel as if I've lived in this quiet bubble for many, many weeks and it's a little hard to emerge.  Kept wondering what normal would look like and feel like.  It was a bit harsh and confronting!  My hearing has become far more sensitive than it used to be.  I really did find last night's noise level extremely high.  I think today I will retreat back into that bubble for a while and just recover.  I bought myself two beautiful cookery books on patisseries and baking.  I think I will go off on a journey of cooking over the next few weeks and months.  I found invitations to go and do "stuff" with other people difficult too.  I've had to say that I don't know what the next two weeks in particular will bring but I've been warned by health professionsals that the after affects could possibly be difficult.  I think I need to get to a point where I'm confident in myself to go out and about again in a normal way.  Luckily, the school holidays are coming up.  I won't be taking the grandchildren and dogs away these  holidays as that would be way too much normal for me right now.  I will just have the kids here and the age range is 15 to 9 for all 11 of them.  One of my children usually take time off so we can go away but this term everyone's a bit tight on holiday leave.     This is the part I love most with my grandchildren.  Going away with them and the dogs.  I'm always looking for scary films to show them.  A few years ago I took the Poltergeist away with us.  They almost lost their minds.  They loved being scared to death but two of my grand daughters were so scarred that they hate clowns and any dolls looking at them in their bedrooms!  I have driven my children mad by spending so much time with their children.  No Nestle products are allowed in their houses.  Nothing with palm oil.  They have very strong political opinions, worry for the Great Barrier Reef, climate change, the refugee situation etc.  A few of them think they will become Prime Minister and do a much better job.  I took my eldest grand son to a protest about Aboriginal settlement closures a few years ago.  We sat in the middle of Flinders Street, Melbourne and it is a moment I will always remember.  Since then, every grand child wants to go to a protest so I'm taking them to march in the protest on the 20th September in Melbourne in the Extinction Rebellion.  My children always have the option of organising alternative child care in school holidays but never seem to do so.  As many of them are coming into their teenage years, my husband and I will be escaping in 2021 to travel around Australia.  One lot of teenagers was bad enough.  I don't want to go through it again with these new teenagers that live in a much more precarious and difficult world.  Phil - I also love long car rides with the grandchildren.  We do the best ever - rendition of Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody.  I love that they share their music with me too.  Our holidays are often all singing, all dancing and entertaining adventures.  Most of the girls do dancing, and/or drama, music, aerial fitness and kung fu.  I think it's why it is so loud when they all get together with big voices, music, singing and dancing.  Magical times and I hope I get to enjoy many, many more of them.  I will definitely be introducing some more Elton John to them.     I guess this diagnosis gives us perspective.  What's the most important to you?  What do you value?  It usually comes back to love and family.  What we can give.  What difference we can make in this world.  What time and attention we can give to a child to make them feel loved, special, hopeful and confident in the world.  My youngest daughter's birthday is tomorrow.  (Yes, I did bloody well spend my birthday in the labour ward once)!!  I bought her perfume and told her that because it was called JOY I wanted to give it to her because that's what she brings to our family every day since her birth.  She loved it and she is the essence of joy.     Ending on a more positive note - it's lovely and quiet now.  I might even get up some courage today and make some glass beads.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.       ... 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Good morning all.   Hope you all slept very well last night.  I had my birthday party last night with ice-cream cake - so I could eat some.  It was lovely having 18 people - my children and their children to celebrate.  After 9 weeks of quiet time - it was hell.  Loud, noisy and very crazy.  I had to stretch my bed time to 9.30pm!!  My family was way over the top and I think they had been saving themselves to release their stress and celebrate their happiness - all over a few hours of time.  Lots of flowers and plants which were beautiful.  My two daughters and a few grandchildren in this photo.  See - crazy loud!     My husband likes jokes and crazy stunts.  He had mentioned during the week that we should empty this clear glass skull of vodka that we'd had for years and put water in it.  He would then pour me a big glass full and we would freak out our children when I skulled it as I'm not much of a drinker.  He thought it would be hilarious.  Sometime at the party, he brought out the skull and a glass.  Poured me a big glass full.  I picked it up looking at him.  Totally unsure firstly, if  he changed it to water and could taste it wasn't water?  Luckily it was water and I drank it straight down to the horror of my kids.               On a serious note, one of my grand daughters has very long hair.  She's going to continue to grow it and then have it cut off next year to donate it to cancer patients for wigs.  I looked it up this morning and this is the procedure in case you need it in future.  I went to a wig place last week and costed a human hair wig at $3,400.00.  A little expensive for me.   Preparing your hair 1. Wash and dry your hair. Do not apply any styling product. 2. Section your hair into small ponytails around your head and secure with elastics. Tie the elastic 1-2cm down from where you will cut. Secure each ponytail tightly, plait the full length of the ponytail, and secure again at the bottom. 3. Measure your ponytail. Hair donations must be 20cm or longer (measuring between the elastics) to be used to create a wig. 4. Cut hair 1-2cm above the elastic. Keep the ponytail flat and dry. 5. Seal the ponytail in a snap lock bag. 6. Place in an envelope and mail to: Sustainable Salons, 15 Salisbury St, Botany NSW 2019   For more information visit the Sustainable Salons website.     That's all I have except for a criticism of the Cancer Victoria website.  When I first went to this website shortly after diagnosis, there were two main areas of support.  Facing End of Life and Carer support.  Totally inadequate.  There was no area for hope, survival, recommendations, eating or suggetions for how to get through what lay ahead.  It's really disappointing.  The last thing someone with a new cancer diagnosis wants  to see is - Facing End of Life.  That should be at the bottom of other things in tiny, tiny lettering.  Not bold and staring you straight in the face.   Continue having a wonderful weekend.   I will go back to some peace and quiet once the party guests have had breakfast and vacated the premises.  They're all still asleep right now so I only have the lovely birdsongs and a few drops of rain to listen to.   ... View more

Phil, Phil, Phil - best post ever!  Fantastic job.  Mde me smile and laugh all the way through!  ... View more

 Thank you Phil. ... View more

Birthday song   Just think 65 candles. ... View more

Thank you Claire.  It is a massive milestone.  30 times.  30 times to get up and get dressed and take a long drive into a busy hospital where everyone is busy being well or getting well.  It feels like a monumental journey and everyday you mark off one more day from your list.     Everyone kept teling me that when - not if - the skin breaks I would have to come back to see the nurses.  I didn't believe them as my skin was doing well.  It was reddish purple by the end and felt hot to touch.  It must somehow build up in your system because the next day the redness travelled further - without any treatment.  I had been using sorbylene, paw paw cream and Moo Goo at different times throughout each day.     Another story - our family accidentally found that Dettol cream fixes burns.  My youngest daughter had burned her pregnant belly on the kettle once and put dettol cream on it.  Firstly it took the pain away within minutes and stopped it from blistering.  When I had some minor burns in the kitchen over the  years I put dettol cream on it and it was great.  Took the pain away and no blister at all.  Once I was rushing to get some finger food cooked for a neice's birthday and accidentally put about half my hand in the super hot oil in the wok.  Cold water, ice and my son in law rushed to the chemist to get more dettol cream.  I thought I was going to pass out from the pain.  Slathered the hand in the dettol cream and within 10 to 15 minutes, I was back in business finishing off the food and enjoying the party.  Not even a blister.  It was quite miraculous.     On the second day of no radiation my neck was looking even hotter and redder than before.  I slathered it with dettol cream over and over throughout the day.  It is less red and purple and seems to be dissipating quite well.  This morning back to sorbylene.     As I work with hot glass and extreme temperatures, I always have a tube of dettol cream in the studio - just in case but so far only minor burns.   Good thing to know if you ever burn yourself.     I am deleriously happy I have finished the radiation.  I stayed strong and well throughout the treatment and actually put on 1 kilo considering I can only have very soft or liquid food.  No nausea, vomiting or fatigue.  I thank the olive leaf for that.     Hopefully we can all learn from each other what helps to get through whatever treatment path we are on.   Enjoy your weekend Claire.  I've really enjoyed all my weekends over the past 6 weeks.  Time to rest, recover and prepare for the week ahead.  This weekend I'll have 22 visitors this afternoon.  My family and grandchildren have invited themselves over to celebrate my 65th birthday.  They've stayed away from me as I asked them to and have had minimal visits from all of them throughout this time.  I didn't want to get sick from anyone's germs on top of radiation.  I don't have to feed them this time - luckily - as they'll be buying pizza.  I'm reallyn looking forward to it and it is a milestone.  I've actually made it to this age, despite everything and that's a beautiful thing.     Another thing I learned Claire - and you might like this - no make up or moisturiser on face before radiation.    Under my eyes was not being radiated so every day I put some bio oil on my forehead and around my eyes which is absorbed pretty quickly into the skin.  Did it for a solid 6 weeks and magic - skin is looking good and softer and less crinkles around the eyes!     I love that my time is my own again.  Yesterday I was watching a sries on SBS catch up called The Family Rule.  It was good, crazy and just amazing.  The mother had 9 daughters.  I had daughter envy!!  Our life's always been brilliant with out two daughter, imagining seven more of them was just mind blowing.  I seem to like disasters, horrors, end of the world kind of stuff right now.  It made me feel better about my own situation.  Next week I will focus more on happy stuff, more normality and hope. ... View more

Hi Phil,   I'm pretty sure you were always a caring person.  I've been the same with people diagnosed with this horrid disease.  Yes,  acknowledge your diagnosis and then leave them alone to deal with the situation on their own, with family and friends supporting them along the way.  I've never felt I had anything to offer and the people involved have not been direct family members.  I've had no direct experience, only distantly and from afar.     I also had some bad news this week.  I'm not sure how to describe this person.  Succinctly, she is in her mid 30's and is the mother of my eldest grandson.  She was diagnosed recently with stomach cancer.  I finished my treatment on Wednesday and she started chemotherapy on that Wednesday - at the same place, in the same hospital!  I couldn't do enough for her.  I bought her pjs for hospital and pjs for comfort at home after chemotherapy.  I was just so sorry for her, her mother, her partner and her son.  I told her this was a good forum to join.  Sometimes you need an outlet to discuss things outside your family.  This is really good for that.  Plus we get to dance and listen to music!  Healing balm for our battered souls.     I think the disease changes you.  You suddenly know what it feels like to deal with such a diagnosis and its long term ramifications, prognosis and treatment plans.  You know what helps and what doesn't.  What words matter and what words are unnecessary.  You know instantly how to support someone else.  Perhaps it is our new super power!     Enjoy your weekend Phil.      ... View more