I don't have any experience but I did notice on larger overseas messageboards the reason given for not rebuilding is that doing so wouldn't restore the patient's ability to talk and eat, either because of the amount which had to be removed or the location. That said, the only people who can answer why rebuilding isn't being considered in your partner's case are his treating doctors. It's definitely something you should ask them and they really should have explained why without having to be asked. ... View more

That must be so difficult for you Traci.  I hope you're getting lots of support. I'm feeling blah at the moment.  I'm on a 14 day chemotherapy cycle and this is my "on" week where I get poked and prodded and have to do cancer-related things on an almost daily basis. I thought I'd be less apprehensive once I had the first chemo cycle behind me, but I'm not. ... View more

How are you both holding up, Traci? ... View more

What a horrible and frightening experience you've had. Questions to ask include whether they have a confirmed diagnosis , what further tests are required, and what treatment plan they are recommending. Expect them to want to run more tests. The good thing about being inpatient is that this often happens much faster than if you're an outpatient, which in turn means that treatment can be started sooner. It is standard to send any tissue removed from your body away for testing, even if there is no suspicion that it may be malignant. ... View more

It's called peripheral neuropathy and it's a very common side effect. You should mention it to your treating team.   The Cancer Council has some booklets on treatments and side effects.  If your hospital hasn't provided you with written information, give the Cancer Council a ring and they'll send them out to you. ... View more

Try not to get hooked on looking for "evidence" that your swollen lymph nodes indicate any particular thing, Sam.  Health anxiety tends to feed on itself and you really don't want to escalate yours. ... View more

Hi Casey   It's over a month since my cancer was diagnosed and I've begun treatment, but it still seems a bit surreal at times.  I expect that will continue to be the case.  I haven't had that "break down" moment, so I don't believe it's inevitable. While there are many things which will remain unknown for a while, there is no reason whatsoever why your pain should not be well managed.  Make sure your team are on top of it and that you know who to contact if your current pain management plan isn't working. One thing which has become apparent to me from reading about the experiences of others is just how differently people can experience the same disease and treatments.  It really is a very individual thing which is why anticipatory anxiety is futile.    I have found talking to my team about my concerns to be very reassuring.  While they will give you a lot of  information upfront, that will be based on the questions patients usually have.  Make sure you ask them about anything else you want to know which they haven't volunteered. There are a lot of resources available from the Cancer Council and other cancer-specific charities, so make sure you use them. ... View more

I'm glad to hear investigations are underway, even though waiting for the results can be nerve-wracking. A lot will depend on your doctor's preferred pathway. I had my first biopsy very quickly and had the results of it two days later. My doctor called in a favour and I was able to see a specialist on the same day the biopsy results were available. Further tests were conducted/arranged at that appointment. If initial investigations indicate suspicion of malignancy, you're in for a heap more tests. If cancer is confirmed by those tests, then both further investigations and treatment options will be determined by the type of cancer involved. You will almost certainly be referred to a multi-disciplinary team to plan your care. Those first few weeks are a bit of a blur whether you're anxious or not because they're so busy. ... View more

It's early days yet, but treatment has been fine so far and I'm feeling good. I had enormous relief from the steroids I was given during pre-phase and that has continued since my first infusion. My children are keeping me supplied with meals and offering help with chores, but so far I haven't needed their help other than during the week between leaving hospital and starting chemo, when I had an insane amount of tests and appointments. I know that this honeymoon period won't last and that there will inevitably be a few bumps along the way, but I feel blessed to have had such a gentle start to my treatment. ... View more

You're welcome Traci. None of us wants to be on this ride but we're all on it together. Our greatest strength will come from those sharing it with us. ... View more