Thanks for the additional advice @Janine3220 and @helenat. I am feeling better, although progress always seems to be too slow. The other week the GP said I was doing really well. It was good to hear it from one of the professionals. Saw him again today. One concerning thing is the results from the sputum test I did last week. It showed a fair bit of Pseudomonas, but can't recall now which one. Don't really need any of them.   The GP is trying to find ways of reducing my coughing. It's the main thing preventing me getting enough sleep. With that fixed my progress would be much more rapid, I think. I'm going to start pushing the Alan Walker Centre to get me a physiotherapist. Should have really had one ages ago. I've been 'waving' the expression Duty of Care over their heads lately and it's been making a difference. Where there's a will there's a way. ... View more

Very sorry to hear that, it's a terrible blow. Come here and "vent" whenever you feel like it, it does help. But you can also ring the Cancer Council number 131120. They provide a lot of advice and support. I've found them very helpful. Wishing you all the best. ... View more

Certainly not the best of news. But they're onto it which is a good start. Not always easy to maintain but a positive attitude helps a lot. Chemo is always a daunting hurdle but you will get through it. I concentrated on the period after the chemo and it got me through. Wasn't easy, but I knew there were better times ahead. Best wishes for all your treatments. ... View more

@Janine3220, thanks for those comments. I've been aware of the importance of iodine for quite some time. I replaced most of my red meat intake with fish many years ago. I've been looking around for anything pomegranite but haven't found it. It's difficult trying to find lots of tings here.   Yesterday saw my GP. The x-ray didn't show any sign of pneumonia around the lungs. He said I was doing really well. Today saw the radio oncologist, first time other than over the phone. He was quick to say any issues I had were from the chemotherapy. In less than 15 minutes he was holding the door open for me hinting I should go. This is the thing I'd been complaining about. Spent over two hours driving to an appointment of less than 15 minutes duration.   Tomorrow I have the first immunotherapy treatment. After that a session with the shrink. On Friday it'll no doubt be another "lightning appointment" with the chemo oncologist. Hopefully a nice long break after that. ... View more

@janine, I ordered that book. It takes about a month to get here so have to wait.   Otherwise, things are slowly on the mend. I complained about how they kept switching appointments around, usually to the most inconvenient times making multiple long trips for me. They've revised some of the times and bunched them up on the same days. Also said I was sick of being made a receptical for all sorts of drugs when they weren't really necessary. My GP was included in that. So most of the drugs have been cut out. Of course, I now have to tell my GP I'm not taking his prescriptions. Yesterday got my second Astrazenica dose, so glad that's all done. And looks like the immunotherapy starts mid next week. ... View more

@Dee58, @Janine3220 , thanks for all the encouragement and advice which covers a very broad area of coping with cancer. People's individual circumstances, experiences and responses to treatments vary tremendously. But the broad nature of the advice would cover most situations.   On a personal level, I've never smoked and last drank alcohol over 30 years ago. I live on a rural block so there's a lot of physical activity. I've always been active and fit, not too long back walked the Kokoda Trail. Right up to about April/May this year I'd regularly go out and walk about 20 kms bush bashing (off any trails). But May it was all turned upside down.   Just to catch up on what's happened recently, since getting out of hospital things have been reasonably good. Still tire easily, don't sleep enough but dry retching or vomiting is very rare. The other day did some work with the chainsaw, but that was probably a bit too much.   Saw the medical oncologist on Friday. Results of the scan looked good. Cancer has reduced quite a lot. Some of what still looks like cancer could be inflammation, the scans don't show up the difference. He said the next step is immunotherapy but they have to wait a while yet for me to recover from the last lot of treatment. I was booked in for my second Astrazenica injection next week but the oncologist said to postpone it at least another week, until I gained more strength. Don't like the idea of only being halfway on the vaccination. My immune system is right down but when questioning the GP and the oncologist they both became evasive about how long it might take to have it back to normal.   The immunotherapy doesn't have the same drastic effects as chemotherapy. But when the oncologist started going through all the possible side effects it was quite scary. Fortunately most of the side effects have virtually zero chance of manifesting themselves. So I should feel fitter and be more able during the treatment. ... View more

It's all we seem to do most of the time, wait around for "results".  Thinking positive thoughts for you too. ... View more

I won't mince words but I feel as though for the past few weeks I've been through hell. Chemo finished a week and a half ago, radiation a half week ago. Hadn't been able to eat much, or even drink, and keep it down. Weight dropped way down. Spent a lot of time dry retching and/or vomiting.The previous weekend after a bout of vomiting my temperature went up over 38. Called the ambulance as instructed and by the time they arrived temp was 39. Luckily I keep meticulous notes on my observations and medications (self administered). Just handed them over to the Ambos they didn't have to ask any questions. They kept me overnight, on antibiotics and a saline drip.   The next day (Monday) they discharged me, had the second last radiation therapy and went home. On the way had to get out of the car and was dry retching on the side of the road. At home it wasn't long before the vomiting started again and temp shot up. Rang the Alan Walker Centre but they just said to ring the ambulance again. So it wasn't long and I was on my way back to hospital with temp of 39. This time they kept me for four nights in isolation. One big concern was my starting to cough up blood in my mucus. They didn't seem particularly concerned. Recovery was reasonably fast, probably because of having me on a drip which brought my fluid levels back up. Managed to start eating again, not bad for hospital food. Couldn't get enough so would go down to the hospital cafeteria and get myself a big milkshake. During this time we went into lockdown but only four days.   They gave me a CT scan with tracer. Head, neck, and chest/abdomen. They quickly checked for sign of embollism but found nothing. They discharged me again saying next week they'd go over the scan thoroughly and let me know the results.   So, back on my own for the weekend and so far so good. Tried to get some work done early this morning. Then did a rubbish run to the dump. Also managed to get grocery shopping done. While lined up at the checkout felt I'd over done it. Couldn't get out fast enough and found a bench to rest on. Waited for a while and then headed for the car and drove home. Lesson learned. Overdoing it at home the bed is close by. Overdoing it away from home becomes more complicated.   The house building is progressing slowly. But good thing is the plumber is going to get the bathroom functional so I can use it before the house is finished. Told him it was getting too difficult to cope with an outside shower and toilet. There's one final inspection due for the house but it's at least a couple of months before the house will be at that stage. ... View more

@Dee58, thanks, that final chemo is really the worst. I had the same feeling, if there was to be another one I wouldn't be able to do it. But I'm through now.   @Janine3220, thanks for all that advice. I've copied it so I can refer to it as needed. ... View more

@Dee58, thanks. I am closer to the end than to the beginning. But the down side appears to be that the chemo is having a cumulative effect. The closer to the end, the more difficult it gets. And they say the end of the chemo doesn't bring a quick end to the side effects. I still haven't worked out about my diet, what I can or can't eat. Just seems most things don't want to stay down. And worse is that I can't seem to drink enough liquids without feeling nauseous.   I've been vomiting over the past week and most of it comes after taking anti-nausea tablets. I've lost 5kg in the past week. For the past 6 weeks they've been saying they'll get me a dietician but nothing has happened yet. Coughing has reduced, likely from the specific lozengers I'm taking for it. But only one a day, they taste really foul and are loaded with saccharin. Have to take them with food otherwise they'd come straight back up.   Up to now I've been driving myself to and from daily treatment. But it's become increasingly tiring. Have to try and get back home as quick as possible to lay down. On Friday after getting home I began to vomit and dry retch. Lucky it never happened while driving.   Not looking forward to the coming week. But, if I don't go through it, I'll never get beyond it. ... View more