Hi Caro ... Thanks re it not being a nice cancer and yet i view it differently. It is treatable and for that i am very thankful. The first time i was diagnosed with cancer was 21 years ago and that cancer (amelanotic melanoma) had no treatment available except for surgery and thankfully and obviously? it worked. I think i must be the eternal optimist for when i got the phone call after surgery for my first cancer and they said 3 out of the 16 (i think) lymph nodes were infected and that wasnt good news, i was like thanks i will take those odds and i reckon thats pretty good! They could have said all 16 were infected! I think our journey comes down to how we view things and if that doesnt make us happy then we have to change that view and we have the power to do so! It is like i ran into a friend the other day and he is a quadraplegic and was moaning about his electric chair that he rides around in. I referred to it as his "new best friend". he looked at me and i explained that i know what it is like to have choices that i dont want but we have to make the best of those choices regardless. I asked him if he didnt have the chair what would he be doing right now? and his reply was "lying in bed". I know what its like to have limited choices and to not have the choices that i want, however, we have to make the best of what we have. Least that is how i look at it and yes sometimes i resent i cant have the choices i want or used to have. :) Julie ... View more

Hiya Caro ... It is squamous cell carcinoma in the tongue and throat. There are many retreats around although i am not sure they employ the same tactics as the one that i read about in america. I also think that most retreats are fairly pricey and it is pretty expensive having cancer so possibly out of reach for a lot of people. Julie ... View more

Confirms my thoughts that "fear" is evil 🙂 ... and yet being diagnosed with cancer i would think would make most fearful (it did me, for a bit). Interestingly i read a book years ago when i was first diagnosed and it was about cancer patients in america that went on some sort of retreat. When they first arrived they were asked to depict in simple pictures how they viewed their cancer. Those that would depict the cancer say as fire and they were paper, by the time they left they became the fire and the cancer was the paper. I think its this sort of mentality that makes a difference to me in dealing with all of this. I know others think differently but i guess we all need to find what works for us. Julie ... View more

Hey dunedigger I have done a couple of endurance rides, was quite a few years ago and i no longer ride. I did enjoy doing them though. Julie ... View more

Hey dunedigger I have done a couple of endurance rides, was quite a few years ago and i no longer ride. I did enjoy doing them though. Julie ... View more

Hi Darkiescorner We often fear the unknown and thats what cancer is all about really. Least for me it is/was? I think it also comes down to what cancer is deemed to encompass. I find myself in a rather strange situation. I had cancer 21 years ago next month. I didnt have treatment other than surgery as there was no treatment for the cancer i had (amelanotic melanoma). This time around i am doing chemo and radiotherapy and i had a stereotypical view of what chemo would involve and also radiotherapy. Now i know first hand! (least for the chemo bit) People also have their own views on what cancer people go through and am betting from person to person thats going to be radically different depending on their knowledge. Or it might depend if they have kept up with current trends etc... I totally agree, there should be more emphasis placed on those that survive. It gives others that are diagnosed "hope". It might also impact on earlier detection for some also. Education is the key? Rgds Julie ... View more

Hiya Darkiescorner Firstly i think people equate cancer with death and that creates fear for them. For some time i have been thinking about evil things in the world and of course you come up with the usual stuff like money etc..., however, i reckon that fear rates as no. 1 on my list. It is an evil insidious thing that causes so much damage to individuals and communities etc.... etc.... I guess some are just so afraid that they dont want to face it and then their fears are realised? I am not sure on that one as its not in my nature to not face things regardless of how horrid i find them. So, thats my intial thoughts ... Regards Julie ... View more

Hi Justin It is tough in the beginning. I have found focussing on finding out information has helped put some structure into my day. Hope things improve for you soon. Julie ... View more

Hiya Teacher Mum, I had something similar happen the other day although it was non verbal. I ran into someone who did not know i had cancer and they could not look me in the eyes the whole time i talked to them and funnily enough they didnt ask me how i am. I actually felt sorry for the guy and after a very short conversation made my escape to put him out of his misery. Julie ... View more

Hi Ruby ... I had thought about taking fish oil tablets actually, glad to hear they have worked for you. Thanks for the good luck wishes and yes i can and will do it. Just waiting to start is worse as the brain gets to thinking about things that the body is not yet doing. :) Julie ... View more