Hi Jill, Just checking in, im still hoping and praying for you and you family. Hope that your looking after yourself, and that you've gotten some good news by now. Thinking of you all, love Christine xo ... View more

Hi again, radiation therapy for the brain is an interesting process, the first thing they did when I started was to make a mask. They took some melted plastic and draped it over my face, dont worry, this doesnt burn, it was actually quite a pleasant feeling! They used the mask everytime I went in for a session, to line me up with the zappers in the right spot. They will probably take another CT so that they can work out exactly where the radiation needs to be directed, and then use masking tape on the mask as an indicator so the same part of your husbands brain will be zapped each time. He will lose hair on the entry point, and exit points of the head where the radiation is used.. My hair is very patchy! Also, the spots that are zapped will probably become a little bit sore and flaky, it feels a bit like sunburn. Sorbelene cream helps, but make sure theres no cream on his head before treatment, as it causes a sort of barrier and the radiation wont get through properly. He might get a bit headachey, but I didn't find it too bad, usually went away with a bit of panadol and a good nap, also he will probably get extremely tired. I was shocked at how lethargic I was. I hope this helps to fill in the gaps! Good luck for tommorrow, and the future, Christine ... View more

Hi Jill, I am so sorry and sad to hear of your husbands new diagnosis. I was diagnosed with a brain tumour in July, so I had surgery and radiotherapy, and they both have their difficulties, but with support and inner strength which you clearly possess, you will be able to get through anything :-). Recovering from surgery was a long process, but with some panadol and a good book to stave off bordem, very achievable. Radiotherapy was also quite easy going, the main side effect was fatigue. I found that I would usually have a nap during the day and that kept me going. Your husband is so lucky to have you supporting and caring for him. You and your children's support and love are his biggest asset. I wish you all the best of luck. Please dont give up hope, the human body has such a strong capacity to heal itself, for as so long as you believe in it. He needs to believe he will heal. Also, I suggest giving meditation a go. It will help with the anxiety and allow you to clear your head, because sometimes it does become too much and you will get overwhelmed. Research a man named Ian Gawler. He is truly inspiring and has a lot to say about the human bodies ability to heal under the right circumstances. Im reading a book by him called 'You can conquer cancer' which Ive found invaluble. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, and I hope that things get easier and you get some good news, with love, Christine xox ... View more

I'm a fan of this idea =) I kinda get over the 'just remember to stay positive!' response from EVERYBODY lol. It's a good one, but it's really just the fall back line to an awkward topic. Kudo's Jules! New way of looking at things - We're determined! ... View more

Traveller in waiting, You are definitely not the only person who is having troubles finding their 'place' again. I was in the same boat as you; four months ago I was very social, happy, independent, doing well at uni, had no real care in the world. Until I had a seizure and some lady told me I have a brain tumour =(. I feel like in the past few months Ive become this whole other person - I had to defer uni, I cant work as much, I cant go out with my friends as much, Ive lost basically all my independence, and I spend most of my time being scared, anxious and sad. It's a very lonely feeling when standing your in a room full of people but you don't really know how to relate with them anymore. I'm 20 and though my friends have been more than amazing to help me through this, I still feel isolated and separate from them. Death isn't usually a major concern for most 20 year olds, so it's hard for them to understand my anxiety. My experiences have changed the way I think, how I relate to people and the things I value in life. I think it's inevitable to feel panic, fear, and ultimately 'changed'. Lets just say we've been enlightened and are wiser because of it 😛 Jules, you are too right, statistics are simply numbers. I won't be looking around for them again! ... View more

Ive found a sense of panic has settled in my stomach recently, Ive never before really thought about death (I'm 20), and it's pretty hard to deal with, when all of a sudden its thrown in your face. One thing I very strongly suggest for everyone who has fears and anxieties brought up by this disease is: DON'T SEARCH YOUR ILLNESS TOO THOROUGHLY ON THE NET AND NEVER LOOK AT STATISTICS!!! I found myself doing exactly this a couple of weeks ago... There are some things I would very much like not to know, but it's hard to wipe your memory of something like this. I asked my dr about some of the scary statistics I came across, and basically he said that often these resources were very old, and are taken from a large variety of people; different ages, different states of health, who are undergoing different treatments etc. Basically he told me that statistics cant really give a good indication of how things are going to go. I would seriously recommend to anyone who is curious to ask your doctor, and stay away from google. Cheers, Christine ... View more

Without the distractions you have during the day, your mind wanders; and it's not always so easy to look at the positives. Ive found nights particularly hard as well. I tend to watch TV until I'm really sleepy, then turn it off. You need something to think about, other than everything that's wrong, and often some random, trivial drama is good for that =). ... View more

Ive just begun on this road, and I agree that one of the hardest things to deal with is getting used to the fact that everything has changed, it's completely out of your control and it wont go back to how it used to be. It's like Ive lost my best friend, I cant help but feel a sense of grief when I look back to when my life was simple, easy, fun and my mortality wasn't thrown in my face. I look at all my friends and feel kind of separate from them now. It's lonely. I'd give anything to go back to my old life. I hope you find peace with your new life Ruby. Christine. ... View more