Australian Sisters
Comments
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Thankyou ladies for the very warm welcomes
Yes, the lovely Chrissy also has bone mets......she was the first to respond to my post when I posted how frightened I was when first diagnosed......still frightened!!
Kate...yes, it would be lovely to catch up some time when you're up at this end of town.
Unfortunately, I doubt that I could make it to your Brisbane get together:( I'm living my life in 2 month blocks at the moment! Due to being triple negative there are no drugs to fight this god damn awful disease besides chemo, so I'm being scanned every 2 months to check for progression & then the decision to start chemo will be made! Trying to hold off as once I start obviously my quality of life will deteriorate...
Hubby & I are planning a trip to Europe - something we had planned for the next year or 2 - so hoping for no progression in my next scans & we all just up & go early October!
I retired from my job of 12 years when I got my secondary diagnosis & I know I'm fortunate to be able to do so. I'm thoroughly enjoying being a 'lady of leisure'!!!
Hoping everyone has a lovely Friday.....
Karen x0 -
Amanda, so good your results were ok. Enjoy your night out, hopefully this wind will die down soon. Are you considering the Encore program in Goulburn in October, or the relay for life there? I am umming and ahhing about them. I went to a fundraiser in Glbn on the weekend to raise money for the relay, I was supposed to go to the opening of the wig centre but didn't make it. My counsellor I saw yesterday is in Glbn so my car is starting to drive itself there. So if you ever feel like a cuppa PM me.
Karen, a trip to Europe sounds wonderful, fingers and toes crossed for you.
Trish, I am sure this cold weather is coming directly from your way. We spent half an hour washing the dog yesterday and then she escaped again. She was chasing a rabbit which jumped up in a car engine bay, poor thing, so DS saved it. We hardly ever see rabbits here anymore because the dog chases them off.
Kate, how is your dog going? I hope the weather is nice over there, it is very exciting that you can catch up with Karen.
Sue, are you still sleeping well? I have been crashing out since starting Tamoxifen but having really weird dreams.
Lyndal, how is work? Are you still managing more easily since you started your new regime? I sure hope so.
A big wave over the ocean to Alyson and Midnight.
Chrissy, enjoy your cabinet. You will have to post some pics of things you make.
Hello Racy, Jenn and Mel and if I have forgotten anyone I am sorry. Have a lovely weekend everyone. xxxx
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Karen, I do hope you get to go to Europe and have a wonderful time. Some of the best memories of my life are from a 1 month drinking tour of Europe (least thats what I call it) haha. I was 23 at the time
. Would love to go again, but with a bit more luxury and a bit less alcohol.Kylie thanks for asking. Im definately coping well with work now. I have the bone density scan coming up next month followed by a visit to the onc so will be asking for a mri on my back when I see them. Still getting that back pain on and off, but thats the only problem and I was having that long before I changed to the liquid calcium. Otherwise being on my feet for a long day at work is no longer debilitating and thats such a wonderful improvement in my quality of life. Having what feels like full use of my brain back is the bonus
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OK, so Kerry-Ann was on Sunrise this morning, raising awareness for rhinos. Did anyone else watch this? At the end of the segment the BC question was raised.
To cut a long rant short I was a little miffed. I know she doesn't want to be the poster girl for BC (her words previously) but I thought she diminished the process. My take on her interview : she is fantastic, she got the easy BC, radio. is a breeze (she is half-way through), etc. etc.
Sorry, I love this site so much because of the great support during a really crappy time. One of the things I love most is that we are all people, not being judged by others, regardless of our treatment, stage etc. No-one would ever trivialise anyone elses or their own experience.
I feel so privileged and lucky to have landed on this group. Thanks Trish for setting it up, and thank you all for giving of yourselves and being such great friends. Kylie x
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Aw Kylie. I ditto your feeling re this group. Big thanks indeed to our wonderful Trisha for setting it up (extra big cuddles coming your way in Brissy - be prepared!).
I'm selling dafodill day merchandise today with my dear SIL. As is our habit, we alway have fun with these things, and she bought us each a disgustingly oversized bright yellow hair flower so that we stand out. Stand out you'd have to be walking with a cane and a dog not to see us.
Thanks Lindal for asking about Jack. He still does it after we go for walks but not inbetween. I'm pretty sure it's a muscular problem. Given his back leg problem, and Jilly's front leg problem (arthristis of the elbow) I'm not flicking any balls for them anymore. Actually 5 years of using the flicker has totally wrecked my right shoulder muscles. A friend of mine (who is a massage therapist - how lucky am I?) gave me a shoulder massage and asked if I'd had an injury as it was very knotty and fibrous. I haven't actually ever hurt my shoulder so I have to put it down to all the ball flicking. Dogs hate it now when I take them just for walks. Jilly keeps bringing sticks and dropping them at my feet and then hunches down for me to throw it. But I don't, I just keep walking with them. Their limps do seem to be less pronounced just by walking and not running flat out, turning sharply and suddenly stopping. I'm being cruel to be kind (to us all) but it's hard to see their pleading eyes begging for me to throw something, anything, their way.
I have my neices 21st party on Saturday night and I had lunch with her yesterday on her birthday. I went and bought some helium balloons for her and I have a fear of balloons, absolutely can't stand being near them, but a big bunch of balloons are to me synonomous with a big birthday so I just quivered all the way in the car with them squeaking together and trying to drive the car for me. The really funny thing is, which I realised just as I was about to give them to her, is she HATES balloons too! We laughed so hard, me so quick just to hand them over to her, and her not so quick to take them
. We had the best laugh over that - it was a priceless moment so well worth the money spent on the useless, ugly, scary things.Have a great day everyone. xxxx
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Yes Kylie - I will be there for Relay For Life (under sufferance !!). I truely hate this kind of thing (especially as I have that 'cancer' look going on !!) but I'm a Girl Guide Leader and Girl Guides always enter Relay For Life. My unit is especially excited that they can relay with me this year to show their support - I can hardly say no !!
I had a funny situation just after I had my ops and started chemo - another leader from Guides was so excited that she could take me to some sort of survivors morning tea as she didn't know anyone else with cancer so she was never able to attend before (she worked tirelessly to organise it year after year). I had trouble at the time planning the next day let alone what was happening more than 6 months down the line !! I had to stop myself from saying "Gee, with any luck I wont be dead by then !!However for once I bit my tongue and smiled. After the conversation ended and we parted ways my 12 year old daughter poked me in the ribs, laughed and said "And you thought cancer sucked before !!!"
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Oh and I agree - thanks for this tread Trish - and for finding me out there and leading me to it !!0
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katopet - yes still sleeping well - love it.
Trish - how is Aromasin going for you so far??
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Well thanks everyone - I guess when I set it up it was to reach out to people who understood our system and most importantly understood our twisted sense of humour lol.
Sue - Aromasin is pretty good so far. Still tired, but getting a bit better, still getting headaches too, but not as bad. But best of all my foggy brain has not returned lol. I still forget things, but that's age and menopause related I think, it's not as bad as on the Arimidex.
If things stay like this, I'll be happy to stay on it for another 4 years! I could not have done that on the Arimidex.
Trish
xoxox
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Gosh, everyone is really busy on here again today. I have no hope of catching up with saying what I want to everyone in my short lunch hour right now...
It is good to see such energy in the posts here over the past couple of days and it appears from them that everyone, despite various "challenges", seems to be happy and healthy and have had good results right now. This is great!
So nice to see you back on here Kelpie and to see Karen.
About the Kerri-Ann thing...
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I started with all this crap back last December I didn't want to be seen as different, particularly at work, and so I tried my hardest to trivialise what I was going through for people outside my immediate family and circle of friends. Kerri-Ann's "workplace" is television and she is currently out of work so it would probably be not in her own interests to appear to be anything but healthy and in control.
Unfortunately for everyone else, her workplace is the media and so her efforts to minimise her condition reflect out onto everyone with breast cancer...
I now wish I had not tried quite so hard to trivialise my stuff because I have realised that my "it's OK and nothing major" attitude didn't just stay in my workplace but pervaded my personal Facebook and correspondence with family and friends. In particular, it has become obvious that my in-laws in New Zealand have no idea how hard the past 8 months have been for their son (my husband) and our family. After my FB update last week outlining my upcoming BMX and reconstruction my husband got a phone call from his sister (49yrs old) who was asking why on earth I am getting a tummy tuck and implying that she thought it a waste of money. She has no idea....
Jenn
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Jenn, I did / am doing the same thing . . . . it really shocked people when my hair fell out. I live in a really small town and ran into a city couple who were looking for some locals that were their friends (and friends of mine). I gave them directions and thought nothing more of it. I then get a phone message from the local friend laughing at how silly her city friends were because they thought I was sick from cancer !! It was an uncomfortable phone call for me to make back to her !!
Most people ask "How are you ??" and what do you answer. I always say "Fine thankyou, and how are you ??"
What I want to answer is "Well, I didn't sleep a wink last night due to my joints aching, I got some relieve from the cracking left side headache - when it moved to the right side for an hour or so. I have eaten so little in the last 4 months that I don't even feel hunger anymore but hey - I didn't s**t myself or vomit today so I'm actually really good"
But who wants to share that and who wants to hear it ??
I tried to keep it quiet and had the busiest month at home and at work in July (leading up to a sale). I was doing 14 hour days at work and then a few hours around home each day (helped I went through a stage of insomnia). My boss found out I was sick via the rumour mill AFTER the sale and was mortified that I didn't tell him as I had worked so hard - now he knows he wont let me do any of the work he sees as 'hard'. It is frustrating !!
But your post Jenn makes me think I should at least fess up to my in-laws . . . . for the sake of their son.
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hello Girls, gee this BCO is addictive, i am trying not to go on it so much, but i can't help myself. i miss all you ladies and our kiwi girls so find myself having A QUICK PEAK to see who is on or been on and half an hour later, guess what i am still here. have to go and feed my bunnies. its my Birthday on monday and DH has a planned surprise for me on monday and BIL is picking it up in auckland which is about 8hrs away and i have a feeling its another animal. i have been trying to throw hints out to not have any more, they take time feeding and caring for, oh well i will be happy as its from him and he is so loving aND SUPPORTIVE. the nurses at the Hospital said, i am so lucky to have a husband like him as alot of women donot have the support like that from their partners. i ma very blessed and wished every lady would have somebody, it breaks my heart when i hear ladies on here say they have to go thru it all on their own. that is why this site is needed. and mind you as much as i have a loving spouse, girls need girlie times where they have ladies to talk to as well. I have an appointmnet with BS 4th sept and have to do a blood test, a fish one and a hormone survalence one, well im guess its just check up. am getting alot of rib pain and in the back and roght hip. so i would like to tell them about that anyway. i have not seen anyone for a year, apart from mamogram in may, but not the Docs. so that will happen. good to see somebody. have a great day ladies. Bless you0
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Hi everyone
Thought I'd just pop in to say Hello. I am holed up inside with this freezing weather we are having.
I see you have some new participants, Karen and Amanda, Welcome. I've enjoyed reading what everyone else has been up to.
I was at the point of going to China but at the last moment lost confidence in my ability to travel alone anymore. I've always been single but am finding it more difficult to do things by myself. However I am so set in my ways that it's unlikely me single status will change.
I'm going to Melbourne with a University of the 3rd Age to see the Mesopotamia Exhibition and will stay down there for a few days.
Not much else to report
Gerri
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The Mcgrath nurse just rang and asked if I would like to participate in a uni study on exercise post BC.
3 days a week free exercise program, sounds good.
Then the clincher, it was where I just had my radio. What the.... as if I am going to travel 7hrs a day,3 days a week for another six weeks. Needless to say I refused.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY Trisha xxxx (she's been quiet today, probably off getting spoilt rotten).
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Congratulations and a very, very happy birthday Trish, Kylie x
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Happy Birthday Trish! Hope you are having a humdinger!! Stay warm.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Thank you girls. I've had a lovely day. Yummy, yummy birthday cake, lovely lunch with a friend and lots of birthday calls.
I've gotta say - I FEEL GREAT!!! lol
Trish
xoxoxo
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY - hope you have many many more
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Happy Birthday Trish, and many more of em 0
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Just reading very quickly before bed.
Happy birthday Trisha, hope it had been great.
Welcome to the new folk - will catch up later.
Will try to get on tomorrow morning very quickly as we are off to Rotorua for the weekend. It is our 40th wedding anniversary and we have decided to get away for a couple of nights. We will celebrate when DS gets home next month.
Big hugs
Alyson
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Happy Birthday trish, hope you had a great day. x0 hugs
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Happy Anniversary Aly!! Enjoy your weekend away.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Yes Aly, I hope you have the best weekend ever. 40 years WOW! that's just terrific. xxx
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I'm a bit late but.......
Trisha, hope you had a lovely birthday & Alyson, here's to wonderful anniversary weekend. 40 years, fabulous!
Jenn....I too played down the seriousness of BC & side effects of treatment.....it was a bit of shock for everyone when I was diagnosed with secondary! I only tell certain people. I 'retired' from work when I was diagnosed with the mets & the amount of people that say 'oh aren't you lucky, wish it was me'!!! If they only knew...I don't want people to see or treat me any differently.
Chrissy, I remember when my girls were little (they are now 26 & 28) I would spend many hours sewing.....cute little dresses that in those days we couldn't afford to buy!! How I would have loved my own little sewing desk/nook.......I had to set the sewing machine up on the table every time I wanted to use it. And, would you believe I got the machine for my 21st birthday & I still have it......I'm 51 now!! And it still works LOL (not that i use it these days)!
Beautiful day in Perth....off for a late lunch with hubby & then going to the footy......to hopefully watch the Eagles beat Collingwood
Hoping everyone has a lovely weekend
Karen x
Kate.....thanks for the PM, I will reply shortly x0 -
hi everyone
i have been on centrelink for nearly the whole time since i was diagnosed. because of my income protection they cut my allowance back significantly but now that the money is practically gone i need centrelink to put te payment back to how much it was before. waiting on my insurance company to make a decision about wether they will give me a final payment before they stop paying me completely.
I can get centrelink to up the payment if the insurance company give me notification that the payment is stopping on a specific date and how much the last payment is. im praying they give me one more payment because i really need it!!
chrissy, thats not good the cancer council didnt treat you that well.
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.Congratz on your wedding anniversary Aly, hope you have had a brilliant weekend in Rotarua.
I hope you can get the insurance and centrelink issues sorted out quickly Mel.
I feel like bacon and eggs for sunday breakfast, but dont have either in the house
looks like Im gonna have to go grocery shopping. Wish we were in the era of The Jetsons and could just hit a button and have a nice hot breakfast turn up out of the blue.0 -
Hi Girls - happy anniversary Aly!!
Lyndal - I cooked Steve bacon and eggs before he went for golf - I just had toast and then set off on a 41 minute bike ride - yay me!!!
Mel - your income protection insurance sounds strange - I was on it for the whole duration of treatment (around 20 months) and had no issues - I got 75% of my wages.
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Morning ladies, just checking in to assure you that I'm still reading every day and enjoying your posts.
I've been a bit occupied with a family member's health issue the last couple of weeks - ageing related. Just one of those things that happens to octagenarians.
The thing I hate about grocery shopping is the crowds which inevitably slow the process. I like to be the only person in the store. As I don't like getting out early, I shop late on Sunday night. Lucky our local Coles is open till 9pm every night.
Looking forward to meeting everyone so we can have a real conversation.
Lovely day in Brissie.0 -
I have a DH who does the grocery shopping lol, how lucky am I?!
Mel hope you get something sorted soon too, it's no fun being really short of money.
Aly happy anniversary! Hope you had a good one.
I had a lovely lunch yesterday with a couple of friends, so now my birthday celebrations are over :-)
Racy sorting out older people's health issues isn't easy, my late FIL was a nightmare, he couldn't look after himself, lived a 6 hour drive from the closest son and wouldn't move. He fell and broke a hip, and it was a full day before anyone found him. Still refused to go to the hospital! They get really stubborn when they are over 80 I've found lol. I hope I'll be like that one day lol!
Trish
xox0
