Australian Sisters
Comments
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Oh Kazzie, so sorry to read your update. Keep connected with the TN ladies for advice about your treatment.
When your thoughts become troubling, think of your recent trip.
We are here to support you. I pray that you get the best treatment and it is effective with minimal side effects.0 -
Thenewme, nice to see you here. I look forward to some cross cultural exchanges lol.
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quite a bit has happened since i posted last. had my port out in september. still looking for work but in the last month or so have had two interviews but didnt get either of them.
went to genetics councellor to discuss the possibilty of doing testing to see if i have a gene fault that may have caused my breast cancer. was examined by her and she said i have some of the symptoms of cowden syndrome. If the tests come back positive i am at higher risk of a few other cancers like thyriod cancer as my dad has had trouble in that area and also bowel polyps. just means i will need regular screenings ontop of the ones im already having for my breast and gynae areas. the worst thing is i will also be at higher risk of the breast cancer coming back in the other breast.
It does tie a few non cancer things together that ive had happen medically over the last years so it actually was good i found out now so we can make a plan. will take a few months for the tests to come back after ive had a second lot of blood taken so i wont know for a while but im pretty sure it will be positive.
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Oh Karen...Bugger!
I hate cancer.
Like you, I am triple negative and have also just restarted chemo, Abraxane weekly, hair is falling out as we speak. Tumours are still not in any vital organs so I hope to knock it out for quite a while...we can hope.
Let us know what they recommend and if we can share experiences in any way.
Best wishes,
Angela0 -
Oh Karen........bugga!!!!! I was hoping inflamation. Hang in there, I'm sure the chemo will do its job and kick those mets from here to kingdom come!!!!! Hope the chemo doesn't knock your socks off!!
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
I am sorry the news wasn't what you (or we all) wanted Karen... Sounds like they are "on it" quickly for you though.
Angela - sorry you have to go through the whole hair falling thing :-/
Jenn0 -
Oh Karen, you have my love and support and as Suzie says, we are all here for you, even across the tasman. very sorry to hear that news. warm gentle hugs. XOXO, P/s As Racy said, reflect on your trip and the happy time you had while you were away. xx
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Thanks lovely ladies .:)
Having trouble sleeping, so on the computer at 5.00 am this morning,...looking at wigs & scarves ....ha ha!
It is what it is though & I'll deal with whatever lies ahead (don't really have much choice LOL)....
Angela.....how often do you have the Abraxene & how awful are the side effects?
Will let you know what we end up going with.
It seems harder to face second time round knowing how shitty chemo is ! But, it's about survival
Yes, Jenn, my onc is 'on it' so that's good thing....
Have a good weekend everyone.
Karen x0 -
Oh Karen, I'm so sorry to hear your news. Your hugs are so welcome and I'm sending some back to you ((((hugs)))) this is such an awful disease, I cannot imagine how you and your family are feeling at the moment. As everyone else has said, we are here for you, and I hope the chemo blasts the mets, but is gentle on you. How did you go on chemo last time?
Angela, sending you ((((hugs)))) too. And hoping this round does its job and is gentle on you.
Melp, have been wondering how you were going. I'm sorry you didn't get the jobs you went for ((((hugs)))) to you too. Interesting about your testing, please keep us up to date.
I'm feeling a bit better today, thanks everyone for your concern. Swelling is going down slowly, still taking painkillers, but hopefully not as many today.
Trish
xoxo0 -
Trish, hope you are feeling better today and not in so much pain. hope you were able to have day off again and recouperate properly. take care xoxo
Chrissy hope you have a good weekend, even tho its gonna be a busy one. take care with all that driving.
everybody have a good safe weekend. hope yr weather is good where ever you are.
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Karen and Angela, sorry to hear you are both re-starting chemo. Sending out positive wishes and hugs for you and your families. xx
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Welcome Thenewme, hope your enjoying Australia.
So sorry that your results werent great Karen and Angela, but a little part of me is happy dancing that this rotten disease hasnt spread to your vital organs and im praying that the new chemo for you both does its job and gets you dancing with the stable boy real soon.
MelP I hope the months fly past so you can get those results and be able to work out where to go from there. I dont know if this is just a Qld thing or not, but I was approached a few months ago by a company that specialise in returning people (who have been sick/injured/returning to work mothers etc) to the work force and they offer subsidies to employers to hire the people in their books. Maybe make enquiries to see if such companies exist where you live and see if they can help you.
Chrissy so glad the PT is working and your feeling better, LE flare ups suck.
Trisha, I hope that tooth settles down soon and your back to normal.
Gentle hugs to everyone
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Thanks for all the lovely messages ladies. Restarting chemo wasn't a surprise, its just that I had wanted to go a bit longer before needing to, but us trip negs don't have a large bag of tricks.
Karen, i was on Xeloda before, tablets that just made me very tired and gave me sore feet, very manageable but I had some progression.
I now have Abraxane by IV every Monday for 3 weeks then one week off. It is a much more friendly version of taxotere, so I have some tingling in my fingers, and some aching bones by day 3. Low white cells mean I have caught a cold so am tucked up in bed today. The hair is thinning more gradually but will all go by next week. Abraxane side effects feel like a very mild version of the taxotere ones. Onc gave me big doses to start and will play around with them so I am not too affected. Will have 6 courses, with scans every 2 months to review, so finish about April.
So all up, not too bad, as long as it works. Last time I was bald during winter so have plenty of dark and heavy scarves and hats. This time I've bought a couple of cute summer things so it does feel a little different for me.
All the best everyone. I'm off for a snooze
Love Angela0 -
Oh Karen...... i too don't know what to say except that im just down the road so please yell out anytime if you want / need someone to vent t o or anything. Im only a two hour drive away and easily doable, even if you want me to sit with you when your having chemo. I'm so sorry but lets hope another round of chemo kicks it in its a***! Love and hugs xxx
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Angela, i hope your chemo goes well for you too. sorry i missed your post. will be thinking of you. i did not have chemo, and really hope i never have to, but i feel for all of you that have to, take care XOXO
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Thankyou to all your lovely ladies once again for your support & cyber hugs (((hugs)))...
Kate....your offer is so sweet & if you do at any time come up to Perth, let me know & perhaps we could catch up for a cuppa & a chat
Angela.......yes, the triple neg is certainly a crap shoot!! And if chemo is the only option well, chemo it is.....hopefully it can slow it down! I'm too young & got too much to do to go anywhere just yet!'
I had my last chemo from November 2010 to march 2011 so starting around the same time again....I tended to wear mostly scarves but I've decided since it's most likely to be permanent this time, I'll go with the wigs in public.....bought a couple of short, funky ones!!
Trisha.....I coped ok with chemo the first time, I worked through it but due to the cumulative effects, had more time off after each treatment. I keep thinking steroids - yuk, crap taste buds - yuk, exhaustion - yuk & the list goes on as you all know!, I retired when I was diagnosed with mets so at least I don't have the worry of work this time
Been pro active this morning......enrolled for the Look Good Feel Better program, ordered wigs & scarves online & enquired about eyebrow tattooing!! Sounding very vain I know, but I have to what makes it more bearable.
Hugs to everyone again....
Karen xxx0 -
To Karen and Angela
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And thanks Chris, can now take some more photos.
We ahve spent a lot of the day going thru old photos. DD is helping with a project about Kiwi Girls through time so have found some great photos hence the new ones on FB.
Trying now to put them all away.
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Wow...coincidence. I just booked in for eyebrow tattooing. Swore I'd never do it but she has agreed to just draw in a few sparse hairs so I can continue to fill them in with a pencil when the last "guide" ones go. Didn't tell my oncologist...naughty girl. First time ever, but I figure its MY face. Appointment next Thursday. Will let u know how it goes.
Cheers0 -
Ha ha Angela.....just made my appointment for Monday
Going to the same lady that did my nipples tattoos....will let you know...
Alyson.....thanks for the hugs (((hugs)))
Karen x0 -
Great idea for the eyebrow tatoos! I know that having just a few hairs staying on each side through chemo made it much easier to pencil them in. Actually, my eyebrows seem to be not coming back in very thick so you've both now given me the idea of getting tatoos to thicken them up!
Glad you are feeling a bit better today Trish!
I finished and uploaded my uni exam answers early this afternoon - so looking forward to not having to spend my Saturday this week listening to lectures and working on the weekly assignments...
Jenn0 -
Linda, Sue and Racy
I just saw on the news that Brisbane was hammered by a bad storm. Are you all ok?
Trish
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Im fine, went over us without any damage. Wonderful light show though lol
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gosh i thought the heavens were going to fall out of the sky this morning, it absolutely poured and thundered and lightening. now you would not think it even a drop fell out of the sky. mind you pretty windy and that probably blew it all away from coming back. BIL horse has got down and hubby is awaiting for help to get her up, as she is in a muddy area. i cant do it, she is a big clydesdale and huge. she must of slipped over trying to get out of the weather. he put her in front paddock to get a good feed of grass and did not pay off. BIL away, hubby can usually get her up, but today he can't manage it and Shana is abit stressed as her feet keep slipping, so somebody is coming in to help. anyway hope you girls all had a good weekend and enjoy the rest of it. cheers trish, hope your mouth is alot better and you are feeling alot less pain. take care
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Continual thunderstorms and rain here since yesterday - love it - we need the rain SO much.
Chrissy - I got your room ready - just have to make the bed.
OMG I vaccd all of the floors upstairs, then thought I'd wash the kitchen and bathroom - then I thought I should wash the polished floors - looks fabulous - it's not something I do often I must confess. I used metho in hot water and they SHINE!!!!
Downstairs next weekend - can't do it all in one day, the house is too big.
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Suzie you have made me feel bad so Iam about to go and wash the stain that is on my kitchen floor; that looks better but probably should wash the whole floor oh well maybe tomorrow. DH has vacuumed and the place looks good, don't know how he gets so much stuff off/out of the carpet, i just clean the top.
We have had some incredible rain here as well but nothing like Brisbane. Really strange weather at present.
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Aly - I rarely clean the floors, so don't feel bad. Wish my DH would pitch in.
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Just testing but this is for anyone who needs it. Funny pictures aren't posting.
Now lets see if it will post.0 -
Wow.....Suzie, you have been a busy girl
The place will be sparkling when Chrissy gets there....
It sounds like it's gonna be a lot of fun!
Karen x0 -
I see it
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