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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2012

    My DD2 rang today to update me on whats happening with her melanoma.  It will be excised on Wednesday 1st February and then her skin care with be shared between her surgeon and the dermatologist at four monthly intervals......yay for vigilance!  He GP has also registered her with Breast Screen Australia and she will be getting a mammo every twelve months now that really puts my mind at ease, she is 38..................now if only I could convice the other one who is 41 to do the same!

    I was originally dx'd three days after my 52nd birthday and seven days later I was in theatre having a mastectomy.  What a roller coaster Christmas that was! I turned 60 last December and I plan to be around for a wjole lot longer yet................I always was a bit of stubborn old biddy!......lol

    Jenn, I sure hope you are on the up side of your treatment roller coaster and starting to feel a whoe lot better.

    Kate, have you given your doc a ring about the port?  Don't leave it too late!  Thinking of you.

    Love n hugs all.  Chrissy

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    DONE!!  FINISHED!!  YAY!!


    Got into the car to drive back to work and burst into tears. 

    I'm good now though - happy it's all over.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2012

    Trish, YAHOOOO!!!!!   The tears thing is a very normal reaction to the stress that has been in your life for quite awhile and now you can start to relax and live!!!!!!!

    Love n hugs.  Chrissy

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    Thanks Chrissy
    Yes, thought the tears were a relief of all the stress.

    Are you coming to the cyber party tonight that Kate has organised?  She posted yesterday on this thread - it's 8.00pm eastern daylight saving time.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2012

    I'm in!!!   What do I need to bring?   Booze?  Food?   Both?

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited January 2012

    Congratulations Trish - I remember when you first started

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    Ladies, I just got home from a checkup with my onc. All is fine but no Zometa for me. My onc said according to the research 'nothing is proven therefore it's not an approved preventative treatment at this point' but 'there is definitely something going on' in terms of the way Zometa works but at this stage they don't know what it is. He will 'keep an open mind' about how research on this topic may develop. Also said 'some colleagues were prescribing it but should now have stopped'.



    Ladies, here is a secret: I think I am in love with my onc LOL. He suggested we meet again in August and I said I was thinking June, so that's when my next appointment is. Can't wait till August! He is very learned, is involved in a lot of research, also qualified as a rad onc, has a friendly smile and is quite handsome. Oh, he is married LOL.



    I will accept the party invitation and will bring some Grange (red wine medicinal for BC), some Moreton Bay bug filled spring rolls (steamed, not fried) with chilli dipping sauce, some mint and chocolate chip gelati and some green tea!



    Trish, I hope you feel better, not worse, after the tears. I prescribe a glass of Moët and a glass of Grange and swear you will then feel on top of the world!

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    Racy - you are lucky to have an onc that you can fall in love with lol, mine's nice enough, but not someone I'd fall in love with :-)

    Chrissy - booze and food would be great! :-)

    Sue - hope you can make it?
    I'm feeling much better now, tears out - feel a great sense of relief :-)

    Trish

    xoxo

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    I'm thinking that to make it easier to chat - there are a couple of chat rooms on BCO.  If you go to chat rooms - it's right at the top of this page - and sign in, there's a room called staying connected.  It's empty at the moment, and may well be tonight - will we give it a go and see how we go?

    Trish

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    Ok, I am going to the gym soon but will be back before 7 EST.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2012

    OK will do.

  • Kate60
    Kate60 Member Posts: 523
    edited January 2012

    Hip Hip Horrah! Trish. I bet you felt such relief! All over and well done you. I bet this past year has been an interesting one for you, and now it is only a memory.

    I'll see you in the chatroom at 8.00.

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited January 2012

    I'll give it a miss girls - too tired from work today and will just be chilling out I think. Have fun though.

    Sue

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    Ladies, I can't find the door to the chat room on the chat room page! HELP! 

  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited January 2012

    I'm sorry! I was late and just discovered you can't chat from an iPad (no java) :-(



    Hope you are having fun...

    Jenn

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    I tried to download Java but I still can't enter the chat room. I am going to post a question to the mods about how it works.

    I hope that smoked salmon doesn't go to waste Jenn.

  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited January 2012

    Nearly there...

    Jenn

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    Racy - I was in there and was thown off - i'm trying agian.

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    I can't find the door at all.  I think my computer won't allow me to download the relevant software. I have posted a topic about it.

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2012

    Racy - there's a link right at the top of this screen that says chat rooms - it will take you to the log on page

    I've somehow been locked out, but I'm really tired now - and am going to bed.

    If we are all on facebook, it might be easier to set up a group page so we can chat on that.

    Anyone else on Facebook?

    I loved the chat with Chrissy and Kate - don't drink too much girls - will catch up tomorrow.

    Trish

    xoxox

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    So, what did I miss at the party?

    Congratulations Trish!!!Kiss 

  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited January 2012

    Racy - you need to be able to install full Java and allow pop-ups.



    Jenn

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    I was going to ask a question in the chat room but since I couldn't get in I am going to throw it out here: How is it that some members on this site think they know more than their oncologists? I mean those who think that conventional treatment is a conspiracy and reject recommended treatments? It takes years of study and very high level of intelligence to become an oncologist, plus ongoing education to maintain registration.  I would not presume to know one thousandth of what my doctor does about medicine.

    Am I missing something or are they?

  • Kate60
    Kate60 Member Posts: 523
    edited January 2012

    RAcy, are you still there? If so, we will leave the chat room and do it this way?

  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited January 2012

    Racy,



    I work as a clinical research coordinator in oncology, so find that I DO know a lot about the subject and can research and discuss various statistics with my docs.



    BC is not a cut and dried subject - it's all about stats and risk and what risks YOU are prepared to take to balance SEs, quality of life and quantity of life...



    In order to make these choices a lot of women who aren't involved in the "industry" educate themselves very quickly.



    The best advocate for what is important to you - is you... A good oncologist educates their patient so their patients can make those decisions for themselves based on what is important to them.



    Jenn

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    yes, I am still here. I agree with what you said Jenn but I was asking a slightly different question. You may not have read the threads I am referring to, where the posters essentially say that chemo is a conspiracy as it is profitable for the drug companies and because of the big bucks involved there is no incentive to find a cure.  Of course, you would know in your line of work that is preposterous.

  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited January 2012

    Definitely missed those threads... Probably a good thing :-)



    Meds do ultimately come down to money but it's usually at govt level rather than research level.



    Reality is that pharma companies ARE businesses (I used to work for a major player), but they can only survive if supported by the medical community. ALL the oncologists I know are in it to save lives and pressure pharma to find real solutions :-)



    Having said that. It's definitely better to get a high profile cancer. Those who get low profile cancers with low numbers of occurances (orphan cancers) are highly disadvantaged because it's not economical to find the treatments :-(



    regards Jenn

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    Jenn, the very fact that research such as you are involved in is occurring is proof that the search is under way for better treatments, albeit that there is only so much funding for research. And didn't the Gillard government cut funding for cancer research?

    It's a fascinating discussion about what drives drug companies to develop new products but I would think there will always be demand for new treatments and even if there is a cure, the companies will find other ways to make money.

    I agee it is aweful that there is no effective treatment for some cancers.  I pray and hope we will see cures for them all.  There have been so many successes; what about the cervical cancer vaccine. 

    I certainly believe in complementary treatments such as diet and exercise and have learnt a lot since my diagnosis.  It's true the oncs are focussed on drug treatments but that is the nature of their specialisation. 

    I mentioned that I am involved in a wellness study involving diet and exercise that is being run by the Wesley Research Institute and QUT.  This is one example that shows the research bodies are looking at more than drug therapy.

    Interesting to talk about. Maybe we can do in Adelaide. Smile

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2012

    Girls, I'm going to start a closed group on FB for us call Aussie Girls.  Friend me and I will add you to it.  My name is Christine Bout.

    Had a great time tonight and we need to do it more often.

    Love n hugs all.  Chrissy

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited January 2012

    Chrissy, will that be totally private, as noone knows I have BC?

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