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  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    That's good to hear that you are ok Sue.  Stay dry :-)

  • yowyow
    yowyow Member Posts: 36
    edited January 2011

    hi all, 

    I do know a few of the posters on this thread..... and some for a few years now

    via aussie forum

    nice to meet some new ones

     Smile

    another melbourne girl here 

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    Hi Trisha-luckily I also live on higher ground. It is so damn sad what is going on. My heart breaks for my community. Thanks for checking on us!

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    Hi Yowyow!

    Nice to meet you :-)

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    but having said all that I wasn't able to get to the hospital to get my CT results or organise my new chemo and get my pain meds....so I have a long two weeks ahead of me :o(

  • AussieSheila
    AussieSheila Member Posts: 439
    edited January 2011

    We are OK here even though parts of our town went under. Youngest son works for Lifeline and spent til yesterday in St George trying to help people and then goes home to Toowoomba only to be met with that catastrophe!

    Sheila.

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited January 2011

    Glad to hear you are ok Sheila - where are you?

    Sue

  • AussieSheila
    AussieSheila Member Posts: 439
    edited January 2011

    I am in Maryborough since 1989, used to be a Brisbane native.

    I couldn't get any bread, milk etc today, so bought a new bread machine this arvo, am patiently waiting for a loaf of German Rye bread to cook, yum!

     Sheila.

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    That's some smart thinking AussieSheila!

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited January 2011

    lmc - where are you located? Are you flooding too?

    Sheila - good to hear you're OK.

    Sue

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    Oh lmc I feel for you xoxo

    AussieSheila - very resourceful, hope you enjoyed your bread :-) 

    I've had a horrible few days, after the last FEC treatment last Tuesday, I expected Saturday and Sunday to be bad days, but they weren't as bad as I feared, but Monday and Tuesday were awful, I cried most of those days.  This chemo really does mess with your head doesn't it!? Feeling a lot stronger today, but have realised that constipation is worse than diahroea.

    Had to call into medicare yesterday to claim some bills, and fell asleep waiting - luckily I woke up before my turn, but did feel very embarrassed and hope I didn't snore. Then went to the chemist to get some senacot (for the constipation - and it worked yay!) and when I went to pay for it the girl asked if I had a senior's card - I know I look old and sick at the moment - but that floored me for a while lol

    Also had one of my co-workers ask me yesterday if I had finished my chemo - when I said no I was only half way through, she was surprised and said why didn't they give it to me all in one go - lol I did have to laugh about that!  Some people have no idea do they!?

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    Hi Sue-I'm in Forest Lake so I am on a hill and won't be hit by the flood.

    Thanks Trisha-it's hard to sit here and feel so helpless. It's a sad day for QLD.

  • LuvMyLab
    LuvMyLab Member Posts: 34
    edited January 2011

    All you QLD girls, I'm thinking of all of you.  I just got back from a few days away and thought I'd check in on you all.  So so sad, I just can't believe it.  What a start to 2011.  Then I just heard that the water supply has e-coli in it so it has to be boiled.  Feck.   Please stay safe! 

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    Thanks LML-it's a long road ahead. My husband may lose his job as his whole workplace went underwater today and it's all electrical equipment. But our home is fine thank God. And we are all safe.

  • LuvMyLab
    LuvMyLab Member Posts: 34
    edited January 2011

    Trisha-Anne:  I can relate with the mind messing.  I would usually be in tears for those bad days, you just can't help it.  Hope you are back on top of it and recovering.  Please be gentle on yourself.

  • vivvygirl
    vivvygirl Member Posts: 171
    edited January 2011

    G'Day ,

    Have just found this thread of all my Aussie Sisters. I am in Adelaide and have spent some time on the Aussie Forum but have found more companionship on BCO.

    Sending lots of love to all my Queensland friends , I just cannot believe the footage on TV. Just when you think you have seen it all..another lot of footage comes along and blows you away.

    Am off to the physio today for my LE and am hoping for some good news.  Swelling is slowly going down but hate having to wear my sleeve and glove in the summer.  It is hot and it is hard to cover it up wearing a t shirt.    But enough of my pity party...there are plenty of people worse off then me. 

    Glad I have found some friends on my sid eof the world as sometimes it is frustrating that my BCO friends are asleep while I am awake and vice versa.

    Hugs to you all

    Viv

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Hey Viv, I'm from Burra and am often in Adelaide.  Perhaps we can meet up for a coffee sometime?

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    Hi Vivvygirl - welcome to our little Aussie group :-)  Hope your physio went well.  I've been lucky with no LE - I can't imagine how awful it would be to have to wear a sleeve and glove in the Adelaide summers - you guys get so hot!

    lmc - I'm sorry to hear about your husband's job - is there any news on that yet?  Hopefully it won't come to that!

    My tears are over now :-)  My biggest problem with chemo is that I live on a property and we have our own septic system that treats the water and then it goes out onto the trees to water them.  The chemo means that I will kill the system.  While it will come back after the treatment finishes, and the system will still work, it will smell.  So we decided to get a camping toilet that sits in the bathroom next to our loo and I use that for the first week after chemo, then we empty it (in a public sewer system which is ok) and I'm ok to use our system for the other two weeks. 

    That bl**dy camping toilet has become the symbol of what is awful about the chemo.  I spend so much time sitting on it and feeling like crap that I absolutely hate it.  I feel dirty and it smells (a little bit anyway).  I almost feel liberated when we can take it out of the bathroom for two weeks, and I'm starting to feel a bit better.

    If the awful thing weren't made of plastic - I would have a "burn the loo" party at the end of chemo lol.

  • AussieSheila
    AussieSheila Member Posts: 439
    edited January 2011

    Hi Trisha-Anne, sorry to hear about your problems with chemo and septic system. The things you learn about on forums, huh?

    Just thought I'd suggest using "Bio-magic" in your Porta-potti instead of the chemicals that come with the unit.  I found the smell of those chems worse than raw sewage when we went camping.  Put about 20mls in the top tank, same in the bottom, and off you 'go.' Is an Aussie product which can be bought at any good camping shop.

    Sheila.

  • lmc1970
    lmc1970 Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011

    Hey Trisha-Anne-thanks for asking. It's still 50/50 at the moment. His boss was on holidays in NZ when the flood hit and isn't back yet. I think he will make his decision when he sees the damage. Even if he closes down he will make sure my husband is ok-he has worked for him for 20+ years....

     Sorry about your potty problems....this damn cancer effects us is so many varied ways!

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited January 2011

    Hi, the word "chemo" makes me feel sick in the stomach. I had a right mastectomy with all lymph nodes removed last November and started chemo in December AC x 4 then weekly Taxol x 12 then 5 weeks radiations. I had my 3rd round of AC last Wednesday. It makes me feel so tired, i just don't know what tomorow will be like. Today i was okay. I wear a wig when i go out but don't feel comfortable with it. I live near Adelaide and go to the hospital there for treatment. xoxo  

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Hi Marie-Edith and welcome.  I also live near Adelaide in Burra actually and I travel to Adelaide often for medical appointments and treatments.  Sorry you are feeling so bad, but if the fatigue takes you, give in to it and rest, rest, rest.  It's very important that you listen to what your body wants at this time.  A good thing to do while on active chemo is to make sure you drink heaps of water, before, during and after your treatment as this helps to eliminate the chemo and makes it a little easier to tolerate.  Stay in touch and please feel free to pm me anytime you like. Oh, for newbies here, there is a restriction to five posts in a twenty four hour period until you reach approx 50 posts.  This is done as a safeguard for the forum, but you can pm anyone you like as many times as you like.  To pm some one, all you do is click on their name in the left hand column and this will take you to a page and on the top right of the page you will see 'private message this person' just click on this and compose your message.  Hope this helps a little for you.

    Peace, strength, love n hugs.   Chrissyb

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited January 2011

    Hello Chrissyb,

    Thanks for the advice. I looked on the map to see where Burra is . I live in Mount Barker !!! I try really hard to eat a healthy diet . I read that the increase of breast cancer could be dietary related, food industrialization.  But with chemo it is hard to feel good !!!  When i am finished with it, it will be even more important to eat well to try to avoid recurence. And rest!!!!  Good night :) 

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Marie-Edith, while on chemo, eat whatever you desire.  It's hard to eat well when you don't actually feel like eating at all. There is time enough to be a bit pedantic about food and now is not the time.  Keep it light and enjoy.....whatever it is.

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    Thanks Sheila!  Will be looking for some Bio-magic.

    Welcome Marie-Edith - you are a little behind me with your treatments - I started my chemo in November after a left mastectomy in October.  The tiredness is awful, but as Chrissyb says - you need to give in to it and rest, listen to your body - it will guide you.  I find I become obsessive with food that first week after a treatment - it's as if I'm continually looking for something that will taste good, and of course nothing tastes good, and while you are feeling like crap it doesn't help that you can't even enjoy a nice cuppa.  But it does get better - although that's no comfort while you feel awful. 

    I'm two weeks out of my last infusion and have another next week - but right now I feel great! :-)  It's such a pleasure to feel good again, I can finally think - yep I'm half way there - just another three infusions to go.  

    Take care girls - it's good to hear the Queensland girls are now dry - but worrying about the Victorian girls - are you all high and dry?  I can't believe the amount of flooding down there now.

    xoxo

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited January 2011

    Hello Chrissyb and Trisha-Anne,

    Thank you for your advice, i like it, it certainly puts a smile on my face :)

    I must admit i find it difficult to face the grated carrots, and my "fave" food after treatment are bananas, cracker biscuits and cheese and chocolate sustagen drink. I will remenber your advice throught my treatment!! Good to hear yours is nearly over, i still have a long way to go. Take care xoxo 

  • pirategirl123
    pirategirl123 Member Posts: 16
    edited January 2011

    Hi Ladies Just wanted to say Hi from Brisbane.  I've been "lurking" on this web site since my diagnosis in March last year and really don't know if I could have got through without it.  Can I join in this group too?

    I finished chemo (TCH) in Oct last year and rads on 30th Dec.  Am now taking Tamoxifen and not having too many problems - just the odd joint ache. Am due in hospital tomorrow for my 3 weekly Herceptin drip.  Thank heavens for my portacath.  My hair is now about 3 cm long yippee!!! but it's very grey and curly in places.  Still it's hair I suppose lol.....and at least I no longer look like a space alien ie minus eyebrows and eyelashes.

  • LuvMyLab
    LuvMyLab Member Posts: 34
    edited January 2011

    Hey Pirategirl,  Congrats on finishing chemo and rads!  I have just done chemo and am about to start rads next week.  I am taking exactly the same as you - TCH, Rads, Tamoxifen (to begin soon)

     How did you go on TCH?  I hated it but it was doable.  The last couple of doses really did a number on me.  I'm 3 weeks finished and my legs are still so lethargic.  

    Did Rads make you tired and did you burn much?

    And I'm scared of taking tamoxifen. My Onc originally said he didn't think I'd be having it but has changed his mind and said now definitely as I'm slightly PR positive.  URGH, treatment just seems to go on and on...

    And more importantly, how are you coping in the floods?  Hope you are not too affected.  It's just incredible.  And now Vic is copping it.  I got evacuated out of my holiday van on Tuesday, it's in Echuca on the Murray River.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Hi pirategirl1 welcome.  Sorry you need to be here but glad you are.  Everyone is welcome here so join in whenever.  BCO is a great forum for all sorts of information.  Hope you weren't too badly affected by the flooding in Brisbane.

    Peace, strength, love n hugs to all.  Chrissyb

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited January 2011

    Hi pirategirl1 - I'm in Brissie too. Where do you go for your treatment?

    Sue

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