Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Australian Sisters

1…387388390392393…410

Comments

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Oh Wow, Carol! Sure hope they get to the bottom of the problem quickly for you. Bummer on needing a new hot water service but lucky you got a plumber so quick. Keeping fingers xx and toes crossed for you.

    Aussie275, how are you feeling?

    Trish, sounds like you are getting things under control without too many hassles. Sure hope all that you are doing improves your lot.

    Well, after having a mammo a CT of my head and visits to two doctors the only thing found was that I still have a brain........another words I'm still clear and good to stay off meds until my July appointment. Can I say I'm pretty happy with that? Yes I can........lol.😁

    Hope everyone is doing just fine.

    Love n hugs. Chrissy

  • aussie12
    aussie12 Member Posts: 421
    edited January 2018

    Hi all

    Chrissy good news for you.

    I went back to the Doctor's today and I have constipation. The last time that I had it was about 6 months before I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Obviously my bowel doesn't work as good as it used too and I'm probably not eating the right foods.

    Carol

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Well that's sort of good news Carol.......at least you know you can easily get that sort of thing under control. I think for all of us it pays to be aware of that particular problem as we age. So glad you have an answer.

    Love n hugs. Chrissy

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Hi Aussie Girls!

    Our get together is planned for Adelaide on the 13th to the 15th April.

    For those not on the FB group can you please leave a yes or no here so I have correct numbers for accommodation.

    Hope you can all come!

    Love n hugs. Chrissy

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2018

    I'm a tentative yes!

    Trish

    xoxo

  • aussie12
    aussie12 Member Posts: 421
    edited January 2018

    Hi all. I saw the oncologist yesterday and got the all clear again and don't need to go back again for 6 months. I also went to my GP today to organise a colonoscopy as the oncologist said it would be best to have one since I have constipation. I'm also looking at airfares to Adelaide. Carol

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Yay Carol! Great news from your onc.......getting the all good for a further six months is always super.

    Looking forward to catching up with everyone again this year and hopefully some of the new girls as well.

    Love n hugs. Chrissy

  • Lucy55
    Lucy55 Member Posts: 2,703
    edited January 2018

    Happy Australia Day ladies 😃

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Thanks Lucy!! Same to you and everyone. ❤

  • wildplaces
    wildplaces Member Posts: 544
    edited January 2018

    Thank you,

    Happy Australia Day to ALL!

    😊🌷

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited January 2018

    Thanks Wildplaces.

    Hi Australian sisters, I'm your Australian brother. I've stayed off this thread until now because I'm on other threads that relate to my cancer type (IBC) and deal with male bc stuff generally. and, I understand that women are happier talking about bc things amongst themselves. But here I am with a request.

    If any of you are on the BCNA blog, you might like to check out this thread: http://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/17867/...

    that deals with the proposed name change of the newsletter from Beacon to Pink Lady.

    I've written a summary of the topic HERE.

    If you are on BCNA and would like to make a comment, you could go to the thread above and add your two bob's worth.

    Best wishes to all.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Hi Traveltext......you are welcome here anytime you like.......breast cancer is breast cancer no matter if you are male or female. We all need support and friendship.

    Thanks for the link, I'll check it out as I am a member but don't visit very often. I would hate it if they changed the name to 'Pink Lady'!

    Love n hugs to you. Chrissy

  • Lucy55
    Lucy55 Member Posts: 2,703
    edited January 2018

    Traveltext..yes .you're definitely welcome here ..anytime !!..Us Aussies must stick together :-)

    Like Chrissy..I too am a member , but rarely go on the site ..I guess I have got in the habit of just coming here ..

    I can't believe they want to change the name to "Pink Lady " ...totally ignoring the male members...and as a female I hate the association with the colour pink !!! I'll check out your link !!

  • Delvzy
    Delvzy Member Posts: 454
    edited January 2018

    happy New Year girls xx. Aussie I am glad it's not cancer hope u get some news diin

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2018

    Traveltext you are very, very welcome here! Please don't think that we wouldn't want you to join in on our conversations. We all deal with bc, whether we are female or male Heart

    I haven't looked at BCNA for a while, as it really didn't seem to be that active when I first had bc. I get the Beacon when it comes in, and find it interesting. I'm appalled at the changes they are making. I, like many women with bc hate the whole "pink" thing. I was first dx with bc in September 2010, and had my first mx during October. It was so confronting to be faced with so much pink in that month. 

    I get that there needs to be "something" to keep bc in everyone's thoughts - but there are so many companies that ride along and make money out of bc, and that makes me mad. It needs a makeover, but to name a magazine that is supposed to offer support and information to call itself "Pink Lady" is offensive. I'll certainly be writing to let BCNA know that I'm not happy with the change. It's discrimination against men. I have a male friend who has had bc and my husband had a neighbour who died from it.

    More needs to be done to make men aware that they are at risk too - and "Pink Lady" just doesn't cut it.

    Traveltext, please feel at home here with us if you choose - we'd love to have you as an Australian - we care about men  as well as women.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited January 2018

    Thanks for the warm welcome Trish, Chrissy and Lucy. Very pleased that you all feel the same way about the proposed Beacon name change. I believe BCNA are proposing to poll their 122,000 members on the topic, so we'll see what that brings.

    Trish, that very interesting to hear your first-hand knowledge of men with bc and I hope your friend is doing well. There is a US group called the Male Breast Cancer Coalition and they posted my story here:

    http://malebreastcancercoalition.org/Survivor%20St...

    With around 2.500 new cases of men with bc in the US, there's more research and more support groups. In Australia, we have only around 150 new cases per year. I'm involved in counselling newly diagnosed men, so I know quite a few guys going through what you've all gone through here.

    I'll certainly come to this thread again.


  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited January 2018

    OK, the BCNA newsletter name change poll is online here for the next week:

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BeaconNameSurvey


  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2018

    Thanks Traveltext. Survey done.

  • Lucy55
    Lucy55 Member Posts: 2,703
    edited February 2018

    Traveltext..Done !!!

  • kirstensmum
    kirstensmum Member Posts: 76
    edited February 2018

    I also have taken the survey, voting against it.

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2018

    I've voted too!

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited February 2018

    Excellent work all. Please spread the poll link to any BCNA members you know.


  • wildplaces
    wildplaces Member Posts: 544
    edited February 2018

    Survey - done - the whole pink thing is bizarre to me - has always been so - it's a disease that kills women and men not a fashion statement.

    I mean heck - were the male players at the Australian Open on a Breast Awareness campaign??

    😊🌷🐣

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited February 2018

    Yes, Wildplaces, I thought Federer was doing the pink thing, but it turned out Nike allowed players to choose from a range of colours and that's what he decided on.

    And, yes again, bc patients are having all this pink shoved down their throat in the aid of fundraising. In the case of BCNA it's to raise enough to keep a hungry operation going:

    BCNA's income in 2016 according to its latest report was $7,855,863 and it comes from the following sources:

    Events: 7%

    Corporate partnerships: 35%

    Appeals, donations, bequests: 29%

    Government grants, contracts: 13%

    Community fundraising: 12%

    Other: 4%

    BCNA's expenditure in 2016 was $8,670,000 and it's used for the following purposes:

    Salaries: 52%

    Administration: 10%

    Support for events: 12%

    Non-salary costs, IT, etc: 25%

    Depreciation: 1%

    Looking through this latest report shows how much the "pink lady" iconography contributes to BCNA's corporate image. And looking at other pink charities, including those worldwide, it's the same. Pink equals dollars. Even when so much of the money is spent on yet more awareness raising and duplicate research, the bucks keep rolling in. The allure is obvious, pink is for women suffering from breast cancer, pink is for lost breasts, pink is for young women diagnosed, often with kids in tow. Pink is for those deceased.

    Give us even more money please and we'll raise yet more awareness.


  • wildplaces
    wildplaces Member Posts: 544
    edited February 2018
    Well, I never had any illusions, seeing in numbers its something....


    Pink is easy and deceptive - a light and playful colour - makes one not deeply engaged or responsible - patronising, not that serious after all....awareness is the key.
    A popular theme these days - one almost forgets that awareness to be meaningful must be balanced by action.
    To pink one feels good about contributing, one can take cover under pink from details of the reality, that at best, for a time, reaps the guts out of the women and men dealing with the disease and its treatment independent of Stage.

    In that sense for as much as it has raised it has now come full circle to be damaging.

    Beyond pink.
    Now that would be a brave campaign.
  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited February 2018

    Very well put Wildplaces. The concept of pink as damaging is an important observation, one that I deal with on a daily basis. And I really like the slogan Beyond Pink. I hope you won't mind if I use it in a meme and/or in agraphic.


  • wildplaces
    wildplaces Member Posts: 544
    edited February 2018

    All yours - please do / thank you!

    Ioana

  • Katiejane777
    Katiejane777 Member Posts: 28
    edited February 2018

    Hey Aussie sisters and brothers! I voted on the BCNA name change too. I really hate the name Pink Lady. Seriously what are they thinking

  • mandymoo
    mandymoo Member Posts: 632
    edited February 2018

    Hi everyone. Wow I haven't been here for a long time and I was very excited having a male brother with inflammatory breast cancer as well which is what i was initially diagnosed with. I have just finished the BCNA survey and voted no as well.

    I am still going well and the grandchildren have finally gone back to school. My blood pressure has gone up thanks to long term use of Afinitor and I am in the hydro pool and gym almost every day, well the days that I don't have the grand children anyway. I have also purchased a Lymphedema pump as the lymphedema has also travelled to my leg as well. i have my 6 weekly blood test next week and then we will see which way this cancer has decided to travel as the tumour markers went up just before christmas, but were stable in January.

    I cant wait to see some of you in April and I reckon the weather will be perfect

    hugs

    Mandy xxxxx

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited February 2018

    Pleased to be here Katie and Mandy. Thanks for voting. Mandy, sorry to hear that your lymphedema is moving to your leg. I'm paranoid about getting it in my arm and take all sorts of precautions to ensure it doesn't happen. My male bc pal Rob, from Wollongong, got it four years after diagnosis from a mozzie bite that went infected. He's had a couple of bouts of Cellulitis since as well. Anyway, I've heard the pump is a good thing and I hope it works well for you.



Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.