Australian Sisters
Comments
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Morning all, should be getting dressed but not as yet. Have birthday afternoon tea for DGS who is one today ( and he walked yesterday)
Tomorrow, my children who are all here in NZ for one of the few times in the last 15 years are going to cookdinner for me - my birthday but not a significant one. Actually I do, as it was thought I would not get to 60 and its three years past that tomorrow.
Had a ring from the dentist to remind me about making an appointment - always expensive and I do need a couple of crowns. Must also get my eyes done as it has been ages since I last had new classes and I know I need them. Will go to spec savers as glasses cost so much here, however spec savers have brought prices down.
Big hugs Kate for Wednesday, it is so nerve wracking.
Hugs to all, have a great weekend.
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Thanks Alyson and and a very very happy birthday to you. I am sure you will enjoy your day with all your family. xx
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Happy birthday Aly!!!!
Lyndall thanks for the info on Woolworths! I'll keep them in mind when I need my next pair of glasses.
Jenn how are you feeling? I sure hope your infusion went well without too many SE's.
Kate are you feeling better now? I sure hope so You will do fine on Wednesday and after it has healed, you won't even know you have a port.
Trish are you dry yet? Have you been able to sort out your driveway?
Sue how's you sciatic pain......has it lightened up yet? It sure is going on for a long while and I feel for you girl!
Geri hope you are doing okay.
Joy how are you doing? Please pop in more often, it was nice to see you. Good luck with your dental work!
Kylie feeling exhausted after doing just a little is quite normal so just try to take it a bit easy for now and rest when you need to. It will pass and you'll be feeling like your old self in no time.
I need to sort out what I need to take to the hospital with me on Friday as well as what I will need for at least a week (if not more) after I am released. It's so hard this time of year as the weather is still so changeable.............I guess I'll just have to take larger suitcase and pack for all eventualities......lol.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Infusion yesterday was ok. Still got the abdominal cramp halfway through the Taxol and needed a heat pack. No nausea during the Herceptin this time :-)
Just like last week I feel fine today. We've been out for our weekly breakfast out and visit to Medicare to put in my receipts (yes, we seem to be doing this weekly...). Then we met friends at the local farmers market and then came home and took the dog out for a walk. Figure I should get exercise and socialise while I feel good.
Regards Jenn0 -
Chrissy - looks like it's finally better - yippeee - and I still love my hair!!!!
Jenn - why do you have to do medicare - my chemo place bulk billed everything - never paid a cent.
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This weeks receipt was $100 for my appointment back at the breast surgeon... No charges from my centre although there was a few weeks of gap we had to pay for the FEC drugs from pharmacy...
Jenn0 -
Hi Everyone
Nearly finished Rx. Started boosts yesterday. Very itchy today but otherwise OK.
Have got a referral to oncologist so I can ask all my questions about follow-up treatment. Appointment Monday
Hope Kate and Jenn and anyone else doing chemo are feeling OK.
I'm doing my Rx through Radiation Oncology Victoria (private company). I usually pay by credit card and then the Medicare rebate goes into my bank account the next day. But when I got a bill for $4000+ I needed to get the cheque from Medicare. Just out of interest if you are in a capital city and go to a public facility for Rx you don't have to pay - right?? Is the treatment in a public radiation facility means tested?? I think I will be about $3000 out of pocket for radiation - fortunately I can afford it.
Hope your knee op goes well Chrissy
Is it cold today Trish where you are? I have the fire going!!
Gerri
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Hi Gerri, I didnt do radiation, but it must be like chemo in a public hospital with every cent covered by medicare. With chemo we just had to pay a small amount for our anti nausea meds (for me usually around $30 each treatment) Just sign the medicare slip and off you go as far as actual treatment is concerned. I would imagine with radiation that you would have to pay for any special creams though (or at least part payment)
Jenn, yeah my BS charges about the same, but didnt charge for the follow up visits following the op. Medicare gives most of it back.Glad your feeling well.
Hope eveyone is enjoying their sunday
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Yummy cake. 0 -
OMG Alyson!! He is sooooo cute!!!! Always was but he has gotten cuter if that's at all possible! Cake looks good and he sure is enjoying it!
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How about this for cute?
Then of course I am biassed.
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You are allowed to be biased with two cuties like that! He really is checking out those gifts with big sis helping to unwrap them.............nice team work!.....lol.....I can still see him crawling around the floor! Now that doesn't seem like six months ago!
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Garri - Rads ended up costing me about 1,500 out of pocket each time and the plus is you reach the safety net quickly - take advantage of it and get anything else you need done. I reached it 2 years in a row owing to 2 lots of rads and I went to a dermatologist, and ear nose and throat guy, a geneticist - you name it - cost me bugger all. If you're not registered for the safety net - do it quick.
Great day for Qld - almost total wipeout of Labor - they might be lucky to have 6 seats and might not even have enough to be recognised as a party. Me thinks this is a message for Julia. One tweet I loved was they would have enough members to play Twister - so much for a cricket team - not even close. Sorry if I've offended any Labor supporters.
Steve helped out today handing out papers at a polling booth, then we went to a thankyou party at Stafford. The new member for Stafford is a doctor from Prince Charles Hospital - would you believe it - he remembered me from 20 years ago when I worked in IT out there. He'll do well, if he has that kind of memory.
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Sue no offense taken although I'm not a lobour supporter either. What has happened in Queensland should hopefully make the witch sit up and take notice that her days maybe numbered by the voting of the Australian people and not by the cronies in the party room.
Sounds like your new member is a keeper......here's hoping! I'm really pleased that your back has finally settled! That's really got to make you feel a whole lot better. Good that your hair is still behaving and you are still loving it.
Gerri I didn't have rads to the breast first time roud but I did for the bone mets.............yup they are really expensive! I only had them for seven rounds and I was out of pocket about three thouhsand also. I have private health but they do not cover radiation treatment for some reason and at that time I wasn't on a pension. If I needed them now, I wouldn't have to pay anything no matter where I was treated as most specialists, like the GP's, bulk bill for pensioners.
Jenn I'm glad you are feeling good at the moment, here's hoping the SE's are much milder this time as well as being a bit more prepared with the panadeine forte.
Love n hugs all. Chrissy
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Chrissy - you're right she's a witch
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I think that's what you call a decisive election result. Must send message to my brother and get a comment.
Feeling rather grumpy - DH didn't have time to think about getting me a birthday present. He was too busy preparing for a national church meeting which was on Friday and Saturday. He is in charge of finances and resources for the Presbyterian Church here in NZ ( We are like your United Reform) and this is on top of his ordinary job as CFO of an export company. I am involved as well but sometimes I get rather grumpy about the hours of work he does with no recognition. Then my sister rushes out this morning because she remember too late last night about today.
Any way my kids are cooking dinner tonight and they are all here at the moment so that really is the best present I could have. It is great having them all here but mother does get organised terribly.
Must get moving and get dressed.
Hope everyone is feeling good today.
Big hugs
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Alyson, happy birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day. Sorry about your DH though - they can be a bit preoccupied with the wrong things at the wrong time sometimes ... but what would we do without them lol
Jenn - glad you are still feeling ok, hope the next few days carry on well too.
Kate - don't over worry about Wednesday - it really is nothing compared with the other surgery. And now my fear about not waking up from the anaesthetic has been vanished (apparently it now only happens to 1 in a million) I'm not worried about future ops if I have to have them.
I think different hospitals in different states vary about what they do and don't charge when it comes to chemo. I went to a public hospital, and my chemo bill was around $1000. That was for a co-payment on anything that was expensive, so anti-nausea meds, chemo drugs each one I paid the $30something towards. If there was something that was only a $15 or $20 charge for I didn't pay anything. It certainly added up. I didn't have to pay for getting the chemo though - that was a form I signed from medicare at the hospital. It would have been cheaper if I'd gone to a private hospital for chemo - but our private hospitals in Canberra are not known for their standard of care when it comes to chemo, the Canberra Hospital was the best and only choice.
Our driveway is slowly drying up - probably another couple of weeks with no rain, and we can get a grader in to have it fixed. It's driveable, but only just - there's still water coming out of the hills would you believe?!
Trish
xoxo
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Aly, Happy birthday again.......lol.........hope you are thoroughly enjoying your day with the kids and the grands! Wish I could be there to celebrate with you. Someimes these fellas just don't know how to prioritise things...............
For many years after I was married I looked forward to seeing what DH did for my birthday and every year, well most years, he forgot it even was my birthday. Some might say that that was a little harsh and I will admit that I was a bit peeved as well. It wasn't until I came to realise that it wasn't just my birthday he forgot, he even forgot his own!................ It's marvelous how time can change some things. He now never forgets my birthday or his own and our wedding anniversary!............although it would be hard to forget that as it is on his birthday!!!!..........hahahaha!!!!
Trish it's good to hear that things are finally drying out! Here's hoping the rain stays away long enough to get it all sorted!
Hope all are enjoying their Sunday!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Did anyone see a story on tonight's ABC news about a lymphedema study? I only saw part of it. I would be interested to know where the study is being conducted.
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Sorry Racy I don't watch free to air TV so can't help you. Perhaps if you googled ABC News you may be able to find it.
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I saw the oncologist today and she gave me a good rundown of Tamoxifen vs AIs. I will go with T as there is a family history of osteoporosis and I have high cholesterol. I'll have to come off my anti-depressants and start a new one if necessary.
The one down-side is that my reoccurence stats have increased to 6% as per the onocolgist's estimation. She is just more realistic than the BS and RO. I thought they were a bit too positive as my tumour size was 2 cm. Sorry I'm sure this must seem rather trivial to those of you with more serious disease. Funny how we can get caught up in statistics. Anyway my research about Prozac (fluoxetine) being contraindicated with T was correct. Makes T ineffective.
Nice surprise with the Medicare rebate now that I have reached the Safety Net. The consulation was $300 (lasted 40 mins) and I think I was only out of pocket about $12. Like you said Suzi, I'm going to get any extra specialist appointments attended to this year. I'm usually about $80 out of pocket.
I didn't see the news last night Racy so can't help you.
Hope you are all feeling well today
Gerri
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Gerri glad you got the low down on T v AI's and the fact that Prozac is contra-indicated with the T. Your onc sounds like a good one. I have found that the onc is a little more realistic when it comes to percentages etc so good for your for checking!. It doesn't matter what stage we are, we are all fighting the same beast so what you have to say about what's happening to you is just as important as anything else. Great news re your out of pocket expenses! It's always nice to get a surprise like that!
Well girls, ECG done and passed with flying colour and I ended up getting the bloods done today as well so other than some sort of catastophe it's all a go for Friday!!! I get the visit from the communitiy nurse either Wednesday or Thursday and then that's it...........yay!!! I have a nail appointment on Wednesday so I don't have to worry about doing them while I'm recouperating and besides, that's my once a month treat..........lol...........and we all need a treat every now and then.
Hope everyone is doing just fine!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Gerri it is good you got the stats. They can be frightening, it doesn't matter if we are stage I or IV - it's us that it's affecting, so that makes it personal. Good news too about the safety net - I wish my dental bills were eligible, I'd be over too, but at least I'll be able to claim the measly amount on my tax, measly as you have to spend $2,000 first and then just get 20% back.
Chrissy - you go girl - all organised. We'll all be thinking of you, and waiting to hear how you went.
Kate - your op is this week too - likewise we'll all be thinking of you and waiting to hear how you went.
Hope Jenn and Kylie aren't having too many se's from chemo at the moment?
All's well here
Trish
xoxo
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Gerri - you'll find the rads are really cheap from now on - I loved it. I had a brain MRI - cost $495 and I paid $9!!!
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I'm ok today. Took the day off work and lay on the bed reading, but it was more of a mental health day. The muscle/joint pain has slowly started kicking in this evening - have taken a med.
We haven't heard from Kate in ages have we? Was the wedding this weekend?
I'm planning on going into work tomorrow - can't sit around feeling sorry for myself everyday...
Jenn0 -
Jenn - good to hear you are resting, but not happy to hear about joint pain. Hope the med helps. I found going to work when I could helped - takes your mind off things, and does stop you from feeling sorry for yourself - but Jenn - you deserve to feel sorry for yourself if that's where you're at xoxo
I spoke to Kate yesterday - she's rushing around madly doing things for the wedding - I keep reminding her that she's supposed to slow down - she's doing chemo! lol
The wedding's this coming Saturday - but she can fill you in on all she's doing.
Trish
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Oh - and if you haven't seen this make sure you watch it and turn the sound up - it's truly amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3Utn4mjeg
Trish
oxoxo
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Link doesn't seem to work Trish... :-(
Jenn0 -
Link worked for me.......thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I got goose bumps and it bought tears to my eyes!!!!!!! Absolutely amazing!!!!
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Hi Ho, I'm here. Ladies I did nothing today. and I mean nothing! I'm starting to panic now... just like when I was at school and had to cram for exams, I seem to leave everything till the last, but zero energy today.... hoping tomorrow I am more energetic. I am so so tired all the time, but the funny thing is I'm almost so tired I don't want to go to sleep. I was still up at 1.00am this morning, then up at 5.00 with DH. I did have a delicious nanna nap for a couple of hours in the middle of the day though.
I'd be over the gap by now. Do you get an exemption or something? I know I have a CT scan booked for next Monday for radiation (I think that's what I'm having). Do I go into medicare with my receipts to get it?
Sorry you've got the aches Jenn. I hope you're better tomorrow. And Trish that guy is awesome - you can see Simon Cowell sitting in his parlour counting all his money right about now.. xxx
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