Australian Sisters
Comments
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lol thanks Trisha, its something Im very passionate about, cause its womens lives they are playing with. Bet all the female politicians know they can get a free mammo at 40 hey
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I didn't know. I thought that you should start getting screened at 50 like the ads say. I was wrong and I definitely feel that due to the govt's health economics decisions they have screwed me (self diagnosed at 46yrs)... :-(
No amount of money could replace what I've already lost or will potentially lose. Would be nice to have all these medical bills covered though!
Jenn0 -
While channel surfing yesterday morning, I did catch KAK saying that she didn't want to be the 'poster girl' for anything so I guess we shall see, won't we?
I went to RBWH (Brisbane) today for my quarterly check-up with my Onc, expecting to be referred to Radiology for more rads to my left hip and, possibly, my right one as well.
It seems that as the last one-hit 'super-boost' palliative shot hasn't worked, I will be increasing my pain meds. This means Oxycontin 10mg x 2 a day and a few 5mgs tossed in if
I feel the need. I don't take this as being a positive news day, particularly!
As I went out to make the next quarterly appointment, the woman at the desk seemed to be taking a bit longer than usual. At one point she looked up at me and said, "I sit
here all day looking for tiny little egg-timers on this screen." Before I could stop myself, "I'd much rather be on your side of the counter than this one..........wanna swap?" came
rushing out of my mouth. She lifted her head and stared at me for all of three seconds, closed her mouth and I was walking away within a minute, admittedly, although feeling a
bit mean, my face wasn't quite as red as hers.
Sheila.
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Oh Sheila (((((hugs)))) I can hear your disappointment. I hop the Oxycontin works for you. It really is a shitty disease.
Don't feel mean, we are all entitled to say things like that when we are down and faced with people who really have no idea. While going through chemo I had people make remarks about things that to me sounded like heaven compared to what I was going through, and a few times I would say ok that sounds bad - wanna swap? We can't help it.
Know that I'm thinking of you and hope you have a better day today.
Trish
xoxo
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I don't know about you girls, i get really achey knees and ankles at night, esp when cold, i wore bed socks last night, and i think will start wearing pjs over my legs to keep abit more warm. I think it could be another SE of tamox. poor tamox gets blamed for alot i think. I took panandol about 2 this morning and it wore off abit of ache. but gosh the knees did ache.
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Sheila - sending a big hug to you, I really hope the pain relief helps a bit, thinking of you.
Midnight - most nights are in the minuses here at the moment so yep socks, pjs and beanie in bed - add the weight, fluffy head and attitude and I am thinking my hubby is a saint. Everything aches and groans, I can't believe at 44 everything clunks and hurts so much.
Trish - how are you, are you managing work ok at the moment? Do you find your weight loss has increased your energy levels?
Jenn - I got told mammos were only free from 40 if you have family history, I had one at about 35 and then was slack. I don't think they would have found it earlier anyway by mammo, it was only because I had a dent that they took me seriously and even then they had trouble getting it on film. It was much more obvious on the US. I hope you are enjoying your Melbourne trip and not getting too tired.
Lyndal - I hope your shop is going well and I totally agree with your sentiments.
Hugs to everyone, Kylie xxx
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OMG. The site I am at today have put me in an office just off the chemo suite. Bit weird not sitting in one of the recliners...
Usually the research office at sites is nowhere near patients, but this is a small oncology centre. Looks very friendly and comfy and very different to my own chemo suite in a big hospital. If there was one like this convenient to me I'd be tempted to move for my Herceptin infusions...
Am tired today. Was feeling quite emotional yesterday having to read through my chemo trial patient file - so many SEs I can now relate to personally.
Jenn0 -
I'm not sure how I'd go having to do my work next to the chemo suite Jenn, good luck with the rest of your week.
Midnight - we also have the same minus degree temps that Kylie has, but I sleep with nothing on lol too much information, I know. But I always have and can't stand the constriction of pjs. We do have a 100% goose down quilt which is really light, but so warm, never need anything else. I sometimes put an electric blanket on before getting into bed, just to warm it up - but then turn it off - couldn't sleep with it on.
Kylie - I've now lost 6.6kg! and still going. Yes - have lots more energy, but some of that is from not being on Arimidex at the moment I think. My elbows and knees have stopped aching, it's wonderful. Really not looking forward to going on the Aromasin in a month or so.
Chrissy - where are you girl? Is everything ok? Haven't heard from you for a while.
Kate - hope the second storm wasn't too bad last night?
Trishxoxo
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lol thats ok Trish, i looked like i was dressed for iceland. but it was so cold, a damp cold too, bone aching material. yes what has happenend to our chrissyB, hope she is ok, miss seeing her on here.
jen, i hope you are ok and coping ok. take care. love and hugs xxxx
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Hi Trish. We weathered it fine. We finally got our power back on yesterday at about 5.00pm. I was certain we would loose it again, but we did'nt. So we watched "The girl with the dragon tattoo" movie while it raged outside. I swear the wind was actually screaming. It was just awful but watching the movie was a good distraction. Dogs were terrified and shaking so we all sat snuggled up together I lost everything in my two fridges, so yesterday made the most of it and cleaned them. Now I have to re-stock, but am hesitant to get too much in case it happens again.
I did a really stupid thing. Now don't laugh... but last Friday I thought I would colour my hair. I bought a $5 rinse. A really strong and vibrant red colour. I was so sick of looking at the 'dirty' gray. Well of course it didn't go on a nice deep vibrant red did it? it was bright bloody pink!!!! Since then I have washed it 8 times, sat there for an hour with bi-carb and lemon juice and even put a brown colour over the top. Well it looked a nice brown until I washed it off. Still bright pink!! I am hating anything pink at the moment, but especially my hair now. It is supposed to wash out in 8 washes ha! and next thing will be a trip to the hairdresser to strip it out, but I am sooooooo embarrassed. I don't want to leave the house even to get there! I'm sure maybe one day I'll laugh at this, but at the moment I don't have a sense of humour about it at all. That'll teach me. Leave it to the professionals next time.
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Have to go to GP about my colestreol tomorrow, he wants to see me about it, probably get stuck on another pill to make me have more side effects. oh well, what do you do. They have got a crush on colestreol in nz at moment, everyone has it and we all going to have heart attacks and Diabetes is another fav topic. But i guess its better than getting heart and diabetes. There are i must admit alot of obese kids out there that should not be as they are, who end up been problems with diabetes when they older. not good for them, one little boy was ten years old and he coming up to nine and a half stone, i don't know what a averge child should be, but he was quite chubby. He Loves FOOD. His parents are trying to reduce his weight, but he does the pouchy lip thing and throws a big tantrum. He was on Tv show.
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Hi girls, sorry to worry you. I'm doing fine but have been a bit busy trying to get my house under control......lol......it's like a naughty child having a tantrum........it keeps getting grotty! DH has been a darling with the heavy cleaning but dusting is not his strong suit so I have had to use the wet cloth method to get rid of the build up. Unfortunately I have a multitude of smalls that take time to get all the grunge out of the crevices. Also been busy knitting a new jumper for DH as his others all swim on him since he lost all the weight. He now sits at 88kg............a total loss for him of 30kg. I have finished both the back and the front as of last night and now will get going on the sleeves.
It's been a very cold, very dry winter so far here. Usually I can get away with lighting the fire late in the afternoon but this year for the last month, I have been lighting the fire as soon as I get up otherwise the house is like and iceberg! I'm afraid that I'm well passed being cold just to save wood!
Jenn hope your trip away is going well. Wow! working so close to the chemo suite will have very tough. Hope you are feeling better.
Trish you go girl with the weight loss! That's great! I know how good it makes you fell.....lol......but I have been slack since I got home from hospital and with all the dramams following the knee replacement I sort of gave up on the weight loss thimng but you are inspiring me to get stuck in again. Phew! that's a long sentence but I can't be bothered going back and editing.....lol.
Midnight the bone pain that comes with taking Arimidex responded well to Boswellia Serata for me. It might pay you to check it out. Glucosamine and fish oil also helps. Hope you get a handle on it soon as there is nothing worse than being woken by pain.
Sue can't wait till the 23rd! Not long now!
Kate how are you feeling? hope the rabbit hole is not so deep that you can't make your way out quickly.
Shiela so sorry to hear that your pain is so bad. Sure hope the extra Oxy helps get you back to being comfortable.
Hadn't heard about KAK and her dx. She's in a tough spot right now and we can all remember hearing those fateful words. I just wish the media would leave her alone to deal with what she now has to.
Hope the rest of you are dealing with the day to day well.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Sorry Kate, I did laugh, I can just imagine ... and every time I do I start to laugh again. Thank you! You just made my day lol. Glad to hear that you weathered the second storm ok though - and you now have power yay! I know what it's like to be suck in wind like that. Ten years ago when we first moved to where we are now, we were living in a site shed while building the house. It was our wedding anniversary and DH was working late. I came home to the worst winds I've ever experienced and found that the site shed had blown off its foundations. That was bad enough - but my beloved collie Mac was underneath. Paddy the mad Irish setter was running around and around the site shed barking his head off and I was sure Mac was dead, then I heard him barking. The builder who was building our house to lockup stage for us lived only 10 minutes down the road, so I rang him and he came up and jacked the site shed up for me. Poor Mac was lying there just looking at me. I thought his back would be broken, but he then sat up and started crawling to me. We thought he had a broken back leg, so splinted it and I took him to the vet (40 minutes away) but DH had come home by then in response to my panic call to his work (Parliament House lol - all they knew was there was an emergency and Mac was in trouble - not sure "who" they thought Mac was).
Mac didn't exactly have a broken leg, but it appeared that he was caught by his back leg and it had stripped all the muscle, tendons and sinew from between his "ankle" and paw. His paw was only held on by skin. Luckily he was fine everywhere else. Well two months, three operations and $4,000 later he was fine.
DH and slept in that bloody site shed that night - through the rest of the wind and it was like trying to sleep in an earthquake. Terrifying. The builder was impressed by the force of the wind and without asking us - or charging us any extra tied all the roof trusses to the foundations of the house. He then said our roof was one of the safest in the area - and if the wind took that off he'd eat his hat lol. It's survived many more winds almost as bad over the past 10 years.
Chrissy - good to hear from you, I keep meaning to call you during my lunch time, but - well you know I keep forgetting lol. Will call one day soon though, I promise.
Trish
xoxo
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Hi I am new to the site, been a lurker for a while.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2010. I had a lump in my right armpit, nothing found in the breast. Had several ultrasounds, a CT scan and a breast MRI, no lump!
Had all my lymph nodes removed from my right armpit all of which were positive plus more that could not be removed.
Then had chemo, herceptin and radiation.
So far so good.0 -
Hi Anne and welcome to both BCO and the Aussie girls thread. Wow! I've not heard of having the lump just in the armpit......I'm so glad you had a vigilant doc or you stood up for yourself and pushed to get all the testing. Sounds like you are doing okay right now and that's a good thing.
Oops, forgot to say.....Yay! another South Aussie!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi Anne - and welcome. It's a great site :-)
I've never heard of nothing in the breast, but only in the armpit either - it's great that it was dx and you were able to get treatment. Everything ok with you now?I was wondering where Hallet Cove was - then read Chrissy's post - somewhere in SA I would guess lol
Trish
xoxo
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Trish it's south of Adelaide.....not too far.
Anne, would love to catch up sometime. As you see next to my avatar, I'm in Burra, 40k's NE of Clare.
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Thanks Chrissy and Trisha-Anne, It is a bit worrying not having a defined primary.
I recently had a CT scan and bone scan plus bloods. It was recommended that I have another CT scan in August due to thickening of the lining of the lung, may be a result of the radiation.
Just take one day at a time, soon to head off on a caravanning holiday to the warmer part of Australia.
Anne0 -
I hear you on the warmer climes....lol.....but I have to say I actually like the cold......much easier to regulate the body temperature. After living in the tropics for 15 years four seasons and cold is like heaven to me. Hope you enjoy your travels!
Keeping an eye on what's going on with us seems to be the rhythm of our lives.........may they be long and hassle free.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Welcome Anne :-)
Another Her2+. Must be something "in the water" here in Aus... Glad to hear you are doing well - LONG may it last!
Kate - pink hair? oh dear... I am very impressed that you have enough hair to dye though. My head looks like the hair on my husband's arms. No way is there enough to dye and won't be for a long time. My wig has even rubbed off the hair at the front that was sprouting :-(
Jenn0 -
Hi Anne, so glad you decided to post. This is a wonderful site with so much support and help. Look forward to reading your posts.
Kate - so glad you got power back. Are you able to claim for your fridge/freezer spoilage? My DD has used baby shampoo or else washing up detergent to get out pink hair colour. They are both fairly strong but so is bleach.
Chrissy good to hear from you, I hope your knees are going well.
Kylie x
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Hi Anne, nice to see you here but sad that you belong too.
How was your trip Jenn? are you still in Melbourne. I bet you are feeling great and hope your having a good time.
Yep my hair is pretty much full coverage now, but it is still only at a fingertips length. Sadly, the down below hair is returning too. I enjoyed being bald there and am sorry to see the new growth.
I'm still in a hole Chrissy but I don't think it's too deep though that I can't climb out of it. The hair hasn't helped at all. I had a good cry to DH the other day (it was one of those rare days for me where I just couldn't put on a happy face) and he thinks I need some happy pills. I told him I'd give it a bit longer and if no shift in the mood (I just feel 'joyless') then I'll go to a gp.
Hey Trish, I worked at Parliament House for 12 years, both Senate and HoR sides. I'm sure I would know your hubby if I saw him. I was there between 1994-2006. I loved working there, the building and grounds/gardens were just a pleasure to behold. I never took it for granted how fortunate I was to work there and see it all behind the scenes. Sometimes I would be with a visiting delegation and I would take them into the Chamber and sit with them when they were being acknowledged by the Members. I think the highlight for me was once sitting there and looking up and seeing a group of visiting school kids up in the viewing area - and they were from the school I went to in Hobart 30 odd years ago. That was a thrill.
OK better go. DH will be home soon and I'd better make it look like I've been busy today...
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Still in Melbourne till Friday. Had an early dinner tonight and am already tucked in bed with my iPad. Off to my third hospital tomorrow.
Jenn0 -
Kate, I'm sure you would recognize DH, he worked there from 1994 till 2011! He worked in HoR and was in messengerial services. He spent a lot of his time on the HoR chamber floor. Do you remember when that guy jumped from the public gallery onto the chamber floor? The guy who was trying to stop him and was pictured on all the newspaper front pages was him.
Next time I'm on my computer (on my iPad at the moment) I'll post a picture of him on our Aussie Girls site.
I actually worked there for six months in 1994 for the Public Works Committee. I was there as a temp supposedly for two weeks but it kept going lol. It was an amazing place to work. You're right, it's got some beautiful places that the public don't see. I loved the little gardens and courtyards. It's the only time I worked for the public service, and the only way I'd ever work as a ps again would be at PH lol
Trish
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Trisha, I'd have to know him. Gosh I think there were only about 230 in the entire department. I worked mostly Reps side, in various Committee's and also in the Parliamentary Relations Office. Yes please do post a pic of him.
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Ok, have a look at our fb site there's a pic of him. It was taken at the wedding in Jan. you and I probably crossed paths in PH too lol what a small world.
I meant to say too, hang in there the blues will pass. You have been through a lot lately and your body is still trying to cope with everything. Sending you lots of (((((hugs))))
Trish
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I just realised that I wouldn't have known you Trisha as back then I was on the Senate side. STill, I bet you and I would have crossed paths down at the caf. Funny I went there on a two week contract too. Ended up there for 12 years.
I've posted a pic of me on FB. It sure is a small world. I can't remember your DH's name, but I instantly recognised him. Say hello to him for me won't you.
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Welcome Anne, so glad youve joined us. I and a few others are in Brisbane and I would imagine your warmer clime is Cairns area (I know thats where my preference is to spend our winter months lol). If your passing through Brisvegas we'll have to try and meet up for coffee. You lost all the lymphs in your right and I lost them in my left so I feel for you. Amazing how losing them makes some things so much more difficult. Always having to be careful to not overly use the arm and then still getting that pain that is the precurser to the swelling. Thank god for lymphodema sleeves hey.
Sorry Kate, I had to laugh too, PLEASE give us a photo of you and your poor pink hair. Stick with it mate, Im sure the hole will close up soon and you'll leave it behind you. I know its trite to say, but youve gone through too much to let post chemo blues stop you from enjoying life now. Give BC the big kick in the butt it deserves and feel better and happier soon mate.
Midnight, the old fashioned hot water bottle is my favorite accessory at home at the moment. Saving stacks on electricity and way more comfortable than having the air con on. Hope you stay warm and comfy mate and that the aches stop soon.
So sorry to hear your news Sheila. I hope the meds do the trick and keep the pain under control. Ive been going to RBWH since 1/09 and have been known to give them a hard time as well. Why they insist on keeping chemo patients standing for so long while they stuff around is beyond my patience limits some days. I quite like Helen though, she tries to help us all as much as she can and has been known to go above and beyond her duties regularly. Still think their siting of the onc unit is ridiculous. Why make people struggling with chemo walk so far!!!!!
Jenn so glad your having a decent time down there. Stay safe and have fun. I dont envy you the reminders of side effects though.
Chrissy glad your okay and feel free to have a holiday at my house when you finish cleaning yours. I dare your house to be dirtier than mine with my 5 dogs running rampant all day while Im at work haha. I wish I had the patience and dedication to knit like that. I used to knit squares when I was way younger but could never learn to follow a pattern and do the fancy stuff.
Trish huge congrat on the dieting. You should be very proud of your accomplishment. So easy to gain and so very hard to lose.
Thanks Kylie, the shop is going better now that Ive raised the prices lol. Im blaming chemo brain, I seem to go far too long between reviewing the prices and then find myself selling product at cost or below and wondering why I cant pay the bills. Ive made a promise to myself to stay on top of it a lot better. All part of recovering my life post chemo I think. Really starting to feel more on top of things in my life nowadays.
Apologies if ive missed anyone and hope all are feeling better and snuggling up for our winter months. Hope its an early summer lol. As Im getting older and creakier Im starting to understand when the grandparents used to say they could tell it was going to rain by the pain in their joints.
Editted to add, my sympathy for KAK and her family and friends. I hadnt heard and wouldnt have known but for you ladies talking about it here. Whether your average Jo (or Josephine lol) or rich or famous, BC is a miserable experience and we all suffer the same variety of s/e whether public or private. I just wish we could find out what was causing all our BC's and stop anyone else from getting it. Sincerely hope the press leaves her alone so she can focus on getting through whatever treatments are in store for her.
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Kate - will show your fb picture to Bob tonight when I get home.
For any of the newer ladies on this thread - we have an Aussie Girls site on Facebook - if you would like to join in - let Chrissy know and she'll add you.
Lyndal - I hope you didn't get too many complaints about raising your prices. I do understand the need to stay on top of rising costs. My BFF's father used to be a caterer in Wollongong and for many years had a cafe in the steelworks. He always used to put his prices up when the cost of bread rose, I guess that's not as easy a barometer to use these days with bread all different prices and the way the supermarkets use it for price wars. I remember him telling me once that when a customer complained that the price to have extra onion added to his sandwich was excessive given how cheap onions were my friend's father handed the customer an onion and said - "ok have the onion free. But you need to spend the time to peel and chop it - that's where the costs are" I always think of him when I buy a sandwich these days lol
Chrissy I meant to tell you I am starting to knit again too. I was a pretty active knitter some years ago - knitting many jumpers for myself and DH. Then seemed to get too busy - hmm.. now that I think about it that time disappeared with the invasion of the home computer I think. My BFF's daughter (the one who got married in January) is now pregnant, which is great news. She's had endometriosis and no-one was sure if she'd be able to have children, so they had always planned to try as soon as they got married - and to everyone's joy she fell after just a month. Anyway - I'm dusting off my knitting needles to make a gorgous blanket that I made for all my friends babies when I was younger. I was shocked when I went into Big W a little while ago to find they don't sell 4 ply wool any longer - just 5 ply. So now get it from Bendigo Spinning Mills, which is where I used to order my wool from.
Hope everyone has a great day.
Trishxoxo
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Morning all
Felling a little better, have had kidney trouble which fortunately seems to be settling down. Must make scan appointment.
Trisha your friends daughter sounds just like DD who had been told she may need fertility treatment to have children. Our DGD was born 9 months and 10 days after their wedding!!!
I am on a knitting spree. AS well as knitting for the grandchildren I am knitting baby things for one of the local hospitals. They need things for the babies and little ones to take home - the hospital is in a very deprived area.. Luckily we can still get three and four ply at the local wool shop - I am using 3ply at present making premie jackets ( like dolls clothes).
Must get dressed, it was cold this morning and felt rather lazy.
Big hugs
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