Kiwi ladies who need encouragment, but all welcome.
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Hi guys, oh wow KT you have been in my thoughts a lot also, finding it hard to know what to say really. Someone said you are the glue that holds us all together and that was very accurate I think. Nikki I hope you are feeling better and those results are okay? Hope everyone else is doing okay. My daughter has organised a big bbq with all her friends and their Mums at our place this afternoon (yay). She organised it to cheer me up bless her. So I will put a big smile on my face and try and have a good time. Love to all xxx
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Hi everyone great to hear from you.
KT my thoughts are with you and I hope you are being well looked after. When I first came to this forum I will never forget how welcome I was made to feel and all the good caring advice that came my way was so helpful and made a huge difference to how I was feeling.
Cute kitten - looks so tiny.
Nik hope the surgery was a success after all the waiting.
Amusing you lucky thing to be half way through your rads. I am starting on the 21st of Nov. I was so hoping for the week before but it's not to be.
Finished chemo now back on to herceptin on its own, so had a booster on Friday. Don't feel too bad pretty tired and my poor old fingernails have really taken a battering.
Take care of yourselves.
Helen
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Hi, hope everyone ok after the earthquake! Nikki, best of wishes for speedy recovery. Helen, personally I didn't find rads hard at all, just used lots of aloe vera gel. Good luck with it. Amusing, it will be over soon! Donna, what a sweet daughter you must have to throw you a bbq. Kt, thinking of you and really hoping you can get some good relief from nausea and vomiting. Of course, cannabis oil etc. has been in the news a lot with regards to providing relief for cancer patients. It sounds very effective, hopefully there are other things too that can help.
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Kruise. I hope you weren't shaken up too much last night, and there is no damage at your place. The quakes certainly gave my family a fright. I have a sister in Island Bay and my Mum and Sister (and BIL) in Titahi Bay. They didn't sleep at all after it. They've felt lots of the aftershocks today, but no real damage to anything which is good.
I have been to the District Nurse to have my wounds dressed. Both incisions are 30cm long (longer than the original mastectomy ones), I have been bleeding quite a lot and today got some lovely fresh dressings on. No pain though. Apparently my radiated side will take twice as long to heal according to the Surgeon. That radiation has a lot to answer for, another BC gift that keeps on giving.
Nice to hear from you Helen. Take is easy between chemo & rads. I found radiation to be no too bad after chemo. Then again I didn't have to stay away from home like you and Amusing have to - that takes it out of you as well. Go well Girls. Amusing, it's all downhill from here.
Awww Donna, what a gorgeous daughter you have. I hope you enjoyed the BBQ.
KT. I hope Hospice are working their magic and getting the N & V under control.
It's Louise's first day at her job tomorrow. It will be a tense start to the morning tomorrow trying to de stress her!
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Hi girls.
I've found a wee window where I feel well enough to post. It seems to take a lot of energy to do anything and my eyes aren't always the best. Hospice has been around a few times over the weekend and tweaked things a bit so that should help.
Impressive wounds Nikki. I hope they heal quickly for you & aren't too tender. I hope Louise's job goes well and she can enjoy it. Can you believe my sister in Auckland felt the earthquake & got up to see what was happening and the light was swinging, they looked outside & the pool was sloshing around! I hate to think what it felt like down there where it actually happened...
Donna, that's so thoughtful of your daughter to organise a get together for you.
How many rads sessions do you Helen? It would've been nice to finish them well before Christmas, but such is life in cancerland I'm glad the herceptin is ok
I will definitely be asking about medical marijuana. Even if they don't let me have it maybe it helps people later on to get it if enough people ask. Meanwhile I may have to find my own.
I hope everyone else is well
kt
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Hi everyone
Good you are feeling a wee bit better Kt - hopefully you have been able to eat too (and enjoy it).Nikki glad your op went well and hope your results are good too. Do you have a date yet for your ovaries or just have to wait and see? Good luck to your daughter Louise for her first day tomorrow. May she really love it!
Shazza that little kittie is so cute. Hopefully growing fast and doing well with your tlc.Donna - how did your BBQ go? Did your daughter manage to put a smile on your dial?
Good luck for the 2nd half of your rads Amusing. You are definitely on the home straight now.
Helen - how often do you have to get the herceptin? Is it 3-weekly? I have heard it's a lot easier to cope with than what you have been through though. Your fingernails should start to recover now.
Wow what a freaky 24 hours we have had down here!! Had probably been asleep about an hour when this flash and shaking woke us up. It just started getting worse and worse and more violent. Could hear everything moving around the house but luckily we had nothing come crashing down. Was certainly the biggest quake I've ever felt. My youngest daughter was up on the 16th floor in an apartment in Wellington and rang me straight away before I even had a chance to ring her. She said it felt like 10 on the Richter scale and the building just swayed and swayed. They had mirrors fall of the wall and break, a bookcase tip over, all the food spewed out of the pantry, glasses and vases etc broke. She said it was horrible!! We then had tsunami warnings come in, so because we're up on the hill there was lots of cars and buses heading up our way. We ended up staying up keeping an eye on reports till about 4am. Not much sleep needless to say. There have been so many aftershocks too and many are pretty big. We also have wind and rain tonight so there's the icing on the cake! Still we are all ok and probably very lucky it occurred at the time of night it did again, and not the night before either.
Well on that note I'm going to try get an early night tonight. Let's hope there are no more big ones. Xx
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Kruise, how scary for your daughter! Hopefully the aftershocks dwindle off and everything calms down again. My BIL's office was pretty smashed up when he got to work on Monday morning, but our Wellington office was perfect - only a 1km apart. So weird.
Well Louise's first day was full of trying to sort out stranded tourists in Kaikoura, Wellington & Picton. The place that she's working for do self drive tours as well as bus and train, so their customers were very affected by the earthquakes, ferry cancellations and road closures. Anyway, she had a great first day and got the key to the stationery cupboard.
Ben has just scored a full time job at Noel Leemings - so bye bye chicken nuggets and hash browns. He's planning on traveling mid next year so he really needed full time hours to save. He'll be working in Botany, so only 5 minutes walk from home.
KT, how are you feeling? I really hope that you're comfortable and that Hospice have been able to lessen your symptoms
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great that Louise had a good first day Nikki. Hopefully they have all the tourists out now. And well done on your son getting his new job at Noel Leemings. He'll probably get very knowledgeable very quickly on all the latest technology.
Our rain turned into torrential flooding down here. Roads were closed etc. Today (Thurs) it is finally sunny and no wind and hopefully no quakes! That building that has been condemned and they are going to remove on Molesworth Street is one I worked in for at least 8 years once upon a time. Feels like an old house you once lived in and they are going to tear it down. Thank goodness no one was hurt. Very scary. One of the biggest malls in Lower Hutt is closed all week too so must have some serious damage. It's a Westfield one.
Just about to take my pup to the vets for his wee male operation...snip snip. Poor fella but it's got to be done.
Have a good day everyone. Kt hope you are feeling ok.
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Nikki your daughter was really thrown in the deep end. My oldest son is still struggling to find work after doing several casual short term jobs (he has his degree now too). Kruise what a dramatic week! Hope you and your family are ok, my inlaws are in Wellington and unable to go to work. Kt, really hoping you can get some medical marijuana. It's legal in many other countries now.
Best wishes to everyone else.
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Hi everyone, I am sorry I have not posted in absolute ages.... I took a peak here to make sure everyone was okay from the big quake. I saw photos of the coastal highway, and the damage was pretty scary! I was in a highrise during the 89 quake in SF, and I can tell you I have never been so frightened.
KT - I was stunned and saddened to hear of your progression. I wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and hoping you get relief from the nausea. I also hope you got some medical marijuana!
Well, I did not make it to NZ last year as planned. A bunch of personal issues cropped up, and I had to delay. But I am finally coming on Jan. 30! Got my ticket to Auckland where I will stay for a week and then on to Nelson and Hadlock where I will stay for 4 weeks. Long story but the bf keeps changing his mind about how much time he will be spending in NZ every year--right now it is 3 months out of the year rather than 6, but that could change. Meanwhile, I will be there 5 weeks and then will see about subsequent years depending on what he does.
I think we will be doing a lot of touring since it is my first visit, but it would be lovely to meet some of you if anyone is up for coffee in Auckland in early Feb.
~kat
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hey everyone.
Nice to hear from you again Kat. It has been a while. I don't live in Auckland area unfortunately - I'm closer to Wellington, but maybe some of the Auckland girls might be able to meet you. The end of January is a long weekend for those up North so a few might be going away. I just hope the weather will be nice for you.
Last week was certainly a testing time down here - with earthquakes, torrential rain, flooding and slips, thunder and lightening and even a tornado nearby to me - but we made it through and now have had a few sunshine days with the wind too.
I had a nice weekend away with 6 other girlfriends this weekend to celebrate my upcoming wedding in January. So a mini 'Hens' weekend really. Was so good to laugh and have that girl time. We went to Waiterere Beach and had a house for the weekend right on the beach front.
Kt - hope you have that nausea and vomiting under control now with help from hospice and are feeling better. We are all thinking of you.
How is Louise's job going Nikki? She still enjoying it?
It's been quiet on here so hope everyone is ok and just ticking along doing their thing with no major dramas.
I have my specialist appointment and my hospital oncology appointments coming up in a couple of weeks. Both are just a day apart - so not good timing really. I might see if I can get a scan of my knee as it's been giving me pain lately - for at least a month - probably just a joint or ligament issue but us girls will always have that question about what else is going on possibly?
Our puppy had his boy op last Thursday and his hind dew claws or something removed too so he is walking around with a cone (Elizabethan collar) on his head and bandages on his feet. He keeps walking into everything. Will be so glad in a few more days when he can take it all off. He still tries to get to his legs and did manage to pull out one stitch over the weekend while I was away. My man took him to the vet and they took him out the back to staple it and he could hear him yelping so must have been painful.
Hope you all have a good week. Xx
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Kruise great to hear you had a great weekend away after all the drama. I love a good girls weekend away.
KT hope they have your nausea under control and you are getting some quality time with your family.
Kat I'm in Auckland and would love to catch up.
Niki how are your kids jobs going?
Fizz great too hear from you. What a sweet daughter you have.
Hi to everyone else I've missed.
Same old same old here. I'm training for the walking stars 21k walk which is on Saturday and have been doing some more paddle boarding after a long break. Still on the Oral Taxol trial but hoping for a bit of a break over January.
Have a great week everyone.
Shazz
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Hi everyone, how nice to hear from you again Kat, I' d be keen to meet up. Always lovely meeting people you have gotten to know on-line. It would be neat to meet you too Shazza and anyone else who could make it. I can't believe what is happening down country and my heart goes out to everyone. It's just so frightening isn't it because you just don't know what is going under the earths crust. Hope things settle down for you Kruise. Sounds like you had a nice time on your Hens weekend - fantastic. KT hope things are as good as they can be for you, am thinking of you. Nothing exciting been happening in my life, but sometimes that's quite nice. I am posting from work now, my job seems to be setting down and the stress isn't quite so bad anymore - thank goodness. Take care everyone, Donna xxx
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Hi guys, sorry haven't managed to update you for a while.
I'm actually at inpatient hospice on the north shore (admitted Saturday morning) as I'd been having nausea &/or vomitting for days and not eating or keeping enough fluids down. Even with the hospice team up there putting in subcutaneous lines to deliver drugs. They continued with that here and tweaked it.
Best move ever! So I can keep fluids & food down & regain my strength. Now just need my double vision and neurological symptoms worked on! One thing at a time & try & get back home.
I'm finding it hard to read & catch up properly but try over time - I do hope you are all ok, x kt
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I have written a humongous post twice today - both times my stupid new laptop has had a mental and deleted it. Might be me but I don't think so lol.
KT, I am so pleased and relieved that Hospice has been able to make things more comfortable for you. Hopefully a bit more tweaking and you can go home. I think of you everyday.
Donna, good that your new job has calmed down and isn't so stressful ...... well done you x
Shazza - the walking ninja. You're fabulous. I'd love to do another 1/2 sometime. I gave in and I am having intensive physio on my knee in the hope that I can at least walk my very small lazy dog around the block soon.
Helen & Amusing Hi - I hope things are going well for you guys.
Hi Michelle
Louise's job is going really well, thanks for asking. She's been there a week now and comes home every day happy and looking forward to the next so I can't ask anymore than that. There are only 7 others in the office and a few of them are motherly which will suit her down to the ground. Ben starts his job at Noel Leeming on Sunday. He intends working there until May/June before heading off to travel for a while.
I am healing slowly - it's been worse than both of my mastectomies to be honest - certainly the incisions are much larger (30cm each). I am still having the District Nurse dress my wounds every two days. The non cancer side is healing really quite well, but my left side is taking a long long time. It's still leaking seroma (I should have had a drain apparently). According to the Breast Nurse it will take twice as long as the good side because of the radiation I had. Anyway, don't regret it in the least, I just wish it would heal quicker.
Love to everyone.
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Sorry girls this is just a quick check to let you know that I'm ok, still alive
I had a rocky start. Sorted now.
Family conference soon. I'll check back in later.
Hugs,
kt
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KT thanks for checking in. You know how we all worry. Seems Hospice are looking after you well.
I've got today off and the weather is glorious I went paddle boarding this morning and then lunch with my daughter in Ponsonby. I'm ready for a Nana nap now.
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Shazza
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I hope the family conference is ok KT, and as Shazza said good that you could check in.
I have just had confirmation that Middlemore aren't "all that". I have been scheduled for my ovary removal on 20 January. The scheduler was incredulous that I was not offered it at the same time as my mastectomy revision as "they do that very often". Oh dear - I think I only asked 5 times if it was possible, and was told "no" each time. Sigh......insert swear word here.
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Hi everyone,
Kt thinking of you, it sounds as though hospice is treating you well, sending good thoughts to you and your family.
Nikki, best wishes for speedy healing, those are long incisions! The district nurses are great on the whole. I realise now I was very lucky with my mastectomy that I wasn't left with extra skin etc.
Kruise really hope you're not too affected by the earthquakes. It's the ongoing nature of the aftershocks that must be so hard. We Aucklanders need to thank our lucky stars that we're not on any fault lines.
My oldest son Simon and I are going to Sydney on Friday, it was a bit of a spontaneous trip because I was able to get tickets to Crowded House who I love! They're playing four 20th anniversary concerts of their final concert on the steps of the Opera House. We're seeing them on Saturday night, can't wait. Just staying two nights but will try to make the most of it. This is the first time I've been overseas in 13 years, the last time was to do radiotherapy in Melbourne for four weeks but luckily we were all able to go then and we got to see and do a lot.
I'd be keen to meet up with anyone over summer, would be lovely to meet you all.
xx Michelle.
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Nikki, just saw your post, that is just appalling. If we were in the States you could probably sue. Why do these medical professionals not communicate better with each other and with patients? Really feel for you, what a total pain in the proverbial.
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Thanks Michelle. I am so over it I actually laughed! Thankfully, I think that this is the last surgery that I will need to have, however I might have to bring the whole situation up when I next attend one of my Oncology Counties Meetings with the Service Delivery Manager. They had better hope I have had my injection before then. I do tend to get a bit bitchy just before it's due. Have a superb time in Sydney and at the concert. I went there in May and really enjoyed myself. We stayed in the CBD but very near Darling Harbour. Just gorgeous and so vibrant.
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Hello everyone, having a slow thanksgiving holiday today, so thought I would check in and see how everyone is. I am excited that I may get to meet a few of you in person--Shazza and Donna and anyone else who would like to join in. I get in on Jan. 30th... imagine I will need a good day to recover from such a long flight from Mexico to SF and then on to Auckland. At this point, my only other obligation is a wedding on Feb. 5.
KT--I am so glad that hospice ended up being a good move for you and that you have found some relief for the nausea. Saying prayers for you that you get some respite from the neuro symptoms. I am sorry you have been going through such a rough time. I wish you the best for your family conference.
Nikki, I just saw that you are having your ovaries removed in Jan. I am considering the same and am having a consultation on Dec. 2. I am so tired of surgeries, and I understand your frustration about timing. I had also asked about doing this earlier but was turned away from all three of my doctors. Now, two of them want me to shut down my ovaries. Two years of surgeries... just had my two year cancerversary and cannot believe I am starting out this next year with another surgery. I will go back through your posts to see why you are doing this... I have way too much estrogen and am still not menopausal, and my docs want me on an AI
Michelle, I LOVE Crowded House and wish I could see them. My BF knows them but has not seen them in years. Have a wonderful time with your son!
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Nikki, okay, I see that Zoladex did not work for you and that you have had bad SEs... what a bummer. Sorry you have to have surgery but at least you will be getting rid of the Zoladex shots. I don't like the sound of the shots for me, which is why I am considering surgery but it isn't not an easy decision as I worry, as you have, about other health implications.
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hi ladies
Kt so good to hear from you...glad you are feeling much better.
Michelle we seem to be getting less and less earthquakes but they keep discovering more and more damaged buildings! We are all flabagasted over losing a big part of the mall and nearby supermarkets etc in Lower Hutt right on Xmas time. That used to be 2 minutes from where I lived earlier this year. Our little Coastlands mall here in Paraparaumu is looking pretty good right now.
Nikki what a pain about the extra op when it could have been done recently. Certainly something to raise and flag so hopefully that same issue doesn't happen in the future and to others.
Sounds like you had a good day Shazza.
Hi to everyone else...hope you all have a great weekend. Xxx
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It's been a long week, and it's only Wednesday. Having both kids working and not coming home until 6 makes for a long working day for me. My baby turned 18 yesterday as well. All this growing up is taking some adjustment!
I am still visiting the District Nurse every second day. The left side just does not want to heal and stop leaking seroma - it is still quite painful. The right side is just fabulous.
KT. How are you going?
Hi to everyone else - not long till Christmas. Man I need to get my act together on the present front.
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Hi everyone
KT I hope you are doing well and are comfortable
Nik that must be incredibly frustrating! I hope you give them a serve. I hope your left side starts behaving itself and you heal quickly.
I finished rads yesterday - woohoo!
It's so good to be home and not spending every week away from my family. The funny thing was, as I was leaving Rad Onc yesterday, I was struggling not to cry. I think it's because in some ways, although you are in a bubble while going through treatment, it's a safe bubble (and the Dunedin crew are wonderful) and so all of a sudden the bubble is popped and I'm on my own. Apart from lots of follow-ups of course. My boob is quite sore, but the skin is great thanks to the Mepitel film. It stays on for another week or two. Question for those who've had a lumpectomy, have you availed yourself of the special bras and inserts that the government pays for? is it worth it? I was thinking of just stuffing a hanky or two into my normal bra lol
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Nikki you poor thing with all that oozing etc. I pray it heals up for you quick smart. I'm also hearing you on the Christmas shopping front! Mine is sadly lacking too. Trying to be frugal this Christmas with my wedding coming up in early January. It actually dawned on me yesterday how much I still have to do for it, and how many kilos I have to lose! Lol. I can hopefully lose at least 5kg for then. But I guess my man loves me anyways - warts and all 💕
hi Amusing...I didn't even know the Government subsidised bras etc with a lumpectomy - mastectomy yes definitely I knew about, so that's really interesting to know. I only have a small indentation so don't even notice it when wearing normal bras etc. So I probably wouldn't worry myself but you will need to see how yours looks after the radiation swelling etc settles down and what you feel comfortable with. It is scary being out of the treatment 'system' as such but my best advice is try not to worry too much. It's normal to have those scared moments and depressedtimes but it's more important to get on with living and making the most of the days you do have feeling well. No one ever knows what is around the corner for us ever. Just look at those earthquakes!
Kt, have you managed to get home yet? Wherever you are I just hope you are comfortable and enjoying time with your family and friends. Sending my love, as I'm sure the other ladies are too.
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Amusing. I felt like that when my active treatment ended. Very emotional and it was like there was nothing between me and the cancer, now that I was considered "treated". You need some time to sink into a new mind space I think. Anyway, fantastic that you've finished your radiation and your skin held up. No more traveling now either
Kruise - I want to lose 5kg before they take out my ovaries. I am worried that they won't find them if I don't get rid of some of my food baby. I must try harder ....... well actually I need to try.
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Amusing, I wasn't aware of this subsidy either, but why not go for it if you want to. Kruise, hope the aftershocks have stopped. Kt, thinking of you and hope you're doing ok. Nikki, the leaking must stop soon surely? What a nuisance.
Crowded House was fantastic, my son enjoyed them too, he's a musician. We had a good time in Sydney and did quite a lot. I went back to see where I lived in Paddington 30 years ago, it didn't seem like such a long time ago. Lots of memories for me. The trip cost far too much for just three days but lately I think, why not, the credit card can take a beating, lol. Have had a pretty stressful couple of years so I'm trying to do some fun things lately.
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There's no other way to tell you is - so here goes.
I am so so sad to tell you that our "glue" beautiful, kind, caring KT passed away yesterday.
Fly high KT.
Edited to say: I am sure that KT would want us all to know, and it is only that I knew her name that I was able to see the notice in the Herald.
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