Newly diagnosed mother
Hi everyone, My mother has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. We are only in the early stages. They have found the cancer in her lymph nodes under her arm and currently can not find the primary...
Forum Discussion
Hi, i also had my chemo of 16 sessions before the planned surgery late May 17. It was to shrink the tumour of 4cm. My BC is alo in the breast and lymph nodes.
Chemo is doable, not as frightening as it sounds, the way I looked at it was that it was going clear me of that dreadful word C....cer. it doesn't hurt, i had the canula each time and sometimes it was hard to find a vein for it, it just depended on the nurse.
My tumour has shrunk, and i finished chemo last week...what a relief :) i had a long hot shower afterwards and cried my eyes out with sheer relief that that part of my journey was over.
Also, I change my diet to make sure i ate well as they do a blood test each time before chemo to ensure the blood levels are ok, otherwise chemo cannot go ahead.
I am seeing my surgeon as a private patient and wiĺ be operated at a private hospital, he's fees are no gap (agreement between prv hosp and my insurance) but the anesthesia will have to pay about $600 out of pocket. I asked my surgeon and he was able to tell me the costs
My scans have been done at the private hospital also, I've had to pay first and then claim from medicare. Out of pocket for that also.
My chemo was at Concord hospital in Sydney and radiation will be at RPA (after the op), both public and not out of pocket expense for me, that is the way my treatment was arranged.
Re the head gear, i bought couple from ebay, they care called chemo turbans, very cheap $5, however they are polyester and got hot in summer,I found the bamboo ones more comfortable.
Your mum will have good and bad days, its all normal.
She is lucky to have you.
Take care and a step at a time...:)
Chemo is doable, not as frightening as it sounds, the way I looked at it was that it was going clear me of that dreadful word C....cer. it doesn't hurt, i had the canula each time and sometimes it was hard to find a vein for it, it just depended on the nurse.
My tumour has shrunk, and i finished chemo last week...what a relief :) i had a long hot shower afterwards and cried my eyes out with sheer relief that that part of my journey was over.
Also, I change my diet to make sure i ate well as they do a blood test each time before chemo to ensure the blood levels are ok, otherwise chemo cannot go ahead.
I am seeing my surgeon as a private patient and wiĺ be operated at a private hospital, he's fees are no gap (agreement between prv hosp and my insurance) but the anesthesia will have to pay about $600 out of pocket. I asked my surgeon and he was able to tell me the costs
My scans have been done at the private hospital also, I've had to pay first and then claim from medicare. Out of pocket for that also.
My chemo was at Concord hospital in Sydney and radiation will be at RPA (after the op), both public and not out of pocket expense for me, that is the way my treatment was arranged.
Re the head gear, i bought couple from ebay, they care called chemo turbans, very cheap $5, however they are polyester and got hot in summer,I found the bamboo ones more comfortable.
Your mum will have good and bad days, its all normal.
She is lucky to have you.
Take care and a step at a time...:)