Forum Discussion

jena's avatar
jena
Member
8 years ago

Diagnosed on 1 May 2017

I am 58 and have a lifetime habit of healthy living. Therefore,when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, like everyone else I'm sure, I couldn't believe it. It never occurred to me I would get cancer.   After I competed treatment I did everything I could think of to ensure I would be healthy and cancer free.  

Early this year I started to experience inexplicable back pain. I also didn't feel myself - hard to explain.  After many visits to the doctor trying to figure out what was wrong, I ended up in Emergency at 4am with unbearable pain.  I was diagnosed later that morning with metastatic breast cancer - Monday 1 May.  Within a week I was receiving chemo and had my first radiotherapy treatment. I am blessed to have a highly skilled, caring and compassionate medical team that I have complete faith in. 

The resources on this site have been informative & helped me a lot, especially during the first few terrible weeks after I was diagnosed - I'm sure I took advantage of every scan and test available at North Coast Radiology during those weeks.  The scans show I have extensive metastasis in my spine, hips and a few areas on my scull; and spots in my liver. The liver is already showing a lot of improvement. Fortunately my brain and other organs are clear.   

The scans of my spine and hips are VERY scary and the associated pain is no fun.  Mindfulness meditation, eating healthily and exercise certainly help. I'd love any advice or suggestions you have in helping to live with bone pain. 

I read messages of hope and inspiration on this site during that first scary week. I can't find words to express how much those stories helped - I latched onto the hope and advice to live every day well and to set goals. Kitty's message that, "in a strange way, those of us with advanced disease are lucky – we know that the important thing is to enjoy today and to live as well as we can" is forefront in my mind.  So ... thanks to Kitty, one week to the day after I was diagnosed I ordered my dream campervan (over the phone on my way to Lismore for more scanning). Since I was a child I have always wanted to own a two tone Kombi campervan (my god parents, who I adored, had one) My partner and I are had saved and planned to buy a modern version in a couple of years but we brought our plans forward. We do have a basic 20 years old campervan we love but is doesn't have aircon.  Not so comfortable driving in summer since we moved north!

Thank you all for being here.  I look forward to 'meeting' at least some of you. 

exercise
inspiration
metastases
mindfulness
pain
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    8 years ago

    @jena Ordering a campervan over the phone on the way to scans. Excellent work!

    I've made some big decisions in unusual ways over the years. Sometimes I look back and wonder "Wow, how did I get the guts to decide to do that?" Things that I had been meaning to do, or didn't want to do, or didn't think I could do, all of a sudden I'm doing them. Most of the time I've made the right choices in those circumstances--I tend to overthink and over research and get into a churn where I go in circles unless I take a deep breath, brace myself and JUMP.

    Bugger puddling about, get in there and follow your heart--sometimes nothing else makes any sense. Marg xxx

  • iserbrown's avatar
    iserbrown
    Member
    8 years ago
    @jena Great that you have found this site as we are all here to help each other through.  Differing stages of treatment and some get on and off the roller coaster.  Wishing you well with ongoing treatment.  I am sure others will come on with some intense advice. Travelling will certainly do wonders for the well being and soaking up the vitamin D! 
    Take care
  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    8 years ago
    Great you are bringing those plans forward and doing things you thought you might do some day. Whilst I am only newly diagnosed and treatment complete,  this experience has been a wakeup call and my husband and I are now doing motorbike trips whilst still young enough and healthy enough to do it. We have a big onw planned for next year. None of us know what our future holds but we can make decisions on the here and now at least. I hope treatment goes well for you and pain improves. Kath x
  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    8 years ago
    Oh the new van sounds good. What sort did you order? Pics and price to give the rest of us thinking the same some ideas? 
    Sorry to hear about the bone aches and liver mets. My dad is 77 and has the bones bit but not so far anything in the liver. His is from prostate which he had about 18 years ago and got over that. He has a few different pain pills. For a while the morphine patch was working but not now so he has pill form replacement. His cancer is hormone positive so every month he has an injection of one thing and every 3 months an injection of something else. It does save a lot of pills those injections as he is currently on steroids and chemo in a pill form which is working. It's strange the full infusions over 12 doses barely touched the cancer but these chemo pills are really dropping his psa levels now. Those and his medicinal cannibis oil which helps with pain a bit as well are doing him good atm. 
    Yes the spine is a beggar of a place and dad is starting some radiation soon to try and frazzle out some of it so its not so painful there. He is a trouper in having scans and they don't seem to worry him at all. Me, I am a chicken and get apprehensive over an ultrasound even lol.
    Drop me a message if you come up near Burrum Heads, Qld and you can lazy away some days on my warm sunny veranda overlooking the beach. We have our own road off the highway for slipping down to the cancer care centre in Hervey Bay where you can get your meds topped up. <3

  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    8 years ago
    While we might all prefer not to be using this site, the stories here are a wonderful reminder of what is important in life and the benefits of making every day count. I hope others can suggest ways of easing your bone pain, I can only wish you the very best, strength in your positive approach and very happy camping.