Support in and around Forrestfield

Thankyou Sarah 54

I go down to Mandurah on weekends, most of them anyway.  Working up to retire there.  Lovely place.  I've been to Lamplite restuarant - its gone now which was a blow, nice place.

Have read a few of your blogs, still can't get over the scan mishap - what good luck really.  Yes we all know it can come back, and can spread, nature of the beast.  And we all hope that we are part of the % that it doesn't happen too!  Still they still seem to be able to do so much these days, we are lucky that it wasn't 10-15 yrs ago from what I've read. 

But I'm celebrating today, 1st mammo / us after op.... all clear .... 6mths (first one) till i have to see surgeon again.   Yay, Yay 

Will ring you one day, (maybe over chrissy hol) would be lovely to meet.  Thankyou for the phone number.

Pam

Remembered the source of the stuff I read about the vulnerabilities of treatment finishing. So much stuff I (we) read is "yeah yeah blah blah blah fuck off" but this is a goodie. I actually found it while doing a kindle book search and was pleasantly surprised to find that it's Australian and pretty current.

See http://onepieceofadvice.com.au/ and https://www.facebook.com/OnePieceOfAdvice

Good luck today Pam!!! Hugs xx

Hi Pam

I live in Mandurah and happy to meet for coffee. mobile is 0421574033. Having a quality day with Nuclear imaging on Wed 9th Royal Perth but 3 hours to kill between stuff and scan. I used to work in Forrestfield nearly 26yr ago the resturant called lamplite. It was just for pin money as I had 5 children and picked up causual work when hubby home from rigs. On my own now. Take care of you and the tag of reoccurrance is a hard one. You may like to catch up on one or two of my blogs. Don't want to scare you however and we are all different and fingers crossed you do recover and feel much better soon.

Cyber hug

Sarah54

Yep - BC nurses, worth their weight in gold!

Thank you Di

I am still getting over the picture of the gloves / toilet!!!  Oh thats going to keep me going for a while ....  Wish I had been on this site before chemo, lots of helpful stuff!!

I am thinking of getting some help, thanks for the info, much easier through bc nurse at Mount than negotiating thru GP'"s.  Hadn't thought of that.  As you say it seems common to feel like me.  But this site gives you courage.

Had my onc visit last thurs, stress stress all good til I mentioned dizziness ongoing (he must of forgotten).  Brain scan next day!!!  But he rang me that night to say all was normal (redeemed himself) big sigh of relief - may be damage to ears.  And tomorrow I've got the first boob squash after diognosis!! (mammo & u/s).  Why do docs appts cause so much stress.??  Hopefully after all this I'll be right for next three months hey.

You keep hanging in there too,I hope the rest of the treatment goes smoothly.  And as someone said - for the majority of us, it is a CURE.

Pam - big hugs - after you've washed your hands hey ha ha ha

Hi Pam, I'm Di. I spent a bit of time on this message board (or whatever they're called these days!) after my diagnosis in July, 14 and was given lots of generous, helpful support from the group. Have had some probs with chemo side effects since and have been a bit quiet.

But that's enough of me! I'm full of admiration for you and what you've successfully coped with over the past year. The challenges you're having now - the fear of recurrence - are a different sort of daunting I guess, and harder to get a grip on and blast your way through. Not sure I'm being clear but I'm thinking that it's one thing to grit your teeth, survive and get through pain, itches, altered bodily functions, etc. and another thing to know how to deal with stuff like fears for what might happen and feeling anxious and worried.

I remember reading somewhere on this site (or some other one - who knows these days?) that coming to the end of treatment is a really vulnerable time for us. So the opposite to your comment that people would think you'd be over the moon is officially recognised - it's definitely not the case that the end of treatment brings automatic relief.

It could be helpful to seek out just a little bit more of a different kind of treatment/support to give you some strategies for dealing with this. Your breast care nurse at the Mount should be able to suggest, and refer you to, a counsellor with experience in oncology issues (including the recognised vulnerabilities that come with the end of physical treatments). Solaris also has free counselling from qualified people with oncology experience http://www.solariscare.org.au/contact/ and RPH has a psych services branch that does the same http://www.rph.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Service-Directory/Breast-Cancer-Clinical-Psychology-Service

Good on you for posting to get some nice social contact happening, too Pam. (I feel so freaking inarticulate - my brain is mush) but I want to say something like mutual benefit and support, your coming through what you have, etc. etc. GAH!!! Also, writing this has helped me a lot thanks Pam - ie made me forget about my woes, etc.
As I'm currently in a close relationship with my toilet (thank you Docetaxel!) and a pair of ice gloves of my own design (cotton gloves on my hands inside two frozen wine sleeves - so proud, but it makes it hard to wipe .... you get the picture) to soothe an allergy rash, I'm not getting out much but I'd love to stay in touch online if you'd like to.

Can I repeat that I think you're amazing? :) And your example gives me encouragement that there is a light and the end of the tunnel (and it's not a train) and that treatment is survivable. I know that it is (in my rational mind) but some days you gotta wonder.

You take care girl. Get lots of friends and social things happening (or just one or two really good ones!) and maybe a bit of expert guidance on negotiating the end-of-treatment/what-does-the -future-hold? situation, be good to yourself, and kind. Hugs, Di xx 

Thankyou Mitch

Would love a "quick coffee catch up" and to meet more "Perthies".  Your holiday sounds wonderful I hope you had a great time.

I've finished chemo, thank goodness, I have just the last 4 hercepton doses left till finishing active treatment.  You'd think I'd be over the moon, but the rot seems to of set in.  Oh well.  I go to The Mount hospital, and apart from parking is great, no complaints.

Pam