AFF Cancer Survivors Thread

[QF WP]

I got diagnosed with cancer that day and didn't actually see the opening ceremony.

I was 4 months earlier - thankfully we both made it out the other end

 

[drross]

I was 4 months earlier - thankfully we both made it out the other end

We AFF cancer survivors should have a quite beer together ( in a lounge of course) sometime and have a toast to those who've made in and those that haven't

 

[Major]

We AFF cancer survivors should have a quite beer together ( in a lounge of course) sometime and have a toast to those who've made in and those that haven't

I have had 1 Melanoma and more than 30 Carsinomas cut out. May I join you ?

 

[QF WP]

Major, I'd think both of those families qualify you.

Always nice to best those that are preceded by malignant

 

[Pushka]

MrP is another survivor. Diagnosed with cancer 6 months after we married. Had already spread to lymphatics thanks to a quack doctor he'd seen who told him 2 months earlier not to worry about this lump. The next time he presented a locum was in that day. Within 3 hours he was being operated on. Should have reported the quack but being just 22 at the time with poor prognosis we had other stuff on our minds. Thankfully that time the "wrong" poor prognosis diagnosis grammar thread???) worked in our favour. Changed our lives forever.

 

[QF WP]

Maybe we survivors should have our own thread in the Playground . All welcome who have beaten cancer

 

[straitman]

We AFF cancer survivors should have a quite beer together ( in a lounge of course) sometime and have a toast to those who've made in and those that haven't

I'm in.

 

[Bindibuys]

I have had Osteomyelitis at my forehead, which means an infection of bone. (why I always have a fringe)
It would be a very lonely thread.

Would gladly shout a round for the big C survivors.

 

[penegal]

My most recent skin cancer scare turned out to be a completely harmless haematoma (probably from scratching a hair)... But it became quite a hard lesion and was very dark, so I saw the doctor about it, and had it surgically removed and sent for tests anyway.

Better to play it safe with your health.

 

[medhead]

I was 4 months earlier - thankfully we both made it out the other end

Strange coincidence. I thinks dad's cancer was diagnosed at the end of 2000.

Ok so did you actually get anything out of Latin other then bonus points for your Uni entry score?

My sister in law went on to study Latin a uni at an advanced level (ie beyond first year). That got her tutoring work for exchange students, apparently Germans still learn Latin, and first years, as well as some research work. It was eye opening to find it isn't such a dead language after all.

 

[QF WP]

Okay, so I have hived off all those posts above from the OT thread. Who else is a survivor? Who wants to share their story (I will, just need to do it out of work hours).

 

[The Rok]

Well I'm not a survivor as such, but last month as part of some examinations for an unknown illness the doc sent me for a CT Scan to check for Lymph nodes and I'm pleased to say there are none, which I think means no cancer.

I admire the strength and courage of not just those who have survived but also their families and friends, it must be a very difficult thing to deal with, and I commend you all.

 

[Cossie]

Had some bcc's removed, my sister though was very lucky, went in to have a hysterectomy and came out minus her ovaries. Her surgeon suggested she order a bottle of champagne with her next dinner as there was a rather nasty growth and he took the opportunity to remove it.

It was such an unusual growth that it was sent to a lab in the USA for further investigation. Statistics for this sort of ovarian cancer were such that had it not been found when it was, she had a 95% chance of being dead within 5 years.

 

[tkmg]

Not a survivor as yet but hope to be... Am currently fighting Hodgkin Lymphoma and have been undergoing chemo for last 6 months.

Found this forum (& new love of everything relating to FF miles/points) whilst going through treatment. Planning a trip to Paris, Rome, Amalfi Coast with my partner next year once I'm all clear

Still learning so much and am thankful for all the helpful posts/threads & AFF members. Has been a positive distraction from the nastiness of having cancer.

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

I have had Osteomyelitis at my forehead, which means an infection of bone. (why I always have a fringe)
It would be a very lonely thread.

Would gladly shout a round for the big C survivors.

If you don't mind me asking, what repercussions have you had from this?

I have it on my ankle from MRSA infection and no one will really explain or let me know what issues I will have in the future....

 

[drross]

Not a survivor as yet but hope to be... Am currently fighting Hodgkin Lymphoma and have been undergoing chemo for last 6 months.

Found this forum (& new love of everything relating to FF miles/points) whilst going through treatment. Planning a trip to Paris, Rome, Amalfi Coast with my partner next year once I'm all clear

Still learning so much and am thankful for all the helpful posts/threads & AFF members. Has been a positive distraction from the nastiness of having cancer.

Good luck with the chemo. There are lots of AFFers that are doctors. If you have any hassles, just ask.

 

[drross]

If you don't mind me asking, what repercussions have you had from this?

I have it on my ankle from MRSA infection and no one will really explain or let me know what issues I will have in the future....

so long as it's not in the joint and you're 'young' probably not a huge drama so long as it's not also associated with TB and is caught reasonably early. How did it start?

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

so long as it's not in the joint and you're 'young' probably not a huge drama so long as it's not also associated with TB and is caught reasonably early. How did it start?

Thanks....

I'm 32. Broke and dislocated my ankle back on 5th April had an ORIF with pins plates screws on 8th April. Infection noticed at my 2 week follow up but no swabs and put on generic AB's. Surgery on 12 June to remove diasssis (spelling?) screw and infection found then.

Picc line with vancomycin for 6 weeks then oral ab for 1 month until surgery a couple of weeks ago on 4th Sept to remove all metal.

Infectious diseases lady at hospital told me it was hospital acquired :/

My foot is very stiff and doesn't move much and I'm only just barely hobbling around very slowly. Hard with an active 2.5 year old and almost 1 year old :/

 

[QF WP]

Well I'm not a survivor as such, but last month as part of some examinations for an unknown illness the doc sent me for a CT Scan to check for Lymph nodes and I'm pleased to say there are none, which I think means no cancer.

You have no lymph nodes - surely not, otherwise you may be in trouble . I hope you meant that there was nothing found in the lymph nodes, which is cause for positive feelings.

I admire the strength and courage of not just those who have survived but also their families and friends, it must be a very difficult thing to deal with, and I commend you all.

I suppose it depends on how one accepts it and the prognosis. I have always been an eternal optimist.

My story: I went to my doctor for another unrelated issue in May 2000 and had noticed one of the moles on my back had turned black and was itchy. My usual doctor wasn't available so I was booked in with a locum. He had just spent 3 years at RPA in oncology, so when he said there was a (dried) blood blister on top of the mole, he scraped it away and then said he didn't like the look of the mole underneath. He asked if he could excise it and as I was already on my stomach I told him to go for his life. A little injection of local and he cut it out and showed it to me before sending off to pathology - looked like a space invader with tentacles.

That was a Friday and I went back on Monday at 9am for the pathology and follow up on my other issue. As I have a background in insurance (which the locum knew), he handed me the report and asked me to read it and ask about anything I didn't understand. Well, I remember reading "spreading invasive malignant melanoma" and swearing with a sinking feeling. "Clarke level 3 - well that was moderately bad", I thought, "but not the worst diagnosis" - I'd had clients with worse.

Needless to say, my (locum) Dr had organised an appointment at 11am with a plastic surgeon at The Wesley Hospital. Long story short, I booked in for surgery at the end of my surgeons list the next day. I wasn't waiting - my mind was racing and not even a Valium helped me sleep - that came with the GA the next day.

Thankfully, my margins were clear on the re-excision (11cm long, 4 cms wide and 1cm deep - a mini cricket pitch) and follow up chest x-ray and PET scan were clear. So have been every physical exam with my locum (starting every 3 months got the first 2 years, 6 monthly for the next 3, then yearly subsequently), as well as my annual mole scan.

Not surprisingly, I gave both my specialist and locum bottles of 1988 St Henri for helping me through. I hope they enjoyed them. I certainly enjoy every day I am alive. I have used my fortunate situation to be a spokesperson for Qld Cancer Council and in my work role, to do pro bono work with terminally ill patients referred by the Cancer Council. Having empathy is so important.

 

[Happy Trails]

Myself, three of four siblings and a SIL have been there and yet hung around to tell the tale, though a few colleagues recently have not been quite as fortunate.

We've run the gamut of bowel, breast, leukaemia, lymphoma and prostate (oh, and let's chuck in the testicl_ of a best mate while we're at it).

So, in my circle at least, while we might have had more than our share, the living, so far, outweigh the dead.

And BTW, I do hate the term 'battling cancer'; it's really just another disease.