Blogging can be a great way to journal your experiences and share with others. Why not create your own cancer journey blog, or have a read of other blogs created by our members?
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So on the 22nd of May this year (2019), our worlds were turned upside down. After attending a GP appointment two weeks before, for a swollen testicle, my partner Rich (Stricky1979 on here), was referred to the Birmingham City Hospital Urology department. Upon arrival he was given a hospital gown, a consultant examined him and immediately gave him forms and asked him to go down to the x-ray and blood test departments.
This was at 9:15am and by 11am, we were in the consultants room hearing those dreaded...
Well I had my mastectomy on 10th May which went as well as can be expected. Turns out me and general anaesthetic don't mix!
Onwards we went - now had two aspirations for seroma but otherwise everything seems to be going okay.
Had my first meeting with my oncologist on 25th May, was told of the chemo treatment plan being either a) 6 cycles over 18 weeks or b) 4 cycles over 8 weeks followed by 4 cycles over 12 weeks.
But then, at the follow up meeting on 31st May, the treatment changed. Now "signed...
I'm a few months into my single drug immunotherapy treatment with Nivolumab and my most recent CT scan back in April showed further reduction in size of the growths I have. I'm told they've all reduced by a third from the previous CT scan, and that scan had shown some had reduced by a half, whilst the others had stabilised, compared to the one before that. So it seems like good progress.
It's a very positive sign and I've been lucky to respond well to the treatment with very little side...
Debbie, our resident ‘chef to the Ostomates’, is back this month with another tasty and nutritious recipe she’s been making following an ileostomy earlier this year. This week’s recipe is a tasty looking butternut squash and sage risotto.
“Squash is easily digested from early on as an Ostomate, and makes a nice change from carrot or parsnip!”
Debbie
The health benefits of butternut squash are pretty well documented – they’re rich in fibre, vitamins (including...
Off the back of rily’s Bladder Cancer Awareness Month piece last Monday, I thought I’d also throw a spotlight recognising the cancer by highlighting a few positive, helpful and interesting bits and pieces from our Bladder cancer group, as well as a little feedback received for the group.
If you’re affected by bladder cancer, go ahead and share your tips of thoughts with us using the comments section below.
Discussions:
An Introduction – nickfreckle was diagnosed at the start...
After my quarterly check up early March, everything was hunky dory. I came back to Scotland for 3 months. I started making plans for the future. Trip to Canada in July, Tenerife with my sister in September, even thought about throwing myself a 60th birthday party in November! Funny how life has a way of kicking you in the teeth when you least expect it. Beginning of April started to feel unwell with lower back and abdominal pain. Thought I'd just overdone things at the gym. GP said he wasn't worried...
“What happened your nose?” The Big Issue seller’s question still runs through me. Mid April I had surgery to remove an infiltrative basal cell cancer from the tip of my nose. The 28mm wound was repaired using skin from my clavicle – now a lump of pasty looking skin on the tip, with two large blood crusts where necrotic tissue was cut away.
Today is the first day I am out without a dressing. Writing this is part of trying to make sense of what I’m feeling, much of which feels...
May marks Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so to recognise this I thought I’d put the spotlight on our Skin cancer and Melanoma groups, and highlight a few really positive, helpful and interesting discussions that have been going on in the groups.
I’ve also put together a few ‘top tips’ that members of these groups have been sharing – but if you’re affected by skin cancer, go ahead and share your tips of thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Discussions...
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May marks Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, and to recognise this, rily – Community Champion for our Bladder cancer group, has put together a few facts about the cancer, and shared with us his story to date.
The below makes for an eye-opening and honest read...
Some facts about bladder cancer:
Just a quick up date.
Well it’s been two and a half years now and so far so good. A lot has happened, I now have three beautiful grandchildren, two boys and a girl, we sold our business and moved close to one of our daughters so lots of baby minding going on, keeping me busy. But what a blessing to be able to do that.
Life is good and I am extremely grateful, reading back on my blog it seems like a long long time ago that the nightmare began. I feel so lucky to be able to be part of my husband...
