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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In 2013, Paul's PSA level began to rise. He began to feel unwell too with weakness, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. He lost a lot of weight in a very short period of time.
In the spring of 2014, CT and bone scan revealed that the cancer had spread to bones and lymph nodes. Looking back on it now, I cannot understand why the scans were performed as late as spring of 2014; I mean, the PSA had been going up and up for months at this point. This is why I encourage everyone who has cancer...
I met my husband Paul in June of 2009 in Marburg, a small town in Germany, where we both attended a Buddhist seminar. Being from Germany originally, I had been living in the small town in the south of Germany for many years, whereas Paul had come from Dublin in Ireland to join the weekend course. I think Paul and I would probably never have spoken to one another, if one of the lectures during the seminars hadn't been given in German rather than, as would have been appropriate for an international...
"Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions. They pass no criticisms." - George Elliot
Over the past several years the benefits of pets to mental wellbeing has grown clearer and clearer. The companionship pets offer is a great way to reduce anxiety and stress, and dogs especially encourage owners to exercise, and possibly socialise with other dog walkers.
Over the past several weeks I’ve been talking to Community members and our own staff about the impact pets have on their...
Last week I had my first PET CT since the end of my chemoradiotherapy. I had previously only had one PET CT (August) 2017 before my major surgery. The surgeon felt that it was not necessary to hit me with more radiation if avoidable. My previous MRI and Ultrasound had come back clear, but as I was now 19 months on fro the first PET CT, I thought it was a good time to get some baseline of where I am at; not least because I am leaving Qatar shortly and wanted to have some certainty as to my progress...
This Sunday’s Mother’s Day, a day to celebrate mothers mean to us; all they do for us, and all they mean to us. To recognise this year’s Mother’s Day, I’ve been talking to several mothers on the Community about how having cancer has affected them as a mother.
I’m not going to take any further time introducing or the piece – so without further ado, here are our mothers of the Community…
'The thought of them got me off the floor, got me talking, smiling...
Just a couple of weeks back I was fortunate enough to have the LGBT foundation get in touch asking if we’d be interested in hearing from a friend of theirs, David, who was diagnosed with cancer last September. David wished to share with us his story about being a gay man and facing cancer – fortunately, David's recent chemotherapy treatment has been successful!
David’s story makes for an extremely heartfelt and eye-opening read, from a perspective perhaps shared too little on the...
Dear blog/diary, I went to the Monday appointment and met the surgeon consultant who specialises in melanoma (and probably other stuff) to be honest it was unnerving. In my February blog which I’ve just read back I seemed to have my thoughts together of what I was scared of and why I felt I was feeling unnerved, in a 10 minute consultation it’s hard to get those feelings across so I had an unsatisfactory encounter. He seemed to be going through his set patter about 3 to 4 week wait for surgery, it...
In today’s Community News piece, I thought I’d share with you all just a handful of the feedback recently received for our Community cancer forum – feedback myself, Ellen and Jess see day in, day out on the site. The Community’s such an invaluable source of support for people affected by cancer, and the below speaks volumes for you, our Community members, who are the ones sharing your experiences; talking to those who need a listening ear; and offering support and comfort to those who...
Today I discovered the stigma around mental health is very much alive and well, and much to my surprise in a setting where I didn’t expect it to be.
Following my last appointment with the lovely Prof (lovely because he is straight talking and gets to the point) he felt I would probably benefit from some support with my mental health and I agreed.
I have various symptoms, anxiety, insomnia and I cry at the drop of a hat, I feel overwhelmed and disoriented at various points in my day, looking...
March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, so to recognise this I’ve been speaking with three members of our Ovarian cancer group, and asked them to share with the Community a little about their experiences, and any tips they might have on coping.
If you’ve had any thoughts or an experience with ovarian cancer you’d like to share, go ahead and do so in the comments section below.
'My main difficulty was telling people I loved...I felt guilty...'
Posie:
“My diagnosis came...
