The Cancer Survivors support thread.

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NeverEnough

NeverEnough

So earlier this year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer during a routine health screening. Those are words which no one should ever hear. The most difficult thing that I had to face was telling my wife and my girls. Five rounds of radiotherapy and I’ve just learned my PSA is right down below one and the treatment has probably been successful and I’m back at work and making plans.

In a way I was lucky because whereas there is no “good cancer” to develop, prostate is one of the better ones. Even untreated it can last for years without major illness, thankfully a Sir Chris Hoy situation is very rare. But it’s very difficult to rationalise this when your first told you have this alien mass growing inside you. A mass that may one day kill you.

So I’m hoping to start a thread were anyone who’s heard “the words” either for themselves or loved ones can swap stories and advice about how to cope. I would hope that it remains positive and good humoured.

Please feel free to share your stories.
 
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Harhei

Harhei

Hi there. Another survivor of a ‘good cancer’,’if you’re going to get cancer this is the one you want to get’. Classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stage 4 at diagnosis after being fobbed off at the doctors for weeks and being told my chest was clear despite one lung being full to the brim with fluid and not being able to stand up without getting out of breath. It’s a traumatic thing to go through but here we are. What did you find worst about treatment? For me it was how utterly boring and dull it was. Absolutely without a doubt the most mind numbing experience of my life. I was hospitalised for a week each month which didn’t help.
 
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NeverEnough

NeverEnough

Harhei said:
Hi there. Another survivor of a ‘good cancer’,’if you’re going to get cancer this is the one you want to get’. Classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stage 4 at diagnosis after being fobbed off at the doctors for weeks and being told my chest was clear despite one lung being full to the brim with fluid and not being able to stand up without getting out of breath. It’s a traumatic thing to go through but here we are. What did you find worst about treatment? For me it was how utterly boring and dull it was. Absolutely without a doubt the most mind numbing experience of my life. I was hospitalised for a week each month which didn’t help.
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I was lucky because I had good private health insurance through my employer so I was pretty much in for treatment within two weeks. Nothing to the treatment as I went for radio therapy and just laid there while a machine circled me three times! Like you said it‘s the psychological shock more than anything. I was mostly grade one with a little bit going onto grade 2. Grade 4 must have devastated you 🙁. Hope you’re Ok now?
 
Harhei

Harhei

It’s fairly common with blood cancers to be stage 3-4 at diagnosis because it just means that either it’s in a cluster of lymph nodes or it’s travelled outside the area it originated from. I had a significant mass behind my sternum which was attached to my heart with has had caused a few issues but mostly I’m fine now. I had my first child nine months ago naturally after being told the chemo had made it impossible so I’m still winning. I’m very grateful I didn’t yet have children at the time of diagnosis, it must be double hard going through it and also having to keep face for the kiddos. I got to be as selfish as needed. I was saved by the NHS so didn’t have to worry about what would be covered - my treatment would have cost close to a million privately so thank god for that.
 
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NeverEnough

NeverEnough

Harhei said:
It’s fairly common with blood cancers to be stage 3-4 at diagnosis because it just means that either it’s in a cluster of lymph nodes or it’s travelled outside the area it originated from. I had a significant mass behind my sternum which was attached to my heart with has had caused a few issues but mostly I’m fine now. I had my first child nine months ago naturally after being told the chemo had made it impossible so I’m still winning. I’m very grateful I didn’t yet have children at the time of diagnosis, it must be double hard going through it and also having to keep face for the kiddos. I got to be as selfish as needed. I was saved by the NHS so didn’t have to worry about what would be covered - my treatment would have cost close to a million privately so thank god for that.
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Cherish your kids while they’re that age, before you know it they’ll be teenagers and start slagging you off at parties! Pleased that your better now.
 
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