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Breast Cancer

Started by chooka03, January 23, 2017, 08:12:45 PM

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chooka03

Hi all,

My little sister has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. As a result at the ripe old age of 32, she has had to have a mastectomy. This will be followed by around 8 needles (self administered), ultrasounds, blood tests and then egg harvesting for fertility treatment next week... THEN chemo straight after that for 6 months. Following THAT is 5 weeks of radiation therapy.

Family is everything to me so I'm spreading the word of my sisters Go Fund Me page to help out with all the associated medical expenses. It's going to be a real uphill battle and lets face it......... cancer SUCKS! :thumbdown:

Obviously there's no pressure but if anyone wants to donate, here's the link.

https://www.gofundme.com/nicoles-breast-cancer-fight

:thanks1:


JugNut

I'm so sorry to hear of your sisters situation chooka,  you and your family must be besides themselves with worry and I just couldn't imagine how Nicole must be felling.  Make sure you give her all the best from the team & me and tell her she will be in our thoughts constantly.

I never know exactly what to say in times like this so i'll just say i'll give what I can and then give a little more from time to time as funds become available.

Keep strong my friend and keep your family close.  Greg.





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chooka03

#2
Thank you very much for your thoughts & kind words mate!
I will indeed pass on your kindness  :thumbsup:

:holy-moly....... I'm PM you Jugnuts
:faint:

Daniel

Sorry to hear the news about your sister Chooka, it must be very upsetting.
I hope she feels better and makes a full recovery soon.

Dataman

#4
I do not know how I missed this yesterday. We will keep her in our thoughts and hope for a speedy, full recovery.

EDIT: Made a small donation. Not sure if it is in AUD or USD but hope it helps!!

EDIT 2: I do not do Facebook but I do know some people who have more damn money than they deserve to have.  :wink So I sent them an email to make them feel guilty if they do not cough up some of their ill gotten gains. :rofl: If you see some US/Canada contributions you will know whence they came. My best to your sister! -Steve-


chooka03

LOL Dataman :)

Thank you for your donation mate. Every little bit will help....especially if you've ever had to pay for parking at our hospitals! It's outrageous.
There will be numerous bills of which not all are covered.

Thank you too Daniel for your kind words mate. The recovery will be a long one (especially if she finds out from her genetic test results soon which will decide if she loses the other boob!)

It's flattering to know that there are still so many kind people in the world and especially here on this forum :thumbsup:
If I'm ever travelling, I'll go out of my way to hopefully meet some of you for a handshake, smiles and a few laughs no doubt.

Thank you for my whole family. I don't know what else to say.

:thanks1:
:rocks

Dataman

See my PM. Hang in there!
:USA1 :AUS:


kashi


Sean

I'm sorry to hear this Chooka, I hope my donation helps. 

kashi

Made a donation, should arrive tomorrow.

Best wishes to your sister Nicole after her recent surgery.

chooka03

Hi all,

I aplogise for being a bit slack with the updates. Here's an update for you all and thank you once again for your immense generosity!

Update 1 - 18 days ago
Nicole's Update from her meeting with her surgeon today - "Good and bad news from today's surgery follow up appt. They removed a 5cm cancer with 10 nodes removed also. 1 lymph node showed cancer but was contained within that nodes walls.

The small satellite "hot spot" that the MRI picked up was in fact another 12mm cancer at 9 o'clock (the main 5cm cancer was at 1oclock) and that one I couldn't even feel (even after they told me 2 weeks ago that there looked to be a "hot spot" there on the MRI) ....cancer is sneaky!

Bad news is nerve damage is getting worse by the day and I have been prescribed an epileptic drug with heaps of side effects to try and combat the now debilitating nerve pain (that feels like I have an open cut & 3rd degree burns all the way down the inside and back of my arm). This will be reviewed in a few weeks to see if it is still sore but as it stands today it is worsening by the day and now I can only sleep with painkillers and unbearable when the pain killers wear off.

Update 2 - 8 Days ago.

Today (after 2 weeks of fertility hormone injections) Nicole will be admitted to "Day Hospital" for Fertility Preservation procedures to be performed, eggs frozen/stored and to also have the implant Zoladex placed under her skin.

Zoladex is a hormone therapy drug that has been shown to help protect the ovaries during chemotherapy & must be taken out (with a new one put in its place) every 28 days for the duration of Chemotherapy. Zoladex works by placing the body into a state of menopause and suppressing oestrogen, needless to say the side effects can be unpleasant. Unfortunately there are no rebates or discounts available for Zoladex it must be purchased by Nicole & then taken into her appointments for the doctors to implant.

Finally, this Friday Nicole will see her Oncology team to find out exactly where and when her Chemotherapy will begin.

Update 3 -

Nicole has had another appointment with her Oncologist & will finally begin Chemotherapy next Friday 17/2 Nicole will be having chemo once every 3 weeks for the first 4 cycles (12 weeks) and then every week for the remaining 12 weeks (totaling 6 months altogether).

Ongoing extreme nerve pain and cording in Nicole's left arm is still an issue but she is working hard on her exercises to hopefully improve this over time.


All in all the surgery was a success. She has a MASSIVE scar through running from her armpit right across to her sternum.
Apparently the first 3 months of Chemo are the hardest on your body. She's been told the 3 months of treatment after the first 3 month round will seem like a walk in the park.
My parents are trying to help as much as possible because there's so many chores to be done with a chemo patient. Sheets must be washed each day.....  her husband can't even sit on the same toilet without sterilising it first because of all the radiation that leaches from her body. It's pretty full on.

I'll try to be more prompt with the updates sorry.
:thanks1:


Dingo

#11
Don't know how I missed this one but donated tonight.  Cancer is a terrible disease and I hope that you sister can get through this with the least amount of pain and discomfort.    

I also put a post on the BOINC@AUSTRALIA Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/7742313626/


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chooka03

Thank you very much Dingo! You're too kind  :thumbsup:
I noticed you shared it on Facebook.. Thank you.

You know....most of the support my sister has received, has been from you kind souls on this forum. It's amazing really considering none of us have ever met.
Words can't express the kindness & generosity that I've experienced here on this forum. It's unbelievable.

:thanks1:

:rocks

chooka03

Another quick update on my sister's treatment  :thumbsup:

Update from Nicole on where she is at with her treatment and how she's doing-
Dose 4/4AC 0/12 taxol done yesterday. Still feeling yuck and sweating it out. Another 3 weeks to recover then I start my weekly dose of taxol, done every week for 12 weeks then onto daily radiation.
Oncologist said I am doing excellently...though he just means handling my chemo. I hope to do a video to share a few important things about my treatment, cancer etc with everyone when I feel up to it as I keep hearing quite a bit of misunderstandings from people and with all the cancers around these days I can't understand why. It will be another week before I feel even remotely up to anything I'm sure, but my new free relaxation sounds app is helping heaps to get some sleep...I love the sounds on it from rain to peepers and a cat purring, waterfalls.

I also want to once again thank those who have helped me with the gofundme page my sister did for me ❤️ it has meant I have been able to have acupuncture every 3 weeks for the chemo side affects at the Bloomhill cancer centre (it really does work !!) and lymphodema treatment also once every month to reduce the lymph build up in my now lymph node compromised left arm. It really does mean a lot to me to be able to have those treatments and it wouldn't be possible without all those fantastic people who have helped and I deeply thank you! You have no idea how thankful I am daily to you for your sacrifice/help that means the world to me . Also last but not least, thank goodness for my family and husband.



Neil G

Hey chooka .... didn't see the earlier thread about Nicole, but made a donation today and hope it helps.  Had the big 'C" 14 years ago and still around.  Glad I boinc for cancer as 2 of my projects.  She sounds like a fighter.  Good on Her and her family!!     :BigGrin