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The Cancer Chat Thread- share and care :)

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Original post by singerpianist
Thank you.

Sorry to hear about your friend and her relatives.

And your granddad too. Has he seen a speech therapist? Might sound funny, but I'm a student speech therapist - we deal with eating/feeding too. Not sure specifically what the problem with his eating is, though you've mentioned teeth, but an SLT may have options for certain things.


Thanks. :smile: His issues are mostly swallowing. He has damage to his throat and mouth due to the cancer and the treatment they use. This has meant he's had to eat pureed foods, soups, etc.

Not sure if he's under SLT.
Original post by OU Student
Thanks. :smile: His issues are mostly swallowing. He has damage to his throat and mouth due to the cancer and the treatment they use. This has meant he's had to eat pureed foods, soups, etc.

Not sure if he's under SLT.


If his issues are swallowing, then I would've thought he should be seeing an SLT. Check if he is - if not, definitely 100% refer him. One specialised area of speech therapy is with swallowing problems. Good luck :smile:
Reply 82
Original post by singerpianist
Sorry to hear about your skin cancers. Do you mind if I ask, what type of skin cancer they were, like what they looked like etc?

I've just been to the GP about a suspicious mark/thing on my leg, and have been referred to the dermatologist for a biopsy. Dr says it could be skin cancer. He said its rare though in someone my age (21) and I've not been frying in the sun or on the sunbed. Was that the same for you? I'm so scared, sorry for the questions.


Basil cell carcinoma, I did use sunbeds so I didn't help myself. A mole on my stomach was dark brown then turned red and went quite thick and the texture became leathery if I make any sense. It didn't hurt and it didn't change shape.

I mentioned it to the doctor and she said she wasn't concerned and that she thought it was just inflamed because clothes could have been rubbing on it. I thought nothing of it until I caught it with my nail and it bled for literally hours and didn't heel within the next few days. I went to see another doctor and he took one look at it and told me he was referring me for a biopsy. I had that done then the results came back, bad news.

I went back for another appointment and it had spread through the scar and started growing again! They then took that out and left me with a long unattractive scar which turned into a keloid one which doesn't help. The doctor said I'm to avoid the sun and wear factor 50 even if I'm not directly lying in it. I get check ups every 3 months and fortunately I didn't have to have any treatment like chemo or anything because they caught it relatively early.
Reply 83
£415 raised for Penny Brohn Cancer care so far! :woo: 17k hike on Wednesday!

Mum goes back into radiotherapy tomorrow, so I'm going back home for the first few sessions with her before my next exam on friday :smile:
Original post by AmorEmPaz
£415 raised for Penny Brohn Cancer care so far! :woo: 17k hike on Wednesday!

Mum goes back into radiotherapy tomorrow, so I'm going back home for the first few sessions with her before my next exam on friday :smile:


That's amazing to hear how much you've raised! :biggrin: I've just realised that my dad goes in for his operation today, completely forgot as I've been preparing for my exams which have now begun, should be interesting


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Original post by MathsNerd1
That's amazing to hear how much you've raised! :biggrin: I've just realised that my dad goes in for his operation today, completely forgot as I've been preparing for my exams which have now begun, should be interesting


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Hope all goes well. :smile:
Original post by OU Student
Hope all goes well. :smile:


Thanks, I'll know later on how it's went with my Dad and so far my exams have gone pretty well :smile:


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Original post by née Adler
Sorry I saw that you were a girl and when you said 80% I just assumed BRCA 1 or 2 because I think they are much more common than MSH2, or at least they get more publicity because breast cancer is such a high profile disease.
My mum is fine, she never had cancer, all the surgery was prophylactic. I suppose thats an advantage I have over you. While I can't do anything about my risk of pancreatic, skin, eye cancer etc I do have the opportunity to have other surgeries which may save my life (but then again there is always the risk of dying on the table or complications etc).
Thank you so much for talking to me about this, it's strange how much better I actually feel about it just being able to explain it so someone in a very similar position. I think I've also decided that I'm ready to tell a couple of my close friends - so thankyou again! :smile:


I agree; talking about can be really helpful and I'm pleased that we've found it mutually beneficial!

I was just wondering if you've heard the news about Angelina Jolie's BRCA1 faulty gene? I obviously wouldn't wish cancer on anyone and feel sorry that she's had to go through such major surgery, but the fact that it is affecting such a major "celebrity" will hopefully help reduce the taboo around cancer and mastectomies whilst raising awareness about genetic cancers. Has it been mentioned in your family at all?
Reply 88
Original post by MathsNerd1
That's amazing to hear how much you've raised! :biggrin: I've just realised that my dad goes in for his operation today, completely forgot as I've been preparing for my exams which have now begun, should be interesting


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£550! wahoo! I hope your dads operation went ok! x
Original post by AmorEmPaz
£550! wahoo! I hope your dads operation went ok! x


That's amazing!! :biggrin: And yeah it went fine and he is now recovering in his home and I'll most likely be able to see him after all my exams are over which is good, thanks for asking :smile:


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Reply 90
Original post by MathsNerd1
That's amazing!! :biggrin: And yeah it went fine and he is now recovering in his home and I'll most likely be able to see him after all my exams are over which is good, thanks for asking :smile:


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That's great news!! Good luck for your exams! :woo:
Original post by AmorEmPaz
That's great news!! Good luck for your exams! :woo:


Thanks! I've only got 10 exams left now :biggrin:


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Reply 92
Hey guys :hi:
Bad news today. I mean it's not a complete shock, but I was in the doctors office when my Grandad was told so it really was a shock.

He's got a tumour on his pancreas. That's now affecting his liver. In the past couple of weeks he's gone really, really yellow and jaundice is affecting him badly. He had a scan yesterday on his liver and they found no blockages. That means the jaundice is a result of his tumour. If it was a blockage, they could have drained it and hopefully helping the jaundice. Instead, there's just nothing they can do for him. The amount of jaundice that he had doubled within a week, and the doctor said that if it keeps going at that rate then it's really not good. He's now discharged from hospital because they can't really do anything and he isn't in pain of anything.

He has an appointment on Wednesday with an oncologist to see if they can do anything. As of now, it just seems like he's got weeks - depending on the jaundice.

I think it was more difficult for me because I could see it in the doctor as he was talking that he knew there was nothing that they could do. He was really nice about it, but you could tell that he was basically saying 'this is it now'. Argh :frown:

Sorry, bit of a downer!
Reply 94
My pops had cancer of the gallbladder I believe, may have been the deliver, not sure they kept me in the dark about it. What was scary is that his older brother died from cancer less than a decade before, and his mum also I believe. Though I vaguely remember doctors saying it wasn't a result of genetic predisposition.

Anyway, it wasn't pleasant, his treatment was mainly palliative. They gave him a couple weeks to live when he was officially diagnosed, but he managed a few months. His father died like a month before him. Seeing him suffer the juandice and acites wasn't pleasant. And the drugs definitely confused him, he wasn't himself after a while.

I'm learning to be less bitter/angry about unfortunate events that have happened in my life, and appreciate everyday as a blessing. I'm a survivor, we all are. Keep the faith in a better day.

Peace.
Reply 95
Original post by katehlouise
Bad news today. I mean it's not a complete shock, but I was in the doctors office when my Grandad was told so it really was a shock.

He's got a tumour on his pancreas. That's now affecting his liver. In the past couple of weeks he's gone really, really yellow and jaundice is affecting him badly. He had a scan yesterday on his liver and they found no blockages. That means the jaundice is a result of his tumour. If it was a blockage, they could have drained it and hopefully helping the jaundice. Instead, there's just nothing they can do for him. The amount of jaundice that he had doubled within a week, and the doctor said that if it keeps going at that rate then it's really not good. He's now discharged from hospital because they can't really do anything and he isn't in pain of anything.

He has an appointment on Wednesday with an oncologist to see if they can do anything. As of now, it just seems like he's got weeks - depending on the jaundice.

I think it was more difficult for me because I could see it in the doctor as he was talking that he knew there was nothing that they could do. He was really nice about it, but you could tell that he was basically saying 'this is it now'. Argh :frown:

Sorry, bit of a downer!


I'm really sorry to hear that :frown:
I don't really know what to say...
Make sure your family sticks together as much as possible! Don't think "this might happen...", think "this might not happen..."... :smile: That's how I get through it with her mum. They tell her that the side effects will be horrible, when really, a lot of the time she's fine :smile:
Original post by AmorEmPaz
I'm really sorry to hear that :frown:
I don't really know what to say...
Make sure your family sticks together as much as possible! Don't think "this might happen...", think "this might not happen..."... :smile: That's how I get through it with her mum. They tell her that the side effects will be horrible, when really, a lot of the time she's fine :smile:


Yeah I mean one of the worst things is that he actually looks okay. Yes he's lost weight and is yellow, but besides that he's jokey and he doesn't look tired or worn out or anything.
Original post by Yawn11
And the drugs definitely confused him, he wasn't himself after a while.


This happened to my Granddad. He was getting so bad that Grandma (his wife) was considering putting him into a home for a while so she could look after herself.
Reply 98
Hello everyone :smile:, I had cancer and was away from school 2/3 of my 11th year. I'm an international planning to apply to Oxford and LSE, what's the best way to mention this in my application? Through and extra sort of reference from my study counselor/headmaster or my doctor?

My grades will be fine but I'm graduating half a year later because I couldn't fit my courseload.
Original post by Daltohn
Hello everyone :smile:, I had cancer and was away from school 2/3 of my 11th year. I'm an international planning to apply to Oxford and LSE, what's the best way to mention this in my application? Through and extra sort of reference from my study counselor/headmaster or my doctor?

My grades will be fine but I'm graduating half a year later because I couldn't fit my courseload.


I was told to not mention disabilities and leave them to the referee / reference.

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