11 Cancer Blogs from New Zealand

Cancer Type: Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Acute Monocytic Leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Symptoms: Enlarged glands all over my body; insane tiredness, I basically got home and all I did was sleep; swelling all over my body, but especially around my face and my eyesight got really bad, to the point where I actually had to get glasses. We thought it was Glandular Fever (Mono). I wish.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: Hickman Line 1-18th May 2012 Hickman Line 2-21 august 2012

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: I had Etoposide, Daunorubicin and Cytarabine. I had it over 4 rounds, each round about 3 weeks apart. My hair fell out, I felt so sick and so so tired. With the first round, my legs got insanelt itchy because of the Etoposide. My tastes changed-I lost my sweet tooth! Nad things didn't have much taste. There is still a…more

Cancer Type: Anal Cancer

Bio: This is my third time fighting this nasty beast - but I am no quitter and I won't go out without a smile on my face and laughter on my lips. I am a wife and mother first and foremost, my husband is amazing and I wouldn't be where I am without him. With three amazing sons…more

Cancer Type: Sarcoma

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Ewings Sarcoma of the Soft Tissue

Sarcoma Symptoms: Small lump found in my abdomen - otherwise, happy and healthy

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: Surgery in 2008 to remove tumor and removal of my spleen and some pancreas, surgery in 2011 to remove tumor, awaiting decision by surgeon to see if surgery is an option this time Feb 2015.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Chemotherapy started in September 2011 and continued every three weeks either daily for a week, or a single day dose of VAC - crappy crappy side effects, where do I start......numb finger tips, constipation, hair loss, loss of taste buds, thrush in mouth, lack of concentration, sooooo exhausted after each dose and weeks later. It is very true that…more

Bio: I'm a crazy busy 25 year old with a fantastic job, i'm finishing my double degree of social work and commerce, i have a wonderful husband, an amazing group of girls from church that i love to support, and my wonderful little sister, plus other family and friends. I gym it, be lazy and watch tv or stalk pinterest. God is…more

Cancer Type: Hodgkins Lymphoma

Hodgkins Lymphoma Symptoms: Small and large lump on the side of my neck. Fatigue, nerve pain and headaches.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: Biopsy of smaller lump in my neck.

Bio: Originally diagnosed Aug 2008 with inflammatory breast cancer with axillary and supraclavicular (above collar bone) node involvement. Had chemo radiation then mastectomy - in remission April 2009. Recurrence to internal mammory nodes (behind ribcage) Oct 2009 more chemo - remisssion May 2010 Liver metastases March 2011 To Debbie and everyone my bio picture is a picture of me snorkelling at sunset in…more

Cancer Type: Breast Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Inflammatory carcinoma of the right breast with axillary and supraclavicular fossa nodal metastases (infiltrating ductal carcinoma grade 3, ER-, PR-, HER2+++).

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Taxotere Aug 2008 - Dec 2008 (3-weekly) Herceptin Aug 2008 - Aug 2009 and Dec 2009 - March 2011 (3-weekly) Vinorelbine Dec 2009- May 2010 (for regional recurrence to Internal Mammary nodes - not involved the first time round) Capecitabine (Xeloda)April 2011 - October 2011(for Liver metastasis) Adriamycin - December 2011 - February 2012 Taxol March 2012

Bio: My name is Sarah, I was 26yrs when I was diagnosed with cancer ( Sarcoma, Dec 2008 ) and the life I was living suddenly became a distant memory! I was lucky enough to marry the most amazing, loyal, generous and funny man back in Nov 2003. In Nov 2004 our first son was born - then 18 months later…more

Cancer Type: Sarcoma

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Undifferentiated soft tissue Sarcoma

Sarcoma Symptoms: I did not have any outward signs of a lump or rash etc. I initially noticed a slight ache is my left leg which did not go away. Then, as weeks passed, it was steadily becoming for obvious and the pain, though always an dull ache, at times became very sharp. No amount of Panadol or Anti Flams, even Coedine…more

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: Unable to have any surgery due to where tumor is locates and the size - not able to get clear margins unless they chopped off my whole left leg and up above my hip, which they did not do. I did have minor surgery in Jan 2009 to insert Port a Cath, nag again in Dec 2009 to remove the…more

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Chemotherapy started on 20th Dec 2008 and I chose to stop in June 2009 (I was meant to finish in Nov 2009, but when I found out my tumor was no longer shrinking, I physically could not deal with the side effects anymore). I lost my hair, which was by far not the worst side effect! Mouth sores, lost…more

Bio: BTW the picture is 4 days after NED - at my sons birth. Yah. Because my (soon to be) wife was at my side for the 5 months of chemo while our son was in utero, I'm kinda expecting his first words to be my name, date of birth and my hospital number.

Cancer Type: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Burkitts Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Symptoms: Tumor. Impaired movement, walking. Really sore abdomen.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Magrath protocol - R-CODOX-M and R-IVAC. Side effects - usual stuff + peripheral neuropathy, back pain (site of intrathecal/tumors?)

Bio: stage T1b no mo synovial sarcoma of the left neck treated with surgical excision and neck dissection followed by adjuvant radiation to a dose of 63Gy/30 fractions treatment completed 24/06/2014 a CT scan was done on the 3/7/2015 i got the results on the 7/7/2015 to find a shower of nodules in both lungs. i go and see the medical…more

Cancer Type: Lung Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: synovial sarcoma

Lung Cancer Symptoms: fatigue short breth

Cancer Type: Breast Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: Lobular carcinoma, estrogen and progesterone positive

Breast Cancer Symptoms: No symptoms at all. Went to GP for another reason and asked her to check my breasts. She found nothing but told me that it feels I have dense breast tissue but did not recommend mammogram. I requested referral. Mammogram found nothing but ultrasound found a small growth in my left breast which after biopsy turned out to be stage…more

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: Masectomy and lymphnodes removal was performed on 26/10/2018. Needed another surgery day after as I developed a blood clot under the skin near incision. Recovered from surgery pretty fast, had a bit of seroma which needed to be extracted with a needle and needed physiotherapy for the left arm and lymphatic massage.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Started AC CHEMO on 30/11/2018. Was petrified of chemo! Main issue for me with AC is awful reflux, fatigue and just feeling like I have the worst hangover ever ( this only lasts about 3 days, from day 5-8).