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Post by bet on Aug 31, 2016 9:12:55 GMT
Best wishes for Thursday Tiffany, I know your around the same age as myself so my thoughts are with you.
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Post by californian on Aug 31, 2016 10:31:21 GMT
Well said Purvis, and Tiffany, I hope you consider all of us your friends, just writing and sharing and knowing that we care it will help a little. God speed, get well quickly. Much love.
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Post by chech on Aug 31, 2016 11:11:16 GMT
I had that skin cancer removed as well last year. It's a bit of a scare at 49 and that it was a sun related cancer in a place where the sun doesn't shine. (Likely PTSD (stress) related). My oldest brother had leukemia in 1979 and was given six months when the Princess Margaret Hospital said they had an experimental treatment they wanted to try. They had tried it 6 times before and only had short term survival rates. It was a bone marrow transplant. With six brothers and sisters, he had no problem finding not one, but two matches....the second oldest brother and me. They went up and had the transplant done in January 1980. It's 2016. He's now 57. My brother is the oldest surviving bone marrow recipient in the world. They were able to link his leukemia to the urea insulation he had installed in his van/camper. When it was hot, his friends said you couldn't breath inside of it. His longer exposure lead to the leukemia. Urea was banned a year later. Oddly enough, the treatment also gave him breast cancer which was treated a few years later and left a couple of unusual scars for a male. One day he was at the pool combing his hair in front of the long bathroom mirror and this guy next to him was giving him strange looks. My brother gave him a side glance and said "shark bite."
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Post by tiffany on Aug 31, 2016 11:31:41 GMT
Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and words. I am staying positive and focusing on treatment, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get rid of this cancer! I have some of the best hospitals in this city, and my radiation oncologist is at Princess Margaret, which is all about aggressive treatment. My Surgeon and oncologist are at different hospitals, but they are all connected via the University Health Network, so they are able to work together. I’m looking forward to meeting my surgeon tomorrow to find out if I can have surgery again. I then meet my oncologist next week to discuss what I have to do after surgery, or, what my treatment options are if I can’t have surgery. I know they are planning on extra radiation, but I’m not sure if they are planning anything else. I also have to continue to take a drug via IV every three weeks until next May. Apparently this is the most important drug for me, although I’ve been taking it since March and I still have cancer, so who knows if it’s going to work for me.
I am very disappointed that I had to cancel my Eastern Europe trip, but what can you do. Let’s hope I will be cancer free in a year from now, so I can go on this trip then.
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Post by mary on Aug 31, 2016 12:35:37 GMT
I leave Saturday for my "Scenic Parks Explorer" tour with TT, at least I hope so.
It's a bit soggy here where I live on Florida's gulf coast and with a tropical depression stationary in the Gulf of Mexico - supposed to be a tropical storm later today and then maybe a category 1 hurricane, my trip feels like it is in "the cone of uncertainty". I fly to Dallas-Fort Worth - the usual route is over the Gulf - and then on to Las Vegas.
I always build in a day for just this, our Welcome reception is not until Sunday at 6 p. m., but if all goes as planned I will be in Las Vegas on Saturday. I have tickets to a show on Saturday night - Donny & Marie Osmond at the Flamingo. I really wanted tickets to see Celine Dion, but she's not there Labor Day Weekend (U.S. holiday weekend). I bought a Hop-on Hop-Off pass from Viator for Sunday. It stops in front of our tour hotel (Tropicana), so that sold me on the way to see the most of the city for the short time I am there. If anyone has a "must see" in Las Vegas, I'm open to suggestions.
Mary
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Post by purvis on Aug 31, 2016 15:52:36 GMT
Mary: Hoping the weather does not cause you any trouble and that your flt. goes as planned. Have a wonderful trip and fill us in on it when you return. BON VOYAGE. Purvis
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Post by mary on Aug 31, 2016 23:33:05 GMT
Thank you, Purvis. It's now upgraded to a Tropical Storm (named Hermine). I watched the local weather tonight and it looks like it will be out of Florida on Saturday, if it doesn't stall again. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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Post by Owen on Sept 2, 2016 3:01:16 GMT
Tassiedevil and Tiffany,
Best wishes for a speedy and successful recovery.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 2, 2016 17:21:21 GMT
I met with my surgeon yesterday, and he advised that he can perform surgery. I just have to meet with the plastic surgeon who will be assisting him, as they will probably need to do a skin graft (take skin from another part of my body in order to close me up). I have an appointment with the plastic surgeon next Friday, and I expect a surgery date within a week of meeting with him. The good news is, my surgeon thinks this growth is left over from the first growth, and that it was missed during the original surgery. He also thinks it’s localized, which means it hasn’t spread. He even seemed a little surprised when I told him that my medical team was sending me for test to re-stage me to see if the cancer has spread. That being said, I’m glad I’m going for all of these tests, because if my surgeon is wrong, and it’s not localized, I’d rather know when I can do something about it. I went for an abdomen ultrasound and breast MRI yesterday, and I’m still waiting for appointments for a CT Scan and a Bone Density Scan. I hope to get these appointments shortly. I am then meeting with my oncologist next Thursday to discuss my test results and where I go from here. Things are moving along quickly, although not quickly enough for me! I just want this surgery done and over with!
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Post by chech on Sept 2, 2016 17:41:24 GMT
Awesome! It is going quickly. You'll be done with it all before you know it!
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Post by mary on Sept 2, 2016 17:43:18 GMT
Tiffany, that sounds like some good news that surgery can be performed and the additional cells are likely localized.
Thinking of you and hoping your healing goes quickly.
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Post by mary on Sept 2, 2016 18:00:36 GMT
Hurricane Hermine (Cat 1) made landfall in Florida in the panhandle. I live 2 1/2 hours south of Tampa on the Gulf Coast and our area was on the fringes. Some wind and rain - it's pouring now - but everything is open and running here.
I just checked in for my flight tomorrow which leaves early in the am for Dallas. It states it is on time, but I'm going to continue to check. I've had a flight to Texas cancelled in the past due to bad weather, because there was no plane available as the flight due the evening before could not get in. They ended up bussing all the passengers to Tampa.
My bag is packed, just pulling together some everyday necessities (toothpaste, etc.)
Mary
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Post by mary on Sept 3, 2016 0:01:27 GMT
My flight is still a "go" in the morning.
I received an email this afternoon from my Tour Director welcoming me on this tour. He said there would be a welcome letter waiting for me when I checked in and he would be in the lobby Sunday from 3-5 p.m. to answer questions and to give us a breakfast voucher and luggage tags for the next day. This is the first time I've received an email from a tour director before the tour. He also attached the list of hotels which I had previously received with my document.So far he sounds organized and I like that.
I'm off...early morning tomorrow...hopefully, the weather cooperates...it still is a bit crummy here.
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Post by plane2catch on Sept 3, 2016 0:18:41 GMT
Mary, you are going to love TT's Scenic Park Explorer tour. I did it in August 2012 and saw some beautiful landscape. The only thing I wish is that TT hadn't changed it's hotel in Moab Utah. I forget the name of the hotel we stayed at but it was located in a very scenic area close to the river. I know Insight also was staying at the same hotel.
At any rate, hope you have a beautiful trip. The only I wish I would have been able to see on the trip which wasn't included was a stop at four corners. Think it would be neat to place a foot and hand in four different States at the same time.
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Post by purvis on Sept 3, 2016 2:12:21 GMT
Tiffany: Things seem to be falling into place for you. Hope this next week brings the answers from your medical team that you're hoping for. Still have you in my prayers as I'm sure many others on this site do. Keep us informed on your situation . Purvis
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Post by purvis on Sept 3, 2016 2:19:09 GMT
Thank God we here in Canada have universal medical coverage and that The Princess Margaret Hospital In Toronto is one of the world's leading cancer centers in the world. I spent a day at the Princess Margaret years ago and was given the best care (CT scan) one could want. It turned out I didn't have brain cancer but it took a couple of wks. to get the results which in itself was scary. Purvis
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Post by plane2catch on Sept 3, 2016 9:02:00 GMT
Cancer is such a terrible disease. I just lost a close friend to the disease. She was only 58. So sad. I wish they would find a cure in my lifetime. My father's mother died of cervical cancer at 63, my mother's mother died of cancer at 76 but my mother made it to 87 and was cancer free when she died. Another terrible disease is diabetes. They call diabetes the silent killer as it affects so many organs. Guess I am just blue today as I learned that my niece's mother-in-law passed away this weak due to cancer. She was only 58. So sad.
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Post by kiwigrandma on Sept 5, 2016 4:40:35 GMT
I met with my surgeon yesterday, and he advised that he can perform surgery. I just have to meet with the plastic surgeon who will be assisting him, as they will probably need to do a skin graft (take skin from another part of my body in order to close me up). I have an appointment with the plastic surgeon next Friday, and I expect a surgery date within a week of meeting with him. The good news is, my surgeon thinks this growth is left over from the first growth, and that it was missed during the original surgery. He also thinks it’s localized, which means it hasn’t spread. He even seemed a little surprised when I told him that my medical team was sending me for test to re-stage me to see if the cancer has spread. That being said, I’m glad I’m going for all of these tests, because if my surgeon is wrong, and it’s not localized, I’d rather know when I can do something about it. I went for an abdomen ultrasound and breast MRI yesterday, and I’m still waiting for appointments for a CT Scan and a Bone Density Scan. I hope to get these appointments shortly. I am then meeting with my oncologist next Thursday to discuss my test results and where I go from here. Things are moving along quickly, although not quickly enough for me! I just want this surgery done and over with! Haven't been on board for a while and just seen some people having to cancel trips because of medical issues. Just wanted to say thinking of you and wishing for good outcomes.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 6, 2016 11:38:32 GMT
Cancer is such a terrible disease. I just lost a close friend to the disease. She was only 58. So sad. I wish they would find a cure in my lifetime. My father's mother died of cervical cancer at 63, my mother's mother died of cancer at 76 but my mother made it to 87 and was cancer free when she died. Another terrible disease is diabetes. They call diabetes the silent killer as it affects so many organs. Guess I am just blue today as I learned that my niece's mother-in-law passed away this weak due to cancer. She was only 58. So sad. I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your friend at 58. Yes, she was far too young to die. Too many people are dying far too young because of this disease and it’s very frustrating!
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Post by Oz-T on Sept 7, 2016 4:01:37 GMT
Just catching up with information here....
Sorry to hear this news, Tassie and Tiffany. I join your other friends here on this forum in wishing you the best for your respective recoveries.
A mention was made about our friend, Tony. I think it might be appropriate to clarify a bit regarding Tony, just to reassure that the circumstances were quite different. As members here would be aware, Tony described how he had multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow - or more precisely, of plasma cells. It's a serious disease with no confirmed cause or cure. However, it is treatable, usually with steroids or chemo. Survival rates can be up to five years, although in Tony's last email to me, his doctors anticipated this to be 10-15 years due to the early diagnosis and treatment.
Tony spent much of recent years travelling and he stepped up the pace a bit in 2015/6. He was planning a trip to Madagascar, and we would have been now reading his travel tale had this decision not produced a tragic outcome. As told to me by a family member, Tony was warned by a doctor of the risk of yellow fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. So he had his vaccination. 90% of yellow fever infections occur in Africa and the fatality rate is 15% so it sounded like an appropriate precaution. Unfortunately, a vaccination that would be sensible and safe for the rest of us was probably not what should be administered to a person with a compromised immune system due to multiple myeloma. Tony went to bed feeling unwell, and never woke up again.
I wouldn't normally discuss such things here but it would appear that Tony left us so suddenly due to a medical mistake, not a cancer that many may have thought acted too swiftly. He should have been living with the disease for many years and enjoying his travels. I hope this puts into context the circumstances of earlier this year. OzT
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Post by chech on Sept 7, 2016 11:03:47 GMT
Oh wow! I'm blown away by that! Thanks for clearing that up. I had the yellow fever with no issue but as you say...the compromised immune system has to be taken into account with so many things.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 7, 2016 11:10:09 GMT
Thanks for clarifying Oz. It’s so sad that Tony died young due to a medical mistake. He should have had many years of travelling left.
I am meeting with my oncology team tomorrow to get some of my test results (still waiting for a CT Scan and Bone Density Scan), and I am hoping to get some good news (that it hasn’t spread!). I am then meeting with the plastic surgeon on Friday morning, and hope to have a surgery date by the beginning of next week. I just want to get the ball rolling! Until then, I’m trying to stay positive, and I’m even hoping to be able to go to Northern Spain in the fall of 2017 as planned. Of course, I won’t be booking anything until I get the all clear. I should be getting my refund from Trafalgar any day now, and I have started a claim with my insurance company to see if they will pay me the difference. I am busy gathering the documents needed to make a claim through them. I’m trying to get all of this done before I have my surgery, because I don’t have access to a scanner/printer at home. So much to do in such a short period of time!
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Post by plane2catch on Sept 7, 2016 13:02:25 GMT
Very ironic that Tony's desire to due the one thing he loved, i.e., travel, in around about way caused his death. I wonder if his family would be able to sue the physician that administered the vaccination or perhaps there wasn't enough science to prove that it was the defining culprit.
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Post by californian on Sept 9, 2016 15:01:42 GMT
RIP Tony, very sad, I imagine him reunited with his wife and growing a fabulous rose garden! Very unfortunate, hope his daughter and family have found resignation thinking that until the very last moment he was planning on doing the things he liked most. In a way, is how we all go hope to go.
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Post by californian on Sept 9, 2016 15:06:18 GMT
My daughter and I are leaving for Portugal in three days, we received a very nice email from the TD; things have changed a lot the last twenty years, haven't they? instant communication, I like that. Stay healthy Tassie and Tiffany, best wishes for your prompt recuperation .
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Post by plane2catch on Sept 9, 2016 16:10:11 GMT
Californian, wishing you and your daughter a fun and safe trip!!
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2016 17:06:15 GMT
Tassiedevil and Tiffinay, so sorry to read about your health problems and cancellation of trips. I hope your treatments will make you healthy again and that you can resume your travels in the coming years.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2016 17:07:15 GMT
Californian enjoy your tour of Portugal with your daughter.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 9, 2016 19:01:43 GMT
I met with my oncologist yesterday, and received some good news. Based on the tests that I have done to date, it does not look like the cancer has spread, and it appears to be localized. I still have to await the results of the bone scan, which I did yesterday, and the CT scan, which is scheduled for next week, but, based on the current results, we think these results will come back negative. The breast MRI did show three small masses under my scar tissue, however, the lymph nodes are all clear. I discussed future treatment with my oncologist, and she advised that she wants me to wait three weeks before having surgery, in order to give my skin time to heal from radiation. She's worried that doing the surgery next week, while the skin is still raw, may cause infection. She advised that the cancer will not spread in the next three weeks, so I don't need to rush into surgery, and she spoke to my surgeon who agreed to book my surgery for around the first week of October. I also met with the plastic surgeon this morning, and he is able to do the skin graft, so we are looking at a surgery date of October 5. My oncologist also advised that she wants me to start taking a new medication after surgery via IV every three weeks until the end of next May. Right now I am taking herceptin, which is a hormone drug, every three weeks, however, she wants me to take a new drug that combines chemo and herceptin, as herceptin works better with chemo. This drug is not yet covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan), so she needs to contact Cancer Care Ontario to see if they will fund it, which she is sure they will. Even though this drug contains chemo, I will not have the side-effects I had during chemo, nor will I lose my hair again. So, while I still have to have surgery again, the overall news is good, and this just appears to be a setback. Let's hope the surgeon is able to get all of the cancer this time, and that the new drug works. While I’m sad that I had to cancel my Eastern Europe Trip, things are still looking good for Northern Spain in the fall of 2017, and hopefully I can go to Eastern Europe in 2018.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 9, 2016 19:02:49 GMT
My daughter and I are leaving for Portugal in three days, we received a very nice email from the TD; things have changed a lot the last twenty years, haven't they? instant communication, I like that. Stay healthy Tassie and Tiffany, best wishes for your prompt recuperation . I got an email from my tour director before leaving for this tour as well. Is your tour director Miguel? If so, he’s great. You and your daughter will have a great time! Enjoy Portugal!
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