Adenocarcinoma

R1

Hawke, Alan A. 2000. Prostate cancer, me and the Internet [online], [cited 10 June 2006]. Available from:
        <http://www.phoenix5.org/stories/firstpers/pershawke.html>.


Alan (52): adenocarcinoma and prostate hyperplasia in 1998

Alan remembers his doctor telling him he was too young for the PSA test despite having a lump in his prostate. He is thankful for insisting on the test. Alan utilised the Internet to arm himself with knowledge about prostate cancer. He found value in the discussions with others about their experiences, information from urology surgeons with specialist websites, keeping in touch with people in various email groups around the world, receiving case studies by email each day and information services specializing in prostate cancer and alternative medical advice. Alan shares information about prostate cancer including definitions and descriptions of procedures and treatments. He encourages others to take control of their treatments by learning as much information as possible. Alan is an exploration geologist and project manager based in Indonesia for six weeks and living in New Zealand for two weeks.


Treated by radical prostatectomy, combined hormone blockade, Zoladex: implant every three months (also known as: Goserelin); Flutimide: 250mg tablet every 8 hours (also known as: Eulixen); Proscar: 5mg tablet daily (also known as: Finasteride); Tamoxifen: 10mg tablet daily (also known as: Nolvadex). He complemented his treatments by improving diet, exercising (joined local fitness club), enjoying family and friends, herbal, mineral and vitamin supplements.


Description: 34-paragraphs/ colour photographic portrait/ REPEATED ENTRY see also prostate cancer.


R2


Martin, Lesley. 2002. To die like a dog: A mother, a daughter, a promise kept. Wanganui: M-Press.


Joy (adult): adenocarcinoma of the rectum and metastatic tumours on liver. Joy eventually died.


This is Lesley Martin's account of the controversial death of her mother Joy. Lesley returned to New Zealand to care for her mother until her death and then her further investigation of committing euthanasia.   This account is written as a script utilising conversations between mother and daughter and other characters that were involved during this time. It is from Joy's diagnosis to Lesley attempting to end her mother's life by Morphine and suffocation. It is a story of a mother daughter relationship, describing their time together as being inseparable, playing jokes with each other, hurtling insults at each other and being able to say anything to each other. Lesley remembers her mother's habits of keeping everything just in case it might come in handy, describing her as a brave woman who never complained and the feeling that as her mother was dying she was dying. The story illustrates how exhausting it was for Lesley to care for her mother and the devastation at seeing her mother suffer. Promising to her mother, she would not let her die like a dog Lesley shares the moment she decided to euthanise.  After experiencing this intense event Lesley endured a murder investigation, enforced silence and began cutting herself. The investigation was eventually withdrawn, as there was no conclusive evidence that Lesley's morphine had killed her mother or evidence that Joy was suffocated.


Joy was treated by anterior resection of the rectum and given a ileostomy to rest her colon. She suffered a raging sepsis, continual vomiting, vomited and urinated blood and had a rotting bowel filling her stomach with pus, which Lesley regularly irrigated.


Description: 240 pages/ ill/ 21 cm/ 047308869X/ REPEATED ENTRY see also rectum cancer.



Adenosquamous carcinoma

                                                                                                                                
R3


Alison. 2001. My story [online], [cited 10 June 2006]. Available from: <http://www.eyesontheprize.org/stories/alison.html>.

Alison (36): adeno-squamous carcinoma of the cervix (stage 1b) in 2000.

Alison has lived and worked, as a doctor, in New Zealand for ten years.  She remembers her embarrassment being checked by a colleague and the stress while treating her patients on the day she was diagnosed with cancer.  She reports, after receiving treatments in a private hospital, that the private nursing staff seemed inexperienced, often unaware what surgery she had, weaning her off painkillers too soon, providing no close observation and pressurising her to vacate the bed. Alison brings to attention that cervical cancers are not always preventable (as in the deep-seated adeno-squamous carcinoma). Her experience has increased her understanding of what patients go through, motivated her to revisit her birth place (United Kingdom), sell her practice and spend more time with her children.

Alison was treated by radical hysterectomy with epidural, external and internal radiotherapy (internal rod put inserted for 22 hours), hormone replacement therapy, and chemotherapy: Cisplatin (also known as: Platinol and CDDP) and five weeks bed rest. The cone biopsy caused severe bleeding for which Alison needed sedation, a catheter, further stitches and a vaginal pack (described as very uncomfortable).  Post treatment effects were: shoulder tip pain, weakened bladder, initial constipation, nauseousness, weakness, limited appetite, diarrhoea (towards end of radiotherapy), cystitis, pain in the vulva and low blood count (did not complete chemotherapy). She admits the treatments were awful but reassures others they are over very quickly.

Description: 16-paragraphs/ REPEATED ENTRY see also cervical cancer.



Basal cell carcinoma

                                                                                                                                
R4

Malcolm, Jill. 2006. Saving face. Third Age New Zealand, January/February, 44 - 45.


Jill (adult): basal cell cancer on the nose.

Using humour when remembering the removal of the basal cell carcinoma Jill narrates her concern over how she would look after surgery. Eventually requiring a pressure bandage for 24 hours after a plaster did not stop the bleeding Jill believes the larger bandage got her more sympathy and cups of tea from her husband which a plaster did not achieve.
Was treated by MOH  (micrographically oriented histographic) surgery and skin graft. The scar is visible but can be covered with makeup.




Bowel cancer


R5

Mulu, Mere. 2004. I've beaten cancer seven times! New Zealand Woman's Weekly, 15 November, 36.

Gaye (44): bowel cancer 1999, metastatic tumours in neck airway, brain, lymphatic and lung cancer over the following years.

Gaye reflects on beating cancer seven times in five years. Gaye recounts the several times she has been told nothing else can be done for her and proving the medical profession wrong. Reporting how cancer has affected her and husbands financial situation, losing their business and their home. She credits her survival to doing everything possible to give herself a chance, including alternative medicine. She is thankful for the support from her husband who was there throughout, to bathe her and put up with her mood swings.

Treated by surgery and radiation and complemented with herbs. At times she experienced severe pain and wanted to die.


R6

Sickling, Margaret B. 1983. The dragon, George and others. Masterton: Austin & Warby Print. Original edition, Tauranga: M.B. Sickling,         1983.

George (adult): throat cancer in 1962, later metastatic tumours, had a slight stroke in 1978 and was diagnosed with a third primary cancer in the bowel in 1979 and death.

This is Margaret's recollection of her thirty year marriage to George and their life together after he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Margaret's story is interlaced with intellectual and philosophical thoughts interlinked with classical poetry and quotations. She reflects on marrying a Yorkshire man, how George coped with having cancer, how he utilised positive philosophy, their meetings with other cancer patients and George's final hours. Originally given three months to live George lived for a further eighteen years. He died surrounded by family and friends in his home in 1980 and was described as being determined to celebrate his final exit.

He was treated by radiation and complete laryngectomy.

Description: 54 pages/ 22 cm/ REPEATED ENTRY see also throat cancer.


Brain tumour

                                                                                                                                
R7


Course, Sharon. 2004. My squint turned out to be cancer. New Zealand Woman's Weekly, 18 October, 33.

Sally (teenager): brain tumour and metastatic tumours in her lungs, liver and spleen.

Sally wrote this article in support of Barfoot and Thompson's fundraising campaign to buy a new $320,000 state of the art ultrasound machine to help doctors diagnose and monitor cancer patients. After developing a squint in her eye, causing double vision, Sally was misdiagnosed three times. Only after a brain scan was she diagnosis. Still attending school she reports that her friends treat her the same and she questions how she could have cancer when she felt so well. The tumours appeared to have stopped growing and she is waiting for the specialists to decide a further treatment plan.

Sally was treated by four months of chemotherapy. For the last four months the tumours have appeared to stop growing.
                                                                                                


R8

Hall, Bill. 1991. Beating cancer: My way. Waihi: B.Hall.

Bill (adult): inoperable brain tumour (grade 2) in 1990.

Bill explains his healing programme that combined conventional, complementary and alternative therapies. He also includes quotes from Ian Gawler and a Listener article about his journey to India (co-written by Graeme Dingle). In India Bill was treated by Dr Yeshi Dhonden (the Dalai Lama's former physician). Bill Hall is a New Zealand millionaire businessman, founder and chairman of Hallmark International and Woolrest International, past president of the Export Institute of New Zealand and awarded and O.B.E. in 1987. He moved to England from New Zealand in 1989 and was treated at Radcliffe Hospital, Bristol Cancer Help Centre and in India by Yeshi Dhonden

Treated by six weeks of radiotherapy and tablets from Dr Yeshi Dhonden. He incorporated prayer, faith, visualisations, positive affirmations, meditations, relaxation, healing vitamins, supplements, exercise, aromatherapy, reflexology, osteopathy and feldenkrais.

Description: 83-pages/ ill/ 21 cm.



R9


Hone, Lucy. 2004. My brain tumour keeps growing back. Woman's Day, 27 September, 26 - 27.

Naressa (22): brain tumour in 1993, three cerebral tumours in 2003 and then more tumours in 2004.

With one diary entry per year covering 1993 to 2004 Naressa provides a very general overview of her teaching activities before the tumour returned. She mentions being inspired by her nana coping with multiple sclerosis and is thankful for the support from the people of Dannevirke and the Cancer Society.

Naressa has had four craniotomies, intensive moderated radiotherapy for five weeks and radiation therapy for eight weeks. The effects from treatments include; loss of hair, arm movements impaired and inability to walk. Naressa describes her head looking like a railway station after four craniotomies.

Description: photographs of Naressa.
                                                                                                                
R10


Manning, David. 1999. Message from Georgia. The Nelson Mail, 1 December, 19.

Rory (14): brain tumour and died six months later at home.

Younger sister, Georgia (10), wrote this letter to motivate others to value people while they are still alive. Georgia shares the fleeting time she had with Rory in the last weeks of his life. She reinforces the harsh reality of a child quickly dying after a cancer diagnosis. Georgia states we often do not know how special people are until they are gone. She reminds parents and others that the younger sibling's hurt too when the older one dies and inspires parents to hug their children as they do not know how long they have with them.

Rory was treated in Christchurch by radiation and chemotherapy. These were complemented by special diets.


                                                                                                                        
R11


Master, Farida, and Donna Fleming. 2005. A twisted ankle and a pair of glasses saved our lives. New Zealand Woman's Weekly, 19
        December, 23.

Janice (adult): brain tumour.

Diagnosed after initially visiting the optometrist. Janice remembers the symptoms she experienced over the last year, believing it was the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and initially being misdiagnosed by her doctor as menopause. She remembers feeling relief when she was diagnosed as it confirmed she was not going crazy. Now given the all clear Janice will incorporate brain scans with her yearly dental, eye, smear and mammogram checks.

The article includes a photograph of Janice's scar after the removal of the tumour.

Description: 4-paragraphs/ colour photograph of Janice's scar on her head.



R12


Michael. n.d. Nothing much gets me down [online], CanTeen: Supporting Young People with Cancer, [cited 10 June 2006]. Available
        from: <http://www.canteen.org.nz/Personal/Mind/CanteenMembersStories/Detail.aspx?id=307>.

Michael (17): inoperable brain tumour in the centre of his brain.

Michael reports the brain tumour has been stationary for many years. Michael firmly believes in mind over matter and feels very much in charge of this cancer. Believing having the tumour has improved his outlook and changed his perspective. He now gives more time to others. He feels empowered to get on with his life despite having cancer.

Description: 3-paragraphs/ colour photographic portrait.


R13


Read, Lynda. 1989. Life is for living. Invercargill: Craig Printing.

Helen (12): brain tumour on the pineal gland (1986) and later an inoperable cancer of the spine and second brain tumour. Helen died in 1988.

Helen's mother, Lynda, narrates Helens cancer experiences until her death. Describing how she explained the diagnosis to her daughter and how she answered Helens questions about death. Helen accepted treatments however struggled with her limited physical abilities, relying on a walking stick, having blood tests and missing school. Her grief was added to by initially being told she had a virus (1985), the eight weeks it took to find a diagnosis, travelling from Queenstown to Dunedin Hospital for treatments and experiencing road closures. In respites from treatments, Helen received the Rosemary Templeton cup for personal achievement at Wakatipu High school prize giving; she attended Camp Quality and celebrated her last birthday. Towards the end of her life she found solace in caring doctors who helped her to relax, became reliant on a wheelchair to get around, experienced numbness in her face, dizziness, used a neck brace, speech slurred and had trouble hearing. Helen died at home with her friends and family two years after her diagnosis.

Helen was treated with Dexamethasone, lumbar punctures, a shunt to transfer cerebral spinal fluid through a tube -under her scalp, down her neck and chest into her stomach- to relieve the pressure on her brain, angiogram, radiation, port-a-cath for chemotherapy: Vincristine (also called: Vincasar and Oncovin), Cisplatimum (also called:CDDP, Platinol and Cisplatin), Cleomycin (also called: Blenoxane), VP 16 (also called: Etoposide, VePesid, Etopophos, Toposar and VePesid), Carboplatinum (also called: CBDCA, Paraplatin and Carboplatin), occupational therapy and physiotherapy. She reacted to Cisplatinum and was changed to Carboplatinum and developed allergies to Bleomycin.

Description: 103 pages/ ill/ 22 cm/ 0908629281.


R14

Takiwa, Reno. 1995. Reno Takiwa. In I feel lucky: Interviews and photographs celebrating cancer survivors, edited by H.
        Ogonowska-Coates, n.p. S.I: R & J Watson Trust.

Reno (teenager): brain tumour.

Reno contributes to this compilation of uplifting and brief recollections from cancer survivors. The booklet accompanied the photographic exhibition "I feel lucky". Each person was interviewed by Halina Ogonowska-Coates and photographed by Ian Robertson. Reno had radiotherapy and a brain biopsy. Reno describes his dependence on others while undergoing treatments. He shares how much his family means to him, his relationship with God, how cancer has changed his previously troubled life, his love for rugby and desire to play again (1 page).

Description: black and white photographic portrait/ 16 cm.