1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to them, Christian No Common Show podcast. 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,040 Speaker 2: Hey, thank you very much for downloading this very special podcast. 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: So on the show. Then, over the last sort of week, 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 2: we've been getting these amazing stories and honoring these amazing 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 2: stories from people who've been going through cancer and have 6 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 2: come the other side of it, and there's stories of hope. 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: That's why we wanted to do this, and we did 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 2: it also with the Cancer Counsel of Victoria. We're very 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: proud to do anything for after the alarming stat that 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer 11 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: before eighty five. So let's change our chances. Donate to 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: Cancer Counsel Victoria and find life saving cancer research. So 13 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: I want to put all these amazing stories together because 14 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 2: actually listening to them all day by day, all this 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 2: the journey that they went on, there's so much actually 16 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: for us to learn. I got a sense of gratitude 17 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 2: listening to them every single day. It started Monday with 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: our Patsy from the show sharing her story. 19 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was diagnosed seven and a half years ago 20 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 3: with kidney cancer, which hit me for six Strangely enough, 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 3: my eldest brother was diagnosed exactly twelve months earlier. They 22 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: don't really know. Latest sort of thoughts are that it's 23 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 3: not necessarily genetic. It might be just a freak thing, 24 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 3: or maybe we've been exposed to something younger in life. 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 3: That's irrelevant. He was diagnosed before me, though. So how 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 3: my story came about was, you know, I was forty three, 27 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 3: I had a toddler at home, Audrey was three. You know, 28 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 3: I was a busy mum. You know Jack spoke before 29 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 3: about Bianca. You guys are going through that period where 30 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 3: everything's crazy. You've got you know, you've got a new 31 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 3: blown Yeah, it's just like it's like a marathon getting 32 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 3: to the end of each week. And that's the phase 33 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 3: we were in. We're also in this beautiful, happy bubble 34 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 3: of our little home. You know, we'd fought five years 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 3: to get Audrey and she was finally here and this 36 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 3: was just and it still is just our nirvana. She 37 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 3: was finally here, and you know, we'd strive to be parents, 38 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: and you know, life was busy. We were both working. 39 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 3: I was back doing Brecky radio. Life was busy, but 40 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 3: it was how it was meant to be. You know, 41 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 3: when you have a child, it's like, finally, this is 42 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 3: exactly what I was put on this planet to do, 43 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 3: so that was the picture. But I felt like I 44 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 3: had a kidney infection. And you know, when you're a 45 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 3: busy parent, you often put yourself last. You know, you 46 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 3: might put off going to the loo as often as 47 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 3: you sure because you're busy. It's just how it is 48 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 3: when you're a mum. And I was here at work 49 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 3: and I really felt rotten. So I rang my GP. 50 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 3: Had a brilliant GP, and he said, look, come in. 51 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 3: I'm sure you've got an infection. So he said, I'll 52 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 3: put you on some antibiotics. Put me on those. Two 53 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 3: days later, I felt worse and I just read one 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 3: of my I think it was like my eight o'clock bulletin. 55 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 3: Here went to the bathroom. I don't want to be graphic, 56 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 3: but I was peeing blood basically, and I thought, oh, 57 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 3: I don't think that's right. My parents had a history 58 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 3: of kidney stones at around their early forties, and I thought, oh, damn, 59 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 3: I've got it as well. You know that's quite common 60 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,399 Speaker 3: to have kidney stones in the families. So I thought, 61 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 3: I've got to go back to the GP. So I 62 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 3: went back to Don and he said, oh, I think 63 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,399 Speaker 3: you've got a stone, and I said, yeah, I think 64 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 3: you might be right. And I said, look, I should 65 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 3: just mention my brother had kidney cancer a year ago. 66 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 3: I know that's probably totally irrelevant to me. And he said, 67 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: you look, it probably is. We'll do a scan, we'll 68 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 3: see how big this stone is. If there's anything there, 69 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 3: which I doubt there is, it'll show up, but you'll 70 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 3: be fine. So I actually put off having the scan 71 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 3: for a few days. It's like I had a sense 72 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 3: I've spoken on here before, but I had a sense 73 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 3: even before I had the kidney stones a few months 74 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 3: before that something was wrong. I just had this foreboding 75 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 3: thought and I just put it down to being you know, tired, 76 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 3: a tired mum, not getting enough rest, you know, overthinking, 77 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 3: being a stress head like I am. But you should 78 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 3: listen to your body, because there was something wrong. So 79 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 3: I went and had the scan, and low and behold, 80 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 3: in my left kidney, right in the center was a tumor. 81 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 3: And at that point they didn't know if it was cancerous. 82 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 3: And how GP was being very positive and he said, look, 83 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 3: you know this thing, we really don't know until we 84 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 3: get in there and have a look. It still could 85 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 3: be benign, and so what I had to have done 86 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: was have the kidney done. I could have had it 87 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 3: if it was on the edge, I could have actually 88 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 3: had it just sort of taken out just a little 89 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 3: bit and still kept the kidney. But no, it was 90 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 3: dead in the center. So I had to go in 91 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 3: and I had a radical nephrectomy, basically had the left 92 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 3: the left kidney taken out. And you know, nothing can 93 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 3: prepare you for a cancer diagnosis. You know, cancer wasn't 94 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 3: new to our family. Obviously, my brother had had it, 95 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 3: My mother and law had passed away from bow cancer 96 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 3: when Chris and I met. You know, everyone's got a story, 97 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 3: but for me, I was really you can't. Everyone's story 98 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 3: is unique. Everyone's story is different. For me, how I 99 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: cope with it and how Risc coped with it was 100 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 3: I really wanted to keep it in house, so I 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 3: didn't tell a lot of people. It was just our 102 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 3: immediate family. I didn't even tell aunts and uncles. Not 103 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 3: not because I don't, I just I think it was 104 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 3: for me to keep some form of control over what 105 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 3: felt like a situation that was just rapidly. 106 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 2: You know, one of my friends who went through cancer 107 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: similar to age to us Patsy, and he didn't tell 108 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 2: a lot of people. What he didn't want to become 109 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 2: owners was the cancer guy. Said he didn't want to 110 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: walk into every room and everyone going, oh God, it's Dave. 111 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: You know he's got cancer. He said he still wanted 112 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: to be himself. He was fighting as bad about cancer 113 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,679 Speaker 2: and it was taken up every single conversation. He still 114 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 2: wants to exist outside of a cancer diagnosis. 115 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, you don't want to be defined by it. That 116 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: was and I still don't. I still don't want to 117 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 3: be defined. But I'm happy to share my story, but 118 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 3: I don't want to be defined by it, so you know. 119 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 3: And I told the Brecky team I was working on 120 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 3: at the time, just a limited number of them, just 121 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 3: who needed to know, because obviously I was, you know, 122 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 3: I was going to have a number of weeks away 123 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 3: as I recovered, so you know. And even remember on 124 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: the friday when we found out. We found out about 125 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 3: five o'clock on a Friday night in July, and Chris 126 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: and I it's just like we bunkered down. This was 127 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 3: just our reaction and we went home, we drew all 128 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 3: the blinds, we didn't answer the phone, and It was 129 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: like that for like three days because you just you're 130 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 3: terrified because you don't know exactly where you're at until 131 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 3: they do further tests, and you know, you catastrophize everything. 132 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 2: Because we all know how it works out far with. 133 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 3: People, and you think cancer, you know, you know what 134 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 3: my initial thought was when they told me. I thought, 135 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 3: you know, Audrey was three, and it wasn't this scenario 136 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 3: for me, but it is for a lot of people. 137 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 3: But I thought, oh my god, I'm not going to 138 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 3: see Audrey start school. Those thoughts won't get married, no, 139 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 3: But for me, it was five year old school. It's like, 140 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 3: my god, I've gone through so much to get this child. 141 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 3: This child needs me, And I thought, I can't do 142 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 3: that to Chris again. He's lost his mother to cancer 143 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 3: and I saw how that has impacted him, and I thought, 144 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 3: my god, this guy cannot have another, you know, female 145 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: in his life. This can't happen to Chris. I need 146 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: to be here for these people. It wasn't so much 147 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 3: for me, but I thought, what a waste if I'm 148 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 3: not here for Audrey. So anyway, we got in and 149 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 3: got it done, and my support network Chris was obviously 150 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 3: you know Chris is here's my rock. He just he 151 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: makes sense of everything. He knows me better than I 152 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 3: know myself. And at all my appointments, you know, they 153 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 3: could just they could have been whistling, Dixie. I just 154 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 3: I couldn't hear what they were saying. 155 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 2: But you're there, But not that I'd be the same. 156 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 2: Just it's such devastating. 157 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 3: As and I just I just wasn't listening. And so 158 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 3: of course, and he still does. He comes to all 159 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 3: my appointments, but he would have to sit me down 160 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 3: because I was just spinning out of control and you know, 161 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 3: all these snows that they hadn't even talked about. It 162 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: was like this parallel universe I was in, and he'd 163 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 3: have to sit me down and just ground me and say, hey, listen, 164 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: this is what they've said. Let's deal with the facts. 165 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 3: It's ABC and D. None of what you're imagining, baby 166 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 3: is happening. This is what it is. Let's focus on 167 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: the here and the now. And I've really really needed that. 168 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 3: My other support network was my brother Carl, who'd gone 169 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 3: through it and ironically had exactly the same procedure. And 170 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 3: I guess maybe it's a male perspective of how they 171 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 3: deal with trauma and something like that happening. He also 172 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: would say, listen, it's going to be fine. Carl is 173 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 3: one of these people who is very laid back. I 174 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 3: wish I had his personality and he's like, it's going 175 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 3: to be okay, look at me, you know, And he 176 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 3: was sort of that guiding light for me. It's like, well, 177 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 3: he can do it. I can do it. I know 178 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 3: he's there in my corner. And another person that I 179 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 3: want to pay tribute to also is one of my 180 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,599 Speaker 3: best friends, Carrie Bickmore. You all know her as a 181 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 3: media personality, but Carrie is this is what a friend is. 182 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 3: Carrie has been there for the best day of my life, 183 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 3: which is when Audrey was born. She was at the 184 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 3: hospital the day she was born. She's Audrey's godmother. But 185 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 3: she was also there for the worst day of my 186 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 3: life because, you know, because I didn't I didn't want 187 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 3: to know. The day I went in to get it 188 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 3: the kidney out, I didn't want I didn't want fuss 189 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 3: and I didn't want flowers at the hospital. I didn't 190 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 3: even want Chris there. I know that sounds weird, but 191 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 3: it was I just needed to be in my own 192 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 3: zone just for twenty four hours or so. So after 193 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 3: the operation, I think I got wheeled back to ice 194 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 3: you about ten at night, and it was just, you know, 195 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 3: it was a horrible night. It was just I felt 196 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 3: like I've been hit by a mac truck. The stuff 197 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 3: are amazing. But the next morning they said, right, you're 198 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 3: ready to go back to the ward, and oh god, 199 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 3: I was a sight. So they put me in a wheelchair. 200 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 3: I had just the hospital gown on and it wasn't 201 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: even tied up. It was just like draped across me. 202 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 3: Of course, I had a catheter in and so I 203 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: had pipes and leads and stuff everywhere, and I had 204 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 3: the bag you know what goes into from the catheter, 205 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 3: the bag on my lap. It was just like it 206 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 3: was honestly the lowest point of my life. 207 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 2: I thought, I'm not talking to Melbourne show back. 208 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 3: No we're not. We're not. And the nurse, god bless her, 209 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: just put my dressing gown over it. She said, that's okay, 210 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: you know, no one can see. But I thought I 211 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 3: shouldn't be here. I'm a forty three year old mum. 212 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 3: I need to be I need to be home with 213 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 3: my husband, you know, here's my husband at home spinning 214 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 3: all these plates. He's working full time. 215 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: He's but that's so you to be constantly thinking about 216 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 2: other people, you must have been frightened yourself. 217 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's like, this isn't me, This isn't me, a 218 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 3: forty three year old woman. And I know this sounds 219 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 3: selfish because obviously young kids get the disease, but I 220 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 3: thought this. 221 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 2: This is it's not being selfish, it's just care for yourself. 222 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I just thought this this. I need to be 223 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 3: home at Werobi. I don't need to be in ICEU. 224 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: So anyway, they wieled me back into the ward and 225 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 3: Carrie just knew that I'd had the procedures. She didn't 226 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 3: even we hadn't even told people where other than really 227 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 3: close family. And they wieled me back. And here's Carrie 228 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 3: sitting on my bed waiting for me. 229 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 2: A lovely thing to do, a lovely surprise. 230 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 3: And I thought, well, that's that's a true friend. That's 231 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 3: what a friend does. She's been there on the best 232 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 3: day and the worst day. And you know, you don't 233 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 3: need a massive network of support, you just need a 234 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 3: handful of special people. And they were there for me 235 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 3: and that's my story. That's that's why Carrie is one 236 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 3: of my best friends because she's been there through the 237 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 3: rough and the tumble, as is Chris and I couldn't 238 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 3: have done it without them. I honestly could not have 239 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 3: done that. 240 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 2: But they know what you give for them as well. Patsy, 241 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 2: you were rock to everyone around you. You are just 242 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: given about what you know you are. You are like that, 243 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 2: you like a gravitational sort of element to this show. 244 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 2: You are and I know you are. To Chris and 245 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 2: to that, they're doing what you give to people. 246 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 3: Thank you. But yeah, so and getting back to work 247 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 3: for me was so integral. Just through the whole thing, 248 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 3: I thought, I just actually want normalcy. You know when 249 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 3: you wake up and you think, oh god, I've got 250 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 3: to go into work or oh god, I've got to 251 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 3: take the kids to sport or whatever. I just yearned 252 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 3: for that normal. 253 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: It's amazing we all take that for granted. It's like, well, 254 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 2: it's like it happens to us. And I bet when 255 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 2: so many people talk about coming through cans and coming 256 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 2: through the other side of it, the one thing it 257 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: does give you is, I bet you have this enormous 258 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,559 Speaker 2: sense of gratitude, and you see things a lot clear. Actually, 259 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 2: even the mundane things that we get irritated by, you're 260 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 2: lucky to even have that. 261 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 3: You know, all your senses are heightened. It's like I 262 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 3: call myself the mother Fox. It's like after it happened, 263 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 3: music sounded better, food smelt and tasted better. Your child's 264 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: laugh taste, you know, smelt sounded better. Everything was heightened, 265 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 3: and you do see things differently, and it's it's like 266 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 3: a tap that's turned on, but you can't turn it off, 267 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 3: you do. You know, it's ironically it is the best 268 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 3: thing that happened to me, because every day, every day 269 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 3: is a gift. None of us know how long we've got. 270 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 3: And if I hadn't had that experience, I would have 271 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 3: just been bumbling every day through life and taking things 272 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 3: for granted and being complacent. And you know what, it 273 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 3: gave me a kick up the pants, and it made 274 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 3: me realize just how lucky just the mundane things, just 275 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 3: the mundane things are to be able to be well 276 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 3: enough to get out of bed and go to work, 277 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 3: all those things, that everything in life is a blessing. 278 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're showing what a privilege it is to be 279 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: a life and to have a life as well. Patsy, 280 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 2: thank you so much, and that must be half for 281 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 2: you to talk about that, especially talking about the people 282 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: that actually got you through and helped you around that. Now, 283 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 2: let's here Melinda Uckterberg's story. It was a Friday night 284 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 2: in July twenty twenty. Melinda was getting ready for bed 285 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 2: and found a lump. Two weeks later, the call came 286 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 2: through confirming she had breast cancer. 287 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: It was very overwhelming. I held it together enough on 288 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: the phone call and then went outside where my kids 289 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: couldn't see me and burst into tears. I had two 290 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: challenges that were huge when it came to my journey. 291 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: One was my hair. It was just coming out as 292 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: I was brushing it, and you think, oh, I haven't 293 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: touched it much. I'll vacuum the house and you look 294 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: back and you've just cleaned up and there's just this. 295 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 4: Trail of hair. 296 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: So I made the huge emotional decision to shave my head. 297 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: I have a friend who's a hairdresser, and she wouldn't 298 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: accept any money for shaving my hair off. I did 299 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: feel a lot better, and I got to go shopping 300 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: for hats. The other one was actually the thought of 301 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: getting a mastectomy was quite daunting as well. Maybe that's 302 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: why the chemo took so well, because my brain said, 303 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: we're fixing this. We're not having plastic boobs. My nipple 304 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: was removed when I had the surgery, and even though 305 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: I could get it tattooed on, I'm not really keen 306 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: on that idea. I laughed because it actually looks like 307 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: I'm winking at it. So one eyes closed and the 308 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: other eyes normal. 309 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 2: This is the Christian o'connells show podcast. Danielle Spence was 310 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: diagnosed with melanoma in twenty fourteen, how surgery, recovered well 311 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 2: and until twenty twenty one when it returned. Here's Danielle's story. 312 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 4: This time it was on my back and sitting in 313 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 4: the surgeon's chair and hearing the news it wasn't just melanoma, 314 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 4: it was metastatic melanoma. And so I know what that meant, 315 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 4: stage four and that means that that cancer had spread 316 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 4: beyond the original spot and now here it was on 317 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 4: my back and maybe it was somewhere else. Some my 318 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 4: psychologists really concentrated on helping me to be in the 319 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 4: moment and to control what I could control for today 320 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 4: and to know that there were things that might be 321 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 4: coming that I couldn't control, but I was going to 322 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 4: live for today, and that really reduced that sense of 323 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 4: feeling overwhelmed. So telling the kids is the hardest. I 324 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 4: knew that they were just waiting for me to give 325 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 4: them that reassurance. You know, the first thing that your 326 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 4: kids ask you is are you going to die? And 327 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 4: you immediately want to reassure them and say, of course not. 328 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 4: But actually I couldn't because I didn't know if I 329 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 4: was going to die. But I could invite the question 330 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 4: and we could talk about it, and we could normalize it, 331 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 4: and we could say, Okay, well let's put that over there. 332 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 4: That's the worst thing that could happen, but there might 333 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 4: be good things that happen, and let's concentrate on the 334 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 4: good things. I want to dedicate this to my beautiful 335 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 4: new grandson, Henry, because I didn't think that I was 336 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 4: going to be here to see Henry, and that all 337 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 4: the people that supported me. I can't pinpoint one person, 338 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 4: but every day I wake up and I look at, 339 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 4: you know, look at an image of Henry. I think, 340 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 4: you know how grateful I am. 341 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 2: The amazing Daniel Spencer awesome grandson, Henry. Linda Lomas, like 342 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 2: all of these stories, is a legend. At the age 343 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: of twenty four, Linda was diagnosed with a very rare 344 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: form of pancreatic cancer that only occurs in females. In 345 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 2: the early twenties. Have listened to Linda's incredible story. 346 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 5: When I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my specialists told 347 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 5: me not to google pancreatic cancer. Thank god I didn't, 348 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 5: because prognosis is poor and there's only a five percent 349 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 5: survival rate for more than five years. I had to 350 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,640 Speaker 5: have surgery to remove it. Your pancreas is well into 351 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 5: your body, so it's pretty much close to your spine. 352 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 5: So in order to get to it, they had to 353 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 5: take out all my organs, pack them with ice, and 354 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 5: get to my pancreas and remove the tumor. And then 355 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 5: once all the tumor was removed, they put everything back 356 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 5: together and stitched me up. I was in hospital for 357 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 5: three weeks. I was in intensive care for the first week. 358 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,719 Speaker 5: It was pretty pretty hard. Mum and Dad were there 359 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 5: every day, my sister was there every day, My husband 360 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,880 Speaker 5: was there every day. One person that really sticks out 361 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,360 Speaker 5: was a nurse at Peter Mack. Her name was Claire. 362 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 5: She was beautiful. She would come in and she would 363 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 5: wash my hair for me, and she was just amazing. 364 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 5: I'm grateful for the people that I've met along the way. 365 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 5: You know, the amazing bond I have with my sister 366 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,719 Speaker 5: and her husband, being able to live life and enjoy 367 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 5: it and do things that unfortunately many people don't get 368 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 5: to do. It blows my mind. I don't know anyone 369 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 5: that suped pancretic cancer, and I probably know about ten 370 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 5: people that have had. If I had to tell anyone 371 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 5: what I'd learned from my experience, it would be to 372 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 5: trust your instincts, know your body. If you feel like 373 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 5: that something's not right, go and get checked out. If 374 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 5: you're not satisfied with what you've been told, seek alternative advice. 375 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 5: The best thing you could do is demand answers before 376 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:40,360 Speaker 5: it's too late. 377 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 2: And what a lovely side story as well about the 378 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: amazing work I hear from so many of you about 379 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: the staff that Peter Mack do. Is incredible call of 380 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 2: weeks ago as as to do something for some of 381 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: the teams there, and they are under so much pressure 382 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 2: right now. You know, we hear about people having burn 383 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 2: out a lot. They're under so much pressure right now, 384 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 2: you'd strange them so to hell. That lovely nurse, whoever 385 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 2: you are, do, what ever that is, Claire at Peter Mack, 386 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 2: just that simple, lovely, small act of kindness washing somebody's 387 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 2: hair in a tough situation. Now, let's hear from David Garrett. 388 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 2: David was twenty nine, living the life single, ready to 389 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 2: mingle when it's well turned upside down. 390 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 6: Leading up to my diagnosis, stupidly ignored all the small 391 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 6: signs pain here and there that just wouldn't go away, 392 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 6: left it too long. When I was diagnosed and told 393 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 6: that if I would have waited another two weeks or so, 394 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 6: might have been too late to save me. Let me 395 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 6: tell you that moment changed my whole life. As I 396 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 6: was only twenty nine years old at the time, being 397 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 6: told that you might not make thirty hit you pretty 398 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 6: bloody hard. In times like this, you really find out 399 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 6: who your true friends are. Like your real true friends, 400 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 6: I was super blessed to have some of them still 401 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 6: do to this day. They picked me up at my 402 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 6: last point in my life and got me through when 403 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 6: I wanted to quit and I really did want to 404 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 6: quit a few times in that time. My advice to 405 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 6: all the men out there, don't stick your head in 406 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,640 Speaker 6: the sand. Fellers, be real men, reach out, reach out 407 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 6: for help. We need it. Please do my song, don't 408 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 6: stop believing my journey. Pretty sure it's beast for itself. 409 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 6: Thanks for listening. Take care of yourselves, everyone and your 410 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 6: loved ones. Cheers. 411 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for trusting us and sharing all 412 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 2: these amazing stories. Here's our Patsy before we bow out. 413 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, thanks, Christian. Look, I just really wanted to reach 414 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 3: out to listeners to thank them for the floods of 415 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 3: messages of support that you sent after I spoke on Monday. 416 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 3: It wasn't an easy thing to do, but it was 417 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 3: a really important stepping stone in my healing from my 418 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 3: diagnosis over seven years ago. But I want to end 419 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 3: on one of the messages that absolutely rocked my world 420 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 3: and touched my heart, and it was from listener Sarah. 421 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 3: She says, love you, Patsy. You're a real role model 422 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 3: for me, a kick ass woman in rape. You don't 423 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 3: take any crap, but you're also the kindest person I know. 424 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 3: You've given me the push to go back to my doctor, 425 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 3: Mum has the bracket too breast cancer gene. I've got 426 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 3: the test to see if I carry it as well 427 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 3: or not, but I've been too chicken to follow up 428 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 3: with the results for over a year because of what 429 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 3: it might mean. If what I said on Monday can 430 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 3: lead other people to be mindful of their health moving forward, 431 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: that is just the greatest gift to me. 432 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 2: So thank you, thank you very much for sharing all 433 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 2: these amazing stories. So remember one in two is too many. 434 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 2: Let's change your chances. Donate to Cancer Counsel Victoria and 435 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:46,360 Speaker 2: fund life saving cancer research. And remember, if there's one thing, 436 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 2: all of these stories, and we had hundreds more because sadly, 437 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 2: so many of us have been affected by cancer. There 438 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 2: were so many emails I got, and so many of 439 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 2: them were saying the same thing that they didn't listen 440 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 2: to their body or their in tuition and they didn't 441 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 2: want to cause a fuss. They thought, Oh, I'm just tired. 442 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 2: Listen to your body is trying to save your life. 443 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 2: Go and see your gp. You're not wasting their time. 444 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 2: You might be saving your life. Look after yourself. Thanks 445 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: for downloading this 446 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 3: Paul A Brighter Not You're listening to the christian O 447 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 3: Kyle Show podcast