Sharing my blog

As I mentioned in the title blurb - I am sharing this blog because I was asked to … NOT to highlight my health problems but to offer hope.
SO- If sharing my journey helps even one person to cope with a cancer diagnosis such as PMP/Appendix cancer then I am very happy indeed!!
Life is such a blessing each & everyday!
Treasure each of the small things life brings
- and always remember -
The small things in life are really the BIG things!!!

LIFE IS GOOD!
Sharing a quote from Stuart Scott of ESPN who passed from PMP/Appendix Cancer after a fight of many years. This quote was part of his speech at the ESPY Awards and is good food for thought!

"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live!"

Remembering & honouring our PMP Angels everyday - sadly missed.

Magic Moments

Magic Moments

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Just wanting to share this to give hope - I often hesitate because I know so many others are not as fortunate ...

May 25th 2016 is my 15 year Survivorversary!

I want to shout it from the rooftops …. “I am so lucky - I am so blessed!

15 years ago I was admitted for a scheduled major surgery and it turned into a completely different surgery and a fight for my life - to be followed up 10 days later with the first HIPEC ( Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) for my surgeon, the first in our state and only about the third in Australia. We in the PMP community often refer to these combined surgeries (CRS/HIPEC) as the slang acronym MOAS - Mother of all Surgeries.
“I have what??” Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) - a mucinous abdominal cancer originating from my appendix.
Scary stuff but all I could think of was how lucky I was to have been referred to a surgeon with the skill to first of all do a full cytoreduction surgery when he wasn’t expecting to (it meant many more hours in surgery than planned) , one who recognised what he was dealing with & one who was already skilled up ready to perform his first lifesaving heated chemo surgery. I was also blessed with a wonderful husband & two teenage kids who loved & supported me and with extended family & friends who rallied and supported us all!
Initially my hubby received a call to say that ‘it doesn’t look good’ …. my initial thought was …. “no way … I have too much still to do & I will be around to be a grandmother one day!” (& of course you know that our granddaughter is now 5 years old - our much loved Letterbox Fairy & she has a little apprentice too - and I love our granddaughters to the moon & stars & back!!)
Life over the last 15 years hasn’t been a walk in the park and I have endured several more major surgeries over the years & with each surgery the ‘new normal’ we refer to in the PMP community changes its game plan - BUT I am still here with no recurrence & I deal daily with what life throws at me & try to always look for that silver lining!
Not everyone is so fortunate… that’s why we (the PMP groups) try to raise much needed awareness/ research dollars so that this very rare cancer will one day be more known in the medical community and amongst the general public so that mis-diagnosis and inadequate treatments (because the doctor may not know what he is dealing with & doesn’t know to refer to a PMP specialist) will one day be a thing of the past!
I have joined & stayed active in the online support groups to ‘pay it forward’ and help to support & encourage others through the early & later stages of their PMP/Appendix cancer journey which - as you can imagine - is a very scary & often overwhelming time in a person’s life.
Over the years I have gained as much from being a member of these groups as I have given - I have also made some life long close friendships - we all share a common bond & often refer to each other as ‘PMP Family”. So I am a cyber sister, a cyber aunty, a cyber mum and a cyber grammy to many & I am proud to be!

So as I think over what has been over the past 15 years this quote comes to mind;

“Every new day is a gift - that’s why we call it the present” …. unwrap your gift carefully folks and make each day count!

I will stop my ramble now & leave you with this food for thought;

LIFE IS GOOD! As Stuart Scott, of ESPN, who recently passed of his PMP Appendix cancer after a long fight of many years said in his speech at the ESPY Awards,
"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live."
Remembering Our PMP Angels today & everyday…. sadly missed.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

A quick catch up & a good bye to 2015 & Welcome 2016!

I haven't been to my blog for a while once again - wow, hasn't this year flown by!!
I have just updated the blog about a further hand surgery I had in October. I am still having difficulties & hand therapy but I will let you scroll through the blog & read details about that if you want.

Even though there have been continuing heath issues this year for me there have also been so many positives!  Our Granddaughter has just completed a year of kindy - she is growing fast & brings us so much joy! Hard to believe she will be a school girl this year! WOW!
We are also blessed to welcome another granddaughter to the world this year - another very adorable little person to love to the moon & stars and back again!!

I have had great times with my family & my friends ... I have also met up personally with four of my "PMP family" this year. One sweet young lady who lives in my city & was referred to my surgeon & we have become good friends! I met up with another lovely lady from interstate a few months ago  and with my "PMP sister" from New Zealand who came across the ditch again to spend time with her daughter just prior to Christmas ... And currently my "PMP Cyber-daughter" from the UK is here visiting again .... It is amazing how with the help of technology we are able to reach out to each other all around the globe & it seems that the world becomes a much smaller place and some of our troubles are lessened just by talking to someone who understands!

Here's to "Paying it Forward" by supporting & encouraging others in their time of need!

Magic Moments;
Keep your Magic Moments,
store them one by one ,
and when the days are cold and dark they'll warm you like the sun.
Remember all those precious things that help the days along...
a little child's trusting arms, a friendly smile, a song.
The tempting smell of baking bread,
a rainbow in the sky,
the puppy playing in the park,
a new born baby's cry.
These are Magic Moments,
don't let them fade away,
store them safely in your heart
to remember every day!
~~ Rose Crouch.


I wish all my family, friends & the PMP community all around the globe a Very Happy New Year - may 2016 bring better health to all & lots of love & laughter - and many magical moments to cherish!!


Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
~Leo Buscaglia~

We can change the world with one random act of kindness at a time to create a ripple effect! ....


Cheers, Kay xx