Thursday, October 01, 2026
I went 12 rounds with Mr Chemo. Came out pretty well, but some possible complications. Constant wait for the next step!
Here’s my report after the end of my 12 round chemo program following cancer surgery in January. 18 different side effects came and went from time to time, plus some still present. Side effects ranged from weird to annoying with only one really painful (but didn’t last long). Post-chemo scans revealed some possible complications, so having more tests and biopsies. Constantly waiting for the next step!
Chemo Round 6 update: Game of Gloves!
Round 6 marks the half-way point through my 12-round (12-fortnight) chemo program following cancer surgery in January. Pretty much back to normal day-to-day life by about day 6 or 7 of each round. Most of my side effects have been similar from one round to the next, but three appear to be getting progressively worse. One is the intermittent tongue muscle disfunction. Another is a gradual loss of taste. The most annoying side effect that is getting worse is the ‘peripheral neuropathy’ – nerve sensitivity / pain / damage in fingers and toes from cold temperatures and/or touching cold surfaces. It’s impossible to get through a day without accidentally touching cold surfaces and doing nerve damage. The solution? Gloves! Here are the seven different types of gloves I use to get through a day.
Chemo Round 4: Getting used to the routine, still much better than expected
By Round 4 I’m getting used to the routine. Now one-third of the way through my 12-fortnight chemo program following cancer surgery in January. So far, nothing debilitating. Back to normal day-to-day life by about day 6 or 7 (ie 3-4 days recovery after 3 days of chemo). Still about a dozen chemo side effects. Nothing major so far, and the mix continues to change each time. I put my chemo side effects into 5 columns: – ‘Gone’, ‘Less’, ‘Same’, ‘Worse’, ‘New’, plus a new column I have added: ‘Permanent?’, because some of the side effects are taking longer to wear off and may become permanent. Bottom line: so far, the whole cancer surgery/chemo journey has been much better than I had been expecting. Once again, a huge thank you for all the kind words of support and encouragement I have received from near and far. Very much appreciated!
Chemo Round 2: similar overall impact, but the mix of side effects is different each time. Weird!
Round 2 has been similar overall to Round 1 – ie nothing debilitating, life-changing, or permanent - and back to normal day-to-day life by about day 7 (ie 4 days recovery after 3 days of chemo). Still about a dozen side effects, but the mix is different each time! I put my chemo side effects into 5 columns: – ‘Gone’, ‘Less’, ‘Same’, ‘Worse’, and ‘New’. The ‘Worse’ and ‘New’ side effects are the ones to watch because chemo is cumulative - the body doesn’t ‘get used it’. It builds up over time, and side effects can become permanent. So far, the whole cancer surgery/chemo journey has been much better than I had been expecting. Very lucky that I have been having a pretty good run compared to many or most chemo experiences. It is still early days yet, but so far so good!
Chemo Round 1 – Much better than I had expected. So far, so good! - but it's early days yet
Round 1 of my chemo program turned out a thousand percent better than I was expecting. Seems I have been very lucky. I had a bunch of minor (and some very whacky) side effects, but none of the major problems that are common with chemo. Essentially back to feeling 100% after day seven of the cycle, and back to normal day-to-day activities. The only big changes have been with my dramatic weight changes. It’s early days yet of course, but so far so good! Round 2 starts in a couple of days (11 March) so wish me luck!
My cancer journey: First 2 months of costs – steep learning curve for me, plus some surprises
The two months since my positive bowel cancer scan result in December has been a wild ride – tests, scans, colonoscopy, surgery, oncology, and now prepping for chemotherapy. All of this over the Christmas-New Year break! I cannot imagine this would have been possible in any other country. Total cost for first two months was $29,000. Sounds like a lot, but I had no idea what to expect. Private health insurance covered 51% – much less than I had expected. Medicare covered 13%, so I was out of pocket $10k, or 36% of the total. Private health insurance is a lot CHEAPER than the Medicare Levy/Tax. I found at least eight different ways in which medical costs are paid - very confusing (for me anyway!) I’m lucky to live in a country with a vast array of world-class public and private health facilities and professionals.
4 out of 5 on my Cancer Surgery goals. Could have been worse, but could have been better!
I went in for colorectal cancer surgery on 8 January after receiving a positive cancer screen a month earlier and tests/scans/colonoscopy in December. 4 out of 5 of my surgery goals were achieved, but post-surgery tests revealed the cancer was ‘Stage 3’ (‘Advanced Localised’), meaning it has progressed at ‘advanced’ levels into surrounding areas. With Stage 3 cancer, the initial surgery is not the end of the problem, but probably just the beginning of a whole new journey. It will certainly mean big changes to how I prioritise my time, energy, focus.
Six things I learned about age/dementia care costs, and how they have shaped my own plans
This is a follow-up to my main story ‘10 things I learned about dementia & dementia care homes from close range’. That first story covered various aspects my experiences dealing with my mother’s dementia and dementia facilities in Sydney over the past three years. Today’s story is about the costs, how they were very different to what I expected, and how some of the lessons have shaped my own plans.
10 things I learned about dementia & dementia care homes from close range
This is a brief summary of some aspects my experiences dealing with my mother’s dementia and dementia facilities in Sydney over the past three years. Every case is different of course, so these are just my random anecdotal comments that may be of interest to others facing the prospect of parent(s) or family member(s) with, or developing, dementia. Topics I cover include - the pace and pattern of cognitive decline, the decision to ‘go in’, different types of facilities we went through, what its like inside, lessons in preparation, costs, and more.
Australia’s aging population - are age pensions, benefits, and tax breaks sustainable in future?
Many retirees live more frugally than necessary, and die with as much Super as they had at retirement. One possible reason may be a rising fear that the current government age pension system is not sustainable and may not be there for life. Despite our aging population, Australia is probably best placed of any country in the world to maintain its government age pension system. Fears of its demise are probably over-done. However, it is probably inevitable that the age pension, and/or the generous tax-breaks and benefits that go with it, will need to be scaled back in future. Future retirees should aim for financial independence, not welfare reliance, to be safe.
How to not run out of money in retirement - 4 big problems with life expectancy tables
We gotta talk about the ‘D’ word. Our ‘Demise’. (Ok, let’s face it – ‘Death’). Where are you and your family on the Survival Probability Curve? What are the prospects of you living to 100 or beyond? How will you finance it?
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