Help Janine get more treatment

Hi All/ Kia ora koutou,

I wish I had positive news to share.

Over the Christmas holidays, we had visitors & I was feeling progressively unwell (& exhausted) as the holiday break wore on 😣. Some further symptoms meant I began to suspect the cancer was back.

A blood test in early January confirmed that it was active again; my oncologist organised a CT scan and we got the results a few weeks back.

I started chemotherapy again on the 12th. It will be intensive & challenging, 3 weeks on & 1 week off and for another 6 months!

It has been an incredibly difficult time & I have struggled enormously. I had thought I was doing so well...

A special thank you for the absolute angels, who have been there for me over this time, who have donated/given practical care, laughter, time & money - it has truly helped us all to feel more hopeful & less alone 😇

Of course, going to Germany is off the agenda for now. I have canceled the trip & been in touch with Dr Herzog at the Klinik. He will continue to prescribe supplements to support my immune system as best as possible, through this ongoing chemotherapy.

So to those who have been able to donate to my 'Give a little' page, I will use the funds to pay for these supplements and continue to look at other options. So the donated money is of course a godsend! Thank you all so very much for your kindness and generosity!

I have some big decisions to make, as I am back at school, and I love my work and the community I belong to there; but I'm unsure how I will cope with the more intensive chemo & less quality immune support. It is just a case of wait and see...

It has been helpful to remember that I was diagnosed at stage 4, so it was likely to return, I'd just hoped I'd have longer before it did.

But, I most certainly have not given up!

Here in New Zealand, there is the option of using a drug called Avastin, which is NOT FUNDED and costs $6000 per round and needs to be continued indefinitely to keep working...This seems like an unfair and unjust choice :-(

Dr Herzog, my oncologist in Germany, has mentioned the option of undergoing something called 'regional chemo-embolization' there, which treats the tumour itself & doesn't impact or damage the whole body, as normal chemotherapy does. I have yet to investigate the costs involved, but know it most likely won't be viable, especially given the NZ dollar in relation to the Euro. I will update further once I know.

Thank you for your interest, care and support.

Arohanui,

Janine