Rotorua Grey Power February 2017

My run-in with the Big C
It started about Christmas 2015 with colic
every time I ate something, so a trip to the GP
was in order.
ROSEMARY MACKENZIE
Grey Power Rotorua,
Committee Member
Her diagnosis was “probably
diverticulitis” and
the antibiotic she gave
me seemed to bear this out,
but with a family history of
bowel cancer she suggested a
colonoscopy to put our minds
We clean all
curtains
(Thermal backed included )
Roman blinds Austrian blinds
cedar blinds
at rest.
Why not? That was the best
casual decision I have made in
a long time.
My appointment at the hospital
came mid-March and the
result was not good.
Bowel cancer!
The surgeon told me the
hospital would take over my life
for the foreseeable future.
ALL CLEAN CURTAINS
Phone Ray and Lynne Kelly
on 07 349 3736 or 027 495 0892
Drop off at 18 Jade Place
Rotorua or call us to pick up
We also do alterations to curtains and make new
40109
How right he was.
I seemed to be up there
every other day for one consultation
or another.
The date for surgery came
quickly. No mucking about.
Early April and I was in.
Surgery went really well
and the prognosis was looking
good with just some biopsies to
be checked.
Unfortunately, one of the
lymph nodes was affected
so the recommendation was
chemotherapy.
For that I needed to go to
Hamilton to see an oncologist.
The recommendation there was
chemotherapy for six months.
Yuk!
I took their advice and was
lucky enough to be given pills
to take at home and not a trip
to hospital for treatment.
I have been fortunate to not
have any major side effects;
just a lot of little things that on
some days combined to make
me feel grotty.
Tiredness was the most
Rosemary MacKenzie
annoying as I needed a nana
nap more than once a day.
Bowel cancer is one of the
biggest killers in NZ - 1200
unnecessary deaths per year.
If you are a man you have
a one in 18 chance of contracting
the disease, and if you
are a woman one in 20. So if
you have any gastrointestinal
problems see your GP and get
a test done.
We can’t all wait for the
nationwide rollout of screening.
It may come too late.
The future looks good for
me. My GP, surgeon and oncologist
have all told me that I am
good for another 30 years at
least.
So look out Rotorua …I ain’t
done yet!
Responsibility for MY
safety starts with ME
Revise the road rules
and learn how to
keep driving safely
Friday 24 February 2017 and
Wednesday 5 April 2017
9.30am – 2.30pm
Parksyde Community Centre
Phone Rotorua Lakes Council
on 348 4199 to register
FREE
ROAD
SAFETY
UPDATE
for over 65’s
6 Rotorua greypower News – February 2017