Conversations During Chemo

Liz McEwan
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

Liz was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in December 2022 and started chemotherapy in February 2023. She uses her time in the chemo chair to fess up about her views on all manner of subjects. Is she a feminist? Is it ok that she gets botox? Why is she addicted to her smartphone? Is she an alcoholic? Oh ... and why did she get breast cancer?! Tune in to hear what Liz and her guests make of all these topics and more. Find out more on Instagram @convosduringchemo

Episodes

  1. 02/25/2024

    Shhhh but...... it's all about the tweaks

    In episode 8, Liz is joined by Steph Lightfoot, a fellow breast cancer survivor and cancer exercise specialist. Steph is the founder of www.cancercoachme.com, which offers bespoke coaching to cancer patients and survivors. Liz and Steph get together to discuss the lifestyle 'tweaks' they have made since their diagnosis's - and you'll be pleased to hear it's all very doable :-) We hope you enjoy the pod! References: - Steph's coaching services: www.cancercoachme.com Instagram @cancercoach.me - Cancer support Switzerland (formally ESCA) https://www.cancersupport.ch/ - Liz references Davinia Taylor's approach to diet - find out more at @daviniataylor or take a look at her book 'It's Not a Diet'.

    56 min

  2. 11/30/2023

    Shhhh but.... I'm totally overwhelmed

    Active cancer treatment is done but Liz is still totally overwhelmed.... & not by what you might think. She sits down with Ceri to discuss why so many of us feel stressed so often... and what we can do about it.

    55 min

  3. 09/22/2023

    Shhh but..... I'm really not ok with breast cancer.

    Liz & Lou reunite 10 months after Liz's diagnosis to chat about chemo, radiotherapy, and how Liz coped with a heart diagnosis on top of everything else. This is a no holes barred account of cancer treatment - the good, the bad and the downright ugly but the friends remain upbeat and do their best to deliver it with a good old dose of humour!

    48 min

  4. 08/13/2023

    Shhhhh but..... I think I have ADHD

    Join Liz and her friend, Dr Zoe, as they discuss the fascinating subject of ADHD. What exactly is ADHD? How does it often present in adult women? Does Liz have ADHD or is she just crap at adulting?! As a GP and founder of Well Good Wellbeing (www.wellgoodwellbeing.com), Zoe is the perfect guest to offer her insights into what might be going on. References: www.wellgoodwellbeing.com: This is wellbeing done right – with a huge scoop of fun, a side order of evidence-based medicine and a large dollop of inclusivity, accessibility and zero-judgement. ASRS - the Adult Self Report Scale - more information here: https://add.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/adhd-questionnaire-ASRS111.pdf DIVA 5 - Diagnostic interview for ADHD in adults. More information here: https://www.divacenter.eu/DIVA.aspx?id=528

    56 min

  5. 07/23/2023

    Shhhhh but...... I drink wine every day.

    Liz has finished chemo 4! In this episode she's joined be her friend Sarah for a frank discussion about their drinking habits. Are they drinking too much? What is alcohol doing to their bodies? Did her love of wine contribute to Liz's breast cancer? The friends invite you to eavesdrop as they discuss these questions with honesty and (hopefully!)humour. Show notes: - We reference Andrew Hubermann a number of times. For the link to his podcast on alcohol, follow this link: https://hubermanlab.com/what-alcohol-does-to-your-body-brain-health/ - Liz references the book This Naked Mind by Annie Grace

    49 min

  6. 07/22/2023

    Shhhhh........ but I drink wine every day

    Liz has finished chemo 4! In this episode she's joined be her friend Sarah for a frank discussion about their drinking habits. Are they drinking too much? What is alcohol doing to their bodies? Did her love of wine contribute to Liz's breast cancer? The friends invite you to eavesdrop as they discuss these questions with honesty and (hopefully!) humour. Show notes: - We reference Andrew Hubermann a number of times. For the link to his podcast on alcohol, follow this link: https://hubermanlab.com/what-alcohol-does-to-your-body-brain-health/ - Liz references the book This Naked Mind by Annie Grace

    49 min

  7. 06/29/2023

    Shhhhh but.... I'm terrified of giving my child a smartphone.

    Liz wishes smartphones had never been invented - hers brings her so much stress and worry, yet she knows that her children will inevitably reach an age where they will have one. Rachael is on hand to reassure her that it's not all bad news.... as the mum of a teenager she feels optimistic about the next generation's ability to use their phones responsibly. This is the first of 2 episodes on this subject - episode 2 coming soon will be packed full of practical advice for parents of (pre) teens on how they can help their children to enjoy smartphones safely. Hope you enjoy!

    35 min

  8. 06/28/2023

    Shhhhh but..... I'm terrified of my smartphone.

    Liz wishes smartphones had never been invented - hers brings her so much stress and worry, yet she knows that her children will inevitably reach an age where they will have one. Rachael is on hand to reassure her that it's not all bad news.... as the mum of a teenager she feels optimistic about the next generation's ability to use their phones responsibly. This is the first of 2 episodes on this subject - episode 2 coming soon will be packed full of practical advice for parents of (pre) teens on how they can help their children to enjoy smartphones safely. Hope you enjoy!

    35 min

  9. 06/14/2023

    Shhhh but..... I don't think I'm a feminist.

    Liz doesn't think she's a feminist... or at least a good one. Ceri is pretty sure that she is! Listen to the two friends unpick this subject over a cuppa as Liz recovers from chemo 2 :-) Books references: 1) We Should all be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 2) Hot Feminist by Polly Vernon.

    52 min

  10. 06/04/2023

    Shhhh but..... I'm ok with breast cancer.

    Ok so I know I said this podcast wasn't really about cancer, but I figured that we may as well get the elephant in the room out of the way....! So, for episode 1, my wonderful friend Lou joins me to discuss my shock breast cancer diagnosis and what we have both learnt over the past few months. Show notes: - Chemotherapy drug names: Cycles 1-3. Docetaxel (brand name Taxotere) + Carboplatin (I dose every 3 weeks.) Cycles 3-6. Paclitaxel (often referred to as Taxol) + Carboplatin (Reduced dose taxol and carbo week 1, reduced dose taxol week 2, week 3 - break :-) - Targeted therapy drug (works by blocking the HER2 receptors.) Injection of Pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase-zzx (Brand name Phesgo) once every 3 weeks Miscelleneous: - Herceptin entered clinical development in 1992 and was approved in 1998. - With the development of HER2-targeted agents, HER2-positive breast cancer is now a treatable disease and outcomes have dramatically improved for these patients. Currently, survival rates exceed 90 percentin HER2-positive breast cancer that is diagnosed early and treated with chemotherapy and dual antibody therapy. Source: https://www.bcrf.org/blog/her2-positive-breast-cancer-treatment-research/#:~:text=With%20the%20development%20of%20HER2,chemotherapy%20and%20dual%20antibody%20therapy. - The statistics quoted by my oncologist for Stage 2 HER2+ prognosis: Remission (cancer free 5 years after diagnosis) 86% of patients. Treated recurrance 13% of patients. Do not survive: 1% of patients. (I am aware that we got the maths a bit wrong during the chat!)

    43 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Liz was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in December 2022 and started chemotherapy in February 2023. She uses her time in the chemo chair to fess up about her views on all manner of subjects. Is she a feminist? Is it ok that she gets botox? Why is she addicted to her smartphone? Is she an alcoholic? Oh ... and why did she get breast cancer?! Tune in to hear what Liz and her guests make of all these topics and more. Find out more on Instagram @convosduringchemo

Information