​On the 7th February, Sally was diagnosed with Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

Sally's sister wanted to explain this a little further as there isn't much literature on the internet about this specific type of cancer.

‘Neuroendocrine Carcinoma falls under the category of Neuroendocrine Cancer (Tumour), which is made up of 3 different grades and Sally has been diagnosed with the most aggressive and rare form of this, Grade 3. 

It is called a carcinoma because the primary/original site is unknown. Most people who have neuroendocrine cancer have the tumours (well differentiated). Sally's is poorly differentiated and has metastasised (spread) beyond the neuroendocrine system and into her bones.

I have attached a photo of the Grading I found, hopefully that helps clarify what I've written.

In Sally's case, it is not about waiting for the all clear, although we are all hoping for a miracle, and Sally is utilising complementary therapies and nutrition to give her the best chance at beating this.

Sally has had her first round of chemo and is due for her second round beginning on the 28th Feb. She is a very strong and positive person which is an attribute I am sure we all love about her.

Sally is focusing now on living each day and moment with happiness, doing exactly what she wants to do rather than focusing on what is "curable or incurable" and her diagnosis.

Sally appreciates all your love and support, and the support we are all giving each other.’

Sal adds: ’chemotherapy doesn’t cure this type of cancer, it shrinks the tumours to bring more comfort and possibly extend length of life in this case. If anything can cure this ‘incurable disease’, it will be with complementary therapies (herbal medicine, nutrition, and homeopathy), and of course a great attitude, meditation, and all the support of my darling family and friends.’

Sal and I continue to have deep conversations daily and she invariably details her love and gratitude for her life and all the extraordinary people in it. 

Our dear friend Brenda Kay organised two working bees at our home near Dorrigo and some people even came twice to work in 40C heat. The accompanying photos only show some of these remarkable people who gave so generously of their time and effort - even two people neither Sal nor I have met - thanks to Marg who came with Nell and Anke who came with Helen. A huge THANK YOU also to Brenda, Robin, Paul, Christine, Frances, Argnesh, Iris, Annica, Jeanette, Jim, and Matt. 

Lynne and Fran have been cooking and delivering the most delicious food once a week for our little tribe at home as a real treat, so one or two days a week we don’t have to shop, prepare and cook.   

Sal has also received generous donations that are enabling us to purchase the very best in food, products, resources, care, etc for her wellbeing. Thanks again if you are one who has given in this way, and to the countless people across the globe who are holding Sal’s highest outcome in their hearts and minds. Others I’d like to thank and acknowledge are - and they know the reasons why - Paul, Deborah, Phil, Brony and Bruce, Carolyn, The Gardiners, Tom, Phoebe, Marliese, Lynn, Jim, Sandra, Lainey, Maggie, and many of ‘The Hobbits’. ​

Apologies to those wonderful workers we didn't get any photographs of xoxox

Oh, the joys of juicy conversation involving curiosity, genuine enquiry, deep listening, and a willingness to share openly in trust. Sally and I often discuss our experiences of the quintessential ’How are you?’ throw-away question when those asking don’t REALLY want to know :)

We even created a quote on the 9th December 2016 
​
Meaningful Conversations To bring out the best in ourselves and others requires genuine interest, sincere enquiry, and active listening. The art of conversation requires following through and building on the person’s response to your enquiry.

I truly love the satisfaction of a well-rounded, deep conversation with interest for everyone involved. The penny dropped! The AHA! moment arrived! Why not craft a host of authentic questions to help others have more meaningful conversations? So, to this end, we are in the process of creating open-ended Conversation Warmers that you can use in all manner of situations.

We’re having a fantastic time answering and trialling our questions, and pouncing on each and every visitor to our home in our quest for thorough market research. This ‘Fabulous New Project’ by Sally and Cedar has a life of its own and you’ll be the first to be informed when prepublication orders are being taken and so you can share the good news with your networks and groups. You can stay in touch here via my blog if you wish.  http://www.clarityforlife.training/blog

​Sally came home from Coffs Harbour hospital on Tuesday 14th February after being admitted to Emergency on the 30th January. She was welcomed to a sparkling home if somewhat changed in appearance, thanks to Brenda Kay and the two fantastic volunteer teams over two days of extraordinarily hard working and generous people who scrubbed and sanitised our home and beautified the gardens and hut by the creek. Two thoughtful friends also appeared with delicious home-cooked food for our little core group to enjoy.

Sal has been diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine condition that no-one has yet survived. However, Sally feels that due to the exceptional care she is under that healing and miracles are indeed possible. Sally has comprehensive healthcare combining a medical regime plus a complementary program of naturopathy, homeopathy, and nutrition.

She had restorative sleep last night of approximately six hours, the first real sleep in over a month. She believes an important part of her healing lies in her ability to have deep rest and enough uninterrupted sleep.

She is feeling the beneficial effects of everyone who has lovingly sent prayers, healing energy, messages, gifts, donations, and support. She has asked not to see any visitors until further notice.

The Qcards Conversation Starters that Sally initiated, and that she and I were working on when she fell ill have been completed and have arrived at home. I am unsure just when I’ll be able to make these available for purchase. Watch this space.
​
I continue to receive messages and suggestions for Sally and am aware that those who love and have been touched in some ways by this vibrant and extraordinary woman want to do all in their power to see her well again. Rest assured a new and changed Sally is emerging.

Sal reads my blog and I welcome your comments if you would like to express how she has touched your life by posting your story here on this thread.

We thank you for your very kind messages, prayer circles, singing and chanting, gifts, and your sending of love and healing light. Please continue to hold Sal in your thoughts. The first of three series of chemotherapy treatments has been completed with the next due on 22 February. 

Deepest gratitude to all who have contributed financial support to Sally. 

Sal has a rapidly spreading malignant cancer and wishes to keep the specifics private. PLEASE do not send any more suggestions for remedies even though well meaning or your beliefs about the reasons for her illness.

Sal is not seeking remedies at this stage and has very consciously chosen a combination of allopathic and complementary care. She has exceptional professionals attending her.

I too am being inundated with remedies and theories and although I do everything in my power to provide comprehensive updates I’m being called and messaged for answers that I’ve already clarified here. PLEASE read my messages and those on Sal’s page before contacting me. 

Although both Sal and I have been as direct and honest as possible I feel some people still refuse to see how gravely ill she is. She can scarcely eat, walk, sleep, and at times talk. She’s exhausted and cannot receive any more visitors. She has to take pain relief medication constantly.

I know Sal better than anyone and know the love, compassion, humility, and forgiveness that motivates her. Her deep understanding of people, and wanting to assist in their healing and well-being, and indeed elevating every interaction she has with them is a gift to those with the mindfulness to see.

Sal says that whether she lives or dies she wants to be CELEBRATED, so I implore everyone in your alone times or in conversations with friends to
* Celebrate Sal in your unique way
* Discuss her qualities and what she has meant and means to you
* Create celebratory fundraising events for her immediate and ongoing health care
* Send pure love and healing energy to allow Sal to utilise in whatever way she chooses

Blessings and courage and we navigate these changes.

​Sallie-Ann Macklin writes

I too had this issue this is a post I made on the same issue - hope it helps ...
ADVICE - this is a really tough one. Difficult to discuss, so many different points of view and passion about this topic that it makes for many emotions.

So all I can do is share how it was for me. Before CANCER - In the past I was homeopathically treated - my whole life. I have always been herbal and alternate until I started to get skin cancer. 

When I was diagnosed with Grade 3, Her2+ breast cancer - 5cm tumour I was under a time pressure to decide which way forward. In the past I had told myself I would never do chemotherapy. 

Now I was faced with options.
Paul and I have for many years trained leaders, coaches, teams in exploration of ideas and so I applied the model that we use in training to research. 

I spent the first 3 weeks of my diagnosis having tests done, reading books, finding out what I could about my personal cancer, I spoke to women who had bilateral mastectomies. I wanted to speak to them about the trauma of having their breasts removed, how did it feel as a women to no longer have breasts. I had to look at all avenues, look at everything about this cancer journey that could impact me on all levels of my being. It WAS INTENSE.

Can I be really clear here there are different cancers - I had no idea - over 200 different forms of breast cancer and they are treated differently! Some can be cut out immediately, some like mine, if you cut it, it multiplies like a wild fire - spreads through your body. My aunt died at 37 from this breast cancer. 

ADVICE - came from everyone and everywhere - it is a huge machine this cancer phenomena - make no mistake. We ALL have an OPINION we have all been touched by it - in one way or another.

At the end of the day - usually we are dealing with each other - family, friends, loved ones - 1:1. When someone has cancer and is on their path - my cry to you is please don't give them your advice UNLESS they ask YOU. Listening is the greater gift you can bring them. Listen to their concerns, their fears, their options. Helping them to explore their options and then once they decide on THEIR path, supporting them and loving them through their journey is the greatest gift you can give to them. 

Being told that I needed to stop eating dairy wasn't helpful for me or my cancer - my cancer isn't affected by hormones but some are - I agree - but not mine. So then when I am given that advice - I have to go and find out if that is true, there is more distress and more emotions to seive through - it is exhausting.

I know when we love someone we really want to tell them what helped us, is helping us, could help them, I realise this need comes from a deep desire of LOVE. I used to as well, thought I new everything! I'm ashamed that I was so bloody opinionated!

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND. As the delightful soul Stephen Covey said - "Seek to understand then be understood" however, in this case the FULL STOP after UNDERSTAND matters and my advice to myself is LISTEN because this is LOVE. 

Listen to the soul in front of you, perhaps they just need a shoulder to cry on, bounce around some ideas, be angry, be afraid, whatever it is, it is about helping them walk through their journey on their terms - perhaps they even want to RAGE and then your job is to allow them that as well.

Of course, this is still my point of view and my opinion. Having gone through a year of cancer and many ideas on how I should deal with it, I know I have made the right decision for me, for now. As I have said many times before this has been the hardest year of my life but turning out to be one of the best years in my life. 

It has stripped away pretense, 
It has stripped away what I thought I needed, wanted or had to be. 
It has stripped me bare to a core in me that I hadn't touched.
It has hurt.
It has been incredibly painful.
Emotionally it has been a roller coaster.
I have changed and I am still trying to embrace those changes, how I look, how I feel, how I am in the world.

My prayer today is to tread lightly.
Love fully.
Embrace all my emotions.
Be gentle.
Listen well.
Have an amazing day my friends. 

Friends of Sally - An update on Sal 6th Feb - There have been so many tests and so many results - none has yet found the primary source - Sal has pleurisy on top of everything else. The cancer is malignant and spreading - she had her first comfortable night last night after a fourth change of beds and with pain meds now helping, she actually got some good sleep. 
​
Our darling friend Brenda Kay is arriving today from Bribie Island and will take care of things at Lahuna (home) at Megan on the Dorrigo Plateau. She will be organising a working bee for inside and out and even now in Sal’s inimitably inscrutably organised way has a long LIST of things to do.
Anyone who’d be willing to help can contact Brenda via Facebook.

​ For all of Sal’s beautiful friends who are sending love and light and healing, please double your efforts and perhaps expand your healing circles as Our Sal needs all the help she can get now. Her condition worsens, and I may report more after Tuesday when the results of ever more tests return. Please unite in strength and love for Sally.

I have been blessed by the kindness of a 'stranger' - stranger no longer, who has generously offered me accommodation for as long as I need it and is supporting Sally and myself in every imaginable way.

Hello,

This is Cedar, Sally’s friend and housemate. I’m writing with a request for your assistance for Sal. As you may know she is still in an undiagnosed health crisis with extreme discomfort as her liver is four times its normal size and is displacing other organs. This pain began 3 weeks ago, Monday night she was taken to the Emergency unit in Coffs Harbour Hospital and spent 24 hours there. She has now been moved to a medical ward where she is still being constantly monitored and tested. 

Throughout January, I have watched Sal become ever more sick and debilitated and have been shocked by the severity of her abdominal distortions and back pain. To date she has been examined, probed and cared for by about 8 doctors, 3 surgeons, multiple nurses, a liver specialist, 2 ambos, and numerous medical students, and through it all has remained in her beautiful nature and speaks of those in worse conditions than herself. She constantly acknowledges how blessed she is to be in Australia under our remarkable health care system with its’ wonderful resources that are free. All the medicos in Dorrigo and Coffs have been exemplary in caring for her and I’m thankful for their professionalism and compassion.

Sal still has no improvement nor diagnosis, and there is no indication of how long she may be in hospital nor the length of her recovery period, thus work has been and is off the agenda and she will not be able to work for an unknown period of time. Rarely does she ask anything of others yet gives unconditionally. As we reflect on our time with her I have no doubt every one of us has been a recipient of her kindness and unwavering generosity. Sal is usually so robust and independent that her own needs may be sometimes invisible to her loved ones. 

Her plan was to work as much as possible massaging during her uni break, and along with me making a deck of Conversation Starters for sale which we had intended to launch early this year to help fund her final year of her Bachelor Health Science. Sadly this illness has halted and depleted her finances and ability to work. 

The greater tragedy is that due to her illness she now has been advised by her specialist to defer her final year of university to focus on identifying whatever this mystery illness is, and then to slowly heal and work to get strong again. 


I’m hopeful that those reading this will feel moved to deposit something - no matter how small or large to Sally Brocklehurst account at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia at 063-244 10327568 or my PayPal account and I’ll send it on to her.  My PayPal [email protected]


Rest assured that I will support Sal through all of this and will be by her side as much as I can. I have made my temporary ‘home’ at the Royal Palms Motel in Coffs so I can be near the hospital.

Please understand that Sal cannot be disturbed or stressed in any way as it really takes it out of her, and her monitored heart rate is consistently up at the moment. I invite you all to send loving and healing thoughts and prayers to aid in her healing, and some financial contribution if you feel so moved.  

PLEASE SHARE this message with others who know and love Sal.

With Love and Thanks,

Cedar