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BLESSED, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I thank God for all of you today and always. May you all find something to be thankful for tomorrow in your quiet moments, even in the midst of all that you are going through. God bless all of you. Luv & (((HUGS))) Monika
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New TSA guidelines
Just an FYI....although we all know that the metal detector at the airport will not pick up your port, the new body scanners most certainly will. And once they see something on the scan that isn't completely ordinary, you will be subjected to a pat down. This has happened to me repeatedly, since they installed the body…
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Can someone help me
I was diagnosed in Feb,2010 with stage 3 ovarian cancer. I had surgery which was not successful, they couldn't remove the tumor. I had 6 carbotaxoil treatments after the side effects were over I felt wonderful. Last month I started feeling a little nauseous & not wonderful. I went to my primary Dr & had CA125 test which…
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MOM is getting her surgery at 4 PM today..eastern time
Hi everyone..it's Michele- haven't been here in a while because mom has been waiting for surgery. Her BP was way too high last Friday to have her surgery so her surgeon got her in today. She is having a hysterectomy and spleen is diseased so they are taking that and we are not sure about her colon but the Dr felt something…
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Saundra is close to leaving
Dearest Survivor Friends, this is Joe, Saundra's husband. She is in her 16th day in the hospice inpatient unit, and has amazed all the nurses and her oncologist by hanging on this long. Since last Monday she has been heavily sedated to control intermittent spasms. All three of our children have visited while she was lucid…
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Never Give Up
I am having a recurrence of my 2009 ovarian cancer. Two months ago after a trip to the emergency room because of severe pain in the bowel, I had a CT scan that showed cancer specks all over the bowel and up on the liver. I was told that the reason I was in so much pain was because the bowel had pretty much adhered to…
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Not my wife, but that of a good friend
A couple weeks ago the wife of my freshman year college roommate passed away from ovarian cancer. How strange that two young men should grow up to share this challenge with their wives in middle age. I finally talked with him as I could not attend the funeral in Iowa as my wife was in throes of treatment here at home. But…
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I know I'm taking a break but...
I know I'm taking a break but I wanted to repost this here. This was in response to a post on Inspire, and I think perhaps my "break" has helped me to begin to sort out some stuff. I thought I'd throw it out there for you to comment on. This was a response to the lack of OVCA attention. "Part of the issue is that we are an…
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HIVES!
I've been battling hives since Friday night. Going into my 4th week of the new trial chemo regimen of daily oral pills. UGH!!! I've been on Benadryl all weekend and they keep coming back. I have to call the doctor on Monday to see how we will proceed. I haven't taken the pill since Friday. I am hoping a lower dose is in…
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Getting used to "new normal"
chemo has started...I still have my hair, however I have always used high end hair products because my hair is very fine and thin and my big hope was always if I used the best product my hair would...well be more what I wanted it to be like (never really happened). As I was in the shower yesterday (my first day for chemo)…
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Thinking about Saundra
Just thinking about Saundra this morning. Bonnie and Linda too.
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There is hope, after all....
I met two OVCA ladies in the waiting room today, when I went for labs. One is 3 years post-diagnosis and the other is almost two years. The first one was getting her semi-annual CA125 and the other was getting her 3 month blood draw and port flush. Both of them were stage 3c. Neither has had a recurrence. I would soooooooo…
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I should start a log.....
on all the different ways my 7yr old has come up with to cure cancer. From the weird 'why can't they just use a big shovel?" (A shovel???) To the simplistic, "can't you just find a doctor who knows how to get rid of the cancer?" Some nights he says to me, "Mom, I'm so happy you are still alive" It must weigh on his mind…
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Its not over until the fat lady sings!
Well today was meant to be mums last chemo! But her bloods have come back low :( . She will be having a blood transfusion on Tuesday so hopefully will be able to finish her treatment next week. On the plus side her ca125 is now at 9 :) Gutted I thought today was the final hurdle for her for (finger crossed) a long time.…
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Skeerd and anxious
Most of you have been there before....my first chemo is Friday, Carbo and Taxol. I will be doing IV, no port. I'm sitting in Buffalo airport after visiting my elderly Dad and getting ready to fly back to CA. The reality hit me when I checked my email and there was a confirming email from my local pharmacy confirming I have…
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Anti Nausea Meds
I'm wondering about these meds, if there are stronger ones or lesser ones or whatever. I've only had prochlorperazine (generic of compazine, I believe) but looking into starting the doxil in a few weeks, and especially after all the grief it gave Tina, I am wondering if I should ask for something stronger perhaps? I don't…
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CA 125 went up to 7.5 :(
This is my post-treatment CA125 history: May, 2010: 7 June, 2010:7.3 July, 2010:4.8 Aug, 2010: 6.9 Sept, 2010:6.9 Oct, 2010: 6.4 Nov, 2010: 7.5 I know it's still very low, but that doesn't stop me from fretting and fussing. Crazy, I know. And obsessive. I hate that I can't seem NOT to allow these damn numbers to rule my…
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Back in the land of living
It is 2 weeks since my first infusion of Caelyx (Doxil) and I am actually feeling OK. It was a total shock to me to have such terrible nausea and to feel so ill. No one warned me about these side effects with this drug. I was warned about the sore mouth and the hand and foot syndrome (Which in fact I do NOT have!!!) But…
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A good day
I went into my office today for the first time since 2/26/2010. I am retiring effective 11/30 and needed to clean out my office. I had been putting it off because every time I thought about going in, I got emotional. I worked there for 17 years. Well happy to report it was all upbeat. I got so many hugs and they were just…
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Feeling very discouraged
I had my first check-up today since starting carbo/doxil for my first recurrence. Sadly my CA125 went from 16 to 34. While this may not seem that high, my "original" baseline was 5. I was crushed. The doc said we will wait until another chemo cycle, then evaluate. The first carbo/taxo knocked it down right away. I feel…
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Neupogen shot advice
Can anyone give me any advice for my mom about the neupogen shot? She's scared to death of needles and the idea of getting these shots has her questioning whether she'll continue with the chemo. She has 4 infusion of carbo/taxol down with four more to go. She's petrified of the "bone pain" that the nurse told her about.…
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Double Take on my diagnosis
I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago with stage 3 ovarian cancer. I've had my ups and downs. I seem to be doing good = Today I had to go for a "routine" CT scan of my pelvis, abdomen and chest. While waiting I read my Drs. report - stating I had "relapsed peritoneal carcinomatos due to ovarian cancer". Has anyone experienced…
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I hate cancer
I am having an emotional morning. I have hardly slept and today for some reason i am feeling angry. Mom's chemo went well yesterday, she is continuing on with at least three more treatments so that will be 9 in total. I feel like this is going to be her life from now on and that the Mom i used to have is gone. Thanks for…
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Chemo has made me stupid!
So I am baking whoopie pies from a mix from crate and barrel. I am added the water and the batter was so runny. I am saying, "I am so mad I could spit!" I asked my daughter to read the directions and she confirmed I followed the instructions. So hubby says let me see if a man can figure this one out. So he looks in the…
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Freaking mother in laws!!
Quick rant! Mother in law visited earlier and started going on about mum, she is so bloody insensitive. Her comment was "well if your body is giving up then you should listen to it, I wouldn't take a 100 pill day to stay alive!" I immediately said to her well I would! I then said you would rather die then ? Silence was the…
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Anybody see "Wit"?
It is a movie about a young-ish professor that gets diagnosed with stage 4 OVCA. It has Emma Thompson in it and received rave reviews. I thought it might help me understand my mom better. Any thoughts?
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Freaking Doctors
I get so frustrated sometimes. I went out to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa yesterday. I live 3.5 hours away, so between the hotel room the night before, food, gas, and tolls I was well over 125 dollars just to GET to this all day marathon of testing to get me started on my clinical trial. So they call me this morning to…
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YIKES! What's that bulge in my belly?
Several people have recently discovered bulges that they feared might be tumors. Here is some information, in its own thread, that might help. Incisional hernias are VERY common when you have (1) had a "big belly" surgery and (2) had your omentum removed, as is typical of OVCA de-bulking. So....if you suddenly notice a…
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For those who don't Face Book....
Today is Lessa G's birthday! Happy B Day, Leesa.
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HELP: On feet all day with Doxil
Hi all - hopefully you can help, my mom is now starting Doxil. Her oncology nurses haven't been very helpful, I'm basically repeating instructions from the Doxil website, and it's like it's the first time they heard it. They didn't know you're supposed to ice the day before and up to 5 days after. They said they just wait…