hi! new to this group!

Unknown

My name is Jenna Rose, im 20 years old. and on November 24th, 2007 i went into remission! I had ovarian cancer for 7 months. a couple days ago was 2 months! I am having a rough time getting back to normal, feeling better, and especially my self esteem. ( i have a fiancee and am driving him crazy when he looks at other girls ANY ADVICE FOR THAT PLEASE) I am hoping to talk to some younger people and make more friends, Im here for any advice also. I love to help others.
hope to get some responses. thanks!

byubiz

Hi jenna i know exactly how you feel. I'm a childhood cancer suvivor which left me with foot/walking problems, a broken down pitutary system, and athletic limitations. I'm a college senior and this past semester i had a boyfriend, and I struggled with telling him about my medical history. However supportive, we broke up right before finals. While at home for Christmas break I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in my saccrum area. I just began chemo yesterday and last night. Being a cancer suvivor you would think that the deformaties that come with chemo and surgery would be small hurdles to handle compared to the emmense gifts of life continunance and health. However i feel also this delimma and my anger at myself for being that shallow about the issue. I know that the chemo is going to make me nutrapenic, bald, pale, etc, its done that before. But mostly I am upset about the extensive bone removal in my pelvis and the cosmetic results of my legs and walking. I feel trapped by these shallow feelings when i should be happy that my cancer has not metastized and that i will eventually be cured by modern medicine. I think its all a condition of being a young adult with cancer and having the prospect of living the REST of your hopefully long life with the after effects of cancer and this translates into even more problems when it comes to relationships and feelings of self worth there. I wish I could help more then just exacerbate the discussion. Right now my strategy its to avoid dwelling on it. I just keep telling myself things will eventually be ok.

AuthorUnknown

Hi Jenna, my name is Anand. I had cancer when I was 17 years old in my leg (bone tumour). I totally understand about the whole feeling normal thing because there was more than one thing that holds you back. Physically, for me, learning how to walk again was a big hurdle. And even after I did, I still get very protective of my leg. Mentally, normalcy only came back when I moved on from thinking I was still undergoing treatment. I had to keep telling myself that particular chapter in my life was over, and that everything else is waiting for me. I mean, you've got a fiancee! That's amazing! You're gonna be great. Any plans for the future? (Because that's another great way to get back to normal--to think about what's ahead.)

devildawg

Hi Jenna, I am 27 now, but was diagnosed at 24 with a rare head and neck cancer. I got lucky in many ways. First they couldn't do surgery to remove the tumor for it was to forgon and surgery would be to risky to try for the tumor was spread throughout my head and neck, not in my brain(thank god) but it was touching my brain.I say I'm lucky for the simple fact that I have no scars that are visable to others.I have been in remission for two years now and that's great. In talking to others on this network and talking with doctors and therapists(for depression) things will never be back to normal.(thats not a bad thing). You have to create a new normal, it isn't easy but it can be done. I still haven't got back to a normal that I am satisfied with, but it takes time. I also know that in the back of every survivors mind is that we don't know how much time we truelly have and how fast life can change. Although I am in remission, the side effects from treatment have left me struggling with my-self esteem and my physical abilities.I do know that we are all blessed though and have been given a second chance. I'll tell you what, it's great that your engaged and that you have someone there to help. I have yet tried to get back in the dating game. The majority of my side effects, affect the muscles and tendons in my face. My jaw has a mind of it's own and locks up probably 5 to 10 times a day. When this happens I can't open my mouth at all, I have to wait for the muscles to loosen before I can talk again.It makes it difficult to eat, but it also makes it difficult to meet and talk to new people, I could be in mid conversation and my jaw locks up and I am standing there silent, twiddling my thumbs until the muscles loosen enought to try to finish what I was saying.If they are patient enough to wait, I have to try to answer question's about what happened.So sometimes I find it easier not to talk to people who don't know me, so I can avoid telling my story and answer questions about something I am trying to forget about.My friends have learned when it's happening and wait patiently until it goes away, but strangers don't tend to be so patient. When I was going through treatment I was unable to eat for 10 months, I lost so much weight, mostly muscle. Not that I was a male model or anything, but I was in the Marine Corps and I played football for 7 years, needless to say I was in pretty good shape and was able to do things that others couldn't with my physical abilities.In the back of my head when I meet new people, I always think that they see some skinny white kid that couldn't hurt a flee. It gets to frustrating at times, but it's all trying to get back to that NEW NORMAL.I just wanted to let you know Jenna that your not alone with these feelings your feeling, their are people out there going through similar experiences and that your not alone in the fight. I hope this helps. Take care and God bless. Jason

rachel

hi jenna rose. my name is rachel, im 28 years old and i'm a survivor of ovarian cancer now for 16 years. my chemo treatments were in 1992, when i was 12 years old. i'm married. my husband's name is jeremy. this spring will be our 9 year anniversary. together we have one son, he is 7 years old. please let me know if you want to talk. i'm happy to read that you are in remission! hope to hear from you soon!

Quilmes

rachel said:

hi jenna rose. my name is rachel, im 28 years old and i'm a survivor of ovarian cancer now for 16 years. my chemo treatments were in 1992, when i was 12 years old. i'm married. my husband's name is jeremy. this spring will be our 9 year anniversary. together we have one son, he is 7 years old. please let me know if you want to talk. i'm happy to read that you are in remission! hope to hear from you soon!

Hey Jenna Rose, I am a Brain Cancer Survivor. It has almost been a year since my Surgery 4 MRIS's and everything is clean. The tumor shruck quite a bit and it has not reoccured. That is the main thing in Brain Tumors. However the events that followed my treatment where hard, the loss of my father and again coping to come back to normal life has been difficult. I am back on short term disability from Work since now I have to focus on my life after Cancer. My perspective on life is different and I have gone to a therapist who is helping cope with life and my anxiety. The main issue here is that I love my Wife and she has stood by me in these hard times. Hang in there and if you love each other a solution or agreement will be reached. By the way I am Jose 31 Year Engineer with an MBA from a very high decorated school, but the biggest achievement is being a Cancer Survivor and Having my Son Sebastien.

shaver81

Hi Jenna. My name is Eric Shaver, 26 years old, and a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed in 2007 with rectal cancer. I also found it tough being young and having cancer. Not a lot of people around me understood what I was going through at the time. Anything I can do to help or give advice on I am happy to do so.