My mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer..seeking advice

LorettaMarshall

pheach said:

My mom too has just been

My mom too has just been diagnosed with mucinous overian cancer. She had a full hysterectomy last month. The pathology report came back and doctors said she has a rare type of ov cancer and that the traditional taxol/carbo might not do anything but there's not other options available. So she's starting her first chemotherapy today. I'm also her sole primary caregiver. I'm sitting here in the hospital watching her sleep while the drips of chemo is getting into her body. I'm praying that the chemo works. I'm praying that she will be able to tolerate the side effects. I just want to see her healthy and happy again. Wishing the same for everyone else who's going through cancer .

Pheach~Welcome & best wishes 2U & your newly diagnosed mother!

Dear Pheach

Welcome to our site.  I have chosen to place your comments in a separate forum topic but specifically with you and your mom in mind.  We know the mixed emotions you have as a daughter and sole caregiver for her.  Since I didn’t know how much you had already done in the way of research, I thought I would put some references down that might be helpful.  Here is that link: 

https://csn.cancer.org/node/316862

It takes a while to pull things together once you’ve been “hit by a cancer diagnosis” totally “out of the blue!”  Although I skipped the “denial” stage, I was thrust into a “new learning mode” simultaneously.  Although I was familiar with the term, Ovarian Cancer—“What on earth is Peritoneal Carcinomatosis?”  I soon found out!

I’m truly wishing that the Carboplatin/Paclitaxel (Taxol) regimen will prove to have minimal side effects and the healing effects will be maximum.  It has proven to be effective for many women of all ages who are coping with different types of Ovarian Cancer. 

Oh and one more thing I may have forgotten to say in my other letter, “See that mom stays out of the sun as much as possible.  Our skin is especially sensitive to sunburn when we are on chemotherapy. 

Love Loretta

Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer Stage IV first DX in November of 2012 and by God’s grace am still enjoying a relative good quality of life considering the treatments I’ve had for the last 5 years.  So far, the good has outweighed the bad!

skyleah_S

mom

My mom has just been diagnosed with 2 different kinds of cancer one of them being ovary cancer. My mom is under a lot of stress right now and I know that I have to be strong for her. I am in counciling for suicide and grief. So I just need advice on how I can be strong enough for the both of us. She needs me right now more then ever. So how can I help her without breaking down and falling apart. Please help me 

abrub

pheach said:

My mom too has just been

My mom too has just been diagnosed with mucinous overian cancer. She had a full hysterectomy last month. The pathology report came back and doctors said she has a rare type of ov cancer and that the traditional taxol/carbo might not do anything but there's not other options available. So she's starting her first chemotherapy today. I'm also her sole primary caregiver. I'm sitting here in the hospital watching her sleep while the drips of chemo is getting into her body. I'm praying that the chemo works. I'm praying that she will be able to tolerate the side effects. I just want to see her healthy and happy again. Wishing the same for everyone else who's going through cancer .

Is it possible that it's not ovarian cancer?

The mucinous tumor that was found encompassing my ovary was appendiceal in origin, and I know of many appendix cancer patients who were first diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Please have her pathology reviewed.  If it is like my cancer, it is treatable (with other chemos and surgeries.)  PM me if you want more info.

Alice

dx'd in 2007 stage 4 appendix cancer found in a mucinous tumor encompassing the ovary, with much peritoneal spread.

 

HeatherHF

My mom was just diagnosed too

I'm new here too and am somewhat relieved to have found this post. 

My mom was diagnosed with Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer in August. She was having abdominal pain and bloating for a few weeks and saw a commercial for endometirosis and related to the symptoms described. At 69 she did not have endometriosis but her doctor referred her to a surgeon who then referred her to a gynecologic oncologist and after several tests and scans recommended she have a hysterectomy. The day of her surgery the surgeon decided to just go in lapercopically to see what he was dealing with. He diagnosed the cancer and suggested 3 rounds of neo-adjuvent chemo then surgery then another 3 rounds of chemo. I wish I could say I was shocked but it just confirmed what I had already known. When she was describing her symptoms coupled with her age it just couldn't be anything else. I've worked for several cancer organizations (for the American Cancer Society in fact) for several years and unfortunately just know things now. 

We decided to go for a second opinion at Memorial Sloane Kettering who agreed with the diagnosis and the recommended treatment but also suggested tumor debulking surgery first. Her surgeon was one of the best in the world so deceided for surgery first. And after her surgery on Sept 6 he reported he removed all of the cancer that he could see, optimally debulked. He had to remove parts of her colon and had another surgeon who specializes in the liver remove a small portion of her liver but he reported that the cancer was only on the right side and the left ovary and lymphnodes and diaphram were unaffected so it hadn't spread too far. 

She is now living with me temporarily while she recovers from surgery and starts chemo. All the medical staff commented how amazing she looked only 2 weeks after surgery when we saw them on Friday. We met with the oncologist as well who will begin 6 rounds of chemo (carboplatin/Toxil/Avastin) once every three weeks with follow up Avastin. Her oncologist believes she will tolerate the chemo well but warns or recurrence. 

All of this is the best news we could have hoped for. But like many of you this is still so hard to take. My father passed away in April 2017 of pancreatic cancer 10 weeks after diagnosis. There was nothing we could do for him and all felt helpless and useless as we watched him pass. I was not about to stand by and allow that helplessness to occur with my mom. Just when things started to get to a new normal without my dad I became pregnant with my first child. And then 2 months later my mom receives this dianosis. So now I'm trying to be her caretaker while trying to stay calm and healthy at 14 weeks pregnant, be a wife and work a new job I just started in June that has been wonderful and understanding about taking my mom to appointments and giving me the flexibility I need to care for her (they do not know I'm pregnant yet). I am just feeling overwhelmed and I feel like no one really understands. My husband has been so amazing and supportive to both me and my mom but when I get frustrated and upset he just can't understand what I'm feeling because all he hears is the "good" news of her treatment and says I should be grateful. I have a brother that is involved as much as he can be with 2 young children of his own and a job that does not allow for the flexibility mine does. I also have an army of aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and friends that are all willing to help but I still just feel so alone even with all these people around me. I just want life to go back to normal. I want to enjoy my pregnancy. It is so helpful to hear everyone's stories. It makes me feel less lonely in this situation. 

Bulldogsrule

skyleah_S said:

mom

My mom has just been diagnosed with 2 different kinds of cancer one of them being ovary cancer. My mom is under a lot of stress right now and I know that I have to be strong for her. I am in counciling for suicide and grief. So I just need advice on how I can be strong enough for the both of us. She needs me right now more then ever. So how can I help her without breaking down and falling apart. Please help me 

Thoughts...

Hi skyleah_S - I hope you are hanging in there. I can't imagine what it must feel like to not only be handling your own counseling, but also being a support for your mom. I can only offer my own experiences, hope it helps. 

I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in May 2015. I've been on regular chemo, then NED, then a trial and now another trial. I count every day as a blessing and at the same time pray for many, many more days with my husband and friends and family. I can't look back, those days are gone. I can't worry about the future, those days aren't even here yet. I can only focus on today. I try to remember that each time I feel overwhelmed and start focusing on all of the what-if. I have also had a lot of family and friends pass with cancer, suicide, etc. So, grief has been something that has touched my life for decades. 

Sometimes, it can really be therapautic to be someone's support. It helps give you purpose and tasks to focus on to help them, inadvertently helping you along the way. One thing I would definitely recommend is to reach out to those on this site, her doctors, the resources in your community, etc and don't be shy about asking for help and using it!!!! Find support groups in your area who are dealing with suicide, grief, cancer, being a caregiver, etc until you find the one(s) that are the most helpful to you! Don't give up until you find it! Period. 

I have started going to a phychologist, looking into integrative medicine options, have done yoga, etc. Try anything and everything before you rule it out. You never know what will work or who you will meet because of trying something --- only to discover that you are feeling better or have found something/people who are really helping!!

Best of luck and try your very best to take it day-by-day! Hour-by-hour at times, even!