First yearly checkup with gyn/onc

kikz
kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I saw my surgeon on Tuesday. It was a year ago on 11/03/2010 that he told me I was in remission. He is pleased with my CA 125 of 5. I mentioned that I sometimes worry when I get a pain, a twinge or I feel bloated. He said when that happens to look at my CA 125. He said that is accurate and that my cancer is in remission.

I felt great when I left his office. He didn't tell me anything new but it was good to hear from him that I am still ok. For the past 20 months I have tried to remain upbeat about this illness but the statistics about recurrance haunt me. Believe me I don't dwell on it or sit around and mope but I must admit it does color my perception of my future. Whenever I think about something long term I feel like it's out of bounds for me. But on Tuesday I decided to work on that. I don't know if I can but I am going to try to believe there is no limit (well I am 63) on my future.

I think I have also been coddling myself like a breakable egg. Cancer not only does a number on our bodies but our minds as well. I am going back to my yoga class and am also starting Tai Chi which should help with my new plan.

Karen

Comments

  • VictoriaSF
    VictoriaSF Member Posts: 165
    #2
    Very Happy for You!!!
    Very Happy for you, Karen! Many years of NED and hope you will plan great events for your future,
    i need to work on it as well, having same problem as you do.

    best
    Victoria
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #3
    VictoriaSF said:

    Very Happy for You!!!
    Very Happy for you, Karen! Many years of NED and hope you will plan great events for your future,
    i need to work on it as well, having same problem as you do.

    best
    Victoria

    We all need a game plan
    I to try not to make any long term plans. I want to be posistive and just live in the moment, and I am trying hard to do it. I am so happy your remission is continued and pray for a lifetime of good news and ned,stay strong and be good..val
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    #4
    poopergirl14052 said:

    We all need a game plan
    I to try not to make any long term plans. I want to be posistive and just live in the moment, and I am trying hard to do it. I am so happy your remission is continued and pray for a lifetime of good news and ned,stay strong and be good..val

    Amen to that!
    Glad to hear that all is well with you, Karen. I next see my onc the end of December. I continue to feel great and look great. But I do wonder and worry how long this exalted state will last. I am thinking of taking up yoga and meditation to ground me in the present moment. We were out with dinner with friends tonight and my friend, Angela says, are you still on for St. Martaan next March? (Two friends and I are planning to go there), I said yes, provided I am still in remission. This is the way we all have to think now.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #5
    EnglishGal said:

    Amen to that!
    Glad to hear that all is well with you, Karen. I next see my onc the end of December. I continue to feel great and look great. But I do wonder and worry how long this exalted state will last. I am thinking of taking up yoga and meditation to ground me in the present moment. We were out with dinner with friends tonight and my friend, Angela says, are you still on for St. Martaan next March? (Two friends and I are planning to go there), I said yes, provided I am still in remission. This is the way we all have to think now.

    Wonderful news!
    I am really happy to get some good news on here. Just go ahead and plan something six months into the future. That's playing safe enough. It'll give you confidence to plan even further into the future...maybe?
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #6
    carolenk said:

    Wonderful news!
    I am really happy to get some good news on here. Just go ahead and plan something six months into the future. That's playing safe enough. It'll give you confidence to plan even further into the future...maybe?

    I can so relate to all of
    I can so relate to all of you. One of the frequent questions I got after the diagnosis was "How do you plan for the future with something like this?" I thought well, I plan six months at a time and then go from there.

    I do know that health insurance is paramount for the future,so I plan around that. And I just do things. I quit waiting for things. Like today I went to a baby shower. We played embarrassing and fun games. Normally I tend to shy away, but thought what the heck....why not, just do it. I was the life of the party. When some of those pictures hit Facebook, I might cringe, but I had fun. Should I croak tomorrow, I want my family to remember a quirky happy person.

    I read Elizabeth Edward's Resilience. That helped me. The road is not going to be all roses, but you just keep on trudging trying to make the best of it.
  • srwruns
    srwruns Member Posts: 343
    #7
    Great news! I'm coming up
    Great news! I'm coming up on my one year anniversary for the start of my chemo. It seems amazing it all started a year ago. And yes, "it's" always kind of lurking there in the background but I think about how good I feel now compared to the several months before Dx and it all seems so surreal that it sometimes seems like it was a dream...bad dream...but that one is over for now and just like dreams I don't go to bed every night anxious over having bad dreams...if I have one I deal with it. The same with cancer...if it returns I'll have to deal with it then. I feel very thankful that they follow up as frequently as they do. If something goes awry there's no more of that trying to convince a doctor that something just "isn't right".

    The hardest part for me right now is when our sisters aren't doing as well. Some folks say if reading the boards is a downer don't do it. But I feel that I would be abandoning those that helped me the most during my darkest times. Yes...it's hard for me...but for those hurting if reading the boards was the hardest thing they had to do they'd probably read them 50 times a day.
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #8
    srwruns said:

    Great news! I'm coming up
    Great news! I'm coming up on my one year anniversary for the start of my chemo. It seems amazing it all started a year ago. And yes, "it's" always kind of lurking there in the background but I think about how good I feel now compared to the several months before Dx and it all seems so surreal that it sometimes seems like it was a dream...bad dream...but that one is over for now and just like dreams I don't go to bed every night anxious over having bad dreams...if I have one I deal with it. The same with cancer...if it returns I'll have to deal with it then. I feel very thankful that they follow up as frequently as they do. If something goes awry there's no more of that trying to convince a doctor that something just "isn't right".

    The hardest part for me right now is when our sisters aren't doing as well. Some folks say if reading the boards is a downer don't do it. But I feel that I would be abandoning those that helped me the most during my darkest times. Yes...it's hard for me...but for those hurting if reading the boards was the hardest thing they had to do they'd probably read them 50 times a day.

    Happy for You
    Karen,

    I'm very happy for you and happy too that you have a new plan! Wishing the best for you and all of the ladies fighting this beast.

    Kelly
  • cfont11
    cfont11 Member Posts: 115
    #9
    Good for you.
    Good for you Karen, for making a plan and staying positive. I am so happy that you are still NED. I know what you mean about coddling yourself. I was doing that too but decided that I am not going to be a victim of this disease. Exercise is great for keeping your spirits up and it will make you feel better. We can't help worry about recurrences but you need to go out and live your life. My prayers go out to you.

    Chris

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