initial results on Thursday

kimberly sue 63
kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Tomorrow I return to see my surgeon/oncologist 2 weeks post my original surgery. It is the day that I get the full report on my pathology results. In my brain, I keep hoping for negative results, thinking this was all a mistake. However, I remember what my two surgeons said after surgery and they were preparing me to expect malignancy.
So wish me luck and send good karma in the air waves to give me strength for tomorrows appointment!!
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Comments

  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #2
    sending off good karma
    and we'll be waiting to hear ........ (((HUGS))) Maria
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #3
    Good Luck !
    Sending positive thought to you, let us know how it goes.
    Colleen
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #4
    path results
    wishing for minimal everything!!! will be waiting to hear
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #5
    my mom always say
    don't brorrow trouble from tomorrow we have enough to deal with today. Wait until you get the full report but know you will find out what all of us found out. We are a lot tougher than we thought and that we ever thought we could be. You also have something already going your way and that is that you have found this site. I could only imagine how much worst my walk through cancer would be if not for this site. Please come back and let us know I am praying for you not having cancer that is always our prayer but if you do we are always here for you little or small bring all your worries here.

    Love, Hugs, and prayer
    Anne
  • debrajo
    debrajo Member Posts: 1,095 Member
    #6
    Wishing and praying for all
    Wishing and praying for all good results! Just remember, ALL things work to the GOOD for those that love God! Even the bad has a reason...we just don't know what it is. Best, Debrajo
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #7
    debrajo said:

    Wishing and praying for all
    Wishing and praying for all good results! Just remember, ALL things work to the GOOD for those that love God! Even the bad has a reason...we just don't know what it is. Best, Debrajo

    Wishing you good luck
    and sending good karma and good thoughts your way! Please keep us posted.

    Kelly
  • garden gal
    garden gal Member Posts: 212 Member
    #8
    lovesanimals said:

    Wishing you good luck
    and sending good karma and good thoughts your way! Please keep us posted.

    Kelly

    Sending good karma
    your way. Praying for you. Kathy
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #9
    Praying for the best news
    Praying for the best news possible.....hugs
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #10
    Well, results are in...I have been staged with serous papillary carcinoma stage IIIc. The only abdominal lesions were within the omentum,ovaries, and fallopian tubes and that was all removed.I had nodes on my diaphragm that were quite small, but the pathology of those was negative. I had positive abdominal washings which is a given. The good news is that all of my lymph nodes were clean. My oncologist is confident we can keep it under control and my type is very receptive to the chemo-therapuetic agents. So all in all it is a good result for ovarian cancer....but the sense of doom is still there!! The prospect of chrmotherapy is overwhelming.
    She (my oncologist) wants to chemo-dense treatment which means day one I get carbo/taxol, then weekly taxol. This is the cycle of 3 weeks. Has any one done it that way?
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #11
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    Well, results are in...I have been staged with serous papillary carcinoma stage IIIc. The only abdominal lesions were within the omentum,ovaries, and fallopian tubes and that was all removed.I had nodes on my diaphragm that were quite small, but the pathology of those was negative. I had positive abdominal washings which is a given. The good news is that all of my lymph nodes were clean. My oncologist is confident we can keep it under control and my type is very receptive to the chemo-therapuetic agents. So all in all it is a good result for ovarian cancer....but the sense of doom is still there!! The prospect of chrmotherapy is overwhelming.
    She (my oncologist) wants to chemo-dense treatment which means day one I get carbo/taxol, then weekly taxol. This is the cycle of 3 weeks. Has any one done it that way?

    THAT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF GOOD NEWS!
    All clean lymph nodes - that's wonderful! Your oncologist sounds positive and I hope that you are, too. Yes, the diagnosis is still a lot to absorb. But you have a great support system here and lots of shoulders to lean on. I've never had that type of treatment cycle, but maybe someone else here has.

    Thank you so much for updating us. There is much to be grateful for - sending prayers and lots of (((HUGS)))!!
    Monika
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #12
    mopar said:

    THAT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF GOOD NEWS!
    All clean lymph nodes - that's wonderful! Your oncologist sounds positive and I hope that you are, too. Yes, the diagnosis is still a lot to absorb. But you have a great support system here and lots of shoulders to lean on. I've never had that type of treatment cycle, but maybe someone else here has.

    Thank you so much for updating us. There is much to be grateful for - sending prayers and lots of (((HUGS)))!!
    Monika

    thanks
    Thank you for telling me to be positive. It is hard to feel positive when the word cancer is made into a reality. However, I decided if I have to go thru this, I'm doing it with dignity and class. Just spent an hour ordering head scarfs, eyebrows,and eyelashes; and ovarian cancer support necklaces for me and my girls!sometimes shopping can make you feel better!!!
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #13
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    thanks
    Thank you for telling me to be positive. It is hard to feel positive when the word cancer is made into a reality. However, I decided if I have to go thru this, I'm doing it with dignity and class. Just spent an hour ordering head scarfs, eyebrows,and eyelashes; and ovarian cancer support necklaces for me and my girls!sometimes shopping can make you feel better!!!

    you seem so much more upbeat now that the wait is over. Still sorry you have to be here with us. I am sorry any of us are. But now, just like ordering your scarves and jewelry you are ready to dive in. Stay strong Teal sister!
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #14
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    thanks
    Thank you for telling me to be positive. It is hard to feel positive when the word cancer is made into a reality. However, I decided if I have to go thru this, I'm doing it with dignity and class. Just spent an hour ordering head scarfs, eyebrows,and eyelashes; and ovarian cancer support necklaces for me and my girls!sometimes shopping can make you feel better!!!

    you seem so much more upbeat now that the wait is over. Still sorry you have to be here with us. I am sorry any of us are. But now, just like ordering your scarves and jewelry you are ready to dive in. Stay strong Teal sister!
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #15
    undertreatment2012 said:

    you seem so much more upbeat now that the wait is over. Still sorry you have to be here with us. I am sorry any of us are. But now, just like ordering your scarves and jewelry you are ready to dive in. Stay strong Teal sister!

    upbeat..not sure
    But I must say I do feel better to have the pathology report back and I know now exactly what we are dealing with. Next hurdle is the chemo....
    I miss work and really want to return, knowing the start of chemo and it is going to be weekly makes me feel It may be some time before I get back.

    There are so many things we all have had to give up.
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #16
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    upbeat..not sure
    But I must say I do feel better to have the pathology report back and I know now exactly what we are dealing with. Next hurdle is the chemo....
    I miss work and really want to return, knowing the start of chemo and it is going to be weekly makes me feel It may be some time before I get back.

    There are so many things we all have had to give up.

    You're going to be okay!
    We know how scary it is to get the cancer diagnosis but the clean lymph nodes and your oncologist's confidence are good news. You'll probably want to play it by ear in terms of when you'll return to work. In the meantime, let chemo kick your cancer's butt! Please keep us posted.

    Take care,
    Kelly
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #17
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    upbeat..not sure
    But I must say I do feel better to have the pathology report back and I know now exactly what we are dealing with. Next hurdle is the chemo....
    I miss work and really want to return, knowing the start of chemo and it is going to be weekly makes me feel It may be some time before I get back.

    There are so many things we all have had to give up.

    how many treatments to you have to have? Did you say? And look at this time off work as a well desearved rest and just let it go. You will go back, which sounds like is your plan. But for now, try to forget about work and take care of you.
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #18
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    upbeat..not sure
    But I must say I do feel better to have the pathology report back and I know now exactly what we are dealing with. Next hurdle is the chemo....
    I miss work and really want to return, knowing the start of chemo and it is going to be weekly makes me feel It may be some time before I get back.

    There are so many things we all have had to give up.

    knowing is better
    and gives us back some sense of control. I've undergone lots of chemo and I find that preparing for it helps me alot. I stock up on DVDs and audiobooks from the library, prepare food in advance and fill the fridge with healthy, easy to grab snacks. Sorry you have to be away from your work, but as you probably tell your patients.... now your job is to take care of yourself so you can get back healthy and strong.
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #19
    undertreatment2012 said:

    how many treatments to you have to have? Did you say? And look at this time off work as a well desearved rest and just let it go. You will go back, which sounds like is your plan. But for now, try to forget about work and take care of you.

    treatments
    Well my doc wants chemo -dense treatments....meaning first week carbo/taxol, 2nd and 3rd week only taxol then repeat the cycle on week 4. total cycles are 6 which means 18 weeks of chemo.It is apparently the same dose given every three weeks, but now more often. So it is weekly chemo. I have been doing the research on chemo-dense treatments and the theory is that cancer cells are very proliferative in the early life cycle of the cancer cell. Also during this rapid multiplication the cell is most vulnerable so chemo is very affective during the cancer cells early proliferation. So going 3 weeks without chemo may allow some cells to get a little older and thus possibly not as responsive to the chemotherapy. Weekly chemo is not for everyone and needs to be individualized. I think it can be quite taxing on the system, but I'm young and healthy so hopefully I will tolerate it. There may be episodes that chemo is delayed due to blood counts.
    However, my gyn/oncologist surgeon is nearly two hours away from me, so she is setting chemo up much closer to me. So now I am awaiting to meet my new oncologist locally who will manage the chemo. He comes with good credentials and he is into all the research and is on the cutting edge of new treatments that should be approved by next year. So I am anxious to meet him.
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #20
    Mwee said:

    knowing is better
    and gives us back some sense of control. I've undergone lots of chemo and I find that preparing for it helps me alot. I stock up on DVDs and audiobooks from the library, prepare food in advance and fill the fridge with healthy, easy to grab snacks. Sorry you have to be away from your work, but as you probably tell your patients.... now your job is to take care of yourself so you can get back healthy and strong.
    (((HUGS))) Maria

    Yes
    That is what my nursing staff is telling me..."remember what you tell your patients! Now it is time to follow your own advice!"
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #21
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    Yes
    That is what my nursing staff is telling me..."remember what you tell your patients! Now it is time to follow your own advice!"

    Weekly taxol
    Kimberly Sue

    I'm sorry your path report showed cancer after all. I had started off with the dose-dense taxol but couldn't tolerate it. The weekly dose is less but the cumulative dose is more than if the taxol were given only every 3 weeks.

    There was new research a couple of years ago that concluded that the better results from the dose dense taxol were possibly from an anti-angiogenic effect. If you look into "metronomic chemotherapy," you will find that it also has promising anti-angiogenic results; however, that daily dosing approach has not been adopted as first-line therapy.

    You may want to discuss whether or not your oncologist has any thoughts on "maintenance chemo" which would begin if/when you reach NED status. Some women begin Avastin every 3 weeks & others have taken monthly taxol treatments (although I have not heard of many women recently who are doing maintenance with taxol).

    Your hair will probably be gone between 2-3 weeks after your first taxol treatment. There is a free Look Good Feel Better class offered by the American Cancer Society where you can learn about head covering options & how to draw on eyebrows--it's worth going to even if you aren't someone who wears makeup.

    If you are going with head scarves, you will want to get a cotton cap to wear UNDER the scarf--otherwise, the scarf can slide around & slide off your bald head & become a nuisance. I went thru chemo in the winter & just went with the wig & sleeping caps.

    I don't know if you are opting for a port or not. I highly recommend one. It seems like chemo trashes our veins and a port is something that will make life a little easier for you.

    Best wishes to you on the journey back to wellness.

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