I'm new here

Erixka
Erixka Member Posts: 19
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi, this is my first visit to the forum and I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Erika and I'm 36, married with 5 kids ages: 10, 9, 6, 4, and 2.

My ovarian cancer journey officially began on July 22, 2012. I had surgery on July 26 and am now waiting to begin chemotherapy.

I've read through some of the postings here and I already feel like this is a great place to be and receive/give support.

I have a blog where I've written a lot about this journey: http://ma-ma-bla-bla.blogspot.co.il/

My first post about ovarian cancer: http://ma-ma-bla-bla.blogspot.co.il/2012/08/cancer-makes-heart-grow-fonder.html

Warm and gentle hugs,
Erika

Comments

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #2
    Welcome Erika
    to the club no one wants to join. This is what we say to newcomers even though I am glad you found us. The women here are execeptional. I come here all the time to express what is going on in my life and always get the support, encouragement and positive feedback I need.

    You certainly have your hands full right now. I am glad your illness was finally recognized so you could begin your treatment. It is a difficult journey but you will feel better.

    We have agreed that no subject is off limits. We talk about anything and everything. The most important thing is to respect each other. We don't always agree on everything but we do agree to be kind to each other.

    I have said more than once that I don't think I could make it without the loving women on this board. At the very least it would be much more difficult.


    My best to you,
    Karen
  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #3
    kikz said:

    Welcome Erika
    to the club no one wants to join. This is what we say to newcomers even though I am glad you found us. The women here are execeptional. I come here all the time to express what is going on in my life and always get the support, encouragement and positive feedback I need.

    You certainly have your hands full right now. I am glad your illness was finally recognized so you could begin your treatment. It is a difficult journey but you will feel better.

    We have agreed that no subject is off limits. We talk about anything and everything. The most important thing is to respect each other. We don't always agree on everything but we do agree to be kind to each other.

    I have said more than once that I don't think I could make it without the loving women on this board. At the very least it would be much more difficult.


    My best to you,
    Karen

    Hi Erika... Welcome. I an
    Hi Erika... Welcome. I an sorry we have to meet on these terms. I too was blindsided my my cancer diagnosis. I am 45 yrs old and was diagnosed on January 9th of this year with stage 3c ovarian cancer. I was very lucky. My cancer was in both ovaries (I was told for months they were just ordinary ovarian cysts. Thank god that it was contained to my ovaries and was found microscopicly on 1 of 27 lymph nodes removed during my surgery. Because of the node I was automaticly diagnosed stage 3c. My doctor had no idea. She said everything looked great in surgery. So after my results came back it was back into surgery about a month later to have an intra peritoneal port (in my tummy) put it for chemo. At the end of february I started chemo. 6 rounds of cisplatin/taxol. Finished up the end of June just as by 12 and 14 yr old were finishing school for the summer. I had a scan and I am now NED (no evidence detected) with a CA level of 10. I know that there is a good chance I could have a recurrence of the cancer. I also know there is a good chance I won't so I try to tell myself every day that I will be fine.

    What will your treatment plan be do you know yet? Where else in your abdomen did it get?

    Good luck with your chemo journey. You have found the right place for support.
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #4
    Glad to be done said:

    Hi Erika... Welcome. I an
    Hi Erika... Welcome. I an sorry we have to meet on these terms. I too was blindsided my my cancer diagnosis. I am 45 yrs old and was diagnosed on January 9th of this year with stage 3c ovarian cancer. I was very lucky. My cancer was in both ovaries (I was told for months they were just ordinary ovarian cysts. Thank god that it was contained to my ovaries and was found microscopicly on 1 of 27 lymph nodes removed during my surgery. Because of the node I was automaticly diagnosed stage 3c. My doctor had no idea. She said everything looked great in surgery. So after my results came back it was back into surgery about a month later to have an intra peritoneal port (in my tummy) put it for chemo. At the end of february I started chemo. 6 rounds of cisplatin/taxol. Finished up the end of June just as by 12 and 14 yr old were finishing school for the summer. I had a scan and I am now NED (no evidence detected) with a CA level of 10. I know that there is a good chance I could have a recurrence of the cancer. I also know there is a good chance I won't so I try to tell myself every day that I will be fine.

    What will your treatment plan be do you know yet? Where else in your abdomen did it get?

    Good luck with your chemo journey. You have found the right place for support.

    Glad you came here
    You are so young..this stinks that you have cancer. What type of chemo will you get? There are many smart ladies here that can help you. Please post again and let us know how you are. I am still getting chemo...I take a chemo bag with me ,snacks water,blanket,books and IPad to pass the time. We all here put on our boxing gloves and fight the good fight..Val
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #5
    WELCOME, ERIKA
    So sorry to hear that you must deal with this horrible disease, and at such a young age too. How wonderful to have 5 precious children! I know this will be quite a journey, for all of you, but I can tell by your smiling face that you're strong and ready to fight.

    What stage are you? What type of chemo will you have and for how long? Lots of wonderful women here, and lots of great advice for you. Give us a holler when we can help.

    Till then, sending lots of prayers that you will have strength and peace through it all.

    (((HUGS)))

    Monika
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #6
    mopar said:

    WELCOME, ERIKA
    So sorry to hear that you must deal with this horrible disease, and at such a young age too. How wonderful to have 5 precious children! I know this will be quite a journey, for all of you, but I can tell by your smiling face that you're strong and ready to fight.

    What stage are you? What type of chemo will you have and for how long? Lots of wonderful women here, and lots of great advice for you. Give us a holler when we can help.

    Till then, sending lots of prayers that you will have strength and peace through it all.

    (((HUGS)))

    Monika

    Hi Erika
    I'm so glad you found this board. As the others have said, this is a great place to get encouragement and support from caring women who know and understand what you're going through.

    Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you're doing with the chemo.

    Best wishes to you,

    Kelly
  • 2timothy1 7
    2timothy1 7 Member Posts: 345
    #7
    Hi Erika
    Welcome to the
    Hi Erika
    Welcome to the club. Lots of tips on here. Helps to know others are going through the same thing you are.

    Sorry you have it's at your age and with your responsibilities of 5 children; however that may be a blessing in disguise. Will help you take your mind off cancer.

    God bless on this journey you will begin taking. Keep us posted as things progress.
    Shawnna
  • Erixka
    Erixka Member Posts: 19
    #8
    kikz said:

    Welcome Erika
    to the club no one wants to join. This is what we say to newcomers even though I am glad you found us. The women here are execeptional. I come here all the time to express what is going on in my life and always get the support, encouragement and positive feedback I need.

    You certainly have your hands full right now. I am glad your illness was finally recognized so you could begin your treatment. It is a difficult journey but you will feel better.

    We have agreed that no subject is off limits. We talk about anything and everything. The most important thing is to respect each other. We don't always agree on everything but we do agree to be kind to each other.

    I have said more than once that I don't think I could make it without the loving women on this board. At the very least it would be much more difficult.


    My best to you,
    Karen

    Thank u for the warm wecome <3</b>
    Thank you so much for welcoming me! I'm a believer in support groups... I've been a La Leche League leader for almost 7 years and have been running mother-to-mother breastfeeding support groups in my community. I love doing that.
    I feel comfortable here... I have a feeling I'll be getting to know my way around :-)
    Warmly,
    Erika
  • Erixka
    Erixka Member Posts: 19
    #9
    poopergirl14052 said:

    Glad you came here
    You are so young..this stinks that you have cancer. What type of chemo will you get? There are many smart ladies here that can help you. Please post again and let us know how you are. I am still getting chemo...I take a chemo bag with me ,snacks water,blanket,books and IPad to pass the time. We all here put on our boxing gloves and fight the good fight..Val

    Chemo
    I'm scheduled to meet with my oncologist, the geneticist, and my surgeon next Monday for final pathology results and chemo plan, genetic testing, and check-ups.

    The plan is to have 6 sessions - spread out every 3 weeks for 5-6 months of Taxol and Carboplatin

    xoxo,
    E
  • Erixka
    Erixka Member Posts: 19
    #10
    mopar said:

    WELCOME, ERIKA
    So sorry to hear that you must deal with this horrible disease, and at such a young age too. How wonderful to have 5 precious children! I know this will be quite a journey, for all of you, but I can tell by your smiling face that you're strong and ready to fight.

    What stage are you? What type of chemo will you have and for how long? Lots of wonderful women here, and lots of great advice for you. Give us a holler when we can help.

    Till then, sending lots of prayers that you will have strength and peace through it all.

    (((HUGS)))

    Monika

    My Journey
    I am very blessed to have my 5!!! My husband and I were hoping for one more... and that's actually probably how I was able to detect that something was wrong. I'd been feeling unwell for some months with fatigue and nausea and missed periods... later I had stomach upset, bloating, and finally spotting. I was very in touch with my cycle, trying to conceive so that really alerted me to something being wrong.

    Once I had spotting, I realized it was a gyno issue and immediately went to see an ob/gyn. He saw that my ovaries were ridiculous on the U/S and sent me to the ER. At the hospital I had more U/S and a CT. The CT showed huge ovaries - one was 14 cm! The CT also showed 3 suspicious looking "lesions" on my liver! That would have made me stage 4 :-(

    In surgery, 4 days later, my surgeon removed my uterus, which also had a tumor, my ovaries, omentum and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes tested positive too. He was able to see immediately that 2 liver lesions were hemangiomas (clusters of blood vessels...like a birth mark). He was unable to see the 3rd but he felt it and was able to confirm with an expert CT scan dr., after surgery, that the 3rd spot is also a hemangioma!!! They removed all visible evidence of Cancer and told me that the chemo is a "mop up" - to make sure the disease is completely wiped out never to return! I was told it's stage 3.
  • Erixka
    Erixka Member Posts: 19
    #11
    2timothy1 7 said:

    Hi Erika
    Welcome to the
    Hi Erika
    Welcome to the club. Lots of tips on here. Helps to know others are going through the same thing you are.

    Sorry you have it's at your age and with your responsibilities of 5 children; however that may be a blessing in disguise. Will help you take your mind off cancer.

    God bless on this journey you will begin taking. Keep us posted as things progress.
    Shawnna

    Blessing
    My kids definitely keep my mind on other things! I'm trying to keep everything up and running at home but we also have help from family and friends which is wonderful!
  • forme
    forme Member Posts: 1,161 Member
    #12
    Welcome
    Hi Erica,

    I want to add my welcome to the group. I am new to this board, but not new to cancer.

    These wonderful ladies have helped me so much the last few weeks.
    I had my surgery the end of July, and still I am having a really difficult recovery.

    For every question I have asked, there has always been many great responses.

    So glad that you found us..

    Hugs,
    Lisha
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #13
    Hi Erika
    and welcome! I'm so glad you found us. The wonderful women here can be such a help as you start chemo. 6 year survivor here with a very similar surgery/story that you're going through.
    ((((HUGS)))) Maria

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