Still Here After 8 Years w/Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer

Thank you for posting, Ms Fanciful! While we hear about your battle in this email, it is so good to hear you are still with us. I am not a ovarian cancer warrior, I am another gynecolgical cancer survivor and visit my teal sisters to see how they are.

...prayers for you as you continue your journey...

Kelly

lovesanimals said:

Thank you for checking in!

May your second clinical trial kick your cancer's butt to the curb for good!

Warm hugs,

Kelly

such an onspiring post. Thank you for sharing! Keep it up

We survivors need to hear from you!  I know that when I was diagnosed in 2009 stage IV OC, I couldn't see any future......the worst was going to the movies and watching coming attractions......silly me, I WASN'T going to be alive to see these movies in six months

No, it's not easy being a "survivor".......6 months chemo, surgery, 6 more months chemo......"scanitis" every time for check ups......reoccurance in May 2014....more chemo  

I am finally recovering from this last bout of chemo, and am looking forward to a long remission. A lot has happened in 6 years......I amhappy to have been alive !

Hi it's so uplifting to hear your doing so well , when i was diagnosed april 2014,  I thought that was it life was over , I stumbled across this board and it's been my education and my life lifeline in the last year, if I need to feel better there's always someone with kind words or to make you laugh who understands what your going through, the ladies on this board are an inspiration .

Mwee said:

I've also been away, but still going strong!

I haven't checked in in quite awhile and was so happy to see your beautiful face smiling at me! I'm coming up my my 9 year survival anniversary. My disease is recurrent and I've been chemoing for the past 6 years, but I'm here and living my life to the fullest. 

          (((((((Hugs))))))))) Maria

to hear you're doing well, Maria.

Karen

It is a great encouragement to hear that other stage 4 ovarian cancer survivors are living so long! My experience is different than most cancer survivors because I am trusting my healing to the Lord instead of getting any treatment! I have been blessed to be a survivor for more than 6 months now. The doctor that diagnosed me did not seem to think I would live much past the day I was diagnosed. This made me realize that only God knows when any of us will die. Not to mention, if the doctor had written me off as dead, only a miracle from God could save me! I am being told by many people around me now that I am a walking miracle. My hospice nurse said my skin color is healthier than she has ever seen it and my vitals are great. She sees nothing that tells her that I am going to die anytime soon. All I can say to that is praise the Lord!

JuliaW said:

I am brand new to this forum

I am brand new to this forum and to cancer--at least cancer for myself.  I was diagnosed initially as having upper respritory illness...then bronchitis...then asthma before someone took a chest xray and found my right chest cavity was full of fluid--pleural effusion is what I was told.  After 5 more recurrances and a suspicious lab result on the fluid I was sent thru a battery of tests; mammogram, upper chest ct, pet scan, abdominal ct, colonoscopy, endoscopy, diganostic d&c and laproscopy of my abdomen the real diagnosis came thru; Stage 4 ovarian cancer.  I have had 2 chemo treatments as of yesterday.  The CA 125 lab showed my number increased from 343 to 423.   Both the doctor and the nurses in the infusion center said 'they have seen some people not drop on that number until the second or even the third treatment'.  Has this been the case for anybody here?  Reading posts like these where people are living YEARS with Stage 4 diagnosis gives me such HOPE that I will see my 17 year old son take a pretty girl to a formal dance, graduate high school and even college.  And maybe live long enough to retire and spend some time with my husband traveling across the country catching up with scattered family.  That has always been our plan anyway.  Both my husband and son have serious lifelong health problems that I have always managed....kept doctor appointments straight, ordered the meds, kept their pill boxes filled.  I worry how they willl manage If I am not here.

I too just joined this forum, any forum ever for that matter--and have been healthy all my life and taking care of everyone else, including a son with life long illness like you and yours.  I stumbled across this site while looking for information for stage 1C ovarian clear cell carcinoma on Medhelp.  I did a search for members with OCCC and did not get any results.

I just thought it interesting that the two of us sign up the same day and both have taken care of our loved ones and now everyone's going, oh, no, what happens now.  I'm luckier than many as most women are diagnosed late stages, like you--but so far I haven't been able to find any long term survivors of this particular ovarian cancer, CCC, apparently it's meaner than some others and chemo resistant.  I just finished my chemo and did surprisingly well with it.  6 cycles carboplatin and taxol. 

 Now I just wait and see.

 I hope you'll do as great as Msfanciful!!!

JuliaW said:

I am brand new to this forum

I am brand new to this forum and to cancer--at least cancer for myself.  I was diagnosed initially as having upper respritory illness...then bronchitis...then asthma before someone took a chest xray and found my right chest cavity was full of fluid--pleural effusion is what I was told.  After 5 more recurrances and a suspicious lab result on the fluid I was sent thru a battery of tests; mammogram, upper chest ct, pet scan, abdominal ct, colonoscopy, endoscopy, diganostic d&c and laproscopy of my abdomen the real diagnosis came thru; Stage 4 ovarian cancer.  I have had 2 chemo treatments as of yesterday.  The CA 125 lab showed my number increased from 343 to 423.   Both the doctor and the nurses in the infusion center said 'they have seen some people not drop on that number until the second or even the third treatment'.  Has this been the case for anybody here?  Reading posts like these where people are living YEARS with Stage 4 diagnosis gives me such HOPE that I will see my 17 year old son take a pretty girl to a formal dance, graduate high school and even college.  And maybe live long enough to retire and spend some time with my husband traveling across the country catching up with scattered family.  That has always been our plan anyway.  Both my husband and son have serious lifelong health problems that I have always managed....kept doctor appointments straight, ordered the meds, kept their pill boxes filled.  I worry how they willl manage If I am not here.

I was briefly concerned about how my husband, our 4 adult children and other family members and friends would handle it if God decided to take me home. What I soon realized was that I am still alive. I am planning for future events, such as my husband and I renewing our wedding vows on November 7, 2015. I live each day to the fullest knowing that nobody is guaranteed tomorrow! I once had a blood clot in my left leg and when I mentioned that I was not going to do anymore blood thinner injections, my family said, "it can travel and you could have a heart attack or stroke." I said, "or I could walk into the street and be hit by a car!" Do not be afraid to live and enjoy every day you have as the gift it is. I believe that if the Lord heals me here or takes me home, I win! I know there are peopke that will miss me whenever I go home to Heaven. All I can do is pray that the people that will struggle with me not being here anymore will come to know and trust the Lord as much as I do now. I am infinately blessed!

yamster34 said:

I was briefly concerned about

I was briefly concerned about how my husband, our 4 adult children and other family members and friends would handle it if God decided to take me home. What I soon realized was that I am still alive. I am planning for future events, such as my husband and I renewing our wedding vows on November 7, 2015. I live each day to the fullest knowing that nobody is guaranteed tomorrow! I once had a blood clot in my left leg and when I mentioned that I was not going to do anymore blood thinner injections, my family said, "it can travel and you could have a heart attack or stroke." I said, "or I could walk into the street and be hit by a car!" Do not be afraid to live and enjoy every day you have as the gift it is. I believe that if the Lord heals me here or takes me home, I win! I know there are peopke that will miss me whenever I go home to Heaven. All I can do is pray that the people that will struggle with me not being here anymore will come to know and trust the Lord as much as I do now. I am infinately blessed!

Prayers for you!