Still Here After 8 Years w/Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer

Such a wonderful upplifting story .

Gives hope to all of us 

Jazzysgrandma said:

what to do?

I was diagnosed in Dec 2014 with what they are calling and treating as ovarian cancer. It metastasized to my momentum, and elsewhere in my personal cavity. I went through three rounds of chemo, then a huge surgery and now more chemo.  I will be 61 in Nov and am trying g to decide if I should apply for social security disability and spend my time with family. Even if I survive 8 years like some here I think stress is a killer. Any advice.  

I was diagnosed in May, 2015 with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer.  It had also metastasized to my momentum, persoanl cavity, colon and appendix and all my female parts.  I first had extensive surgery to remove all female parts as well as colon and appendix.  They did a great amount of debulking as well.  I am now in my 4th week of chemo.  I am taking 6 treatments with a treatment being 2 hours of Taxol on the first monday followed by 1 hour of taxol and the next Monday, 1 hour of carboplatin.  

I have not had any bad experiences with the chemo yet.  But Friday, I found out that my CBC counts are very low and I may not be able to take chemo on Monday.  My WBC are like 2.4  The nurse said that if I wasn't able to take the Chemo, then they would give me injections over the next three days to boost my WBC.  Have you experieced low WBC and do you have any suggestions as to how to deal with this problem.  

Jazzysgrandma said:

what to do?

I was diagnosed in Dec 2014 with what they are calling and treating as ovarian cancer. It metastasized to my momentum, and elsewhere in my personal cavity. I went through three rounds of chemo, then a huge surgery and now more chemo.  I will be 61 in Nov and am trying g to decide if I should apply for social security disability and spend my time with family. Even if I survive 8 years like some here I think stress is a killer. Any advice.  

Yes, defiinitely go for SSD. I was diagnosed stage IV OC in Feb. 2009. I had always planned on working til I "dropped dead" on the job  I continued to work for the 1st 6 months of chemo; had a very understanding boss who just lost a good friend to cancer. Due to the effects of the chemo, I took many days off.......my boss asked why I was continuing to keep a job, when I was making just enought $$$$$ to cover my insurance costs!  After surgery, as I was still facing 6 more months of chemo, I applied for SSD online; it took me a week to complete the extensive application. I did not know what to do with myself at first, always having a job.  I was relieved to get the letter that I was approved; then found out that the "compassionate care act" automatically qualifies stage IV OC patients. Yes, I went thru hoops without having insurance; getting medicaid; having it converted to Medicare after 2 years. It is EXTREMELY difficult to even get to a job, let alone DO your job when you have nasty effects from chemo, as I did. I also had a reoccurance last year, so already being on SSD helped.......that treatment was worse than the 1st time and I ended up hospitalized once and also had 2 transfusions. I think your body can take only so much, rest and medication is sometimes the only way to get thru it all. Everyone is different, but I am happy to have the small income from SSD and be able to do what I am able to do, good days and bad. Fighting cancer is a full time job!