Official Diagosis

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  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #22
    leesag said:

    February 10
    It appears that the earliest I can have surgery is February 10th. I keep reminding myself that this thing has been inside of me for quite some time and one more week won't make any difference, but it's tough! I left a message for the scheduling nurse just to verify that it's okay to wait!

    How silly am I being? lol

    Not silly at all,..
    I was diagnosed Sept 17th and had to wait two weeks before I could have the surgery. It was the longest two weeks of my life. Even being pregnant and overdue, in Texas, in July, was not as bad.

    I know just how you feel. I could not wait to get "the thing" out of me.

    Even though the rational part of my mind knows that the tumor was not an alien being - that it was, in fact, my own cells that started multiplying at an abnormal rate - I was still never able to think of it as part of me. I always considered it an invader......the enemy.

    Use the next couple of weeks to get yourself ready. Do some wig/scarf/hat shopping, maybe. Buy an eReader and download some books. Heck, you've even got time for a long weekend trip somewhere.

    But you aren't being silly. You are being normal.
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #23
    leesag said:

    February 10
    It appears that the earliest I can have surgery is February 10th. I keep reminding myself that this thing has been inside of me for quite some time and one more week won't make any difference, but it's tough! I left a message for the scheduling nurse just to verify that it's okay to wait!

    How silly am I being? lol

    You are not being silly
    You are not being silly or unreasonable. I think the beginning part is definately the hardest as it is all so new and you don't know what to expect. The doctors know their stuff and they wouldn't make you wait if they thought there was a chance the tumour would grow bigger. I thought the same thing when I was diagnosed while I was waiting for the chemo to start, but I was told a few weeks or even a month wouldn't make that much difference.
    Keep your chin up and keep a positive attitude. Tina xxx
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #24
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Not silly at all,..
    I was diagnosed Sept 17th and had to wait two weeks before I could have the surgery. It was the longest two weeks of my life. Even being pregnant and overdue, in Texas, in July, was not as bad.

    I know just how you feel. I could not wait to get "the thing" out of me.

    Even though the rational part of my mind knows that the tumor was not an alien being - that it was, in fact, my own cells that started multiplying at an abnormal rate - I was still never able to think of it as part of me. I always considered it an invader......the enemy.

    Use the next couple of weeks to get yourself ready. Do some wig/scarf/hat shopping, maybe. Buy an eReader and download some books. Heck, you've even got time for a long weekend trip somewhere.

    But you aren't being silly. You are being normal.

    As Always
    I draw strength from everyone here! Today has been a much better day than yesterday and I am more comfortable with the February 10th date. It helps that I had the PET scan yesterday and my primary doc and my GynOnc got the results today and no one called me in a panic!

    One other question, my husband looked into hospital beds and apparently you can only rent them for two months at a time. Has anyone had any experience with sleeping in a recliner for the first week or so after coming home from surgery?

    ;) Leesa
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #25
    Tina Brown said:

    You are not being silly
    You are not being silly or unreasonable. I think the beginning part is definately the hardest as it is all so new and you don't know what to expect. The doctors know their stuff and they wouldn't make you wait if they thought there was a chance the tumour would grow bigger. I thought the same thing when I was diagnosed while I was waiting for the chemo to start, but I was told a few weeks or even a month wouldn't make that much difference.
    Keep your chin up and keep a positive attitude. Tina xxx

    Chin up ;)
    Hi Tina,

    Thank you for your reassurance! I've decided to do my best to let go of things like this and allow my Doctors and God to handle the things I can't control. It's just so hard knowing that this..."thing" is inside of me, and all of the fluid makes it even worse, because it's becoming very uncomfortable to move around. Still, 13 days isn't so long to wait!

    Leesa
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #26
    patty12 said:

    A Winning Spirit!
    Dear Leesa, I am new here and learning much on behalf of my friend with Stage 4. BUT, I just want to tell you girl, you've got spunk and attitude and a winning spirit. Stay strong, get the best medical advice you can and listen to these women, they are each a pearl of wisdom. Ask God for help and direction and you couldn't be in better Hands.

    Please keep that wonderful sense of humor, you know what they say about laughter being the best medicine.

    I can't offer helpful medical advice but I can offer you my prayers.
    Best Wishes, Patty

    All prayers are welcome!
    Thank you Patty!

    :) Leesa
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #27
    saundra said:

    Dear Leesa,
    You are remarkable! My CA125 was almost 4000 and I had four treatments of carboplatin/taxol prior to surgery that brought that number down to 35 and shrunk the tumors from over 2.5 cm to less than 1 cm.
    Then they could do the surgery! I had tumors through out the abdomen and in the liver, spleen, and some on the intestines. I received "optimum results" with the surgery which means they got everything over 0.5 cm that was visible. I did five more chemos and was "no evidence of disease" and a CA125 of 7.

    After surgery, I probably would not have wanted to climb stairs. The incision is usually from sternum to pubis (on me that was about 14 inches. Different people have different pain tolerance and only you know your body. I think I have a fairly high pain tolerance but was never the less on a morphine pump 6 days in the hospital which really helped when I had to get up out of the hospital bed to go to the bathroom and do my walking. Force yourself to move that next day. It is painful but so important in recovery to do that walking. I can't stress this enough.

    God Bless, Saundra

    Cruisin'
    Saundra,

    I will force myself to do whatever it takes so that someday, like you, I can be preparing for a cruise! Have fun!

    Leesa
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #28
    Mawty said:

    Humor
    I think humor is one of the best things we have going, and Froggy you just made me laugh outloud! I relate! Ha!

    Sometimes my friends are a little shocked by the things I say about my cancer or about my wig like pulling it off in strange places and sayihng "Wanna see a bald Marty?!" But I definitely think laughter is the best medicine.

    Marty

    Marty and Froggy
    Some of the thoughts I have that make me giggle, I'm not certain would be welcome here. But I had one heck of a giggle when I was thinking about bathing suits this morning!
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #29
    BonnieR said:

    Hugs
    Dear Leesa,

    Sorry it ended up being ovarian cancer, (((HUGS)))

    My ca125 was 10000 b4 surgery, but the ca125 number doesnt' determine where the cancer or really how much cancer you have so try not to focus on the number. Let us know once you know the date of surgery for you can count on many many teal warriors lifting you in prayer during the surgery. Hugs ♥ Prayers Bonnie

    CA125
    Bonnie, your CA125 numbers are close enough to mine that I can relax a bit! Right now it looks like my surgery is scheduled for Wednesday February 10th. I'll gratefully accept all prayers and blessings!

    Thank you all for your support!

    Leesa
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #30
    leesag said:

    As Always
    I draw strength from everyone here! Today has been a much better day than yesterday and I am more comfortable with the February 10th date. It helps that I had the PET scan yesterday and my primary doc and my GynOnc got the results today and no one called me in a panic!

    One other question, my husband looked into hospital beds and apparently you can only rent them for two months at a time. Has anyone had any experience with sleeping in a recliner for the first week or so after coming home from surgery?

    ;) Leesa

    My husband did....
    Leesa........my 220 lb, 6ft + husband slept in a recliner for the better part of a week following surgery. I slept on the couch, nearby, just so I could be "on call" in case he needed anything.

    I am very short (just under 5 feet), so I can sleep almost anywhere. I have slept in the bow of a boat, the backseat of a car, a love seat - just to name a few. For me, the recliner is a great place to sleep. I take naps in ours regularly.

    Carlene
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #31
    leesag said:

    Chin up ;)
    Hi Tina,

    Thank you for your reassurance! I've decided to do my best to let go of things like this and allow my Doctors and God to handle the things I can't control. It's just so hard knowing that this..."thing" is inside of me, and all of the fluid makes it even worse, because it's becoming very uncomfortable to move around. Still, 13 days isn't so long to wait!

    Leesa

    Don't let it get too bad....
    If the ascites becomes really uncomfortable (as mine did), you should talk to your doctors about having it drained off. Thirteen days IS a long time to be in pain.

    They drained 3 liters of fluid off my abdomen about a week before my surgery. I felt MUCH more comfortable afterward.

    Carlene
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #32
    leesag said:

    Chin up ;)
    Hi Tina,

    Thank you for your reassurance! I've decided to do my best to let go of things like this and allow my Doctors and God to handle the things I can't control. It's just so hard knowing that this..."thing" is inside of me, and all of the fluid makes it even worse, because it's becoming very uncomfortable to move around. Still, 13 days isn't so long to wait!

    Leesa

    Draining
    Hi Leesa I agree with Hissy Fitz that you should not be uncomfortable or in pain. Apparently it is a very common and straightforward procedure to have the fluid drained. I have had 4 "chest" drains (as that is where my fluid was, around my lungs) and eventhough the actual procedure is a little uncomforatble the benefits of it far out weigh that. Once the chemo kicks in it will all drain away naturally and should not come back.

    After the drain is instant relief:) Much love Tina xxxxxx
  • LPack
    LPack Member Posts: 645
    #33
    leesag said:

    Chin up ;)
    Hi Tina,

    Thank you for your reassurance! I've decided to do my best to let go of things like this and allow my Doctors and God to handle the things I can't control. It's just so hard knowing that this..."thing" is inside of me, and all of the fluid makes it even worse, because it's becoming very uncomfortable to move around. Still, 13 days isn't so long to wait!

    Leesa

    let go
    Leesa,

    Yes just let go except for maybe the fluid like those that have had to deal with it (I have not).

    But waiting those days, I pretty much figured from the time I suspected I maybe had something after ruling out appendicitis - it was January 28 before I had my surgery. Five months after I had gone to my gyn!

    So, 13 days is not so long.

    Hang in there!

    Living for Him,
    Libby

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