Community Connection: Ovarian Cancer Canada is looking for volunteers! Could you help?
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Peer Support Volunteer. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis ([email protected]).
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Peer Support Volunteer. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis ([email protected]).
Let's get started! Come and introduce yourself
Fearless_Moderator
Moderator
Hi,
Welcome to OVdialogue! I'm Fearless, aka Kathi, a survivor and the new moderator of this community for women living with ovarian cancer. Marilyn, our original moderator and staff member at OCC has since retired. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about the site or issues navigating it. I do check my private messages regularly.
This site was created specially for you to provide a place to connect, share your story, ask questions, offer encouragement and receive support from others who have been in your shoes.
So, pull up a chair, take a seat and introduce yourself. Where are you today on your journey with ovarian cancer? Is there anything in particular you would like to share?
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Comments
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P.S. Feel free to start a new discussion if you have a specific topic you'd like to discuss beyond introductions.1
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Hi there! Amanda from Winnipeg here
I'm 38 ,married with no kids -just me ,my hubs and our Kitty
I was diagnosed Nov 2015-stage 3 high grade serous. 2016 was total hysterectomy and debulking and was all chemo all the time. But for 2017 I've been switched to Avastin treatments every 21 days and doing great!
SO very happy to be here! Excited to get to know everyone xo 12 -
Hi Amanda! Welcome! You are the first of many to join this new community! Thanks for sharing what's been happening for you. What do you hope to gain from participating in OVdialogue?0
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I'm constantly hungry for information! Hoping to gain knowledge and meet some new people 6
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Me too! Looking forward to it!0
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Hi! Karen from Ottawa, 43 years old, married with no kids but 3 fur babies. I was diagnosed in March 2015 with stage 1C, found during a hysterectomy and totally not expected. Did 6 rounds of chemo and everything is going great now. I'm hoping to learn more about the disease and meet other women 8
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Hi Karen! Welcome! Glad to hear you are doing so well! Let me introduce you to @AmandaRoseRebs0
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Hi everyone! My name is Birdee and I was diagnosed in 2012 with stage 3c ovarian cancer. I also carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. I've had 2 sugeries and 18 rounds of chemo. I am currently on olaparib and for the moment the cancer is stable.11
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Hello ladies, My name is Kelly. I'm 37 years old from Toronto. I was missed-diagnosed in 2014 at stage 1A, officially diagnosed in 2015 with stage 3C granulosa cell OVCA. I was in remission for six months following total hysterectomy and chemo then was diagnosed with a recurrence in 2016. I just finished chemo in July and will be doing another debulking surgery shortly. Just waiting on CT results which I should get this Wednesday. Looking forward to connecting with all my fellow sisters-in-arms and share information, hope and support.8
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@birdee Hi Birdee - welcome! Thanks for sharing your BRCA status. I suspect there will be women who may have questions for you or who are also BRCA positive. How have you handled this with your family?
Thanks for posting a new discussion about living with anxiety, too.1 -
Hi Kelly! @K_BrancOV Welcome! So sorry to hear that you were misdiagnosed. That must have been very upsetting and disheartening for you. And now, dealing with more chemo and more surgery. Are you finding it difficult to wait for the results of the CT scan? How do you deal with the waiting?
How do others deal with waiting for test results? Any thoughts or tips? @AmandaRoseRebs @KarenL @birdee
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Hello, I’m Jacqueline from Calgary. I’m single with no children and I’m currently living with my mom and one crazy cat. I was diagnosed with both uterine and ovarian cancer in November 2011. My exact diagnosis was stage IIIC endometrial adenocarcinoma of the uterus and stage IC endometroid adenocarcinoma of the ovary. So far, my treatment has involved three major surgeries as well as several rounds of chemotherapy. I’m delighted that I’ve been in remission for five years now without any recurrence of my cancer. However, I’m still being monitored regularly and my disease has taken a tremendous toll on many aspects of my life. I look forward to connecting with other women facing a similar cancer diagnosis on Ovdialogue.
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Hello ladies,
I am Wanda from Delta, B.C. I was diagnosed at age 44 with grade 3C high serous OC in November, 2015. I was misdiagnosed for months - it was a nightmare. I went to the ER Dept 3 times before I was taken seriously. Amongst other things, I was told I had gallstones and was scheduled for surgery. When they did a CT scan at Emergency (the day before my surgery date) the scan found two large tumours in my ovaries instead of gallstones in my gallbladder. Weird - I know. I was in the hospital for 18 days whilst they tested my tumour - it was the longest 18 days of my life. Subsequently, I had a full hysterecomy to remove everything followed by 18 chemos and was "cancer free" in May, 2016. All was well until I had a recurrence in Feb of 2017. Now I'm back on chemo (only once every 4- weeeks now). I am waiting to hear about a clinical trial for parb inhibitors in Calgary so my fingers are crossed for that. I'm really looking forward to the Walk for Hope here in Vancouver on September 10th. I'm looking forward to participating in this forum and getting to know some of you brave ladies. xx
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Hello Everyone. Tam here. Diagnosed 3C high grade serous in April 2015, surgery and chemo finished Dec 2015. Looking forward to connecting with all of you to share resources and support. So pleased this will launch soon for everyone. Excitement is building for the upcoming walk day Sept 10!6
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@Jackie Hi Jackie - welcome! Congratulations on five years cancer free! That's great, although with 3 surgeries and lots of chemo you have been through a lot too. It is great to have you as part of the community - and another animal lover! There are several 0
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@WandaB Hi Wanda - welcome! I would say you are one of those brave women you refer to ! Kelly @K_BrancOV was also misdiagnosed so you may have some things to talk about. What chemo are you on now and how is that going?0
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Hi Tam! @Flowergirl Welcome! Thanks for checking in - yes excitement is building for this new online community and the Walk of Hope coming up. Thanks for your support!0
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Hello ladies! So glad to see this forum is up and running, I know we will all be able to help each other and offer support and inspiration to those recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
My journey began in late 2015, but the cancer was not discovered until my hysterectomy in Jan 2016. The diagnosis was Stage 1C Clear Cell Carcinoma. Six rounds of chemo were recommended as the tumour had a pinhole breach through to the abdominal cavity.
I had my "first anniversary" check-up last week and the doctor was very happy with my progress. I'm finally starting to feel like my old self again, looking forward to each day with a much more positive outlook. Now, if I could only sleep through the night!! LOL
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Hi @kastoyles - Welcome! Congratulations on your 1 year anniversary and that you are starting to feel more like yourself again. Love your sense of humour! Was sleeping through the night a problem before your diagnosis or since? Do you think it is related to chemo or surgical menopause or something else? How are you trying to deal with this?
Maybe some of the other women have experienced this too..... does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you deal with it?0 -
Hey everyone - I'm Britt. I'm 31yrs old, from Windsor, ON. Married, no human children, just my fur kids - 2 dogs and 2 cats. I was diagnosed back in 2010 and have been blessed to have celebrated my 5 years cancer free already and looking forward to more years to come... I have been somewhat active in the Ovarian Cancer community here and see this site as a chance to hopefully meet, support and encourage more women. I feel especially strongly about being someone that younger women can speak with, as I was diagnosed at the age of 24 which comes with a whole separate set of concerns and struggles!8
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Hi there, I'm Gail from Wpg. I'm a single mom of two sons, aged 17 and 19. We also have a dog, and a cat, who kept me company and also entertained over the last year while I was so sick. I was blindsided by a diagnosis of high grade serous ovarian cancer, stage 3C, in May 2016. After 21 chemo treatments plus a debulking surgery, I am doing well 1 1/2 years later. I felt good enough to travel out of province 3 times this summer!! I look forward to being able to connect with other women who have been living with this, and to build a community of support. I hope to finally meet a few of you in person soon at the Sept. 10 Walk of Hope in Winnipeg!6
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Hi ladies my name is Megan from Nova Scotia.I was diagnosed at 65 three years ago with Stage 3b .After surgery and debulking I began my chemo journey! Just finishing up another round this week and now looking forward to feeling better and focusing on doing just that! I am married ,three grown daughters and seven grandchildren plus throw in 3 dogs in that mix so it can get busy around here which is very good for me.I look forward to this new means of communicating with others .Strength comes in numbers.8
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Hi ladies! Wow, what an incredible group already. It is so surprising to see so many younger women on the forum. I'm Charlotte, from Winnipeg. Diagnosed with IC almost a year ago (Sept 18th) after a surgery to remove a cyst on my right ovary, the ovary and the Fallopian tube on August 25th 2016. Fortunately was able to keep the rest of my parts and underwent 6 rounds of chemo. Now my focus is awareness and am really looking forward to the upcoming Walk of Hope on September 10th (hope to meet so of you there) and connecting with others through this community.
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I look forward to meeting you @jemgirljeri at the Walk. I hear we will be wearing the teal tshirts, so it will be easy to identify survivors.
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@Marilyn I've had sleeping issues for a long time, but they are worse now than before diagnosis and treatment. I'm trying to avoid taking sleep aids (other than melatonin), so some nights are better than others. Since I'm retired and not bound to a schedule and work, we just work around my bad nights. It is what it is and I'm not going to let it get me down.1
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@meganG Hi Megan. Welcome to the site! I'm sure you are glad to be finished chemo again! I hope you have been able to enjoy this long weekend with your family and walking those dogs!0
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@BrittMK Hi Britt! Welcome to the site! It was good to have you on the webinar it - glad you could participate! I look forward to catching up with you soon.1
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Hello all! I'm 32 years old and was diagnosed with stage 1C clear cell carcinoma last year. Clear cell is one of the more rarer types of ovarian cancer - so it is comforting to meet others like @kastoyles who are in a similar boat! My treatment was a full hysterectomy plus 6 rounds of carbo and taxol. The hysterectomy was tough decision as my husband and I were thinking of starting a family and we had been married less than a year when I was diagnosed. I think the hardest part of having ovarian cancer when you are young is dealing with the life stage you are at - I'm now going through menopause while my friends are having babies. I find that there are good days and bad days post-treatment, but my mantra through treatment and beyond is just to focus on one day at a time.
I'm looking forward to participating in the Walk for Hope this upcoming weekend!3 -
@jiselle16- I was 61 when I had my hysterectomy - through the worst of menopause - so that was in my favour. I can only imagine what you are going through emotionally, especially at such an early stage in life. Fortunately your cancer was caught early! I do find that the farther I get from diagnosis and treatment that I'm able to cope much better and my state of mind has greatly improved. I feel much more positive and much more at ease. There are better days ahead!
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