Community Connection: Ovarian Cancer Canada is looking for volunteers! Could you help?
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. 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 (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. 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 (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
Ovarian Cancer Canada is thrilled to share that we have some exciting updates on the way for OVdialogue. These enhancements are designed to strengthen our community and make your experience even better.
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
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Thanks for carrying on without me ladies. You rock!🌻0
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Sorry! I forgot to say farewell. Best wishes to everyone.0
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Back in the saddle following surgery that went no where last week. Who knew that adhesions and scar tissue don't show up on CT scans..so they were totally unprepared for the mass I have. I think they referred to it as the Great Wall of China that they couldn't get past to get at what they were going to deal with.
The good news, the reason for the surgery was not to deal with anything life threatening, so whatever PlanB is can wait..and I now understand the cause of the abdominal discomfort, sluggish bowel and excruciating pain when I twist or bend.
Back to the drawing table with my medical team on the 15th.. Apparently they took copious pictures to show me. In the meantime, at home resting and licking my wounds...not literally of course LOL.
Thanks to angel27 for taking the reins for me last week.
So enough about me....how are all of you? Anyone do anything exciting on the long weekend? Anyone doing anything interesting or creative for our first virtual Walk of Hope on Sunday? Anyone have new questions or something new to share today?
In the immortal words of Dr. Frasier Crane.....Canada, we're listening!0 -
Hi @Fearless. Sorry surgery didn’t work out. I must have stuff inside too cause if I bend a certain way. Ouch. We had a lovely labour day feast with neighbours. BBQ ribs. Corn on cob. Potato& macaroni salads and cole slaw. And for dessert watermelon sorbet and lemon Florentine cookies made by me! Yum0
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Hi Fearless and Angel27
What? There was a holiday really?! Kidding, I’m on work hiatus still so the days all run together.
It got a bit chilly so I moved from lounging on the garden chair back to lounging on the couch, that’s all the excitement I get these days.1 -
LOL my losing streak continues. Right at 1 my internet went down. So now on my iPhone.Great to see you gals. Been a long two weeks for me but on the mend thankfully.1
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Oh no. We may get thunderstorm later but nice and warm now0
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And yippee, I'm back online on my laptop again. Second time service has bailed at exactly the same time on chat day. Thankfully it only goes down for a few minutes. Really don't like using the iPhone...think my fingers are too fat LOL.
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I do have a topic though, it would be to discuss returning to work.Today, for the first time I’m actually starting to fear that maybe this fatigue is a reoccurrence sign. How can I still be soooo tired? I think I felt better during active chemo.
My GP says my blood counts are close enough to normal now that I can stop worrying about them. She is still investigating the proteins in my blood though.
Is it possible one never gets their energy back? It’s feels like i will never be able to go back to work at this point 😟0 -
It takes along time. Months really.0
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Hi Ladies! Glad to have you back with us @Fearless, but sorry that things didn't go as per plan. But like you said, not life threatening - so you (and the surgery team!) can take the time to better understand the situation and procedure required.
Ha @BeamBlossom, I'm with you....what holiday?
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@angel27 ...so then are people generally off work a year or more? Maybe I was very naive thinking I’d return sometime in Sept which is 2 months post treatment.0
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Everyone is different. And depends on job. I wasn’t ready to go back full time after 2 or 3 maths but some sort thru chemo.0
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I expect the kind of work factors in. For me, I had transitioned to consulting already and much of my work done from home so a quick nap in the afternoon when I needed it could easily be factored in. That said, I walked away from my profession. It wasn't fatigue it was the chemo brain/brain fog. My work revolved around multiple complex org change projects and being able to juggle multiple activities and process complex info and I just found I couldn't do it the way I used to. But ended up replacing that with the work I do for OCC, the project at Queens, some consulting to AstraZeneca...so I'm as busy as ever but able to do it all at whatever pace suits me.
My energy did return....slowly, and then lost it again with the drug trial. Interesting but I was off the drug for two weeks before my surgery and within four days I was like the energizer bunny. Going back on the drug on the 15th but I expect at a lower dose because I dont' want to give up that feeling again.
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Oh, and @BeamBlossom, while it's always important to keep your medical support informed about how you're feeling..I would think recurrence the least likely cause for your fatigue. As the other gals mentioned it took time to rebound. Most of my friends were at least four months and some six before a return to work was feasible,..but as mentioned it does depend on what you do and the arrangements available.0
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I agree chemo brain. I had trouble when I went back to work and that was more than 2 years. I was a law clerk0
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Hi everyone! Just an FYI I'll need to sign off around 1:30 for a phone appointment. Welcome back @Fearless - sorry things didn't go as planned...
@BeamBlossom, I am already wondering about return to work and I haven't even finished my treatments yet! Last chemo is scheduled for Sept. 24. My friend wonders why I'm worried about work, but it's very important to me - the days truly do blend together when one is off their usual routine.0 -
Gals, I know this sounds silly, especially coming from a Type A personality, but I found setting low expectations for myself worked great. Every time I exceeded expectations it was a major boost. Anytime I set expectations too high or unrealistically I was left feeling like I was failing in my recovery. That's been a major change in how I live my life and I can say it's left me with so much less stress.1
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wise wise words !0
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@BeamBlossom, I finished my chemo in August and am on leave until the end of December. I've heard from a few people that it is quite ambitious to plan going back to full time work by that time. It is still 4 months away, so I'm trying not to think about it right now. Many things could change. But like @Fearless, I too am worried about being able to cope with going back to work in a fast paced environment. I loved the work - and my colleagues and miss that part of my life. Will have to see what's realistically possible - and what's really important to me at the end of the year.0
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And Covid esp when immunity is low0
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@cbot clearly we're all so different. It's really all about personal resilience...physical and emotional and unfortunately they are interdependent. So one could be physically ready but if you're totally stressed out it drains physical energy. At the end of the day your body and your mind will tell you when it's time. But nothing better than testing the waters first and easing into fulltime work if your employer or work allows for that......baby steps are really helpful in preparing to take the giant leap.0
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@cbot I felt just the same coming into my last chemo treatment but that feeling sure has subsided since I can’t stay awake for more than 4 hrs at a time, I’m rather shocked and was sure once my blood issues got sorted I’d be rearin’ to go, but not at all, now that I’m hear.0
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@BeamBlossom does any of this help with your perspective about return to work.?0
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I’ve been working from home full time since mid 2018 so would be working from home again when I resume. It is incredibly complex work and very demanding, 10 hr days, seldom take my head out of my computer, back to back meetings most days. It was daunting when I was well and now, well it’s even more so. Maybe I will be following in your footsteps fearless as far as career goes.0
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Good points from everyone. My employer and Long Term Disability ensurer seem open to a graduated return to work - I will work out the details when the time comes!0
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Signing out now! Thanks all!1
