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!
Teal Tuesdays - Live Online Chat! (Discontinued indefinitely)
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Good night everyone - stay cozy and have a great week ☀️🦋0
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Good evening everyone - I'm checking in early to say hello!
I am off to an art class tonight so I'll check back in later - hope you are all doing well as can be today.
Going to check this out on the weekend - it is for kids but may just do the trick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOHcGF1Tmc
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Enjoy your class, Flower Girl. I have discovered that evening classes/sessions are not good for me yet. Too tired to drive home!
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That's great @Flowergirl Sounds like fun ! I just popped in to say Hi to everyone, but i’m pretty wiped. Busy day and lots of errands taken care of. Hope everyone is well.0
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Hi @Linda and @UnPickNot - hope your evening was restful!
We did a paint with markers class - interesting as you use the basic Crayola Washable markers, a little bit of water, a brush and work on mixed media paper - a neat outcome and you don't need a lot of supplies, it is a portable option to doing some art. You can combine details with a fine line ink pen after. It was a nice distraction!0 -
Hi @Flowergirl your painting class sounds really interesting. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I’ve been knitting up a storm (fingerless gloves) for each of the ladies in the family when we get together Christmas Day. It’s a great distraction and that’s the key with me. Keeps my mind off the old anxiety (scan Dec 11 🤞). I’m baking date squares today and it’s my first attempt. The great thing about baking is that even if it doesn’t turn out right, it still tastes good !
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Thanks @Linda - agreed the crafts really do help with the mind!
Those gloves sound interesting - Fingerknitting/corking is about the only knitting I've done!
Yes, those are my fav -the date squares - so yummy!
Sending good vibes your way.0 -
Good evening ladies ! Hope you are all well and keeping cozy. Just checking in to say Hi. Pretty tired this evening (busy day) so I’ll check back later. 🦋0
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Hi! @Linda. Knitting is my therapy. Regardless of other projects I always have a sock on the go. And I take it to every appointment. During high stress and especially during chemo, I had a simple garter stitch project that ended up being a lovely teal triangle shawl. I finished it at the end of treatment and gave it to my friend who most often comes with me when my husband is working.
My husband took up knitting for his anxiety during my first rounds of treatment. He watched me and our girls contentedly knitting away and decided to join us. He doesn’t produce much since he is a perfectionist but it is gorgeous when he gets done!1 -
good evening everyone - thanks for stopping by @Linda
Good plans @UnPickNot
I'm having a late family dinner tonight and will post some upcoming activities soon0 -
Good evening dear teal sisters @Flowergirl, @UnPickNot, and @Linda. I am finally staying up later these evenings, a good sign. So, I keep hearing about the benefits of knitting, and the benefit of partaking it en famille. I think I’ll find some YouTube instruction clips to give it a try (like @flowergirl, my only recollection of knitting was corking in the schoolyard...🎒). Any 101 advice is welcome. I’m Watching the evening joke clips that my husband plays from YouTube to get me laughing. These include Stephen Corbert (The Late Show), Omid (hilarious Iranian-British stand-up) and a few others who get my funny bone. How are you doing, and how do you manage Christmas with low energy?
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@jsullivan33 Hello!
First to answer the knitting question - 2 excellent online teachers are Stacey at VeryPink.com and Maryna at 10RowsADay.com. I use them regularly as resources. YouTube can be overwhelming with help. :-) I hope these 2 ladies point you in the right direction.
As to Christmas and energy, I pick what is most important and try to not schedule more than 2 or 3 things in a day. And that includes things like doing the laundry and naps! More than that and I just let myself down. I have also discovered that evening activities are possible but only if I rest and save up my energy. Better yet if I have someone else doing the driving. Social evenings are best. Going to yoga is not. So add Christmas into that and our family has whittled it down to what is the most important thing and what can we all accomplish to make it happen? For us, Celebrating the birth of Jesus comes first. So the first thing out is the advent wreath and the Nativity set - and that may be all that comes out. I will make Christmas cake this week - and that will probably be all the special baking I do. Walking through the Christmas light displays will be replaced by driving through listening to Christmas music on the stereo.
So - figure out what is most important to you and do it. Let the rest come or go as you have energy and desire. Include your family in your conversations - mine have helped me make decisions about precious priorities and celebrations - and have taken on some of the things that I have done in the past. We have let some things go and are making new traditions.
It won't be the same as it was. It will be different and sometimes the hardest person to say no to is me. But that is okay too.
Have a blessed celebration!0 -
Hey @UnPickNot, thanks for your advice. It’s so true that saying no is the last thing one wants to say at this festive time. For a few months now I’ve signaled to friends and family that I can happily do morning a activity (read: ONE activity), but anything after is pointless. So your suggestion to see the lights (here in Ottawa they are on the Parliament Hill and absolutely lovely) from the car with music is a special way of keeping a beloved tradition. I’ll get for that. What about shopping? This year I got hubby to buy a lot of treats from Presidents Choice when he did the grocery shopping, and placed these in several baskets. A friend came by to help me decorate them - all rather gaudy, but fun - and they have made nice gifts. I would love to hear more from all of you how you live through this warm and social time of year. Have a great evening.
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great tips ladies - there is even a new yarn out that you don't need to use needles - loopy yarn at Michael's - got to give it a go!
Welcome to new users @Sheena178 and @djapj - hope you can join us next Tuesday at 7:00 PM CST0 -
Hi @UnPickNot and @jsullivan33 and @Flowergirl. Loved reading all your stories, tips and thank you for the great advice. I had to google corking to see what it was. Kinda cool ! And loopy yarn at Michaels - interesting! A warm welcome @Sheena178 and @djapj ☀️🦋0
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Thank you for the welcome @Flowergirl. What’s Teal Tuesday’s?0
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Hi @djapj - we try to meet up here - live, on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM CST - if anyone is around to chat ... as always the site is open 24/7 and we hope you will find much support here!1
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Thank you @Flowergirl, how is the chat live?0
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Hi @Sheena178 and @djapj, so glad that you have joined the Ov dialogue, welcome.1
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hello everyone - HI @djapj and @jsullivan33 and @Sheena178!
welcome -hope everyone is doing well this evening0 -
Hello @Flowergirl. I totally forgot about live Tuesday. Did I miss it? I’m trying to keep the anxiety at bay. Any help would be appreciated. I am 42 with two kids(12&8) and an amazing husband.0
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So it is that time of year again; anyone into the holiday crafts and baking?- it is a welcome distraction if you have the energy. It is also a good time for rest and reflection and doing what is best for you and your situation. Up for sharing tips and tricks to help cope?
I have visitors tonight so I'll pop back into the chat later.
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reminder to use the @ sign and the user name - like this @djapj - it will help to notify participants under the topics1
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I am actually doing some Christmas baking tonight- some shortbread cookies. I love baking and it was one of my favourite things to do before my illness. Baking makes me very happy!1
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That is something that I’ve struggled with. Finding something to calm my mind.0
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Hello @djapj and @Flowergirl.
You asked about keeping anxiety at bay. I find meditation works very well for me. Mornings are best for me as things tend to come up later in the day. Even if you can start with 5-10 minutes a day.1 -
@MonarchButterfly, I’ve recently started trying this. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. I’m realizing that it’s not just one thing. We need many things in our arsenal to keep the anxiety monster at bay, not to mention the thoughts. Getting ideas of what others do certainly can help.
I bake when I can. I make soups to help me with my digestion. I read at night. No digital (as I’m writing to you LOL) I could use something mindless. Like knitting, possibly? I tried it years ago with failure. Too impatient, to be honest. Maybe I’m in a different place now.1 -
Oooo. Shortbread. That will chase away my anxiety @MonarchButterfly ! Hahaha.
Seriously, I know I said before that I knit, and I do, but the best thing for my anxiety is prayer and worship. If I focus on God, and not my need (aka screaming anxiety), I come to a quiet and restful space. It has become a well-practiced routine and a content way to live. This is not a cure. I do not know if it will ever be cured, but I can live really well with the contentment.
I also have started an exercise program - Qi gong - that I really enjoy. The movement is really well suited to my need and easily adapted to my limitations.
So - one is good for the soul, the other my body - and the mind falls in line. :-)1 -
@djapj, I would agree. It’s not just one thing. In the summer I enjoy nature so just sitting outside and listening to the birds singing is wonderful. Winter is a little more challenging. Maybe give knitting another try. I hear painting works for some people. For me I also want to try piano lessons. And listening to nice music really puts me in a nice place.1
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@djapj and UnPickNot, I agree that it is important to come to a quiet and restful space. I start my mornings by reading a daily devotion from my 365 devotions to inspire you each day book.1
