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]).
Going for Debulking and hysterectomy tomorrow for stage 3 cancer
I'm having the debulking of omentum and peritoneum tomorrow (March 28) with a hysterectomy. Still not sure where primary is - they think fallopian, ovarian or primary omental. We won't know the grade until the tumors are biopsied after being removed. So it's a first step at least. Wish me luck, pray for me. Thanks for all the advice and support. XXX
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@BellaDonna1959
Welcome and I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. By now, you will have underwent your surgery and will not be feeling wonderful yet. It is a slow recovery and try your best to walk when you can. You will gradually build your tolerance to walking and will eventually get to a stage that you won't need someone beside you nor be in any pain.
Reach out anytime you need.....we are all here for you.0 -
I am 2 weeks post surgery and I am mostly doing well. I made the mistake of trying to come off the pain meds too soon and definitely felt the consequences.
I hope your surgery went well. As was recommended to me by other members, do make sure to get up and walking as soon as possible. Even a few steps through the hospital ward does wonders. It is certainly not easy at first but you can build up.
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Back home from hospital. They were not able to do the debulking surgery or the hysterectomy once they opened me up. There were too many lesions over the organs and tissues to remove it all safely. So they did a biopsy and closed me up. so all the pain from the incision (staples) and very little gain. I'm so discouraged and depressed. Their plan B is to treat it all with chemo (4 rounds) and hope that the tumors shrink enough to try surgery at a later date. My cancer 'appears' to be some hi-grade serous and some low-grade serous (doesn't react to chemo as well) and possibly some lo morphed into hi so still a lot of confusion and fear. Just trying to recover from the surgery and hang on to some hope. Has anyone else here experienced this sort of setback? I will post this to the group at large as well. Thanks.0
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@BellaDonna1959
So sorry to hear about this....it must be extremely frustrating for you and sitting heavy on your mind and body.
Mine was low grade serous and from what I read, does not respond well to chemo but that does not mean it won't work entirely. I know from reading other posts on the forum that there are multiple ladies with high grade serous as well. It will be very helpful to know what the biopsy says and the staging of it for you. As one sits in the unknown it can be very discomforting, unsettling and can play on the mind daily. This makes it difficult to find positivity. Take it day by day, do your best to recover from surgery and gain strength before your next steps. Reach out here anytime and especially if you are having a bad day. If you have a good day, celebrate it! Thoughts are with you and keep us posted,1 -
@Strongwoman Does this mean that yours was treated successfully? What was/is your treatment plan? Thanks.0
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@BellaDonna1959
Yes, I received my debulking, radical hysterectomy, omentectomy and bowel anastomose on March 17th, 2021. It was found in late Jan when I had a GI bleed and had a subsequent GI bleed in mid Feb prior to my surgery. It was deemed that I have Stage 3C peritoneal cancer which is treated the same as ovarian cancer. I received 6 rounds of chemo starting in April of last year lasting until mid-Aug and were 3 weeks apart. I had one shot of Lapelga during that time as well. Going forward they say it is based on my symptoms but is being monitored by both CA 125 levels and CT scans.
I work with a cancer naturopath currently who works directly with my team as well. I see my medical oncologists every 3 months and my oncological surgeon every 6 months currently.
They say I am NED which is good but I have my doubts always as I know the recurrence rate is high and am reporting any symptoms I have on my chart with my surgical oncologist chart. I plug along daily and try to regain strength I have lost.
I kept busy while I was off initially (returned to work in June of last year) by walking, reading, painting, knitting, etc. I did what I could when I felt good and wanted to. Only exception was walking....I walked even a little bit even when I didn't want to.
So, not sure if any of this is helpful to you or not. I keep on top of my CT scans etc and do any research I can on my own so I go into appts informed the best I can.
Please keep us posted on yourself and I feel that once you know what your biopsy says, you will be able to gain more information as to what your diagnosis is and what treatment can look like around that.
Believe me, it is difficult mentally as well as physically to go through this....we are all here for you!0
