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My journey with a food therapy
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@Sylviequebecbc Thank you💕
I am glad it went better than expected for you. That is wonderful to hear. So, in a few days time the effects of the radiation might start coming through? Is that right? Meaning side effects. Glad you get a little break from it and some time back. Rest but do some things that you want to do in case you are down and out for a few days. Sounds like they were receptive and respectful of your Gerson Diet. That is nice to hear that complementary therapies are being considered when evaluating a patient as a whole.
As for me, I am coming off another journey of some sort. Not a full obstruction, ileus maybe, I don't know what to call it. I started feeling unwell Sat last week and Sunday I was not good. I started taking my Dex twice a day and into the next day. I had to do my sublingual Odansetron Monday night and could only have water, diluted gatorade, jello. Even those were not sitting well in terms of the abdominal discomfort I felt. The next day or two I had nothing and though I might be coming around but yesterday the pain in the abdomen was not good. Like spasming and feeling raw and tender inside. My Palliative Doc got me to take a Dex and Pantoprazole (stomach coater) in the afternoon. I kept to the clear fluid diet throughout all this. Last night I went to bed and this morning am feeling better. I am hoping it stays that way. Today, an Ensure is sitting in there and being good so I am happy. I chuckle a little inside when this stuff happens because all family wants to do is feed you and they don't truly understand that I cannot. It bothers them but so not worth the risk for me. I am thankful I have had no vomiting or nausea with this and bowel movements are still occurring. Each time I face something it gets scarier when it doesn't seem to turn around in a normal length of time for me. But here is to today being a new day and things easing some. I truly hope it stays that way and I can have some more food in the days to come. Thanks for asking and checking. We are in this together!🤗
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@Strongwoman stay strong and I am playing for you 🙏
A family member sent me an interview with a Dr Jamal, oncologist and researcher somewhere in eastern Canada. The interview included 2 cancer patients who were diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer (lymphoma and colorectal) and entered a clinical trial involving a fecal transplant and immunotherapy. The researchers believe that a reason some people do not respond to immunotherapy is because their immune system is sub-par, because of a depleted or lacking gut biome. It was very interesting and the 2 patients benefitted from it, both in remission! I know that immunotherapy is not used for ovarian cancer, but I hope this will change.
I decided to go visit my family in and around Montréal, so I am flying there later this morning! I am so excited. I have been having a bit of bleeding again, taking TXA for it. It's a bit disappointing. But a visit with my family and friends will do me a world of good!
Have a wonderful day, sending hugs 🤗
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Interesting @Sylviequebecbc I don't know that I would be a candidate for either of those due to the locations of tumours etc. I am still very interested in hooking up with a local TCM person in the next week or two. He has been on a research sabbatical which is making him knowledgeable in my books. If anything, if he could help me with the eating and my gut issues alone, I would be happy. What I wouldn't give to eat fresh fruit and veggies again and even some of those cooked. I miss food so much. I was always a healthy eater so this new diet with low fibre is hard for me. Yes, finding work arounds for sure but still miss a good salad, all the fresh that is starting to come alive and the variety in my diet. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will be helpful that way. I would love to put more weight back on that I have lost. I am thankful every day that I try to keep my strength up by walking and doing things like gardening to keep my muscles moving. I don't know where I would be if I had lost a ton of weight initially and then the weight I have lost now. So thankfully the steroid weight gain during chemo helped me to get to this point. I was probably close to 170 lbs at the end of my chemo treatments and am now down to below 125 lbs. So a lot of weight lost. I eat and do what I can. Try to get the protein in me as well and take a multi vitamin.
Your trip to Montreal sounds wonderful. I have visited both new and old and love the Old there. Quebec is a beautiful province and so far I have not seen a part of it I did not like. I truly hope you enjoy your time with family. Sorry to hear you are bleeding again. I had not heard of TXA before and have just looked it up, For how long are you on that? It is take it while you are bleeding type thing then stop? Or a daily no matter what type of dosage? Is it working? Any side effects? How have you been feeling? I think the time with your family and friends is what the doctor ordered. It will be so good for your mind, body and soul! Go enjoy your time, laugh, stay up late, drink, eat and have fun! Take pics and make memories for that is what we all need to remember to do!
Thanks for the update and look forward to your next one. Enjoy that trip!!!
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Hello @Strongwoman , I am always so happy to hear from you!
I came back from visiting my family last Wednesday, I had such a good visit, so glad I went! I did get more vaginal bleeding on my way there, so the radiation didn't really work stopping that....I still take TXA when I am bleeding only, no side effects so far.
The day after I came back, I started having terrible cramps and anyway, landed in hospital with a "low grade small bowel obstruction". Not what I expected. I am day 4 in hospital and recuperating well, started taking in fluids yesterday. I too will have to stay on a low fibre diet from now on they tell me, I know what you mean about wanting to eat fresh salads and not being able to! I do plan to make fresh green juices, no fibre in that but at least I will get the vitamins and nutrients from that. Not the same but we have to work with what we have!
I am speaking with my oncologist Tuesday, it is so stupid that because I live in BC and my oncologist is in Alberta, when I have a CT scan here, they cannot share the images with him, just the written report, so I have to request a CD of the images and get it to my oncologist myself...! I am hoping I an still see him in person but I guess it depends when they will discharge me.
I am struggling with this turn of event. Having lots of up and downs. Trying to stay in the moment and take it one day at a time, but I am a bit scared. There. Enough!
Sending love ❤️
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@Sylviequebecbc I am so sorry you are going through this! Is there a way you can ask someone if you are eligible to get a SRK Kit for the home? This helps to keep me out of the hospital and the meds are managed at home so that I don't have to wait in the ER. In it would be something for the nausea and pain that are administered via a IM port that the nurse puts in. This is for when you cannot orally take any meds. They are easy to administer either yourself or for a family member to do so. I avoid going to the hospital as much as I can.
That does sound like a very convoluted way to have communication between the two parties and that the onus lies on you to do so. There has to be a better way. I would ask at the hospital and see what answers they come up with. Cry if you have to saying how hard it is to navigate it all. If tears help get you the help, use them!
I bet you have had lots of ups and downs. Every time I have one now, I am fearful it will be the fateful one. I get it. I know how scary it can be. I am here for you anytime. Just reach out. It is hard and can be scary. I am thankful you are getting the help you need. Take care and chat soon.🤗
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Thanks for the info @Strongwoman I will look into this!
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Good morning @Strongwoman ,
I returned to the hospital last Tuesday with another bout of cramping and vomiting . It resolved faster this time with medications, they kept me 3 days only. I finally got a home med kit so I can manage the next time at home! Your input was so helpful. Yes, it is scary! How often does it happen to you? The abdominal cramps and vomiting?
Have a great weekend,
Sending love 💕
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It can happen often like weekly or biweekly for me but I am getting better at recognizing the symptoms that I can generally keep on top of it that I don't reach the vomiting stage. Most times anyways. Currently I have ports in as we navigate through this. It's like my body knows when they are out and start to act up. Silly thing,
I am so happy I could help and that you are now set up at home @Sylviequebecbc It will provide you with such relief to have that there now and know you don't have to go to the hospital every time. I know I am thankful of that.
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The food journey continues on for me. We think that I struggle still due to location of tumour and then the areas of narrowing and normal tissue and how it is all tied up with peristalsis. Not fun and I can't seem to find the magic spell in this one. Still eating low fibre and more semi liquid than anything. Nausea is off/on today as well which as we all know is not fun. Abdominal pain has diminished some from a couple days ago. Muddling my way through it, is what I am doing. Whatever I think might help or I might be able to eat, I am. About to embark on a ginger twist tea to see if it helps with some of the nausea. As for eating, had an english muffin with nutella and an ensure for lunch. Seems to be sitting okay. Bought some ice cream today with 0 grams of fibre which is exciting. One of them is a peach one which I am excited to try. Got grocery shopping done for the family as it is to get stinking hot again the beginning of this week. That means lots of fruit in the house which I can't eat but they can. Sucks but glad I got the shopping done and all put away. I will see what I have for dinner, ramen noodles or chicken noodle soup…..which one will win out tonight? LOL The struggle is real and I wonder how long this will continue and she will let me keep taking Dex to fight this off. Or is this the start of a downhill battle that is coming? Whatever it is, I work away at my Legacy projects in case it is the downhill one. Want to ensure I have certain things done and one of them is the journaling I need to do for a few of them to help them through their grieving process when the time comes. It is something I can give them now that will benefit them later. Words that may comfort them and help them through their own processing of it all and trying to make sense of something that won't feel like it has any sense at all. A gift of sorts from me to them and for them individually. I have started several journals and pick and choose which one I work on for the day. That way I won't get stagnant with one only and it will remain fresh for them all. That is the thought process anyways. Well off to journal and try this tea. Let's hope it settles things slightly or more than that would be even better but I will settle for the slightly. Take care all and chat soon.
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Bonjour @Strongwoman
I really enjoy reading your postings, I know what you are going through, same here. Feeling "full" these days, had a bad one yesterday with nausea and acid reflux. Could barely eat or drink, slept a lot. I guess days like this will happen on and off, I have to enjoy the ones where I feel better! At least, no new bowel obstruction lately, keeping my finger crossed! Not too sure what I will have for lunch or dinner today, keeping it simple.
The weather is hot here, a bit smoky today. We are keeping our fingers cross so we don't have a forest fire close to here, so far so good.
Take care and chat again soon!
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@Sylviequebecbc Thank you! As I ramble on some days, I wonder who reads what I write and what they think. It is but a fleeting thought though.
Yes, it is hard when we feel "off" esp with the nausea and for you the acid reflux that goes with it. No rhyme nor reason to any of this either. Hoping you resting yesterday helped and that today is a better day for you. Have you been able to eat a little more today or be up and about a bit more compared to yesterday? Yes, it is a very big WIN, if the symptoms don't equal bowel obstruction. A very good day indeed for us!
Today, I woke up and am feeling "off". I had a great day yesterday and ate a good amount of food that is on the list and I can have. I was really quite hungry. The bowel movements were normal too which always is a worry as we feel what we do. Today, I am bloated and feeling some abdominal discomfort. I will be laying low today. Currently having a lemon twist tea that is to be calming and some digestive cookies to see if that helps at all. One day at a time turns into one hour at a time as we go through this. Some hours feel longer than others. All the while wondering why and what triggered it this time. Of which we never know the answer and take it in stride as we go about our day. Hoping something we ingest will be the "magic" that turns it around for us and lets us feel "normal" again.
Hot weather there and a bit smoky would make you wonder if there is something close by you. Fingers crossed there is not and it is smoke blowing in from further away. So scary these fires and the potential they have to damage so much in such a short period of time. I will be thinking of you and hoping that the smoke stays as is and there is no worsening of conditions near you at all. It would be terrible to have to flee somewhere due to the fires coming close. I have not experienced a forest fire but have a fire that took our entire home. I understand some of what people go through and it is not good at all. So for now, praying they stay at bay and can be contained as best they can be for all involved. My heart goes out to those fighting the fires and the long hours they are putting in and dedication as they do their best to combat the fire at hand while they do their best to stay safe as well. 💖
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