Hello @Danielle and welcome to OVdialogue. The fact that you had Teal Sisters welcoming you and responding so quickly is an absolute reflection on the value of this forum. As @LeslieA said we are here for you 100% and @Glofriend is so right that it is a huge step to reach out and we are glad you did. I also echo the comment by @lbarr72 that this is a wonderful source of support and information. We are also humbled that you chose OVdialogue as the first forum to engage with. Many Teal Sisters in this forum, including myself, have felt alone at times through our journey and absolutely there has been fear. We've been blindsided by a cancer diagnosis. Our worlds were upended. Our lives forever changed. Please don't give up. Please ask us questions. Let us know how and in what ways we can help you. I have learned so much from the warriors in this forum. They have helped me in ways they will never know to find answers, to ask questions and to find some sense of 'normalcy' in how I'm feeling. Also know that there are stories of hope, survivorship, strength and fierce determination among our members.
It sounds like you are well into your journey with chemo and debulking surgery. Do you have more chemo to complete? Are you receiving Paclitaxel and Carboplatin? How are you feeling? Also, what type of OVC were you diagnosed with? Do you know if you have the BRCA gene? I was diagnosed in February 2024, High Grade Serous, Stage 3C plus I discovered I was BRCA2+. Like many of us, it was a complete shock and similar to you, I had no known family history. Through genetic testing it was uncovered that my father carried the BRCA gene which passed to me. I've had surgery, chemo and complete two years of Lynparza (Olaparib) maintenance. My complete story is in my BIO which you can get to if you click on my icon at the left of this post.
If you are looking for specific information, you can try typing in words in the search bar above e.g., chemo side effects. As well, there is a "Categories" section at the top of this page. If you click on the down icon, you will find different ways that the information on this site is grouped such as "Resources". Plus there's the "Library" section where Ovarian Cancer Canada has captured videos and helpful tools.
While you thanked us for letting you in, I'm going to flip that and say thank YOU for letting us in. Let us know what we can do to help. Even if it's to provide a space to share emotions, we are here. We are forever linked. We understand.
#Introductions #Supportandencouragement