SarahPants

Hey, Sarah...I'm doing great. Had a few setbacks but I'm on track now. I hope all is well. I know you've had another surgery. How is it going? Let me know. Think of you often.
Barb

Oh no! I'm sorry. Are you ok? I'm glad to hear that you're doing better now. Yes, I had my second surgery a few weeks ago. I'm still home mostly relaxing on the couch (the Dr. doesn't want me to drive or do much). I'm feeling pretty well, which is really fantastic. How is everything else going for you? Is your husband doing well. I think of you often as well :o) Hugs and love!

Hi Barb!!!

How's it going!!? I hope you're doing well! The weather here is gorgeous!!!! How's it over in CT? Yay, sunshine!!!!

This vegetarian thing seems to be working well for me! How is it for you? I still crave meat every once in a while, but I lost 5 lbs this week just from changing my diet!!! Awesome!! (Maybe I'll be able to fit back into 90% of my clothes- haha!) Jonnie's a total meat and potatoes guy as well. Like your husband, he won't eat anything that isn't American comfort food or Italian staples- haha! Every once in a while, I'll get him to eat a little chicken from a Thai place. I would be the happiest woman in the world if he, one day, decided that we would go to eat Indian food for dinner! It's funny because our fridge looks like it's been split in half! My side has organic and homemade things with tons of veggies and his side is all processed meats and other nasty things- haha! We now have to shop at two separate grocery stores!!! (It's still worth it, though- and I'm working on pulling him over to the dark side!)

Now that it's been a few days, have you seen or felt any results from seeing the acupuncturist? I hope that it helps! Have you tried any other "non-conventional" medicinal things?

I was supposed to be doing the show Eileen with the Light Opera of New York. I was so excited. Now, knowing that they definitely don't have any space opening up in the OR, I wish that I had gone anyway. Then again, I'm so tired and blah feeling, I probably wouldn't have done "my best work." Ha! I know what you mean about the motivation- I feel EXACTLY the same way, and I too am quite sick of myself! I am feeling a little motivation to paint my nails teal (teehee)!

Jonnie's doing surprisingly well with everything. He doesn't flinch. It's almost weird to me, because he hasn't really reacted at all. He only talks about it if I bring it up (which has been a lot lately (eep)). It's kind of nice to have someone so steady when I have the occasional freak out moment. I am still going through some feelings of regret and guilt about not being able to have "our" child. But Jonnie's been absolutely wonderful and soothing through everything. I know for certain now that he's a "keeper." How is your husband doing with everything?

Sending love and hugs your way!!!!!

Sarah..so glad to see this post as I was beginning to worry about you! I know that IVF is extremely expensive. Plus the cost of whatever insurance doesn't cover and copays.....ridiculous. It really sucks that you don't have a plan in place. I'm really surprised how cancer patients are handled by the health care professionals at times. I go for chemo on Monday when they will hospitalize me to infuse the meds very slowly as I had an allergic reaction to the Cisplatin. I will go in Monday morning if they have a bed available. I will be discharged Tuesday afternoon. Then I will continue the last three days of my treatment as an outpatient. That will bring me to the halfway mark of my chemo. I'm going to an acupuncturist to help me with the side effects that have hit me a day or two after finishing therapy. I'm curious to see how effective it is. I'm also making plans to make extreme changes in my diet (I am a major junk food junkie)...so this will be hard but interesting. Other than that, all is well. I don't feel or look sick (just that I'm bald, but with my hats no one seems to notice). I hope all goes well for you....keep me posted on your progress
Love,
Barb

Hi!

Yes- the diet thing!! I know, I've not been the best about eating "right" either. Jonnie and I got an ice cream maker for the wedding, so now it's out favorite thing to design and eat new and interesting flavors (in-fact we're eating "breakfast ice cream" at the moment) Hahaaa! I've been looking into eating a more plant based diet (thinking about going vegan, though I love steak and would have to give up my ice cream- waa). Have you looked into the "Crazy, sexy, cancer" books? Apparently there's a whole franchise around them. The writer advocates juicing, vegan or vegetarianism, and other dietary doodas. So- now I'm thinking about getting a juicer (ha)(I believe they sell ones that can make ice cream-like healthy things- yippee). My Dr's don't think that dietary changes would really help- but it couldn't hurt, and I think more holistic approaches are just as viable. Let me know how it goes with the acupuncturist goes! I've always been curious about and the treatment. I've had friends swear by them for helping with TMJ issues, and my voice teacher has wanted me to see one for years to alleviate my allergy symptoms.

Wow- you're chemo regiment sounds tedious! Big hugs to you! That's crapy about the Cisplatin and having to go into the hospital. Yuck. Hospital smell freaks me out ever since the first surgery, but I think I'm getting used to it (not sure if it's a good thing). It's good that you look good! Do you have a large hat collection :) I'm sure in winter (now that it's actually cold- ha) having them all the time is handy as well as stylish ;)
Yay- halfway through!! That's excellent!! Are you going to do anything to celebrate?

As far as the IVF thing- it's actually giving me a headache. Apparently in MA it's mandated to be covered by insurance Co.'s. However, my husband's company just got bought by another whose policy is based out of TN. Iww. So- at the moment, it looks like we're not covered. Yuck. I'm looking to see if, because our circumstance isn't the norm, it might be covered by some loop-hole. Fingers crossed. Also- apparently egg freezing is still a "trial" thing- wtf? I totally thought that it was another "normal" viable option. Blorg.

Man- this one is long- haha! I have tons of free time now. I was supposed to go to NYC yesterday for the next three weeks to be in a show- but now that all of this stuff has gone down, I pulled out and have nothing do do here at home. Haha! I did hear about a "Chocolate brunch" at a fancy hotel down town. Maybe I'll take one of my girl friends and feast. Ha! (So long for the vegan trial).

Ok. I've written a ton. Hugs and best wishes and love for the weekend and your hospital stay. Also- I figured out my computer problems (a setting issue) with this sight- yay!

XXX
Sarah

I wish you all the luck in the world! You are on my mind and in my heart!

Hi...thanks for the site, I really like it. Frustrated today because I went to the MD to find out other treatment options. All he did was talk to me and tell me he would investigate it and have his physicians assistant call me this afternoon with the results. Then the physicians assistant listened to my lungs and pressed on my belly! Wtf? I will ask her the reason for this visit when she calls me this afternoon, I've already racked up bills since this started and I don't need another Dr. bill and have my time wasted as well. I also found out that the type of cancer I have has a 66% recurrence rate in the first year. At five years that drops to 6.6. That was very disheartening to me. There, now I've vented! How is everything going with you? I think of you every day and hope that it all goes extremely well. Thanks again!

What seems to be the problem?

Wish it was what you wanted to hear. Just know that you have us to support you in any way we can. Stay strong!

Thanks Dave! It's just yucky.

I was diagnosed with Stage 1b Ovarian Cancer 4 years ago. Since that time, both my Oncologist and my ObGyn have insisted that I not only have a CA-125 but also a CA 19-9 and a CEA done every 3 months until 5 years have passed and then they said they would reevaluate how often these are done. On top of the bloodwork I have ultrasounds and CAT scans and exams every 3 months. If anything, having these done gives me piece of mind. In fact my ObGyn has me come to his office to get the bloodwork done because he runs the tests in his office right away so I have the results by the end of the day. They may be a little overprotective but I'd rather have proactive care as opposed to doctors who hesitate.

I would talk to your physician on this subject and have him explain more about his feelings on this testing. I have worked in the medical field for a long time and one thing I do know is you can always find doctors with differing opinions on care and treatment but all with the best intentions. Tell him your feelings and see if the two of you can decide the best course of action. As a patient you do have the right to a second opinion but I would first find out what your doctor feels is the proper course of treatment for you. Doctors care for patients based on their knowledge of the patients medical history so your doctor may have other options or methods of treatment for you. Open communication with your physician is vital so please talk to him and ask questions. In fact I always tell our patients to write their questions down before coming to the office. At the office patients tend to forget to ask things and often leave without all the facts. This way if the doctor does not have time to answer the questions during the visit, they can look over them and answer them and send the patient their list back with all their questions answered.

Anyway I probably gave you more than you asked but I hope I helped. Take care and remember that there are others going through the same thing and we are all here for each other.

I have stage 4 ovarian cancer because my Dr didn't believe in CA125. I warned of strong family history years ago. One day I insisted on test. Result was 3500. Have had 3 rounds of chemo...CA125 is now down to 100. Unsure of what this means because the surgery was unsucessful. Too much in there & attached to other organs. Calcified omentum cake....Sounds like they should have used a hammer. Now facing more chemo. Oncologist told me "ovarian cancer has decorated my insides but it doesn't "enter" other organs. What is the truth???

I would demand to have it done. I think it doesn't matter what your doctor's personal feelings are about a certain test--a procedure maybe, but not a simple blood test. If you feel certain testing should be done, you have to make them do so because it's your life at stake. I know not everyone will have elevated levels, but in my experience, the CA-125 test is very useful in detecting cancer. During my regular checkups while I was in remission, my CA-125 levels usually stayed around a 5. When the doctors discovered my ovarian cancer had returned last month (and had spread to multiple places, no less), my levels had gone up to 110. The CA-125 test can definitely give you a heads-up that cancer is present.

Hi...just had my second day of chemo. I go as an outpatient for five days. I am getting hydration (because of the cisplatin's effects on the kidneys) and along with the cisplatin, I am receiving VP16. So far, everything is going well. After I finish this round, I do the same thing all over again in Feb. I understand that the chemo may not work the same way each time, and that I could even be experiencing side effects after Chemo ends. I don't look into those things because I don't want anything to play on my imagination (I would probably have every side effect on the list if I knew what they were. Day two and I'm convinced I already have "chemo brain".} Anyway, I'm just striving to take things as they come which is true to my nature anyway, and try to find humor everywhere! Hope everything is going well for you!