Hello all;
I just wanted to share a little about my fights with cancer. It has been a hard journey, but I thank God I'm still here to tell about it! I've survived cancer 3 times in my lifetime. I lost my leg at age 3, had breast cancer at age 35, and ovarian cancer 20 months later at age 37.
This thread--and in fact, the entire survivors group--is for anyone: survivor, caregiver, family member, friend who would like to share their experiences, thoughts, triumphs, or just vent. As we survivors know, it truly helps to talk to someone who has been through what we have. Our caregivers are the most wonderful people, too! Here's a little of my experience.
I had just been through a fight with breast cancer. I had numerous infections and complications from the surgeries, and reconstructions. In one year, I needed four surgeries to correct the problems. I thought the worst was over.
I had been feeling pain in my lower left side for a few months. I thought it was my colon acting up from all of the chemo I'd had. (I had the Red concoction for the breast cancer. Adriamycin/Cytoxan--my lifetime limit.)
On one occasion about 8 months after my surgery, I was standing in the doctor's office after a check up on the breast reconstruction, and I felt the worst pain start in my lower abdomen! It hurt so badly, I had to hold on to the edge of the receptionist's desk to keep from falling down. I guess I hid the pain well, because nobody noticed anything wrong. After a few minutes, the pain went away, so I didn't mention it to the nurse. (Looking back, I should have.)
About 10 days later, I was in my Primary Physician's office and told him about it. He examined me and it was painful. He ordered an ultrasound, and a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst was found. From the ultrasound, it seemed to be blood filled, which isn't uncommon, I'm told. My Dr. monitored it, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It looked, and acted like a common cyst. But after four more ultrasounds, it was getting larger. So I went to a Gynecologist who told me it would have to be removed.
Exactly 1 year to the day I finished my chemo from the breast cancer, I underwent surgery to remove the ovarian cyst. The surgery was started with a laparoscope, but when the surgeon saw the condition of my abdomen, he put in an emergency page to the gynecologic oncology surgeon.
(I'll finish this in the next post.)
Copyright 2010
I just wanted to share a little about my fights with cancer. It has been a hard journey, but I thank God I'm still here to tell about it! I've survived cancer 3 times in my lifetime. I lost my leg at age 3, had breast cancer at age 35, and ovarian cancer 20 months later at age 37.
This thread--and in fact, the entire survivors group--is for anyone: survivor, caregiver, family member, friend who would like to share their experiences, thoughts, triumphs, or just vent. As we survivors know, it truly helps to talk to someone who has been through what we have. Our caregivers are the most wonderful people, too! Here's a little of my experience.
I had just been through a fight with breast cancer. I had numerous infections and complications from the surgeries, and reconstructions. In one year, I needed four surgeries to correct the problems. I thought the worst was over.
I had been feeling pain in my lower left side for a few months. I thought it was my colon acting up from all of the chemo I'd had. (I had the Red concoction for the breast cancer. Adriamycin/Cytoxan--my lifetime limit.)
On one occasion about 8 months after my surgery, I was standing in the doctor's office after a check up on the breast reconstruction, and I felt the worst pain start in my lower abdomen! It hurt so badly, I had to hold on to the edge of the receptionist's desk to keep from falling down. I guess I hid the pain well, because nobody noticed anything wrong. After a few minutes, the pain went away, so I didn't mention it to the nurse. (Looking back, I should have.)
About 10 days later, I was in my Primary Physician's office and told him about it. He examined me and it was painful. He ordered an ultrasound, and a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst was found. From the ultrasound, it seemed to be blood filled, which isn't uncommon, I'm told. My Dr. monitored it, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It looked, and acted like a common cyst. But after four more ultrasounds, it was getting larger. So I went to a Gynecologist who told me it would have to be removed.
Exactly 1 year to the day I finished my chemo from the breast cancer, I underwent surgery to remove the ovarian cyst. The surgery was started with a laparoscope, but when the surgeon saw the condition of my abdomen, he put in an emergency page to the gynecologic oncology surgeon.
(I'll finish this in the next post.)
Copyright 2010
