To all my family and friends, Happy Thanksgiving!
This is a time to give thanks and reflect on the blessings bestowed upon us all.
I am truly blessed to have wonderful people in my life. This past year has changed my life; I like to think for the better. Although, cancer is hard to hear and know that it is terminal, cancer can be overwhelming at times, it also has brought out more love and support than I could have imagined.
Today, Wed the 25th of November, the day before Thanksgiving, I contemplate all that I am thankful for in my life. I am very thankful to the doctors and nurses and the treatment that is available for me. This treatment has provided me with remission. Awesome!
Remission can be for a long time and I pray every day for all those fighting the battle of cancer.
I am extremely thankful to my husband, Don, my children, Meghann, Maureen, Michelle, Sean and Jonathan; they are my inspiration, love, support, and all are cherished beyond words.
Today, at treatment, I learned my CA level increased by 1, it is at 10. This is the first increase in 3 months. Nothing to be alarmed about, something to watch. All other indicators are good and normal. Thankful...
I am Thankful for each of you in my life, and the outpouring of love, support, kindness, and friendship each of you have provided to me and our family this year. I love you all!
Wishing everyone a peaceful and thoughtful gathering with friends and family this Thanksgiving.
With love,
Margie
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
REMISSION!
16 October 2009
Hi Everyone;
Six weeks since I last wrote and more test and lab work. Yesterday was a huge day for celebration; the news is good, I continue in Remission, 3 months and counting. YEAH!!! My CA 125 remains at 9. It is awesome I have remained at 9 without upward movement. Treatment is definitely working. I receive treatment approximately every 3 weeks through July 2010.
After my last writing, some were/are confused on what remission means for me. I will try and explain. Remission for me means the cancer is not active. I will always have cancer; PPC is not a curable cancer. However, the cancer can be dormant for an extended period of time; perhaps as long as 10 years. I/we are hopeful and prayerful for the long term. If anyone has questions, please ask me. I know Don and I are diligent about asking plenty of questions to the doctors and will be happy to share our knowledge.
On the crazy side of reality, things are getting back to some sense of normal. My hair is growing back faster than most that have gone through extensive chemo therapy. Although the hair is still very short, the color is dark with a few grey hairs and so far straight. I find the straight hair different than the curlier hair I used to have, the texture is softer. However, it is too short to call it straight for the long term. My eyebrows, wow…they are growing thicker and they came in like Brooke Shields. Hahahahaha. Too funny, I just had my eyebrows waxed and whew, it hurt like it did the very first time I had a wax. Ouch!
Last weekend, we (Don, Sean and I), drove to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky to see Jonathan, Jessie and Adrianna. Adrianna, our 8th grandchild, celebrated her 1st Birthday. Jessie parents and grandparents were also there. We had a blast and went on post and visited the museum, and PX (great shopping deals). Adrianna had her own birthday cake and destroyed the cake within seconds. Thank goodness my brother Larry and my sister-in-law Donna were there to save the day by bringing their camera along, because Nana and Papa forgot and had to purchase a disposable camera at the PX. All in all everyone had a good time and we all loved seeing everyone and enjoyed our visit. Jonathan will be deploying to Afghanistan within 6 months. I will keep all of you posted on when he deploys.
Don and I also participated in 2 yard sales and got rid of a lot of accumulated junk over the last 30 plus years. It feels good to go through and weed out the closets, garage, attic and basement. Don really worked hard along with Maureen to get things put together to sell and throw out. Next, the kids are coming over to go through some Christmas items I no longer use to put at their houses and out of mine. Ahh it feels good to have the house cleaned out and in order. Now, we just need to work on the office…it is like a black hole; things go in but never come out.
Enjoy Halloween with all the little trick or treaters.
That is the news for now.
Keep in touch and I will write again in November.
Love, Margie
Hi Everyone;
Six weeks since I last wrote and more test and lab work. Yesterday was a huge day for celebration; the news is good, I continue in Remission, 3 months and counting. YEAH!!! My CA 125 remains at 9. It is awesome I have remained at 9 without upward movement. Treatment is definitely working. I receive treatment approximately every 3 weeks through July 2010.
After my last writing, some were/are confused on what remission means for me. I will try and explain. Remission for me means the cancer is not active. I will always have cancer; PPC is not a curable cancer. However, the cancer can be dormant for an extended period of time; perhaps as long as 10 years. I/we are hopeful and prayerful for the long term. If anyone has questions, please ask me. I know Don and I are diligent about asking plenty of questions to the doctors and will be happy to share our knowledge.
On the crazy side of reality, things are getting back to some sense of normal. My hair is growing back faster than most that have gone through extensive chemo therapy. Although the hair is still very short, the color is dark with a few grey hairs and so far straight. I find the straight hair different than the curlier hair I used to have, the texture is softer. However, it is too short to call it straight for the long term. My eyebrows, wow…they are growing thicker and they came in like Brooke Shields. Hahahahaha. Too funny, I just had my eyebrows waxed and whew, it hurt like it did the very first time I had a wax. Ouch!
Last weekend, we (Don, Sean and I), drove to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky to see Jonathan, Jessie and Adrianna. Adrianna, our 8th grandchild, celebrated her 1st Birthday. Jessie parents and grandparents were also there. We had a blast and went on post and visited the museum, and PX (great shopping deals). Adrianna had her own birthday cake and destroyed the cake within seconds. Thank goodness my brother Larry and my sister-in-law Donna were there to save the day by bringing their camera along, because Nana and Papa forgot and had to purchase a disposable camera at the PX. All in all everyone had a good time and we all loved seeing everyone and enjoyed our visit. Jonathan will be deploying to Afghanistan within 6 months. I will keep all of you posted on when he deploys.
Don and I also participated in 2 yard sales and got rid of a lot of accumulated junk over the last 30 plus years. It feels good to go through and weed out the closets, garage, attic and basement. Don really worked hard along with Maureen to get things put together to sell and throw out. Next, the kids are coming over to go through some Christmas items I no longer use to put at their houses and out of mine. Ahh it feels good to have the house cleaned out and in order. Now, we just need to work on the office…it is like a black hole; things go in but never come out.
Enjoy Halloween with all the little trick or treaters.
That is the news for now.
Keep in touch and I will write again in November.
Love, Margie
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
1 Sept 2009
Hi Everyone;
How time flies when you are having fun! It is Sept. 1st already and hard to believe it was seven months ago when I was diagnosed with Primary Peritoneal/Ovarian Cancer (PPC) Stage III C. Although there is no current cure, remission can last a very long time. As I have reported previously, this is like living with any chronic disease like Diabetes, heart disease, etc. This will be a lifelong battle.
Last Wed. I had my first blood and Lab tests since remission was declared. I must say, it was a nagging few days in waiting for results of the CA 125. That is the cancer indicator. Normal is 35 or below…On Friday, the results came back as 9…YIPEEEEE still in remission. I will have to go through this every month for the next year and then every 3 months thereafter. Currently, I have treatments every 3 weeks for the next year of Avastin or Placebo; we (Doctors, Nurses and Don and I) strongly believe I am receiving Avastin the drug. The main side effect is high blood pressure and I have that as mine previously was always on the low side.
At the same time the lab test were being done last week, my back and sciatica (painful back pain that radiates down the leg). I had no idea what caused the trouble. I did not lift or do anything unusual, well, not that I can think of at the time. Don and I were a bit hesitant and nervous, thinking the cancer had spread. The Doctors sent me to get a spine x-ray on Friday and given some medication and steroids to manage the pain. Today we found the results out. Lumbar 1 and 2 have advance arthritis. To verify this further, I will be going to my regular physician in a couple of weeks and then to a MRI if necessary. My back is still very sore but manageable on the medication. This is a good indicator the pain management medication is working. If it was cancer, the pain would not decrease as much.
All in all health is good. J It is a bit nerve racking at times. On the funny side of things, my hair is growing back. This is faster than most; it usually takes 3 to 6 months. My grand kids love to touch my bald head. When my hair started growing back it feels very prickly. Maeve, 4 years old (Michelle oldest) and Fiona, 2 years old (Michelle 2nd) both were touching my head and Maeve said, “Nana hair feels like Daddy’s Beard”. We all had a good laugh because Maeve is right; my hair feels like a beard. Now it is getting softer. Not sure of the color or texture (curly or straight) just yet, it is too early to tell but I will let you know at my next update.
On the job situation, I have not heard back on the complaint I filed under the American with Disability Act (ADA) (cancer is a disability) with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). My previous employer had 40 days to respond. I contacted my EEOC assigned investigator today and left a message. I hope I hear something in September. When I do, I will write and let everyone know if EEOC thinks I have a case. We as many people we have spoken to believe we do have a case, let’s hope so.
Otherwise, August was a busy month as we had celebrated 5 of the 8 grand children’s Birthdays; 2 more birthday celebration will be next Sunday and then another in October. Whew this is where Nana and Papa can go broke…hahahahaha but we love it!
That is the news for now.
Keep in touch and I will write again in October or sooner.
Love, Margie
Hi Everyone;
How time flies when you are having fun! It is Sept. 1st already and hard to believe it was seven months ago when I was diagnosed with Primary Peritoneal/Ovarian Cancer (PPC) Stage III C. Although there is no current cure, remission can last a very long time. As I have reported previously, this is like living with any chronic disease like Diabetes, heart disease, etc. This will be a lifelong battle.
Last Wed. I had my first blood and Lab tests since remission was declared. I must say, it was a nagging few days in waiting for results of the CA 125. That is the cancer indicator. Normal is 35 or below…On Friday, the results came back as 9…YIPEEEEE still in remission. I will have to go through this every month for the next year and then every 3 months thereafter. Currently, I have treatments every 3 weeks for the next year of Avastin or Placebo; we (Doctors, Nurses and Don and I) strongly believe I am receiving Avastin the drug. The main side effect is high blood pressure and I have that as mine previously was always on the low side.
At the same time the lab test were being done last week, my back and sciatica (painful back pain that radiates down the leg). I had no idea what caused the trouble. I did not lift or do anything unusual, well, not that I can think of at the time. Don and I were a bit hesitant and nervous, thinking the cancer had spread. The Doctors sent me to get a spine x-ray on Friday and given some medication and steroids to manage the pain. Today we found the results out. Lumbar 1 and 2 have advance arthritis. To verify this further, I will be going to my regular physician in a couple of weeks and then to a MRI if necessary. My back is still very sore but manageable on the medication. This is a good indicator the pain management medication is working. If it was cancer, the pain would not decrease as much.
All in all health is good. J It is a bit nerve racking at times. On the funny side of things, my hair is growing back. This is faster than most; it usually takes 3 to 6 months. My grand kids love to touch my bald head. When my hair started growing back it feels very prickly. Maeve, 4 years old (Michelle oldest) and Fiona, 2 years old (Michelle 2nd) both were touching my head and Maeve said, “Nana hair feels like Daddy’s Beard”. We all had a good laugh because Maeve is right; my hair feels like a beard. Now it is getting softer. Not sure of the color or texture (curly or straight) just yet, it is too early to tell but I will let you know at my next update.
On the job situation, I have not heard back on the complaint I filed under the American with Disability Act (ADA) (cancer is a disability) with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). My previous employer had 40 days to respond. I contacted my EEOC assigned investigator today and left a message. I hope I hear something in September. When I do, I will write and let everyone know if EEOC thinks I have a case. We as many people we have spoken to believe we do have a case, let’s hope so.
Otherwise, August was a busy month as we had celebrated 5 of the 8 grand children’s Birthdays; 2 more birthday celebration will be next Sunday and then another in October. Whew this is where Nana and Papa can go broke…hahahahaha but we love it!
That is the news for now.
Keep in touch and I will write again in October or sooner.
Love, Margie
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
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