Hello ladies I have only just found this chat page and having read the posts can really identify with you all.

My first experience of Cancer was way back in 2001 when I was diagnosed with stage 2C Ovarian. I had a full hysterectomy, removal both ovaries and omentum. I then underwent 6 3 weekly chemotherapy sessions of taxol and carboplatin. It was hard at first when the 3 weekly appointments went to 6 then 12weeks then 6months then yearly. It did get easier as time went on and I knew it was only a phone call away if I had any problems.

I have had a full and active life since until the bombshell in November last when having a few problems going to the loo bowelwise I mentioned it at my yearly checkup. Scan followed confirming a tumour in pelvic area followed by exploratory op in Feb which showed I would need a colostomy. March 10th came and I underwent the op. No colostomy as the tumour was attached to the bowel and bladder and there were signs in the peritineum. It was decided after much discussion whilst I was on the table to repair a hernia which I had developed, take the top off the tumour and drain. I have made a good recovery from the op and am due to have my 4th chemo on 14th July - taxol and carbo again. I have also opted to go on a trial for a new drug so am monitored a little bit more with more frequent follow ups and scans in the next 18 months.

I'm trying to remain positive and it sounds as though you all are.

Keep well, keep smiling

Hilary

Dear Hilary,

What a brave lady you are xxxx

You sound so as a matter of fact about this whole thing. I hope your Chemo went ok yesterday, and I suppose your full of steroids now so will be buzzing about for a few days. Hello to my other firends, we should think of a name for ourselves. I like you Jackie can't remember who is having what this week. I think you are having the chemo again and not sure if Dot or Kathym are as well. Sorry but I think your brain cells are effected by all this as I can't remember anything.... Anyway good luck to all of you who are having the treatment this week. We should all make a date to meet somewhere when we have finished our treatment and have a good laugh. I am sure we would be thrown out of a place if we got together, but its something to aim for..... Take Care my Friends.... Eileen.xxxxxxxx

Hello Everyone

Hope all goes well tomorrow Dot. Will be thinking of you.

I too am going to be off line for a while - nothing personal...... It has taken all day but at last the caravan is ready to go and we are off tomorrow to the Yorkshire Dales until the end of August. It is only 1 and half hours from home so will come back on 4th for Chemo and will recuperate in the caravan. We come back home the weekend before my last chemo on 25th August - red letter day.

I will be thinking of you all and hoping you all go on okay. Keep positive, keep smiling (not always easy I know) Will catch up with you all when we are back home.

Love and hugs to you all

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hilary

Hi Hilary

Hope you have a great time.

Keep well

Jackie xxx

Hi Jackie,

Well not many of us left boo hoo. I think Dot your still here with us though. I have got my 5th Chemo on Tuesday if blood count ok, I hope its not as feel I need a break for another week. I am normally praying for it to be up but not this time.

Don't know if I told you that no op now just a scan in August after last Chemo so not sue if glad or not. I know it will come back if it no op but thought of maybe having colostomy bag isn't good.

I don't know why the surgeon has said that as he hasn't even seen the scan so should not have made any judgement on what he may or may not find.

Hope our still ok Jackie and Dot and anyone else I have forgot about. My head is all over he place as the house we are renting is so cold that we have decided when the tenancy runs out in Sept we are moving, so more stress. But the house 3 doors away is owned by a lady who lives in Cardigan and doesn't come down much so she said we can rent it if we want. Its smaller but has double glazing and a wood burner so warm . Fingers crossed again for me please. The views we get are great its all country and the smaller house has even better views.

Have a great weekend ladies will be thinking of you all. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:love:

Jackie,

The house the woman owns is in Cardiff not Cardigan as thats next door to us just wanted to explain, I don't know what I am talking about these days Ha Ha. I just babble on with myself....xxxxx

Hi Eileen,

Sorry to say it but it will come back regardless of op, still think your better to respond so well to chemo - your aiming to stay free for as long as possible as that means the chemo will work for longer. I think you need to discuss your thoughts/concerns with the oncologist as he will be best placed to advise you (I haven't seen my surgeon since the op!).

As these things go you will probably be fine to have your chemo Tues!

Can't imagine living in a house without double glazing and central heating, how spoilt I've become! Have to say wouldn't relish moving during chemo but I suppose if its not far away it may not be too bad, certainly one way of keeping your mind off the effects of chemo! I need to get the place re-wired, which is a major job. Been putting it off for years as have 2 springer spaniels and felt I needed to be off while it was done. I'm now off but can't face the mess it will cause and the re-decorating that will be needed. Am debating about moving into short term rental while I get somebody in to sort the lot!

Saw the oncologist today, am having scan after 3 chemos, asked why when I can already tell thats its working (no itch, muscles better) answer, cos thats what we do! If it shows no visable cancer will you stop the chemo? NO, so why are you doing it! ah well, got meds for mouth and can feel a little difference already!!! had a good laugh with him, he calls me boss and says he loves to see me coming but I'm sure he dreads it cause I don't let him away with anything lol.

Dot- hope everything went well today. Thinking of you.

Hopefully good weekends all round! Back to the origional three till Jayne comes out of hospital. Hope things are 'moving' for her!

Take care

Jackie xxx

Hi Jackie Eileen and everyone else.

I didn't get chemo for four hours after appt they couldn't get my ctscan from the other hospital. I don't really want to take everyone down as I know I have felt overwhelmed a bit lately, but they said I have suspicious lesions on my liver and lung and there was more but too much to write. My nurse was there and was shocked, she said she couldn't understand it as all my nodes were clear. There's too much to write it here but the nurse is going to speak to my team and I will meet with them on Tuesday. See my screaming ab dabs were right lol. I went ahead with the chemo as they said they will sort out any suspicious cells.

I left my house at 9am and didn't get back until 8.30pm. I have told them I want my treatment done at my original hospital and I had lost faith in the admin at the other, they said there were problems with a secretary or secretaries.

Oddly enough my ovaries and that area are clear lol.

My letter may make some despondent as we all want to hear the successful stories, and I don't want to make anyone worried, but I am very calm and know I will deal with it.

Love to all xxxxxxx

Hi Dot

While it matters cos none of us want to hear of lesions in new places it doesn't matter to the chemo. Chemo kills cells that are growing hence the hair, mouth etc. Cancer cells are cells that are actively growing which is why they form lumps cos they don't know when to stop. The chemo will be the same for your ovarian cancer even if it involves other areas.

Try not to be too down before Tuesday when you can find out for sure what is happening. Ultimately if your feeling ok does it matter? that may sound harsh (and I don't mean to be) but I've always know mine would come back and the long term prognosis is not good, but I figure there is no point in wasting what time I've got left worring about it, there will be plenty time for that when I feel ill and start developing symptoms which affect the quality of my life.

I hope the chemo does not affect you to much as this could make the present situation more difficult to deal with. No point in us all supporting each other if we're not going to be honest, how much support does success take lol. We're here for you during the good, bad and plain ugly!

Big internet hug

Jackie xxxxxxx

Was thinking of you all day - Am sorry to hear about new things and places...I have my first scan the 29th since Chemo every 3 weeks since March. Stopped 3 weeks ago...Am now a little more nervous, honestly, after reading your post, but Good, Bad, Ugly and HAPPY should all be shared - that is what WE are here for. I hope you are really feeling calm and I wish you answers on your next visit....Thanks for letting us know - Hugs and XXXX's!!!

Thanks Jackie and Vermont Mum and hi Eileen hope you are doing ok.

Vermont mum, I believe my problem has come from waiting too long for chemo, I was told 3 weeks after op was preferred date, I was 7, because you have had chemo I would think yours has been reduced, I am not an expert but thought that is why they perform it before op. I was always concerned that my chemo was left too long.

Apart from feeling very thirsty yesterday I felt good, making sure I drank plenty of water. I woke up drenched in perspiration at 5am. I wrapped myself up and made a cup of tea, when I took my temp it was 33.6, I then deduced perspiration had done that, took my temp a while after and it is 36.6, (my normal) so I am still in the land of the living lol.

Strange thing is apart from initial reaction to the scan of not having chemo, I have been extremely calm, I have always been the strong one in my family and watching their reaction to the diagnosis brought out the protector in me.

I know how I felt under times of stress, hence my concern about anyone else being affected by my post, I don't want to plant seeds of doubts in anyone's head, but I know sharing is good. It will be beneficial to some because it can provoke questions to ask their consultants but it may scare others.

Going to relax now and hopefully deal with any other side effects as they appear with dignity and aplomb hahah.

Love to all xxxxxxx

Dot,

Sorry you had a long and worrying day at to Hospital, I to had suspicious lesions on my liver so had an MRI scan but it came back clear as they call them something like a birthmark. So lets hope yours is the same and as Jackie said the chemo kills anything except your spirits. Jackie you are a wise old owl and not sounding bad but you were given this Cancer because you can help so many people with your experience and wisdom. I just think you are a wonderful person.!www.cancerchat.org.uk/.../love.gif!

I got a call yesterday from the Surgeon's secretary, she said he was trying to get hold of me and would call back. Anyway 5:15 he called to say he had seen the scan images and in his opinion there is no need to operate as there is nothing left. Also he mentioned that he thought I had a pre ceaticle or pre ceadded mass in the rectum I have tried to look it up but nothing, but he was hard to understand on phone. I have no idea now what I have or had now as my Consultant in Manchester the Bowel specialist did the colonoscopy and said it wasn't in the bowel but the ovarie. I know sometimes the more Drs have there input the more things get confusing and after all the Surgeon is not an oncologist. Also the Dr in Manchester who took the biopsy said he was 90% sure it was ovarian cancer, but the cells are the same as Fallopian tubes. Anyway all I know is its gone and I hope it say's that way. As for all of you. Hello to anyone I forgot.

Love Eileen. xxxxx:love:

Dot,

Sorry you had a long and worrying day at to Hospital, I to had suspicious lesions on my liver so had an MRI scan but it came back clear as they call them something like a birthmark. So lets hope yours is the same and as Jackie said the chemo kills anything except your spirits. Jackie you are a wise old owl and not sounding bad but you were given this Cancer because you can help so many people with your experience and wisdom. I just think you are a wonderful person.!www.cancerchat.org.uk/.../love.gif!

I got a call yesterday from the Surgeon's secretary, she said he was trying to get hold of me and would call back. Anyway 5:15 he called to say he had seen the scan images and in his opinion there is no need to operate as there is nothing left. Also he mentioned that he thought I had a pre ceaticle or pre ceadded mass in the rectum I have tried to look it up but nothing, but he was hard to understand on phone. I have no idea now what I have or had now as my Consultant in Manchester the Bowel specialist did the colonoscopy and said it wasn't in the bowel but the ovarie. I know sometimes the more Drs have there input the more things get confusing and after all the Surgeon is not an oncologist. Also the Dr in Manchester who took the biopsy said he was 90% sure it was ovarian cancer, but the cells are the same as Fallopian tubes. Anyway all I know is its gone and I hope it say's that way. As for all of you. Hello to anyone I forgot.

Love Eileen. xxxxx:love:

Hi Eileen,

Oh I am sooooooooo very happy for you :love: . Confused but happy.

When do you go back to have things explained properly?Your emotions must be everywhere.Which hospital do you use for your chemo?

I hope you have some answers soon and you start to feel better as well.

Hope Dot Jackie Vermont and everyone has a good weekend.If I win the lottery tonight I will build a hospital just for us lot and we can all be treated like Kylie.

Fingers crossed.

Rose xxxx

Hi Ladies

OK enough now with the compliments I already spend my life hot flushing so don't need something else to made me red faced!

Eileen - I think your looking for pre seeded. I had seedlings in the peritinum and attached to the rectum (outside wall of the rectum, so colonscopy would not show anything). I had a tumour left behind on the rectum, as the surgeon decided that chemo would sort it (which it did AND its not the one which has returned!). As you have responded so well to chemo I can't believe that it hasn't taken care of the rectal tumour as well so try not to worry to much. Hope this helps when you get a chance to discuss things with the oncologist.

Dot - I'm impressed you have less symptoms than me! My taste went within 4 hours, having said that the tablets Dr gave me are being to work as I can taste more (and better than last time!) but the tongue and roof of mouth is still very sore. Guess this was probably the problem last time but as it never progressed to pain I figured it was 'normal' so went for 6 months with everything tasting foul lol. You will probably have a couple of days when you feel tired (just give in, won't make you feel less tired but helps to pass the time!) and perhaps a bit of indigestion for a few days. Most symptoms are gone by the end of a week (for me anyway).

Rose - a tad contraversal but I have private insurance (only because there is only one hospital here and I not only work in it but seem to be rather well known!). I had my operation privately but everything else has been NHS (would have freed space for others but my oncologist doesn't do private and these policies never cover emergency admissions so they have been NHS too). My private post op care was dire, to the point my friends decided not to leave me unattended (though I did manage to get rid of them for about 6 hours at night!) one of the reasons the surgeon decided I could go home after 48 hours. My NHS care cannot be faulted though as all the ladies are finding out the communication between departments/doctors is not the best. Which it why I try and stick to the oncologist and get him to talk directly to the others (not use me as a go between). Hope you win the lottery but if building a hospital need to employ NHS nurses and private doctors!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep well everyone

Love Jackie xxx

Eileen, it is good to hear from you and I am just hoping what Jackie said would make sense to you and give you some comfort, it is confusing when you are getting conflicting reports, I always ask them to spell the words if I don't understand, lol nightmare isn't it!!

I am sure they will sort out what is best for you xxx