Hi ladies

I just want to wish you all a Happy and as Healthy a New Year as possible - bring on 2012.

Its good to drop in and see what others are up to - scan and more treatment (fingers crossed!) in January for me.

Best wishes

Sue x

Hello everybody, may I join you and introduce myself?  I opened a new thread on this subject the other day in the "introduce yourself" section, but I really wanted to get onto this site.  I  am 67 yo and live in Essex, UK and have recently been diagnosed as having tumours on both ovaries, plus some areas on the omentum and outer bowel.  However, my hospital MDT  wants to ascertain whether my ovaries are the primary site or secondary to breast ca I had 15 years ago before planning my treatment, so I've just had a biopsy and await results on 22nd Feb.  I found your site about a month ago and was both heartened by all your posts, and at the same time scared - not of the treatment particularly but the outcome.  Some days I feel that I won't get through this, other days I think "No, you won't get me, you (expletive deleted!)"

The last post on your site was 28th Dec, I have been checking, so I hope you are all getting along OK

Best wishes, Hazel. X

Thanks Sharon, will keep you posted.  Thinking of you.

Love Hazel xxx

Thank you for your welcome, Jackie.  Hope all goes well with your new chemo, and with the final bits of decorating!

Love Hazel xxx

Thank you all for your warm welcome back, it means a lot. And a warm welcome to the new ladies who have joined us on the forum.

Yes it does seem that we are somehow in sync a little bit at the moment. Not the best of news for everyone but on the positive side maybe we can be here more for each other.

This is a good forum for me, as I can discuss things here that I cannot really with friends and family, as I want to keep things as normal as possible with them, too much fuss does not help at all.

I hate seeing Mary like this, she hasn't felt right for nearly two months now. First time around she had no symptoms at all, apart from the ovarian cyst that was making her feel uncomfortable. I hope that the chemo will make her feel better and not worse.

Is this still ovarian cancer? how can it be? she has no ovaries!! Maybe it is because that's where it started.

Best wishes,

John

Hello, John, thanks for your welcome.  So sorry to hear about your wife, but think of some of the other ladies on here who have had good results second time around - so don't despair. (They give me great hope, I can tell you.)  I think it can sometimes be much harder for our partners than for us - I know my partner is taking it badly, the more so because he is in poor health himself and can't go with me to appointments etc. and feels he is of no help, though of course he is.  Fortunately his brother very kindly accompanies me to the worst meetings, so I am not without a "prop" at such times, but it's not the same as having my partner with me.

Re. your Mary's recurrence, apparently when another tumour appears anywhere in the body, if it is a breakaway from the original site it will retain the properties of that original site, so the medics can see from tests whether it's a secondary or a new cancer and will plan treatment accordingly.  I learnt this because this is my own current position, and I shall find out this afternoon whether mine is ovarian or secondary from past breast ca., and hopefully have some appropriate treatment started at last!  (Beginning to get a bit jittery now, as I always do before appointments!)

Love to you both, Hazel xxx

Good luck today Hazel,

I will be thinking of you... Whatever the outcome though you need to remember they can treat it with chemo....

Love Eileen xxxxxx

Bless you, Eileen, thank you. Will be in touch soon.

Love Hazel xxx

Hazel, thank you for your nice response.

Yes it is tough for the whole family, we remain positive for the best part though, but it does get to us all every now and then, I think we're entitled to that.

Good luck this afternoon, let us know how things go.

John

Thanks, John.

Hello all.  Well, the"good" news is that it is not a metastasis from the breast, so my treatment has been planned and will start asap, thank goodness.  It will no doubt be familiar to most of you, as it consists of 3 chemos (paclitaxel & carboplatin), CT to check progress, hysterectomy op, then 3 more chemo s - seems to be standard initial procedure.

I am so relieved to have something underway at last, though I never thought I would be pleased to be having chemo again after the last lot!

On a lighter note, the wig I've bought arrived just as I was leaving for hospital, so I had that to look forward to trying on when I got home.  It isn't too bad, though it might look better once I have no thick hair of my own underneath it, at the moment it looks to me as though my head is too big  ( no comments, thank you!).

Anyway, love to all, let's hope all our treatments do the job, eh?

Hazel xxx

Hi Hazel,

Sometimes 'better than expected news' is almost like good news. It helps a little that you know the drill, it's easier to except than first time around.

Mary had TaxolCarbo last time around and responded very well with few side effects, although the Taxol has left her with some neuropathy but small price to pay. I hope that it goes as well for you. And I'm sure you will look lovely in your new wig

Best wishes,

John

Aw Hazel that is good news. ( well you know what I mean )  It is good for the mind having a plan to go at. I think their is nothing worse than not knowing.  Did they say when you are starting your treatment ? I have found out the name of mine now, I had to ring the secretary yesterday to ask her.  I will be having one called Rotterdam regimen  Etoposide & Cisplatin. I have never heard of this one but have read up on it. I think it's only my hospital that does it.

Hope everyone is ok.

Love Eileen xxx

Aw Hazel that is good news. ( well you know what I mean )  It is good for the mind having a plan to go at. I think their is nothing worse than not knowing.  Did they say when you are starting your treatment ? I have found out the name of mine now, I had to ring the secretary yesterday to ask her.  I will be having one called Rotterdam regimen  Etoposide & Cisplatin. I have never heard of this one but have read up on it. I think it's only my hospital that does it.

Hope everyone is ok.

Love Eileen xxx

Hi, Eileen.

Yes, I had a call yesterday, and I have to go for pre-assessment on Mon 5th March, then all being well start first session of chemo on Thurs 8th.

What's worrying me today is that I seem to have caught a cold (probably at the hospital!) so I'm hoping it's gone by then in case it affects the tests and delays the start of treatment again.

Blooming typical, isn't it - I haven't had a cold for ages, so I get one now!  I suppose I'm run-down from the cancer, but what a nuisance.

Your new stuff starts on 1st, doesn't it?  Fingers crossed for you! ( Fingers seem to be permanently crossed for everyone lately!)

Love,Hazel xxx

Hi, Eileen - it's me again. Have just been reading on-line about your new chemo, and it looks pretty hopeful, don't you think?

Love Hazel x

Hi Hazel,

Well it does sound good but I am not sure if I will be up to having it. I am still having trouble with trapped wind and my bowels are all over the place. I  don't seem to be improving.    This is all since my last chemo on the 13 Jan when a nurse put the canula in too far and I screamed out. I have been ill since then.  I am not sure if it is a coincidence or she actually did something as I have been getting this wind since then.  My bloods are always low and the drs are also concerned about that. It all takes it's toll as I have only just finished 5 cycles of the gem/carbo...

Have you got a picc line in ? I have asked for one as I have no veins left for the canula. ...I go for that next Thursday..

Meant to say Hazel where do you live ? I am in Manchester.....

Love always Eileen xxxxx

Eileen, I have similar problems - wind, painful bloating and dreadful bowel problems and pains, especially when I have to "go" (sorry, maybe too much info!), also I can't hold out for more than an hour or so before I need to pass water - and all this is being caused by the largest ovarian tumour pressing on the bowel and bladder.  I wonder if it might be the same with you, in that the cystic mass you mentioned is doing the same to you?  If so, surely the chemo can only help if it shrinks the mass, not make you feel worse - that's what I'm assured it'll do for me, anyway.  (Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to "teach my grandmother to suck eggs", I know you've been through so much more than me.)  I appreciate you must be feeling worn out after the last lot of treatment - I guess you've discussed it all with your hospital team anyway, but I pray you can go ahead, Eileen.

I don't have a PICC line yet, as I am only just at the beginning, and my veins are OK at the moment.  As John said, I think it must be a coincidence that your current probs started after a bad cannula experience, you poor girl. The doc who inserted mine when I had my biopsy the other week wasn't the best at it, either, and had several attempts - then it was quite painful all the time it was in.

By the way, I live in Dagenham, Essex (East London), but don't let that put you off, we're not all like the TOWIE crowd down here! (Not that I've ever watched it, but of course I've read about it in the gossip columns - doesn't seem as though I've missed much!)

Much love, Hazel xxx  

Hazel,

You are a breath of fresh air and very funny... I am not sure if you can mention the name of hospitals that we attend but mine is the Christie hospital and is only for cancer patients. They do have a wig fitting service in the hosp but I prefer to wear scarves as you can wear different colour ones to match your clothes. When I first had the tumour it was pressing against the bowel and the chemo did shrink it, but this time it is fluid filled but the dr said that my bowel has gone sluggish with the treatment ( not sure about that ) but you will notice once your treatment gets underway that the tumour is shrinking. Mine was noticeable after the 2nd one.

It is so nice meeting new people ....stacey soloman is from there and she is brilliant...ha ha

Love always Eileen xxxxxx

Hi Eileen, my apologies for addressing you by the wrong name in my last post (which I have now edited). I posted quickly in my lunch break and realised my fopar later. I was trying to multi task, replying to you and Hazel at the same time, I should know by now that men cannot do this LOL! I will be more careful in future.

@Hazel, you made me laugh too actually when you said you hated the wig and it was going back, I'm sure you're a bit angry about it but right or wrong, your response did cheer me up.

If it's any help, Mary goes to Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood, the wig place is now called 'Sabrina & Co' but it was formerly called 'Marion White' (which the hospitals may still have it listed as), they are in Harpenden, Herts. It's a hairdressing salon, but they have a special wig fitting room upstairs, very private. Sabrina is lovely, and also because she is a hairdresser she can style the wig if it's not quite what you want. http://www.sabrinasalon.co.uk/

Anyway, Mary was a lot better today, she had her hair done and looks lovely. Also a family friend came round with her baby and that really brightened her day.

Thank you again for your kind words,

Best wishes,

John

Hi John & Mary,

It is all right about the message you sent John, I know your probably so stressed with working and worrying about Mary... I knew it was intended for me and not Dot...I will see what the wigs are like at my hospital, you never know they may be ok. As I have said in the past though  having no hair  isn't a problem for me and a wig would make me really hot.

I am feeling a bit better today, I thought for a few minutes today how great it is feel in good health ( something we all take for granted ) I decided last week to start having asparagus everyday as I know it's not going to do me any harm and it is so good for you. I am not sure if you read the article about it being good for cancer sufferers. I have read it can lower the CA125 and reduce tumours so I figure it's worth a try.

Anyway John love to Mary hope you have a lovely weekend.

Love always Eileen. xx

Hi John, glad I gave you a bit of a laugh!  It's OK now, I've ordered some scarves which came today and they are much better.  I'll delay the wig until I can fit it properly on my hairless bonce!

Glad Mary had a nice(r) day having her hair done and seeing the new baby, hope she still feels a bit better.

Love to both, Hazel xxx

Hi, Eileen, my hospital is Queens in Romford, which hasn't had very good press I'm afraid, but all the departments I've attended so far have been OK.  I think most of the problems have been in maternity, unfortunately.  Too many patients and not enough midwives, I think.

As I've told John, I've now bought some scarves and they are really nice, so have just ordered some more.

I'm still praying that you can have your new treatment, Eileen, and was so glad you said you were feeling a bit better - long may it last!

Love Hazel xxx

Hi Eileen,

Thank you for your understanding and I'm pleased you had a better day also yesterday, hope you're still good today, maybe it's the asparagus! Yes we do take our good health for granted sometimes.

Could you tell us more about the asparagus article as I did not see that? Where did you read it? Of course, searching the internet you can find all sorts of things that claim to have cancer fighting properties, and it can be difficult to seperate the quackery from the facts sometimes. I did find a 2009 article on asparagus and cancer that makes a lot of claims, but I won't put up a link as the moderators do not like that sort of thing as it may give people false hope if it is inaccurate.

I wonder sometimes if there will ever be a cure, as the drug companies would lose too much money if they ever found one, if they haven't already. A cynical view maybe but it makes you wonder how interested they would be in curing everyone.

Re wigs, Mary preferred bandanas once she got comfortable with losing her hair, she only really wore her wig if we were going out somewhere special, and I think it was more about making other people feel more comfortable than doing it for herself. She didn't bother wearing anything on her head in the house and garden, but it does take a little while to come to terms with that, it's a big deal for a woman to lose her hair I think.

Enjoy your weekend, best wishes,

John