Ziggy66

Hi again! I tried giving you my personal email but it was deleted in my post. If you wanted to communicate more than this, I will see how I can get you my info. Would love to chat. I know what you will be going through & it will be ok!

Ziggy 66 - Welcome to WhatNext.... I'm a 9 plus year survivor of Stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I was DX at age 62... And told the Gynecologic Oncologist Surgeon that I wanted to fight! He told me that we would fight....I told God that I was terrified and asked Him to please take my hand and lead me to where He wanted me to be. My fear left immediately... and here I am about to turn 72, still cancer free. The surgeon had removed a 39 pound tumor of my right ovary and a 'healthy' left ovary.... He then scraped all the cancer he could see, off my intestines and urethra. He upgraded me to a Stage IIIC - A PET CT showed, a month later, that I was cancer free. I did six cycles of 28 day of three infusions on day 1, (I/V) and Day 2 and Day 8 infusions of (I/P) "inter peritoneal" Then... when I was finished with that... He suggested I do another 12 infusions (I/V) once a month for a year... do to a miscount we did 13... .... I never got sick, they gave me meds for that.... I lost my hair...but went on line to PaulaYoung.com and bought some really cute wigs. We had classes in make-up. I got up every morning and got dressed and put on make-up and hair... I wore my nice clothes, like I was going out.... and I felt better. You can do this!!!! Remember the song... well maybe not... but it's 'i am woman... Hear me roar - in numbers to big to ignore.... I am woman... I am strong"... Hold that thought, and hold God's hand... You can do this... I too, will be there for you!!!

Hi Ziggy and welcome to WhatNext.com. Sounds like you've just started your treatment (surgery) and still figuring things out. I know when I first got my diagnosis, everything was kind of a whirl. It's so much to absorb and the you have to make decisions that will affect everything in your future... no pressure, right?

This site is a great place to get input and hear about others' experiences while weighing your options.

My cancer was ovarian but stage IV and I expected immediate surgery (not sure why, that's just what was in my brain) and it was tough to go through nine weeks of weekly dose dense chemo knowing that big tumor was still inside me. Of course, it all worked out and my scans have been clear for the past 12-plus months so that's good. I have been blessed with an amazing medical team which makes all the difference.

If you hear nothing else from me, please know that stage IV is not a death sentence. It is a wake-up call but you can overcome this. Start right now and breath. I'm here if you want to talk or share experiences. You CAN do this. You really can. And everyone here is happy to help with support, cheering, advice, suggestions and more.

Hugs,
Diann

- See more at: https://www.whatnext.com/users/kalindria#sthash.t3JMCm6F.dpuf

Hi Ziggy66,you are among many ,many people who have had that terrible " oh no" moment and have had their lives interrupted by Cancer. I am old enough to be your mother(68) but know well what you are going through. I was diagnosed in 2013 with stage IIIC Ovarisn cancer. The disbelief, shock, fear, I felt it all. felt very depressed when first diagnosed. If you have done research on line about this xxx disease, as all of us do today, you know your Cancer was found in the earliest of stages. YOU ARE LUCKY!! sounds strange to use that word in connection with cancer, but your stage has a very high percentage of being treated successfully. This is the goal , to catch Cancer early on when it is so vulnerable. Normal to fear the unknown, I was certainly scared and treatment moves so swiftly. My chest port was put in as an out patient under twilight sleep. The first few days I had neck pain and was prescribed Tylenol with Codiene for a couple of days. however, everyone is different and for many just over the counter Tylenol was enough to alleviate any discomfort. The port is really the way to go, chemo is very hard on your veins. At chemo, they will access your port with a needle.Here again this does not bother many women. I have a sensitive chest so I opted to buy over the counter Lidocaine cream which I apply one hour prior to chemo. The first time I put Saran Wrap over the site after application, then the chemo center gave me free shields that I now use.The Chemo center may also have a numbing spray they may offer, but this did not work for me. Your first chemo will take longer because they will be gauging your reaction to the chemo. They will give you anti nausea meds. which really help .Side effects from the chemo usually manifest themselves a day or two after the chemo, the most frequent being fatigue with some nausea or lack of appetite. Chemo is cumulative, so be kind to yourself and take naps as needed Stay in contact with your medical team and do not hesitate to keep them informed of side effects you experience during chemo, such as constipation,they can be very helpful.Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after chemo to prevent any kidney damage. With just three rounds of chemo do not know if you will lose your hair. Taxol is the culprit. Lost all my body hair but then I had six rounds of Taxol Carboplatin and Cisplatin. None of the treatments for cancer are easy, but they are DOABLE!!! You have been awakened to your vulnerability of this xxx disease.You will come out stronger from this experience and will be more vigilant regarding your health. I have made many changes since my diagnosis. I have been in remission for a year. The term " new normal" has been used to describe our lives after chemo, after radiation, after surgery. I do not believe after what all of us go through we are the same, this experience changes us as any big event does. Thinking about the "what if" does creep into my mind periodically but I do not dwell on it as I did in the beginning. I am busy living my " new normal". Take care, talk anytime.

Hello and welcome, we are happy to have you with us. Please feel free to join in the conversations. Here is a link to our cancer dx page for your type of cancer. Take a look at it to get you started on some information. You will notice at the bottom of that page 4 of our active users who have had that journey already, you may wish to contact them for their experience and wisdom. Also, I encourage you to go to the questions page now by clicking on the questions tab at the top of the page and post what is the most pressing issue you have right now. This will introduce you to the community and get you started on the help you need right now.
https://www.whatnext.com/conditions/cancer/ovarian-and-fallopian-tube-cancer

There are also subtypes listed on this page to narrow down the type of cancer to match your dx. Also, if you can take a few minutes and fill in some details of your journey so far, it will help others as they try to answer questions for you, it also helps others as they search through the data base to find someone like themselves. Confirming your email will allow you to receive updates and notices from the site when someone answers your questions or writes on your wall. Thanks for being with us and let me know if I can help you find any information on the site. After you have an opportunity to look the site over and see what great things there are here, we encourage you to invite your friends, family or anyone you know that may be helped by the connections on WhatNext to join the site also. Just click this link to invite them to join.

http://www.whatnext.com/recruit-a-friend


Follow Us on Twitter Click Here =>http://bit.ly/XExkce
Find Us on Facebook Click Here =>http://on.fb.me/zjBAPl
Our Pinterest Page with Resources=>http://bit.ly/12qVtEs
Follow Us On Instagram=>>http://bit.ly/1pF5yh0
Our Help Page with instructions for the site->http://bit.ly/1aR5165
GregP 3X Survivor WhatNext Community Mgr.

Hello ziggy, I see you're newly diagnosed. I hope your treatment goes well. You caught it eary, so hopefully, that means less aggressive treatment. Good luck and good health.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter