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50-59
Diane S
ovarian cancer
stage three

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on 1/23/99 and had surgery on 1/25/99.  It was in both ovaries and a lymph node.  (Let me preface the rest of this story by saying that in August of 1997, in one week I found out that my husband had colon cancer and my mom died of a stroke. At the time of my diagnosis, my husband was still going through chemotherapy and sadly, I lost him in May of 1999.  Thank God for family and friends and support groups.)  At the end of nine months of chemotherapy, the cat scan showed no cancer.  Out of that original surgery, I got an abdominal hernia.  In April of 2000, I decided to have it repaired; it was causing real discomfort and it looked awful.  My oncologist decided to be there at the surgery to make sure everything else was OK.  Unfortunately, another tumor was found and removed.    I had terrible complications from that surgery (the surgeon grabbed scar tissue rather than live tissue to attach one area of the mesh and it "let go" and I had an intestinal blockage and had to have surgery again the next day and ended in ICU because my throat was so swollen from the tubes.) The hernia repair has given me nothing but problems because a suture is hitting a nerve, so I've had to have pain shots.  Then my ports became infected and I had to have them removed.  After two treatments of the second round of chemotherapy, I was so depressed and in so much pain, I said, "enough!  I'm not doing this any more." So my doctor suggested I take two months off.  It was just what I needed. I then had another six treatments.  I finished in February. I still have considerable fatigue and edema in my arms and ankles. My blood tests were OK last week; I'm having a cat scan tomorrow to make sure everything is OK.  We're trying to determine what the edema is from.  Very sadly, my doctor's nurse retired and he had a stroke.  I feel like I've lost a tremendous support system, and I will miss them so much.  So now I need to find another doctor. For the most part, I've become a vegetarian and eat as many raw vegetables as possible.  I've read more than once that people with cancer should eat 60-80% raw vegetables.  Once in a while, I'll have a small piece of free-range chicken, but I'm enjoying trying new vegetarian recipes.  I know this is a bad disease because it's usually found late, but I also think the cancer research and technology is improving exponentially and great strides are being made.  We must all strive for a positive attitude.  I recently joined Gilda's Club; check on the Internet to see if your area has one.  Support is great.  Take an active interest in your treatment.  Good health, stay positive and keep positive people around you.  My best..

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