Posted by kittenz on June 21, 2001, at 3:09:42
I am 30 years old & diagnosed with advanced epithelial papillary serous undifferentiated ovarian cancer stageIIIc grade1-3 on July 2, 1998 age 27. Cancer was found in both ovaries, fallopian tubes, parametrium, cul-de-sac, cervix, uterus, 50 lymph nodes (pelvic and aortic), sigmoid colon, bladder peritoneal, right pelvic gutter, peritoneum, small bowel, and part of my stomach. The surgery lasted 8 hours. They took everything except the bowel, colon and bladder peritoneal. I had a total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and complete tumor debulking.
July 13, 1998 I had my second surgery to insert a portocath. July 14, 1998 I got my very first chemotherapy. I was getting Taxol & Cisplatin got six of those. I would get them every 3 weeks for 3 days in the hospital. Next Doxil, Taxol & Carboplatin got 13 of those. I got this over a 10-hour period in the doctors’ office. I got another 24 treatments of Taxol every Friday for approximately 2 hours at the doctors’ office. Now I’m getting 24 more treatments of Taxol that will take me to 67 treatments. When I'm done in July of 2001, it will be exactly three years since diagnosed and started chemotherapy. Friday June 22, 2001 I will receive my 63rd chemotherapy treatment.
Sadly three months after I was diagnosed my mother, age 50, was diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary otherwise known as ACUP. Mother and I got chemo together I put a cot in her hospital room so we could be close to each other while we got chemo and slept. During all of this I had my third surgery,they call it a second look surgery, April 20 1999 it lasted 6 hours. They removed more nodes and my appendix. I have nerve damage in my left thigh and three hernias. Mother was taken quick ... just 8 months after her diagnoses she was gone June 16, 1999 at 4 p.m. I miss my chemo buddy, cancer pal, mother and best friend more than I could have imagined.
Recently I've been extremely depressed and my father has told me he wants nothing to do with me as long as I have cancer. I don't know if it's worth fighting anymore. Each day I'm here I want more and more not to be. My husband is the only thing that keeps me going and keeps me wanting to live. We will be married 10 years tomorrow and he is a terrific caregiver and person in general. Even that lately isn't enough. Any words of inspiration would be grately appreciated.
Sincerely from the heart
Melissa
poster:kittenz
thread:67338
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/67338.html