Hi ladies, I'd just like to say life doesn't end with cancer. I was diagnosed exactly 4 years ago with Stage 3C. I'm still here and doing more than ever.
I've started to learn to play the guitar. I've started a bobbin lace making group. I've started playing badminton again after stopping for about 20 years. I've been on lots of holidays, weddings, meals out do lots of walking. I'm 65 going on 35.
I feel so lucky to be here and wish everyone the same luck I'm enjoying. Zena
Have you had no reaccurance in this time xx
Hi Friscok, I get so carried a way when reading positive news I forget to think of questions like this. Good question. Take care Cindyxx
Not yet, thank goodness. I go for my 6 months check ups and up to now my CA125 has been 7. I can't believe how lucky I've been. It may not continue but I choose to believe I'm going on for years yet and will go with something else when I'm well into my 90's. I'm going to America later in the year and intend to go on all the rides and eat lots of carrot cake and ice cream. Life is for living not sitting around. (I'm in a very positive mood today not all days are like this but most are)
Hi Zenaj, yea life is for living so happy you are doing so well. It gives us all hope take care Cindyxx
Wow that's fantastic and gives us all hope .
I am stage 4 , 5 months post chemo ( half way through maintainance avastin ) NED and CA125 of 10 . Keeping everything crossed but sometimes feel like we are playing a game of Russian roulette !
You stay well and enjoying life .
Love Kim X 💜
Thanks Kim. It is hard to keep positive sometimes but each day is a bonus and one day nearer a cure. All we can really do is our best. I take all the advise from my doctors and whatever they suggest I go along with. It's worked up to now.
Your CA125 is good so that's very good news. Carry on enjoying life.
Love Zena x
Go you! xx
Thank you for your positive post and so glad you are enjoying life and keeping well . Wishing you many more happy healthy years . Love and best wishes Kim X
Zena, keep coming back to inspire us. Hugs and a kiss to your forehead!
Hi Zenaida Great post to read! I'm 3C and NED for 3 months.. you keep carrying on with your inspiration! Love Michelle x 🌻
We'll look forward to welcoming you on your visit!! (Californian here)
And thanks for sharing your news! Encourages us all!! ❤️
Thanks, I can't wait to come over to USA again. I had to cancel my last trip there due to my surgery but I've been on lots of holidays. I'm a very lucky person.
Thankyou very much for sharing this. Its really hope giving for all of us. My best wishes and prayers for you.
What a super encouraging message!! Thank for sharing how well you're doing. Long may it last. I'm sure a positive frame of mind helps.
Solange xx 😊xx
Thank you. I'm told being positive helps but it's not always easy is it? One woman in hospital told me 'that's it for you then' when she heard what I had but I laughed at her and when she asked why I laughed, I told her 'she obviously doesn't know me and it will take more than that to get rid of me'.
Chin up and keep positive.
I know what you mean. Five years ago I had a melanoma taken out of my leg which then left a big 'crater', needing a skin graft with follow appointments to have it re-dressed after being discharged. One day, a dear little Sri Lankan nurse noticed that I had OvCa and asked about it. On hearing the details she looked sadly at me and quietly said " Oh dear, it's time to write your letters, isn't it?" I knew exactly what she meant and had been thinking the same thing - but five years later I still haven't written any. There would be so many to write and they'd all need to different and personal and I would hate to die before I'd finished one for everybody. I didn't think I'm superstitious but I must be for this. Mind you, I lie in bed and write them in my head when I can't sleep. I wonder if other people write letters to loved ones to read after they've died. I'd be interested to know.
Sorry, I'm being a bit morbid so I'll end with silly face to lighten the mood.🤡 and a "yah boo" to our Ov Ca 😛
PS I hope no one reading this has a clown phobia.😳Xxx
That's great news. You're doing so well.
I think we all get a bit morbid at times especially when waiting to drop off to sleep.
I don't think people always think what they say sometimes and some haven't got a sieve that stops them saying daft things. I'm sure they aren't trying to hurt us they're just a bit insensitive.
I'm writing a bit about my family history for any family members that might be interested but I don't know if I'll finish it. Not because I won't be here to finish it but because I dib in and out of it when I fancy it as I've got so much living I want to fit in as well.
I'm not that good on computers so can't add any smiling faces but I'm sending happy thoughts.
Best wishes, Zena xx
Thank you, Zena. Funnily enough I keep saying to my husband he should write something about his life because if I'm not here the children won't know a lot as he doesn't talk a much about it. I did write a bit about mine, some years back when my Daughter asked what I had done with my life, marrying young and starting a family of four children two years later. It made me stop and think - I'd done loads!! Just not travelling like they tend to do now or having loads of foreign holidays, before marrying. I wrote it down but didn't show her, then it was mislaid. I found it again recently and thought of more to add to it and put it with the receipt for our grave in a natural burial ground. We it bought it as it's in some beautiful countryside near us. Sounds morbid but it really made us feel better that we had sorted something out and made it a bit easier for the family when the time comes. 😊Xx
It's a great idea. I started my story because we started to trace our family trees and came across lots of difficulties. I thought if anyone further down the line decided to do their family tree they would have something to work on. Of course, maybe no-one will be interested but what does that matter?
I bought my grave before I knew I had cancer and sorted out my funeral plans. I think people think I'm a bit odd for doing so but at least I know where I'm going (and not many people can say they've stood on their grave). I bought a plot in a woodland. It's beautiful and I'm pleased to know that one day I'll be part of nature. I realise not everyone can do this but it takes a great weight off the family at a difficult time.
It's good to hear other people's views and experiences. Keep it up. x
Hi Solange, when you write them in your head I imagine its a kind of getting your thoughts in order. Bed time is thinking time, a sad times, a lonely time.
One thing does come to mind do you get emotional because I know If it was me I would be pouring my hearts out with tears.
I tend to be very open with everyone & tell them how much I love them & my hopes for them, my fears & everything else I can squeeze out if they will listen. I have always been very honest a complete open book a about my pass life, my now life & what my life is like with oc.
So since having oc nothing has really changed much in the respect of feeling the need to write that kind of letter. I am such a over the top person that I don't think anyone would read a letter from me. They hear it all the time.
I had a depressing & dangerous childhood never thought I would survive up to the age of 8 years old. I went on to have a very poisonous marriage where he tried to kill me many times. Through my later years things really went down. I damaged my back & become crippled. So almost all my life I was excepting to die.
Now I know my life could be quite short because of oc I want to live & live a long life with kind loving people all round me.
Thank you for asking this question. Hope you are well take care Cindyxx
I'm sorry you've had such a hard life, Cindy, I think it makes you a very strong person, though. I couldn't say some of the things I'd like to say to my husband and children as I try to be upbeat and cheerful for them. I know they worry about me. If I said some of the emotional things I'd cry and then they'd be upset. We are pretty open with each other and I am honest about the cancer and don't leave them wondering. I tell them everything but maybe hide how I feel a bit if I'm a bit down. The things I'd like to say is to comment personally on how they were as babies and how each of them are special to me etc. I'm sorry you had a 'poisonous marriage'. I hope you escaped from it quite quickly. My first marriage was to a very violent man and many was the time he beat me up and tried to strangle me. Thankfully, it suddenly dawned on me after one very bad incident what it could do to my three children when my third baby was five months old and I sought professional help and decided I had to divorce him, and move back to live near my family. Had a very happy ending asI met and married a lovely man who has been a wonderful Dad to all the children. We had a baby seven years after we married and we were all thrilled.We'll have been very happily married for 47 years shortly. Time to stop!!
Take care of yourself, and carry on being happy, love and hugs,
Solange 😊 Xx
Hi Solange, thank you for sharing I am so pleased you had a happy ending.
It's very hard when this is happening to you. No one understood why I couldn't leave him. I thought even with the beatings & the dreadful others things he got up to. That I wasn't good enough for him!!!
He only ever attacked me not our baby. Then one day he all of a sudden throw our lovely 5 mouth old baby boy a cross a dounle bed. Thank God he was ok but something SNAPPED. I kind of lost it. How dare he hurt our beautiful baby. I forced him out of the flat I was very strong. Not before he smashed my ear & I lost my hearing. That was 34 years ago & I still can't hear.
I might have oc but I am a much happier person. Take care love Cindyxx
Thank you for such a positive post. I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with stage 4 PPC and too am enjoying and making the most of my life. Long may it continue for you and many many more of us. Anne Xx
Lovely, thank you for that x
Hi Zenaj
So wonderful to read your happy and inspiring post. As Purple Iris put it so well I often feel we are all playing a very unwelcome game of Russian roulette . Do you think there is anything in particular you are doing other than staying positive which is making a difference? Keep well, happy and healthy 😊Xx
Thank you. I really don't know. I do try to eat as healthily as possible but I'm a lazy cook. I eat something purple every day as I saw that on TV, advised from really old people that didn't look it at all. I eat lots of nuts. I keep my weight under control. To be honest I don't know if any of this makes a difference as I've seen really healthy people get cancer. I think it's all down to luck or our genes.
I wish you well and keep as positive as possible.
What a lovely post. I've done all sorts of things including 100 miles of the Pennine Way and also saw the arrival of my 6th grandchild who is beyond gorgeous.
Thank you. Keep up the good work. x
Such a superb attitude ....thank you so much for posting xx
I was diagnosed in 2011 with 3C ....have had five lots of chemo and just had to stop an immuno trial BUT still here !
Keeping engaged with life , doing what I can , dont push myself beyond what I can do , ( fatigue gets me down but sleep , I do not ! ) .
I thank the brilliant NHS , doctors and nurses , sweepers of floors , and everyone on this site doing it their own way , but doing it against the statistics loaded against us !
Off to prune and deadhead the roses !
That's fantastic news. We need to know that woman can get through this and live for years more than they expect to.
I've always said I wanted to be the oldest woman in the Guinness Book of records to go on rides in Orlando. I've got to keep my practice up so I'm going this year.
Three days before I was diagnosed I'd walked 15 miles. I was a bit tired but put it down to getting older. Even on chemo I walked as far as I could which turned out to be not very far. I had trouble getting up the stairs some days. It's amazing what a blood transfusion can do as well. Sorry this is a bit disjointed.
I hope the roses are coming along nicely.
Best wishes, Zena
Hi Zena,
I love your attitude, I too am getting on with life,don't waste any minute,looking after grandsons,holidays and now looking at buying a riverboat and hey, I love badminton,used to play for my school and also love swimming,fair play to you......enjoy xxx
You sound like me. I'm off in the morning to look after my 6 month old grandson all day. I'm a member of my local U3A and they offer so much for people to do. I belong to the walking group, bird watching group (not that I know a sparrow from a swan), the badminton group, the guitar group, local history and lace making. There's plenty out there to do. When did I have time to go to work?
Keep up the activity and holidays. It's what helps keep us going. xx
Benefit of good friends
Never any good news from me
Good news. 
ten years on
Steroids pre Chemo?
