Hello Ladies, I am new to this site and just wanted to say thank you to all the kind and considerate people brave enough to share your stories, your experience and your fears with each other and with the world. I was diagnosed in March, 2017 with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer of two types - serous and mucinous, as well as with a Stage 2 Endometrial Cancer. It was discovered only after a life threatening bilateral PE experienced in January was unable to be sourced to anything with the exception of a possible cancer. Sure enough, when tested, I discovered I had a cancer that contributes to blood clots....so here we are. I've had my hysterectomy with all possible bits removed including lymph nodes (positive) and tissue from other organs (negative) and am currently in week 8 of an 18 week dose dense cycle. Prior to finding this site, I felt alone and frankly a little "doomed" so I started a blog (mycancerconfessions.com/) just to get some of my more troubling thoughts out of my mind (often in the wee hours of the morning). It helped just to be able to honestly share what I was thinking (logical or not, hopeful or full of doom, etc.). Knowing now that there is a community of wonderful women and men I hope to be able to share here as well - not just my fears and hopes, but my experience and progress - so that I may possibly learn from you and give a little back to others who share this diagnosis. Hopefully, you'll have me.
New, No longer feeling isolated, thank you for ... - My Ovacome
New, No longer feeling isolated, thank you for sharing yourselves.
Hi Almalyffe, Of course we will have you welcome, this site has been a enormous help to me over the last 3 years at time when I've needed advice or just encouragement. You will correspond with some lovely people from all around the world, this is one of the things I like about this site. So do share with us and hopefully it will be a rewarding experience for all. I hope you are handling your treatment as well as can be expected..Lorraine xx 🙋
Thank you Lorraine, I so much appreciate the support I've been given after just one post and already feel lighter. I'll be here to both share and support.
I have found this site so friendly & informative. I do not do any social media of any sort, Facebook total anathema to me. I have amazing friends & family, but on here I have found reassurance, kindness & sharing.
Thank you everybody
Thank you Sherrym. I've been checking out so many posts and am feeling better...a) not feeling so alone and b) taking comfort knowing that there are people experiencing the same things as am I (though I am discomforted by the reality that we all have cancer. OC needs more attention and funding!) I'll be here to share and to support others for a long while to come.
Welcome Aboard Almalyffe! Every single person here already understands what you're going through. Honestly, this is a great place for comfort, information, candor, sharing, conversation about Ovca and appreciation of everyday life. I'm in the US and have found this UK based group is more supportive than the group I joined in my hometown. It's helpful to get a more "global" view of treatment for this disease. No matter where we live, we still feel joy and pain.
Thank you Tesla_7 I'm in the US too and have found this site to be so inspiring and supportive. It is good to be among others who understand and who are so willing to provide support. I'm already feeling less isolated and more comforted.
Alma, I checked out a US site but it had ADVERTISING on it! It was a disturbing experience, having people trying to sell me things while I'm fighting for my life. Another US site shortcoming is they ONLY allow you to chat with people who are diagnosed the same time you are. This is a horrible arrangement. It's like the blind leading the way with no one further down the road to offer hope. Here, people are in all phases of treatment and can share their experiences before, during AND after treatment. And yes, there are heartbreaking losses along the way and we talk about those too. There may be other US sites for OVCA, but I've fallen in love with the people here.
Welcome to the forum. I hope you are ok. Ask any questions, have a rant, or just chat away, theres always someone who will respond. Look forward to reading future posts xx Kathy xx
Thank you Kathy. Hoping future posts are more positive and inspirational (just feeling a little isolated last night, I suppose). So good to know people are willing to share of themselves so openly and sincerely. Cancer takes a lot out of us, but it does not diminish our capacity for care and for love.
Hi Almalyffe. Welcome to our community.
Even though I have loving family and friends to support me, I often found OC a lonely path until I came here. Now, thanks to these wonderful women (and some men!) with their fund of similar and different experiences, mutual support and encouragement, I feel better able to face the future. Jo 🌻🌺🌼🌸🌹🌷
Thank you, Jo. I can already feel the sense of community and know that by logging on and reading/writing with some regularity, my time with cancer will be much less lonely and much more manageable. Thank you for your kind words and support.
So sorry that you have been through the trauma of your diagnosis but pleased you have found this site, Amalfy. It made a tremendous difference to me, being able to read other people's stories. I was advised to join but lack of confidence prevented me doing so for several years. Then one day something clicked in my head when I realised I still hadn't met anyone else with Ov Ca - so I did join - and thank goodness I did.
I hope all goes well for you. When I have time I'll read your "confessions".
Big hug, Solange. 😊
Thank you, Solange, for the kind words and the hug. I am already glad I joined and feel a sense of ease knowing that there is a place to go to be honest with what I'm feeling, to reach out to others with questions and to learn/grow/heal with the experience of others. OVCA is more rare than I thought and there are few people you meet in life who can share their experience. So sorry we are all "here" but also glad we have each other.
Thanks too for taking time to read my confessions, it's nice to know that someone "hears" me when I reach out.
I hope you are well and looking forward to seeing more from you.
Welcome to this group of caring and understanding people.
Thank you, midcanada. It is good to be among people who can authentically understand what we're going through and who are so willing to embrace another. Wishing you well.
Welcome to the club no one wants to be in, BUT lots of us are still here which is a massive step forward in researched treatments.x
Thank you Kayp. Never have I wished I was not a member of a club so much as this one...but I'm here and am taking great comfort in knowing there are others who are willing to embrace me, share and provide support. I so much appreciate everyone reaching out and sharing their own stories, fears, successes and hopes/dreams. Wishing you well.
Hi lovely, Of course we'll have you and you're more welcome than you know.
You are now part of a wonderful community and your experiences will be important to us all. Please feel free to share anything (within reason 😂) with us, if you have questions just ask, somebody will have the answer for you. You will have answers for others too.
I'm sorry you've had to join us but we're a lovely bunch and you're in a good place with us.
Take lots of care, be as well as you possibly can be and we look forward to hearing more from you. ❤️Xx Jane
Thank you so much, Jane. I'm so glad I found this site and when I figure out how to share a link on my blog, I will encourage others to give it a look. I wish I found it sooner. I'm looking forward to learning, sharing, inspiring and providing support when I can. I already feel so much lighter just knowing you all are here and so very welcoming.
Welcome to our wonderful group of women and a few men. i am glad you found this group of wonderful and caring women. i felt the same until i found this site. Venting is allowed and encouraged. It is very cleansing to relieve the soul of what you cannot say to those around you. With common experiences and ailments we have been through just about everything collectively.
i have gained so much information from these ladies that i could not get from someone that does or have never had cancer or chemotherapy. Please stay in touch. Chemotherapy is not as bad as I thought it was going to be albeit is cumulative. you can do this!
Hugs, Carol
Hi Carol, Thank you for the warm welcome and words of encouragement. This community has already proven it is sincerely concerned about it's members and I am happy to have been embraced. I hope not to vent often and instead hope to learn, grow and provide support when I can. It's so much comfort just knowing there is a place for all of that.
I so much appreciate the sincere welcome. Thank you again.
Hello Almalyffe, sorry you had to join us but a warm welcome. Have started reading your blog, you are an incredible writer and vocalise everything so well, with humour or despair and always courage. Will be following along with my hubby. Thank you for expressing what so many of us can't! Take care
Thank you so much, Perthgirl. It helps me to write and knowing it resonates with others in the same situation means so much. Wishing you well and keep in touch.
Thank you for sharing your story.. My mom was diagnosed with stage 3c endometrial in oct2016. Shes also had a total hystorectomy and i forget how many lymph nodes..... So many of the stories on here inspire me to stay strong snd not loose hope. Its amazing how all the ladies on here show so much strength ❤
Jillian Waskiewicz nee Short
New here
How would you finish this sentence, "Dear Cancer, Thank you for...."
My first post. OC stage 4B
Thank you to everyone for all your support
