Hey there! The whole chemo regimen depends entirely on the type of cancer you're fighting—so far, Paclitaxel has been showing some really solid results for gynecological cancers, specifically adenocarcinomas. Personally, I was on Paclitaxel for the first time back when I was originally diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and now—eight years later—here I am, back on Paclitaxel again after a recurrence in my pelvis and lungs. Honestly, the side effects from Paclitaxel are pretty brutal, and I can't say for certain if anything specific actually helped me push through them—even though I feel like I’ve tried just about everything. I guess the best thing you can do for yourself, or for your loved ones, is to try and keep a positive mindset while doing whatever you can to boost your immune system... though that looks different for everyone, obviously. I'm pulling hard for all of us to get through this treatment successfully...
Hey everyone!! Let's just say I am definitely not in the mood—my immune system is basically at zero right now :-(—so we're heading out for chemo... I really need to start crushing some food so I can get back on my feet ASAP. Angela Wright, dear, in what is probably one of the biggest trials of your life, I am so incredibly sorry that the image of someone you gave your whole heart to has just completely fallen apart... but honestly? As harsh as it sounds, maybe it’s better this happened now so you could see their true colors. I truly believe that when we're going through our absolute worst, we finally see the real character of the people around us. (And hey, I'm just speaking from a massive amount of life experience here). Sending you a huge hug and just know I'm here if you need anything. Grace Fowler
Hey there!! Sending greetings to everyone during these scorching days—I’m currently gearing up for my next round of chemo this coming Monday :-( I have some initial checkups tomorrow, and I’m really hoping for some good news... basically, praying that the treatment is actually doing its job. Until next time, fingers crossed for me... Grace Fowler
Hey there, friends! I’ve mostly just been lurking and reading lately—honestly, I barely had the strength in my hands to type anything... but I feel a bit more human again today. I guess I'm finding it way harder to deal with this chemo than I did before; maybe my body is just getting a little more worn out, who knows? :-( Anyway, I wanted to tell you all that you guys are such an inspiration to me. And Angela Wright, I find myself thanking you in my head all the time for following God's lead and starting this thread. I truly believe in miracles... they're out there somewhere, waiting for all of us. Best, Grace Fowler
Hey everyone! I finally made it home from that lab session—honestly, it felt like I’d been stuck in a centrifuge for 48 hours straight... now I’m just waiting for this whole four-to-five day stretch of absolute hell to pass so I can actually be out in the world again... anyway, to everyone who reached out to check on me, THANK YOU for the support... you guys are seriously the best...:-)
It sounds like you might be dealing with dyshidrotic eczema—honestly, maybe try using some Diprosone cream? I guess there just isn't one super effective miracle cure out there... it seems to flare up way more often in the summer than during the winter months. Just try washing your hands with some really mild soaps and, if you can, try to stay away from all those harsh chemicals...
Alright, so starting today, I'm back on the "celeston" again—not exactly thrilled about it, but honestly, my hair always grows so much better when I am. 😠 I’m a little bit on edge because my blood sugar has been all over the place lately, and I have to head in for my next chemo cycle this coming Monday... hopefully things settle down by Friday... just stay strong and hang in there with me like you always do. Best, Grace Fowler
Hey, John Doe! I’ve been dealing with ovarian issues for about 8 years now—it's been a whole thing. I'm happy to share whatever info I've managed to scrape together, so just shoot me a PM if you want to chat... Best, P.S. I am truly sorry, Drew Price73... I really hope all your memories of your dad stay wonderful and that thinking of him brings a smile to your face instead of anything else....
Hey there! If you're living around the Washington, D.C. area, I’d definitely suggest seeing Dr. Vera Dđepina over at Crnomerec... she's an absolutely fantastic doctor—and honestly, one of the best diagnosticians out there.
So, the pain let up a little bit today—and hey, food actually isn't my enemy for once! Honestly, I just love seeing you guys here for me. Even if what I'm writing is kind of depressing sometimes... I guess this thread has basically become my daily therapy session... Hey everyone, it's Grace Fowler hanging in there on the edge 🙄
Honestly, I’m sitting here in tears—I feel every single bit of what you’re going through, every thought and every struggle... even though I’m dealing with my own cancer issues right now, nothing felt quite as terrifying as when Dad got his diagnosis (acute leukemia). I just had to sit there and watch him slip away... and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. PLEASE, just try to look deep inside yourself and pull out every ounce of positive energy you can find... you're really going to need it. Sending you a huge hug and asking all the angels to watch over you guys right now... Srdacan pozdrav, Grace Fowler
Hey, I am seriously so sorry to hear about your grandfather. Maybe it might help if you guys look into getting him some Abbott Nutrition? It’s that liquid enteral nutrition stuff—they have a bunch of different flavors and the ingredients are all super balanced out. You'd need a prescription for it, though, so definitely check in with his doctor first. Honestly, it really helped me out back when I was struggling just to eat solid food... Fingers crossed for you, good luck.
So, I’m finally back home. Just finished my sixteenth round of chemo—yeah, you read that right—and honestly? I feel like half a person at this point. But hey, I'm home, and I guess that's the only thing that matters right now, even if everything feels pretty heavy:-)). Thanks for all the support, everyone... Grace Fowler
God, it’s just one of those terrible, unlucky streaks where the body decides to go rogue and develop something malignant. I truly, deeply feel for your family right now—honestly, my heart goes out to you guys—but look, it’s time to pull out all the stops. You really need to get Mom started on her treatment as soon as humanly possible... I should probably mention, though, that there's actually been some decent progress lately with drugs designed to handle those nasty chemo side effects (you know, those extended-release medications). I'm keeping everything crossed for you.🙂
Hey there! So, about that PSA test—it’s originally used as a tumor marker linked to prostate issues, but since no single marker is ever 100% specific, you can't really bank on its diagnostic power alone. I mean, a PSA test can spike because of all sorts of things related to the pelvic area, the bladder, or even just general abdominal inflammation... it's tricky like that. From what I've seen, doctors mostly use it as one of those baseline indicators to track how a diagnosed condition is progressing over time. Don't let this get in your head too much, okay? It might not be what you think. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and sending a million rays of sunshine your way....
Hey there!!! So, I’m all set for Monday—chemo starts then. I went ahead and shaved my head and picked out a wig... man, what can I even say... I don't know... but since I've been through this whole ordeal before, it's not exactly a total mystery what's coming my way. I'm really, truly hoping things go smoothly this time around... it has to.... CHEERS
Regarding the whole hair loss thing—from my own experience (and yeah, I’ve dealt with this twice now, plus I’m starting "Celestol" again in just a few days)—all I can say is you might as well just shave it all off right away. It's easier that way... and honestly, since Medicare covers a certain amount toward prosthetics, you can get a wig out of it. So, it's not even that huge of a deal, I guess. To be fair, it doesn't really bother me that much because my hair always grows back looking gorgeous and healthy anyway... (I actually have pretty long hair right now). But sometimes I still think to myself... if the price of my life is being without hair, then fine, I'll happily be bald for the next hundred years. :-) Best,
So, a rectoscopy—basically, it’s when a proctologist uses a scope to check out your rectum (the very start of your large intestine). To get ready for this thing, you're gonna have to completely clear out your system the day before. You'll get specific instructions from the clinic, usually involving some kind of prep like Miralax or maybe even just a saline solution... there are a few different ways they do it. Honestly, it is absolutely critical that your bowels are totally empty, otherwise the whole exam is pretty much pointless because the doctor won't be able to see anything clearly. I swear to God, it’s a little uncomfortable—and yeah, it can definitely be a bit painful at times—but it isn't exactly unbearable, I guess. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you... really hoping for some good news on the results.
What else can I even say besides a massive, heartfelt thank you? I’ve been on the front lines for seven and a half years—dealing with a million different situations—but back in February of '99, I finally made a choice: I was going to be the one to take him down, not the other way around. And that’s how it’s been ever since. I guess I’ve slowed down just a tiny bit lately. See, I’m the kind of person who needs to know every single detail about what's happening, and I usually go at everything with everything I've got—but now, most of the doctors are starting to hide things from me. It’s a very serious situation... so please, don't push too hard with the questions... especially since they've basically stopped looking me in the eye here in the ICU. 😕 But I’m pushing forward... I have to... there are still so many things I want to see... so much more to do... so much more love to give. After all, I'm only 38. 🙂
Hey there! So, I’m back after being away for quite a while... I’ve been through the whole diagnostic gauntlet—CT, MRI, PET scans—and yeah, the damn thing is back. After five years, I’m looking at a recurrence in my pelvis and lungs. Honestly, everything feels like a total blur right now... I mean, I've already survived 15 rounds of chemo and 9 different surgeries, but it’s never spread this far before... So, I am BEGGING for any info or experiences anyone has regarding lung metastases from CA-ovaries. THANKS everyone..