Remission!
It's official...I'm in remission! It took a little while to confirm. After I finished chemo, I took a blood test (CA-125) and got a CT scan. The cancer was gone, but there was a spot on my lung that my oncologist was a bit nervous about. I visited my surgeon, who compared the scan with a previous one that we did right after surgery and he said there was nothing to worry about.
So, the plan from here is to do follow up visits every 3 months. I believe we'll do a blood test every 3 months and a CT scan every 6 months for the next 2 years. Ovarian cancer is a tough one to beat and it has a high rate of re-occurrence. However, my situation looks good. I'm grateful to know that we will be keeping a close eye on it and I feel good about where I'm at.
I'm so grateful for the love and support that has been shown to me by my family, neighbors, friends, and church members. The last 7 months have been made so much easier by the people around me. I've seen charity in action and I have been truly blessed.
I recently started going back to the gym and playing volleyball again. I had lost weight after surgery (5 liters of fluid from the abdomen, the removal of several organs, and 6 days of no food does wonders for weight loss!), but I've gained it all back, plus some. To make matters worse, I've lost a lot of muscle. So I've got my work cut out for me. My workouts at the gym and playing volley ball have been more than a little humbling! I knew I was weak, but was still surprised at just how much strength I've lost. I keep telling myself that the only thing more humiliating would be not go. I also tell myself what a pleasure it is to focus on getting back in shape rather than getting through chemo!
My hair is growing back, but it is still very thin. And gray (I'm calling it platinum blond). I'm hoping the new stuff comes back with more color! I'll be keeping it very short until it thickens up.
It's nice to be back to a regular schedule again. We continue to be blessed....the kids love school. I'm working my regular part-time gig again. And Roger got a new job as a Vice President of the Ogden Weber Applied Technology College. We are very excited for him and know that he will do a great job. Life is good!
So, the plan from here is to do follow up visits every 3 months. I believe we'll do a blood test every 3 months and a CT scan every 6 months for the next 2 years. Ovarian cancer is a tough one to beat and it has a high rate of re-occurrence. However, my situation looks good. I'm grateful to know that we will be keeping a close eye on it and I feel good about where I'm at.
I'm so grateful for the love and support that has been shown to me by my family, neighbors, friends, and church members. The last 7 months have been made so much easier by the people around me. I've seen charity in action and I have been truly blessed.
I recently started going back to the gym and playing volleyball again. I had lost weight after surgery (5 liters of fluid from the abdomen, the removal of several organs, and 6 days of no food does wonders for weight loss!), but I've gained it all back, plus some. To make matters worse, I've lost a lot of muscle. So I've got my work cut out for me. My workouts at the gym and playing volley ball have been more than a little humbling! I knew I was weak, but was still surprised at just how much strength I've lost. I keep telling myself that the only thing more humiliating would be not go. I also tell myself what a pleasure it is to focus on getting back in shape rather than getting through chemo!
My hair is growing back, but it is still very thin. And gray (I'm calling it platinum blond). I'm hoping the new stuff comes back with more color! I'll be keeping it very short until it thickens up.
It's nice to be back to a regular schedule again. We continue to be blessed....the kids love school. I'm working my regular part-time gig again. And Roger got a new job as a Vice President of the Ogden Weber Applied Technology College. We are very excited for him and know that he will do a great job. Life is good!
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