Jump to content

Cancer Survivors Welcome Here!


Guest k&shope

Recommended Posts

Rebecca, we are ALL pulling for you!! Early detection is the key to survival-- hooray for you! Adoption can wait, but treatment cannot, so good for you, for putting first things first!

Here are a few of the resources my mom found helpful, when she was going through her own battle with ovarian cancer:

FORCES: Facing Our Risk

Gilda's Club

SHARE

City of Hope

CONVERSATIONS

Patient Advocate Foundation

Caring Bridge

Praying for your full recovery, that you and Bryan might find strength and laughter in the midst of this crisis, and that life's journey brings you back to begin again when the time is right!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank the good Lord! Rebecca, I am so sorry your plans have been altered but how grateful for early detection! What a miracle! My mom is doing well after one round of chemo, post surgery, for stage 4 ovarian cancer. 6 months out, she is still cancer free. There is much hope and I thank you for sharing with us so, as Suzi said, we can be there for you. Big hugs coming your way!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca

You stay strong and focused on healing - your next miracle will be ready when you are done...I am sure of that.

Heidi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don and Andrea -

I am so glad your mom is doing well!! That is awesome news.

Everyone else-

Thank you so much for your kind words and prayers. It lifts me up to read your posts!!

We are focusing on my health right now and hope the cancer does not return. My prayers are with everyone out there also.

Elizabeth-

Thank you for the links. I'll look at them soon.

-Rebecca

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suzi and Ben,

THANK YOU for your thoughts and prayers. I'm trying to stay positive.

-Rebecca

P.S. We almost went to your orientation, but waited until the july 2008.

And we were almost Baldies. We are accountants and it took precious time (of which we had none) during March to get our application done (fortunately in this case we started our adoption journey 5 years ago so we are seasoned form filler outers) and then we had only 10 days notice to get travel arrangements made to get to stickyback orientation.

But I think it all worked out as it should. Perhaps if you had gone to orientation sooner, you would have gone to the dr sooner and they would not have found the lump in your tummy. And from someone who has experienced some speed bumps along the road (see last paragraph about the whole 5 year thing) I'm so glad to get to know you since we missed each other at orientation. I'll be cheering you on in your journey :):):):):) so definitely keep us posted.

And actually now that I see you are in St Louis. We should get together!!!! Ben flies to St Louis for work 2 to 3 times a year. He is going in October. I may be going with him in January. OOOOO I've been so jealous of all the abrazo aps that get to meet up and we are all the way out here by our lonesome in <Beautiful> Oregon. This is very exciting to think we might be able to meet up.

Hugs,

Suzi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suzi,

It would be great to meet up sometime. :lol: Sorry you're out there in Oregon by yourself. I'm sure it's beautiful though. If you come in January I may actually be feeling well because i'll hopefully be finished with my chemo treatments. Who knows.

-Rebecca

P.S. we are the opposite of you. we had our paperwork turned in by the may 2008 orientation, but felt it was too soon. who would have ever thought that??!! we needed time to get a few more things finished around here and now i guess we'll have even more time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca,

I am soooooooo glad they found your cancer early. Everything happens for a reason. I had cervical cancer and they "cleaned house" on me too. Look on the bright side...NOT having a period is WONDERFUL :D I gave away all those products to my family and friends who come to take care of me as "parting gifts" Ha Ha Be sure you do the same with yours.

Jan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

It's "in the family," indeed... for anyone out there who's not familiar with the scourge of BRCA1 or BRCA2 positivity, a new documentary is airing on PBS next week that explores the challenges faced by healthy young women having to decide whether to forfeit breasts and ovaries in hopes of beating the odds of devastating cancer diagnoses, due to genetic aberrations: IN THE FAMILY.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I am now finished with my 2nd treatment. Now we'll see how long the side effects stay with me this time. My hair started falling out a week ago (exactly 2 weeks from my 1st treatment). I shaved it the next day. It took my kids at school awhile to get used to that even though I wore hats. Now I'll see what they think of my wig. I hope everyone is feeling well.

-Rebecca

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So glad to hear you've got one more behind you, Rebecca - I'm sure you look gorgeous - wig / hat / commando :):P:)

Still Cheering you on in your journey,

Suzi & Ben

Edited by suziandben
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca, glad to hear you have 2 treatments behind you. I'm sure your wig will look Great!!

Hugs to you,

Tracey

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thinking of you, Rebecca, as you go through your treatments. Unfortunately, we have a lot of teachers going through a similiar thing :(

When Brian's aunt lost her hair due to chemo, she tried a hat a couple of days and then went commando and was more relaxed and happy with her situation B)

Take care of yourself. . .

Cathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I for one love seeing your updates - so keep em coming.

Suzi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca,

Feel free to update here however/whenever you are comfortable. Also, from time to time if you want to let us know how we can specifically pray for you, I know there are lots of friends on the forum who are faithful in interceding for others. Take care of yourself.

Susan :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca

Great news, you finished your 2nd round of chemo. You never told us how many you are going to have. Are you going to do anything after chemo? Keep your head up and when you can't we will do the job for you.

Jan

I have 6 treaments in all so I have 4 more to go. They haven't mentioned radiation, and of course I forgot to ask at my last treatment. Thank you for your support.

-Rebecca

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 6 treaments in all so I have 4 more to go. They haven't mentioned radiation, and of course I forgot to ask at my last treatment. Thank you for your support.

-Rebecca

Rebecca,

Normally if radiation therapy were being done it would be prior to surgery to shrink the tumor and contain the cells. It sounds like your infertility has been a blessing in disguise. Not only were you able to detect this early because of the physical but, you have this great outlet and source of support from your Abrazo family. You are in our prayers.

Tammy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Well, I am now halfway through my treatments - 3 down, 3 to go. I slept the first 2 days of my treatment, boy it sure wiped me out this time. The next 3 days I laid around. I couldn't go to work on Monday because I was so tired. I went back today but took it easy. I actually didn't get queasy at all this time. Hope it's like that next time also.

It is interesting dealing with some of the parents during this. I am not in the classroom 100% of the time and have missed 1/2 the year anyway. They are sympathetic of my situation but obviously want what is best for their child. I have a full time sub in the room that is fully capable of taking care of things. I just seem to have more parents wanting to meet or call this year because they're concerned about grades or whatever. I had one parent meet with me the week I got back. I understand I am the one responsible for the students, but I am a little preoccupied at the time. Of course my goal is to be there for every one of my students. I just can't be there fully yet.

If anyone has any feedback on this, it would be great. Maybe a parents perspective ;)

Parent teacher conferences are tomorrow and Thursday. I gotta get through working 8-8:00. I'll be wiped out Friday.

-Rebecca

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pic131.gif

With love to Rebecca and all within Abrazo's community

who are especially in need of God's healing power.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rebecca-

I have been a cancer nurse for almost 20 yrs- each treatment cycle can be different. Sometimes the fatigue gets you, others times infection or nausea...best advice is to approach each one as if it was the 1st time only you are smarter and quicker to react to the symptoms that might crop up. Sleep is an important part of healing ;)

May the next three treatments be the next three steps towards a lifetime of happiness

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...