Some updates :-)

[PinkTissue]

Mum went for the blood test result today. It is with some anxiety during the 1 hour wait for the blood result. To recap – at point of diagnosis CA125 of 198. CA-125 dropped to 15 after 2 chemo. Surgery after 3 chemo – 1 week of surgery, CA125 rise to 63. Now – 2 chemo after surgery, CA-125 dropped to 11. The blood count of red/white cells is normal (which always puzzles the doctor).

What is now worrying the doctor is my mum seems to be still in depression and she is not putting on any weight. She lost 2 kg after the surgery (but you have to take into consideration that the ovaries, uterus and whatever taken out weighs close to 1 kg – I remember that the report said it is around 900 grams). Mum did lose her appetite about 1-2 weeks after the surgery due to bloating but since then, her normal appetite returns but to our dismay, she did not start regaining her weight. We are going to feed mum more.

Mum’s depression is very real and she is aware of it. She tried to surround herself with activities and friends. When she feels weepy, she would pick up the phone to call her friends. She made a point to make friends with cancer patients and would call them up to check on them to the extent that she ended up counseling some of the family members of the cancer patient friends she made.

This board is really useful to us. I used to tell her of your shared experiences of ovarian cancer and she is really happy to hear that she is not alone. She is really concerned over her depression and she got tickled when I mentioned the term ‘chemo-brain’ and that the chemo would be messing up the chemistry of the brain and thus one of the reasons for her depression. The doctor was skeptical when she mentioned that her ‘chemo-brain’ is messing her emotions – I feel like shaking the doctor for not agreeing to that. I am sure that the combined wisdom of all the ladies here cannot be wrong.

For caregivers – I really urged you to listen to what your loved ones say. Sometimes it may be incoherent and sometimes it is plain absurb – but it is important to listen. My mum is obsessing over the treatment and she finds comfort when I share stories on the board. Sometimes I talk rubbish too – I can be a real chatterbox but I want to keep my mum of thinking too much by herself. My mum has this irrational fear of being alone (which is much better now)  so I try to be with my mum whenever possible when I am not at work – now my friends come to visit me instead of me meeting them outside. One particular friend of mine who lives near me has make a habit popping over – not necessary to ask after my mum’s illness but to talk about other non-OVCA things – like showing off her latest acquired rings or complaining about work.

BTW – my mum asked me to say HI to the board.

[SimplyStar]

I think the best way of describing how Leslee handles the chemo, is just to say that  she treats it as a part of the day, she knows the time of the appointment, goes and gets that done and then goes on to the next part of her day.  Yesterday was a chemo day, she got up at 6:30,  fixed bkft for hubby  and herself,  went to work at 8:15, took a small group of her people { people with disabilities} to a church rummage sale,  got back and set them up with their work,  got off work at 3:30, chemo at 4,  stopped off at the grocery store and went home and had a normal supper, TV , small talk time till bedtime.  She says she is treating her chemo days just like a hair or dentist appointment.  She says cancer has made hugh changes in her daily routines, but just like any of the other things we have to include and adjust our time too, she accepts and works around it.  Does she spend her time off, weekends and nights, laying around grousing,  NO,  she has returned to living around the cancer by giving it  the time it needs,  but also giving herself the normal time she needs.  

[PinkTissue]

Thank you for all the kind messages.

My mum is gearing up for the last chemo session next week. She said she is not looking forward to the tiredness after the chemo session but it comforts her that this would be the last chemo for the time-being.

[marie3B]

Hi, Mom!  I had a problem with losing weight and not being able to get it back. I walked into the hospital before surgery weighing 157 (too much for me). I left the hospital 7 days post-op weighing 137, which is a good weight for me. I continued to lose weight during chemo. I had to eat like a horse to keep my weight from dropping off. Even after chemo I had to eat way more than normal to keep from losing. Then, guess what?? All of a sudden that changed. I put my pants on and they were too tight! It seemed like all at once I went from skinny to needing to call Weight Watchers!! I have asked my daughters and friends if they noticed me putting the pounds on and all say no. It just caught me off-guard!

The numbers sound great and I am happy chemo is working so well.  I wish you both the best. Marie

[vegas2cr]

Hola from sunny Costa Rica.  I lost 26 pounds during chemo and surgery.  I could not afford it I went down to 106 pounds... I was angry at times could not eat and just depressed.. my oncologist called it situational depression.. It does go away.. I have been off of Chemo since August of last year...I have regained all my weight and feel good.  I was in and out of the hospital last year with blood transfusions etc..

We have to live TODAY... I was recently told that if you keep one foot in the past and one foot in the future you are PEEING on today.. tell Mom I said live today... Hugs Ronni

[Helmar]

G'day to your Mum from me too. (Aussie for hi). :-) I think you will find that she will cope better with the situation after her chemo treatments are finished, and she can settle down. Having the operation, and the extent of the surgery is a big hurdle for some women, and I agree.. the drugs do affect our brain, although the Oncols. will refute that.
Anyhow I just want to wish your Mum all the best..... she has done well, so far, and I hope she continues to do well.   Hugs...Helen...

[Kimchi]

Mama, ney ho ma?? cantonese for "mommy, how are you?",,,,,
Yes go back to that doctor and strangle her for not agreeing...Not much can be done but being aware of it is already a good start...I did not know how to snap out of my depression and did not want to take meds for that. Attending my first support group 1 month ago did the trick for me, but during chemo nothing seemed to work except to keep myself busy and force myself to do things.
You are so smart to pick up on these side effects and try to deal with them...Good for you.
Love
Kimchi