Hello! This is something I have wanted to do for a while and am glad to finally get out of the gate. That first step is always the hardest. I am starting this blog for two reasons, one is free therapy. Everyone says it's therapeuatic and I've always used writing to sort out my feelings. Two, it's a great way to keep loved ones informed of the things that are happening with my help.
I don't expect web surfers en masse to be reading this, so I won't bore the rest of you with all of the details of my health woes! I'll save that for when my blog reaches superstar status. Just a brief history for new friends however, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer in Jan 2007. I just simultaneously reached my 5 year survival mark and my 3rd or 4th (if one small tumor quickly removed counts) recurrence. Multiple recurrences are the nature of the beast that is late stage Ovarian Cancer. I've been lucky to be treated by amazing physicians at top notch hospitals and I can tell you that most of the days of the past 5 years have been healthy, normal days!!!
With this recurrence, I have embarked on new territory for me, that of the Clinical Trial. I am currently enrolling in an exciting trial at University of Pennsylvania that involves immunotherapy. Amazing, scifi sounding stuff. They will take my tumor and genetically modify it and then reinject the concoction into me in hopes of stimulating an immune system response that will wage war against any remaining or future cancer cells. Far out, super cool stuff, huh??
As I said the first step is the hardest and the first step for this trial is anohter surgery. This will be my 7th abdominal surgery since 2000. I am NOT looking foward to the marathon surgery (last one was 8+ hours) or the ensuing recovery. I'm scared of not coming out of the surgery, scared of wound vacs, and drains, and being laid up for months on end. Scared of the impact this will have on my kids. Alyssa has already seen so much, too much for an 11 year old. For Ryan, this one will be the first one that he will understand and will stay in his memory forever. I hate leaving that burden with my kids....my presence here is supposed to make their lives easier.
Stay tuned for the second step....
