Wow, again it's been a long time since I've posted to my blog. I continue to receive all the alternative medical treatments to help overcome the chemo side effects. Besides fitting in a few walks a week, I continue to work out at the gym to build up my stamina. I returned to work part time (3 days a week) a few weeks ago at Kaiser in Fremont. It's exhausting to say the least.
I'm on a regiment to have a check up every three months for two years with my surgical oncologist. I will have the CA 125 test every three months also. As long as I am symptom free, I won't have any additionals test or check ups. At three years, I will see the doctor every six months and the fifth year once a year.
I had many of you voice that you can't post a comment and I don't know why this is happening. Feel free to contact me via text or phone. I look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Monday, Aug 8th, CT NORMAL
Hello to all of you. I hope you are doing well. It has been awhile since I've posted so I thought I would touch base with all of my supporters out there. I am pleased to announce that my CT Scan done the end of July was normal. I am on schedule to start work again next week with orientation at the new job. Other than the commute, I am excited about the new opportunity.
I continue to see all of my alternative practitioners: acupuncture, healing meditations, neuro-reflex therapy, chiropractor and now lymphatic drainage. I continue to walk with my mom. I have also now started to swim laps again and did Zumba for the first time in almost a year, this past weekend. It felt great. I needed to take a nap shortly after coming home, but at least I made it through the class.
I continue to look forward to all of your messages and would love to visit with any of you if you haven't seen me in awhile. Hope you have an enjoyable time these last few weeks of summer. I love the warm weather, so I'm going to hate to see the summer come to an end.
Thank you again for your love and support,
Denise
I continue to see all of my alternative practitioners: acupuncture, healing meditations, neuro-reflex therapy, chiropractor and now lymphatic drainage. I continue to walk with my mom. I have also now started to swim laps again and did Zumba for the first time in almost a year, this past weekend. It felt great. I needed to take a nap shortly after coming home, but at least I made it through the class.
I continue to look forward to all of your messages and would love to visit with any of you if you haven't seen me in awhile. Hope you have an enjoyable time these last few weeks of summer. I love the warm weather, so I'm going to hate to see the summer come to an end.
Thank you again for your love and support,
Denise
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 19th: Hello
Just wanted to say hello to all of you following the blog. I've been doing pretty well. Still trying to get the aches and pains of my joints and muscles under better control. I continue to work with Sandy regarding my neuropathy. I do feel like it is improving some, but still quite bothersome. I've developed a tendonitis of my left thumb that has been quite bothersome so I'm wearing a brace to remind me not to use it. Dr. Shen is giving me some extra needles during my acupuncture sessions to help with that. I have a CT scan this Thursday, which will serve as my new baseline, minus all the things surgically removed and minus the intraperitoneal port. True to my nature the incision from the port removal is not healing well. I had a reaction to the glue and had a rash for a couple of weeks. The rash is now gone, but my body is "spitting" out the glue, so to speak and leaving the wound open. So it will most likely heal secondarily and take a couple of months. It doesn't hurt so that is good, but I'm afraid to go back to swimming laps for fear of infection. Mom and I continue to go for walks almost daily and I am now doing Wii each day. I hope to try Zumba at the gym sometime soon.
My other big news is that my hair is growing back. I actually have gone in public with no hair accessory several times in the past week. Becky says I just look like one of those "bad-ass girls" so I'll take that as a good sign.
I officially resigned from my job at Planned Parenthood and took a job with Hayward/Fremont Kaiser as an "on-call" basis . It will be doing phone assessments on patients about to have surgery. About 15-20% of the patients will need an actual physical but otherwise the job should have very little demand on me physically. I am a bit worried about the commute, but it is an "on-call" job so I will be able to control how many hours I accept to a certain degree.
I hope you are all having a great summer. I will post again once I know my CT results. Thank you again for all of your support, kind thoughts/words/prayers and for being in my life.
Denise
My other big news is that my hair is growing back. I actually have gone in public with no hair accessory several times in the past week. Becky says I just look like one of those "bad-ass girls" so I'll take that as a good sign.
I officially resigned from my job at Planned Parenthood and took a job with Hayward/Fremont Kaiser as an "on-call" basis . It will be doing phone assessments on patients about to have surgery. About 15-20% of the patients will need an actual physical but otherwise the job should have very little demand on me physically. I am a bit worried about the commute, but it is an "on-call" job so I will be able to control how many hours I accept to a certain degree.
I hope you are all having a great summer. I will post again once I know my CT results. Thank you again for all of your support, kind thoughts/words/prayers and for being in my life.
Denise
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Tuesday, July 5th
Happy Late 4th of July! I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday. Thank you to Andie and Jenn for hosting a barbecue after I claimed I had no 4th of July party to attend. Dana and Bobby (my sister and brother-in-law) usually have an annual 4th party but this year they traveled down to Southern California to visit Robert (my nephew).
Today was my post-op appointment with Dr. Chen in Walnut Creek. She is not completely pleased with how the incision is healing. In the past, I've had reactions to steri strips (the little pieces of tape they use to close a wound). Because of this she closed the wound with medical glue. Well, it seems my body does not like it either. The area around my wound has been red and very itchy and it seems the wound has been expelling the glue and is trying to open up. So I'm going to try to use the steri strips for a few days with the hope that it will be enough to close the wound without causing a reaction.
Due to my issues with pain and fatigue she extended my disability a little longer with the new date to return to work as August 1st. She also said if I'm still having issues as that date comes closer to let her know and we can re-evaluate yet again. I've realized I'm really fearful of returning to work because I feel like the healing I'm trying so hard to achieve in all areas of my life right now, will come to a halt or stop once I return to work, even if it is less hours.
I am sure there is much more I could reveal or discuss, but it is getting late now and I'm having trouble thinking so will post more later. Hope all of you out there are doing well,
Denise
Today was my post-op appointment with Dr. Chen in Walnut Creek. She is not completely pleased with how the incision is healing. In the past, I've had reactions to steri strips (the little pieces of tape they use to close a wound). Because of this she closed the wound with medical glue. Well, it seems my body does not like it either. The area around my wound has been red and very itchy and it seems the wound has been expelling the glue and is trying to open up. So I'm going to try to use the steri strips for a few days with the hope that it will be enough to close the wound without causing a reaction.
Due to my issues with pain and fatigue she extended my disability a little longer with the new date to return to work as August 1st. She also said if I'm still having issues as that date comes closer to let her know and we can re-evaluate yet again. I've realized I'm really fearful of returning to work because I feel like the healing I'm trying so hard to achieve in all areas of my life right now, will come to a halt or stop once I return to work, even if it is less hours.
I am sure there is much more I could reveal or discuss, but it is getting late now and I'm having trouble thinking so will post more later. Hope all of you out there are doing well,
Denise
Monday, June 27, 2011
June 27, 2011 Post Surgery
Mom/Joan here. Surgical removal of the lower port was performed quickly and without incident. Whew! All the staff and doctors were so nice and efficient. We were on our way home before noon and no traffic problems.
Traveling to Walnut Creek at 5:30 a.m. was another situation. I have great compassion for those who commute. Our average speed was 15-20 mph for one-third of the way! We arrived just in time for her admin time.
Denise asked I post another photo of Dr. Oliver as he too deserves much credit for her well being and healing! Thanks to all for your love, support and healing thoughts.
Traveling to Walnut Creek at 5:30 a.m. was another situation. I have great compassion for those who commute. Our average speed was 15-20 mph for one-third of the way! We arrived just in time for her admin time.
Denise asked I post another photo of Dr. Oliver as he too deserves much credit for her well being and healing! Thanks to all for your love, support and healing thoughts.
Monday, June 27th-Surgery Date
Mom and I are currently making the trek to Walnut Creek Kaiser along with all of the other thousands upon thousands of people who commute to the bay area every day. So glad I don't do this every day.
I have to admit I'm a bit nervous but I feel that is normal. Surgery is a bit like the ocean in that you ALWAYS have to respect the potential danger of it no matter how minor of involvement you have with it. Hopefully my mom will be posting in a few hours that all went well and that I'm one port less in my body.
Have a great Monday,
Denise
I have to admit I'm a bit nervous but I feel that is normal. Surgery is a bit like the ocean in that you ALWAYS have to respect the potential danger of it no matter how minor of involvement you have with it. Hopefully my mom will be posting in a few hours that all went well and that I'm one port less in my body.
Have a great Monday,
Denise
Sunday, June 19, 2011
5k pic posted, Sunday, June 19th
Happy Father's Day to all. Just wanted to let you know that I posted the picture of the Nurse Practitioner group from Kaiser that did the 5k. You can see Oliver and I on the right side of the picture. I hesitated to post this pic because it is one that definitely shows the "moon" face I have acquired due to all of the steroids given to me during chemotherapy. But I am also very proud that I did my first post-chemo 5k so I wanted the picture to be part of this blog and to share it with all of you.
I have officially started a swim regimen. I swam 3 times this week and a rate of every other day and increasing by one lap each time. I am swimming at my local gym. I am needing to wear water shoes because I have a hard time feeling my feet and knowing whether or not they are kicking and trouble feeling them when I push off the walls of the pool. The added benefit is that the shoes provide more resistance to the workout also.
Other than that still doing all of my same treatments. I go to Kaiser tomorrow to have my chest port flushed (it must be flushed every 4-6 weeks). I will also have my pre-operative labs drawn for surgery next week.
Have a good week,
Denise
I have officially started a swim regimen. I swam 3 times this week and a rate of every other day and increasing by one lap each time. I am swimming at my local gym. I am needing to wear water shoes because I have a hard time feeling my feet and knowing whether or not they are kicking and trouble feeling them when I push off the walls of the pool. The added benefit is that the shoes provide more resistance to the workout also.
Other than that still doing all of my same treatments. I go to Kaiser tomorrow to have my chest port flushed (it must be flushed every 4-6 weeks). I will also have my pre-operative labs drawn for surgery next week.
Have a good week,
Denise
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