Keeping My Fingers Crossed

Since moving home, i’ve had to register with a new doctor. Today i had an appointment with her regarding getting screened for breast cancer. A couple of months ago i asked at my old doctors only to be told that i am too young to be screened as i am not 50 ( i’m 47) and that no one in my family has had Ovarian Cancer or Cervical Cancer so i am not at risk!

Anyway Dr Stafford ( My new Doctor) had a good read of my  massive file, which was about 1 page thick before i became ill 5 years ago, and is now big enough to write a novel!!

She informed me that i actually had 3 cancerous tumours and not the 2 i thought i had.. Anyway she found the letter that had come back saying i wasn’t eligible for the breast screening and is going to try to refer me herself and she is going to state that although no one in my family has had Ovarian or Cervical Cancer.. i have and i really don’t fancy having breast cancer too thank you very much.

So fingers crossed that i get a referral

Ovarian cancer victim helps launch campaign

Here i am again, name in lights!!  Printed in tonight’s Hull Daily Mail, my local paper.



HULL: A Hull woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer visited the House Of Commons to help a charity launch a campaign.
Tracey Ford, 47, of west Hull, helped Target Ovarian Cancer launch the Let's Talk campaign to urge MPs to help save lives.
The campaign outlines three priorities for change in the diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer, which the charity said could save as many as 500 lives per year.
More than 6,500 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year and the charity said 4,300 currently die from the disease.
Tracey said: "MPs are beginning to make an impact in Parliament on vital issues that will save women's lives from ovarian cancer.
"Much, much more can be done.
"If women don't know to go to their GP and GPs don't know about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, how will women be diagnosed in time to save their lives?
"New official statistics show late diagnosis is a major cause of Britain's poor survival rate.
"Ovarian cancer is the fourth biggest cancer killer of women."

'Pregnant' woman's shock as bump turns out to be ovarian cyst the size of a football

PEOPLE kept asking Jane Alexander when her baby was due.

But the bump in her tummy was a cancerous cyst that weighed a stone-and-a-half and was twice as big as a football.

Jane, 41, had no idea she was carrying the colossal growth. She tried in vain for a year to lose weight but it grew by two inches every week.

The ovarian cyst was only discovered after Jane made a routine visit to her GP.

And after she had it removed and went through a hysterectomy, doctors told her it was cancerous and they'd caught it just in time.

Jane, of Kelty, Fife, said: "The fact I was carrying something that large is horrifying. It was taking over my body.

"I looked like I was expecting twins but no wonder - it weighed more than twins.

"But I'm lucky. I'm so very glad it was caught early."

Jane realised something was wrong when her stomach grew so big she couldn't see her feet.

She's married to George, 46, but she knew she wasn't pregnant. So she joined Weightwatchers and tried for a year to slim, dieting and walking miles a day.

But the weight wouldn't shift, and the constant questions about her "pregnancy" only made things worse.

Jane only found out the frightening truth after she went to her doctor to get a prescription renewed.

She told him she'd been getting pains in her side and he sent her to hospital for ultrasound and CT scans which revealed the huge cyst.

Jane said: "When they said I needed a hysterectomy I didn't have to think twice.

"I just wanted the cyst taken out - especially when they said it was more than 15 inches across and growing."

Jane had the op just 10 days later. Tests on the cyst revealed it had been cancerous, but the disease hadn't spread and she didn't need more treatment.

"I felt like a different person after the surgery," Jane said.

"I could see my feet. I'd gone from a size 18 to a size 12, and I was so glad that thing wasn't there any more."

Jane now raises awareness of the disease by supporting Target Ovarian Cancer. She held a zumba dance event on Sunday which raised more than £1000 for the cause.

She said: "I'd never heard of ovarian cancer before this happened to me. I want the next woman like me to have her life saved too."

'World-first' ovarian cancer vaccine trials

IN A world-first a new vaccine developed in Australia is giving hope to thousands of women with ovarian cancer by keeping sufferers in remission longer and delaying relapses.

The Cvac vaccine will enter its final clinical trial in August and it could be available within five years.

If the vaccine is given to women who are diagnosed in early stages, a relapse may never occur.

The vaccine works by using a patient's own white cells to identify the protein Mucin-1, which is found in ovarian cancer tumours, and force the body to create its own immune response to kill the tumours. It is normally given to the women after they have finished chemotherapy and surgery.

Prima BioMed pharmaceuticals company makes the drug and its CEO Martin Rogers said the vaccine was offering a better quality of life for women who sometimes only have months to live.

"To have something that can help their quality of life and prevent a relapse is a great thing," he said.

"Almost every patient will relapse because ovarian cancer is diagnosed very late at stage 3 or 4 and that's the insidious nature of the disease."
It has taken 13 years and cost almost $100 million to reach the final clinical trial. A team of scientists and specialists have been studying the vaccine's development closely, including Dr Neil Frazer, the brother of the cervical vaccine inventor Dr Ian Frazer.
While the trials will be held in Melbourne, women from NSW have been invited to participate.

Now in remission, Janien Burgess, 53 of Wollongong, is hoping she won't have a relapse after finishing her chemotherapy this year.
Mrs Burgess was diagnosed last July and hopes to participate in the trial.

"I'm hoping it's all OK and it's all gone. You try not to look at the statistics but at the same time you think maybe it won't be me and I am going to get through it," she said.

Hidden killer
* There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer
* More than 1200 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year in Australia
* 800 women die from the disease every year
* Three women are diagnosed every day
* Only 40 per cent of women with ovarian cancer will be alive after five years
* If diagnosed early, this doubles to 80 per cent

Source: Ovarian Cancer Australia

Call for action to detect ovarian cancer earlier

GPs should offer more blood tests to try to detect ovarian cancer earlier, according to new guidelines for the NHS.

Almost 7,000 UK women a year are diagnosed with the disease, but only about a third are still alive five years on.

NHS advisers want to see greater use of a blood test that measures a key protein, to improve early diagnosis.

Cancer charities have welcomed the guidelines for England and Wales.

They have been drawn up by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which makes recommendations on medicines and procedures in the NHS.

Key symptoms are bloating, lower abdominal pain, feeling full after eating only a small amount, and needing to urinate with increased frequency.

A member of the guideline group, Sean Duffy, from the Yorkshire Cancer Network, said: "The symptoms can be vague, but shouldn't be ignored if they are persistent.

"By persistent, we mean them occurring more than 12 times a month.

"The vast majority of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, so we hope to see improvements in survival as a result of these guidelines.

"Sometimes doctors tell women they have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - but NICE has already produced guidelines to say this is unusual as a new diagnosis in women over 50."

'Not perfect'

The test, which measures a protein called CA125, costs about £20.

NICE says more testing will not be more expensive for the NHS in the long run, because it will save some women from having inappropriate investigations.

The blood test detects cancer only about half of the time - but experts believe using it more often, as well as ultrasound scans where necessary, and encouraging women to be more aware of the symptoms, will improve the UK's "disappointing" survival rate for ovarian cancer.

A consultant gynaecological oncologist, Mr Charles Redman, said: "This strategy won't be the perfect answer, but we think it will make a measurable difference.

"Trying to encourage women who might have ovarian cancer to present earlier will undoubtedly give the NHS challenges and mean changes for hospital doctors like myself.

"But the current situation is very poor. Other countries do better than us."

Dr Clare Gerada, of the Royal College of GPs, said: "This is not about increasing GPs' workloads - it is about working as effectively as possible with the tools available to us, to achieve the best possible outcomes for women."

Target Ovarian Cancer's public affairs director, Frances Reid, said: "This guidance could save hundreds of lives.

"It is now imperative to include ovarian cancer in the Department of Health's cancer awareness campaigns, so that women know to go and ask for these tests."

Ovarian Cancer Action's chief executive, Gilda Witte, said: "Significant progress has been made in improving survival figures for ovarian cancer over the last 10 years, but there is a long way to go in beating the disease."

*taken from the BBC website

Massive Health Benefits of Ginger!!!

Ginger has been used as a natural cure for many diseases for centuries. Apart from being used for cooking, the benefits of ginger also consist of helping as a significant ingredient in loads of the diseases. Ginger may be great weapon in the handling of ovarian cancer. A study carried out at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Centre found that ginger powder provokes cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was introduced. Ginger has long been used as a botanical heartburn cure; it is most frequently used in the form of tea for this reason.

Ginger holds carminative properties and can be consumed to relieve upset stomach. The ingestion of ginger assists in arousing the secretion of mucus that calms the cough and sooths any scratchiness in the throat.

Ginger has been found to treat nausea, predominantly in the form of morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy.

Ginger contains anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal functions, and is utilized for the avoidance of and management against the common cold.

Ginger functions as an antihistamine and helps in the treatment of allergies. It has anti inflammatory properties and may be consumed to cure rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and a range of other muscular disorders.

The roots of the Ginger are influential in slowing down the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are accountable for causing inflammation. Thus the root has demonstrated to be an exceedingly effectual type of treatment, in some cases, even further so than the NSAID’s that are conventionally prescribed.

Ginger contains particular enzymes liable for catalyzing the proteins in the food, thus helping in digestion and the avoidance of cramps. The primordial Greeks used to have ginger after a hefty meal in order to simplify the digestion process.

Ginger guards against the growth of ulcers, surplus holes in the lining of your stomach.

Ginger facilitates in lowering cholesterol levels and averts the formation of blood clots.

Ginger is usually utilized to resolve an upset stomach or treat harsh stomach illnesses such as dyspepsia or colic.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness month is March in the UK

Wow, that year went quick, it don’t seem 5 minutes since i was doing my bit to raise awareness last year http://theramblingsoftracey.blogspot.com/2010/03/fame-at-last.html this was my local paper

and then in a National Sunday Paper http://theramblingsoftracey.blogspot.com/2010/04/here-i-am-again.html

All i can say is, thank heavens i’m still here and also that i no longer have dark hair!

some ladies aren’t as lucky as i am so i thank my blessings.

Once again the wonderful people from Ovacome are raising awareness and have a fantastic symptom tracker where you can put in how your feeling and then get help if things aren’t good. Take a look its very helpful gadget ..

Beat Ovarian Cancer <<<Click and pass on to other females you know, you may well save someone’s life

Women V Cancer Cycle Kenya

One of my good Friends, Darren. has his own business and  ages ago i mentioned about Sandhy cycling Kenya for Women V Cancer in October/ November 2011.

Recently he got back to me regarding helping her raise  funds.. basically he is going to have some things for sale on Ebay and all the profits are been donated to Sandhy’s Just Giving Account

Here’s the first item, which we love a lot..

Please help raise Sandhy’s funds more by ordering one here OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MUG

Life in Remission

Its almost a year since i wrote a post on my feelings been told i had Ovarian Cancer and almost four years since i was actually diagnosed. I suppose i should feel great that the cancer has gone, along with my ovaries and whatever nasty bits were lurking in there but i don’t.

Why? because of the side affects i’ve been left with.

Some days i feel fine, until i get out there and remember i am still ill.. Some people will look at me and think there’s nothing wrong as i try to “look” normal in my everyday activities. they don’t see how i try to walk at a normal pace but end up having to hold on to a fence or stopping in my tracks until i feel ok again to carry on.

This bloody Peripheral Neuropathy is really getting me down and my Oncologist did say it’ll get worse and affect my quality of life. it sure as hell is. I’m like an old lady when it comes to stairs/steps and if i see a dodgy pavement the panic start as i’m petrified i’ll stumble. even last week when i Learnt to Swim didn’t help as i couldn’t feel the bottom of the pool even though it was only 4ft 6 inches!

Now though its been confirmed.. I am disabled. I have a badge in my car to prove the fact. Who would have thought that good old Trace, the life and sole of the party with her dancing all night antics, would end up been bloody disabled!.

I really hope that one day a miracle will happen and my limbs will be my own again and my head will stop been fuzzy but as yet there is no cure. I'm not feeling sorry for myself by the way, i just felt i had to blog about how i feel as i find it easier to do this that to actually speak to anyone.

Fairy Cakes in Devon 27th June 2010

My Good Friend Sandhy who i’ve mention on numerous occasions is having a “Fairy Cake in The Garden” event.

All the details are on her page, just click her name to see all the details..

I had great pleasure in meeting her and the other OC girls in this photo, last summer. Sandhy is one special lady. Please help if you can.

Back from my appointment

Well i arrived at the hospital to see Dr Bashir but saw a lady doctor in his team called Dr Musunuru. Straight away she asked how i’d been and i mentioned the weird pain i had which lasted about 10 days that felt like period pains.

She examined me thoroughly and was quite happy that all seemed ok.I got a bit of a shock though when she told me my CA125 was 14 as 6 months ago it was only 8. She said the numbers can fluctuate which i know but even so i’m a bit scared. Also instead of seeing me in 6 months time she’s brought it forward to 4 months time.

Dr Musunuru said she’s brought it forward so they can monitor me properly.

I spoke to Jean one of the clinical nurse specialists too and she said if i get worried just to call her. I never called her when i had cancer the last time but i might be different if its come back again.

Jean was quite pleased too that i raised awareness of Ovarian cancer last month and has took copies of the articles i had in the 2 newspapers. She’s going to get them laminated and put up in both Castle Hill Hospital and The Hull Royal Infirmary too.

After the shock of my rising CA125, Dave took me out for a late lunch and we spoke about if my cancer is on its way back. He put my mind at ease  a little by saying that if the Oncologist was worried she’d have had me back sooner than in 4 months time. I also said to him that at least i know what to expect regarding chemo and  he’s seen me bald too so hopefully he won’t run away! When i asked if he’d look after me if it has returned ( as the last one just punched me and played mind games with me) he laughed and said “ it ain’t coming back man, and cause i will, we met when we were both bald so i know what you look like”

So at least if it does return i have support. Its going to be a long 4 months though, but i’m going to once again be positive and put on the “i’m brave” face, and carry on as usual.

Today’s the Day

Its 8am and the day i dread every 6 months is here. My check up with Dr Bashir my Oncologist.

It’s not the going to see him that i don’t like, far from it, he’s a lovely man. No its the examination and when he tells me my CA125 blood results. I had my bloods taken last Monday at my doctors and as soon as i arrive today Dr Bashir will let me know what number it is. Last April it was 7  and in October it was 8. I really hope it hasn’t rose any higher.

Scary day ahead… think of me at 2pm

L’Optimiste on Sky TV!!

I mentioned the other day about my friend Sandhy cycling Kenya.

She’s been a very busy lady and appeared on Sky TV a few weeks ago.

Here’s the clip.

 

My Friend is Cycling Kenya to raise funds for Breast, Ovarian & Cervical Cancer

I met Sandhy over 2 years ago through the Ovacome website. I had just finished all my cancer treatment and Sandhy was starting hers, I sent her a message of support and our friendship grew.

Anyway You should all go to see her blog as its fantastic and lists all about her up and coming Cycle Ride . I’d really appreciate it if you could sponsor her too as she needs heaps of money, which she mentions about in her blog. I have added a Just Giving button to my blog which takes you to the secure fund raising page.

Feel free to steal this post from me to put on your blogs as i know a lot of you are affected with either Breast, Ovarian or Cervical Cancer.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and don’t forget.. Go see Sandhy's Blog

Docs thought it was a baby bump.. but I had ovarian cancer at 14

I’ve just read about this young girl in a newspaper and thought i’d share. What a truly amazing young lady.

 

When 14-year-old Sarah Martin's stomach bloated and swelled, doctors were convinced she must be pregnant. The reality was much worse, she had a very rare cancer for her age - but against the odds she survived.

As the doctor examined her bloated stomach  14-year-old Sarah Martin squirmed with embarrassment and discomfort.

The doctor at the hospital was convinced that his teenage patient was expecting. A test had come back negative but her hard, swollen belly displayed all the signs of pregnancy - yet Sarah knew it was impossible.

"I definitely wasn't pregnant!" she says. "It felt odd and embarrassing that people thought I could be."

Sarah's stomach had begun to swell four months earlier.

"At first I just thought I was putting on weight," the schoolgirl recalls. "But I was embarrassed and kept it to myself."

However, Sarah's predicament did not go unnoticed by her carer Janice Paddey, 52, who noted that some of the teenager's clothes were getting quite tight and decided to keep a close eye on her.

By March 2009 there was no escaping the fact Sarah had gone three months without her period.

She confided in Janice who promptly took her to the doctor. The GP insisted that Sarah take a pregnancy test but it came back negative.

Her doctor then assumed her menstruation problems were related to the medication she took for epilepsy, until Sarah's stomach began to change shape.

For the next few months Janice continued to monitor Sarah, who was still putting on weight despite eating a balanced diet.

By the end of July Janice was very concerned. Sarah's appetite had diminished, she was lethargic and her belly remained swollen. "She was coming home from school so exhausted that she'd go straight to bed for a nap," explains Janice.

"Sarah was normally such a lively and bubbly girl. When I noticed that her complexion had also taken on bluish tinge I knew that something was very wrong."

That night Sarah woke up at 11.30pm, writhing in agony. "She had hardly eaten a scrap of food all day," Janice recalls.

"And now she was in bed, screaming in agony. I rushed her straight to hospital." The doctor was shocked to see the size of Sarah's stomach. He was adamant she was seven months' pregnant and insisted on another pregnancy test. The result quickly ruled out a baby but the doctor told Sarah that he could still feel a solid mass in her abdomen.

She was admitted as her temperature soared and given intravenous antibiotics. The doctors told Janice they thought she had an infection.

"I was really frightened," admits Sarah. "I didn't have a clue what was happening to me."

Her condition rapidly deteriorated - she was weak and lethargic, unable to keep down any food. After four days of tests, including an ultrasound, Sarah's consultant arrived with his team.

"Suddenly the room filled with medical staff," says Janice. "They began to explain to us that they'd found something. The consultant said it looked like a malignant tumour and that they thought Sarah had ovarian cancer. I just couldn't believe it.

"I'd been convinced Sarah had appendicitis. Ovarian cancer was a women's disease and Sarah was just 14. I didn't think children could get something like that.

"Never in a million years had I thought it was cancer - nothing could prepare you for that."

Janice was right - the cancer was extraordinarily rare in someone so young. Poor Sarah also found the diagnosis hard to comprehend and admits she didn't really understand what the doctors were telling her.

"When they said it was ovarian cancer, I didn't really get it," she says. "I just knew that I felt ill. In the end the doctor and a nurse had to draw me a picture to explain what was happening to me."

Next Sarah's consultant revealed that the teenager would need surgery to remove the cancerous mass.

Only a week after she was first admitted to hospital, the full severity of Sarah's condition was revealed when she underwent a four-hour operation to remove the cancer.

Horrifically the fast growing tumour had spread from her right ovary up to her breastbone and had entwined itself around her bowel.

As a result surgeons were forced to remove Sarah's left ovary along with her fallopian tube and appendix.

She explains: "The tumour measured 23 centimetres. It was bigger than my head! No wonder my stomach was so swollen."

Despite the extent of the tumour, the skilled medics managed to save Sarah's right ovary although she bears a permanent reminder of the surgery - a scar which stretches from hip to hip.

Sadly Sarah's battle was not over yet. In the operating theatre doctors discovered more tumours in the lining of her stomach which would need chemotherapy treatment.

Janice's major concern was that this could leave Sarah infertile at such a young age. She was well aware that her chances of motherhood had already been effectively halved with the loss of one ovary.

"At 14, children were the last thing on Sarah's mind, but I knew that one day she would want to be a mum," says Janice.

Thankfully Sarah's oncologist was able to suggest a new, less toxic, type of chemo which could treat Sarah's germ cell cancer (the type normally found in youngsters) without affecting her fertility.

But for a normal teenage girl like Sarah, there was another pressing concern - losing her long brown hair. "I was worried that I might get teased at school," she admits. "But once I told people I had ovarian cancer, they just accepted it.

"Everyone was really supportive and my best friend even made a timetable of when I'd be in for treatment so she could look out for me."

Sarah started her gruelling four courses of chemo in September last year. Although she held on to her hair for a while, it continued to thin and in December she was finally forced to shave off the remaining strands. "I wouldn't look in a mirror for 45 minutes after it was shaved," Sarah says. "But when I did, I realised that it wasn't so bad after all. As a way of compensating I would use body art with pretty colours and gems to decorate my head."

Meanwhile Sarah was given some encouraging news.

The chemotherapy was shrinking the secondary tumours and her oncologist was hopeful she would respond well to further treatment.

"When we heard the news Janice and I just jumped up and down," Sarah laughs. "It spurred me on and made me determined to beat cancer.

"Now I just want to do well at school and also in life."

It was during her time in hospital that Sarah became involved with a charity called PACT. This funds a house near the hospital where families can stay together while their children are treated.

Sarah formed close friendships at the house and both she and Janice benefited from the friendship and support.

"The other families have been a lifeline," says Janice. "Like one great big family. Everyone supports one another." Now Sarah's chemo has ended she has spent the time since catching up on school work via the web, and raising hundreds of pounds for PA C T  by selling cards, bangles, key rings and money boxes, and organising events.

The teenager's treatment is still in the early stages and she undergoes checks every six weeks. But the long-term prognosis is very positive.

Although she faces more tough times ahead, Sarah, now 15, appears to be taking everything in her stride. "Sarah's positive attitude has kept her going," says Janice.

"In fact, it's kept us all going. She never feels sorry for herself, she just gets on with it."

Sarah adds: "This has shown me how quickly things can change in your life and to appreciate what you have."

What is ovarian cancer?

It's the second-most common gynaecological cancer in the UK and affects more than 6,800 women a year.

Cervical screening tests (smear tests) will not help to detect it.

Germ cell tumours - the ovarian cancer that Sarah has - make up just 3% of malignant ovarian tumours, so they are rare. They tend to occur in young women (the majority aged between 10 and 30) and adolescents and if managed correctly have a good prognosis.

According to Cancer Research UK, in 2006 only 15 cases of ovarian cancer were recorded in the UK in the 10 to 14 age bracket. A spokeswoman for support network Ovacome said: "It is extremely rare for a girl of 14 to develop ovarian cancer."

Symptoms can include lower abdominal pain, back pain, swollen abdomen and irregular periods although some people have no symptoms.

For more information on ovarian cancer, visit www.ovacome.org.uk or call 0845 371 0554.

Here i am again…

Today i’ve appeared in The Sunday People magazine “ Take it Easy”

They were doing a health special and i had a call from the reporter asking if i’d be willing to do an interview about Me and my Cancer. If it means more people been aware of The Silent Killer, why ever would i say no.

Anyway, here it is in all its glory

Only 2 weeks ago i appeared in my local newspaper raising awareness there too

The Hull Daily Mail

.. Blimey all this fame and no flocks of people asking for my autograph hahaha

The Sunday People Magazine

This Coming Sunday i should once again be in the news. I did an interview a few weeks ago with The Sunday People ,they asked if i would mind as they are doing a health special in their magazine that’s free with the paper.

They never came to take a photo though so i reckon if its in it will only be a tiny bit. At least Ovarian Cancer will be in the news again.
If it does appear i’ll post it on here anyway

Me, Brave? I most certainly have been

Although i’m a happy go lucky type of person and get on with most people, i’m actually quite shy and for me to do not one but two!!! newspaper interviews is a miracle.

Yesterday i met up with Katy from my local newspaper and gave an interview about how my ovarian cancer was discovered, thankfully She was a lovely lady and put me at ease as i really was so scared i never slept the previous night. Today i met the photographer for my photoshoot, i almost felt like a celebrity although did find it very difficult not to pull  a face when faced with the camera…. imagine a photograph of me gurning in the newspaper hahahaha.

Last night i went to watch a game of ice hockey, it was between my team, The Hull Stingrays and Dave’s team The Newcastle Vipers.

All was going well and we were winning and then i suddenly felt ill, i thought i was going to faint so instead of standing, as i normally do, i sat in my seat… The feeling passed  but came back later on. Once again i sat down, the game became a blur and i fainted in my seat! My friend was sat next to me and i tried to speak to him to tell him i wasn’t well and couldn’t see but no words came out. I nudged him and muttered “ not well” “can’t see”

The next thing i knew was that a first aider from the arena was asking if i could hear him and then i heard Dave’s voice ( He’d been with the other Viper supporters at the other side of the arena and another friend of mine had apparantly waved his arms frantically for him to come over).

I heard talking on the first aiders walkie talkie and as if by magic the Stingrays club Doctor arrived, he was fantastic. He asked me if i’d eaten, which i had, and about my medication and i told him about my Peripheral-Neuropathy where i faint all over the place.. As soon as i mentioned this he knew that was what it was. He asked me if i’d like to go and lay down in the medical centre or to just lay on the floor where i was sat, i chose the latter as  our seats are at the very top of the block and didn’t fancy trying to negotiate the stairs. At this point i still had no vision and couldn’t speak properly either. I was shaking like mad and so scared. The Doctor said i should try to ease my breathing too as i was having a panic attack AAARRGGHH!.

Eventually i was well enough to sit back in my seat but didn’t feel well enough to carry on watching the game and Dave didn’t mind us leaving early as his team was losing hehehe.

Dave and another friend also a Dave, helped me down the stairs and was i glad to get in the car and get home. As soon as i got in the front door i had to run to the bathroom where i was so sick and cold.. I went to bed wrapped warm but was shaking for at least 3 hours after i got into bed and i had 2 duvets over me too.

Today when i woke, i felt as if i’d done ten rounds with Mike Tyson but had to get myself together for the aforementioned photoshoot.

After the photo’s Dave took me out to lunch which was lovely and while we were out i got a call to say i would be getting a  call this afternoon to do an interview for The Sunday People.. Interview done now and a date to be arranged for another photoshoot.

all this fame from an not so brave me.. and i love it!!

Ovacome leaflets

Today i received my pack from Ovacome which consisted of posters, leaflets, brochures & some credit card sized cards explaining the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer.

I promptly went along to my doctors surgery and explained a little about the B.E.A.T campaign and also that i’d learnt yesterday at the Target Ovarian Cancer workshop  from some of the ladies, that they’d been mis diagnosed with IBS. The nurse then informed me that she always keeps upto date with her smears so knows she’s fine! So i then informed her that smears do not detect Ovarian Cancer…   and she’s a professional?

after leaving some of my goodies with her i nipped into the bank next door. After doing my business i asked if i could maybe leave some of the cards for the staff and was informed “No sorry, we’re not interested and arn’t allowed anything like that”.

I smiled sweetly and went into my local pharmacy who gladly  took some cards and a poster too..

Jobs a good un but i couldn’t believe how thick some people are

Target Ovarian Cancer

Well i have just got home from my first ever meet in my area with other Ovarian Cancer Ladies.

I had an invite through the post from my Oncology nurses to pop along to a local hotel where a Target Ovarian Cancer Roadshow Wellbeing Day was been held. How could i not go!!

There were a choice of workshops for me to attend, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The Workshops were:

1,Getting the most out of your cancer services

2,Q&A Make-up Workshop

3,Getting the most of me time

4,Yoga

I chose to do “Getting the most of me time” in the morning, and “ Q&A Make-up Workshop” in the afternoon.

I Arrived at 9.20am and signed in and met the other ladies over coffee. It was great to hear the other ladies stories and i was amazed at how many of them had been incorrectly diagnosed with irritable Bowel Syndrome before been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer.

We were then ushered into a different room where we were introduced to the Target Ovarian Cancer ladies. They told us about what to expect of our day and also mentioned about making people aware of Ovarian Cancer and are wanting ladies who have had experience of Ovarian Cancer, to get in touch if they feel they could stand in front of people and spread the word (Sandhy?)I could never stand in front of people and do this as i’d just clam up, i’m ok amongst people i know but not a good public speaker.

Next came the morning workshop were about 12 of us went to another room and had a quick introduction to the “Getting the most of me time” workshop. it was informative and great to hear the other ladies tell their tales of what they like to do with their “Me time”

Then came lunch, we went to the dining room were i expected sandwiches but was shocked to see Roast Turkey and Vegetables ( which i had) Homemade fish cakes, Creamy Pasta Bake,Smoked Salmon and various salads. and the sweet trolley consisted of fresh fruit salad, toffee cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake. Certainly better than curled up  sarnies!

After lunch we went to our afternoon workshops. Watching  someone apply makeup correctly was interesting and was something i really could have done with when i had no hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

We then had coffee and met up with the rest of the ladies again and  had a Look Good, Feel Better demonstration. One of our ladies was lucky enough to get a full make up done and got to keep the make up used too.

I would recommend anyone going through Cancer to get in touch with these people as they most certainly do make you look good and feel better, again i wish i had been told about them when i was having treatment as having my then partner telling me i was ugly and off putting and looked like a man when i had no hair, did nothing for my confidence but been able to go to one of these workshops would have helped me a lot.

the verdict of today

BRILLIANT