THANKS, BARGOO ~ I have added them to my favorites so I can check them all out later on (have checked one already).
UPDATE -- I ended up going for my first appointment today for my chemo treatments as someone cancelled. I met the oncologist who will moniter my care; he said he could hardly believe I was carrying around such a huge tumor for so long without it being detected. He also explained a lot of stuff to me and they gave me lots of books to read too. I had a blood test done and I have to go back for another cat scan before they start the treatments. They also want to see how my organs have resettled now that the tumor and other parts are not there anymore.
He said my health is very good, so there is no problem giving me the chemo; however there are the same side effects as can be expected with anyone including hair loss -- it depends on the person and how their body reacts to the meds.
He also explained that I was very fortunate that the cancer stayed contained within the tumor all those years and never spread and even said, "that GOD was on my side." We all agreed becuz that was a long time. He reiterated that this is PREVENTATIVE chemo treatment and since the tumor ruptured as they were removing it, he doesn't know if anything got into my system. I surely hope not and will pray about that.
It was labeled as early stage Ovarian Cancer: listed as stage 1C so that is why they feel I need the chemo to be on the safe side and to make sure none is hiding anywhere else in the body that we don't know about. Better to be cautious in this matter for sure.
So I will be starting the treatments in about 1.5 weeks; have to have blood tests in between and my health must stay good too. We are praying the meds do their job -- and do not harm any of my major organs (like the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, etc). So we are on our way and I haved some more reading to do.
Of course I would appreciate your prayers for all of this; and thank you all in advance.
BTW ~ for those of you who are curious, I got weighed today and am in ONEDERLAND -- I came in at 190 lbs. [ETA -- oops, that should be 188 lbs; it was 86 kgs x 2.2 lbs = 188.2]. So I am almost back at the weight (minus the 100 lb tumor) that I was well before the surgery (at the doc's office). I am sure some, if not most of that is water-weight and it was late afternoon. I am not worried about that, but am focusing on my sizes instead. (They are hoping that some of that water-weight will subside as time goes by.)
So, I was either at or near my first goal of 177 lbs, so that will be my new target for later on, but I will wait for that for after the chemo treatments are way done. My face does look better and I actually look smaller than what I weigh implies.
Also, my blood pressure was only 115/69 today; and the nurse said I have the blood pressure of a teenager. Now, that is GOD's doing once again ... and I thank him for that.
ETA: THis was my first trip out and it went well. My balance is not perfect yet but I did much better than I expected and could even walk in the snow -- yay!
They made a note about possible physio-therapy to help with that, but I was very impressed with how I did (I had no breathing issues at all). So, the next test will be a shopping trip.
RONNI ~ am sending up prayers for your son and his ankle for comfort; hope it isn't broken and it heals quickly for him.
