Your ovarian cancer nurse will be able to relay information to your medical team and gain guidance for you about the best way to support and treat you. 

To join the Teal Support Program or for further information, please contact an ovarian cancer nurse on 1300 660 334 or email care@ovariancancer.net.au.

Thank you

I am hoping that under this  thread Expressive Writing that you can post any poetry or expressions that you felt at the time of your diagnosis and afterwards. This will be a great chance for you to voice how you felt.

This is one I wrote when I was first diagnosed:

LET YOUR TEARS FALL

Don't let anyone ever tell you, do not cry

For they have never felt the pain and devastation of being diagnosed with a Cancer or disease that can take their life

Let Your Tears Fall

We all have triggers that bring the tears

The fears to the surface

We all fear what the future hold

Let Your Tears Fall

They give us the release we need

The solace we seek

Never be afraid to,

Let Your Tear Fall

Ovarian Cancer Australia, Counterpart and Mercy Health are excited to announce a free “Living with cancer and wellbeing” day for women with, or following, a gynaecological cancer diagnosis. The event will be held on the 3rd of March at Mercy Hospital, Heidelberg VIC where you will have the opportunity to:

- Learn from psychologists about ways that may help improve how you feel

- Connect with other women who have experienced a gynaecological cancer

- Try wellbeing activities with experienced practitioners including yoga and art therapy.

To register, please follow the link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/a-free-living-with-cancer-and-wellbeing-day-tickets-88598138417

Or call 1300 660 334

Just wondering if anyone here has had HIPEC Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy - hot chemo in the abdominal cavity) for OC that's spread?  I'll be having cytoreduction surgery and HIPEC at the Peter Mac sometime before the end of the year, and am wondering if anyone has tips for getting through it better, and for recovery?

Take care

Lucy

My name is Cherie and I was wondering if anyone has had success getting travel insurance??

Here are my tips for surgery:

1.  Walk, walk, walk.  As soon as you can get out of that bed and walk.  You can feel yourself healing.

2.  Do your breathing and coughing exercises after surgery.  They hurt but are worth it.

3.  Take your own pillow!!!  Hospital pillows are hideous.

4.  Find a good belly pillow.  If you need to cough of sneeze, hold this against your belly for support.  If you need to lie on your side, put it under your belly for support like when you were pregnant.

5.  Posture!  As soon as you sit up, roll your shoulders back and keep your back straight.  You automatically slouch after surgery and if you do this you will have back problems.

6.  Invest in heat packs.  You'll need them because your back and stomach muscles are going to be sore

7.  Research good scar treatment creams and gels.  When everything has healed, start treating your scars as soon as possible to soften them and minimise pulling.

8.  As soon as you're recovered take up something like yoga or Pilates to build up your core strength and develop impressive abs.

9.  And keep walking.

Thats all I can think of now.

Nikki

I'm Margaret, retired nurse and midwife, diagnosed with Stage 4 , or so I'm told, Sept 2014. I thought my life had ended, but it's now 2018, and I'm still alive and kicking and keeping very busy

My name is Lyn and I was diagnosed in Feb this year I guess we mostly have the same story with symptoms. I did go to my Urogynecologist for urine urgency I had had an earlier mesh repair done and had good results, but two years later just didn't feel right.  She checked everything out and said it was all good.  I wonder now if I should ring her so maybe she could do some other tests. I have completed surgery and chemo.  I thought surgery was bad, but chemo was worse.  Just getting my hair back and I love it, I didn't feel right with a wig and scarves were hard to tie.  I did go a little bogan and wore a lovely merino and possum beanie my sister bought for me in NZ. I am in Lorn NSW if anyone wants to call in for coffee.  Cheers :yn

At last my eyelashes grew back, but the hair seems very slow.  I always had baby fine hair.  It looks darker and is only about an inch long, so I still wear headwear as my ears seem to stick out. (Not used to seeing them!)  I used to have a jaw-length bob.  Such a pain trying to match headwear to my outfits.  But when I think about it I used to get it trimmed about every 8 weeks about an inch, so it will take months to look decent.  I had a 75th birthday recently and very short is not a good look on me!

Hope you are getting encouraging results from your treatment.

I have learnt a lot about myself along this journey and still am everyday as I push through the pain of recovery. I would love to share this journey with anyone who would like to do the same :)

Hopefully all will be well from here on.

Iam 54. When I was 45 I had the fright of my life diagnosed with pre cancerous cells on one of my ovaries. I had the ovary removed asap. I did not need any further Treatment. My other ovary had shrivelled up and was not functioning, so they left that one. I went through the grief Of why was I okay and the other woman were not okay.