Step-on-me vs. Ovarian Cancer

Stephanie's surgery went very well yesterday afternoon.  It lasted about 2 hours and we arrived in her room at around 6:30 last night.  The biggest struggle for her so far is post operative nausea, which is to be expected. The doctor was able to do the entire surgery laparoscopically, which is completed without having to make major incisions.  Instead, she has 3 smaller incisions: 2 on her stomach and one in her side.  As expected, the mass was very small and the doctors were able to remove only a small portion of her kidney with the mass.  They placed a "JP Drain" which looks like a little grenade that you squeeze to create suction pressure in the would and it removes blood and fluid around the surgical site. The doctor confirmed that the mass looks malignant but he will not know with certainty what it is until pathologists disect and analyze the mass.  Fortunately, if it is malignant, the treatment/cure for most common kidney cancers is removal.  He said that there

Back in September 2014 when Stephanie was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, her doctors also found a small mass on her right kidney.  Obviously they decided to deal with the Ovarian Cancer first and recommended that the mass on her kidney be revisited in late 2015.  Fast forward to now and her Urologist Oncologist recommends that this mass is removed.   Today Stephanie is having what they call a partial nephrectomy which is basically a partial removal of her kidney.  So today on her 31st birthday, Steph is having surgery and will be spending the next few days in the hospital recovering.   Here are a few questions we had about the mass that will probably answer some of the questions you have.... What could this mass be? We learned on Friday that a mass on the kidney of this nature has an 80% chance of being cancerous... Yes cancerous. Could this be ovarian cancer that spread to her kidney? There is very little chance that this mass is related to her ovarian cancer.  

A week ago Stephanie and I had just left the Oncologist with great news and had just made a decision to decline the placement of a 2 and 7 year old.  That one sentence describes a few hours of last Thursday morning that were incredibly stressful and challenging.  I like to describe it as "real life stuff" was happening last Thursday morning.  Let's jump forward to Friday and reminisce the call we received for a 2 year old that we accepted into our home for 4 days.  Here is how it happened.  I get a call from Steph while I am sitting at my desk at work and she says I am on the line with the state and they have another placement opportunity.  I am elated and I walk into a private room where I can really listen and make a decision with Stephanie that could impact the rest of our lives.  Pause right there.  I was typing an email to some human resources person at a company that doesn't want to talk to me and then I get a call where I decide whether or not to accept a

The day I check up with my gyn-oncologist is always stressful.  You are waiting to hear if you can continue on with life as usual, or if your world will be turned upside down again.  This past Thursday was especially stressful. While we were home getting ready for my appointment we received the phone call we've been waiting for.  The state placement worker called and had foster children for us!  My heart jumped and I called for Greg to come in the room so he could hear all of the information as well.  (Thank goodness he was home for this!)  They had two girls, one was almost two years old and the other was seven.  For privacy reasons I am not able to go in to detail about their situation.  We spoke to the placement worker for about 20 minutes getting as much information as we could and asked if we could discuss it privately and call him back soon. We were still in the process of making our decision when we arrived at my doctors appointment.  The nurse took my blood pressure and

This week I go to the doctor for my six month post-chemo follow up appointment.  I will have my labs checked to see if my CA125 tumor marker is stable (mine has been less that 5 which is great!).  With many ovarian cancer patients, this is the only sign that the disease is reoccurring.  Several women in our local ovarian cancer support group watch their CA125 rise month after month, until it gets high enough to begin a new course of treatment.  Some women are not sensitive to it at all and can only monitor disease progression with the symptoms.  A small minority of women never experience a reoccurrence.  Many doctors tell their patients, it's not a matter of "if" it reoccurs, it's a matter of "when".  Luckily, my doctor does not have that mindset.  Though it is still difficult to hear other women with the same disease get this news. That being said, based on my initial CA125 tumor marker which was 88 (normal is considered less than 35), my doctor informed

One year ago today, my life was forever changed.  My world was turned upside down and it can never return to the way it was before.  I did not realize it at the time, but one year ago today, I learned how blessed I am. One year ago today, I learned about the unwavering support of our friendships. I learned about the generosity, kindness and thoughtfulness of family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers.  Our colleagues and employers astounded us with their selflessness.    One year ago today began the toughest battle of my life and learned I did not have to fight it alone.  I learned that I have an army.  I have an army of shoulders to cry on.  I have an army of hands to hold,  I have an army to help me prepare for battle, get my supplies, nurse my wounds, keep me warm.  I have an army of prayer warriors who pray without ceasing.  My army crosses the country and will go to the end of the earth to extend their help. A few members of my army One year ago today,

Tomorrow is the big day for the 7th annual Whisper Walk for Ovarian Cancer Awareness.  If you did not preregister, you can still register tomorrow morning and participate! Registration opens at 7:30 am.  If you preregistered, you still need to be there by 8:30 am to sign you waiver form and pick up your t-shirt.  You can park in the Douglass Hills community center/pool parking lot.  If you said you would like one of the "Step on Cancer" headbands, please bring $5 per headband you requested. The walk begins promptly at 9:00am!  I will be there early, and I can't wait to see you all there!  Thank you so much for your participation and your help in raising awareness for ovarian cancer. http://www.oakky.org/whisper-walk/

Shhhhhh.... Imagine that I am whispering to you through this entire post. If you don't already know the month of September represents Ovarian Cancer month.  Unlike breast cancer, the awareness of Ovarian Cancer has not made "prime time."  You will not see football players wearing teal, Duck Dynasty headbands at the corner store in teal, or entire brands that change their colors to teal for a month so that everyone is aware of the dangers related to this type of cancer. Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers to women.  It is a cancer that can be easy to treat if caught early.  The problem with Ovarian cancer is that it 'Whispers.'  Unlike many cancers, there are very few noticeable symptoms before it reaches advanced stages.  There are, however, subtle symptoms to look out for and ways to detect the deadly disease before it reaches advanced, and ultimately deadly, stages. My beautiful, strong, and resilient wife is very passionate about helping women

I had a scheduled post-op follow up with my GYN-ONC (gynecologist oncologist) to look at the site where my IP Port was removed.  This appointment was just to ensure that I was healing properly.  However, when I arrived at my appointment, I was notified that we were close enough to my 3 month post-chemo check up that they were going to do that appointment as well.  This involves all my labs being drawn, including the tumor marker CA125, and a physical exam.  What a pleasant surprise.... :-/ After getting over the shock of unexpected prodding, we learned that my labs were great!  My CA125 remained steady at <5, which is the lowest value the lab will report.  Even though the CA125 isn't the best marker for me, I am thankful this number remains low.  Also, my doctor said my physical exam looked perfect! Way back last September, we learned that I also had a "spot" on my kidney.  My urologist oncologist felt that this should take a back burner to the ovarian cancer treat

I'm having a quick surgery tomorrow morning to remove my IP Port.  My doctor will re-open the 2 inch incision she used to implant the port, clean up any scar tissue, remove the port, and close me back up.  The whole procedure should only take about 15 minutes. This 15 minute procedure will probably require 4-6 hours in the hospital for me and Greg. Intraperitoneal implantable port  I've added a photo of what my IP Port looks like, or at least what it looked like when they implanted it in December, who knows what it'll look like after it's been in my belly for 7 months!  On top of the silver piece is silicone.  That's where the needles were inserted and the drugs/fluids were pumped into my belly.  If you look closely, you can see the tube has little dots.  These are holes that allowed the chemo to be released throughout my whole belly cavity.  Think about a sprinkler hose for your yard! So, this little piece and the tubing are currently i

People often ask me what symptoms I had prior to my diagnosis.  Looking back, I had several symptoms that I wrote off as “normal” for a twenty-nine-year-old woman who was trying to get pregnant.  These included a "pooch" in my lower abdomen, fatigue, frequent potty breaks, abdominal cramping (I had recently stopped taking birth control), and late periods (when this happened, it made me hopeful that I was pregnant). I was hesitant to visit the doctor sooner because I had heard that most doctors want you to try for one year before they take any measures to help you get pregnant.  Even though my symptoms were noticeable, I could reason them all away, and I told myself to wait 4, 3, 2 months until my next annual appointment in October. Fast forward to today, and a complete hysterectomy later, a biological child is not an option for Greg and me.  However, we both still desperately want to become parents.  We've done a lot of research and found that "traditional adopt

Chemo does not discriminate - it attacks cancer cells the same way it attacks good cells in your body.  The result of this indiscriminate attack is that you lose your hair, you get tired, you become weaker.  Chemo wears your body out and my body is not as strong as it used to be. In addition to recovering from chemo, I am recovering from multiple surgeries and procedures.  The two nephrostomy tubes and the pelvic drains (one which went right through my butt cheek) made moving around uncomfortable at best.  My daily physical activity went from constantly running around to avoiding movement as much as possible.  Climbing our set of stairs was leaving me winded. This is where the Livestong Foundation has been immensely helpful.  I joined the program at my local YMCA and I can already tell an enormous difference in my energy level, strength, and stamina.  If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer I cannot recommend this program enough.  Not only has it helped me physica

Greg and I received an excellent report from the doctor last week, my scans were clear and my CA125 (the tumor marker they check in my blood work) was great, less than 5! At this point I am officially considered NED, No Evidence of Disease!  My appointment went a little longer than expected though because my Magnesium was still too low from my previous chemo treatment.  I ended up getting IV Magnesium for an hour before we could go home. My doctor has decided to put me on an enzyme inhibitor that will help prevent any estrogen that may be left after the hysterectomy.  Estrogen is dangerous to me now because it is what "feeds" ovarian cancer.  This is a precautionary measure because there is no way to be sure that the chemo eliminated 100% of the cancer cells and we don't want any cancer food floating around in my body.  Goodbye Estrogen, Hello Menopause!   Unfortunately, ovarian cancer has a high rate of re-occurrence and most often re-occurs within the first two year

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those who have given the most they could give to preserve the great thing we have going here in the United States.  It is surreal to think about all the lives lost in service for our country.  Each one leaving behind a story, a family, hopes, and dreams.  This holiday also coincides with a significant point in Stephanie’s battle with cancer.  Next week she has her first scan post chemotherapy that will determine if she has any current evidence of disease still in her system.   Remembering ... Reflecting... on the journey we have had since September 17,2014.  Ten to fifteen surgeries / surgical procedures, countless doctor visits, nearly one and ½ months spent in a hospital bed, a cancer diagnosis, a trip Houston to cancer mecca, bladder issues, poop issues, and a loss of fertility all start to skim the surface of the last 9 months. As we approach Stephanie’s hugely important scan and we all try to get back to “normal” life, I have been

Yesterday was supposed to be my last chemo session for this treatment.  Unfortunately, all of my numbers were too low to go ahead with chemo.  I was pumped up with potassium and magnesium and given strict instructions to take at home supplements everyday.  I already received three of the neupogen shots last week (which are supposed to help my white blood cells regenerate) and we are waiting to hear if the doctor wants me to get additional injections, or if we will just let some extra time naturally build these numbers.  As of right now, we are scheduled to come back next Tuesday and try again.

This Monday and Tuesday marks the beginning of the end of my scheduled IV/IP Chemo treatments.  After Tuesday, I have a week to recover then I go in for my last scheduled outpatient IP treatment.  We won't know for sure that I will not require anymore IV/IP treatments until we do scans towards the end of May to make sure there are no more visible tumors that require additional treatments.  We do know that my CA 125 (the blood work that the doctors use as my tumor marker) is very low >5.5 , which is good news.  However, even when my abdomen was full of tumors and cancer, my number wasn't very high.  So, the CA 125 isn't the best predictor of disease in my case. I ended the title of the post with "sort of" because Ovarian Cancer is a lifelong diagnosis.  When my doctor and I decide that I can be finished with this chemo treatment, I will begin a daily regimen of drugs to help keep my cancer from reoccurring.  I will go to the doctors for regular scans and b

The toughest part of my day is right before I kiss Stephanie goodbye in the morning before work.  As I walk from our bathroom doorway into our bedroom I glance up and I see a nightstand covered with a humidifier and at least 5 sometimes 10 prescription bottles.  Next to the nightstand sticking out of what appears as a mound of covers is Stephanie's head without hair.  I see her snuggled up asleep knowing that when she feels well enough to get out of bed she will be staring a day of nausea, boredom, and struggle in the face.  I walk over to her, I kiss her as many times as she will let me before grimacing at me because I woke her up.  I tell her I love her and that she shouldn't hesitate to call me if she needs anything at all.  I then go to work. That’s it.  The hardest thing I deal with all day.  When I think about it seems petty that it is hard for me because when I see and learn the hardest parts of Stephanie's day I realize my struggle is small in comparison.  Howe

Last night Stephanie and I shared the same bed. Nothing remarkable because we share a bed everyday as a happily married couple.  The bed we shared last night was a hospital bed.  If you have ever seen how small a hospital bed is, it was comical to see her and I crammed into this little bed.  I also had the opportunity to go through what we call shake and bake chemo with her.  This is the process after her stomach is filled twitch chemo.  They tilt the bed in every direction to ensure the poison spreads through every part of her abdomen.   Stephanie and I were talking last night and we both agreed hat it is hard to believe how we ended up here.  Thinking back to when we first met, our beautiful paradise wedding, and now the battle of her life.  It is hard to believe how life can change in a blink.  I can't imagine this journey without her.  

Thursday marks the beginning of the third of four IV-IP chemotherapy cycles for Stephanie.  What a journey it has been for her.  I can't believe she has come so far over the last 6 months but she continues to wow me every day with her strength and will.  She will check into the hospital (as long as all of her blood levels are acceptable) and she will be on the downhill side of her chemotherapy. Thursday also marks our return to Norton Hospital.  We loved University of Louisville hospital.  Well, as much as you can love a hospital.  We also love Stephanie's Oncologist.  In February her doctor decided to leave U of L for a Norton based physician group.  Although our experience with the Norton system was questionable when she was initially diagnosed, Stephanie decided to stay with her doctor and go back. Steponme vs Ovarian cancer has 44 more days of battle left!  The support of friends, family, and even some strangers has been critical to this journey.  Please keep cheering h

A friend of ours recently started treatment for breast cancer and she asked me about my experience with "chemo brain".  Here's how I described it to her: "Chemo Brain" is for real! I have trouble recalling simple words or peoples names sometimes. I know exactly what I want to say, I just can't find the words and make them come out of my mouth. I generally feel like a foggy version of my normal self. I'm not as focused or quick with my responses. It seemed worse at first than it does now. I don't know if I've just adjusted to this slower version of myself or if the effects are actually less now.  I guess I'll find out after Chemo is over, we have 7 weeks of treatment left!

I hate being late.  I hate it when other people are late.  Maybe it is an obsession or maybe it is the 12 years of Catholic education and great teachers like Joe Kroh who taught the value of honoring commitments.     Stephanie will tell you too many stories about how I obsess about being on time to parties.  "Gregory (the name she only uses when she is upset with me) it is a party; why the do you want to be on time?" She says with a deeply annoyed and aggravated tone.  I am the guy who actually shows up at 5:30 when the invite says the party starts at 5:30 but most people   understand  that everyone will arrive around 7.  Whatever – maybe I am crazy.    I have learned that there is one exception to my perpetual desire to never be tardy.  Chemo days.  I become the pokiest person on Earth those days.  I move around without a care in the world. I drive in the slow lane.  I let everyone in front of me in line.  I act as if I don't even understand concept of a schedule.     I

After months of waiting I was finally healthy enough to begin the chemotherapy regimen that my doctor recommended.  This regimen is known as IV/IP (intravenous/intraperitoneal).  The chemo drugs are delivered two ways, one through my veins in my IV port and one directly into my belly (aka - peritoneal cavity) through my IP port.  This regimen is on a 21 day cycle, and every 21 days the cycle is supposed to start over for four total rounds of treatment. On the first and second day of the cycle I am admitted to the hospital and stay over night to receive my medications.  To the best of my understanding, the only reason I am admitted to the hospital is because I receive a 24 hour continuous IV treatment of chemo called Taxol (which I received a lower dose of during "chemo lite").  An outpatient center would not be able to accommodate this treatment for the simple fact that it takes so long.  Once the IV treatment is over they switch to the IP treatment.  They load me up wi

I am an Alumni Member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.  My time with this organization as an active member was incredible and I build relationships with people that are now my best friends.   Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, January 28) at 5 PM the current active chapter is holding an awareness and fundraising event in honor of Stephanie and the ovarian cancer she is currently battling.  This event focuses on the lighter side of cancer treatment and proposes to remove the hair of active fraternity members with a donation.  The donor can actually choose the brother that will lose his hair.  Stephanie and I are taken aback by the generosity shown by these young men and we are excited to participate tomorrow.  I will be in attendance tomorrow but due to Stephanie's illness, her ability to be there could be at risk.  It will be a game time decision for her.   Please find the details for the event at the below link.  If you can come participate, great.  If not, know that the

I am back from a long hiatus of not writing about what is going on in our lives related to Stephanie's cancer.  Although I am not certain why I haven't been compelled to write an updated for over a month; I believe it is related to Stephanie and I trying to get back to our normal lives.  (More normal would probably be a better way to describe it.) Both she and I have been heavily focused on making up lost time for our careers.  I have been reconsumed by my job, which is no suprise to those who know me well.  Steph has also picked right back up where she left off in Realty - crushing it.   Her success is more impressive than mine because she is also doing this while going through chemotherapy.  After her surgery in December she recovered physically and soon after started IV chemo for one 3 dose cycle.  This past week, she graduated to the more aggressive and direct form of Chemo for her type of cancer - IP chemo.  This is where they take two liters of chemo and saline solution a

For as long as I can remember, it has been my dream to work in real estate.   Last year, I started my dream job of working as a Realtor with Semonin, and I couldn’t be happier with that decision.   The training, support, and uplifting environment at Semonin is second to none, and I don’t believe I would have had as much success had I chosen any other company. From the first moment we knew that I would have surgery, the management team, support staff, and my colleagues all went above and beyond to help manage my business.   We were initially planning for only an exploratory surgery to remove a mass we hoped was benign, followed by up to six weeks of recovery.   When plans changed, my colleagues at Semonin did not hesitate to offer any and all support on both a personal and business level. Despite the additional complications, procedures, and treatments, Semonin’s support has allowed me to work with both existing and new clients, all between doctor’s appointments.   Anyone w

The week after Christmas, we were finally able to begin round two of "chemo lite." Chemo was put on pause in November to prepare my immune system for ureter reimplantation surgery (which was successful!). Round two will consist of three more weekly outpatient treatments of dose-dense chemo (aka "chemo lite"). At the conclusion of round two, we will have a follow-up appointment with the urologist, at which time we hope to schedule an appointment to remove the stint connecting my kidney and bladder, and receive a go-ahead to begin IV/IP chemotherapy.  Stay tuned for a more detailed post from Greg soon.