DONE DONE DONE!!!!!

FINISHED WITH CHEMOTHERAPY!!!!!!!!

Hey All,
I'm done! I actually finished last Tuesday the 27th. I was in the doctor's office and crying to the PA because I was feeling like shit and the doc walked in and told me we could do the IV therapy instead of the IP therapy. He told me it would not be detrimental to my treatment so I said 'go for it'! So I"m finished! I've still been feeling like shit, this weekend was pretty bad. Today I feel a little better and have gotten up off the couch a couple of times. I still need a stool to help me out when I'm in the kitchen trying to get something. My stamina and endurance are TOTALLY shot. I'm thinking I'll be able to walk around the house by next weekend. Its gonna take a while to get on the bike and go any distance. I'm really looking forward to going for a run and to having my hair GROW! Any bets on color? Texture? I'm totally out of shape and feel very blah. You know how it is when you can;t exercise for a while? I have funky drugs in me that need to be OUT, like steroids and fun drugs like that.

I'm looking forward to trying to go to Ft Collins at the end of July/beginning of August. I'll keep everybody posted. I just worry that I might not have enough energy by then, we'll see! Bob and I are talking about taking two weeks this fall and driving around the Southwest U.S. We want to do Moab and just keep going! I don't know if I'll be mountain biking by then as I may still be on blood thinners.

Ziggi will be coming home soon! I really miss her! Teri has been awesome in taking care of her while we haven't been able to. I hope she wants to come home and be with us! She is getting such good care at Teri's! She was spayed just a week and a half ago. Everything went well.

Fischer is doing well. He is having fun at day care and wants to wear his jammies everyday. We let him one day a week. I sure miss spending quality time with him and look forward to that coming back quickly.

I have a lot of peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet. They are numb most of the time. My taste is coming back slowly and I think this last chemo treatment was less harsh on my taste buds. Yea! I can't wait until a tall glass of ice water actually tastes good and quenches my thirst! My body has been deprived for so long!

Love to you all, thank you for supporting me! This time will be crucial for me as now that the chemo is done I still will be going through all the emotional gifts you get with being cured from cancer. I will be in touch and will start making contact with those I have neglected.
Thanks again!
Love,
Katie

Picctures to come soon with little wisps of hair!

Hello from Chemo Land!

I got chemo yesterday. The mixture of Taxol and the steroids gets me all hyped up! I've been up since 4:30 this morning!

Some GREAT news. My oncologist said I had a very, very, very good prognosis and as far as he is concerned I will be CURED after I go through these last two treatments! I cried! I'm so happy! I know I could kick cancer's ass and I feel like I did! That was a pretty bold statement for him to make. I told his nurse what he said and she said he normally does not make statements like that to patients. Makes me feel even more confident!!!!!! :)

Two more trips to Billings for chemo. I'll be done on June 3rd. You all are going to have to lift a glass in toast to me at 6pm on the 3rd!

My friend Anne is here from California. She's been helping us out a lot. Michelle comes from Missouri on Saturday. She is going to drag me out for some SHORT bike rides. It's going to take me a while to get my legs back after this, but I'm going to come back even stronger than before......ever heard of Lance Armstrong????? ;)

Thanks for all your support! I'm gonna need it the most as I recover from this chemo crap. The Social Worker at the hospital says that is the time when it's easist for me to slip into depression. I'm so happy that I'm gonna have my life back that it seems impossible but I need to be aware of it.

Thank you all so much again!
Much Love,
KatieO

New Post!!!

Hello,
I know it's been too long since I last posted an update. Sorry. Many of you have called and said what the heck??? Well, it has been rough lately. The chemo is finally building up in my system and it is wiping me out. I just can't wait to get this over with! JUne 3rd! They ended up giving me the full dose of chemo last time. I was really bummed. My doc wanted me to get 4 treatents under my belt before decreasing my dose. I cried and agreed with him. :( At least my cancer markers are still below normal and even keep falling in that category!!!! I'm kicking cancer's ASS!!!

I've been pretty depressed lately. I'm just wanting this over and want my body back. I feel frumpy, bloated and bald! Sadness is just a part of the whole cancer thing. I think it will take some time for me to get my energy back up after this is all over. My blood counts have been pretty good. I have to take potassium and magnesium every day or else they get critically low. I am anemic and got a shot of some sort of EPO. (Guess I can't compete in pro cycling this week!!) It seemed to help for a couple of days and now i feel anemic again. I go get bloodwork done tomorrow and we'll see what the numbers say. I just don't want them to go so low it postpones my chemo treatment. That is my biggest fear these days. I just want to get it over with, did I say that before?

My sister Stacy came up from Leadville two weeks ago. It was great to see her and have her help out. My friend Ann is coming from California next Thursday and then Michelle comes from Missouri after that. While Ann is here Bob is flying to Denver to pick up our new (to us) 1987 Vanagon with a pop top! Yes, we are selling the truck and getting something we can go on the road with this summer! We intend on doing a lot of weekend camping this summer. Come on and join us!

I'm hoping to get to Colorado maybe twice this summer. Probably in July and August or early September. I'll keep everyone posted! Cant wait to see you all!

Well thats all for now. I'll try to be better about posting more often. It just feels like there is no news here even though there is.

Thank you everyone for your support!
Peace and Love,
Katie

Here is a picture of me skiing three weeks ago! oops it downloaded on top!

Half Way Done!!!!

Yipee!!! I am half-way done with chemo!

I had a hard time with my last round of chemo. I just didn't feel like eatting or drinking and got very dehydrated. I was trying to be stoic and power through it, which didn't work. I ended up getting IV fluids and it helped a lot. Next time, I will get fluids before it becomes a crisis! My doctor has decided to decrease my dose of cis-platin, the drug that seems to give me trouble. He wants the chemo to be a therapeutic dose versus a toxic dose since my CA125 (cancer marker) levels are low, within the normal range. He really wants me to complete all 6 courses of chemo and lowering the dose will enable me to make it through.

Carla and Donna, my friends from Boston and Rochester, came to visit this past week. They were extremely helpful for Bob with Fischer and Ziggi. I wish I could have felt better while they were here but I have learned to take one day at a time. In spite of feeling awful, Carla and Donna were doing yoga and I just had to try a pose, Crow (check it out!). Later I found out this is quite an advanced pose! After IV fluids I even felt like serenading my beautiful son with Puff the Magic Dragon!

We decided to let Ziggi stay with our friend Terry for the remainder of my chemo. Just too much to handle. I miss her, she reminds me to "be in the moment". She will rejoin our family in June when I finally finish the chemo!

KO, DDub, Carlalala

KO doing Chemo Crow

KO & Fischer singing "Puff"

KO & Fischer

KO & Ziggi

Ok, that was the Donna veersoin for this blog. She wrote it in first person for me. Thanks Donna! I am feeling really well today, this morning. It goes from hour to hour. I AM really excited to have my cisplatnin decreased. I think it will enable me to endure this hell.

Thanks for reading! ...and thanks to Donna and Carla, I'll miss you! (they leave today)

Love,

Katie

Almost half way done with chemo!

Hello All,
It was day 1 of my third cycle of chemo yesterday. It wasn't as bad as the last day 1. I did get all swollen and uncomfortable but the pain wasn't nearly as horrible. I was dreading it and now I know I can handle it. I guess I knew I could handle it but yesterday made it seem like this will be very do-able.

Last week was a good one. I climbed at the gym twice, tele skied at Bridger on Tuesday and ran twice. Of course they weren't the normal ways I like to do these things but at least I was out there. It made me feel like a human being again. It's nice to know I'll have some good days amidst the not so good ones.

My CA215 levels (the cancer marker levels in my blood for ovarian cancer were down to 13 last week! Well elow the normal range. I am thrilled and know this all is going to work and I will be 100% better when this is all done.

I'm looking for some input. I am trying to come up with a slogan to make the bracelets that our friend Lance made millions off of. You know those little yellow bracelets that we all wear? I want it to be related to me and how I fight and have the courage to battle cancer and how I thrive on life. A friend of mine came up with Katiestrong. I like it but don't want to get sued by anyone for copyright infringements when my foundation (yes, I'm going to start a foundation to help cancer patients/survivors) becomes HUGE! So everybody put your heads together and come up with some catchy fun slogans that will be held close to everyones hearts for many years to come.

I also need to let you know that I can't respond to some of you who have responded to this blog. I don't get your email addresses when you respond. If you could either email me or add your email address to the response. I am so far behind in responding to people its overwhelming. I'm sorry and I'll get there some day. It means so much to me to hear from all of you and to know that I have so much support out there. I am truly blessed to have all of you in my life!

Donna and Carla are coming this Friday to help us out for almost a full week! Donna comes from Webster NY and Carla from Boston. I'm looking forward to having them ere and I think it will be a great mental boost for me. Rebecca and Kurt were for a weekend two weeks ago. We had so much fun! I actually felt pretty good and we really enjoyed their visit!!!

I'll keep updating and I'll do it more frequently. Sorry I've lapsed.

Love to all,
Katie

Chemo Day

Hey,

here is the hairless chick!


Just as I'm beginning to feel like a human again I go for chemo again today. One day at a time. I will be 1/3 finished after today!

Please understand that I do enjoy hearing from all of you and that I'm not calling back is not because I don't want to. This is just kicking my ass. i will be feeling better next week as I have it off. Hopeful to return calls and emails then. After today I'll be sleeping it off for a few days!

Thank you all so much,

Much Love,
Katie

Chemo Sucks

Hello All,
I'm going to attempt writing. My brain is really fuzzy so you'll have to do with incomplete sentences and some typos.

They put in the port and gave me my first Intraperitoneal chemo treatment on Wednesday. It was not a very fun day. They filled my abdomen up so full that I was having trouble breathing (my diaphragm was getting flooded out!) I tried to call the nurse but apparantly my nurse call button did not work. So I kinked my lines after about 20 minutes of them not coming in and it set the alarm off on my IV pump. Then I had to turn on my right and left sides for 15 minutes each for two hours. This was to stew all my internal organs with the chemo.

It hurs so bad to turn. I'm not sure if it was ecause of the surgery or because my muscles were so distended but they had to give me morphine to lessen the pain. I really don't like the side effects of morphine or any of those heavy duty pain meds. I took a couple of darvocets when I got home and am trying to not take any more because the pain has subsided most of the time.

We got home around 9:30 on Wednesday (the day of chemo). I slept all day on Thursday and then Friday I was very uncomfortable and kind if restless so Ididn't sleep at all. Last night was another rough night.

I'm hoping the sore ab part will get better as the tretments go. Maybe my abs will stretch better. Or at least condition themselves!

As much as I'm complaining I am very thankful for the technology of this chemo and feel that this will ged rid of any lingering tiny tumors in my body. I know it will be a difficult ride but am anticipating the end and the enriched life I will lead because of this.

Thank you all for your comments, letters, packages and support. You all are my cheering squad and it really helps to hear from you. I apologize if I'm not responding to each and every one of you. I'll get there. I have a great picture of a "peep show"that Fischer created last night from Janice and Larry (you crazy kids!)! Will post it soon!

Much love,
Katie

Pictures to follow soon. My hair is almost comletely GONE! Sexy!......cold!

Bob, Fischer and I with our Eagles while I was in the hospital.

World's cutest kid!!!!

Hello All,
I get my IP port put in on Wednesday! I'm excited to get on with this and be over with it in June.

My hair is now officially clumping out. I had it shaved down to just barely there and it comes out all over the place. I am wearing my wig, hats and tried a scarf yesterday. I had two very difficult days last week and am now pretty much accepting that the absence of my hair is going to be OK. It will start growing back in July! I just needed some time to grieve the hair loss.

I went to the Cancer Center here i Bozeman today and got the results of my blood tests from Friday. My CA125 levels are at 22! The normal level is aout 30! YEEEEEHAAAA! ....now lets just keep it this way, forever! This news is very encouraging for me and it helps to give a sense of purpose to all this crazy stuff I'm going through!

I went for a "jog" today. VERY slow, not too far. I walked after that for a bit. Last week I donned my cross country skiis and went for a "ski" with Teri. I went slower than slow and the one "hill" I went up looked like Everest to me (felt like it too!). I'm looking forward to more days like these and am sure I'll be going up many more "Everests". I actually plan on seeing that mountain next year in person! Yeah!!

I'll write more after the whole IP surgery/chemo process. Please keep sending good energy my way! Thank you all so much!

Love,
Katie

Fun short hair! We're cooking now!

Me being strong! Maybe a little tired too!

Hello everyon've!

It's been too long since my last post. I've been doing great and having fun! I went to Colorado last weekend and spent the time up in Breckenridge with my awesome friends! It was a real pshchological boost for me and I've been sleeping much better since then.

OK-I'm having a couple of REALLY emotional days. I just had Jason shave my head last night. My hair has started falling out and I'm mourning the loss of it. I know its temporary, and I know it will (most likely) grow back but I'm just having a really difficult time with it! Its funny because I had to have Ziggi shaved the day before because she was so badly matted. She looks silly and is cold and I feel like she looks! Thats really FUNNY! (makes me laugh).

Here are some pictures. Ziggi with me looking tired. That picture was taken on a Sunday after chemo on Wednesday. I was on the up swing from feeling bad from chemo. The next pic is me having chemo and eating a very BIG bear claw with apples in it. There wasn't much at the hospital to eat and we had to be there so early! It did taste good! The next pic is my Oncologist's PA Caroline. I really think she's great! Very supportive and great to talk with!

I'll post more pictures in another blog. I had my hair cut short last week. It looked really cute. Eugenia cut it for me, Thanks Eugenia!!!

Feb 18th. Chemo Brain!

Hello all,
I'm tired so won't type much. Fischer has been sick all last week with a fever and cough. I haven't hugged him since over a week ago. It is really difficult to not hug your child! I'm getting a bit down about it but there is no way I can afford to get sick! Such is cancer!

I've been feeling a bit yucky. My stomach is hurting and I have some indegestion/heartburn. My head feels fuzzy and kind of aches at times. Almost like a hangover. My memory?....forget it! There is no such thing a a memory for me right now. So if you have called and I haven't called you back, call me again because I've forgotten and forgot to write it down! My leg joints and muscles were really hurting on Saturday. They were better yesterday morning and started hurting again yesterday afternoon. I actually drove Fischer to day care this morning! It gets uncomfortable standing for any length of time. My stomach just starts hurting. I keep saying that I may wish I feel like this in several months, this may be a good day instead of an ok kind of yucky feeling day! We'll see....

I'm off to take a nap! You all enjoy your day!

KO

First Day of Chemo!!!

Good Morning All. Happy Valentines Day!!!

I drove myself to Billings Tuesday afternoon to pick up Mary jane at the airport and then go see my oncologist. It was the best two hours of the past two months! I was in coltrol of something (the car) and I was not hurting at all and I was blasting the music and singing my heart out. It really made me feel like a non-sick human being!

I did not have my port put in yesterday (wednesday). I have a seroma in my pelvis and it has been leaking fluid out of me for over a week. DG (Doctor Gibb) said there was a great chance of me getting infected if he did the surgery and we really don't want that. That would put me way behind in the chemo route and we don't want to go there. They will wait until my body takes care of itself and then put in the IP port. Ironically I stopped leaking the fluid yesterday! I feel I don't want to jynx myself so pretend I didn't tell you that! It feels so good not to be leaking that gross fluid! DG says the seroma probably started as a little hematoma from my anticoagulants and then it formed a seroma to help try to get rid of it. It was measured by CT as about 3x5 inches. Speaking of CT, I spent a good part of Monday at the Bozeman hospital getting tests to fugure out why I was leaking this fluid. I first went to x-ray where they took a picture then they stuck a catheter into my bladder and filled it up with this dye liquid. They took all kinds of pictures to see if I had a fistula (you can look that one up on line its between the bladder and the vagina). Then they wanted me to pee on the table to see how my urethra was doing. I couldn't do it!!!! Arent we taught to not do that????? Tha catheter was so much fun, NOT! My bladder is still very sensitive from the surgery. Then I went to Ct where they gave me an IV and took many pictures while shoving a contrast fluid into me. Again they were looking for the fistula of which they did NOT find but found this seroma. It was a long tiring day and I was wiped out by night time. Bob got a massage so I took Fischer to dinner. There we played (at the table) and he told me I "wasn't being very much fun right now". I at first felt really bad but then realized that he is absolutely right so I told him that he was right and that I would be fun again (someday!). He said "I know, right now its because you're kind of sick" He was so cute! By the way he does know that I have cancer and that I'm taking harsh medicine and that I may be sicker for a while and that my hair is going to fall out. He said I will look silly with no hair and that I will look like a bald eagle! How perceptive! (speaking of bald eagles, I saw three of them on the way to Billings on Tuesday! They were just sitting in a field right bedside the highway doing nothing. No carrion or anything!)

So, no port for now. They did chemo via IV. It was a 5 1/2 hour visit. I fell it really went well. They loaded me up with pre-meds. Benedryl, pepsid, anti-nausea drugs, saline. then slammed me with taxol and carboplatnin. I felt fine, well maybe a little sleepy so I slept for a while. The chemo nurses were having a baked sale so I wheeled my IV pole out the the main part of the hospital and bought myself a little treat! Mary jane had gone to get my presctiptions for me and when she came back I was gone! They told her I left, she was surprised! We were done at 12:30 and ate lunch at the cafeteria waiting for another prescription to be filled. Then we went to a couple of thrift stores (bought a couple of has for when I lose my hair!) and then drove home. I was feeling a bit tired but overall pretty darned good! Yea! I guess I might get tired as the days pass. I'm taking anti-nausea drugs to help me not kack. I had a bit of the runs last night (just what you needed to hear! ((having cancer leaves you with absolutely no dignity! so what the heck!)))

Bob and Fischer stayed at home. Fischer was sick over the weekend and I've been trying to stay away. I can NOT afford to get sick!

So thats the scoop. If I feel good enough, I'm flying to Colorado next weekend the 22,23 and 24th. It's for a girl's ski weekend, of course I won't ski. Ill be swooped up at the airport and taken to the mountains, then swooped back to DIA Sunday night. I'm really looking forward to it!!! Hopefully I'll feel good enough to go! I really think I will!!!

Thank you again for all your support! Keep it coming! I love hearing from all of you!

I'll put on some pictures when MJ wakes up. The camera is in her room!


Love,
Katie

"I'm too sexy for my stockings....too sexy for my pole" This was me trying to pole dance when in the hospital. I think just standing there was the exercise for the day!

Now I am going for SHORT walks outside. It feels good to get the fresh air. I really miss running and hope to get going with that in a few weeks!? I'm now three weeks out from surgery. They said six weeks so I"m half way there!!!!!

I'll post more later this week. I'm going to Billings today to see the doc. Having a minor set back and may not be able to put the port in tomorrow. They'll do chemo via IV tomorrow if no port. I just want to get this ball rolling!!!!!

Thanks to you all for the generous support! I couldn't do this without all of you!

KO

OK this is all for now. The world's cutest kid and the world's biggest princess!

This is me just after diagnosis. See?....already a survivor!

This is my Oncology Nurse Deb and my Oncologist Dr. Gibb. THEY RULE! They take very good care of me and will be an integral part of my life for the next 5 months!
Thanks guys!
ko

Chemo update

Hello All
Me again, of course who else are you expecting????

I go to get my IP port put in on Wednesday the 13th. This will make for a fabulous Valentines Day but what the heck!? I'm the forst one on the dockett for surgery Wed. Then I recover for a few hours then they slam me with my first chemo treatment. They say the chemo day 1 is a 7 hour day! They put in drugs via IV for about 3 hours then put in 2 liters of fluid into my IP port and then make me lay on my left side, then my right side then they tilt me so it goes to the top of my abdomen, then they tilt me kind of standing up so my guts on the bottom get soaked. 2 LITERS! I'm a fairly small gal so they tell me I may be uncomfortable with some bloating. I think more like I'm gonna look 15 months pregnant! (Have you ever seen a 15 month pregnant woman? HUGE!!!!) :) Then they will send me home. They say we will be able to do it in one day. Drive over, get treatment and then drive back. I'm sure it will be a fun trip home for two hours in the car! So this is day 1 of week 1.

Day 8 or week 2, I get JUST IP chemo. I guess its not the gut washing experience of day one and it is only supposed to be about three hours, then I get to go back home. :) YEA!!!

The next week I will have OFF! I will be recovering for the next session of gut washing. They will monitor my blood levels every Friday here in Bozeman. I will also get one of those Neulasta shots on day 2 (after the gut washing experience) and I can do that here in Bozeman too. Guess how much ONE of those shots costs??????? ...don't fall over, I almost did....... $4,000.00 FOR ONE SHOT! I will need six of them. I guess this is why we pay so much for health insurance!!!

I will do this three week dance for six sessions. If my blood work gets bad they may have topostpone a week or so. I've already made up my mind that my bloodwork will be ok and we'll get through this right on schedule. I have my life to live and I want to get this part over! Also my hair will start to grow back once I'm done with the chemo. Yes, I'm probably going to lose my hair! I have a breakfast date tomorrow morning with three gal friends. We are going to eat then go try on wigs. I won't actually buy one tillI start losing my hair. They are expensive and who knows, I MIGHT not need it! Bob seems to think I'm not going to lose my hair. The doc says very, very, rarely do people not lose their hair, but you never know!

I'm not too thrilled about going back under the knife to have this port put in. The Doc didn't think I needed it when he did the surgery (this is a good sign) otherwise he would have put it in!
I think its the thought of having some foreign object in my body for a while tha creeps me out. But if this is what it takes to make me live,.......BRING IT ON!!!!!!! I CAN handle it!

My Oncologist feels sure I will only have to do the six sessions, remember, he is out to cure me!!
They have great anti nausea drugs now and I'm gonna take full advantage of them. I need to keep an appitite and eat well and not get sick with any colds etc. OK.

We are going to talk with Fischer more about this whole thing this weekend. This part is the most scary for me. How do you tell your 4 year old that you are really sick and are going to go through hell and that everything is going to be ok? You just do. Because it is. He is an awesome human being and a very compassionate child. I know he will have some difficulties but I think this is going to make our family so strong to work through this. Just imagine what is going to be on the flip side!!! (I can't wait:))

Guess I'm rambling now. I'll be soliciting rides from all of you who live here in Bozeman! Wanna take a Tuesday off and drive on nasty icy roads while someone is complaining of a bloated belly??? Just email or call me to sign up! I also have friends, you all are my WONDERFUL friends, coming up from Colorado and other parts of the country, Boston, New York, to help out. My sister has already made her reservations for April! (Thanks Stacy!)

The meal train is rolling, We received a wonderful gift certificate for cafe couriers, I'm getting flowers and iTunes gift cards ( great for downloading chemo music!). You guys all rule! I'm going to pay it forward BIG TIME when this is all done, just you wait and see!!!

TTFN,
I Love You All,
Katie O

Now I'm just being goofy! Here is a picture of Erin and I (I'm on the left with the HUGE guns) at the Courage Classic ride in Colorado. Erin came up and helped while I was havinf surgery. THANKS ERIN!
-ko

This is Lori, Rebecca and I in the hospital. I think it was the day I was released. Isn't it funny they call it releasing you from the hospital? I'm showing off my SEXY leg stockings with the pumps attached to prevent clotting. The pumps inflate every minute or so to help prevent you from getting too much sleep while being in the hospital! See how the stockings have holes at the bottom so you can show off your pretty pedicure?

Superbowl Sunday- go Pats!!!!!!

Fischer at a fish tank in Billings Hospital. He is carrying the eagle I gave him. I have seenmore bald eagles since I've been sick than I've seen in all my life. Their symbol is strength and endurance. I go Bob, Fischer and I all eagles before going into the hospital.

I'm feeling better and better each day. I'm in the stage where I'm getting bored lying/sitting on the couch but yet don't have the energy to get up and do much. It still takes a lot to go up the stairs to our bedroom. I've been sitting outsied for the past few days. The fresh air and sunshine feel good on my face. I actually took Ziggi across the street to go potty the other day and got in big trouble from Bob. It is really icy out and I can fall easily. He fell the other day coming back from the mailbox.

I go to the oncologist for an update in Billings on Tuesday. I'll let post the news on the blog on Wednesday. Going to a Superbowl party today! My biggest outing in over two weeks! I'm looking forward to laying on somebody else's couch for a couple of hours!

Thank you everybody for all your support! It will help carry me through until I am cancer free!

Love to all,
Katie

Diagnosis

Hello All,
I realize that it's been too many days since my last blog. I apologize for that. I guess I've been in a little bit of denial and self loathing for the past few days. I got the results from my oncologist onMonday night. I have StageIII C Ovarian Cancer. Stage III C means it has "technically" spread to other areas of my body. They took out 31 lymph nodes and he said they found cancer in 4 of them microscopically. They also found about a centimeter size piece of tumor in my omentum, the connective tissue that holds your guts together. I was kind of dumbfounded when he told me. We had discussed him putting an intraperitoneal (IP) tube in my belly during the surgery if he thought it had spread and I would need chemo. He didn't put it in. I think he was stunned too.

I have decided to have the tube put in, will probably happen about two weeks from now. They'll do it as an outpatient surgery. Guess I"ll have to stop taking coumadin for a few days and shoot myself up again. We sare still working n clearing and prevanting any more blood clots, makes it more fun to deal with this!! When he puts it in they will give me my first dose of chemo. I go to him this coming Tuesday so I will have more information after that but is is gonna go like this. They will do chemo on day one and day eight. for a fifteen day cycle. Day one is chemo via IP and IV in my arm. Day eight is chemo via IP. then day one it starts over again. this will continue for six cycles. Bozeman hasn't done this yet so I will have to go over to Billings every eight days. My hair may or may not fall out. The doc says probably it will. I may get really scik or I may not. I'll keep you updated on the puke scene! This is the most recent successfull treatment and gives me a better chance of getting rid of this. My doctor said some women have it worse than me and others have it better and he is going to cure me. I love him because that is what is going to happen. I've been through too much in my life to let this get me and I'm going to fight every step of the way! I still have a hundred mile run to finish! This will be the beginning of my training!

I am feeling better today. I feel good enough to not really lay on the couch or bed yet not good enough to do anything else. I still walk around hunched over and don't feel ike going too far, like only walking to the bathroom and to the bedroom. I guess it is a little boredom. At least it is the first day of it and that is good because I don't feel I need to sleep all day today! I'm a bit down 'cuz I can't do anything. Lori tells me I'm gonna have to take up underwater basket weaving! I just can't cut myself on the hook or I'll bleed to death!

I realy appreciate all of the support you all are giving me. I'm sorry I've been delinquent in posting. You can always call me 406-581-5900 if you want, email me or post some comment on this blog. If I can't or don't want to answer the phone, I won't. You are most likely to get a response from me if you call. Don't be surprised if it takes a few days for me to respond to calls. I sometimes get overwhelmed and need to shut down. I will start answering emails but my eyes have trouble following letters and my hands get sore typing so much. Due to the DVT.

You guys are what is going to get me through this and I'm gonna need help every step of the way. I really appreciate the response I've been getting.

Bob and Fischer are doing quite well. Bob's sister Angie just left this morning and he;ped us out tremendously. Fischer had a breakdown last night and Bob and I just held him. He knows I'm sick and getting better. He says "Mommy, you have threads just like Dyno!" (where I've sewn up Dyno from getting so well used.) We just haven't gone there with the cancer word yet.

My hands hurt so I'm gonna stop now.

I Love you All,
KatieO

here's a statement from a friend I was supposed to be in Nepal with right now. it had such a huge impact on me I wanted to share it with you all. I'll be there next year!

"Yesterday I saw Everest for the first time. All I could think about was you and my heart was so full, I started bawling....."

Hi all,
I'm home! I'm home, I'm home!!!!!

Wow it's difficult to type on these drugs! I'm resting a lot. tired all the time, and still moving very slowly. Good news all around. I'll post wehn I get info from the doc.
Love to you all and thanks for the support!
Katie O

Jan 25, 2008 6:00 pm

After a morning spent with a bag of fluids and Bob, Katie is feeling much, much better. Her tummy is smaller, her color is better, and she is not saying strange things anymore (strange for Katie that is). She is planning on going home Saturday (tomorrow) morning. On the medical side - she is pooping and farting and eating and they all make her feel better. Yesterday she was moving slowly and had a hard time tracking what was going on - she was weak and on strong drugs. Today she is alert, moving quickly -which is moving at all- and on weak drugs. She read all of the pieces of the friendship chain she has so far and was lost between tears and laughter. Maybe because she was laughing so hard her stitches hurt. She enjoyed the colonder her friends at the Runners Roost sent for her. It had 12 great stories about people who are active and successful cancer conquerers. Sure it was colon cancer but that is pretty close to the ovaries.
While shopping with Lori & Rebecca today, Fischer picked out a pair of "heart shaped" pj bottoms for Katie. They were actually red with hearts on them. She loved them of course. Bob and Fischer are helping Katie with a shower while L & R update the blog at a coffee shop. Bob & Fischer are going to go swimming at the Y tonite. L & R will go back to the hospital for a sleepover/card showdown.
We will try to update one more time before heading back to colorado Saturday afternoon. We may be really busy getting KO home though and she is what it is all about! As the license plate we saw today says: LBOUTME
Thanks for the support!

Jan 25. 2008 11:30

Hi all,

This morning Katie is not feeling so good. She did not have such a good nights sleep. She is back on fluids. Bob is trying to get her to eat some breakfast. Fischer is hanging out with us (Lori & Rebecca again). He is showing us around the hospital. We tried to get on a computer at the hospital (ok, Lori) but they are blocked from outside internet so we (Lori) broke past the internet security and got on line for a couple minutes but they caught her before she could get very far (online not running away). We are now at the Billings police station - not really - we are at the library.
We are waiting to hear from Bob. He has had a whole morning alone with Katie providing some one on one support. Bob is doing great. He has Fischer to keep him company and keep him moving and occupied. He is wonderful support for Katie - she brightens up when she knows he and Fischer are coming.
The room Katie is in is bright, cheerful, and smells great with all the flowers. The nurses like to come into her room it smells so good. She really needs to start farting. Bob did say she was somewhat successful last night.
When Bob is ready he will meet Fisher, Rebecca, and Lori to trade places and take Fischer swimming.
We will try to update later when we find another unattended computer ;)

Lori & Rebecca

Jan 24, 2008 6:30 pm

Hi all,

Katie, her highness, ordered a frosty from Wendy's. We immediately obliged. She had a bite and said "mmmmmm" which we took as a good sign. She ate half of a small one and one and one half saltine crackers - and liked them. She is also on valium and percocet (sp?). She is has very entertaining things to say: When we walked in the door she told the nurse she kept seeing strange things (we tried not to take it personally) She asked what time the parade is tomorrow. She asked how we play cribbage with broccoli. Rebecca and I actually played cribbage with a cribbage board and cards while she drifted in and out of sleep. Lori trounced Rebecca at cribbage the first game then claimed to be very tired when Rebecca was winning the second game. Fischer and Bob spent the afternoon building a snow fort, then went out to dinner. they stopped by the hospital for a kiss goodnight then went home for a good nights sleep.

more later

L & R

Jan 24, 2008 3:30

Hi all,

This is Lori G and Rebecca S in Billings with Katie O. We got in Thurs afternoon to see Katie at the hospital. She looks great! She is not moving very fast since she was taken off of the morphine. She is nausuas, noshious, noshus - sick to her stomach. Rebecca says the big thing seems to be her belly - literally. She hasn't passed any gas but she is working on it! They gave her a suppository to help but all it did was make everything spasm including her surgery owies so she doesnt want to do that again. She is on Heparin as a blood thinner because it can be out her system within an hour if they need to open her up again for anything. She is tired so we left her alone for a while to take a nap.

L & R

Jan 21, 5:00 pm

Great news!!!!

Katie is out of surgery missing only 2 ovaries, 2 quarts of abdominal fluid of some sort, and her uterus. The rest of the tissue looked good at surgery. It looked so good they are not yet sure if she will need chemo or not! She will know about the chemo in about 7-10 days - they need to test tissue samples. The doctor is very positive.

Lori G

Jan 21 10:00 am

Hi all -

Katie wanted me to try to keep the blog updated for her. First - she wanted me to say "her ass is clean" or the colonoscopy results showed no cancer. She did say her CT scan only showed definate cancer in her right ovary.
Katie's surgery is today at 2 pm. As soon as I hear I will post results here.

Lori G

I'm just learning how to navigate this blog, it seems pretty easy but I'm not familiar with blogs so bear with me. My awesome friend Greg set this up for me.

You can also just email me if you don't want to post yourself on the blog. I love getting emails too. I will try to call a lot of you but it does get tiring and takes up a lot of cell phone time. We do not have a land line and are actually contemplating it.

My contact info is
cell 406-581-5900
Bob's cell 406-581-3832
address:
198 Nostalgia Lane
Bozeman, MT 59715

.......I actually have to go to Billings again on Thursday to get a colonoscopy. They found elevated colon cancer markers and need to check things out. My doc doen't really thik I will have any positive results but they need to make sure. I haven't been having any symptoms for colon cancer. They are doing surgery on monday. I'm not typical cancer patient and my oncologist says that is actually good. If they find stuff in my colon, they shouldn't because everything is going to be really cleaned out!, they will have a colorectal surgeon there too. They'll start out small, do a laproscopy and remove the right ovary and tube and the do pathology. If it comes back as ovarian cancer, they'll open me up and take it all. If it turns out to be some other cancer they'll stop after the laproscopy and send me to the right oncologist. He does think it is ovarian cancer but I am such a mystery thet he wants to keep all options open. I asked about getting a second opinion but he said, and I feel the same, we really don't have a diagnosis yet. There is certainly cancer in me somewhere. BLAGH!!

I was extremely tired yesterday when we got home. It's hard to not talk about things in front of Fischer. He will go to Billings with us next week. WE have a house that belings to a friend of Bob's. Thats great cuz its a 5 bedreem house and we can have everybody there. Bob's mom is going to meet us there. I could be there as long a 5 days depending on what they do.

Ziggi will go out to a friend for the week. I have a friend coming up from Coloradofor the surgery and then two more coming a week from today and then Bob's Sister is coming to help out and then.......I'll rest the WHOLE time! They're all gonna help to take care of me and Fischer. I am truly blessed to have duch great friends, including YOU!

I'm scared. Yesterday was rough. I lost it totaly yesterday for the first time since this all started. I think it was cathartic(sp?). My attitude still holds firm that I'll make it through this no matter what. It just somehow sounds a bit surreal to hear the colon cancer words. My Dad died of colon cancer so that may be my issue. My Mom died of pancreatic cancer and for those of you who don't know I'm adopted but somehow that doesn't seem to matter at this point. I just don't want a colostomy (shit bag out of my stomach) and that part scares me. Isn't it amazing how your mind can take you places you don't even need to go? I talked with the admitting nurse yesterday (they did all the pre-op peperwoek and testing yesterday so all I have to do is walk in and get opreated on on Monday.) and seh said that they rarely have to do a colostomy. They just cut out parts and re-plumb. I can handle that.

I"m still gonna need help from everybody here in Montana. Food will be nice when we get back from Billings next week. Big exercises for Ziggi. I will want to go for lots of walks and get running as soon as I can. I also will need to use my ski pass in March! I didn't get a season pass to stop skiing in January! I actually went on Monday! I'll go again on Saturday with Bob and Fischer for Fischer's ski lessons. I'm not skiing anything too difficult. You know the Katie Oster is sick when she has fun skiing the blue and green runs! I just worry about my arms. I went up the Bridger lift on Monday and had a blast skiing through the soft, snowy, steep bumps!!! It kind of hurt my rught arm so I didn't do that again. They were sore yesterday because of it. Oh well...

I'm rambling on now. I'm actually going to send this out to a lot of people.

Love to you all! Katie

The initial story.....

Good morning all,

Well, I guess things didn't quite turn out the way I thought they would. For those of you who don't already know yet, I have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Blood clots don't just spontaneously form in your arms and especially bilaterally and in a young (ahem) and healthy woman. They can be a sign of cancer. I'm thankful my body did this because I think they may have found it earlier than they would have if I were not clotting. They won't know what stage I'm at or exactly what kind of ovarian cancer it is until I have it taken out. The good thing is they were screening for cancer when they did the CT scan of my chest, abs and pelvis and looked for anything unusual in my lymph nodes. The radiologist said my lymph looked ok. It was just my ovaries and cervix that he was concerned about. My cervix is swollen because they say I have about a quart of fluid hanging around in my pelvis and it is just getting bathed in it. Yuck! Bob and I go see the oncologist in Billings today at 10:30. I did some research on him this weekend and he is really good. I am a problem case as I'm on coumadin and it takes 4-5 days to come off it and then 24 hours to come off the Lovenox shots so my blood will be thick enough for surgery. Then there is the risk of blood clotting more because that is how my body is deciding to deal with this shit. They said they may try to do some chemo first, then operate then more chemo. Or just take me off the blood thinners and operate soon, my method of choice. We'll see. Too bad I just paid $120 for a cut and color of my hair 'cuz I'm probably going to lose it! (gotta keep the sense of humor through this whole thing) Bob's mom is coming down on Monday to be here with Fischer while we go to Billings. We expect to be back Tuesday night.

Of course I am running the gammut of emotions but for the most part I'm just ready to fight this battle and I know I'm going to win it. I really just want it out of my body NOW! Everybody has been asking how they can help and right now we just need support in talking about it and accepting it. We will need more help in days to come. Believe me I will let you all know. (the huge thing is Ziggi needs exercise now, can anyone run 10 miles a day with her? Just kidding!, how about 5? Needless to say Bob's trip to Nepal is off for now. We will go together when I am strong enough again.

Fischer does not know and we are trying to be upbeat and positive around him. We are also not talking about it in front of him. He still just knows that mommy has arm problems and I'm going to doctors to figure out what is going on. We will tell him when I have to go for surgery. Then it will still be vague and I want to let him know that they are just going to take out some "girl" parts so he won't freak that it could happen to him or Daddy. It's a tough one and the problem is he is a smart little kid. He has been upset at TCP last week. We had a really good weekend and hopefully he will be better this week.

I'll post more when we get back from Billings, probably tomorrow.

Thanks all,
Katie O

test!

Howdy All!
Just testing this blog out.

Katie O

Hi Katie O. Ask and you shall receive. Here is your very own blog spot. As you told me today (as you gave me THE NEWS), it would be great to have a blog and to get support from your friends. Well...be careful what you ask for. Love you - GC