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
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
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!
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
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
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
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
Monday, January 21, 2008
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
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
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
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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
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
Monday, January 14, 2008
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
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