What comes next with Ovarian Cancer and BRCA gene?

I have been struggling with writing this post for a month. I think part of the reason is a reluctance to worry others. Since my double mastectomy two months ago, a few people have told me how great it is that I don't have to worry about cancer anymore. I just couldn't tell them the real situation. Yes, it is true that with the BRCA gene, I had an 80% chance of getting breast cancer and that I now only have a small chance of ever developing breast cancer. This is wonderful and a great relief to me. 

It is also true that I am recovering well from the double mastectomy. Now, my thin scars are just a little tight, and I have some numb spots which should improve, but I'm not experiencing pain any more. I am continuing to do arm stretching exercises, and though I tire easily, I am able to do a little more each week. I can visit with family, go on short walks, ride my electric bike, and do a little light housekeeping such as wash some laundry, make beds, and dust mop.

My 72 Birthday - Ovarian Cancer, MCAS, and Lynparza

 

I made it! Today is my 72nd birthday which I enjoyed spending with my family. 

Last year about this time, I was in the hospital and had been just diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage 3c (cancer cells covered all inside my abdomen, but had not yet invaded any organs). When I was asked what I wanted for my birthday, I replied, "to go home!"

I was told that without chemo treatment, I would only live three months. My CA125 cancer marker was 1,900 (35 is where you have cancer) and there was little hope that I would live, but through the the power of God, the prayers of others, four chemo treatments, and an hysterectomy, my cancer is now in remission. 

This year I've come to feel how much I am loved, and have seen over and over how the Lord has interceded in my life to help me. Just this last month, I was concerned about having to go off of antihistamines for five days around the 4th of July so that the allergist could test for medications for my upcoming

Starting a New Year Living with Cancer

Though I am glad that my chemo treatments and ovarian cancer surgery went so well, I have to accept that I will never be completely "healed" from cancer. The fact is that most cancer just goes into remission and may return at some point (recurrence). Ovarian cancer is particularly known for cycles of remission and recurrence, especially when you are not diagnosed until it has progressed to a later stage. By the time we discovered that I had ovarian cancer, I was at Stage 3c which means that though it had not yet invaded other organs, cancer cells covered all my organs in my entire abdomen. Most of this cancer was destroyed by the chemo treatments, then all visible cancer was removed during the surgery, but microscopic cancer cells still exist within me which could possibly grow in some other part of my body.