In pursuit of magic
magicˈmadʒɪk/adjective: magic- having or apparently having supernatural powers “confidence is the magic ingredient needed to spark recovery”
Time for a new ‘do
It’s been a week of frustration and fear, relief and realisation, mayhem and madness. SO I decided it was time for a new ‘do. A do-over; I declare that 2015 officially starts here, now, today. Happy Friday everyone xx——-TUESDAY: I’m (trying) to buy a house by the sea. A retreat from the crazy-wonderful city I... Continue Reading →
Be informed.Download an excellent leaflet about symptoms here.We are badly informed about the symptoms ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumours. The symptoms are very general and non-specific and often leads to misdiagnosis. This is why ovarian cancer tends to have such a poor prognosis: early diagnosis has a very good prognosis but sadly most women... Continue Reading →
I eventually got a copy of my path report in colour. I didn’t manage to get a photo of my tumour (I asked but some unexpected bleeding during surgery meant the team were otherwise engaged and unable to snap away on their iphones as previously promised…) so this is a good second best. There’s something... Continue Reading →
Simply seven.
Today is another good day. I’ve been awaiting my CA125 blood tests; this is a non-specific cancer antigen that is often - but not always - elevated in women with ovarian tumours. Below 35 is the normal range. At diagnosis, it was 2,257: very elevated. Today, it’s simply seven. Taken alone, a CA125 level is... Continue Reading →
I heart evidence based medicine: am I becoming an autoethnographer?
I heart evidence based medicine. I do. But - as an advocate for evidence based medicine - how do I make decisions about my health when there is so little evidence, and the evidence that does exist is - due to the nature of there being so little - conflicting? A diagnosis of a... Continue Reading →
Yesterday was a good day. I was in London and I had my first follow-up ultrasound post-op. IT WAS CLEAR. This is very, very good news. I will see my consultant on Monday, and have my CA125 blood test and examination. Yesterday was exactly 27 weeks since my operation. I’ll have monitoring every 6 months... Continue Reading →
Ovaries are amazing but so are we all, with or without them.
This post draws on/relates to a recurring discussion with other BOT ladies in relation to issues of health and wellbeing vs issues of (a loss of) fertility associated with the removal of an ovary/both ovaries/hysterectomy that surround diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of BOTs. For me: it’s so difficult when all the normative pressures associated with... Continue Reading →
jozi-ovari 