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Tanya (tanya)


October 31, 2006


Portland, Maine


April 7, 1975


Ovarian Cancer


Right Ovary: Atypical proliferative (borderline) serous tumor with multiple foci of invasive low grade serous carcinoma. Left Ovary: Same thing, just micro-invasive.


September 2006


Stage 1


07


Grade 1


No


Taxol (chemical name: paclitaxel)


Cancer Survivor


Waiting for test results!!


None really, maybe a little bloating and abdominal pain. This is the scary thing about ovarian cancer; few women have any symptoms at all.


I’ve had 3 surgeries total. The 1st was laproscopic when they discovered I didn’t have endometriosis, what they originally thought I had. That’s when they discovered that the 2 huge tumors were either cancerous or pre-cancerous. On the 2nd surgery they removed the 2 tumors and managed to save my ovaries, but the patholgy sent to Johns Hopkins came back showing a 6 mm invasive carcinoma in my right ovary, and the left ovary had a micro-invasive tumor. On January 29th, 2007, I had a total ovarian hysterectomy.


Paclitaxel(Taxol)/Carboplatin(Paraplatin) combination, intravenous, 4 treatments total, 3 weeks apart. My first treatment was Oct. 17th. The side effects weren’t been too horrible. Days 3-6 I felt really bad, but I never vomited! I just felt VERY weak, and VERY sick. I was so pale I scared myself in the mirror, and sometimes I felt so bad I couldn’t even talk. I had HORRIBLE constipation like never before, and I still have heartburn, which I never got before.


Bio-identical HRT in the form of transdermal creams: includes Bi-estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone…started March 2007.

No side effects to speak of so far! I highly recommend seeing a HRT specialist to look into bio-identical HRT. After reading “What your doctor may not tell you about menopause” I refuse to go on the “conventional” synthetic hormones most doctors prescribe.




Tanya's Cancer Blog

February 3, 2007

On the radio!Views: 195

Yesterday I was contacted by a local radio station literally 20 minutes before they wanted to air me live so I could tell my story! Good thing, no time to get nervous… This guy Scott Anderson from the east valley radio network had a similar situation 15 years ago when his wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer and they didn’t have health insurance. Anyway, Scott is a really nice guy, and I’m soo thankful he took an interest in our story. Ok, no more suspense, here’s the link… (show was on Feb. 2)

http://podcast.scottandersononline.com/

Also, a little bit of an update with the lawyer! I was contacted yesterday by one of the lawyers that worked on the case in CA against BCBS, and they’re interested in possibly taking my case! They have an associate in AZ they’re going to put me in touch with, and they’re going to review my case to see if they can take it. Not getting too excited yet, but keeping my fingers crossed!

I also called Dr.Comerci yesterday in a panic because I broke the #1 rule and got on the internet. I’m freaking out about the little nodule in my lung! It’s actually 13 mm, not 3 like I thought. (pesky anesthesia and morphine, really mess with the head…) Anyway, they don’t have my final pathology results from the hysterectomy back yet, and the nurse said I shouldn’t worry about the nodule because they’re really common out here. We have this weird thing called valley fever, which is basically an airborn fungus that lives in dust (gee, we have dust?!?). Most people get valley fever and don’t know it, but can get these benign nodules in their lungs. Still nervous though since I have cancer already and yes, I did smoke cigs a little in college… So I have to wait until weds to see Comerci and get the pathology results. If they show again that the cancer is contained I’ll chill a bit. And then I need a CT scan of my lungs and maybe a biopsy (sounds painful and invasive!).

Enjoy the podcast!

: – )

I just listened to the podcast. Great interview! Keep it up—you are doing a great job!

Hi Tanya – Love your pictures. I read all your blogs and am irate that your scum of an insurance company would do such a thing. You are right – how many of us have forgotten to put a little something on the insurance application? And yes, how can those people live with themselves??
You will make it. I look back on my battle and think: I made it. It wasn’t fun, but I made it. You will too. I have a wacky sense of humor – do NOT mean to offend – okay? I looked at your pictures and I think your husband needs to turn that razor on himself. Very nice looking, except that growth on his face. I could be wrong :) I often am. Just a thought. He probably likes it. Ah well, to each his own. Take care!
Karen

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Tanya's Stats

Posts: 34
Photos: 6
Events: 1
My Supporters: 7
I Support: 4
Comments: 167
Views: 8089



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