Friday, May 08, 2009

.....almost a year

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I've written here.....

So much has happened.
So much is the same.

I still miss my Mom every single day.
And there still is no cure, or early detection for ovarian cancer.

I do have hope.
I have noticed more people are talking about ovarian cancer.
I also read about an early detection test a team at Yale has developed. If it works, it will- and should- become as routine as pap smears and mammograms.
You can read about it here- Yale OVCA test

I've taken a new job as a Home-care Nurse. Coincidentally with the same hospital that sent nurses to take care of Mom when she was a Hospice patient. I'm not a Hospice Nurse, but there have been times I've been asked to fill in for one , or taken care of a Hospice patient when I've been on call. It was more difficult than I imagined. It's even been difficult for me to be in the team room when hospice nurses are discussing their patients.

Mom told me she thought I would be a good Oncology or Hospice Nurse. I don't know that I'd ever be able to do it.

Of course as a Nurse I deal with tragedy every day.
Just last week one of my patients, who is doing very well recovering from orthopedic surgery, told me she was worried about her granddaughter. It turns out she was having surgery that day- for ovarian cancer.

Her granddaughter is only sixteen years old...

On the brighter side- 2008 was very good to me. I have two new grandchildren. That makes two boys and a girl now. They're all adorable- and I'm not just saying that because I'm their proud grandma! :)

It makes me sad that the little ones never met their Great-Grandma.
But I know Mom is smiling.......

2 Comments:

Anonymous Marcie said...

Its probably been over a year since I last visited your blog. And for some reason, I thought to check it this evening.

Its been almost three years since I lost my dear mother to ovarian cancer.

Congrats on your new grandchildren. What a blessing they may be.

12:23 AM, May 09, 2009  
Blogger carmilevy said...

I think you'd be an incredible caregiver in any capacity.

Great to see you here - and on Twitter. Made my day when I saw your follow.

8:28 PM, June 04, 2009  

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(written September of 2005) I have learned much in the last nine months. I have read that ovarian cancer whispers. I say it screams. It just needs someone to listen. The American Cancer Society statistics for ovarian cancer estimate that there will be 22,220 new cases and 16,210 deaths in 2005. This is a death rate FOUR TIMES that of breast cancer.Almost 70 percent of women with the common epithelial ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced in stage. The 5-year survival rate for these women is only 15 to 20 percent. This is unacceptable. Women need to be made more aware of the symptoms, and doctors need to listen to their patients. Especially when the patient tells them that they fear they have ovca, as my mother did for almost a year before she was finally diagnosed. It’s so sad and senseless when a woman knows the symptoms but can’t get anyone to listen to what she is saying.

©JsDaughter