Hello. My name is Carl. I am married to Barb who was diagnosed with stage IIIc Ovarian Cancer in April/May of 2010. After lots of treatment and surgery, she was doing ok then the Cancer has recurred - twice. Most recently the cancer returned in June of this year and in August we found out that she had tumours on her brain as well as along her lungs and that she also has enlgarged lymph nodes. She is now considered Stage IV with metastacese (sp) including the brain. A series of Chemotherapy was initaited but the side effects now outway the benefits. Nothwithstanding the chemo, she continued to experience acistes in the lungs and nausea etal. So in consultation with our family doctor and Barb's oncologist, the decision was made to cease treatments.
It is now a matter of when, not if, Barb will be leaving us. It is very hard. We live in Yellowknife where there are no readily available support groups for caregivers. I am fortunate to have a good group of supoprtive friends in Yellowknife and family from Ontario. However, it is getting tougher and tougher as a caregiver.
I have always been able to make food that Barb likes but now her appetite is depressed and her taste buds have changed. It is hard to make something she likes well enough so that she can eat enough.
Most of all, the toughest thing is that I can't seem to make her smile or laugh anymore. That hurts a lot.
I hope to find an online support group here or through cancerchat.ca in the near future.
If anyone can share their experiences, this is very new to me, that would be helpful.
Thanks.