I've been a pretty active person for as long as I can remember. After moving away from San Francisco to be a home mom, I took up running after a 20 year hiatus. In recent years I ran over a dozen half marathons, four full marathons, and a 50K ultra. It came as quite a surprise to me that no matter how much I ran, or didn't run, I was always tired. I had constant, low grade indigestion, started to gain weight, and became bloated. I had a female exam just a few months earlier and was deemed fine, so I thought it was just aging and premenopausal symptoms. I was 52 years old. Then I had trouble sleeping, and I was peeing constantly like a pregnant woman. It didn't alarm me until I realized I wasn't going at all. After visiting the local urgent care, getting referred for a sonogram & CT, getting the sonogram and being referred to my GP for the CT and still no relief, I started to panic. I was exhausted, couldn't lie down, couldn't get comfortable, couldn't pee, and couldn't sleep. I was afraid that if the pressure in my stomach got worse, it would put pressure on my heart. What if it stopped while I was sleeping and my son woke up to a dead mom. I gave up, and at 12:30 AM, I drove myself to my medical plan hospital in my pajamas, my son was with me, the hubby at work. I spent the night having this, that, and the other test done, and finally the CT in the morning. I was terrified when given the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Procedures were done for a biopsy, my bloated stomach was drained, and I could pee again.

Then I was on the treatment cycle for ovarian cancer. I did the chemo-surgery-chemo plan. I had a full hysterectomy, lost my hair, my sense of taste for a short while, got numb fingers & toes, but otherwise tolerated it quite well until the last month when I felt a pinch in my side. It was no surprise to me that I had a new growth on my liver. I immediately went into the next chemo combination. I lost my eyebrows & eyelashes, my veins turned into concrete and then started to dive and roll. I got a port installed. Chemo was easier, but now my feet were swelling and peeling to the point it was painful to stand. My hands were worse. They swelled, cracked, peeled, and looked like they were exploding even after I did the remedies suggested. Finally, I got a prescription that stopped that process. I got my extremities back to normal, but then I had visible tumors in my lymph nodes, and my cancer numbers in my blood work were climbing. After a short break, I started a clinical trial with promising results. My numbers went down...but then I had another new growth! This wasn't fair. It's nearly two years in treatment, and although I now have more energy than when I was first diagnosed, I was still sick and I have metastasis. What will the next chemo give me, another new growth...where will that be? In my lungs? My brain? Then what? Comfort care? I'm only 54! I want a normal life back!

This is a temporary condition. I am not my cancer! I am an athlete first, then a patient. These are my mantras.

I firmly believe that my diet/exercise lifestyle has kept me otherwise healthy throughout this process. I want to attack my "intruder" with everything I can at the same time. I have healing crystals under my pillow, a clean/organic diet, loads of antioxidant supplements, and I'm out walking again for exercise and fresh air. Now it's now time to try something new and "off-label." I've been reading about hyperbaric chamber treatments and how well they work against cancer. I'd also like to see a naturopathic oncologist to adjust my diet and supplements to have their best effect in my battle against the beast inside me. Hopefully this alone, or in combination with my next chemo, (one that will allow the alternative treatments), will turn the tide and give me the results to regain my life. Unfortunately, my oncologist can't prescribe or recommend them. These treatments have been proven to work, but because they are not "mainstream," they will not be covered by insurance. I've done the research, and don't qualify for early retirement or disability to pay for them because I'm too young, for one, and have been unemployed too long, for the other.

So, now I'm appealing for assistance. I want to get off my current treatment merry-go-round and finally get a better handle on my "temporary" condition. I'm too young to become the five-year statistic that I believe I'm otherwise headed. I have a teen aged son, a fire-fighter husband, and a wonderful life I would like to get back. I want my five-year pin for my fifth marathon that I've had to postpone twice. I want to see my kid finish high school, graduate college, start his own life, and to be able to spoil my future grandkids. I want to grow old and grey with my husband. I promised my son I would be around to celebrate my 100th birthday, and I'm doing my best to keep my word. With your generous assistance I can get the alternative "off-label" treatments and support to achieve these goals. Anything will help, because small things can add up to create big results. If you want to know more about me, and my journey, I've been keeping a blog at lifewithsophy.weebly.com. It starts with "The bend in the road" in August 2016.

Thank you