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Name:
Karen Spriggs (kleigh)

Member Since:
December 28, 2006

Location:
Houston, Texas

Birthday:
01-27-60

Type of Cancer:
Ovarian Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer:
Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma

Diagnosis Date:
June 1, 2006

Stage of Cancer:
Stage 3C

Lymph Node Involvement:
Yes

Surgery:
Lymph Node Removal, Re-excision Surgery

Chemotherapy:
Taxol (chemical name: paclitaxel)

Profile:
Cancer Survivor

What I Hate Most About Cancer:
It comes back...sometimes

Cancer Symptoms:

cramps (like the kind that you have when ovuating)just sort of different…
slight weight gain
being just a bit more tired than usual, but ultimately

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects:

June 1, 2006 Laproscopy…ultimately colonoscopy, and partial small intesting removal…with lymphnode involvement

June 12, 2006
Placement of a port-a-cath for IV chemo.

October 5, 2006
Coloscopy take down (reversal), and debulking…removal of tubes, ovaries, omentum, and more lymphnodes.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

June 20, 2006, and every following 3 weeks…through August 29, 2006…then the last 2 of the 6 treatments – November 7, 2006 & November 28, 2006
Carboplatin & Taxol
I really didn’t know what to expect with the first treatment. Felt great for 24 hours after…but then I felt like a semi-truck had run over me about 10 times…or worse case of the flu X 20! Twelve days later, I had a reverse mohawk going on (hair falling out)and had my husband shave my head. The worst of it was losing my eyelashes and eyebrows! You know your hair is going to go…but no one told me ALL of my body hair would go Talk about being striped of your “womanhood”! I still wince when I think of those times!
Numbness in my feet(Pins & Needles)...always worse by the end of the day.

Hormone Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

I’ll take my chances without it

Immune Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

June 21, 2006, and every following 3 weeks…through August 30, 2006…then November 8 & November 29, 2006
Injection of Neulesta
Major bone and joint pain…and I just thought chemo did a number on me!

Aranesp…only when my red count and platlets would get below normal. That wasn’t often

kleigh's Cancer Blog

April 28, 2007

Update on Karen Views: 480

Hey Y’all, Karen asked me to post this update for her. She is very very weak and has come to the point where her spirit is being overcome by the disease. In general she is comfortable and not in much pain. I’ll be happy to answer any questions or deliver messages, if you’ll email me..jimspriggs@houston.rr.com . Please know that Karen loves you all very much, and sends her best. Jim

Posted on April 28, 2007 at 9:50:14 AM by Karen Spriggs ( Link to this post.

Update on Karen, Post a comment.

2 comments)

Jim, Thanks for the update. Please let Karen know she is in my thoughts every day. Take care of her and of yourself.
-Sam

Posted on April 29, 2007 at 4:41:44 AM by slockwooclimbs

Karen is in my thoughts and prayers, please let her know she has touched my life and helped me with my battle even as she’s fighting her own.

Posted on May 1, 2007 at 4:43:48 PM by caitaly

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