How do you get through the storm...coping with Ovarian Cancer

As September comes to a close, I wanted to remind everyone that although September is "officially" Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, the symptoms for Ovarian Cancer are something that we should all be aware of every day. I've seen more ad's and article's about Ovarian Cancer this past month than I've ever seen and I'd hate to see the momentum disappear.

A friend from NY e-mailed me today to let me know that she shared a taxi with Kathy Bates this morning. Before you get your britches in a bunch, they didn't actually share a ride, Kathy was on a commercial playing in the taxi...a commercial about the symptoms and warning signs of Ovarian Cancer and as a former New Yorker I can tell you that this is great exposure because New Yorker's spend a great deal of their day riding around town in taxi's.

OVCA is no longer silent. The symptoms are vague and they may require you to be a little more diligent and in tune to what's happening with your body, but they're there...we should never be afraid to voice our concerns...no matter how small or trivial they may seem.

• bloating
• abdominal pain
• frequent or urgent urination
• pain during intercourse
• back pain
• feeling full quickly
• nausea or gas

Since being diagnosed with cancer, I've often been praised for how well I've dealt with my illness. Although I appreciate the compliments I don't think that I'm any different than anyone else whose been faced with an unwanted/unplanned/unpleasant detour in life. I don't think I made a conscience effort to approach it with an open mind, things move so fast once you're diagnosed that you have no choice but to move forward and I wouldn't be human if I didn't admit that some days were harder than others. I still have days where I literally don't know how to put one foot in front of the other in order to get from point A to point B. Sometimes it's because I don't know what to do next and other time's it's because I'm afraid that once I take that step forward, the other shoe is bound to drop.

Here are few things that helped me navigate my journey...

• Family and Friends
• My belief in God and that we're never given more than we can bare
• Support groups(Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Florida and Daily Strength)
• Positive Thinking
• The ability to allow myself to grieve
• Communication(not the easiest thing to do)
• A good cup of tea
• A good laugh
• A day or two where I left cancer at home(thanks to my husband)

If you're reading my journal and you're battling a monster of your own, I encourage you to leave a comment about what tools/resources you used to weather the storm. Sharing because you care enough to, is the only way we can all get through this...