Hello,
today the sublime Oli, 34 years old, whom I have the immense privilege of having met, gives us her fight against a K of the ovary, stage 4, which she has been fighting with incredible strength for 1 year, surrounded by a super tight-knit family.
Beyond being an incredible fighter, what we remember about Oli is the dignity, the elegance, the inspiring strength that naturally emanates from her, the determination without ever complaining, in short, an inspiring woman.
A very beautiful person to discover, I invite you to follow her blog “
Belle contre le Cancer ” to find out a little more about this amazing warrior mother, who loves life, shopping and gluten-free cakes, which she cooks divinely. .
Little personal statement, Oli, don’t change anything, you are so inspiring and luminous <3
Very nice discovery.
Let's get started:
Who are you ?
First name: Oli
Age: 34 years old
Profession: Asset client advisor
Where do you live: Villeneuve le Roi
Why do you agree to share your story today?
I want to share my story because I was lost when I was diagnosed with my illness. When I looked on the internet, I never came across sites or blogs where you could read positive and encouraging things. I was also very afraid of the physical changes, and I want to show people suffering from this damn disease that there is a multitude of treatments, products, support treatments to help us during this fight. I hope my testimony will help them!
What are your qualities (in a few words)?
Sociable, generous, determined and committed
What are your passions (in a few words)?
Travel, shopping and baking.
What K (what cancer - grade if you wish / stage ditto):
Stage IV ovarian cancer, with perihepatic peritoneal carcinomatosis.
When was it discovered? How old were you ?
on 05/24/16. 34 years old
Under what circumstances was it discovered?
I was leaving work, after chatting with my colleagues (yes, I'm a big chatterbox!!!), I was getting ready to go home. I was seized with violent pain.
If you are currently undergoing treatment, or in remission (for how long?)
I am currently undergoing treatment.
Can you summarize your (K fighter) story for us ?
Apart from lower back pain that occurred at the end of March, I never had any symptoms (well except the swollen stomach, but I thought I had gained weight).
I felt a strong pain on my right. As the minutes passed, the pain increased. So I went to see my general practitioner, who saw me without delay. He thought it was renal colic, so I had an ultrasound immediately. The radiologist therefore saw large masses in the lower abdomen, and yet I did not have stomach pain. I had an x-ray, my GP and the radiologist sent me to the clinic.
Arriving at the clinic in great pain, I was initially relieved because it was unbearable, and the doctors sent me for a CT scan. They then explained to me that there were large tumors on the ovaries, the cystic mass on the right ovary was 10 cm and on the left ovary 5 cm. The next day I had my first operation. And on June
1 , the surgeon who operated on me told me that I had stage IV ovarian cancer.
What treatment did you have?
chemo: if you have had it:
9 courses of chemotherapy, each course being spaced 3 weeks apart. Initially I was supposed to have Carboplatin + Taxol every 3 weeks. But I had an allergy to Taxol. So I had Carboplatin + Gemcitabine on D1, Gemcitabine on D8, and rest the
3rd week.
Since the
7th treatment, I have 22 Avastin sessions scheduled, each session spaced 3 weeks apart. In total I will have 40 treatment sessions…
radiotherapy: if you have had it: no radiotherapy
operation if you have had one (how long you were hospitalized): pfff, let's start:
- 05/25/2016: removal of the right ovary measuring 10 cm in diameter with exploration, removal of a cyst of the left ovary measuring 5 cm. I wake up with a 15 cm scar...
- 05/30/2016: placement of a JJ probe, connecting my right kidney to the bladder. The cyst crushed my kidney a bit, so this catheter had to be placed so that the disease and the urine could be removed. In addition, a 3 cm nodule had decided to settle between my bladder and the back of my uterus.
- 06/01/2016: installation of my implantable port (to start chemotherapy treatments). I have been hospitalized for 4 weeks since May 25th.
- 09/09/2016: evaluation laparoscopy, or exploration of my abdominal cavity in preparation for my major operation. The operation was outpatient, so discharged a few hours later.
- 12/10/2016: major cleaning operation. Removal of the left ovary, uterus, removal of several nodules, removal of the spleen, the appendix, part of the omentum, part of the peritoneum, removal of adhesions on the diaphragmatic dome, removal of a nodule located on the curve of the stomach. There were other actions because this famous cancer has developed well in my body. This time, I wake up with a scar going from the pubis to the sternum, a little over 30 cm. I was hospitalized for 15 days.
I have to have surgery at the end of January 2017 to change or remove my JJ catheter.
other: search for BRCA status. This is a blood test carried out to find out if I carry the BRCA1/2 gene.
What tips directly related to K do you want to share?
(your feeling with the doctor, your good treatment organization plans, anything that seems useful to you ;))?
1/ chemo: (ex: your tips, the helmet, your affinities with nurses):
I have always been well supported during each chemo. And since I'm a big talker, the sessions went by very quickly. I always put on the hair helmet. My oncologist advised me to adopt a short haircut and to wear the helmet during each session. I also had a very good feeling with the nurses. Already, because I knew some of them at Gustave Roussy, and then, by dint of seeing us, affinities were created.
How did you live the day before, the same day, the days after chemo?
and what were your tips?
The day before chemo, I was very often with my family and friends, I was stressed at first, then very calm. On chemo days, I spent a lot of time preparing to be the most beautiful to meet my chemo friend!!! And the days after, under the duvet with my mother who took care of me.
2/ hospital: (e.g. contact with nurses / doc / caregivers):
I have always had good relationships with the nursing staff. First, I was followed by a gynecological oncologist and the head of the department. I bombarded them with questions and they always answered them perfectly. They are both very attentive (I was told that at the IGR the doctors were cold and distant…)
Nurses and caregivers are my little fairies. They were very attentive during my various hospitalizations. I found some clients again, it was quite funny, so I was pampered!
The surgeons and anesthetists also took the time to clearly explain how the operations took place, and carried out regular monitoring.
I don't know if I'm lucky, but everyone is really attentive and available.
3/ “parallel” medicine, if you have done it (what disciplines, what were their benefits):
Before each chemo treatment, I do an acupuncture session. My acupuncturist is a former anesthesiologist and gives me valuable advice regarding my illness. And as soon as my platelets are very low, he helps me raise them!
He also prescribed my homeopathic treatment.
I also saw him before each of my scheduled operations, to prepare my body, and also after my operations, to put everything back in order.
I also do physiotherapy for my scars, the physiotherapist massages them, and it helps to make them disappear. I also did physiotherapy before my last 2 operations in order to strengthen my body, it helped me a lot to recover.
Finally, I do foot reflexology. In fact when I went it was to do my feet good, then I learned during the session that reflexology calms various ailments!
What did you do to clear your mind/clear your head (before chemo, surgery & co)?
Ohlala, so to clear my head I take my headphones and go shopping!!! I came out of my 4 weeks of hospitalization, and as luck would have it the summer sales were the next day!!! I could not resist.
My loved ones also offered me a lot of treatment in institutes, I used them after my long hospitalization, and above all I had massages before my last operations.
My family and friends also organized restaurants, surprises and outings for me!!!
What practical “well-being/beauty” tips can you advise us?
1/ beauty: your essential products (e.g.: creams, varnishes, scars, oils, etc.)
I'm lucky (again!!!). One of my sisters works in cosmetics, so I was able to have almost all LA ROCHE POSAY products, I only use this brand (soap + body care, cleansing oil + body cream, hair shampoo , lip balm, make-up remover, micellar water, sunscreen). For my scars, I use the cicaplast treatment from La Roche Posay.
For my hair, I use La Roche Posay shampoo the day before chemo, and 4 days later, I shampoo again with Le Forticea by Furterer (thanks to my pharmacist). My hair is very dry, so I use a nourishing treatment from Aussie straight after.
For the nails, I bought a varnish from Laroche Posay, the chocolate color. And then I found some strengthening silicon varnishes from the Eye Care brand at the drugstore. So I bought the strengthening base, several dark colors and the top coat. Remember to use a special remover, I also found it in the Eye Care brand.
I also went to the podiatrist to have my toenails cut (and yes, this is not the time to have an ingrown toenail!).
Concerning my well-being tips, I did facial treatments in institutes and massages. I asked the nurses for advice before my massages.
Finally, I did sports twice a week (always with the agreement of my surgeon and my oncologist).
2/ look, (e.g. your favorite chemo, hospital, every day look to feel good):
After several chemo treatments, I left with my hair, makeup and heels. I want to show that you can be beautiful and sick! In summer I wore slim jeans, with tunics or loose shirts (and yes we will still receive chemo!). This winter I'm adopting the onion technique: most often my "Together Stronger" sweater, a round-neck t-shirt, sometimes a tank top.
At the hospital, I was in “stylish” pajama pants, according to the nurses!!! With a tank top and always my vests.
After my operation, I was often in leggings and a tunic. I often adopt this look every day, or in jeans and a sweater or shirt or tunic.
3/ daily (e.g. sport, food & co, meditation, reading, etc.)
I have always played sports, and it was very hard after my 4 weeks in hospital, my body was all flabby with no muscle. I waited a good month after my release and my sister motivated me to slowly return to sport. I also did muscle strengthening before my operations in September and October. Believe me, it really helped me recover, I felt much less tired.
Concerning my diet, in 2007, after acute pancreatitis of biliary origin, I changed my eating habits. I prepared my own meals, and I tried to eat organic foods as much as possible.
With the arrival of this cancer, my acupuncturist and my mother's pharmacist recommended that I adopt a gluten- and lactose-free diet. It's both easy and difficult at the same time. Easy on a daily basis for dishes and dairy products (I consumed plant-based milks, I had a little trouble with milk), but difficult for the amateur pastry chef that I am. But I still manage to make very beautiful and good cakes without gluten or lactose (I sometimes fall for pastries, thank you P.Hermé!)
4/ hair problem (eg: did you wear a wig, scarves, hats)
I haven't had any hair problems so far. My oncologist advised me to wear the frozen helmet during each chemo, and to wear a short hairstyle. But I would like to point out that Gemcitabine does not have the same aggressiveness as Taxol. Alopecia is even rare. I had still anticipated the wigs (even if I've never worn one, it's not difficult to find good deals, and to have them custom made from natural hair, you just need to find a good hairdresser). I also love wearing hats, and I have a multitude of scarves, in fact my family and friends have given me quite a few.
Were you concerned about the views of others, were you afraid that their views would change? What did you do to counter it?
I was afraid of how others looked at me. I know that for some people, illness is scary. I think it's a question of ignorance on the subject. For example, most people associate cancer with hair loss!
What are the “nugget”/footed phrases (that you remember) that someone said to you during K and that you could have avoided?
“you are not yet ugly and you still have your hair”, 2 days after the announcement of my cancer…
How did your loved ones support you?
My family, my friends, my colleagues, everyone has been wonderful.
My partner has odd hours, so it wasn't easy for the children. My sisters each took turns taking a week off to look after the children. My sister who lives in London also came to support me through this ordeal. Today, she goes back and forth a lot to see me whenever she can.
My in-laws also turned their organization upside down to be able to take care of the children. My cousin who lives in Senegal also took a month of vacation to support me during my major operation.
My friends organized a lot of meals and outings for me to help me forget about the illness as much as possible.
After my 5th hospitalization, the “women in my life” organized a wonderful surprise for me, I will never forget it!
I am really well surrounded.
And what advice could you give to loved ones who accompany a K fighter?
Don't stop living and above all stay the same (my family and friends have never changed their behavior).
Not having a taboo about illness. My relatives and friends have always asked me questions about my illness, and I have never had a problem answering them.
Do you find out about K on the internet?
Unfortunately, yes. When the surgeon told me I had stage IV cancer, I typed “stage IV ovarian cancer” online. I came across a 5-year survival forecast of 5%!!! I was so scared, my little sister forbade me from going on the internet.
I had been following the Laroche Posay page on Insta for several months. And I was lucky enough to come across “Mister k fighting kit” by chance, and honestly it did me a world of good. I felt reassured.
But it's really a shame to only find negative things on the internet, at least for my part, I only came across negative sites.
Once picked up at Gustave Roussy, I was able to find useful sites.
If so, what would be the useful (internet) links that helped you during K?
MISTER K FIGHTIG KIT, discovered 3 weeks after I was diagnosed with cancer.
Oncovia ,
Even cosmetics.
What has the K changed in your life…?
(for example: your vision of the world, your priorities, your essentials, refocusing those around you, in your work, your philosophy..?)
I see things differently, it's very difficult to explain. I enjoy every moment with my loved ones, but especially with my children. With this sword of Damocles, I am very afraid of not seeing them grow, but I remain optimistic.
There is life before K, and then life after.
Free field ;)
tell us what you want (which might not be in my questions):
Don't forget to review all your insurance and pension contracts (it's the banker speaking!!!). Know that there are a multitude of things that can be put in place but it is up to you to take the necessary steps (whether for property loan insurance or otherwise, mutual insurance, home insurance, etc.)
The advice I can give you is to treat with complete confidence and comfort with all medical professionals, but also with your pharmacists. For my part, I go to a pharmacy where the manager and his colleagues are extremely kind. The same goes for the biology laboratory where I take my blood samples.
Today, cancer has changed my life, and I think I have matured even more. I want to share my experience through a blog on beauty, but also and above all on sport and diet, because I think that health depends largely on these last two items. You can read me on
www.belles-contrelecancer.com .
I also want to actively contribute to cancer research, I have a lot of ideas in my head!
I also wanted to thank all the people who, every day, help patients cope better with their cancer, and a HUGE THANK YOU to you Charlotte!
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Thank you Oli, for being who you are, I am sure that your testimony will have done a lot of good today.
You can leave comments below.
If like her, you want to tell your story, your projects and share your tips, go here , send me your questionnaire to: interview@mister-k-fighting-kit.com
*Many of you send me your testimonies, thank you for your precious trust, for this same reason, the broadcasts of your interviews will sometimes be broadcast in several months, but know that I keep and transmit absolutely ALL the testimonies that are sent to me , Thank you for understanding.
Please know that I do not retouch any Interview, they are completely free, it is your freedom, your story, they are delivered as they were sent to me ;)
NEVER GIVE UP!!
Charlotte
