Sisterhood of Survivorship
Sharing, Caring, Surviving
Mary A's Story
Year Diagnosed: 2002
Type of Cancer: ovarian
I married at 40 and bore two sons at 41 and 44 years of age. Following menopause, I had trace bleeding. As a nurse, I know this needs to be checked. I routinely saw a gynecologist. I even had a D & C.
After hearing a TV program about a lady who begged for a CA125 test, I asked my gynecologist if she checked my ovaries. Also, could I have a CA125 blood test? It's just a simple blood test. After all, I was still bleeding! She said "NO" to both, and added the CA125 would create more problems than it solved.
Nine months later I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer. I practically diagnosed myself. I was working as a certified school nurse in the Chicago system. Feeling ill, I took tylenol for about a week. My youngest son was only ten years old. So for Halloween I rented a hotel downtown for all of us with the thought of going to Navy Pier. Besides the malaise, I also felt pressure...like pressure on my diaphragn...like when pregnant. I knew I was not pregnant. When I went on "all fours" like a dog, I could breathe better.
At the hotel, I was so sick my husband took the boys out. I talked to myself at that point. I said to myself: "Are you an idiot or what? Something is wrong inside. Are you waiting for it to explode, or are you going to get it checked out NOW?" So when the children and my husband were sleeping, I took a cab to the emergency room. It was Halloween night. I was very fortunate that there was very little going on. And I was fortunate to have a doctor who didn't tell me to "take aspirin and call my doctor in the morning."..even though I was not bleeding or vomiting; actually I was joking around after calling my husband, he admitted me. He said my pulse was very rapid. The next day I had an abdominal CT scan and that "said it all". I had tumors and tumors.
As a nurse, I knew they could be benign, but I doubted it even then. My plan was to just charge ahead with treatment. At the time, I couldn't even say "gynecologic oncologist". I didn't know how important it was to have the most perfect surgery you could have right from the start. So I was fortunate to be introduced to one in the hospital. I saw him yesterday. 2012 will be ten years in Nov. I thanked him again. Yes, I had the "gold standard" treatment of chemo. I also participated in a clinical trial, being injected with interferon along with the chemo. I don't know if that helped or not. The trial was eventually stopped, after I was done with the chemo, because the death rate for women taking interferon was higher than those who were not. That's the chances one takes. However, it may have helped me. I don't know and the doctors don't know either.
I asked everyone I knew to pray for me. And I prayed various types of prayers. I'm glad God didn't answer this prayer "Let it be fast."...meaning I didn't want to hang around with an IV drip moaning.
Instead the Good Lord gave me life with no recurrences to this point. My special Psalm is 30: 11 "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with JOY." Live in the moment. Every day.
Finally, don't trust your doctor. I mean that. Don't trust your doctor if you think something is wrong and he/she doesn't. I was seeing a gynecologist who wouldn't order a CA125. Follow the prompting of your heart and mind. Amen!