Sisterhood of Survivorship
Sharing, Caring, Surviving
Janice's Story
Year Diagnosed: 2007
Type of Cancer: peritoneal carcinoma
My nightmare started on 2/22/07. I went for my annual gynecological appointment never thinking this one visit would forever change my life.
After an internal exam, the doctor found a mass and after many tests and a laparoscopic surgery, I was told on 7/3/07 that I had cancer. Diagnosis: peritoneal carcinoma. The operation, which was performed one week later, was a huge success. The cancer was contained and the soft-ball sized tumor was removed in its entirety. After a few agonizing days, the test results had indicated that only one lymph node was cancerous, which was removed during the operation, and all other organs, tissues and cells were negative. Radiation was unnecessary. Since my cancer was very rare there were tests performed on the tumor to see which concoction of chemo would be best. One was found and I started chemo six weeks later. Two weeks after my first chemo, I lost my hair; it was the only day I allowed myself to cry.
I was very sick but knew that each session that was completed was one closer to the end.
On 12/17, my eighteen weeks of chemotherapy were completed. I was looking forward to my hair growing back and just moving on with my life. A CAT scan was performed the following month and it didn’t show anything suspicious. I went to the doctor in February for a check-up and all was fine so I was told to come back in three months. When I returned in May, for what I thought would be a routine check-up, I was devastated to hear that another tumor was found. A biopsy performed a week later confirmed it was cancer. I never thought I would have to deal with this a year less than my first diagnosis and only five months out from chemotherapy.
This time around the tumor was situated in a unique area so it required a second and third opinion. After receiving the news that I would need a permanent colostomy from my doctors in Florida, I went up to Sloan Kettering in New York and received different opinions as to how they would handle my case and operations. I was seen by two oncologists, a gynecologist along with a colorectal [specialist], and one plastic surgeon. Everyone was on board for my complicated operation which took place a month later and took 9.5 hours to complete. I had a tremendous amount of work performed including massive vaginal reconstruction, a complete hysterectomy, removal of a portion of my rectum as well as a temporary ileostomy. Seven weeks later I endured yet another surgery to have the ileostomy reversed. I was up in New York for three months and finally returned home to Florida as a whole person. It was truly a gift that I was under the care of three world renowned doctors.
I had to endure a maintenance chemotherapy, Doxil, for six months, which was how I started the new year. The thought of having my body poisoned again was disheartening but it was an option and as long as there was something that could keep me alive, I had to do it. There were minimal side effects and different ones from the first go-around. I had a full body rash for a month, a common side effect named Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS) and my hands and feet were in a constant state of redness, bothersome swelling, and my skin was constantly flaking and peeling. I suffered with mouth sores which led to thrush which I battled three times. I kept my hair which grew back a different color and my straight hair sprouted curls. It was a new me!
There is always a concern of what will chemotherapy will do to my body down the road but then you have to think that if there is a road to go down several years from now, then everything I went through was worth it.
I hope and pray that this is the last time I will ever have to battle this horrific disease. In the mean time, I have started a support group called Healing Hands with a breast cancer survivor and I am writing a book, which I hope to get published. I treat every day as a gift and plan on living my life one day at a time, as a two-time cancer survivor.