Surviving Cancer

I am 63 years old, a counselor and certified sex therapist, and very very healthy. I am NOT on the “A-list” of “women who are more likely to get Ovarian cancer. As I matter of fact, in September of 2006, I was on the perfect list of women who should not get ovarian cancer My only marker for it was that I am post menopausal.

I was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer in October (2006) as a result of going to my GYN for a yearly PAP. She was doing an internal exam and said “I think you have a little swwelling in your lower right quadrant.”

I did not have bloating. I did not have pain anywhere. I had absolutley NO symptoms, no night sweats, no weight loss, no change in eating or bowel habits. I am known as the “food police” in my family. Eat healthy, exercise daily, use supplements that are antioxidants.

I went the very next day for an ultrasound/sonogram. Results came back with “non-suspicious cysts on my ovaries.” We discussed laparoscopy surgery to remove the ovaries, and we discussed cancer because I asked about it. My GYN was very encouraging that it was not all that likely that I would have cancer.

But I did.

At that time, my CA125 was 91. The laparoscopy surgery proved that I had 2 very bad ovaries, and a dusting of cancer cells on my diaphragm. I had very little fluid in my abdomen and no other “tumors”. I did have cancer cells in my uterus, cervix, omentum, diaphragm, and tubes and ovaries, of course. I did not have cancer cells in any lymph nodes. That resulted in a diagnosis of stage 3A ovarian cancer epithilial cell, estrogen positive. After surgery my CA125 was 115.

I looked for an ovarian cancer support group in my area of Florida. There were none. If I wanted to drive an hour south, there was one in Boca. I could not do that and do chemo too.

Chemo began on November 3rd about 2 weeks after optimal debulking surgery and one week after having a “port” placed in the left side of my chest. I was originally given Carboplatin and Taxol, plus all the other drugs to help with side effects and nausea. On the day of chemo and the next day, I felt great. By the third day, every time, I was pretty tired. The Taxol realy hurt my legs and feet. After that first round of treatment and the pain, the oncologist switched me to Carboplatin and Taxotere. It was much, much better. No more debilitating leg and foot pain. After my first chemo treatment, my CA125 dropped to 67.

I was able to work by limiting my hours to about 3 clients a day. I had to nap every day for about an hour plus. After the second chemo treatment I began to lose my shoulder length white hair, and went to have my beautician give me a boy cut. We both cried.

I looked for a long white wig, but they do not make them for women my age. Maybe long white wigs don’t sell very well for us older women, huh? So through the American Cancer Society catalog, I found a short one that was cute enough and affordable.
After that second treatment, my CA125 dropped to 37.

As a result of the surgery I had, I developed a seroma, a bubble under the skin that allows body fluid to collect and then drain out through the incision line. During chemo it takes all things much longer to heal. The oncology surgeon suggested that I bind the incision line to put pressure on the seroma site, until it healed on its own. The purpose was to keep the fluid from building under the skin, in the hope that it would heal faster. It did not.

I wore a large (wide and long) Ace bandage wrapped around my abdomen, with a feminine hygiene pad for pressure, until one month after all my chemo treatments were complete.

That was in mid February 2007. My CA125 dropped a lot each time I had treatment. It helped me keep my spirits up, even when it was the hardest to do that and I’d get down or upset. I had my port removed in April, 6 weeks after my chemo ended.

I told everyone I knew about my diagnosis and encouraged them to see a gynecologist yearly, and to insist that loved ones do the same.

I reached out to friends and others for support and read everything I could stand to read about ovarian cancers. Most of it was and is pretty scary.

I am doing very well now. My CTscans, blood work and xrays have remained clear since February 2007. My CA125 is remaining at 8. I did gain 10 pounds after chemo and it is hard to lose. I am back to eating well and exercising, doing everything I can to stay fit and keep the cancer gone. I go next week for blood work (every 2 months) again, and Yes. It is scary every time. My oncologist suggested last time that I could go every 3 months now. I was too scared to wait that long, so she left it at 2 months for now.

The diagnosis of ovarian cancer has been hard on my husband of 43 years and on my son who is 38. My husband has a hard time understanding all the ins and outs although he is truly wonderful and supportive. He is also scared. Seems when a family member is diagnosed with cancer, everyone in the family has that diagnosis (feels the sure effects). It has also been somewhat hard on intimacy issues. Rediscovering what works best and the hows, whens, and whats has been interesting since diagnosis, surgery and chemo. Realizing the changes in my body and libido, and what to do about those changes has been a work in progress.

Because there was no support group for me when I needed one, I have started a free Gynecological Cancers support group for women in my area. It meets once a month at the cancer center near me. So far we have had 2 women come to it. I think that is a pretty good start considering the ACS says that 22 thousand women will be diagnosed with Ovarian cancer in the US this year. That means there aren’t tons in my area. But those who are will have support.

I have told others this; I am not happy that I got cancer. However, often in my life I have thought that one does not know how a gift will come packaged, nor in what way that gift might be used down the road.