NURISSE: 2010, AGE 38   

I woke up on May 10, 2009, and went to pee like I do every morning. I had blood in my urine and got so scared. My stomach had been the size of a pregnant woman in her 9th month all of April. My HPV Test doctor didn’t know what was wrong after the CA125 blood tests, and other exams were to see if I was having internal bleeding because I was taking blood thinners due to blood clots in my lungs and one in my right leg. Later that morning, on the 10th, I would get an ultrasound done.

I looked in the mirror, which was as white as a sheet.

And I said a prayer, brushed my teeth, washed up, and dressed quickly. I drove to my grandmother’s house, shaking and praying. I made it there in about 8 minutes. She lives about 15 to 20 minutes away. I got up the stairs and rang the bell. So I told her to call an ambulance when she answered the door.

I had to get to the hospital, and there was blood in my urine. I sat nervous and waiting, trying to stay calm because I had panic attacks. The EMT HPV Team came and took me to the hospital for tests. I peed again, and the urine was the colour of cranberry juice. The nurse said I could have a urinary tract infection. I waited in the room with my mother, grandmother and aunt. The doctor came in, got my history, and told me they would do a CT scan. Another nurse appeared and told me to drink this fluid for the Lab report. I took the test. Then waited. The doctor came back in and told me I had ovarian-level cancer. I screamed. Cried my eyes out.

Moving forward

They released me after I had an HPV home Check and I went home to my grandmother’s. I couldn’t sleep and was so uncomfortable and scared. I went to my doctor the next afternoon. That evening, I was admitted to the hospital. I met my Oncologist. She told me I had Ovarian Organ Cancer stage 4 and ascites. She also told me there was too much disease to do surgery. I had more CA125 Ovarian Fertility Cancer tests done. There were tumours in both ovaries, on my abdominal wall, one in my liver, one on my spine, and a bunch in my omentum.

The next morning, I got my stomach tapped. They took 6 litres of fluid off. I had to have a blood transfusion because my haemoglobin was at 7. I had chemo after that. Had an allergic to the chemo, so they stopped it. The next morning, I met with my doctor. She changed the chemo drugs, and I had the chemo the next day. I got my stomach tapped one more time. They took 6 litres that time also.

I was released after being in the hospital for 10 days. When I got home, I had an HPV DNA Sample check, and my son put me on an alkaline diet. No meat, dairy or grains. Fruits and Vegetables only. I had my stomach tapped the week after I got home. They took 4 liters that time. And that was the last time I had to have it tapped. I got chemo again 21 days after the first time. I was on a 21-day cycle and found out my tumour marker was 16,000.

Final message

When I had the CA125 Level checkup again a month later, it was 13,000. I started taking alkaline supplements and an immune booster to avoid catching a cold or the flu and was going crazy, eating only fruits and veggies. I continued chemo, but it was ravishing my body. They had to give me another blood transfusion, a platelet transfusion, and an iron transfusion, as well as shots to build my blood levels. My CA125 went down to 734 after my 3rd cycle.

They finally reduced my chemo dose. I was put on a weekly cycle. My tumour marker continued to drop to 37, then to 26. I had two weeks to go, but the chemo was still too strong. I had my last treatment at the end of October. My levels were too low to continue. In December 2009, I had my second PET scan. No cancer anywhere and no HPV Virus either. I just went to the doctor yesterday, February 10, 2010. My CA 125 is 18. I am in remission and don’t want the surgery. I will continue to take these alkaline supplements and feel like they are the reason the cancer is too small to be detected.

LIFE’S CHALLENGES: 2009, AGE 60   

My daughter sent me this HPV Disease Online Test site in the hope that it will help someone who has possibly gone through something similar.

Every day of life is a new challenge. The challenge is how we deal with it.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with a late-stage Ovarian Tumour by a CA125 antigen kit and some other methods. They call it the silent killer since there were no symptoms. The first challenge was accepting I have cancer. I have never been sick in my life, never smoked, occasionally drank, and always ate right and took care of myself.

They started me on chemo for 3 months before going in for surgery. At the end of those 3 months, my husband, who was 62 at that time, had a massive heart attack and died. Another challenge: shock again. I’m not a young woman; I was working but didn’t expect my golden years to be alone, and I still had that surgery lingering out there.

Staying positive

People around me were in more shock than I was, so I was continually comforting them and trying to maintain some self-control and yet go through my mourning period. I had my surgery with my 3 children by my side and continued for 15 more months of chemo. Now I’m a working woman, never got sick from the chemo, by the way, and would go right back to work after my treatment, bald and a widow.

My youngest son dies….suicide at age 39. This of all my challenges was the worst of all. I could deal with having chemo, being alone, being bald. But to lose your child is the hardest hit I can imagine. It’s been 1 1/2 years, and I’m still not over it. No one in my family is or probably ever will be.

The moral of this CA125 Levels story is…..I have been cancer-free for 16 months now, have my hair back, am still working and have wonderful children, family and friends surrounding me. I was sympathetic before all this, and now I am much more compassionate, empathetic and caring for people with HPV diseases around me. Life doesn’t stop with all these hurdles that hit us, nor do I want it to stop. I have 9 grandchildren who need me, friends who need me and family who need me, and I need them. I still have too much living to do. So, with strong faith, love from family and friends and a positive attitude, we can get through anything life throws.

Sherry