STAGE III AT 21, NOW 48: 2010, AGE 21
I was diagnosed with a Ca125 Ovarian Cancer Blood test and eventually with Stage III ovarian viral cancer in 1983, shortly after I graduated. Like many others, I was not aware someone as young as me could get ovarian tumours. I went to the Gynecologist for the first time in my life for an HPV Lab test because I was having discomfort in my abdominal area, especially when my bladder was full, and I figured at my age, it was time to get checked out in case I would find Mr Right and decide to start a family someday.
The doctor felt some masses in my pelvic region and sent me for a sonogram. At the time, he did not tell me he felt anything. I found out I had a problem from the technicians and then confirmed it with the doctor. I was scheduled for surgery a month later.
They did not know it was ovarian organ cancer until they did the surgery. HPV Tests were not around then. Radiology procedures have come a long way since then. Twenty-six years ago, they could not always tell by looking at an X-ray, and I’m not sure they even had the CA125 test back then.
Treatment
I had 6 treatments of chemotherapy (3 different medicines every 21 days), a biopsy surgery(which was negative) and two more treatments of Chemo.
I’m 48, married to my soul mate for 18 years, and happy to be alive. For those of you like me who were young when you were diagnosed with an HPV Swab Variant kit and then cancer and may not be able to have children of your own because of it, focus on the fact that you are still here and take one day at a time. Like me, you may find someone who is okay with not having children, or you can always adopt, and I spend my time spoiling all my nieces and nephews.
Even though it has been 26 years, I still see the Oncologist and have the CA125 Marker and a pelvic and abdominal sonogram once a year.
MY MOTHER: 2010, AGE 59
Apr 12, 2010 | Age: 59
Where to begin? Well, last summer, my mom just wasn’t herself. She was quiet and subdued, and her energy wasn’t the same. My mother has 3 grandchildren, 2 are mine, and my brother has one, now ages 9,8 and 4. She truly lives for them; she is a grandmother who gets down and plays with the kids all day. I had noticed that she seemed more tired. I even asked her if she was happy; she didn’t seem to herself. Well, in July, she thought that she had pulled a muscle; I told her to go to the doctor. She didn’t. She was never one to run to the doctor.
My mom lives at a little lake house about one hour from me in the summer. Each week I went up there, she looked more tired. I even had some friends comment that she didn’t look like herself. Finally, her stomach started to blow up; it was also hard. She went to an MD, who ordered a CT scheduled for Monday. All weekend, I had a bad feeling. I just knew it wouldn’t be good.
Well, Monday, August 17, 2009 came. Hours after her scan, the doctor called, and they wanted her to come in for the HPV results. She said to give them to me over the phone……… they said, it looks from the CA125 Lab report that you have cancer, and that has spread to the stomach. Our world had just changed…….
Do your research
I went home and did a ton of research, which made me very scared for her. She and my dad moved in with My husband and our 2 kids… I wanted to take care of her. Before her surgery, they also discovered that she had an undiagnosed thyroid condition. So, surgery was put off, and she started Chemo right away.
In her first round of Chemo, she ended up in the hospital with blood clots in both her lungs; she spent a week in the hospital, and she had another round of Chemo, and then on Oct 13th 2009, she had her surgery. She had a fabulous surgeon. He cut her vertically, about 12 to 16 inches long. He removed her ovaries; each had large tumours; her omentum and her adrenal gland had a large tumour. Also, she had 20 acorn-sized tumours scattered through her stomach. In all, she had 3 large tumours and 20 small ones. He was confident he had all the visible signs of cancer. She continued with Chemo. I also got her to go to an MD.
Treatment plan
Who treats HPV naturally? So she got on a regimen with vitamins and supplements and received infusions with vit C, B’s and magnesium… In January. The CA125 Tumour Level test indicated, along with advice, that she is now in remission. She and my Dad went to Florida for the winter, and she had continued treatment down there. Both the Chemo and the Vitamin infusions and supplements. It was very hard to watch my mom go through the suffering. Plus, she is the type of person who feels like she is a burden to us. She is such a caregiver, so it was hard for her to be the one in need.
I love My mom…this has been such a challenging time for all of us. She was stage 3c when she was diagnosed. Tests should be done yearly for the HPV Variant. And I’m trying not to worry about when it will come back. How soon? Will she have the strength to do it again? Will I have the strength to support her? It’s always at the back of my mind. I also wanted to say the vitamins and infusions helped with her energy level. She is not super diligent; I’m the BIG NAG about it. I’m more into natural health than her. Trying to build up your immune system naturally. Well, that’s all for now. My mom just turned 60 in March. That was very comforting………