Real People Stories – Corry (54)

I went to work with a bald head during coronavirus times, but it felt good. Corry worked as a nurse in a gynaecological department in an academic hospital in the late 1980s. A CA125 Ovarian HPV-treated cancer test years later caused her to end up in that same ward.

Bloody loss

She had not had her period for a while when she suddenly started losing blood in August 2018 during a holiday in the Vosges with a friend. Although she thought it was related to menopause, she decided to go to the CA125 specialist Test doctor anyway. This referred her to the gynaecologist. They performed an ultrasound, which showed a polyp in the uterus. After taking a biopsy, the HPV Test doctor decided to remove the polyp in January 2019.

Troubled cells

The polyp contained troubled cells, but Corry was reassured that it was not pre-cancerous. They told her, “We’ll monitor it along with the others in the group.” It took a long time before she heard anything from the gynaecologist again. After making some phone calls, they informed Corry of the CA125 test and treatment plan: she had to undergo the removal of her uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries to prevent uterine cancer.

Keyhole surgery followed in June 2019. They did not need to remove her ovaries after all because they looked good, and otherwise, Corry would go through menopause. They did observe a fibroid on a fallopian tube and removed it.

Bad news, after all

After ten days, the gynaecologist called with bad news. The fibroid turned out to be a high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Corry: ‘Instead of being ahead of the cancer, I was now in the middle of it because a scan of my abdomen revealed metastases on my peritoneum. I went from stage one to stage three, and I still had to have my ovaries removed.

Few old acquaintances

Initially, Corry was not happy with the plan to remove the ovaries via laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). During her years working in the HPV gynaecological department, she became convinced that major abdominal surgery was the only safe way to remove ovarian cancer. After deliberation, she decided to opt for the smaller procedure.

At the university hospital’s gynaecology outpatient clinic, Corry saw some old photos of employees she had known. Still, when admitted to her ‘old’ department in August 2019, she recognised almost no one.

The operation went well. She did not have a stoma, and that was a great relief. Her partner Stephan and former colleague Paula picked her up from the recovery room. “That was fun,” says Corry, laughing. She had a consultation with the gynaecologist and was discharged from the hospital the next day.

Corry recovered quickly at home. She was told she would receive chemotherapy. It took a while before everything was set in motion due to the busy oncology department. She became impatient. “I called a few more times.”

Chemotherapy every three weeks

Corry received six chemotherapy treatments at three-week intervals. It was tough treatment, but she bravely persevered. She wanted to finish her testing for HPV and treatment before the end of 2019, but low blood values ​​almost threw a spanner in the works. “Despite the CA125 blood results, I am going to give you your last treatment on December 23,” her oncologist said, to her great relief. This way, Corry could still end the year on a good note.

Side effects

In early 2020, doctors prescribed Corry the drug Olaparib because they found a mutation of the BRCA1 gene in the tumour. This drug inhibits cancer cells, especially in carriers of an HPV mutation in this gene. She started with a dose of 600mg, but it made her very ill. It was difficult to eat and drink; she was cold and very tired. When they halved the dose, the complaints largely disappeared.

At work

Corry had already been reported sick for seven months when she went for coffee in her department, the children’s ICU, at the beginning of 2020. That went well, and she soon started doing odd jobs, not in uniform. In April 2020, she was ready to wear white again. “What are you getting into?” CA125 colleagues reacted in shock when she went to work in the middle of Corona time with a bald head. But for Corry, it felt good.

However, it soon became apparent that working night shifts needed to be more physically demanding for Corry. Her team leaders and colleagues had no problem with this, but the manager stood her ground. Corry could only continue working in the ICU while working night shifts.

To her horror, HRM told her she had ended up in an outplacement program. Luckily for her, they couldn’t find a suitable job, and she had a conversation about what to do next. ‘I made a salary sacrifice and gave up my position as a senior nurse. “I will get my old position back as soon as I turn 57 and no longer need to work night shifts,” says Corry cheerfully.

Her employer’s rigid attitude has disappointed her. She quickly felt greatly impacted by the compulsion to be fully employable again.

What is it like now

After taking Olaparib for two years, a CT scan was made at the end of January 2022. “I was very relieved to hear that everything looked good,” she says.

‘I’m going to clear out my mind and my house. The fuss surrounding my work cost me a lot of energy, so I didn’t get around to doing anything. But the love I received from Stephan and our dog Sien ensured I endured the tough CA125 treatments.’

Aftercare

Corry still has to take one last step. Does she opt for an intensive aftercare program or contact the gynaecologist if she has HPV complaints or is worried? “I know I’m not there yet, but I want to put everything behind me and choose the last option,” she says determinedly. ‘To be safe, I regularly have the tumour markers determined. The results are reported by email and I send them to my GP for another opinion’