Real People Stories – Zoraida
Part I
Today, July 19, 2014, after 10 months of having suffered ovarian cancer, I dare to share with you my testimony. In July 2013, I underwent a CA125 blood test and check-up with my gynaecologist. When I had my respective HPV test check-up, he informed me that I had two hemorrhagic cysts that would dissolve with contraceptives, and he scheduled me for September 2013 for the next check-up.
Just in July, I was put on sick leave due to tremendous tendinitis in my arms as a result of the tension with which I worked every day. In mid-August, I realised that my stomach was growing. I told myself that I was getting fat. I would have to start exercising. On those same days, my family and I are going on vacation to Valencia, exactly to Gandia. When I began to present some strange HPV symptoms, my stomach began to grow more and more, so I got a test. But it was already difficult for me to sleep, I had to do it practically sitting down.
And it wasn’t easy to walk as the days went by.
I was filling up with medications, and in the end, I had to go to the emergency room hospital, which was where I had hours to do some x-rays to see what condition I was presenting. Still, when the results arrived, the doctor who was on call at that time told me that my intestine was full of poop. They sent me some medications to reduce the inflammation, but the days went by, and everything was getting worse.
We opted to return home. I will never forget that day. Arriving at the apartment in the elevator, there is a mirror, and I look great. I was so surprised when I saw my thin face. My eyes had incredible sadness, and my stomach was super big. I told him at that point. I told my sister-in-law inside the elevator how impressive I was all these days on the beach.
On September 9, I went to my family’s HPV doctor to get the sick leave that corresponded to me and to see what she told me since before I went on vacation, she saw me and said she would get over it. When she arrived, she was surprised to see so much belly; it was like a 7-month pregnancy. She examined me, and what she told me I had was gas when I got home. My sister-in-law gave me an enema, and since she is a nurse, she gave it to me.
It turned out it was worse the next day.
I felt more down during the afternoon, and I got a tremendous headache; it was when my brother told me no more we were going to the San Chinarro Hospital in Madrid; they took me to the emergency room. They had done some CA125 and other tests on me. I only saw that everyone in The emergencies had sent everyone home, and I was practically the only one left.
Around midnight, the doctor who was treating me at that time came to me and told me that they had to keep me under observation since inflammation appeared in the plaques in the liver. A Doctor showed up the next day while I was in the room. She told me that she was going to be my doctor until I ruled out that it was the condition I had. This is where they started doing the checks. HPV, CA125, X-rays, CT scans, everything they could think of. And then the questions, and more until they found the problem and realised everything was related to the ovaries.
Arrival of the News
After two days, the doctor arrives. And tells me that everything has to do with the ovaries and that she has two pieces of news, one good and the other. Another is not good. It’s where he starts telling me in the room while he’s with my brother and tells me that in all the studies they’ve done on me, I have ovarian-type cancer, which has burst and is located only in the entire stomach. But the good news is that the lungs, the heart and the rest of the body are out of danger.
He told me you are now a test patient directly of an HPV gynaecologist who is the one who is going to treat me. The same day, during the afternoon, while I was waiting. Dr Mining arrived and introduced himself to two more girls; he sat on the couch and started talking to me. My entire CA125 cancer medical team told me that they had to operate on me urgently. The liquid was spread throughout my stomach, and I had to thank God that I arrived at that hospital on time. Because if I had waited longer, the liquid would have passed through my stomach. And the rest of the body.
Close call to death
It was where he told me that the CA125 OC operation lasted 8 to 9 hours. He also told me at that moment that after that, they would have to give me 6 sessions of chemotherapy. It was needed to finish cleaning whatever was left in my body. It was where he sent me home for 7 days. He prepared the operating room and spoke with the tumour-assisting doctors during this period. They would be with him during the operation. At the time of the operation, the one who was going to give the order on whether I could be operated on or not was the pathological anatomy doctor.
The Dr. informed me of everything that was happening. Plus, what would happen in the operating room? It was like it wasn’t with me; it was impressive in such a way that when he finished speaking, my brother and I exchanged glances. Suddenly, I told him the only thing I knew was that I was waiting for the gynaecologist. It’s where he tells me I’m the CA125 gynaecologist for tests. I was so stunned that I didn’t hear that part because when he came in. I saw him so handsome; he was like an angel fallen from heaven, but he fell flat when he told me my whole story.
Fallen Angel
Then, that week at home was so terrible for me since it was difficult for me to sleep. Those HPV back pains attacked so strongly. My brother gave me massages every little while. On those Operational days, it was difficult for me to sleep for my family; it was also strong. And those that were missing since practically my entire family is in Venezuela. Those 7 days passed, and on September 19, my brother, my sister-in-law, a little friend and I got up early that day.