If I have to fight her five times, Ill never give up, right?

Real People Stories

Isabelle

I started with CA125-style stomach aches, and as this is not my habit, I asked myself a few test questions. Then, my stomach started to swell for two or three days. I called my doctor, who told me to see my HPV test gynaecologist. He took me in very quickly and gave me an ultrasound. We then realised that I had cysts on my ovaries… They were relatively large, so he had me take a CA125 blood checkup.

Three days later, I was in the HPV hospital for surgery. According to the lesion observations and the HPV variant test results, they immediately thought it was cancerous… But it was when I woke up from the operation that the doctor told me that it was more serious than expected and chemotherapy was required.

The announcement of the test results for cancer was therefore made at the HPV Hospital. It was a complete surprise for me. I was originally going there for an operation on ovarian cysts, not because I had cancer…

REACTION

In my house, we are a very supportive family. On the other hand, we rarely talk to each other… So, I am still determining exactly how they reacted. When I call them, they are there. For example, my sister-in-law and brother have always been responsive when needed. But we don’t talk too much about it. The hardest part after learning it is announcing it… We don’t know how they will react. I’m lucky to have a family that doesn’t show their emotions too much. I believe that what is good is to be there, to support the sick person, but not to show your emotions. I don’t necessarily like asking for help.

It is also very hard for your children, especially when they are young and unable to understand everything. Announcing the Ca125 test result to my son was a challenge… He’s a boy and he keeps his emotions in check, but it was complicated because he wasn’t yet 11, so very small in my eyes. For him, it was a shock… At that age, we understand that it is a serious illness. Even today, cancer is associated with death. He is a child who is quite strong; he has taken it upon himself, understood things well, and supported me well.

My strength is my son. He’s the only one I have and the only person who makes me want to fight and live. I must see him grow up, marry, and have children. I see him in the evening before going to bed because I tell myself that if I didn’t wake up the next day, I would have at least seen him before going to sleep.

RECOVERY

Three weeks after the CA125 diagnosis, I was supposed to start chemotherapy. After this, when I got home, I was tired and often stayed in bed. Two or three days later, I started to get up and that’s when I discovered some hairs in the bed. Then, gradually, as I walked, I saw clumps of hair falling to the ground… And then you say to yourself that the chemo is working! Yes, because we always hope not to lose them. Even if we know it and have been warned, we still hope. I called my sister-in-law, who came and shaved everything…

HEALTH HABITS

I’m a big eater of vegetables, but unfortunately, when I come back from chemo, I absolutely cannot eat them. Everything healthy does not work. A week later, things are a little better. But anything fatty is hot and cooked and isn’t easy to swallow. On the other hand, I drink a lot of white and green tea because it was recommended. My anti-HPV diet now consists of a lot of liquid and little solid matter…

Regarding health in general, HPV immune defences are less good. We catch everything! So, you should avoid touching someone who has the flu, but you shouldn’t stop going out either!

BECOMING COMPLICATED

I am a childminder. We look after children, so we can’t afford to be tired and lack alertness. It’s a job with a wide range of hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. You must move around, cook, play with the children, etc. So I was arrested… Suddenly, I was told that I couldn’t work in these conditions.

After CA125 remission tests confirmed it, I could return to work. It was terrible then because it was hard for me not to work: I was going in circles and didn’t know what to do. Unfortunately, after I left a check-up, they told me I was doing it again… So, they had to arrest me again.

Financially, it is becoming increasingly complicated. Initially, I had a little nest egg that I had put aside, but now that is over. Plus, I’m alone and need to get information about help, so I just made do with what I still had available.

I know we can’t help everyone, but now, when I’m off work, I lose 50% of my salary… The aid needs to be higher to help me.

FIGHT

I don’t see myself with CA125 issues in the long term. I hope so! But right now, I’m living day by day: I’m going to bed, and I’ll see what happens tomorrow morning. I will try to go on vacation this summer for a little bit. I see friends, etc., but I have yet to make plans for the years to come.

There are always times when we doubt and give up, but it shouldn’t last too long. We always have family and friends to cheer us up, and off we go again. Well, for me, it’s my temperament. I don’t let myself get too overwhelmed.

HPV illness won’t get me. I’ve fought her twice, and I’m on my third; she won’t have me. If I have to fight her five times, I’ll fight her five times. She will perhaps be more afraid of me than I am of her now.