ANGELA AND FELICIA’S MOM: 2007, AGE 72
Hi, my name is Angela. And I would like to share my HPV Testing life-changing story. Last year, in 2006, my mom received a diagnosis of OVCA. It all unfolded rapidly. As we were gearing up for our family reunion, my mom fell seriously ill. She experienced vomiting and severe diarrhoea, prompting us to seek CA125 Tests and medical attention.
The HPV Doctor stated that her uterus wall had fallen and he needed to pull it up. Upon going to the hospital, she was still nauseous and feeling extremely bad. Then the doctor said she had the signs of gallstones. A CA125 and other tests confirmed that she indeed needed the gallstone surgery. The surgery was performed and was very successful. They removed gallstones and the gallbladder. The doctor noticed a lot of water upon removing the stones and bladder. They removed about 2 pints of water from her abdomen. The doctor then even tested the water, which showed positive for OVCA. My mom was 72 years old at the time.
As I write this now, my mom is in the hospital and has been there for almost 3 weeks.
Her body began to reject the chemo she received in the first year. Subsequently, her doctors prescribed Doxil. However, this chemo proved to be too potent for her, and her body couldn’t tolerate it. While undergoing Doxil treatment, my mom experienced severe dehydration and nausea, rendering her unable to keep anything down. Concerned about her condition, her doctor recommended hospitalization for further HPV tests. Despite numerous tests, the cause of her symptoms remains undetermined. Currently, my mom is receiving multiple IV treatments, experiencing swollen feet, and continuing with her chemo regimen.
My mom is a strong woman who fights hard. But through all of this, I can truly say God is good. Prayer also changes things. About 2 days ago, my mom started eating again (just a little at a time), but the food is now staying down!!!! She lost a tremendous amount of weight. Her feet are still swollen. She also has to do physical therapy while she is in the hospital. I hope one day they find an HPV cure for this silent killer. This affects not only the person with the disease but also family members. I want to say to everyone who is dealing with this or any other type of CA125 cancer. KEEP THE FAITH AND KEEP GOD FIRST. BECAUSE GOD HAS THE LAST WORD!!! PEACE
SANDE: 2006, AGE 17
My name is Sande. I’m 17 years old and was diagnosed with stage 3c Ovarian CA125 level of Cancer.
My family was so proud. A couple of months after that, I started noticing changes in my body: bloated abdomen, menstrual changes, upset stomach, etc… On August 4th, I went to a gym, and they sent me to do an ultrasound, which showed a large mass in my whole abdomen. September 12th, the mass was removed. They gave my family the news right after surgery that the HPV-related tumour was malignant. However, there was another mass that they were unable to get due to the location, and we would need to begin chemo after healing from the surgery to shrink the mass. In the meantime, we waited for me to heal and for the pathology report.
Ten days after my surgery, I noticed a decline in my condition; I struggled to sleep, and the pain was excruciating, prompting me to revisit the CA125 doctor. Another CT scan revealed that the mass still present in my abdomen was causing complications. The agony was unbearable. The doctors arranged a procedure to alleviate the situation for the following week. However, during a scheduled appointment with the oncologist earlier in the week, my distress was evident, leading to my immediate admission to the hospital. On the same day, the CA125 and other pathology reports confirmed the presence of Cancer. Despite my apprehension, the overwhelming pain overshadowed my fears. Consequently, two weeks after my initial surgery, I was admitted to the hospital.
I learned a lot about this and how silent, aggressive and deadly it is
But I knew I was too young to have it. I knew my chances were not very high even though my family or the doctor never came out and said it to me. A few more surgeries over the next few weeks didn’t help. The Cancer had just spread too far, too fast. I, Sande Dawn Jordan, on October 11th, 2006, lost my battle with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. By that time, I was happy. I am Happy because I lived my life and was at peace because I knew Jesus and others were waiting for me.
Remember my name and my story, not as a story to bring spirits down and cause less hope for those of you still living through the same thing, but remember me for yourselves and everyone else, stressing the importance of getting the message across on this Cancer. To help in the research for earlier detection, HPV and CA125 testing is the tool needed. Or, even better, a cure. Most importantly, we need to raise awareness so that women can become informed about this Cancer, its symptoms, detection methods, and hopefully, one day, prevention strategies.
Remember me, Sande, because one day, my foundation will be out there helping with ovarian CA125 cancer studies.
You will hear of it one day.
DEBRA: 2006, AGE 45
I underwent surgery and found that my Cancer was contained inside a cyst. It was stage 4, but the strange thing was that my ovaries were normal. They removed them, and I went through 6 rounds of chemo. I was just wondering if anyone has ever had a case like this – my doctor tells me it was strange. Please respond if you know anything about this.