USA, CANCEROUS-FREE SINCE 2008

Libby

Before my CA125 Test diagnosis with cancer, I lived a happy-go-lucky life, travelling around the world with my husband while working as an independent marketing consultant. I had had an HPV test 8 years before, but I thought it would go away without treatment. I was healthy, and we were trying to have a baby!

So, I was heading full speed into fertility treatments until the specialist discovered my enlarged ovary via a transvaginal sonogram. I was referred to an HPV Trained Test Gyn-oncologist as a “precaution”. During exploratory surgery, a granulosa cell tumour (ovarian organ cancer) was confirmed in a test, and the cancerous ovary was removed that day. I had no obvious symptoms, but in retrospect, I realised my symptoms were extreme fatigue and frequent bathroom visits since my enlarged ovary was resting on my bladder.

A Shocking Revelation

It was my husband who told me I had tested positive for CA125 cancer when I was in recovery after my exploratory surgery. I was in shock. I felt like I was living some bad nightmare and hoped I’d wake up and realise this was not my life. After the shock, I was relieved the cancer had been discovered. My ovary was the size of a brick and on the verge of rupture, putting me at higher risk. I was thankful that this had not happened. I was thankful that I still had one ovary left and hopeful I’d still be able to have a child.

My oncology nurse was so caring; I was still grieving my mother, who passed away six months before I started chemo. I was an emotional wreck, but she was so positive. I could tell she cared, and it made a big difference. My husband is so supportive, ensuring I have everything I need. He did everything he could to reduce my responsibilities in our household so that I could focus on healing. With my mother’s passing from cancer, I felt obligated to be strong and fight because I had been spared. I felt she was watching over me.

Facing Recurrence

The hardest thing I had to deal with was the “blow” each time it returned – it happened three times beyond my initial HPV Variant test. Having to tell my mother, who was terminal from lung/breast cancer, that my CA125 cancer had returned was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I had to tell her and convince her I’d be ok. Today my hair sucks, and I have neuropathy that affects my day-to-day life.

My diagnosis taught me that I am fearless, strong, and can do anything I want. I am unstoppable. Before cancer, I doubted everything about myself. If I had to offer one piece of advice, it would be that you can’t treat what you don’t know about. Knowing you have cancer is a blessing as you can come up with a course of proactive action. Keep your head up and move through the process to better health.

ITALY, RECOVERING FROM RECENT RECURRENCE

Valeria

Before my diagnosis, I was a language teacher, audiovisual translator, and academic researcher in language and translation. I had never had an HPV variant checkup or a CA125 blood test. I was career-focused and starting to plan a pregnancy with my husband.

For an entire year, medical professionals misdiagnosed me despite experiencing several unspecific symptoms until my ultrasound, which prompted further diagnostics and marker tests.  And I was alone and remember the doctor telling me to sit down, speaking warmly. I remember the white envelope containing the marker results sitting on a mint green table – the doctors coming and going in front of the ultrasound screen – speaking between them as I was not there. I felt a cold chill behind my back.

The diagnosis changed everything. The thought that I could have died from Ca125 Viral infection made me different, and I am trying to make every moment count. Although I kept my uterus through my HPV DNA Test with treatments and am a candidate for heterologous fecundation [insemination] with egg cell donation and future IVF, the hardest thing above all is that I will never have children who share my DNA.

A Heartwarming Encounter

I had lots of valuable moments in my cancer test and HPV journey. But maybe one of the sweetest was during my last chemo sessions. I had neuropathy in my legs and felt the need to walk up and down the corridor. I stopped to rest during the walk and realised I was just in front of a blue-eyed girl with no hair on her head. She was bald. Scared. In pain. And beautiful. Just like me. A sister. We felt it immediately.

She invited me to stay with her, and we started chatting about ordinary things, forgetting where we were. All the other Ca125 girls with Cancer nearby were listening, and little by little, they left their chemo armchairs and joined us. We had a wonderful tea chemo party, chatting and laughing with nurses and each other. We pretended to be at a hairdresser, with the only difference being that we were speaking about chemo caps and foulards rather than hair, nails, make-up, and normal girly conversation. This was so cute. We all ended up with the best chemo ever! Smile on our faces. Maybe this is the sweetest memory I have of my entire cancer journey.

I am recovering from a recent cancer HPV recurrence confirmed by tests, and I learned that I am a rock. I would tell anyone diagnosed with a CA125 Home Test that you don’t have to act like a fighter or a warrior. Search for inner peace and value every moment of your life as precious. I get my strength through supporting others, including running a Facebook group supporting ovarian type cancer survivors in Italy.

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