My Diagnosis Story

What symptoms led up to your diagnosis?

I had a friend save my life. In August of 2006, I was 48 years old and in a grief support group as my husband had passed away 6 months earlier. I was having problems with urinary frequency, constipation then having to run, not being able to eat anything except soup or scrambled eggs, bloating, pain, weight loss everywhere but my abdomen and just plain misery. I thought it was all grief. A lady in my group sent me an email with the list of Ovarian Cancer symptoms, telling me that this sounded like me. I had 7 of  the 8 listed. Since I had lost my health insurance when my husband passed, I got a book and proceeded to the Emergency room, explaining that I had pain on my right side and had no gallbladder or appendix. I explained about the e-mail and that I thought I may have Ovarian Cancer and the Dr. told me I was probably jumping to conclusions, but he would do some tests.

What tests did your doctor do, and what was this experience like?

The ER  Dr. did a CT Scan with contrast. Then told me I had a mass the size of a basketball, and I truly could have Ovarian Cancer. He sent me to a colleague who told me that the mass was so large that it would suffocate me very soon, (that the cancer would kill me indirectly because of the size of the tumor) and that I needed to go maybe to a University hospital who would treat me for free because I was an interesting case. I had no luck with that. The University wanted me to have a dr and many tests before admitting me for surgery. I then went to the Veterans Hospital in Atlanta, affiliated with Emory, that I got to see a Dr. (I am a Veteran of the US Air Force) They got me sorted with a CA125 which was a 7, and of course, read the CT Scan. She gave me pain pills so that I could feel more comfortable until I had a Hysterectomy within 2 weeks. MY Dr. told me I would feel great after the surgery.  I said, oh yeah, right. The surgery took 7 hours. The day after surgery, I did feel great. I was able to walk with very little discomfort, and was able to have a bowel movement with no difficulty, and I was really amazed.  The tumor had interfered with everything in my life, including breathing, that I felt 10 years younger.  My Dr. told me at discharge that the mass didn't look cancerous and that I was in great shape, but I would need monitoring for many years. 

Upon learning about your diagnosis- what happened next?

The Dr. at the VA was not so sure it was cancerous because of the size. When I had the surgery, they found it was a 35LB Mucinous cell and the frozen section didn't reveal cancer. It did split, so they did an abdominal lavage. It was a week later, in pathology, that I was informed that it was indeed Ovarian Cancer.  It was deemed a 1c because it split but had not spread to any other organs. I was referred to a specialist who informed me that he didn't think I needed chemo, but could have it if I wanted it. I declined. He explained since there are really no tests, that Ovarian Cancer is a surgical disease. He felt, that reading my information, that I would not have any recurrence, but if I did, it would not be good.  

It has now been 13 years, I go for screenings and have been extremely lucky.  I have been cancer free since the day they operated on me.  I am very thankful more than you will ever know.  Thanks to my friend, and my wonderful Dr., I have been fortunate enough to enjoy the birth of another precious grandchild, as well as meet my new husband. My life is truly blessed.