Hi all! My name is Jamie. My life was as close to perfect as I could get, after the childhood I had. Growing up as an orphan, nothing ever came easy for me. But, with a beautiful husband, and three beautiful daughter’s for me to love and dote over, how could it be anything less than perfect?!
After the birth of our youngest daughter, I had to have a hysterectomy because of scar tissue on my uterus, leaving my ovaries and tubes. I was safe from “female cancers.”
When all three girl’s were in school, I decided that it was time for me to go back to school too. I signed up to get my degree in registered nursing. I was almost done with my first semester, and looking toward the dean’s list, I started having terrible abdominal pain constantly. I went to my primary care doctor, who sent me to the E.R. While I was there I was diagnosed with an inflamed and thick gallbladder (whatever that means). I went back to my primary doctor and told him that I felt a knot in my belly. He said that I had to go to a gynecologist because it was below my belly button.
I had an appointment for a Monday, and they found something. They sent me for an ultrasound on Wednesday. I’ve always hated waiting! I waited until Friday to call and see if the result’s were in. I again went to the doctor on Monday. A week later, I was told that there was a large mass in my abdomen that looked like it was growing from my right ovary. I went into surgery that Thursday and had a tumor the size of a soccer ball, according to my GYN.
Back to school I went. I had to take my final’s. I had a fairly fresh incision that went from my c-section scar to about an inch past my belly button. My incision ripper about an inch from carrying my heavy medical book’s. I called the doctor to see if I could get in, not thinking about anything other than my incision. I hadn’t heard anything in three weeks, if it were cancer, it wouldn’t take three weeks to tell me, right?
My GYN walked in and said “I’m so sorry, Jamie. The pathology isn’t as good as I had hoped.” He was saying so much that I couldn’t retain any of it. I had to ask him what he was saying to me. So, on April 28th, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
When I met my gyno, he thought I was stage Ic. After my first CT scan, I was back in surgery again. There was more cancer in my omentum, as well as abdominal fluid. About 2 weeks after my second surgery, I was upstaged to IIIb with mucinus adenocarcinoma.
I got my clean scan and results of no evidence of disease on October 4th!! After almost five straight month’s of going through weekly chemo, I am finally getting healthy again! I’m not sure what’s in store for me for the future, but for right now, I have been given the gift of health.
I had my girl’s, my husband and lots of family, friend’s, fellow chemo patient’s, and even strangers that helped me to fight like a girl…and I know you can too!
Jamie
Ohio
Submitted 10-11-2012
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This article is intended to convey general educational information and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.