My plans for July 10-16, 2023, were to celebrate my 45th wedding anniversary. Instead, I started
chemotherapy to combat Stage 4 Ovarian and Peritoneal Cancer. I share my story to hopefully
encourage others and encourage women to know the symptoms and realize just how mild they
can be. I knew the symptoms, had an annual check-up five months before diagnosis, and the
cancer was still advanced when diagnosed.
The only thing noted by my gynecologist at my annual check-up was anemia, which I had never
had. Nonetheless, I took the vitamins he prescribed and (somewhat) dismissed it from my
thoughts. I started having some fatigue and weight gain, but both were explainable. I was
confident they were caused by middle age, along with a busy law practice and family life. I was
getting thicker in my upper abdomen, but I assumed it was a post-menopausal “muffin top.” My
sweet husband noticed changes that he could not quite articulate. He thought I was not looking
healthy. I assured him I was fine and thought I was. After all, I had just had an exam.
By April I noticed unusual constipation, frequent urination, and I experienced intermittent mild
discomfort in my lower right abdomen and gallbladder area. I saw my family physician and a
gastroenterologist. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis and prescribed antibiotics to take prior to
scheduling a colonoscopy. The antibiotics helped, but I began to suspect that the “muffin top”
was actually bloating. I knew that was a symptom of ovarian cancer, so I contacted my
gynecologist and requested he check my ovaries.
He ordered an ultrasound, which showed “an extensive amount of free fluid” in my abdomen. A
few days later, I had a CT scan. That afternoon while shopping with my husband, I received the
scan results: I had metastatic cancer. While fear and anxiety would have been a normal reaction,
God surrounded me with a calm and peace that defied explanation.
I was referred to a wonderful oncologic gynecologist. I quickly had several outpatient procedures
for a biopsy, port placement, and three paracenteses to remove malignant ascites. I then chose to
travel with my family for two weeks before treatment. Upon return, I had three rounds of
chemotherapy. I had another scan that showed interval improvement, so I had cytoreductive or
“debulking” surgery with the HIPEC procedure, which is where heated chemotherapy drugs are
placed in the abdomen to help eradicate any cancer cells remaining after the removal of tumors
and affected organs. I recovered from the ten-hour surgery and then had three more
chemotherapy treatments. I currently have immunotherapy infusions every three weeks, and my
two Pet scans since completing chemotherapy have been negative. My family and I praise God
for his goodness and mercy, and I am hopeful despite high odds of a recurrence.
Some days have been hard the past year, but more have been good. We have been blessed with
family, friends, and our church who have prayed for and supported us. I continued to work and
enjoy time and travel with my family. I encourage others facing cancer to look for joy and
remain hopeful. God is still writing your story. Most importantly, seek the Lord, for He is
faithful. His love and mercy are great toward His children, and He can do “exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Eph. 3:20. His steadfast love never ceases. Lam. 3:2.