Ovarian Cancer Survivor

I was having such abdominal pain, for years! I would get horrible pain, start throwing up and end up vomiting in the hospital for days. Each time they could not find out what the problem was. But when I had ultrasounds, I was asked if I still had an ovary. But I had a complete hysterectomy in 1996! In January, 2009, I spent a week in the hospital. In May, my husband and I went to Lake Tahoe, spent a week at Barton Memorial Hospital.

I had another spell in June. During this visit the ultrasound showed the "mass" where my right ovary had been was larger and I was scheduled to have it removed July 8. I woke up in recovery and heard the "C" work.... cancer. The mass was so large and hard that they could not remove it. I was sent to UCI Medical Center for surgery August 8, 2009 where the "alien" was removed. I was so lucky. The mass was the size of a baseball, encapsulated. The surgeons removed part of my colon and checked the tissue all around the mass. No cancer anywhere else.

Now I am in chemo and will start radiation therapy in January. When I am through with this treatment I will be 100% cancer free! I can not believe how lucky I was to have the ovarian cancer diagnosed before it spread ( the surgeon saw fingers growing out of it....) With the help of family, friends and strangers, I am recuperating. I have a gift bag full of get well cards. I am so blessed. Thank you, Fran!