Stage III ovarian cancer survivor: Don’t ignore your symptoms

When I was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in July 2023, it hit me like a thunderbolt. Ovarian cancer doesn’t run in my family. But I’m adopted. So, I didn’t have any way of knowing that I carry the BRCA1 genetic mutation, which makes you more likely to develop both breast and ovarian cancers.

If I had known that before my diagnosis, I might have done things a little differently. That’s why I tell people today not to ignore their symptoms — no matter how odd or minor they might seem. And don’t try to guess what’s causing them yourself. Ovarian cancer has so many symptoms that can be other things. Go to the doctor, get examined and find out for sure. 

My ovarian cancer symptoms 

My ovarian cancer symptoms started with bloating, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I’m a small person, so it was pretty easy to notice. The bloating started in December 2022. By the time I was diagnosed with cancer the following July, I felt like I was 10 months pregnant. There was also a weird hardening in my abdomen.

The next thing I noticed was weight loss. As a society columnist for a local newspaper, I attend a lot of galas, so I own several ball gowns. I was sitting at my makeup desk one day getting ready for one, when I realized that the top of my dress was too big. It was really weird. 

I have never worried about my weight. I don’t even own a scale. And I wasn’t trying to diet. Yet all of my clothes were suddenly falling off of me. Even my rings wouldn’t fit anymore. I had to have all my ball gowns taken in. By the time a nurse finally weighed me at the doctor’s office, I was stunned. I was down to 111 pounds. I have weighed 120 pounds my entire adult life. 

My ovarian cancer diagnosis

Despite the bloating and weight loss, it wasn’t until I went to a local emergency room that I finally learned I had ovarian cancer. I’d been diagnosed with a mildly prolapsed bladder just a few months earlier and had surgery scheduled to correct it. But a week before the procedure, I noticed something protruding from my vagina while I was in the shower. I was terrified.

The ER physicians performed CT scans of my abdomen and pelvis. It took them a long time to get back to me. Once they finally did, they said, “Well, you have a prolapsed bladder. But we also believe that you have ovarian cancer.”

Little did I know that a prolapsed bladder was the least of my worries. It turned out that the reason for the prolapse was two giant masses in my abdomen: one on each ovary. The one on the left side was the size of a football. The one on the right was the size of a small watermelon. 

Why I chose MD Anderson for my ovarian cancer treatment

Once I understood that cancer was the real issue, I knew I was going to MD Anderson. Given its reputation, I didn’t even think about going anywhere else. 

I called and made an appointment at MD Anderson League City, which is the location nearest my home on Galveston Island. There, I met with gynecologic surgeon, Dr. Gwyn Richardson. 

She confirmed my diagnosis of stage III high-grade serous ovarian cancer. She recommended a debulking surgery to remove my ovaries, uterus and as much of the cancer as possible. I would also need chemotherapy. But Dr. Richardson warned me that if the cancer had already spread too much, she’d have to stop the procedure and take a different approach. If things went well, though, the surgery would last about seven hours.

I knew it was a good sign when Dr. Richardson gave me a thumbs-up as she walked into the recovery room. But I didn’t breathe easier until I asked her what time it was and she told me late evening. We high-fived, and I just started crying. I knew then that I truly had a chance of surviving this.

Life as an ovarian cancer survivor

My bladder never fully recovered from having so much pressure put on it. Just four months after the hysterectomy, it became dislodged again. So, I have to use a device called a pessary to hold it in place.

I’ll keep taking a PARP inhibitor called olaparib for the next two years to reduce my risk of recurrence. I also get a blood test every three weeks to monitor my CA-125 levels. 

The good news is that it turned out the cancer hadn’t spread at all. It was only in my pelvis. So, Dr. Richardson got it all out. I had six rounds of chemo afterward to kill any microscopic cancer cells that might’ve escaped and rang the bell to celebrate my last infusion on Jan. 18, 2024.

I am still cancer-free today. But I also still can’t quite believe that I went into the hospital thinking I had one thing, only to learn that I had something totally different.

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by call 1-877-632-6789.