In summer of 2004 I was living in Colorado, I rolled over on my stomach on my couch and felt something like a lump. A little voice in my head told me I had a tumor, naturally I ignored that little voice thinking I was being pessimistic. In August of 2004 I had a major knee surgery; I was on crutches until October. During this time I was extremely exhausted, I lost my appetite, felt nauseous, and my periods where barely there. In December I went in for my yearly checkup, I told my GYN that I felt this lump and I was loosing weight and just didn’t feel well. She gently smiled told me I was too young to have anything wrong with me, I probably just had a small hernia from being on crutches for so long. I didn’t question her.

Time went on, and I kept feeling sicker and sicker. I actually thought I was pregnant and subsequently took at least 10 pregnancy tests between January and April. Finally on April 11th, my boyfriend at the time and I were outside shoveling off my car from a 15 inch snow storm. It was about 35 degrees and all I had on were jeans and a sweater. I started to see black spots in front of my eyes and was dripping with sweat. I went in the house and basically stripped down, I couldn’t cool down. I decided I had to go in to the doctor, something was really wrong. I went into my primary doctor, she too thought I was pregnant, and she ran more tests. Of course they were negative; she then gave me a CA125 and sent me on to radiology at another location. I had a CT and Transvaginal ultrasound; at this point I was starting to get scared. What I thought was going to be a quick in-and-out at the doctor was turning out to be an all day event. I no sooner drove out of the parking lot when my phone rang, my doctor told me to come straight to her office. She told me I had a large tumor, they could see suspicious spots within and my CA125 was off the charts. I had cancer, I was 27 years old.

I was referred to a Gynecologic Oncologist and had surgery on April 18, 2005. A 10 pound mass was removed, and thankfully it was only stage IA. However, about 6 weeks later I started having severe abdominal pain again. After an ultrasound showed a small mass in my remaining ovary, my doctor wanted to see if it was a cyst before removing it and prescribed Vicodan. Three weeks passed, another ultrasound, the mass had tripled in size. Again, my CA125 was off the charts, I was having a reoccurrence. I couldn’t believe it; I went in to surgery on August 3rd, 2005. This time it had spread to my Appendix and the second ovary was removed along with lymph nodes in my abdomen. I went through two rounds of chemotherapy.

Honestly I have struggled, with the fallout emotionally and physically. The surgeries kicked me in to early menopause and I gained 65 lbs within a few months. I also experienced hot flashes, mood swings, my cholesterol went through the roof. I also developed Atrial Fibrillation, which is genetic and I would have developed it eventually. I was 27 and told I would never have children, causing my boyfriend at the time to “reevaluate” our relationship and leave me. All I could think of is who would want me now, I’m damaged? I also struggled finding adequate post-treatment care.

Four years later from my first diagnosis, I have an amazing boyfriend of two years, I moved back home to the Twin Cities three years ago and have a wonderful team of doctors. I am currently finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Physiology and Biochemistry and plan to go on to Medical School for Pathology. My main goal is to do cancer research and find a way to diagnose Ovarian Cancer early and hopefully find a cure. My anger is gone and I have realized that God has a reason for everything, though we may not see it at the time. The support I have found with MOCA has been an inspiration and a wonderful source of love and friendship.

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