I Was Diagnosed With Ovarian Cancer While Waiting for a Hysterectomy

Before I share my story, I must first share the story of my mother. At the young age of 30, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery and treatment were successful, and she was in remission for 26 years. Then it came back in the other breast, and again she had surgery and treatment and was again in remission. Then in 2018 during a routine colonoscopy, she found out she had colon cancer. She underwent surgery and treatment and beat cancer for a third time. I am so thankful she is here with us today.

Shortly after my mother’s second breast cancer diagnosis, her oncologist suggested she be tested for all the genetic mutations, given her personal cancer history and our family history.

She was negative for all except the BRCA1 — and that’s where my story begins. It was 2014, I was 32 years old and decided to get tested. I would soon find out I carried the BRCA1 gene mutation like my mother.

My two younger sisters were tested and thankfully they are both negative and my older sister was tested and is positive like my mother and me. More recently, my daughter decided after her 18th birthday she too will be tested.

Managing My Cancer Risks With a BRCA1 Mutation

For several months I did research, talked with a genetic counselor and different medical professionals and surgeons.

For those that don’t know, caring the BRCA1 mutation means you have a much higher chance of developing breast cancer, and an increased chance of developing ovarian cancer, too, compared to the general population.

After doing my research and talking with the different medical professionals, and my family I decided to reduce my risk of breast cancer first since we had such a strong family history. After I took care of what I could to reduce my breast cancer risk, my gynecologist and I started a plan to monitor my ovaries since I was not quite ready to have a hysterectomy in my 30s.

My first ultrasound was July 2018 and I would alternate imaging and checking my CA-125 levels (which could indicate the growth of ovarian cancer) every six months. All was good and normal for years. Then, then in 2020 I let my gynecologist know I was ready to have my hysterectomy. But COVID-19 hit and the hospitals weren’t doing elective surgeries so the plan was to have my surgery in 2021.

But I ended up going to a new company in 2021 and couldn’t take the time off needed to recover after major surgery, so we decided to push it back one more time to 2022.

Little did I know it was going to happen in 2022 whether it was planned or not.

I had a clear scan in October 2021 and my CA-125 level was a 6, which it was always between and 6 and 7 since 2018.

Going into 2022, I was feeling good and confident that this was my year, I saw my gynecologist and we had a plan! I had my scan scheduled for August and we were planning to do my hysterectomy towards the end of the year.

Symptoms Leading Up to Diagnosis

But then I started to not feel well; it started with lower-right back pain. I was given muscle relaxers, and when that didn’t help it was suggested I see a chiropractor. Then it started to progress. I soon started to have stomach and pelvic pain and overwhelming fatigue. I was told I was getting older, and my body was changing. I was instructed to drink more water and move my body more. So I did. But then I started to have heartburn and indigestion. Eventually, I could barely eat. Looking back, once I had gotten to those last couple symptoms, I should have gone to my gynecologist, but at this point it was summer and I was going to see her in a couple months, so I waited.

My husband and daughter had urged me to go to the ER multiple times, but I continued to power through. Until one Sunday morning when my husband was getting ready to leave for work, he looked at me and said, “Michelle you are not well. Please go to the ER.”

I remember thinking, it’s not an emergency but OK I’ll go to urgent care. The doctor who saw me diagnosed me with a bladder infection and gave me antibiotics. I was actually relieved — I felt I finally knew what was wrong and couldn’t wait to feel better again.

But on the third day of taking the antibiotics, I actually felt worse.

So on Aug. 9, 2022 I went to the Halifax ER in Port Orange, Florida. That is where I met my first guardian angel: a physician’s assistant. I remember her listening so intently and asking so many questions. I knew if anyone was going to figure this out it was going to be her. She ordered so many tests and what felt like no time at all she was back with the results.

She had asked me to call my husband so he could be with me, and I told her it was OK that she could tell me. We went back and forth about it a few times and then she finally said, “Michelle we have reason to believe you may have ovarian cancer.”

I don’t recall much right after she said those words to me, but the next thing I knew Carl was with me and we went through all the emotions together. Anger was first, and we sat there for a while, just so mad at myself for not taking control of this to begin with when I knew my risk. Then we were sad, scared, confused, upset, unsure of what the future would be.

I had been around cancer so much in my life, I have watched it take loved ones too soon and I have also watched loved ones beat it. I remember thinking, what is my journey going to be? Is this really happening?

I met one of my oncologists that night; he came to see me in the ER and helped us understand what we might be dealing with and what a treatment plan would potentially look like. Then I was alone, my parents were on their way over from the West Side of Florida.

I was waiting to be transported to the main hospital in Daytona for a biopsy to confirm what the scan was showing.

The next day, Aug. 10, 2022, the biopsy would confirm it was ovarian cancer and it had spread throughout my abdomen. Later I found out it was stage 3C. My doctors worked hand-in-hand throughout my entire treatment from September 2022 to May 2023.

Setting Treatment — and Lifetime — Goals

As I sat there in my dark hospital room, I prayed. I asked God to please let me see my daughter graduate high school.

She was about to start her junior year, and I just couldn’t imagine not being there for her for all the senior excitement of homecoming, prom, graduation and everything in between. I knew it might be a long shot, but it was my No. 1 goal.

Well, I am excited to share she graduated with honors recently and I couldn’t be more proud and thankful! God is good!

However, cancer treatment wasn’t easy. I lost my hair pretty quickly, which was devastating at first but then I started to enjoy my bald head. Just when I started to feel good and normal again after my last treatment, it was time for my next treatment (I had them every three weeks). Then I decided to go out with a bang — for my very last treatment there was a lobby full of family and friends waiting for me to ring the bell. However, I had an allergic reaction. I was probably the calmest that last treatment out of all of them. I felt like a pro at that point, but my body said, “Let’s make this last one memorable. And it sure was.”

Often I think we sit and wonder when faced with bad news like a cancer diagnosis. We think why me? Why is this happening?

But this diagnosis for me has brought so many new amazing people into my life and I have shared my story with so many women who are now advocating for themselves. Ovarian cancer comes with some very common symptoms, and we have to continue to help each other so it can be caught at earlier stages.

When I found out my disease was advanced stage, I knew the outlook was not great but I am happy to share since my last treatment on May 5, 2023 I have had three clear scans an I am in remission.

Thank you for listening to my story, no matter where you are in your journey stay positive and keep pushing. Believe in yourself, we are all capable of big things.

This post was written and submitted Michelle A. Rogers. The article reflects the views of Rogers and not of CURE®. This is also not supposed to be intended as medical advice.

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