[2021-01-06] Control the things you can
When I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer on July 29, I felt grateful that we were past the worst of COVID. At that point, the second wave—though a possibility—seemed remote. While I worried a little about the prospect that my treatment might be delayed because of COVID, I was happy that such did not appear to be the case. I had my surgery on August 28 and my first round of chemotherapy on October 1. Subsequent rounds have proceeded every three weeks, despite a few scares when my neutrophils were low.
My sixth and final round of chemotherapy is scheduled to take place on January 14. I will be happy to have that part of my treatment behind me, not only to allay my fears—however unfounded—that COVID could impact my care, but also to be done with interventions that compromise my immune system and put me at greater risk should I contract an illness such as COVID.
As COVID cases continue to rise, I worry about people who might be newly diagnosed with cancer, or who may not even know they have cancer because of delays in diagnostic testing or reluctance or inability to seek medical attention out of fears or constraints related to COVID.
The best decision I made was to go to the emergency department of my local hospital at the first sign of pain. Had I known about the symptoms of ovarian cancer—in my case, they included bloating (increased abdominal size) and urinary issues (urgency or frequency)—I might have pressed for tests sooner, rather than talking to a doctor over the phone in early July and accepting a prescription for a urinary tract infection.
The silver lining in my having chosen the emergency department route is that I saw a doctor in person the day I went to the hospital and had two diagnostic tests (ultrasound and CT scan) completed within 24 hours. Had I gone the traditional route of talking to my family doctor and subsequently having tests scheduled for several weeks or even months in the future, I might have found out about my cancer even later than I did.
So why share this with you? Well, one of my goals with this blog is to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, including its symptoms. I also want to encourage you to take care of your health, even in—in fact, perhaps especially during—a pandemic. If you feel that something is off, talk to your doctor. If a loved one is feeling ill, encourage them to follow up with a healthcare provider.
While I am not a worrier by nature, I found the news of the day—both stories related to COVID and the reporting on events in Washington, D.C.—unsettling. While neither is related to cancer diagnosis and treatment per se, both realities point to forces beyond our control, and that's never a good feeling when dealing with a life-threatening illness. So control the things you can: listen to your body and advocate for yourself when it comes to your health.
On a more positive note, today we celebrated the 14th birthday of our goldendoodle, Freddie. We are blessed to have him in our lives. You'll find a picture of Freddie in our Christmas newsletter.
