The Waiting Room @ MD Anderson

Except for the bald heads, wheelchairs and medical ID bracelets, you would never know this was the waiting area for chemo treatments.

It's really more like social hour at the community center. And it's kinda noisy at that.

Three women over there are talking about where they want to go shopping now on their way back home. I think one of them is a bit hard of hearing, because they all are politely yelling at each other. And this group over here is waiting for Grandma to come out - it's Grandpa, the adult Daughter & her Husband and their college aged Granddaughter sitting on her boyfriend's lap. Someone in the group is doing some major DIY landscaping in their front yard. It's becoming frustrating and they are about to hire someone to finish the job. The couple over there in their running shoes are discussing an article in a Vanity fair magazine. She has a nice yellow Kate Spade bag, he has a backpack with his chemo pump in it - I'm guessing that means he has prostate cancer.

Those 2 guys just met. They both are wearing camo baseball caps - one in boots the other in UT Crocs. The Crocs guy has a bag, too - again, I'm guessing prostate cancer. They are talking hunting or sports or something. That guy over there has the TV remote; he's looking for a golf tournament.

Me? I'm online IM'ing Brian about returning a pair of sneakers we bought on RoadRunnerSports.com and making sure Abby gets a bath and in bed by 7:30 since it's a school night. And, I'm finishing up plans for our vacation - looking for discount lift tickets and car rentals.

Oh yeah, the elephant is standing over there.

I'm hungry. I hope they call me soon so I can order dinner in the room.

A funny thing happened on the way to Chemo ...

Actually, funny stuff happens all the time. Well, maybe not so funny to anyone else - I suppose it's all in the way you look at it.

I'm at MD Anderson today. It's one of my long days. That means I will have a 4 hour chemotherapy treatment. Before my treatment I have to get my labs (blood test) then I go to my chemo. There are several chemo treatment areas throughout MD Anderson. I get my labs done in the Main building and today my chemo is in the Mays clinic.

I had been reading an article in Southern Living magazine and hadn't finished it before my blood test so I took it with me and headed over to the shuttle to ride over to the other building. Now, you have to imagine MD Anderson as a kind of city with hundreds of Doctors in lab coats and patients with their families and administrators and support staff all walking around. It's really amazing.

I was sitting on the shuttle, it's like a big golf cart, next to someone in a white lab coat and she noticed the cover of my magazine had a picture of a delicious chocolate cake with ganache filling. She said, "Oh my, that cake looks absolutely deadly." I couldn't help but giggle and she asked me why. "Deadly? That's just a funny word to be using around here, don't you think?"

Advocare & Hair Loss

You may see that I have a little tracker that let's me know about traffic to this blog. I've noticed that I get alot of search hits from folks using key words referring to hair loss. Well, I lost my hair due to chemotherapy. No big deal really, I knew it would grow back. The most annoying thing was losing my eyelashes and my eyebrows. But, I did get to go through the summer without having to shave my legs!

As far Advocare goes for those who are wondering about thinning hair and hair loss - I have heard that Anti Aging formula has been helpful due to the ingredient Reservatrol. Couple that with Amplify AT for even better results. And now Advocare's new product, BioTools has come out and it too contains Reservatrol.

I plan to attend the event in Houston Thursday Feb 24, to learn more about BioTools.

I also am looking forward to seeing - and thanking - a couple of people who helped me out last year when I first received my cancer diagnosis. Dr Judith Smith, the gynocological oncologist from MD Anderson who sits on the Advocare Sci/Med board and Mike Wade, the Advocare Regional VP who both helped me during that frantic afternoon when I got the results of my CT scan and had no idea what to do next.

So, for those of you who come back looking for answers to your questions about hair loss, I hope this was helpful. To learn more, join me in Houston or one of our other events, or contact me.

Life is Good

I guess that's pretty much simplifying things, but really that's how I feel these days. But I have so much that I want to write about that I get stuck and end up just not writing about anything.

I have decided that something is better than nothing. I need to take a clue from one of my favorite bloggers MissNewOrleans - she is great at keeping up to date with just a few lines.

I am back on the air and having a great time! News/Talk radio tha is locally owned and live. Listen in online KSETlive.com.

And the cancer thing is under control. It's still serious, I am in clinical trials at MD Anderson and have to go to Houston for chemotherapy twice a week for six weeks, then I have another CT scan to see if I need to do it again. My CA 125 is down from around 300 to 34, and a tumor that appeared after my surgery has shrunk 50%. I guess all is good, the last time I was in to see my Drs, they all had big grins on their faces and were high fiving me.

That's the short of it.

Advocare still keeps me going. I really can feel the difference if I don't take my CorePlex or have a Spark. And the Meal Replacemet Shakes are always a perfect breakfast. Mornings also include OmegaPlex and Probiotic Restore. Then at lunch I take a couple more Calcium Plus - chemotherapy messes with calcium levels. I have been having some menopausal symptoms since my hysterectomy. Formula W is good for hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Rehydrate, Catalyst and Zzzs before bed for a good night's sleep and no puffiness or leg cramps.

The Latest on the cancer Saga

Again, I have not been a good Blogger, but I can cut & paste what others have written. Here is the latest email update from my Husband Brian:

Since I sent the picture, I thought I'd better bring you all up to speed on her prognosis.
Teresa had what hopefully will be her LAST chemo treatment last week.
She had an allergic reaction and had to deal with hives that day. And she was out of it all weekend.
But she's back to her old, energetic self, (I get tired watching her buzz around) and all is good.
We go to MD Anderson in two and a half weeks for a checkup to make sure the cancer cells are gone.
Then it's every six months.
With Abrianna finally starting real school, kindergarten, I need her at her top speed. ;-)
Hope all is well with all of you.
Thanks again for your good thoughts and prayers.
Brian

Post Surgery

I can hardly believe it has been so long since my last post.

I had another round of chemo, a couple of garage sales, and then my surgery on June 18. I spent a week in the hospital and then some rest and recovery. Dad came to MD Anderson for my surgery, then Mom came to Beaumont to spend time with Abby and help out during the first week home. I went back to Dallas with her and stayed at my Dad's where everyone entertained Abby and made sure that I took naps and didn't do any heavy lifting. Lately, I've just been busy celebrating my good news and living life.

Brian & I finally bought a new camera. Just an easy point & shoot that has a few features to help me out with out of focus faces and dark backgrounds. We have had some wonderful visits with Friends and Family and I want to be sure to capture the memories. I will post them soon.

For now, I'll just put up Brian's email update:
I wish I could say it was all over but we still have work to do.
Teresa had her hysterectomy today and it was a resounding success.
Her doctor says only 10 percent of ovarian cancer patients responded as well to chemo treatment as Teresa did.
She told me she saw tumors that had been melted away by the chemo that she's never seen melted away before.
All the small tumors outside the uterus are gone and the hysterectomy removed the few tumors that were left.
And that doubles the life expectancy that most such patients get.
I am thrilled and grateful but selfishly was hoping for more than a few more years to hope for a cure or better treatment.
The doctor did say that Teresa's spirit is amazing and she fully expects her to cheat her prognosis.
We can only hope.
All the folks at MDAnderson were wonderful and the level of service seems higher than any other medical institution I'm familiar with.
She begins another round of chemo in just a few short weeks even before she's completely recovered from this surgery.
The doctor is hoping to strike while the iron's hot and nail the cancer cells that remain.
That means chemo every three weeks for three treatments.
Then a bi annual or yearly checkup or treatment from now on.
Abby just knows her mommy was treated by the doctor and will be home soon to recover.
I wish I had time and memory to list all the things our wonderful friends have done for us and have offered to continue doing.
Keep us in your prayers as you are all in mine and ours.
Brian

Feeling Great!

It has been a while since I updated this, so here is a quick post.

I had my 3rd chemo treatment Wed and things went smoothly, kinda becoming a routine now. I am feeling fine, no nausea. Went to Abby's Field Day today and am finishing up getting things together for my garage sale this weekend.

I have been planning this garage sale for probably a year now. I can't belive how much stuff we have in boxes that we had forgotten about. Baby girl to 4 toddler all going to a new home for someone else to love on.

Good news from my Doctors last week. I was having one of my "Oh, woe is me" days. I told Dr Schmeler at MD Anderson that I wanted to teach my daughter to ski and take her on a cruise on the Big Red Boat and I was worried I was not to going to be around to do either. She told me to go ahead and plan on going skiing next Spring but I should wait until next Summer to take the cruise. And to quit reading the magazines in the waiting room.

Dr Lavalais at the Julie & Ben Rogers Cancer Center here in Beaumont told me that my blood tests were looking good. Especially the CA 125, which is a tumor marker. Normal people who do not have cancer will have a test number of about 30. When I started chemo, my number was 365, now it is 81. That means that the cancer cells are not reproducing as rapidly and are not producing the fluid that was causing problems before. Also, my cysts and other stuff (tech term) are shrinking. Mostly it means that I am having a positive response to the chemo therapy.

Other things keeping me busy - Abby's end of the year school programs and rehearsals for her upcoming dance recital. And we are getting a ton of mail. The bills are coming in and I have to be sure that we keep it straight. I am filling out aps for financial assistance and arranging payment plans.

Keeping my calendar is really important now. Drs appts, rehearsal schedule, payment deadlines, playdates and family visits ...

To add to it, there is a condition called "chemo brain" where you tend to lose focus and forget things. Yes, even more than usual!

That's the quickie version. Thanks again to everyone who has been checking in and keeping in touch. Give me a few days after the garage sale and I will try to have more and include some pics.

Integrating Nutritional Supplements into Cancer Treatment Plans

Dr Judith Smith of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the Advocare Sci/Med Board sent me this article that she had written about nutrition. I am going to share it with you here.

Remember that I mentioned that my blood tests were good this week, I just need to be sure to keep eating and get enough good calories everyday.

Well, I'm not a doctor and I cannot make medical claims, but for me personally, this is what I am doing. In addition to Dr Smith's recommendations, I have been trying real hard to stay away from refined white sugar and red meat. Lots of fish, chicken, raw veggies, fruit, good fats and whole grains. I also have been using Rehydrate to keep my electrolytes balanced. I have been thinking that I will try Excel Gel for my electrolytes after this next round of chemo. Keeping fluids down while I was nauseous was a problem this last time, and maybe the gel will be easier. For good easily digestible protein, I drink a Muscle Gain shake for a snack. Sometime I mix a Peaches & Cream Fiber Drink with Vanilla Muscle gain for added calories and to help keep me regular (still not pooping everyday). The branch chain amino acids in Catalyst feed my lean muscle and keep them tight so I don't get flabby. And this week, I have started adding Post Workout Recovery to my shakes because they are higher in good calories.

Almost normal, and HUNGRY again

The next round of chemo will be easier because now I know that it does get better. That was seriously 4 days of the worst flu type symptoms ever. Now, I am just kinda feeling funky because I haven't eaten much for 4 days. I have kept up with my CorePlex with Iron and OmegaPlex. The Meal Replacement Shakes and Muscle Gain for protein and nutrition have been very easy to keep down as well as the Rehydrate for keeping my electrolytes balanced. I'm drinking Spark again. And even taking Catalyst, because I am losing weight, mostly muscle, pretty quickly. I will have some blood work next week and I will learn more how I am doing then.

I am getting lots of advice about nutrition. Much of it similar - stay away from red meat, dairy & sugar. Raw is best. Stay hydrated. Most appealing to me now is comfort food - homemade soups, pasta, casseroles. Vegetables are good, as well as apples, grapes & watermelon. But sweet is just TOO sweet. I think the Hydrocodone is affecting my sweet taste buds.

Dr Judith Smith at MD Anderson Cancer Center has written an article about Cancer and Nutrition. And this article about integrating nutrional supplements into cancer treatment plans. This is what Dr Smith has to say about the after effects of chemotherapy.

The Updates

Keeping this blog updated is not easy for me. I love to write, but it comes in spurts. My wonderful husband on the other hand is a fabulous writer - everyday. I have gotten replies to some of the email updates that he has sent out. Interesting to see what he has sent. It's his perspective on this whole thing. He's a journalist, so the facts are of course accurate, but at the same time personal.

This is the email he sent out after my chemo:
Teresa went to the Ben & Julie Rogers Cancer Center in Beaumont on Thursday. Our doctor told us some disturbing news. Teresa has Stage 4 advanced ovarian cancer. He told us the cancer has spread beyond the uterus and is serious. However, it is treatable and the prognosis is still positive. To underscore the diagnosis, they started her on chemo immediately after the consultation so we spent the day with Teresa undergoing an IV drip. We return tomorrow for a bone marrow injection to stimulate good cell production. She will undergo two more 6 - 8 hour IV drips, one every 21 days and then the doctors here and at MD Anderson in Houston will consider doing her hysterectomy. They may decide to further delay it depending on her response to the chemo treatment. Please feel free to call Teresa. Your prayers and stories have done her attitude wonders and we both appreciate you all more than we can say. Abby is fine and just knows mommie is sick but the doctor will make her better. I was doing fine until trying to tell this to family members on the phone but other than that, I'm ok.
I hope to talk to you all soon. Brian

Here's the lastest:
Thanks for all your phone calls and emails... and don't stop... I think messages from all of you have meant the world to her. After her chemo treatment on Thursday, she went through everything we were warned of... Vomiting every waking moment, and horrible weakness and exhaustion. Teresa did have a friend cut her hair on Sunday. She didn't want to go through watching it fall out. And we didn't want Abby to watch that either. Many of you have asked... and yes Abby knows Teresa is sick and that she's going to the doctor to get better. A couple of our good friends here in Beaumont have included Abby in their family for a day or two at a time and it's been very much appreciated. But we're keeping her close most of the time and she's a trooper... just like her mom. I'm fine... just tired... She has answered the phone a couple of times... Our home number is at the bottom of this email. And she does check her email several times a day... I have forwarded all you have sent. It's teresa@getadvocareonline.com That's Get Advocare Online . com For those of you who don't know, she's a distribtor for that line of vitamins and supplements. Her next chemo is scheduled for Thursday, April 23. And then again 3 weeks later. That is when her doctors will decide if it's time for her hysterectomy.
Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers, Brian

See what I mean.

Meeting my Chemo Doctors

Thursday morning I meet Dr Kong and Dr Lavalais at the Julie & Ben Rogers Cancer Institute.

Briefly, here is what I understand about what is going on :
I have a cyst about the size of a large orange near my right ovary, both of my ovaries are enlarged, my uterus is enlarged due to fibroids, and my colon and small bowel also may be involved. This is making things kinda crowded and uncomfortable in my belly. It's also crowding my lungs so i can't get a deep breath, so my lungs have fluid in them. At MD Anderson, they drained off just over 2 liters of fluid from my right lung. The pathology on the fluid showed malignant cancer cells, so I do have cancer. The cells are gyncological in origin and my CT scan did not show any nodules in my lungs, so most likely I do not have lung cancer.
I was told that cancer cells produce a fluid. The fluid along with the cyst and enlarged ovaries and uterus is adding to the distention and is why I look like I am about 3 months pregnant. It's also why I ache and can't stand up straight and have to take painkillers all day long.

I am told that the chemo will shrink my cyst and dry up the fluid so I should begin to feel better within a couple of days of my first treatment.

Here's What Happened

If your looking for facts from the experts, here's some good reading about Ovarian Cancer

If you'd like to come along with me on my journey, I'll write you a little story.

I am having a tough time with this because if I take enough pain killers to sit for a while to post, I start to get sleepy - vicious cycle, but here goes.

I figured my first appointment at MD Anderson mostly would be full of paperwork, questions and moving from one diagnostic test to another. So I convinced everyone that I would be just fine going by myself. Brian and Abby need to keep home life as normal as possible, my cousins Kimmy and Jenny have told me over & over again that they are on stand by anytime I need them, Dad says he'll be on the next flight - just call, and so many other dear Friends and Family have told me that they will drop everything to be with me even if all I need is someone to hold my hand. But really, I can do this.

My appointment with Dr Kathleen Schmeler is at 830AM Mon, need to get there by 730AM to start the paperwork. A few days prior, I received my "Welcome Packet" in the mail. Kinda feels like what you get for Summer Camp - a map, driving directions, what to bring, important phone numbers, 8 pages of medical history to fill out. Seems that the women on Mom's side of the Family have some history of Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer.

Brian already had made plans for us to see Elmo & his Sesame Street friends Sunday afternoon, so we kept that date and took one of Abby's little friends along with us. Afterward I packed enough for a couple of days and headed to Kemah to stay with my good friend Brenda.

Monday morning she asked me again if I wanted her come along with me, but I assured her that "No, I'll be fine." Brenda's made this trip with friends a couple of times before, and helped me pack for the day - my paperwork, some snacks, water, cel phone, my laptop, the new MajikJak and phone that Brian got for me, a blanket and Brenda tossed in a pair of warm comfy socks for me, the ones with the rubber ridges on the bottom.

Traffic into Houston that early in the morning was easy, driving directions were excellent, I found entrance 7 and Valet parking is free on your first visit - convenient!

I have a little cart that I got from Office Depot, I just threw everything in there and followed my directions to the Laura Lee-Blanton Gynecologic Oncoloogy Center on the 6th floor.

So far so good. I'm pretty calm, just pulling along my little cart. Everyone from the Valet to Security and Informtion to Reception at the Gynecologic Oncology Center is smiling and friendly and helpful. I'm actually early, and for those of you who know me, that's pretty amazing.

I step up to the counter and turn in my paperwork, Kegan lets me know my Medical Record Number and hands me a clipboard with my Oncology team's names and important contact info, and a couple more pages to fill out.

The waiting room is very comfortable. Glider rockers, Recliners, Sofas, Club chairs - something for everyone. 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles laid out on the coffee tables, magazines, paperbacks, coping with cancer brochures, fliers on upcoming seminars for Patients and their Families, a huge aquarium, a bubbly waterfall sculpture, coffee, ice water, little cross stitch kits.

As I'm looking around I can't help but wonder why each of them is here. I overhear some conversations. One Family is from Cinncinnati, another from Witchita Falls. "This is your 2nd visit?" "We've been making the trip for just over a year now". I see a couple of Translators helping to fill out the clipboard pages.

Some Women already are wearing cute little hats and scarves ... and now it starts to feel surreal. It's like I'm in some kind of weird dream. Everyone is oddly cheerful. Talking about their trip, their hotel, some are just looking around at each other

My friend Sally found out a couple of months ago that she has Breast Cancer. She already has been doing her chemo. She said this would happen - the odd moment that I realize that I'm not the only one, poor little me is not so unique, there are at least 20 other Women just like me here, in this one waitng area - and it's just Monday morning - it's just one day, on one floor - tomorrow there will be more.

But they made me feel like I was the only one that mattered.

Wow, this is more than I had planned to write.

Later this weekend I'll post some more. I'll finish up Monday's visit, then do a quick run through of what happened when Brian came with me on Wednesday's visit. Time to take a couple more Hydrocodone and get some sleep. The next post, I'll explain why I need the pain killers.

My first appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center

I want to write something, I just don't know what or how much.

The OCD part of me wants to write a perfect little story, but that perfection has me stifled. I think I will just enter my observations. Like how this is all so surreal. This place is HUGE. And everyone has a story. Like when you tell your Hurricane story - Where were you when the storm came in? Did you evacuate? Did you have any storm damage? We're all the same. No one really is unique, we all are trying to figure out if we have cancer and what are we going to do about it. But then again we are unique - different cancers different stages.

I'm drinking Barium again.

Now this is weird. I am here in the Imaging waiting room, and there are all these people sitting around sipping on their little bottles of Barium through a straw.

Telling their story - I'm from Ft Worth... We drove in from Cinncinnati... This is our third visit... I've been coming for 18 months... Breast... Kidney... Lungs... We love to travel, last month we went to Italy, I think it will be our last time.

The Story

I'm going to tell it like it is. I'm going to mention poo and my period and maybe a few other things, nothing horrible, I've said all of this out loud, even in a group, just be aware.

Thursday night, just before Mardi Gras, some friends had us over for a wonderful dinner. We had Brie & crackers, drank wine, Tara made a fantastic baked chicken in her dutch oven - it was fall off the bone juicy with carrots, onions and cute little fingerling potatoes. We had more wine a couple VO and 7's and of course finished off with a King cake.

You know that feeling you have, just after Thanksgiving dinner? All fat & happy, when your belly is full and all you want to do is take a nap & then have a big burp & a poo? Well, that's kinda the way I felt - only I never had the big burp or poo. For the next few days I was feeling kinda bloated and gassy and ... I'm pretty regular, something goes in, something comes out. So this was unusual.

My usual day I have a Meal Replacement Shake for breakfast, that has plenty of fiber and probiotics, but I added extra Fiber Drink and a couple Probiotic Restore to my day as well. I was thinking back to what I had learned about easing symptoms of IBS. I made sure to take plenty of OmegaPlex - fish oil should help things move along, Calcium and Magnesium for intestinal muscle function and ReHydrate.

I also went to the drugstore and got GasX, Colace, Senakot S, Tums ... it had been FOUR days and I was trying anything. My tummy was kinda swollen.

I went to San Antonio the last weekend of February. I had a one day booking, but I brought Abby with me and we made it a long weekend and stayed with my good friend Sally. I still was very bloated. Still hadn't had the "big poo". A couple of mornings there was a little bit, I was burping alot and I had diahrrea, but just not regular like I should be. I had to wear super control top panty hose to work.

I was glad to have the chance to visit with my friend Sally. She had just told me that she had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and every couple of weeks she had to take her pills for chemotherapy. She talked to me about the whole ordeal. Her appointments, how she felt, what she was thinking.

Now, remember, at the time, I still thought I just had some GI issues. Sally talked to me about how she was coping, but it wasn't really sinking in for me. I love her as my friend and care deeply about what she must be going through, but I never really had known someone close to me who had been diagnosed with cancer, so I didn't have have a complete understanding.

Anyway we had a nice weekend, took the Riverboat Tour, then Abby & I drove home. San Antonio to Beaumont is about a 5 hour drive. But when you are uncomfortably bloated and on the lookout for clean facilities because you can't figure out if you're constipated or have diahrrea - it seems like forever. And here's a bonus, I started my period that morning.

We got home late Sunday night. Monday I was miserable and called all over town trying to get a doctor's appointment. Called a Gastroenterologist, they said I need a referral. Tried to get an appointment with a Gynecologist, but they are booked til April! And they can't do the referral anyway, I need to see my Primary Care Physician.

OK, now I have to admit something. During the 4 years that I have lived in Beaumont, I have not gotten a Primary Care Physician. I have had seen a Gynecologist for my annual exams, but I don't get sick. And since I am self employed, i have limited medical insurance, so I just never did it. Lesson learned.

Tuesday, I was really feeling bad. I called Brian and he came home to take me to the Emergency Room at Christus St Elizabeth.

It was still early afternoon, so the ER wasn't too crowded. We got into a room relatively quickly. The nurse talked to me about my symptoms, and asked "Have you tried a laxative?" Well of course I have, and maybe this ER trip is going to be just a really expensive enema, but I need to feel better!

I kept thinking about that show on Animal Planet, Emergency Vet, how someone's puppy is acting strangely and they bring him in and take X rays and find out that he's swallowed a sock. The Vet does surgery and everyone is fine - I am hoping that will be me. But when they took my X rays they were hazy because of excess fluid in my abdomen. The ER Doctor came in to announce this to me and told me that this was called ascites, which is caused by malnutrition, liver failure which could be due to cirrohsis, caused by blood transfusion, hepatitis, sharing needles during intravenous drug use, or cancer.

What?! That would be impossible. Oh no Ma'am, nothing's impossible.

So, here's some Lasix in your IV to help keep the fluid down and here's a prescription for Lasix, a diuretic and a potassium supplement. Be sure to follow up with your Doctor, thanks for stopping by.

Of course I didn't appreciate her bedside manner, but the ER Dr did freak me out enough to be sure to follow up with a personal Physician. Fortunately, one of the best in town had a 230 cancellation the next afternoon. He ordered up some blood tests and a CT scan. I fasted and got my blood tests the next morning. There were at least 7 different tests that were ordered, but a CA125 was not one of them. Google ascites, ovarian cancer will come up on the list. Why not include a test for cancer?

I couldn't get in for a scan for a week. Looking back, I don't know why I waited, I could have gotten a CT scan in Lake Charles, Mid County, Conroe ... hindsight.

Another week goes by, I just want to feel better. Finally, that next Thursday morning, I drank my Barium and went in for my CT scan. Friday morning I went in to discuss the report with my Doctor. That's when he told me that I have a cyst about the size of an orange near my right ovary. Am I understanding you? Should I start crying now? Yes, and there is nothing further that we can do for you here. You need a Gynecological Oncologist and there is not one in Beaumont.

Well, good thing I happen to know a Gynecological Oncologist.

Brian is the first person that I called when I left the Dr's office. The next person I called was Mike Wade at Advocare Corporate. He got in touch with one of the members of Advocare's Sci/Med Board, Dr Judith Smith - a Gynecological Oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

It's Friday afternoon, 10 days since my first ER visit, the one where they told me that I had liver failure, and I really am uncomfortable. I'm bloated to the size of 4 months pregnant, and it has happened over just a couple of weeks. So Brian takes me to Memorial Hermann ER to have the fluid drained off my abdomen.

I took my cel phone and my laptop with me. Dr Smith was in a meeting all afternoon, but left a message to get the appointment process started, and she would call me back. I was in the ER waiting room filling out a patient self referral form on mdanderson.org. I followed up with a phone call and a wonderful facilitator completed everything for me and had a confirmed appointment for 830 AM Mon March 23. But that's over a week away.

When I got in to the little room to have the fluid "tapped", they drained about 2 liters of fluid - think really big soda bottle!

Of course I was anxious about my appointment at MD Anderson - a week away. But the ER Doctor got on the phone with Dr Smith, they discussed it and agreed that it would be OK to wait the week. The next day, Saturday, Dr Smith talked with me some more about my symptoms, the process, what to expect. I felt better about the wait. It was going to be OK. And I was able to prepare emotionally for the trip and discuss more with Brian and make arrangements for Abby during the day that I was gone.

I have Cancer

Two months since my last post.

Well, I have been feeling pretty lousy lately, and Friday I found out why. I have a cyst about the size of a large orange near my right ovary, fibroids in my uterus and a panus of tissue near my colon and small bowel. None of these are supposed to be in there.

I'm sad, scared and angry.

Fortunately, I am just down the road from the best cancer treatment facility in the nation - MD Anderson at the UT Medical Center in Houston, TX. And thanks to some help from Advocare VP Mike Wade and Advocare Sci/Med Board member Dr Judith Smith, I have a better understanding of this disease, the treatment and possible outcome.

Should I put this personal information out there for anyone and everyone to read? Of course!

We all know to do our monthly Breast Self Exam, and what to do if we find a lump. But do you know the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer? Do you know what to do about it?

I think it is important that I share my story. Not for drama but for awareness.

My first appointment at MD Anderson is Monday morning.