Please find below a letter from Liz about her original diagnosis and why she wants to raise awareness for Ovarian Cancer.
Liz’s treatment continues please see the ‘Liz Health Updates” section which provides more info about Liz’s treatment since July 3, 2017, which includes her most recent diagnosis, a summary of her chemo treatments (which she is currently undergoing as at August 2018 until around Christmas). Also included is the different drugs she has been on with a description of her hopeful chance at a trial and moving to a professor in Queensland who seems to have his finger on the pulse.
LIZ’S LETTER:
Hi, my name is Elizabeth Anne Wright but most of you know me as Liz
My story starts back in February 2015 when my GP noted a tiny spot on my right lung behind my shoulder blade, I underwent a wedge resection to remove the tumour and the biopsy came back with a diagnosis of Adeno Carcinoma, the surgeon felt sure he got it all and they would watch and wait. Fast forward two years and in February 2017 the Space around my Right lung filled with two and half litres of fluid, called a Pleural effusion, They drained the fluid out and did another biopsy and came back once again with lung cancer and again watch and wait, I walked around for five months thinking I had lung cancer, When my Oncologist rang me to say after going over the films and tests again they no longer believe I have Lung Cancer but Stage 4 Serous Ovarian Cancer with a 5% cure. I have since been informed that a pleural effusion can also indicate Ovarian Cancer. I am not here to attack my doctors but to impress on everyone, if the doctors find it so hard to detect there is little hope for us. Let’s use the CA125 blood test, it was from this test being elevated that made them look a little further and finally find the primary.
I would like to try and bring more awareness to this insidious disease, at this point in time there is no real noted Screening for Ovarian Cancer but after talking to Doctors there is a couple of things we could do that just might save our lives, first a simple blood test [ CA125 ]once a year and every 2 years a Transvaginal Ultrasound, although not a 100% guarantee it is the only early marker available, an elevated blood test would have your Doctor look further.
After going through this over the last two and half years I realise just how little we know about the dangers of not knowing enough about our own health and relying on Doctors or Media to keep us informed. Ovarian Cancer can start as early as 40years old but more commonly in women who are post-menopausal, at-risk women with a family history of Ovarian Cancer, Breast Cancer, Uterine Cancer and Bowel Cancer. This news hit me hard as I personally have two beautiful daughters, three granddaughters and three great-granddaughters and my youngest daughter and her husband have informed us they are having their first baby, we couldn’t be more excited. Because I have been diagnosed with this disease all the women in my family are at a higher risk of contracting ovarian cancer. This is what is spurring me on.
Early Symptoms: usually none or Vague at best feigning every day gut problems. Bloating, discomfort or pain in the abdomen or pelvis, flatulence, heartburn, nausea, tiredness, feeling of fullness, weight loss or gain, urgency in urinating and pain or bleeding with sex to name a few. But if you are like me you would not feel any of this until it’s too late. I would like to see a government sponsored programme bringing to the forefront protocols dealing with Awareness and early detection of Ovarian Cancer. And perhaps our GP’s could, as a matter of course when you reach the age of say 45 yrs; or post menopause whichever comes first could encourage us to have a CA125 blood test and Transvaginal Ultrasound. Although not 100% guaranteed at least it would give us a fighting chance.
Thank you for supporting me in my fight to raise awareness and detection of Ovarian Cancer. If you want to donate go to my donations page where there will always be a direct link to an Ovarian Cancer organisation. I do not collect the funds myself, but rather want it to go directly to the right people.
Whether you can donate or not, please make women aware of the tests that they can ask for. If we can save one life it’s worth it.
Thank you for reading my story I wish you all the best in life and hope you have good health.
Regards Liznike news