Survivor Story: Dianne Blankenstein
August 11, 2017, marks the 14th anniversary my diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer. It is a time to be extremely thankful for my health as well as a time to reflect on all of my cancer friends I’ve known and those I’ve lost.
My life and my purpose in life have changed over these 14 years because of my diagnosis.
My story actually started back in 1999 when I had a hysterectomy for excessive bleeding and fibroid tumors. The Dr. and I actually discussed the fact that I would not have to worry about Ovarian Cancer. Little did we know that a remnant of an ovary had been left behind.
My symptoms began in 2002 or before with frequent urination and bloating and acid reflux and pain in my left side. These are some of the most common symptoms of what is now realized to be a “no longer silent killer”. The fibroid tumors had caused bloating and frequent urination for years, so those were not new to me. The pain and the reflux came on slowly so they did not alarm me.
I remember a trip to the ER one night when the reflux and nausea were so bad that I broke out in red blotches all over that didn’t seem to want to go away. The Dr. at the ER told me I was having a panic attack and I agreed with him and told him that he would have one also if he looked in the mirror and was covered with red blotches that wouldn’t go away. He said I had an emotional problem and should seek help for it. He gave me a prescription for tranquilizers that I never took. And I had to meet a new deductible on my insurance for mental health.
In 2002 an annual check–up with my IM included a chest X-ray. My Doctor was concerned about my left lung from the results of the X-ray, so I was instructed to breathe deeply for a month and the X-ray would be repeated. The left lung still did not look right with the 2nd X-ray. The next test was a CT scan of my chest which revealed that the problem was actually my swollen left kidney behind my lung. Diagnosis was hydronephrosis of the left kidney, so next I was referred to a Urologist.
In between those Doctor visits I saw my Gynecologist for my annual visit and he did not feel anything of concern in my abdomen and felt I was in good gynecological health.
My Urologist did a CT scan of the kidney and bladder and the scan was read as a kidney stone in the Ureter. I underwent surgery where my Urologist intended to remove the kidney stone and put in a stent to help drain the kidney. During surgery he did not find a kidney stone in the ureter, but a couple of cancer cells which he removed. There was not even enough cancer to form a tumor, so he inserted the stent as planned.
The Pathologist thought that the cancer cells might be colon cancer so I was sent to a Gastroenterologist for a Colonoscopy. Not a pleasant experience, but I was relieved and thankful to find I did not have colon cancer.
After a few months my Urologist decided to remove the original stent and replace it hoping that the original stent would have stretched the Ureter enough that he could see into the kidney and find the problem. He noted the spot where the cancer cells had been and took a picture of that section. He decided the part of the Ureter where the cancer had been present should be removed, so abdominal surgery was scheduled.
Throughout this process my Urologist asked me several times if my hysterectomy had been a complete one where the ovaries were also removed and I had confirmed to him that was correct.
When I awoke from the abdominal surgery I was told that a self-contained cancerous tumor between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball was found on the outside of the ureter. This caused the ureter to collapse and the kidney to swell. Ovarian was suspected, but not confirmed until the pathology report from Boston was received. Somehow the tumor was never noticed in any of my previous scans.
Before the week was over I was back in the hospital with blocked intestines from scar tissue from the 1999 hysterectomy. My Gynecologic Oncologist was present at the second surgery where I had 6 inches of my small colon removed. He could not get into the original area of surgery, but did not see any cancer in the area he examined.
Since a Urologist did my surgery, I was not debulked or staged and a CA-125 was not taken before my surgery. Therefore I don’t know if a CA-125 is a good marker for me. Before the year was over I had 3 surgeries in that same scar – 3rd one for hernia around the naval which is now somewhere on the left side of my stomach. I had 6 rounds of Taxol and Carbo which I tolerated fairly well. I was able to work the weeks I did not have treatment. While I still have my kidney, the last check revealed it only worked 12% and couldn’t sustain my life by itself. I’m so glad I have another good one.
I feel fortunate and blessed to be alive 14 years later and I am so very glad I have been privileged to meet so many wonderful women that have been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. I hope and pray that an affordable early detection test is on the near horizon that will soon be a part of all women’s regular annual exams. So many lives would be saved if this disease could just be caught early.
Dianne Conaway Blankenstein