Last Update: December 2, 2010
Comments may be directed to Tyge at btc@chipchat.com
Carcinosarcoma Ovarian Cancer - Stage III C
This page was developed to spread the awareness of Ovarian Cancer.
Particularly Carcinosarcoma cancer. There are no known tests at this time to
find this cancer, just women intuition.
Remember, you know your body better than anyone else. Even better than your
own Doctor. Be polite, but precedent. Challenge the doctor by asking them how
they derive at their conclusions. E.g. Why do you think it is gas when I have
not been passing any? Remember Doctors are humans. They can not nor should they
know everything. A good doctor is one who knows what he/she knows and does not
know and would not hesitate to refer you to someone else immediately.
In
Memory of Karen We love you. See You Soon. :)
It has been a gut wrenching experience that I do not wish anyone to go through. Unfortunately,
since there is life, there is death. We had 30+ years together, with 26 of these being married.
Karen raised three GREAT children and until the Cancer, none of us have ever been seriously sick.
For this we are grateful. Money can not buy good health.
After piping at the 2010 "race for the cure", Maura and I got in the car to head home.
Maura was very quiet. I asked her if she was OK. Maura replied, that during at the 2009 "race for the cure",
while walking behind me as I played the bagpipes, Karen had stated "how lucky our family was that none of us have Cancer"...
Who knew, that 6 months later Karen would be diagnose with Ovarian Cancer.
Thank all of your for your support, condolences, prayers and sharing memories of Karen and sorry it has taken so
long to send out thank you letters. We figured, since each of you took the time to help
us honor and remember Karen's family, we at the minimum, should
reply back to each and every person. - Maura, William, Emily and Tyge.
Index
- How you can help out
- Why not donate your unused computer time to World Community Grid and
the Help Conquer Cancer. This project is used to help scientists better
understand and treat cancer through the discovery of proteins involved in
cancer, and their function.
- World
Community Grid - Help researchers conquer cancer.
- Please consider donations to either
- Gynecologic Cancer
Foundation http://www.thegcf.org/
- Ovarian Cancer Research
Fund http://www.ocrf.org
- Ovarian
Cancer http://www.ovariancancer.org/
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness USPS Postage Stamp
- I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition. There is no
costs to sign. However, you will be asked to donate to the iPetitions
fund, but can opt-out.
- Sign Petition
- Common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- An urgency or frequency in uninary symptoms
- NOTE: Pap smears do NOT detect Ovarian Cancer
- What's in the future
- New Electronics
- Georgia Tech
- History of events
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- Reports
- Chemos Used
- Information about
Karen
- How the cancer was
found
- Surgical Pathology
Report
- Food, Drink and Dietary
Supplements
- Age
- Genetics
- Other excellent resources
Scales - There are two scales used. One for tiredness and one for pain.
Scales are 1-5 with 1 not being tired or no pain and 5 being extremely tired or
painfully. The suffix "t" is for tiredness and suffix "p" for pain.
scale 1- Running around like a little id
scale 5 - Tired and thinking like a teenager
Up until after surgery patient was "not in pain" but was discomfort.
- May 2010
- Saturday May 15 - 2:00pm - Karen's service. Good Shepherd United
Methodist Church, 1570 Mason Street, Dearborn, MI 48124 (313)278-4350.
Donations either a charity of your choice or Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
http://www.ocrf.org/ instead of flowers.
- Church Program - image
- Dance of Life - Highland Dancers (Strathspey, Highland Reel)
- Recessional Music - Turn! Turn! Trun! (to Everthing There is a Season) - Pete Seegar
- Insert speeches later - Emily, Marty, John, Maura and Leanne, Tyge
- Once my family and guest formed a circle outside the church, we played
Amazing Grace and Scotland the Brave.
- May 4 - Started putting the final touches together on Karen's
service.
- May 3 - Called Social Security about Karen. Meet with Banks to add
names to accounts to protect assets for my children.
- May 1 Continue to make arrangements and contacting Karen's
relatives.
- April 2010
- Apr. 28 - 30 Continue to make arrangements and contacting Karen's
relatives.
- Apr. 27 - Dean and I write the letter to have the ticket dismiss. I had
to actually go to court and explain the circumstances. Here is the copy
of the ticket and letter.
- Apr. 26 - Went to funeral home to make arrangements. Requested 15 death
notices. Things needed: Karen's Social Security Number. Her "real" name.
I say this because Karen used both Karen Cawthon and Karen Leemaster
Cawthon on records.
- City of Dearborn tickets one of my vehicles because it is park in the
street on a service day. Called the City of Dearborn to ask for a waiver.
They request that I put in writing the circumstances.
- Apr. 26 - John Berger (friend for 30 years), Gary Leemaster (from
California using iChart) and I stayed with Karen through the entire
night.
- At 6:00am Dr. Peter enters the room and then states "Karen can you hear
me?" Karen can not response because she is weak. Dr. Peters gestures to
me to come out in the hallway. I leaned over to Karen and said "Did I say
I love you today?", put my lips on hers, she pucker up and we kiss. I
told her I would be right back. I agreed to have hospice care. At 10am
John and I decided to thank the people who had helped us. When we got
back at 10:10am, Karen had taken her last breath. My brother Dean, son
William (age 20), daughter Emily (age 23) and Maura (age 17) had all
arrived at about 10:15am. Emily and Maura gave their mother a final kiss.
It was interesting on what William did. Instead of a kiss William left
the room. When I asked William if he wanted to see his mother he stated
"That's is not my mother, it's just the shell. Her sprit has left the
shell." Karen has stated a new and wonderful journey.
- Apr. 25 - Morning Karen not doing go. Infection and cancer has spread.
The chemo seems not to have worked. She fought a good battle. The doctors
and nurses have done a great job. Karen is approaching a new life. We're
No 'Awa' Tae Bide Awa'. - We are not away to stay away.
- During the 6 months, I would ask Karen "did I say I love you" and every
time she would nod her head no. I would than say "I love you" and give
her a kiss on the lips. Sometimes I would do this every 15 mins. Today,
people did not think Karen was responding so to show they were wrong, I
would say "did I say I love you", Karen was to weak to nod so I would put
my lips against hers and she would slow pucker up and we would kiss.
- Apr. 24 - Karen's breathing hard. Not eating and has pain in her lower
stomach. Seems to be in pain while having her legs massaged.
- Apr. 23 - Ultra sound on the heart. Karen may be fighting another
infection.
- Apr. 22 - Karen doing good. Paracentesis still draining. Let's hope
this chemo works.
- Apr. 21 - Showed karen a bill from a self storage unit that I did not
know existed. She smiled. What else has she done that I do not know
about? :)
- Apr. 21 19:30 hours - Chemo#2
- Apr. 21 - 13:00 hours - Paracentesis removed 2.2
liters. Weight before paracentesis 198lb, weight after 196lb. During the
evening, fluids continue to drain. By at 10pm an additional one (1) liter
had drained. Hopefully by morning 90% of the fluids will have
drained.
- Apr. 21 - Waiting for bowel movement. Last bowel movement was Sunday.
Continue eating pureed meals (meals ground up to help swallowing).
- Apr. 20 - Continue fluids, antibiotics, eating, exercising. A week ago,
Karen could only left her hand 6-8 inches of the bed. Today, above her
head. We exercise every 2-3 hours from 9am to 9pm. Objective - Get her
strong so she can stand, sit and walk. Exercises are for fingers, arms,
toes, legs and lungs.
- Apr. 19 - Chemo#2 moved to April 21
- Apr. 18 - The infection is from pneumonia
- Apr. 17 - Continue fluids, antibiotics. I continue to work with Karen
with her eating and exercising. Lesson learned - Had I not been with
Karen during the day/night she would not have been exercising or eating.
There is not enough help available. E.g. to eat a bowl of oatmeal takes
about 1.5 hours. Also, she needs encouragement to exercise and eat.
- Apr. 16 - Karen given fluids and antibiotics
- Apr. 15 - Blood test - Tests showed white cells count extremely high.
Possible infection. Karen taken back to hospital to emergency room
4:30pm.
- Apr. 14 - 13 Sweeting uncontrollably. Due to lack of strength in
Karen's throat muscles, she is only able to eat ground up foods at this
point. Also very little fat and muscles on her back, so laying down on
her back bones (spinal) is starting to hurt. For the first time ever,
Karen has asked for a pain killer. I rotate her about every two hours. At
night, I place pillows under her entire body to help reduce the amount of
pain.
- Apr. 12 - Today was much better than over the weekend. Met with two
different therapists (one for lower body and one for upper body). Met the
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. Only medication being used is sleeping pill
and blood thinner. Only sore is the on the right calf. Exercises - Today
Karen did two sets (20 rotations forward and backward) of arm bike. Three
pound weight box reached forward and backward than left to right. This is
for the back muscles. Next Karen did leg exercises. Leg lifts, ball
between knees and leg extension. Was able to get food ground up so Karen
can eat solids. Throat muscles very weak.
- Apt. 10-11 My concerns have become a reality. Oakwood Rehabilitation
and Skilled Nursing Center (ORSNC) is unable to provide food that Karen
is able to eat (pureed meals). Therefore, Karen has not eaten well these
past two days. I have asked for fresh fruits and smoothies; However,
until a nutrition specialist meets us, these foods can not be provided to
Karen. Go figure, Sunday Morning for Breakfast they offer Karen biscuits
and gravy. Met Physical Therapists Saturday. Have yet to meet Dr. Belal
F. Abdallah. First impression - not a great facility for our needs, but
Karen will get through it.
- If I had to do this over again, I would have had Karen stay at the main
hospital over the weekend so she could received the proper foods. Still
having Karen doing breathing exercises.
- Apr. 9 - Tried level 3 - All intravenous (IV) and medications completed
and removed in morning. Moved to Oakwood Rehabilitation and Skilled
Nursing Center at 4:30pm.
- Concern - Due to Karen's weakness, swallowing some foods is extremely
hard (e.g. fish, bread, fries, etc.)
- Karen can not eat dairy products due to mucus build up. Things to think
about. The rehabilitation facility does not have immediate access to
certain medications. We need to develop food for Karen that is high in
protein and electrolytes.
- Apr. 8 - For 5 hours, every hour on the hour, had Karen setup on the
side of the bed for 15 mins and do breathing exercise.
- Apr. 7 - Low Hemoglobin. Blood Transfusion 2 liters. Blood pressure
112/65 Heart rate 125ppm
- Could not drain fluids from lungs due to lack of amount and the
proximity to lung
- Apr. 6 - Plan (on Apr. 7) drain fluids on both lungs and test for
cancer cells. (Thoracostomy)
- Apr. 5 - Paracentesis 2 liters
- Apr. 5 - Cat Scan
- Apr. 2 - Low blood count. Start another 2 units of blood
transfusion
- Apr. 2 - Tried to removed fluids, however, there
were to many pockets of small fluids and therefore could not do a
paracentesis. Will try Monday April 5. Between now and April 5, will work
with Karen to setup and move around and to see if gravity and medications
can help create large pockets of fluids for draining.
- Apr. 1 - Extremely tired. Average heart beat 130. Blood pressure low
(85/38). Mucus attack. I had feed Karen four 8oz Ensures during the day.
At 9:30pm Karen started coughing uncontrollably. To weak to cough up the
mucus. Heart rate race up to 150ppm and blood pressure dropped. Took 4
hours to stabilize Karen by giving her Oxygen with nebulizer.
- March 2010
- Mar. 31 - Extremely tired. Sleeping very well. Everything on track.
Receiving same type of fluids as the day before. Waiting 3 or more days
before checking CA125 counts. Ate solid foods for the first time since
Saturday. One cup of fruit and yogurt. Since Karen is very weak, I feed
her, exercise her muscles, and full body message daily. This should help
her recover faster. As one of my friends pointed out this should prevent
atrophy
- Mar. 30 - One bowel movement running a very green. Could be the last of
the infection. Same medications as Mar. 25.
- Started new Chemo at 9:00pm Bevacizmab (see "Chemos used"
below)
- Links about Bevacizmab
- Mar. 29 - No change - everything "normal" under these conditions. Both
kidneys working excellent - on action. Kidney and lungs conditions could
be due to infection.
- Mar. 28 - Cat scan results. There is pressure in kidney (possible
blockage), spot on the lung and tumors on liver. Dr. Hicks just we try
Bevacizumab treatment.
- Mar. 27 - Fluids via IV's (intravenous medication) and drinking
powerade and 42g protein drinks.
- Mar. 28 - Paracentesis removed 3.8 liters.
- Bowel movements semi-firm due to medications. Color is no longer green,
but brown
- Mar. 26 - Medications: 1000ml and 250ml .9% Sodium Chloride.
Antibiotics Cefazolin Sodium Dextrose 5% in water. Two units of
blood.
- Mar. 25 - Throughout the night blood tests have shown the Sodium going
up and Potassium going down to 4.4. Waiting for results of cat scan.
4x500mls 3% sodium chloride at 125ml/hr and 1x500ml .9%sodium chloride
before cat scan. Cat scan completed 11pm-12am
- Blood pressure 85/38 Heart Rate 125 ppm
- Mar. 24 - t5. Enter hospital 10:45am
- Very dehydrated. Sodium low, Potassium high. Dr. assistance suggested
medication to lower Potassium. Karen and I elected not to take the
medication. Reasons: The day before, karen had a mix drink that contained
one large banana and Powerade drink. The medication would cause diarrhea
which we just got under control. Bowel movement at 6:30pm. Small but
firm. Prior to this, the bowel movements were bright running green
indicating possible infection. Potassium count 5.9. I few weeks ago her
count was 5.8. All due to bananas. High Potassium may cause heart
problems. Normal range 3.5 - 5.3
- Mar. 23 - CA125 - 117.0. Stopped by Hicks office. Agreed
to have blood tested today vs Mar. 24.
- Mar. 22 - Extreme diarrhea.
- Mar. 21 - Diarrhea is hard to contain. Still drinking fluids continue
taken Imodium A-D.
- Mar. 20 - Diarrhea started. Started taken Imodium A-D
- Mar. 16 - Paracentesis - removed 2 liters
- Mar. 15 - CBC-D blood (need results)
- Mar. 12 - Back to hospital for another possible blood transfusion.
Hemoglobin count at 10. No need for additional blood transfusion
- Mar. 11 - Blood transfusion - 2 units
- Mar. 9 - CBC-D blood - Very low (see Reports below)
- Mar. 8 - Extremely tired level t1 - Has not been able to eat solid
foods since Thursday/Friday March 4,5 Drinking protein drinks and
electrolytes
- Mar. 7 - Extremely tried level t1 - Fluids are starting to build up
- Mar. 6 - Very tired - medication Kytril(11pm), Switch medication
compazine(4pm/10pm)
morning ensure (threw up), rough day. Only able to drink 2 8oz ensures
and one milk shake (2 scoops ice cream, ensure, whole milk)
- Mar. 5 - Very tired - medication Kytril(10am/11pm) -
- Mar. 4 - Very tired - medication Kytril(10am/11pm) -
- Mar. 3 - Chemo, Ate very little during chemo
medication Kytril (11pm)
- Mar. 2 - Paracentesis removed 7.0 liters
- Mar. 2 - Appointment with Dr. Hicks
News good/bad
Good, ca125 count is below 35
Bad, still creating fluids. Usually, fluids disappear before ca125 count
goes down
Therefore 1/2 the cancer seems to be under control. As such, we agreed to
keep the same chemo for the 3rd time.
Tyge's theory - Drain the fluids before the chemo (less cancer for the
chemo do have to fight with), monitor fluids after chemo. If the chemo is
working, by Karen's next paracentesis (Mar. 11), she should have 3-4
liters or less of fluids
Mar. 16th paracentesis, 2-3 liters or less
Mar. 23rd paracentesis, 1-2 liters or less
Mar. 30th paracentesis, 0 liter
If there are still fluids by Mar. 31st., then the chemo will need to be
changed. To what? is the big question.
- February 2010
- Feb. 23 - CBC Differential and Platelet Count,
CMP,Magnesium, LDH, CA 125
- Feb. 18 - 9:30am Arrived for paracentesis -
Removed 6.3 liters.
- Feb. 15-17 Fluids starting to come back. Karen continues to eat well;
However, still tired t3
- Feb. 15 - CBC Differential and Platelet Count
- Feb. 11-14 Karen eating very well. Still tired t3
- Feb. 10 - Walked for 45 minutes. lifting 3 pound weights with arms.
Tired scale t3. Still eating 100+ grams of protein.
- Feb. 11 - 8am Paracentesis. Removed 8 liters.
- Feb. 10 - Weight is 159 pounds.
- Feb. 5-6 - Looks like fluids are coming back. Weight 150 lbs. About 2
pounds per 1 liter of fluid.
- Weight - 142 lbs. - reason for recording weight is to see how fast, if
any, fluids come back.
- Started lifting 10 pound weights while setting down
- Feb. 3 - Before the paracentesis, karen drank 50g of protein. Came
home, eat a bowl of cereal and walked about 1/4 mile. Rested, continue
drinking lots of powerade and "tyge" protein drinks. Dinner ate a salmon
burger. So far everything is good. Nausea is under control. Next steps,
eat, get fat, exercise and continue being happy.
- Feb. 3 - Paracentesis. Removed 5.5 liters.
- Unbelievable - After chemo and after Karen got home, she at a 3 egg
omelette with cheese and avocado. At night, she took one pill of
kytril.
- Feb. 2 - Chemo. First time use of Aloxi to control nausea
- Before starting chemo, had Karen drink one 8oz 30g protein drink.
During chemo, continue drinking "tyge's big bang" drink". This drink
contained 63g of protein. If the chemo does not kill, than these drinks
will. :)
- January 2010
- Jan. 27 - CBC Differential and Platelet Count, CMP,
Magnesium, LDH, CA 125
low sodium and low protein
- Jan. 25 and rest of the week. Eat at least one banana and one avocado
per day
- Jan. 24 - Eat three eggs, toast, banana, PowerAde and "Tyge" power
Drink
Dinner - Eat 1/2 white fish and lasonia, potato, chicken noodle soup
- Jan. 23 - Morning Karen finished 1/2 gallon. Eat hotdog
- Jan. 22 - Created more drinks containing a banana, apple, pear,
avocado, ensure, milk, 2 scoops of UltraInflamX PLUS 360. Made about 1/2
gallon
- Jan. 21 - 10:30am Arrived for paracentesis -
Removed 4 liters.
Good sign that the chemo might be working.
Starting to take Imodium to stop diarrheal since Karen has not eaten a
lot of solid foods
Need to start eating solid foods. Bananas, Avocados, crackers.
Trying a new food drink. 16oz of milk, 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, 8oz
Insure, 2 scoops of UltraInflamX PLUS 360, 1 banana, 1/2 avocado. - Taste
is good. I might have one myself. :) t4
- Jan. 20 - No change
- Jan. 19 - Not eating many solid foods. Still drinking Powerade, boost
and eating peanuts.
- Jan. 18 - CBC Differential and Platelet Count
- Jan. 16 - 2 medications of Marinol. Eating small eggs, drinking
Powerade, boost.
- Jan. 15 - Went out to eat dinner. Only taken Marinol
- Jan. 14 - Asked for medication that would create an appetite. Marinol Dronabinol
- Jan. 14 - 12:30pm Arrived for Paracentesis -
Removed 8 liters
- Jan. 13 - No medication today. Eating small amounts of solid food.
Continue drinking Powerade and Boost.
- Jan. 12 - 1 pm. Drinking Powerade and Boost. Nausea under control. Took
Kytril before bed.
- Jan. 12 - Request a different nausea drug at 10am. 11am received kytril
granisetron The "BIG GUNS"
- Jan. 11 - Rough day. Extremely weak nausea (current nausea drugs not
working). Drinking Powerade. Unable to keep a lot down.
- Jan. 10 - Rough day. Extremely weak nausea (current nausea drugs not
working). Drinking Powerade. Unable to keep a lot down.
- Jan. 9 - Tired and slightly more nausea. Drinking Powerade. Unable to
keep a lot down.
- Jan. 8 - Tired and slightly nausea. Drinking Powerade. Unable to keep a
lot down.
- Jan. 7 - 9:00am Arrive for Paracentesis - 10
liters. Very tired sleeping most of the day and night.
- Jan. 6 - Still tired t4. Not eating solids.
- Different Chemo - 1/2 liter Taxol,
250mg Carboplatin, 50mg Benadryl - Help control nausea
- Jan. 5 - Started new chemo. One 8 hour treatment. Very
tired. t4
- Jan. 3 - Eating small amounts of food. vomited once in the morning
- Jan. 2 - 11:00am from hospital. Fluid still by heart, no action not
enough fluid to worry about at this time.
- Jan. 1 - Still in hospital. Nothing going no.
- The current chemo does not seem to be working. In January, we will try
using a different mix of chemo. Taxol and Carboplatin
- December 2009
- Medication for heart
- Inderal Propranolol
- At this time, we have only filled the prescription but are not taking
it. The reason, we believe the less medication you use, the better off
you are. The body is a wonderful machine and can learn to correct itself.
- Dec. 31 - Due to fluid build up, unable to eat solid foods without
vomiting. Decided to go to emergency. Heart rate was 150bpm, blood
pressure 125/99. X-ray of lungs and heart area. Lungs looked good,
however, fluid (moderate amount) build up around heart.
- Dec. 31 Paracentesis - Doctors removed 7.2
liters
- Spent night in hospital. Dr. Hicks and his inter stopped by the
hospital, on new years eve - unbelievable... nice touch...
- Note:It is not common to have some fluid build-up around the heart
while doing chemo.
- Dec. 25 - Tired t2 - tiredness comes and goes with the type of
activity
- Dec. 23 - Blood CA 125
- Dec. 22 - Paracentesis - removed 5 liters of
fluid. Hair lost slowed down and the amount of fluid may indicate Chemo
may have stopped working
- Dec. 11 Day 5 Starting to feel tired. t3
- Dec. 10 Day 4 - Started to feel tied. t3
- Dec. 9 Day 3 - Nothing unusual t2
- Dec. 8 Day 2 - Paracentesis (Drain fluid) 6 liters, t2
- Chemotherapy
- Dec. 7 Day 1 - t2 before the chemotherapy started
- Dec. 6-7 -Tired t4
- Dec. 1 - Blood CA 125
- November 2009
- Medications for Nausea
- Prochlorperazine (Compazine, Stemzine, Buccastem,
Stemetil, Phenotil) Every 12 hours.
- zofran ondansetron drug seemed have work the best for
this chemo application.
- Note:These drugs are not taken together. Either one drug of the
other
- Nov. 25 - Blood for white cells. - Nothing came back so
white cell counts are good. White cells protect against infections.
- Nov. 30 - Starting to lose hair
- Nov. 19-30 Tiredness rates slowly improved to t3 and t2. Has remained
at t2
- Nov. 16-18 Walking around but tired. rate t4
- Nov. 14-15 Extremely tired. 3 eggs for both morning and dinner. rate
t5
- Nov. 13 - Day 5 starting to feel tired. Appetite gone.
Cereal morning and 3 eggs for dinner. rate t4
- Nov. 12 - Day 4 - Started to feel tied. Appetite gone.
Cereal morning and 3 eggs for dinner. rate t4
- Nov. 11 - Day 3 - Still ok rate t2
- Nov. 10 - Day 2 - Still ok - walked around while taking
chemotherapy rate t1
- Nov. 9 - Day 1 - Ok tired from surgery - walked while
taking chemotherapy rate t1
- Nov. 1 - Started eating full meals.
- Chemotherapy Nov. 9 - 13, 8am-4pm. Chemo is Cisplatin,
Ifosfamide, Mesna
- October 2009
- Oct. 30 - Port in place for chemotherapy - Right-hand side below
shoulder blade
- Oct. 28 - Blood tested for something. Not sure what.
- Oct. 27 - Started slowly eating foods. Eggs, cheeses, peanuts, drinking
electrolytes.
- Oct. 23-27 - Unable to hold food down. stopped eating. drank
electrolytes
- Oct. 23 - No walking up/down stairs until Nov. 21
- Oct. 23 - Left for home after having successfully urinating.
- Oct. 21 - Passed Gas. epidural was to be removed. The Dr. asked if the
patient eating. The patient answered "yes", was ready to remove epidural,
however, I questioned the Dr. to define "what does eating mean?" Patient
had eaten only about 1 spoon of solid food in which case the Dr. left the
epidural in place.
- Oct. 14 - Moved to standard care floor. Eating ice and drinking fluids
- Oct. 12 - Starting walking while in ICU
- Oct. 10 - Played my bagpipes at a funeral for a young lady (age 35) who
had passed away from cancer. A week prior, her husband passed away as
well. They had three young children. When I saw Karen this day, I told
her how lucky we were that we got to see our children grow up and our
children knew us as well.
- Oct. 8 - ICU eating ice - 2 units of blood to stabilize blood
pressure
- Oct. 7 - Surgery early afternoon. Surgery lasted 3 hours. Move to
intensive care for one week. Right after surgery, epidural
reduced from scale of 10 to 6
- Oct. 6 - Took medication to clean out system - Over the counter
laxative
- Oct. 5 - Surgery moved from Oct. 14 to Oct. 7.
- Note: From Sept. 29 - Oct. 5 stomach grew by 4 inches.
- September 2009
- Sept. 29 - Visited Dr. Hicks for scheduling surgery. Date Oct. 14.
- Sept. 28 - Evening had cat scan that showed four tumors
- Sept. 28 - Visited Dr. Peters again. Insisted on some other exam
method. Dr. Peters approved cat scan.
- Sept. 26 - Still bloated, now hard and looking about 6-7 months
pregnant
- Sept. 25 - Visited doctor 2nd time. Dr. Peters preformed Pap smear,
pelvic exam. Found nothing, patient still bloated. Dr. Peters stated it
was gas and to come back in two weeks
- Sept. 18 - Visited doctor. Showed Dr. Peters the bloating and had Dr.
Peters check for urinary infection. Dr. Peters stated it was gas and to
come back Sept. 25.
- Sept. 6 - 18 Bloated still not feeling right. looked 3 months
pregnant
- Sept. - Saturday - not feeling well, pale look, "just not feeling
good", slight temperature
- Labor day weekend
- Cancer Antigen (CA125)
Normal Range 0-35
- More information
about ca125
- 24 March 2010 - 117.0
- 23 February 2010 - 20.4 This is good
- 27 January 2010 - 47.9
- 30 December 2009 - 37.3
- 02 December 2009 - 70.0
- 28 October 2009 - 37.3
- Paracentesis (Body
fluids with cancer)
- 21 April 2010 - 2.2 liters +additional draining during the evening.
- 05 April 2010 - 2.0 liters
- 01 April 2010 - Could not remove any fluids. Reason: To many small
pockets of fluids
- 28 March 2010 - 3.8 liters
- 23 March 2010 - 2.0 liters
- 16 March 2010 - 3.0 liters
- 11 March 2010 - 8.0 liters
- 03 March 2010 - 7.0 liters
- 25 February 2010 - 6.3 liters
- 18 February 2010 - 6.3 liters
- 11 February 2010 - 8.0 liters
- 03 February 2010 - 5.5 liters
- 21 January 2010 - 4.0 liters
- 14 January 2010 - 8.0 liters
- 07 January 2010 - 10.0 liters
- 31 December 2009 - 7.2 liters
- 22 December 2009 - 5.0 liters
- 08 December 2009 - 6.0 liters
- 07 October 2009 - 9.0 liters
- Blood
Transfusion
- 07 April 2010 - 2 units
- 02 April 2010 - 2 units
- 25 March 2010 - 2 units
- 11 March 2010 - 2 units
- 08 October 2010 - 2 units
- Hemoglobin Normal
Range 11.9-15.9 g/dL
- 07 April 2010 - 7.4
- 02 April 2010 - 8.4
- 25 March 2010 - 8.3
- 24 March 2010 - 9.7
- 09 March 2010 - 7.4
- This is not a chemo - Avastin (bevacizumab)
- Date: April 21 19:30 hours, March 29, 21:00 hours
- Mixture: 100ml .9% Sodium Chloride with 1125mg Bevacizumab at
200ml/hour
- Medication: Bevacizumab
- More information - Doctor's Guide, National Cancer Institute
- Second set of chemo
- Date: January, February, March
- Chemo: Brand name Paraplatin (Generic Carboplatin) used with Brand name
Taxol (Generic Paclitaxel)
- Comments: After first chemo there were no fluids. However, after second
treatment fluids started to build up. CA125 went down.
- Results: Seems to be helping cure one of the two cancers. Need to
confirm.
- First set of chemo
- Date: November - December 2009
- Chemo: Brand name Platinol (Generic Cisplatin) used with Brand name
Ifex (generic Ifosfamide)
- Comments: After first treatment there were no fluids. However, after
second treatment fluids started to build up. CA125 did not go down.
Cancer mutated
- Results: Did not work for Karen
Patient Description
- Health Background
- Excellent - Prior to this, patient never had any health issues
- Allergies - None
- Medication - None
- Age - 53 years - at time cancer was discovered.
- Height - 5' 7"
- Weight - 145 pounds
- Four (4) Pregnancies - 3 natural, one miscarriage
How the cancer was found
2009 - Around Labor Day, Karen was not feeling good and a week later (Sept.
18th) she went to our family doctor (Dr. Peters). The Doctor told her she was
having gas problems and to come back in a week. Sept. 25th Karen went back to
the doctors office, looking about 6-7 months pregnant. A Pap Smear
(papanicolaou) was done with negative results. Doctor once again stated it
was gas and to come back in two weeks.
Over the weekend(Sept 26,27), Karen and I did some searches over the web
(Yes!! google ) and decided to go back to the doctors on Monday Sept. 28 and
ask the doctor to perform tests.
Monday Sept. 28 Karen went back to Dr. Peters insisting that her blotting
"was not normal" and requested other tests be done. Reluctantly, Dr. Peters
offered a cat scan. On that same day at 7pm, Karen had her cat scan. Since Dr.
Peters believed it was still gas, he only authorized a cat scan from the breast
to the top of the pelvis. Luckily, the radiologist spotted the top of an
unusual object. The radiologist suggested to Dr. Peters that a second cat scan
be done below the pelvis. A second scan was done, however, only a front view
and not sectional view. Therefore, we did not know how large the largest tumor
was until the operation was done. Four tumors were found. The largest was about
6 inches in diameter.
Wednesday, October 7, Karen had surgery. One day before her 53rd birthday.
On Oct. 8th, Karen received a birthday card from the hospital. I told Karen
that is probably the most expensive birthday card she will ever receive. Our
surgeon (Dr. Hicks) was great. Besides the tumors, Dr. Hicks took out 9 liters
of fluid and 12 inches of the Colon.
On Oct. 30, Karen had a "port"
place in her and we started chemotherapy Nov. 9. The chemo is 8 hours a
day, 5 days in a row per month. At the end of three and six months they will
determine if the chemotherapy is working. From Dr. Hicks past experience using
these drugs with this type of cancer is stated as either the body response good
or not good. There is no in-between.
Lesson learn - Doctors are not always right nor do they always listen. Like
any other professional group of people, there are some good ones and some not
so good ones. Doctors are the same way. Make sure that if you ever feel blotted
and you are not passing gas, get a check up for ovarian cancer. A simple x-ray
in the pelvis area should show something.
- Diagnosis /History
- Pelvic mass
- Procedure
- Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy,
staging
- Specimen(s) Received
- A. Right ovary
- B. Omentum
- C. Right pelvic lymph node
- D. Uterus, cervix, bilateral tubes, left ovary and recto sigmoid colon
with tumor
- E. proximal and distal donuts
- Final Pathologic Diagnosis
- A. Carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed mullerian tumor).
- B. Metastatic carcinosarcoma, omentum
- C. Right pelvic lymph nodes (2), negative for metastatic carcincoma
- D. Uterus, bilateral fallopian tubes, and left ovary;
- Metastatic carcinosarcoma involving uterine serosa and surface of left
ovary, Endometrial polyp.
- Rectosigmoid colon with metastatic carcinosarcoma involving serosal
surface.
- E. Adhesions, full thickness colonic tissues.
- Comment: Tumor stage is pT3c pN0 pMx, Stage grouping is IIIC.
Addendum Diagnosis
Immunohistochemical stains were preformed. The poorly differentiated
neoplasm has areas that are pan-keratin positive. In addition, there is
sarcomatous area that are CD10 positive, thus indicating an endometrial stromal
component to the sarcomatous.
- 10/12/2009 - 12:04 Gross Description:
- A. Container labeled right ovary. The specimen is a
490 gram granular, hemorrhagic ovary, measuring 13x11x9 cm. sectioning
reveals gray-tan, glistening, soft tissue with scattered hemorrhagic
areas present. Representative sections are submitted for frozen section
and placed in block FS1 and FS2. Remaining representative sections are
submitted in cassettes 3-8.
- B. Labeled omentum, and is congested omental-like
adipose tissue, 60cm long, varying from 10 to 4 cm wide, and up to 1 cm
thick. The surface is covered with some fibrous adhesions. Within the
omentum is a single gray-white nodule, 2 cm. Representative sections in
five cassettes.
- C. Labeled right pelvic lymph node. The specimen is
adipose tissue, 4 x2 x 0.3 cm containing three nodules or nodes, 0.5, 1.4
and 1.3 cm, respectively. All in one cassette.
- D. Labeled rectosigmoid colon with tumor, uterus,
bilateral tubes, left ovary, cervix. The specimen is uterus, attached
left tube and ovary, detached right tube, adherent segment of colon and
separate fragments of soft tissue and tumor. The uterus is 121 grams, is
9 cm from fundus to ectocervical surface. The corpus is symmetrical, 6.5
x 5 x3.8 cm, covered with mostly smooth serosa, roughened by some nodules
near the uterine neck. The cylindrical cervix is 3 cm long and 3.8 cm
across the vaginal surface. The ectocervix white and smooth and surrounds
a slit-like external cervical os, 1.5 cm long. The cervical canal is
patent and has a trabeculated lining. The uterine cavity is triangular
and lined by thin, tan endometrium, 0.1 cm thick. There is a plaque-like
endometrial polyp that measures 1 cm. The myometrium is pink-tan, soft,
1.5 cm thick. The right fallopian tube is 4 cm long, 0.5 cm in diameter.
The serosa is roughened with fibrous adhesions. The fimbria is not
recognized. Attached to the fallopian tube is membranous tissue covered
with gray-white tumor tissue.
- The left fallopian tube is 7 cm long, 0.5 cm in diameter. The serosa is
smooth. The fimbria is unremarkable. The attached left ovary is 4.3 x2
x1.3 cm and has a surface roughened with some fibrous adhesions. The
attached colon is 14 cm long, 5.5 cm in circumference. The mucosa is
grossly unremarkable. The serosal surface of the bowel is congested and
covered with some hemorrhagic adhesions and gray-white tumor tissue.
Separate fragments of gray-white, necrotic tumor tissue is received, 9 x
7 x 2 cm.
- Representative sections in 17 cassettes as follows:
- 1-2: cervix
- 3: uterine serosal adhesions
- 4-6: endometrium
- 7-8: right fallopian tube and attached membranous and tumor tissue
- 9: left fallopian tube
- 10-11: left ovary
- 12-13: margins of colon
- 14-15: colon, serosal adhesions and attached tumor
- 16-17: separately submitted tumor
- E. Labeled proximal and distal donuts. The specimen is
two complete rings of bowel, 2 cm in circumference and 3 cm in
circumference, each containing metal staples. The mucosa of each is
grossly unremarkable. A section of each in two cassettes. LW
Intraoperative Consultation
- Frozen section diagnosis:
- Poorly differentiated carcinoma with sarcomatous elements. /GB
Microscopic Description
- A. The sections are of a malignant mixed mullerian tumor
(carcinosarcoma). There is extensive necrosis. The majority of the
neoplasm is composed of undifferentiated epithelial cells with minimal
glandular differentiation. There are areas of malignant cartilage
differentiation.
- B. Omentum contains similar tumor as that described in part A.
- C. There are two lymph nodes and neither contain metastatic tumor.
- D. The cervix is unremarkable. Both fallopian tubes are unremarkable.
There is an endometrial polyp present. There is a tumor similar to that
described above on the uterine serosa and on the surface of the left
ovary. Similar tumor is on the serosa of the colon.
- E. There are adhesions on the serosal surface of otherwise unremarkable
full thickness colonic tissues.
Age
The incidence of ovarian cancer rises with age. Half of all cases are
detected in women older than 65, and most are diagnosed after age 60. The
American Cancer Society recommends annual pelvic exams for all women over age
40 to increase the chances of early detection.
Genetics
Women with a family history of ovarian cancer face an increased risk. Having
one close relative with the disease increases the risk threefold, and the more
relatives with the disease, the greater the risk.
Part of the increased familial risk can be explained by genetic mutations in
the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which normally help protect against both breast and
ovarian cancer. Women who inherit mutations in BRCA1 have a 50 percent risk of
developing the disease, while a mutation in the BRCA2 genes results in a 20
percent risk. A mutation in another gene that normally protects against a type
of colon cancer called hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer also raises the
risk of ovarian cancer, but to a lesser degree than mutations in BRCA1 and
BRCA2.
Families that carry mutations in these genes can come from any background,
but a National Cancer Institute study found that the mutations are highest
among Asheknazi Jews (whose ancestors came from Eastern and Central Europe);
about 2 percent of all Asheknazi Jews carry mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2.
Read more about Genetic Testing
and Risk Assessment
- Foods eating with high protein
- Good resource
- banana - good source of potassium
- avocado - good source of magnesium
- eggs
- cheese
- peanuts
- dried cranberries
- raisins
- tangerines
- apricot
- almond
- Boost
- Instant Breakfast Essentials
- Ensure
- glutathione
- Electrolyte drinks
- Powerade
- Vitaminwater
Dietary Supplements
- Metagenisc Adrenogen
- 1 tablet three (3) times a day
- more information
- Metagenisc Andrographics Plus - Herbal Immune Support
- 2 tablets every 2 hours for 12 hours w/unchilled water. Then take one
(1) tablet three (3) times a day between meals for five (5) days
- more information
- Metagenics Vessel Care
- One (1) tablet daily or as directed
- more information
- Metagenics Multigenics
- Six (6) tablets daily with meals or as directed
- more information
- Metagenics Multigenics Intensive Care
- 2-3 tablets twice a day
- more information
- Metagenics D3 5000
- One (1) tablet daily
- more information
- Metagenics Celapro
- One (1) tablet daily
- more information
- Metagenics Kaprex AI
- One (1) tablet three (3) daily with food
- more information
- Metagenics NanoCell-Q
- One (1) teaspoon (5.1 ml) alone or added to a cup of beverage
- more information
Other Excellent Resources
- Resources
- Ovarian Cancer Research
Fund
- Links - Thanks to Ralph Nozzi (Friend)
- Immunocal
- Articles Regarding Immunocal
- McGill, Dec. 14, 2009 - New protein key for cell
proliferation