Helaine Gross

July 2020

I live in Portland and am now two years post treatment. I feel good with no evidence of disease, and I feel grateful. Grateful for my family and friends who provided me with meals, company (when I wanted it), and neverending encouragement and support. Grateful to the doctors and nurses at Kaiser who were so kind, caring and responsive. Grateful to the acupuncturists, naturopaths, and massage therapists at IEP (Immune Enhancement Project) who helped lessen the side effects of my treatment. Grateful to the people at the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington (OCAOSW) for being there for me by providing encouragement, support, and friendship. And most grateful to my husband, who was with me every step of the way. While the possibility of a recurrence is never far from my thoughts, so far so good…

My journey began in September, 2017. It came out of the blue. I was feeling great and getting ready for a 2-week trip to Washington DC with my husband. I began feeling constipated, and then really, really constipated. This was something new to me. I decided it would resolve itself in time, and off we went. I was enjoying seeing the sights and walking many miles a day. Toward the end of the trip, however, with my constipation still unresolved, I started feeling bloated as well. I said to my husband, “Something is very, very wrong.”

Within a few days after getting back I saw my primary doctor. I told her I was feeling great, except for the bloating and constipation. My sister had battled two gynecologic cancers and died of uterine cancer in 2010. While she never had ovarian cancer, I remember her talking about different cancers and saying that ovarian cancer was a very bad one. I can’t explain why, but my gut told me I had ovarian cancer. I told my doctor and hoped she wouldn’t think I was crazy.

My doctor took me seriously. She gave me a pelvic exam and said, “I feel something.” She then immediately started the referrals for blood tests and scans followed by biopsies after she had conferred with the gynecologic oncology department. In about 3 weeks I had my diagnosis of stage 3C ovarian cancer. My gynecologic oncologist laid out my treatment plan of 9 weekly chemos (taxol & carboplatin), followed by surgery, and then 9 more chemos. At the same time I began an intensive treatment of acupuncture (twice a week) and message therapy (every other week) from practitioners trained in treating chemotherapy patients at IEP in Portland. This helped me a lot.

It has been two years since my last treatment. I’m feeling good and very grateful that I trusted my gut.